31/03/2026
๐ธโจ Women in Engineering โจ๐ธ
The Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers, Inc. โ Lanao del Sur Chapter proudly recognizes Prof. Samina M. Lomondaya, our esteemed 1st Vice President, for her remarkable contributions and dedication to the field of engineering.
A trailblazer and an inspiration, she stands as a symbol of excellence, being the 1st Female Cum Laude of the College of Engineering, and continues to uplift and empower future generations of engineers.
Your leadership, passion, and commitment truly make a difference in our profession and community. ๐ค
๐๐๐๐ง๐จ๐ฅ๐ | ๐ช๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ช๐ต๐ผ ๐๐๐ถ๐น๐ฑ: ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ณ. ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ ๐ . ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฎโ๐ ๐ฐ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ป๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐
๐๐ณ๐ฆ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ข ๐ด๐ต๐ถ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ฐ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐ฏ๐จ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ช๐ง ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ท๐ฆ ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐ขโ๐ข๐ฎ ๐โ๐ด ๐ค๐ญ๐ข๐ด๐ด๐ฆ๐ด?
Within the halls of the College of Engineering, one name has become both familiar and formative to generations of students. For over four decades, Prof. Samina M. Lomondaya, fondly known as โMaโam Lโ among the students, has dedicated her life to shaping generations of future engineers, not only through instruction but through mentorship, guidance, and steady leadership.
Now serving as Assistant Dean and approaching retirement after 41 years in the academe, Prof. Lomondayaโs career stands as a testament to commitment, resilience, and the growing presence of women in a field once largely defined by men.
Her path into engineering, however, was not one she initially envisioned. โActually, engineering wasnโt really my first choice,โ she recalls. โI wanted to take medicine, but during that time there was no nearby medical school, so I ended up choosing engineering.โ
What started as a second option gradually transformed into a lifelong vocation. Graduating cm laude, she made history as the first woman in the College of Engineering to earn the distinction. Recognizing her potential, the college dean soon invited her to join the faculty, marking the beginning of a professional journey that would span more than four decades.
During her years as a student, female representation in engineering remained minimal. In fact, she recalls that there were fewer than ten female students in their batch. In contrast, todayโs classrooms reflect a notable shift, with significantly more women pursuing engineering programs, a development she regards with both pride and optimism.
Her decision to remain in the university was influenced not only by professional opportunities but also by personal priorities. Choosing to stay close to home allowed her to raise her children while continuing her academic career, embodying a balance between family and vocation that would define much of her life.
Over the years, her role within the College of Engineering expanded beyond the classroom. Now serving as the Assistant Dean, she helps oversee critical academic matters, including student petitions and institutional concerns, responsibilities that require discernment, fairness, and leadership.
Throughout her tenure, she has closely observed the gradual yet steady rise of women in engineering. For her, this shift is not merely numerical but reflective of the strengths women bring into the profession. โI think women are very diligent,โ she notes. โThere are many bright men, but women are very hardworking and resourceful.โ
As she prepares to conclude her career, the lessons she hopes her students carry forward is simply to remain grounded in discipline and integrity. โI always tell them to be independent. Do your own work. Donโt just copy. Success comes from your own effort.โ
Her advice to female engineering students is equally clear: โWhatever men can do, women can also do.โ
Reflecting on her decades-long journey, she offers a perspective shaped by experience: โThe journey to success is not a straight line; there is always a hump.โ
From entering a male-dominated field as a young student to becoming the first woman cm laude and a respected academic leader, Prof. Lomondayaโs journey embodies a lifetime of commitment to teaching, mentorship, and service.
As the College of Engineering celebrates Womenโs Month, her legacy underscores a broader narrative of progress, one where the paths forged by women continue to widen opportunities for those who follow. Long after she leaves the classroom, her influence will remain embedded in the engineers she has helped shape.
Words by Anyanna Aisha Munder
Edited by Airene Grace Villamor
Layout by Mohammad Hussien Azis
