Monique Granaderos

Monique Q. Granaderos is a visually impaired student afflicted with glaucoma. She is in the second year of college, pursuing a Bachelor of Special Needs Education (BSNEd) - Generalist at Holy Cross of Davao College. Her area of focus is teaching students with special needs, such as those with autism, visual impairment, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and other intellectual and physical disabilities.

Monique aspires to become a leader and innovator of social change and serve as an instrument of the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program. She aims to improve academic and job inclusion for students and people with disabilities in her home country, particularly those with visual impairment. Despite facing limited opportunities for community service due to her visual impairment, Monique has been conducting voluntary English language tutorials for blind children at the Davao School for the Blind during her free time. She also gives food and money to street children and homeless elderly people she encounters on the road.

Her goal in joining the Fulbright program is to experience the diversity and inclusion that the US offers to people with disabilities, and learn new ideas and techniques to promote inclusion in her school in the Philippines. She aspires to become a trailblazing educator to help other advocates educate their fellow countrymen about the capabilities and abilities of people with disabilities to work with others with the proper support and training, serving as a role model for students with disabilities who might be losing hope in pursuing their education. Her overall goal is to prove that people with disabilities can still contribute to making the world a better place.

Monique is a well-rounded individual who engages in a variety of activities outside of her studies. She helps blind students with their assignments, attends seminars, trainings, and conferences to improve her skills, and enjoys reading e-books, crafting, and watching informative videos related to cooking and psychology. Monique is also an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys cycling, hiking, camping, fishing, and sailing, and is open to new experiences to continuously grow.