Grateful and Courageous: Class of 2021 scholars and benefactors get together during Unprecedented Times

It was a day of thanksgiving as benefactors, and the class of 2021 scholars held their virtual get-together last 25 September. This highly anticipated annual event allows scholars and benefactors to meet, some for the very first time, after four or five years of the scholars’ journey in Ateneo.

Out of 191 graduating scholars, 79 are graduating with honors: 23 honorable mentions, 34 cum laude, 20 magna cum laude, and two summa cum laude. Thirteen scholars are also program awardees. Aside from receiving academic distinctions, many graduating scholars also held leadership positions in student organizations and won many accolades in and outside the country. Out of all these achievers, three scholars were recognized as recipients of the 2021 St. Ignatius Award for Most Outstanding Scholar: Development Studies Program awardee and LS Awards Most Outstanding Individual Cristina Batalla; president of Ateneo Gabay and Management Economics Program awardee Jubert Calamba; and Psychology Program awardee Trisha Reyes.
 
Batalla delivered the thanksgiving address on behalf of a grateful group of graduating scholars. She lauded the overflowing generosity of benefactors who gave their support even during this pandemic: “To our benefactors, thank you so much for choosing to be here for us scholars, especially in these dark times. . . we need more of you who believe in the power of education and innovation to create a better world,” she said.
 
In response, multi-awarded entrepreneur, top model, beauty columnist, author, and Ateneo alumna Rissa Mananquil-Trillo (BS Management 2001) shared her inspirational message on behalf of the benefactors: “You are graduating during a time everyone will remember in history…even if you missed out on a lot, there are things you had to learn and take on, and this is equipping you differently in ways you can’t imagine. Even if you can’t see it right now, everything you are currently going through is working in your favor and preparing you.”
 
After the scholars were inducted into the Ateneo Alumni Scholars Association (AASA) by Dr. Ronald Cruz, AASA president, Fr. Roberto Yap, SJ, Ateneo de Manila University president, delivered his congratulatory remarks for the scholars. Fr. Yap thanked the benefactors for their graciousness and generosity and capped off the event with a challenge to scholars to pay it forward: “As we battle a pandemic, we are also battling greed, indifference, lies, and inequality, threatening to unravel and destroy the values that hold us together. You are in a great position to be of service to our fellow Filipinos, to help them in ways big or small, in your chosen profession. Pay it forward by helping rebuild our nation and our world.”