Part of the culture of gratitude that Silliman University has instituted more recently and also as a way of recognizing and immortalizing the efforts and achievements of her alumni was the setting up of a tablet containing the names of at least 24 summa cum laude graduates who have entered and passed the university portals.
Unveiled during the recent celebration of the 110th Founders Week of Silliman University, it is now ensconced on a wall before one enters the Robert B. & Metta J. Silliman Library, standing proud for all to admire and emulate, thus, giving inspiration to all students that they could also reach such highest honors through sheer hard work and determination.
The unveiling ceremony served as a precursor to the naming ceremony for the Sixto and Elvira Guanzon Conference Room at the College of Law and the Dr. Jovito R. Salonga Center for Law and Development at Villareal Hall-Anastacia Yu Cang Uy Hall.
Leading the honorees was Henry C. Nicolas (BA ‘47) who later became a lawyer and professor at Silliman. The oldest living honoree is Judge Sixto R. Guanzon (BA ‘50), together with Dr. Agaton P. Pal (BSEd) who later taught Sociology at Silliman before moving to the US.
They were followed by Elnora S. Estacion (BA), Samuel Partosa (BBA), Expidito S. Fernandez (LLB ‘54), Benjamin L. Camins (BA ‘54), Teodoro V. Cortes (BA), Bee Tuan O. Uy (BA), Esther J. Takahara (BSEd ‘55), Lina Mendoza-Cortes (BBA ‘56), Luisa Arrieta-Villegas (BA ‘58), Winfred C. Casiple (BT ‘59), T. Valentino S. Sitoy Jr. (BT ‘63), Nathan G. Alford (BA ‘67), Jurgette A. Honculada (BJ), Leonora Flores-Udarbe (BDiv ‘68), Dorothy L. Wickler (BA ‘71), Evelyn J. Caballero (BA ‘73), Dr. Corazon D. de los Santos-Uy (BS ‘79), Maria Margaret Bernadette C. Austria (BA ‘84), Stacy Danika S. Alcantara (BMC ‘09), Marvin M. Flores, (Physics ‘09), and Hector Bailey G. Calumpiano (BA ‘11).
The names were culled by the Registrar and Admissions Office beginning 1938, the year when Silliman Institute attained university status. As the years progress, names will be added to the tablet. The ceremony was made possible through the initiative and efforts of Atty. Rowena “Bing” Guanzon, one of the daughters of Judge Sixto and Elvira Guanzon; the College of Law through its dean, Atty. M. Mikhail Lee Maxino; VPAA Dr. Betsy Joy Tan; VPFA Prof. Cleonico Fontelo; and, Outstanding Sillimanian awardee Architect Manuel Almagro. Formally presenting the honorees who came with their families or who were represented by their families was Annabelle Pa-a, University Registrar, whose records on file as basis for the summa cum laude graduates, was attested by Dr. Ben Malayang III, university president.
Honculada, in her testimony on the wisdom of excellence, said that three factors guided her through the years, and these are having to achieve depth, focus, and balance. Excellence, she said, needs rigor, discipline, grace, mercy, and compassion. In her work as a staunch advocate of women’s rights and welfare, Honculada knows whereof she speaks. She added that you cannot achieve excellence if you shortchange your family. Honculada, who hails from Butuan, gave a workshop at the Divinity School during the 50th anniversary of the Church Workers Convocation on August 29. She was accompanied by her mother.
On the other hand, Sitoy, who continues to teach parttime in local universities, shared that life is not monolithic, drawing inspiration from the wisdom of Aristotle, who was a student of Plato who, in turn, was a student of Socrates — and who all epitomize the wisdom of excellence. He said that one is truly excellent if one experiences a diarrhea of words, raising your level of performance as you go up the rung.
In his response on behalf of the honorees, Judge Guanzon opined that excellence is simply just doing common things commonly well, a dictum handed down to him by his own father, and which he hopes to convey to the youths — that life is meaningless if you do not bring meaning in the lives of others.
For her part, Dr. Margaret Helen Udarbe Alvarez, this year’s Founders Day Executive Committee chair, said that when she graduated magna cum laude in psychology, her father, Pastor Emeritus Dr. Proceso U. Udarbe, felt jubilant, heaving a sigh of relief because he said he would not be able to deal with having two summa cum laudes in the family. (Ma. Cecilia Genove)