FOR
THE past two academic years, UST raised nearly P31 million in donations for scholarships,
research grants, professorial chairs and special projects, a financial report
showed.
The
UST Research and Endowment Foundation, Inc. (REFI) through the Office for
Grants, Endowments and Partnerships in Higher Education (OGEP) provides financial
assistance to faculty and students who wish to engage in research projects.
In
the financial report, OGEP Director Fr. Rolando de La Rosa, O.P. said donations
to the foundation for the fiscal years 2013 to 2015 amounted to P30,971,577.52.
Faculty members, support staff and students benefited from the funds, he said.
REFI
had assets of P430,822,439. Expenses for the period reached P8,040,450.
For fiscal
year 2013-2014, the biggest donation, P1.7 million, came from alumna Josefina
Sevilla-Gardinier. It went to the David and Josefina Gardenier Scholarship
Fund, which supports students pursuing degrees in secondary and elementary education.
In
the period 2014 to 2015, a donation of P9 million was given to the Manuela F.
Evangelista Fund, a fund established by UST alumni to support theology students
and catechists at the UST Central Seminary.
Grants and projects
From
2013 to 2015, thesis grants were granted to 22 faculty members, five of whom were
finishing their masters’ degrees. The rest were pursuing doctorate degrees.
Travel
grants were given to 14 researchers from Arts and Letters, Science, Accountancy,
Architecture, Engineering, Music, Pharmacy, Rehabilitation Sciences and the Graduate
School.
Four
faculty members from Pharmacy received P25,000 each in financial assistance for
professional development in the fiscal year 2014 to 2015.
The
grants office also spent P1.8 million on institutional development projects.
The fund was used for the purchase of electrical, hardware and conservation
supplies; payment for the employees; and the installation of advanced gamma
scanners for high quality reproduction of images at the Miguel de Benavides
Library.
REFI
also extended assistance to charitable missions in Baler, Makati, Malabon and
Bulacan conducted by Thomasian doctors. Alhex Adrea M. Peralta and Jerome P.
Villanueva