Spartan Threads: How One Student's Path Was Woven Years Before He Knew It
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EmailFulbright scholar Solo Arman Peralta Mercene earned a master’s in entomology at MSU and graduated in spring 2025. He now returns to the Philippines to help farmers combat invasive pests, reflecting on the unexpected connections that shaped his journey.
Coming to East Lansing from the Philippines, Fulbright scholar Solo Arman Peralta Mercene was a long way from home, but during his first semester at Michigan State University, a familiar image on the back of a green car stirred a distant childhood memory.
It was a sticker of MSU’s mascot Sparty.
“It struck me with a wave of nostalgia, reminding me of the gruff man featured on my dad's favorite sweater from when I was just six years old,” Solo recalled. It was a Sparty sweatshirt his father wore– years before Solo had ever heard of the university.
Solo grew up in the Philippines, attending the University of the Philippines Los Baños where he received a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a major in Entomology in 2018. His studies ultimately led him to serve as the lead agricultural entomologist at the Regional Crop Protection Center for the Philippine Department of Agriculture.
Then, in 2019, the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), an invasive and destructive corn pest, was reported for the first time in the Philippines. Ultimately, it fell to Solo to lead the management efforts across five island provinces.
“It was an incredibly challenging task, especially since my academic focus had been on insect taxonomy, specifically Reduviidae, during my undergraduate studies,” recalled Solo. “Now, I found myself thrust into regional and national planning, tasked with finding swift solutions to protect our nation's corn production.”
Even with four years of experience at the department, he felt a pressing need to expand his knowledge and further his education, knowing that the livelihoods of countless Filipino farmers relied on the decisions he made. A Fulbright scholarship allowed him to pursue a master’s degree in entomology at MSU.
After two years of study under Dr. David Mota-Sanchez and Dr. Erich Grotewold, Solo successfully defended his thesis on May 6 titled “The Impact of Maysin on the Growth of Fall Armyworm and Corn Earworm” and concluded his studies. His research revolving around the management of pests like Spodoptera frugiperda (fall armyworm) will allow him to make a difference in the fight against them in the Philippines.
As Solo prepares to return home and apply his research to the challenges facing Filipino farmers, he reflects on the unexpected connections that have shaped his journey.
He remembers quietly marveling at the coincidence that he had unknowingly carried a symbol of MSU with him since childhood. “It’s remarkable to think that a simple sweater from my past could somehow connect to the journey I’ve taken,” he said.
For Solo, the memory of his father’s MSU sweater now serves as a reminder of how life’s unexpected paths can lead to places one never imagined—places like MSU, where he feels his academic journey has come full circle.
