22-year old Filipino from Mindanao Graduates Cum Laude from Yale University

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT —A young Filipino scholar from southern Philippines has earned top academic honors at one of the most prestigious universities in the world.

“I hope that this story, along with countless others before me, is in a way showing a testament of the Filipino potential and hardwork,” said 22-year old Nathan Wayne F. Ariston, another proud Filipino being added to the long list of exceptional achievers here in America.

Graduating cum laude on a full scholarship, Ariston has just earned dual degrees in BS Physics and BS Mathematics from Yale University, a prestigious Ivy League research university located in New Haven, Connecticut.

Ariston, a graduate of Philippine Science High School - Central Mindanao Campus Batch 2021, was also awarded the Howard L. Schultz Prize, given to the Yale student who best reflects excellence, inventiveness, and good taste in experimental physics.

“I hope that in the slightest bit, this could strengthen our confidence in the Filipino’s skill and talent in the sciences, specifically in physics and math,” he said, when asked by TFCN to share an inspirational message to the Filipino community here in the US.

“This story is not at all the first and most certainly not the last of its kind. But I hope it adds to our list of achievements great and small. It brings me confidence that achieving such feats may be hard but are possible even for someone coming from a not-so-socioeconomically-privileged background like myself,” Ariston, a son of farmer and a public school teacher, pointed out.

His search for academic excellence will not stop here, he said he plans to pursue more advance studies to continue acquiring knowledge and skills, and widen his horizon.

“I am inspired by nothing but the joy of learning about how our universe works.I want to be a scientist. I am pursuing an MA, MPhil, and PhD package degrees in Columbia University Department of Physics in the next five years,” he said.

And giving back to his beloved country, he said, is also part of his long-term goal. “After that, maybe I’ll do post-doctorate studies and eventually hopefully become a professor, perhaps here in the Philippines,” said Ariston.

A proud Teduray who grew up in Upi, Maguindanao, Philippines, he said, “I feel proud to have brought the name of my people, Filipinos and the indigenous Tedurays specifically, to the world stage in a way. At the same time, I feel like there is still much work to be done to present opportunities such as what I have luckily had to deserving young students, and I believe we have lots and lots of those.”

Photo Source: Nathan Winston Ariston