From PISAY to the Ivy League: Filipino student graduates from Yale University with double degree

MANILA — Nathan Wayne Ariston, a proud graduate of Philippine Science High School - Central Mindanao Campus (PISAY-CMC), has just completed a double degree in mathematics and physics from Yale University, Class of 2025.

Hailing from Upi, Maguindanao, Ariston’s academic journey is a testament to curiosity, resilience, and a profound love for science. 

He initially thought that studying abroad was not part of his plans before he got encouragement from a contact at the University of California Berkeley, who noticed his strong academic credentials to apply. 

“I didn’t know it was possible to apply abroad… It was beyond my reach…  But then, somebody approached me… Somebody just told me that, hey, your credentials look good. He said, Wayne, your credentials look good. I think it's worth a shot to apply to the US specifically,” Ariston shared in an interview with ABS-CBN News.

Wayne got accepted around April of 2021 through Yale’s “need-based aid” program where he was granted full scholarship and the university funded his four years at the university.

At Yale, Ariston pursued a double major in mathematics-intensive and physics-intensive tracks. Ariston admitted that he had a lifelong curiosity about how the universe works.

“I wasn't that curious about the applications, but I was just curious about how they worked... My professor was also excellent. So, even though I had a hard time, I got through it. A similar thing pushed through for me (for my physics department), which was this genuine curiosity and, I'd say, internal motivation to find out what would happen in cutting-edge physics research after that,” Ariston admitted.

Balancing the workload of two challenging fields, he didn’t shy away from advanced topics. He took graduate-level courses in partial differential equations and theoretical physics, driven more by curiosity than grades.

“They were beyond me, but I got through it—thanks to excellent professors and genuine wonder about how things work,” he added.

Outside academics, the adjustment to life in the U.S. posed its own hurdles. He was the only PISAY alumnus at Yale and had to navigate a 12-hour time difference with family back in the Philippines.

“The biggest challenge in terms of speaking with my family was the time difference… We were able to find a schedule weekly. It wasn't everyday because we couldn't do it here. It was a bit busy,” Ariston shared.

Now back home for the summer in Maguindanao, Ariston is preparing for the next leg of his academic journey—a Ph.D. in high-energy theoretical physics at Columbia University, which will take five years. 

He looks forward to diving deeper into particle physics and quantum theory.

“Particles, stuff, electrons, quarks, stuff like that. So, yeah, I'm really excited for the next steps. Five years is a bit long, but it's okay,” Wayne said.

As for the future, he dreams of one day settling in the Philippines and giving back to his region. 

One advocacy close to his heart is establishing a DOST-CSI campus in BARMM, recognizing the value of accessible science education.

Ariston left a message for other young Filipinos with similar aspirations: “Believe in yourself. Self-doubt is the biggest enemy. And having someone believe in you makes all the difference.” 

For those reading his story, he offered words of encouragement: “I believe in you. Because you’re here, reading this—you’ve already started somewhere.”