Glenville State University (GSU) has welcomed Luisa Kem E. De Guzman and Juliana Luisa M. Soriano, two Bachelor of Science in Forestry students from the University of the Philippines Los Baños College of Forestry and Natural Resources (UPLB CFNR), for the Fall 2026 semester. Their arrival marks the first time GSU has hosted exchange students from the Philippines.

Both students bring strong academic, leadership, service, and practical experience to GSU. Soriano’s interests and experience include forestry, environmental conservation, scientific research, and community engagement, while De Guzman’s interests include social forestry, plant identification, silviculture, GIS, and restoration, with experience in tree inventory, carbon stock assessment, and mapping. Together, they bring diverse academic and cultural perspectives that will contribute to the GSU community.

During their semester at GSU, De Guzman and Soriano are taking courses in forestry, land surveying, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). They also plan to participate in the Forestry Club, Land Surveying Club, and Environmental Science Club, providing additional opportunities to interact with GSU students and participate in campus and field activities..

“We are excited to welcome Kem and Juliana as GSU’s first exchange students from the Philippines,” said Dr. Rico Gazal, Professor of Forestry at GSU. “This is an important milestone in our partnership with UPLB CFNR and gives our students an opportunity to learn from students with a different forestry and cultural background. We also hope their experience at GSU will encourage more student exchanges between our two universities.”

De Guzman and Soriano will also serve as student ambassadors for study abroad in the Philippines, sharing information about UPLB, Filipino culture, and educational opportunities with GSU students. Their presence on campus builds on the partnership between GSU and UPLB CFNR, which has supported faculty collaboration, research, Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), and study abroad opportunities.

To learn more about study abroad opportunities at GSU, please contact Dr. Rico Gazal, Professor of Forestry, Department of Land Resources (Land. Resources@glenville.edu).