'Giving back is a result of my Ateneo education'

Jenilyn L. So (BS ME 1995) quickly admits that she was not fond of her Philosophy classes in college.  Little did she know that more than picking up philosophical theories, her classes served as cornerstones of her life.

“I really hated my Philosophy classes, but these were instrumental in changing me as a person. Giving back is a result of my Ateneo education. It changed my life; it made me a better person. My heart, the 'person for others' ethos to help."

The youngest among three siblings, So spent her childhood in Binondo’s predominantly Chinese community. “My dad died (when I was a month and a half old), so it was only my mom who supported us. Luckily, all of us were conscientious in our studies; we were all scholars,” she recalls. 

Studying at the Philippine Academy of Sakya, a Buddhist educational institution, So grew accustomed to the rigorous teaching and discipline typical in Chinese schools: “We would have Math classes both in English and Mandarin; I studied Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Analytic Geometry and Calculus in Mandarin!”

To help her mom with their finances, So started working at 13, becoming an academic tutor in their community. “In Binondo, when you’re hired as a tutor, you have to teach all subjects,” she says.  Her tutoring classes would sometimes finish at 9 pm, depending on her student’s understanding of the subject. During summers and Christmas, the young So would look for odd jobs, from working as a shop staffer to helping as a translator for cultural exchange programs in Binondo. At the height of her ‘tutoring career,’ she was making PhP 4000 a month—more than the minimum wage at the time. The extra income helped cover her book, food, transportation, and even clothing expenses.

So initially wanted to become a teacher, but teaching, she realized, would not get her family out of poverty, so she chose courses that would help pave the way for a brighter road. 

When asked why she chose Ateneo for college, her response is simple: “I chose Ateneo because I got a scholarship.”

After finishing her degree in 1995, So applied for a scholarship to Japan, becoming a Monbusho scholar (now known as Monbukagakusho), a prestigious scholarship given by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology.  Going to Japan on a scholarship was a serendipitous discovery, she says. 

“When I graduated, I still had no idea what to do next, and then one day, I was passing by Xavier Hall and saw this poster about a scholarship in Japan, so I applied. So in a way, Ateneo paid for my education for five years!” she laughs.

When she returned a year later, she started her career in banking, working her way up until she became Vice President for Corporate Banking for a multinational bank and financial services holding company.  

Becoming a benefactor is something that So didn’t think she would do.  Upon her return from Japan, she received a letter inviting alumni to give back. She was already working then and felt that she could afford the amount they requested, so she gave regularly.  This was in 1996. Four years later, when she was about to get married, she asked her husband to forgo their planned wedding souvenirs and use the money to give to Ateneo’s scholarship fund. Today they continue to donate to the cause.  Together with her husband, they have established the AASA-Benjamin and Jenilyn So Endowment for the benefit of Ateneo scholars. 

Giving back, she believes, should not be an obligation. 

“It should come from the heart. When you do, it’s because you really want to do it, and it’s the right thing for you to do. In my case, this scholarship changed my life; Ateneo opened a new perspective for me; it gave me a lot of opportunities,” she says. 

To know more about Ateneo scholarship programs, visit the Office of Admission and Aid.