July 5, 2021
July 5, 2021
Professor Mae Florence Nierras (or Ma’am Mae to a lot of us), was an excellent academic, a very nurturing mentor, and a great friend. She was my life coach, my very honest critic, my super fan…my family. I had the privilege of sharing 25 years of my life practically under the tutelage of a great human being.
She was my idol growing up and I realized that she was my peg when I started my career. Before our first meeting as her student, I only wanted to be a doctor- nothing more. As I got to know her more, I learned to appreciate life from multiple perspectives and I started to believe that while I am lacking in many ways, I can also be like her.
Our relationship as a teacher and student evolved overtime. She filled in for my mom in many situations and became the person that I run to when I am in doubt, in trouble or when I want to share my little successes in life. She was my most trusted confidant as I was very comfortable showing her my wounded soul because I never felt (even for one instance) being unsafe, being judged, or pressured to be someone I am not.
Eventually, we became colleagues and worked in various capacities and relationships. After her retirement from UP, she joined me as a faculty of UERM when I was Program Director of Nursing and College Secretary of the Graduate School. As a visiting Professor, she mentored a class of MCN nurses and all of her students graduated on time and are now well placed in the system as academics, policy researchers and program managers. In the most recent past (in 2020), I asked her to take a consultancy role in a WHO funded implementation research project that she refused many times as she was having doubts about her capacity as a policy researcher. However, her team (composed of Drs Noel Juban, Merideth, Charlie and Marvinson) all agreed with me that she is indeed an important player in that project. This was our last venture together… no more random in country trips and abroad, no more shopping, no more binge eating and talking for many hours, no more catch up over beer with Ma’am Geline and Sir Rolly and sometimes with her other friends.
I am still grateful that Ma’am Mae chose to mentor me among her many bright students and even allowed me to share some precious time with her family. I remember when I spent the entire Holy Week with her family when I was having issues in my career and doubts about my future. It was a good experience and it changed me in many ways. I really thank Mano Francis, Jade and Justine, for sharing Ma’am Mae with me and for their generosity allowing me to take some of her precious times from them. She really was my constant support even after my university graduation. She helped me figure out my career path, supported my dissertation and even asked Justine to serve as proxy style and grammar editor for several articles that I submitted and published in journals.
The life that Ma’am Mae shared with me is a beautiful testimonial of God’s love. Her continued presence or support especially in my most trying times was God’s creative way of saving me- from failing, from making mistakes, from forgetting that I am His child. Angels and grace are indeed real because many times in my life, I felt that an angel was always there to save me and by His grace, she was almost always ready to share whatever she can and possibly do.
I will miss you Ma’am Mae… but I am comforted by the thought of having another angel (in addition to my Dad) who will pray for me and who I know deep inside, will always be cheering for me even in heaven.
Rest well Ma’am Mae for you have served well. Until we met again…
She was my idol growing up and I realized that she was my peg when I started my career. Before our first meeting as her student, I only wanted to be a doctor- nothing more. As I got to know her more, I learned to appreciate life from multiple perspectives and I started to believe that while I am lacking in many ways, I can also be like her.
Our relationship as a teacher and student evolved overtime. She filled in for my mom in many situations and became the person that I run to when I am in doubt, in trouble or when I want to share my little successes in life. She was my most trusted confidant as I was very comfortable showing her my wounded soul because I never felt (even for one instance) being unsafe, being judged, or pressured to be someone I am not.
Eventually, we became colleagues and worked in various capacities and relationships. After her retirement from UP, she joined me as a faculty of UERM when I was Program Director of Nursing and College Secretary of the Graduate School. As a visiting Professor, she mentored a class of MCN nurses and all of her students graduated on time and are now well placed in the system as academics, policy researchers and program managers. In the most recent past (in 2020), I asked her to take a consultancy role in a WHO funded implementation research project that she refused many times as she was having doubts about her capacity as a policy researcher. However, her team (composed of Drs Noel Juban, Merideth, Charlie and Marvinson) all agreed with me that she is indeed an important player in that project. This was our last venture together… no more random in country trips and abroad, no more shopping, no more binge eating and talking for many hours, no more catch up over beer with Ma’am Geline and Sir Rolly and sometimes with her other friends.
I am still grateful that Ma’am Mae chose to mentor me among her many bright students and even allowed me to share some precious time with her family. I remember when I spent the entire Holy Week with her family when I was having issues in my career and doubts about my future. It was a good experience and it changed me in many ways. I really thank Mano Francis, Jade and Justine, for sharing Ma’am Mae with me and for their generosity allowing me to take some of her precious times from them. She really was my constant support even after my university graduation. She helped me figure out my career path, supported my dissertation and even asked Justine to serve as proxy style and grammar editor for several articles that I submitted and published in journals.
The life that Ma’am Mae shared with me is a beautiful testimonial of God’s love. Her continued presence or support especially in my most trying times was God’s creative way of saving me- from failing, from making mistakes, from forgetting that I am His child. Angels and grace are indeed real because many times in my life, I felt that an angel was always there to save me and by His grace, she was almost always ready to share whatever she can and possibly do.
I will miss you Ma’am Mae… but I am comforted by the thought of having another angel (in addition to my Dad) who will pray for me and who I know deep inside, will always be cheering for me even in heaven.
Rest well Ma’am Mae for you have served well. Until we met again…