Pinay excels in prestigious, picture-perfect Harvard under tough conditions

Upon receiving the news that she got accepted at Harvard University, Meg Jiliane Frias simply sent a message to the family chat group, and then retired for the evening.

No, that special moment didn’t land on TikTok. No video to capture the burst of celebration. And no lengthy Facebook post either.

Frias, then working in Brazil as an analyst for Shell, was having a particularly stressful day at work and had to be up first thing in the morning for an urgent project.

Yet that didn’t mean she wasn’t thrilled about it. After all, getting admitted at Harvard is the dream of just about every student.

“I always loved to read historical fiction, especially the Tudor period. Harvard has a lot of Tudor, Gothic-style architecture and being there in person made my childhood imagination come true,” said Frias.

“It was stunning. My first impression was ‘I am now in the books I was once reading.’”

Last May she graduated from the hallowed institution with a degree in Liberal Arts in Extension Studies. cum laude!

Level of difficulty

First-born of Dongfeng Motors executive Giovanni Frias and wife Elizabeth del Prado-Frias, Meg finished her Harvard degree while working a high-profile job in a high-profile corporation. Right in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.

That maxed out the level of difficulty. And, of course, the height of achievement.

“Balancing work and school was hard. Harvard demanded hard work. So did Shell. I wanted to give the best quality in everything that I did both at school and at work,” Meg said.

“I was working hard — attending meetings, answering emails, attending to stakeholders, working on projects, attending classes and doing assignments with no sleep at times.”

Her admission to Harvard was “not traditional.” She was admitted to the Harvard Extension School which is designed for working professionals who graduated high school at five years minimum, with or without college experience.

Meg actually already had a college experience, having gone through three and a half years of a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Chemistry at the University of the Philippines Los Baños.

But in the middle of her fourth year (the course is for five years), she filed a leave of absence to serve as missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

“I left school to serve a mission for the church for 18 months in Brazil,” she recalled.

Dilemma

When she returned to the Philippines in April 2019, it was mid-semester and there were curriculum adjustments brought by K-12. In short, it messed up her course credits and put her in a bind.

“In the midst of this dilemma, an opportunity came — an opportunity to work for Shell as an analyst for their Brazil petroleum entity,” she said.

“The operational process was transferred to Manila in late 2018 and Shell was looking for a Portuguese speaker who can help streamline the operations of Shell Brazil Petroleo Contract and Procurement.

“I was a weak candidate on paper. My missionary work experience was my only work experience and I still haven’t finished college. But through a miraculous experience, stars aligned, and I got the job! I will be forever thankful to Wanli Chen and Robi Mendoza who interviewed me and gave me a shot.”

By September 2019, she was working for Shell as an analyst. There she met her mentors and friends Ivane Meimban, Casey Jadulos and PJ Alfonso who were instrumental to her professional growth.

“I was working for Shell for a year when I found out through a colleague about Harvard Extension School and decided to give it a shot. I started taking courses, while working full-time, in September 2021 and was officially admitted as an ALB (Bachelor of Liberal Arts) candidate in August 2022,” Meg said.

“Though I was earning a hefty salary (especially for someone who is not a college graduate and in a senior role, I got promoted one year into the role), I knew I needed to earn my bachelor’s degree.”

But for better or worse, because of the pandemic, Meg only got to be on the iconic Harvard campus for one semester. Her UP courses were credited which allowed her to finish the degree in just two years.

Advice

Her advice to aspiring Harvard entrants: “Study the application process, talk to enrollment coaches, apply and take your chances. Harvard has a lot of different programs for everyone. Study the programs and talk to somebody. There will always be someone at Harvard who can help.

“Somebody said ‘you miss the chances you don’t take.’ Just apply and take your chances. You’ll have less regrets if you applied and tried. Regardless, whether you get accepted or not, you took your shot.”

Outside class, Meg spent a lot of time on research, literature review, consultation with professors and teaching assistants, and meetings and collaborations with classmates.

The most challenging part of college life — in Harvard or otherwise — is meeting deadlines.

“That is when deadlines are fast approaching and you still aren’t done with your papers/presentations, etc. I think a lot of students can relate to procrastination. During my writing and research, I tend to discover a lot of things that deviate from the topics I originally planned on writing,” she said.

“Hence, even when I planned and worked really early, I still end up procrastinating because of the changes I get from discovery, feedback from professors and peer reviews.”

And to get through a tough day at school, Meg — just like any student whether in Harvard or not — watched Netflix.

Magical

The high point of her campus life was when she finally arrived at Harvard. “Just looking at the buildings in person. The interior and exterior of each building is magical! From the dining halls, to dorm rooms, study spaces, libraries, etc. everything was beautiful. I’m just in awe every time I see everything.”

But that can’t compare to when she finally took the stage for graduation. In front of her proud parents who flew in from Manila.

“I never imagined how vast, complicated and beautiful the world can be if it wasn’t for the education I have had. I am eager to go back to my home country and be a force for good. I realized that there is much to be done but nothing is impossible as long as we’re willing to try.”

Hands down, she passed it with flying colors.