By Deorafe Basong
Third-year marketing management student Maria Fiona Labucuas finished in the top seven of the MarkProf Official Bootcamp 2025, emerging as the only student from a “non-big four” university to achieve the distinction.
The bootcamp, officiated by MarkProf Foundation Inc., annually admits 25 college students nationwide to undergo an eight-day “extensive and rigorous training” in marketing and sales.
Labucuas received the award during the bootcamp’s graduation ceremony last March 22, together with 22 other student-trainees across the country.
“I didn’t start as the most skilled, but I showed up every day with determination, willing to fight for my place in the program,” Labucuas said.
During the bootcamp, Labucuas worked with five other trainees focusing on the Cebu Pacific case, which earned the “Best Group Case” award.
However, she admitted that she had to catch up with her peers who had years of marketing and case competition experience.
“Recognizing that I had to put in extra effort, I committed myself to working twice as hard,” she said.
Moreover, Labucuas served as the batch president of MarkProf Batch 21, where she worked with the training team and led a nationwide group of high-achieving student leaders.
“I saw myself as a bridge—listening, facilitating, and making sure that every voice in the batch felt heard, valued, and supported,” she shared.
Aside from technical knowledge, she also cited “grit, consistency, and the unwavering support” of her peers, mentors, and group mates that sustained her throughout her journey.
Searching her passion
Originally enrolled in Bachelor of Science in Accountancy, Labucuas shifted to marketing management in 2024 after discovering a passion for the field.
“While I thrived in the structure and logic of numbers, my true strengths were in creativity, storytelling, and strategy. That’s what led me to marketing,” she said.
When asked how she learned about the bootcamp, Labucuas shared that it was Alexandra Kaye Tuale, an SU alumna, who mentored her during the MarkProf Junior Program.
“As a probinsyana (provincial girl) from the Visayas and a shiftee who no longer qualified for Latin Honors, I saw MarkProf as my opportunity to stand out and show that where you come from does not define how far you can go,” she stressed.
The third-year marketing student now joins the list of Sillimanians who have completed the program, including Shaina Dawn Navarro (Batch 13), Niel Anthony Lajot (Batch 17), and Tuale and Van Justine Peñalosa (Batch 20).
“Playing to win isn’t just about achieving results—it’s about setting the right foundation, leveraging your strengths, and owning your space in a competitive market,” she said, reflecting on her experience.
Participants of the annual MarkProf Bootcamp immersed in intensive real-world case challenges and mentorship with the country’s renowned marketing practitioners and industry experts.
