Stars with a college degree

A lot of Funfare readers have been asking me for a list of stars with a college degree, no doubt because of the recent graduation season. Showbiz-watchers suspect that just because stars earn a lot, many of them anyway (especially those in the A-list), they are misled into believing that the good times are forever, so they forget all about education because money comes easy.

When stardom is gone, several stars find themselves holding empty bags and they are those who don’t know how to save for the rainy days. Lucky are those who stash away part of their savings in bank accounts or in business investments because when they come back to earth from Cloud 9, they have something to fall back on.

There are stars who successfully combine showbiz and school, bless them, and they even tuck up a college degree. Funfare is reprinting a (partial) list of "the graduates" which came out in the latest issue of People Asia. Here they are:

• Paolo Bediones – Interdisciplinary Studies, with Business and Psychology (Ateneo)

• Julius Babao – Film and Audio-Visual Communications (UP)

• Christine Bersola – Film and Audio-Visual Communications (UP)

• Aljo Bendijo – AB Masscom (Holy Cross of Davao College)

• Erwin Tulfo – BA (Accounting, UE)

• Hilda Koronel – International Studies (Miriam College)

• Zorayda Sanchez – Arts and Letters (Journalism, UST)

• Miriam Quiambao – Physical Therapy

• Franco Laurel – Liberal Arts (Tokyo University)

• Angela Velez – Electrical Engineering (National University)

• Eula Valdez – Liberal Arts (UST)

• Cocoy Laurel – Drama (American Academy of Dramatic Arts)

• Sen. Loren Legarda – Masscom (UP) and a military course (National Defense College)

• Quezon City Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista – AB Philosophy (San Beda College)

• Leandro Muñoz – Business Administration (San Beda College)

• Nonoy Zuñiga – Medicine (UST)

• Vivian Foz – Dentistry

• Tommy Abuel – Law

• Dot Ramos – Law

• Ogie Alcasid – Masscom (La Salle) and Drama (UP)

• Harlene Bautista – Drama (UP)

• Bojo Molina – Engineering (Letran College, Calamba, Laguna)

• Dingdong Avanzado – Business Administration (La Salle)

• Ryan Agoncillo – Business Administration (La Salle)

• Susan Valdez – Nursing

• Kuh Ledesma – Nursing

• Julio Diaz – X-ray Technician

• Kris Aquino – Literature (Ateneo)

• Jennifer Sevilla – AB (UST)

• Randy Santiago – Liberal Arts (La Salle)

• Rowell Santiago – Liberal Arts (La Salle)

• Ricky Davao – Industrial Engineering (Mapua)

• Eric Quizon – AB Interdisciplinary Studies (Ateneo)

• Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski – AB Interdisciplinary Studies (Ateneo)

• RJ Rosales – Commerce (Australia)

• Monique Wilson – Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (London)

• Boots Anson-Roa – Speech and Drama (UP)

• Joel Torre – AB (La Salle Bacolod)

• Ronnie Lazaro – AB (La Salle Bacolod)

• Caloocan City Councilor Dennis Padilla – AB Political Science (UST)

• Roselle Nava – BA Marketing (La Salle)

• Beth Tamayo – AB (Dominican College)

• Charlene Gonzales – Pre-Medicine (UST)

• Mel Tiangco – Masscom (UP)

There. These "stars with a college degree" should serve as example and inspiration not only to their colleagues but to their fans and followers as well. In the long run, a diploma (college, preferably) can prove to be more valuable than stardom.