THE recent on-campus theft incident in which an Artlets professor lost his laptop computer to a working scholar has drawn varied reactions. Some cannot help but think deeply of the student’s reasons for committing such an action.
Being a working scholar myself, I feel more concerned with the student assistant. More than being sorry for my colleague, I can relate to him especially when I personally got hold of the Security Office’s investigation report on the case and got the chance to speak with the professor. Apparently, his family’s financial problem drove the student assistant to steal the computer.
Just like any working scholar, financial problems in the family pushed me to apply for a working scholarship grant. Just to study, I have to cut my sleeping hours so I can render a definite number of hours on duty. I have to endure different kinds of people at work. I have to effectively manage my time so I can deliver academic and work requirements. I have to skip meals to beat deadlines. All these I have to bear to earn my tuition and other fees.
But though money problems are a common denominator among them, working students must not be judged harshly. The theft incident must not cause people to have preconceived notion about us. It must, however, caution scholars on the consequences of their misdeeds.
Now that the case of the student assistant is with the Office for Student Affairs to decide on, one can only hope that he would get the same due process afforded everyone in our law.
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I salute every working scholar for making sacrifices such as shorter sleeping hours, limited study time, and even restrained social life.
Despite the hardships, working scholars are fortunate for being afforded the chance to learn early on the values of hard work and time management.
Even with the enormous work and study load, a number of scholars in the past had proven their worth for having graduated with honors.
So kudos to all graduating working scholars who have clung to their dreams despite the difficulties of college life.
The college diploma now seems within reach, but the experience and training working scholars have encountered constitute a priceless lesson that can never be fully taught in class.
