THIS YEAR’S Discurso de Apertura will be historic as it will be the first to include UST General Santos (GenSan) students—albeit virtually—with Artlets Dean Melanie Turingan delivering a lecture on the University’s rich history on Aug. 2.

In an interview with the Varsitarian, Turingan, a history professor, said her lecture, titled “Imbued with Unending Grace: A History and Legacy of the University of Santo Tomas,” would be anchored on retelling UST’s beginnings and the lessons Thomasians can learn from the University’s four centuries of educational leadership. 

“We may have ideas about what UST is, but we don’t genuinely know how it started,” Turingan said. “Are there lessons that we have yet to learn about the 413 years of existence of UST? How will you identify yourself as a Thomasian?” 

“We will relive the past, and definitely, we will also be able to identify what really makes a Thomasian.” 

Her inaugural lecture, scheduled for Aug. 2, will be the first to be attended by students on two separate UST campuses. 

Turingan will deliver her lecture at the Santisimo Rosario Parish Church in UST Manila, which will be streamed live for the first batch of students at UST General Santos (GenSan). 

“I hope they (UST GenSan students) realize that UST is not just a new institution in GenSan— this is a stable institution,” she said. 

Turingan expressed her hope that even long-time members of UST would gain new insights from her lecture, as she aims to highlight lesser-known aspects of UST’s history.

“We [may] consider ourselves to be the least among the best, but is that really it? What is the other identity of UST? Who are we in those 413 years?” 

A history professor before transitioning to administration, Turingan was appointed Artlets dean in 2023 after serving as assistant dean in 2022.

She had held roles as UST assistant registrar, College of Nursing secretary, and coordinator of the Department of Social Sciences.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in Asian studies from UST in 2002, completed further studies in history at UST in 2004, and received her doctorate in Philippine studies from De La Salle University in 2016.

The Discurso de Apertura is a longstanding University tradition dating back to 1866, where an appointed faculty member delivers a lecture to inaugurate the academic year.

While UST GenSan will share the Discurso with UST Manila, it will hold a separate Misa de Apertura on its campus.

Fr. Roberto Luanzon O.P., vice rector for finance at UST Manila and officer in charge of the Office of the Associate Vice Rector for Finance at UST GenSan, will lead the Misa de Apertura at the Mindanao campus.

Alaminos Bishop Napoleon Sipalay Jr., O.P. will lead the Misa de Apertura at UST Manila. with reports from Marco Luis D. Beech

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