Tag: News Briefs

TWO PROFESSORS from the College of Science were feted by the Commission on Higher Education as their research won the 2009 National Capital Region Outstanding Research and Publication (Republica) Award for the Natural Sciences last May 19.

College of Science professors Dharmatov Rahula Albano and Fortunato Sevilla III won the biyearly award, besting 28 other researchers with their paper titled “Piezoelectric Quartz Crystal Sensor for Surfactant Based on Molecularly Imprinted Polypyrrole.”

“I’m happy of course, but this [award] is for UST,” Sevilla said.

A VARSITARIAN writer and alumnus both placed first in the English and Filipino division in the Poetry Wirting Contest sponsored by the Miguel de Benavides Library last June 17.

Fourth year Architecture senior John Ernest Jose, a Varsitarian circle writer, emerged first place in the English category for his poem “The Unending Radiance” while Faculty of Arts and Letters alumnus and former Varsitarian associate editor Louie Jon Sanchez clinched the first place for “Lumina,” his poetry collection in the Filipino category.

UST High School senior Jeanne Marie Camello came in second with “To wear a Thomasian’s slipper” for the English category. Accountancy junior Xaviery Cañaveral ranked third for her work “Unending Flame.”

COLLEGE of Science professor Lito Maranan was awarded the “Silver Humanitarian Service Cross” last December 15 by the Philippine National Red Cross for his commitment to the goals of the non-government organization.

“His life was committed to orienting impressionable young minds regarding the humanitarian pursuits of the Red Cross. His life is dedicated to instilling life-giving values of the organization,” read the certificate given to Maranan.

The Silver Humanitarian Service Cross is among the awards given by the Red Cross every two years to volunteers who have exhibited unparalleled service and promotion of Red Cross work.

THOMASIAN seniors Rajiv Abdullah (Faculty of Engineering), Royce Jasper Ong (Nursing), and former Varsitarian staffer Juanito Alipio de la Rosa (Architecture) were named delegates to the 12th National Ayala Young Leaders Congress (AYLC) in February.

De la Rosa, Abdullah, and Ong will join 77 other delegates in a five-day youth leadership development seminar in Cavite.

The three students were among an estimated 70 Thomasian hopefuls who underwent stringent screenings by the Office for Student Affairs (OSA), which facilitated the selection of delegates in the University.

Their names were submitted by the OSA to the AYLC Secretariat for a final interview with Ayala executives, including tycoon Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala.

(Updated Feb. 6, 2010) SIX CHORAL groups from different faculties and colleges will showcase their vocal prowess as the Student Organizations Coordinating Council (SOCC) holds Himig Tomasino, the annual inter-collegiate chorale competition at the Medicine Auditorium on February 12.

The four-hour singing showdown titled “Ang mga Saliw ni Juan,” will feature the clash of voices from the Chorus of Arts and Letters, Archipella Mix Ensemble, AMV-College of Accountancy Chorale, College of Science Glee Club, One Voice of the Faculty of Engineering, and defending champion, Faculty of Pharmacy Glee Club.

THE SEARCH is on for the banner song of UST’s quadricentennial.

UST launched the “Q Song Writing Contest” for alumni, students, faculty members, and employees last August.

The songs may be in English or Filipino, by an individual or group, and lasting for two to three minutes. Songs must be original, sung by a solo singer with or without instrumental accompaniment. Entries must be submitted in a CD together with hard copies of the lyrics and application forms on or before November 5 at the Public Affairs Office. International and regional entries may be submitted through mail, courier, or e-mail at opa@mnl.ust.edu.ph.

THE COLLEGE of Education reaped two major awards in the first Umami Culinary Challenge last September 25 at the Events Hall in Makati City.

Nutrition senior Natasha Veron Sales and juniors Marjorie Chua and Harmony Maquilan placed second in the Best Umami Bento Meal category, while senior Anne Billones, junior Alson June Domingo, and sophomore Hannah Co took the silver award in the Umami Buzz Challenge or quiz bee.

The College of the Holy Spirit and Centro Escolar University emerged as champions of the bento meal and quiz bee categories, respectively.

The competition was organized to broaden students’ awareness on “umami” as the “fifth basic taste of human tongue,” along with sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. Umami is a Japanese word that means “tasty” or “savory.”

CORO Tomasino garnered silver medals in the first National Choral Competition at the Cultural Center of the Philippines last August 21.

Led by conductor Ronan Ferrer, the choir won second place in the three-day competition that started August 18. The competition was divided into the sacred, mixed, and folk categories.

Coro Tomasino, composed of students from the Conservatory of Music, bested 32 national groups. Imusicapella of the Our Lady of the Pillar Parish in Cavite won the gold medal. Darenn G. Rodriguez

A THOMASIAN won the grand prize in the first Metro Manila Student’s Screenplay Contest of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) last September 4 at Gateway Cinema 5 in Quezon City.

Patrick John Valencia, a communication arts senior, bested six other finalists with his entry “Pasyon,” a story about incest set in Pampanga during the Holy Week.

He received a cash prize of P 30,000 and a trophy.

Other winners were Ann Margaret Teves of the Far Eastern University, who bagged the second prize of P20,000; and Mark Ryan Duron of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila and Maica Erika Catalan of the Technological Institute of the Philippines, who received citations and P10,000 each. Jilly Anne A. Bulauan

THE UST Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) will launch its first newsletter next semester.

“This would serve as our information drive,” said corps commander Marie Grace Nikko Macatuggal.

Cadets from the Faculty of Arts and Letters and College of Fine Arts and Design volunteered to spearhead the project, and were screened by the ROTC leadership.

In preparation for the newsletter, Varsitarian editors Mark Andrew Francisco and Sarah Jane Pauyo gave lectures on news and feature writing, respectively to the newsletter staff last August 9. Darenn G. Rodriguez