KAAGAPAY SA PANGARAP: From Scholar to Serving Scholars — The Full Circle Journey of Shaun Samson

For some students, scholarships are simply financial assistance.

For Shane Jasmin Samson, they became proof that someone believed in his dreams exactly as they were.

Known to many as Shaun, he is now working as a CSR Admin Assistant at Bell-Kenz Pharma Inc. and proudly serves alongside the same institution that once supported his educational journey. In 2024, he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science — a course he chose not because it was practical for scholarships, but because it was the path he truly wanted.

Long before college, Shaun already understood the value of education and the opportunities it could create. Back in Grade 6, he became a scholar of the Local Foundation, which supported him all throughout Junior High School. From then on, he learned to view academic excellence not only as an achievement, but as a doorway to a better future.

“Good grades became my way of creating opportunities for myself,” he shared.

When Senior High School came, Shaun already knew what he wanted to pursue: Political Science. But staying true to that dream was not easy.

Many scholarship programs he encountered required students to take courses related to engineering, science, or business. Again and again, he found herself facing opportunities that seemed to ask him to become someone else in exchange for support.

But Shaun refused to let go of the course he truly loved.

“Every scholarship I found wanted a different version of me,” he recalled. “Bell-Kenz accepted exactly who I was.”

During his second year in college at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, an opportunity unexpectedly came through his aunt, Ria Iyo, who worked at Bell-Kenz. After learning about the scholarship program of Bell-Kenz Pharma Foundation Inc., Shaun immediately prepared and submitted all the requirements, determined not to let the opportunity pass him by.

He never expected to be called for an interview.

But when the day finally came, what he remembered most was not pressure or intimidation — it was warmth.

“They asked me about my plans after college,” he shared. “It felt less like an interview and more like a genuine conversation.”

Coming from a family that relied on a small sari-sari store for income, the scholarship became a huge help in easing the daily financial burden of being a student. From transportation and school expenses to everyday necessities, the support from Bell-Kenz gave Shaun the breathing room he needed to focus on excelling in her studies.

The academic excellence rewards he received became especially meaningful. Instead of spending them immediately, he carefully saved a portion for his future while also allowing himself small rewards as recognition for all the hard work he poured into his education.

But according to Shaun, Bell-Kenz Foundation gave him something far greater than financial support.

It gave him a sense of belonging.

Through company events, scholar gatherings, and interactions with people behind the foundation, he was able to see firsthand the heart and mission of Bell-Kenz. The scholarship no longer felt transactional — it felt personal.

Bell-Kenz remained beside him throughout his entire college journey, from his first year all the way to graduation.

And even after graduation, the support did not stop.

When Shaun began searching for work, Bell-Kenz once again extended an opportunity — this time, not as a scholar, but as part of the company itself.

Today, he serves as a CSR Admin Assistant, working closely with scholars who are now walking the same path she once took. Every day, he listens to their concerns, processes their needs, and witnesses the same joy and relief he once felt whenever support arrived.

“I used to wait for the message that said I was supported,” Shaun said. “Now I’m the one who helps send it.”

His story is proof that when people are empowered through education, the impact does not stop with one student alone. It creates a ripple effect — one that inspires, uplifts, and eventually comes back around to help others dream too.

From scholar to servant-leader, Shaun’s journey has truly come full circle.

And through every chapter of that journey, Bell-Kenz remained not only a supporter of his education, but a believer in who he was meant to become.