THOMASIAN WELCOMING TRADITIONS RETURN AFTER TWO-YEAR HALT

WRITTEN BY : Szarina dela Paz, Doroteo Prudenciano II, Aliah Nicole Brillante, and Mary Andrew Dalogdog

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John Allen Aguas, a Civil Engineering (CE) sophomore, took the chance to show his appreciation for the commitment of people working behind the scenes.

“I’m happy na nagkaroon tayo ng ganitong opportunity hindi lamang para makapag-enjoy sa event, para rin magkaroon ng motivation or inspiration para maging better,” he added.

To mark the end of the freshman Onboarding week, the remodeled tiger statue and block letters were unveiled. The UST-SDT accompanied the unboxing with Katy Perry’s “Roar”.

UST Secretary General, Rev. Fr. Louie R. Coronel, O.P., EHL, stated that inside the box, is a symbolism of the distinct identity of the University as the leading Catholic Higher Education Institution (HEI) in the Philippines, but more importantly, in the Asia Pacific region.

Facilities Management Office (FMO) Director, Fr. Dexter Austria, O.P. also delivered his message mentioning that the unveiling of the new structures was a representation of UST’s conquest over the pandemic.

“Tigers and Thomasians are very adaptable. Both are able to blend and excel in a given environment,” said Fr. Austria.

The FMO Director added that the structures were also to mark the expansion of UST to Santa Rosa, Laguna, and General Santos City, South Cotabato.

UST Faculty of Engineering alumni bag top spots in 2022 engineering licensure examinations

WRITTEN

: Jose Miguel C. Ballecer

In 2022, the UST Faculty of Engineering (FoE) produced top performers in the Registered Electrical Engineer (REE) Licensure Examination, the Electrical Technician (ECT) Licensure Examination, and the Chemical Engineering (ChE) Licensure Examination. Neil Zachary Sargento De Guzman, who achieved an 88.55-percent rating, bagged the 10th spot in the September 2022 REE Licensure Examination. Additionally, The University recorded an overall passing rate of 90.22-percent, ranking first among other top-performing schools.

Engr. Neil Zachary De Guzman shared in an interview with the publication that Electrical Engineering was not his first choice, elaborating that before pursuing his current degree program, he first considered Civil (CE) and Mechanical Engineering (ME), both of which were quota courses.

“Nakilala ko yung friends ko na naging support system ko kaya naisip ko, why not give it a chance kasi baka ito talaga binigay sakin ni Lord. I love the course, the program, that’s why I chose to stay,” he shared.

Meanwhile, three Thomasian alumni, Jude Nico Dela Cruz Zabala, Jon Carlitos Liwag, and Juan Carlo Ramos Latonio, secured the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd spots, respectively, in the October 2022 ECT Licensure Examination. The University recorded a 92.94-percent passing rate in the said examination, becoming the second top-performing school.

Jon Carlitos Liwag, the 2nd-top performer in the ECT licensure examination, who had an examination rating of 88.00-percent, aimed to be the first engineer in the family.

“I have been longing for the title “Engineer” since I was in high school, and also, very fulfilling in a sense na I became the first licensed engineer in my family,” Engr. Liwag stated. Engr. Liwag is also one of the University’s Electronics Engineering (ECE) licensure examination passers.

The University also produced a top performer in the October 2022 ChE Licensure Examination, where Denver Recayo Pascua garnered an 84.50% rating, reaching the 7th spot. The University recorded a 61.60-percent passing rate in the said examination, and a national passing rate of 51.25-percent was recorded.

“I have also a relative who is a chemical engineer who was involved in the manufacturing of soaps… I was inspired by that. Also, I was good in sciences and math in high school, so I decided to pursue STEM and engineering,” Engr. Pascua shared when asked about his inspiration for taking up his degree program.

In preparing for their board exams, Engr. De Guzman elaborated that aside from enrolling in a review center, his professor’s lecture notes were of great help in reviewing old topics.

Engr. Liwag also shared, “The point being, wala naman talagang tao na completely ready to take the boards, you just need to find a habit and mindset which you think will help you in a great way, because ikaw naman talaga ang nakakakilala sa sarili mo. You must find what is good for you, and what will work for you,” he stated while sharing his experience.

Engr. Pascua, who gave the board exam a difficulty rating of 7 out of 10, mentioned that it is okay to feel burned out at times and to try and collaborate with peers.

Additionally, they saw their friends, family, and the ability to shape their future as their source of motivation in preparing for the licensure examinations.

“Isacrifice niyo muna yung time niyo for studying kasi sobrang laki ng pay-off pag nakita mong pasado ka,” Engr. De Guzman advised future board takers.