每日大赛网址首页进入 (CvSU), through its Gender and Development Resource Center (GADRC) headed by Dr. Ma. Cynthia Rundina-Dela Cruz, successfully conducted an in-person seminar titled 鈥淪trength in Every Stride鈥� on October 21, 2025, at the GADRC Training Room.
The seminar aims to raise awareness on the importance of integrating Gender and Development (GAD) principles into public health; present sex-disaggregated data to emphasize gender-specific vulnerabilities and capacities in health; promote active dialogue on how gender-responsive strategies can improve health systems, community resilience, and sustainability, and encourage collective action through practical approaches that individuals, families, and communities can adopt to support gender-equitable public health outcomes.
In her opening message, Dr. Rundina-Dela Cruz underscored the significance of discussing gender-responsive strategies that could help improve public health among individuals, families, and communities. She then introduced the resource speaker for the session.
The main discussion began with the topic 鈥淪trength in Every Stride: Lessons from the Road to Veterinary Fulfilment,鈥� delivered by Dr. Chika Okafor from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. In his presentation, Dr. Okafor emphasized three core principles that shape both personal and professional success in the field of veterinary medicine鈥攑acing, resilience, and support. He explained that success is self-defined and that true progress comes from pacing oneself effectively by setting realistic goals, maintaining balance between work and rest, and celebrating small victories along the way.
Dr. Okafor also highlighted the importance of resilience, describing it as the capacity to adapt to and recover from adversity. Drawing from his own experiences in veterinary and graduate studies, he illustrated that setbacks and rejections are inevitable but serve as opportunities for growth and learning. Furthermore, he dispelled common misconceptions about resilience, clarifying that it does not mean enduring hardships alone or recovering instantly from challenges.
Lastly, Dr. Okafor discussed the significance of building a support network, which includes emotional, informational, instrumental, and professional assistance. He stressed that cultivating meaningful relationships plays a vital role in achieving both personal fulfillment and professional success, encapsulated in his statement that 鈥測our network is your net worth.鈥� Concluding his talk, he encouraged participants to pace themselves, remain resilient, and nurture supportive relationships as they pursue their own paths toward fulfillment, reminding everyone that while 鈥減ain is temporary, purpose is permanent.鈥� (by Lynnette M. Tecson)
