MANILA, Philippines – History has been made at Bulacan State University (BulSU) as Axl Louis P. Coronel, a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology major in Web and Mobile Application Development student, becomes the first-ever graduate in the university’s history to obtain a General Weighted Average (GWA) of 1.0093, making him the highest academic achiever ever recorded in the institution.
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| Photo courtesy: Axl Louis Coronel/Facebook, CURSOR Publication |
In a heartfelt Facebook post, Coronel expressed his overwhelming gratitude: “At a loss for words, I am honored to be the first-ever achiever of BulSU to garner a GWA of 1.0093. To God be the highest glory!”
This historic milestone adds another feather to Coronel’s already decorated academic cap. He previously made waves as the first-ever valedictorian of Centro Escolar Integrated School Malolos, and now, as a graduating Iskong Teknolohista of Batch 2025, he seals his legacy as Summa Cum Laude and record-holder at BulSU.
Coronel’s achievements extend far beyond the classroom, as he championed various school competitions and scholastic activities.
He also held several leadership roles including Class Mayor for multiple academic years, founding student adviser and programs officer of the BulSU Microsoft Student Community, and head of Public Relations and Multimedia for the Society for the Welfare of Information Technology Students (SWITS).
In his speech during the commencement exercises, Coronel highlighted the emotional journey of student life; a farewell to college and a brave embrace of the uncertainties of the real world.
“Hindi lang ito tugon ng aking pasasalamat, ngunit sigaw ng mga taong mangungulila sa karanasan ng buhay-kolehiyo, silakbo ng mga taong may pangamba sa kanilang hinaharap, at pag-alab ng loob ng mga handang yakapin ang mundong walang kasiguraduhan. Mananatili, magwawagi,” he said.
Coronel’s record-setting achievement and inspiring message serve as a powerful reminder that dreams, coupled with discipline and heart, can transform not only personal destiny but institutional history.
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| Photo courtesy: Axl Louis Coronel/Facebook |
“When you have a dream, it's your duty to reach for it when you wake up; otherwise, you'll always be asleep.”
In an interview with The Summit Express, Axl said that one of the keys to his success is having a strong support system.
“Para sa akin po, talagang ang kakailanganin mong baon sa college ay tunay na support system—kahit hindi perpekto, ang mahalaga, tunay,” he said.
He also shared practical tips for study habits.
“Please do have enough sleep, especially at times na may major exam or quiz. Reviewing is useless po talaga if bugbog ang nag-iisang instrument for us to get the right answer,” he said.
“For reviewing, do repetition (maintaining information in short-term or working memory) and rehearsal (transferring info from short-term to long-term memory). Example po is passively repeating that particular term and definition in the head (repetition) until it becomes a memory that you can retrieve easily by using associated contexts or words to help you memorize that term (rehearsal).”
“Stay hydrated!”
“Taking care of the self is a must po. Tapos na po tayo sa era ng pag-romanticize sa over-resilience. We should know our worth, know when to stop (when the situation demands you to), and know when to continue. Sarili ay mahalaga!”
“Match with spiritual healthiness, like communicating with God or having that sense of spiritual optimism that when things don't go our way, we are not rejected, but redirected,” he finally said.
Congratulations, Axl Louis Coronel — your light now shines as a beacon for generations of BulSUans to come.
— Noel Ed Richards, The Summit Express