A THOMASIAN now heads the United Architects of the Philippines Student Auxiliary (UAPSA) after winning the votes of fellow architecture students during the organization’s National Congress last March 31 to April 3 in Cebu City.
Vinson Serrano, a member of the UAPSA National Board and a former batch representative of UAPSA-UST, is the new UAPSA president and the third Thomasian to hold the position since the organization was established in 1989.
Architect Camille Calixto was the first Thomasian national president of the organization in 1993, and is now a member of the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP). Architect Marian Eileen Florentino became the second Thomasian UAPSA president in 2000.
“I feel overwhelmed to represent our University and to serve not only Thomasian architecture students but every architecture student in the Philippines who is a member of the UAPSA,” Serrano told the Varsitarian.
The UAPSA is the official student arm of the UAP, the only professional organization of architects in the country recognized by the Professional Regulation Commission.
As the new UAPSA president, Serrano wants a more active organization and more participative members.
“I want to bring back the glory that UAPSA had from the first time it was established,” Serrano said. “Since UAPSA has members all over the country even in provinces, our main goal is to reach out to them by visiting their schools and encouraging them to join the activities.”
The UAPSA has at least 4,500 members from 65 colleges and universities all over the country.
Camille Chua, last year’s UAPSA-UST chapter president, said the election of a Thomasian as national president will give an advantage to members from the University.
“The UST chapter can get firsthand information directly from the national president,” Chua said. “We can expect Thomasian members to be more active and productive in the UAPSA activities.”
UAPSA-UST has been hailed as best chapter for seven consecutive years and is recognized as UAPSA’s model chapter.
