if you don't have the dynamic binding, you would need to hand code each option, the code would look similar to this:
<option value="1" <?php if (!(strcmp(1, $row_recordsetName['columnName']))) {echo "selected=\"selected\"";} ?>>News</option>
<option value="2" <?php if (!(strcmp(2, $row_recordsetName['columnName']))) {echo "selected=\"selected\"";} ?>>Courses & Seminars</option>