MARKING THE start of their Thomasian journey, 7,915 freshmen—including 118 from the Faculty of Arts and Letters (AB)—made their way through the historical Arch of the Centuries during the annual Thomasian Welcome Walk held Friday.
This academic year, AB recorded the lowest number of first year students since 2012 with only 118 freshmen belonging to three sections of Communication Arts (CA) and one section of Political Science (PolSci).
Due to low number of college-eligible students, AB will only offer CA and PolSci for two academic years. But once the first batch of K to 12 graduates reaches college, the other degree programs will be offered again.
During the Eucharistic celebration, UST Rector Rev. Fr. Herminio Dagohoy, O.P. encouraged Thomasian freshmen to live a “useful” life just like St. Dominic de Guzman, the founder of the Dominican Order.
Their stay in the University will not only make them intellectual persons but it will also help them have a greater view of life, the rector noted.
“Sa inyong pagpasok sa pintuan ng Unibersidad ng Santo Tomas, sasamahan namin kayong matuto na magsimulang maglakbay patungo sa buhay na may liwanag,” Dagohoy said.
“Tutulungan namin kayo sa paghahanda sa kinabukasan na may kabuluhan at gagabayan namin kayo sa buhay na kapaki-pakinabang sa Diyos at [sa] bayan.”
UST-Office of Public Affairs Director Assoc. Prof. Giovanna Fontanilla also challenged the new Thomasians to love the poor.
“We should have that kind of heart that also cares and loves others. May the cross atop the UST [Main Building] always inspire us [and] always call us [to] make a difference in the lives of others because [we] are Thomasians,” Fontanilla said. F VANN MARLO M. VILLEGAS
