Xian Lim has finally graduated from college. After years of balancing the demands of an entertainment career and higher education, the 36-year-old actor-director, in commencement exercises at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), received his diploma in Bachelor of Arts in Music Production from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB).
Lim, also a licensed commercial pilot, pursued his degree through the Benilde Expanded Tertiary Education, Equivalency, and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP). ETEEAP is a Commission on Higher Education (CHED)-approved alternative learning system which allows individuals to earn a bachelor’s degree through an assessment process which credits prior knowledge and skills obtained from relevant work experiences and training.
On his Instagram account, he recalled how he began to work at 15 in the US.
“My first job was in a restaurant, and, right after school, I’d head straight to my shift, excited to earn and learn,” he wrote. “Not long after, I spent about a year working at Costco, juggling work and studies just to make ends meet.” He was then a Psychology major at Skyline College in San Bruno, California.
Eventually, he moved to the Philippines, where he was given the unexpected opportunity to become an actor. Getting a formal education took the backseat.
‘I had never finished school or earned a college degree, and that absence stayed with me,’ said Lim.
“Fifteen years flew by as I poured everything I had into my craft. But deep inside, I always felt something was missing,” he confessed. “There was a quiet insecurity—a void I couldn’t quite explain. I had never finished school or earned a college degree, and that absence stayed with me. It became a gap I could no longer ignore, and I knew it was something I had to confront for myself.”
In 2025, Lim, then studying and training to become a pilot at Topflite Academy, was encouraged by its founder and CEO Capt. Sahl Andrews Onglatco to consider finishing his college education through Benilde ETEEAP. Onglatco himself, through the program, is a graduate of BS Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management (BS-HRIM).
Lim enrolled in the same year.
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Lim recalled how the program enabled him to explore music production from a deeper and more technical perspective, including how music is arranged, recorded, and produced, and how it serves as a powerful tool to share stories and connect with others.
‘Going back to school at this stage in my life wasn’t easy…I had my doubts’
“Going back to school at this stage in my life wasn’t easy,” he admitted. “I had my doubts. There were moments when I felt shy—even embarrassed. People would ask why I was back in school, or assume I was taking a master’s degree. Then there was the reality that many of the people around me were almost 10 years younger than I was. A part of me wondered if I had missed my chance, if it was simply too late. More than anything, though, I was afraid of failing.”
The graduate with his mother and grandmother at PICC commencement exercises
Lim admitted the walk back into an academic environment after nearly two decades of absence was intimidating at first. Juggling school requirements amid his busy schedule was a challenge
“I realized that if something is important enough, you make time for it,” he said. “It demanded focus, discipline, and sacrifice. There were times I had to turn down work opportunities because I chose to be on campus, meet with my professors, or prepare for class instead.
“For many years, finishing college was something that remained unfinished in my life. It was a goal that stayed in the back of my mind, something I always hoped I would return to someday,” he expressed.
“Now that I’m here, I feel a deep sense of fulfillment and peace,” he added. “It feels as though this moment has finally arrived, and I can proudly say that I’ve completed an important chapter in my life.
