Two Classically Trained Musician Sisters from the Philippines Find Their Calling at Touro University

“As much as I enjoyed playing the violin and the piano, I felt like it wasn’t the career path for me or how I wanted to spend most of the hours of my week,” said Eunice. She found herself drawn to photography and design, and her eldest sister suggested she explore UI and UX design. After completing her degree, Eunice attended a graduate school fair in the U.S., where she discovered Touro University. “In the Philippines, changing your career or studying something different isn’t really encouraged,” she said. “But I realized I could find something new if I studied at Touro.”

At Touro’s Graduate School of Technology, Eunice found a challenging and supportive environment. Three semesters and a summer as a graduate assistant gave her exposure to different work cultures and departments, which she found crucial. “I was able to see different work cultures within the school and see how a school functioned,” she said. “We helped develop the school’s website which I was able to use in my portfolio.” For her thesis, she developed an app for her church and graduated as valedictorian in 2019. Speaking at commencement, she reflected, “The awkward girl from Manila is now the confident woman standing before 2,700 at Lincoln Center. The challenges I faced weren’t easy, but I’m thankful for them because they made me who I am today.”

After graduation, Eunice quickly secured employment as part of the Optional Training (OPT) program for international graduates at Ramsey Theory Group, a tech consulting firm, where she began in a UX/UI design role. She advanced rapidly, becoming a vice president in 2022.

While Eunice was building her career, her younger sister Danielle was going through a similar journey in the Philippines. “I always copied Eunice,” Danielle laughed. “Eunice used to draw, so I took up drawing, but while she eventually moved on, I kept at it.” Like her sister, Danielle studied music at the University of the Philippines but eventually decided she wanted a career in art.

After completing her associate’s degree in music and moving to the United States, Danielle set her sights on Touro’s digital multimedia design program. “It had everything I wanted,” said Danielle. “I loved it from the get-go. The teachers really push me to bring out my creativity in a way I hadn’t experienced in the Philippines. They don’t shut down my ideas—they help me develop them.”

Danielle had attended Eunice’s thesis presentation, and now, coincidentally, some of the same faculty are her instructors.

In her commencement speech, Eunice shared a sentiment that resonates with many of Touro’s international students: “Whenever you find yourself doubting how far you can go, remember how far you’ve come, all the challenges you’ve faced, and the fears you’ve overcome.”