𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐅. 𝐒𝐀𝐌𝐔𝐄𝐋 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐎: 𝟑𝟎 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒, 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓

When most people think of a teacher in higher education, they imagine someone delivering lectures, checking papers, and leading research. All of these are true. But for Prof. Samuel A. Plando, fondly called Sir Sammy at Davao del Norte State College, teaching has always meant being present for students, for both the raw, challenging years of learning and the bright, defining moments when they finally discover what they are capable of.

“I’ve seen former students become leaders, professionals, and educators themselves. Some of them have come back to say, ‘Sir, thank you so much.’ These simple words have always been more than enough,” Sir Sammy shared in an interview. For him, the truest rewards are not promotions or recognitions but the chance to influence students’ lives for the better.

“They say time flies when you’re doing something you love. But for me, time didn’t just fly,” he reflected. “It bloomed, struggled, thrived, and transformed into something I never imagined when I first walked through the gates of DNSC thirty years ago.”

A SMALL MOMENT FOR SOMEONE WHO WANTED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Sir Sammy began his journey on June 8, 1995, as a substitute teacher in the DNSC Laboratory School. Just five months later, he secured a permanent Teacher I position. “It was a small title,” he recalled, “but a big moment for someone who wanted to make a difference.”

In 2003, he transferred to the College Department and steadily rose through the ranks, from Instructor I to Associate Professor V. Alongside his teaching, he currently serves as Alumni Affairs Coordinator and Faculty Association President, the latter allowing him to represent the faculty in the DNSC Board of Trustees.

The early years, he admitted, were not easy. “We worked with what we had. We had limited resources, long hours, and so many challenges. But there was always something greater that kept me going: the students. Each face in the classroom reminded me why I chose this path.”

This student-centered philosophy has anchored him through decades of institutional change. “Alongside its transformation, I too have grown as a mentor, a colleague, and a lifelong learner,” he said.

NEVER JUST A CAREER, BUT A BEAUTIFUL CHAPTER OF LIFE

He further describes his thirty-year journey as more than a job, “This journey was never just a career. It has been a calling, a privilege, and a beautiful chapter of my life. I’ve learned that true service isn’t about recognition or awards, it is about showing up every day with heart, humility, and the belief that what you do matters.”

Listening to Sir Sammy, one realizes that his words are not just recollections of the past but guiding principles for anyone in the service of others. He offers advice to the next generation of educators and employees, “Start where you are, give your best, and never stop growing. Serve with heart, teach with purpose, and love the journey, even the hard days. Be happy and celebrate small victories, learn from setbacks, and remember that every effort, no matter how small, adds to the bigger picture of who you will become.”

Above all, he remains grounded in gratitude. “To all of these, I thank God for granting me strength, patience, and purpose.” His legacy endures in every student he has guided, in every confidence he has nurtured, and in every future he has helped shape.

He exemplifies that teaching lives on not in classrooms alone, but in the lives forever changed by it.(end, CNL)