SIXTY-FOUR UST graduates were honored at the 10th Distinguished Thomasian Alumni Awards Night held on Saturday, Nov. 22 at the Dr. Robert C. Sy Ballroom of the Buenaventura Garcia Paredes, O.P. Building.
The awardees from different alumni associations were selected by the UST Alumni Association Inc. (USTAAI).
Among the 54 distinguished Thomasian alumni honorees were Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma and Novaliches Bishop Antonio Tobias from the UST Alumni Priests Association.
Faculty members Assoc. Prof. Faye Abugan of the Faculty of Arts and Letters, former College of Nursing dean Susan Maravilla, and Asst. Prof. Antonio Etrata Jr., chair of the UST Department of Marketing Management, were recognized.
Other distinguished Thomasian alumni, such as Fr. Christopher Aytona, O.P., UAAP Season 88 program committee head, and Fr. Roman Santos, O.P., rector of Colegio de San Juan Letran Calamba, were feted.
The association added recognitions of 10 young alumni achievers in its milestone year.
Among the 10 awardees were Hanna Andres, mayor of Rizal in Nueva Ecija, broadcast journalist Mon Gualvez, and former UAAP courtside reporter and news anchor Diane Querrer.
Government officials with salary grades of 27 and above were recognized by the alumni association.
USTAAI President Dwight Ramos said the awards night was in keeping with a “cohesive and vibrant” vision of serving the University, country, and the Church.
“Under one Thomasian spirit of solidarity, we are therefore glad to gather tonight as one family and honor those among us who have gained respect and admiration in their life and work after passing through the Arch of the Centuries into the world,” Ramos said.
The alumni coffee table book titled “Thomasian Icons: Bridges of Faith, Hope, and Love,” featuring success stories of recognized alumni, was officially launched.
“Every page is a manifestation of success achieved through passion, unwavering dedication, and hard work. There is no shortcut to success but hard work. Every page of this book speaks of competence, compassion, and commitment,” USTAAI Chairman Evelyn Songco said.
Dr. Robert Sy, the UST AAI chairman emeritus, said the achievements of the awardees, who received a replica of the Arch of Centuries, were a “testament to their hard work, dedication, and passion.”
“To you, our distinguished Thomasian alumni, we all look up to you. For us, [the replica of the Arch of the Centuries] is a symbol of our alma mater’s contribution to the country and the world, as thousands of alumni have passed through here over the centuries.” he said.
The Distinguished Thomasian Alumni Night, which started as a gathering in 2010 to support the University’s quadricentennial celebration in 2011, became an annual celebration to recognize successful alumni in their respective fields.
