THE FACULTY of Arts and Letters (AB) produced 214 graduates with Latin honors this year—the highest number of Latin honorees in the Faculty recorded in 121 years—during the Solemn Investiture held Monday.
AB yielded 26 magna cum laudes and 188 cum laudes out of 948 graduates.
Leading the batch is Behavioral Science (BES) major Kristine Quiambao who was given the Rector’s Academic Award, the highest academic excellence award given to students, after obtaining a general weighted average of 1.254.
Batch salutatorian Harvey James Castillo, former The Flame Letters Editor Aaron Philip Dela Cruz, and George Deoso of Literature, Kevyn Kishu Carbonel, Hazelyn Lariza, Zyrelle Cloie Mayor, and Rommel Montaño of BES, Imee Camille Advincula, Jerald Carl Andres, Marie Gabrielle Columbres, Danielle Montayre, and Ana Charis Ventosa of Communication Arts were among the magna cum laudes of the batch.
Also magna cum laudes were Lord Jay-Em Cuntapay of Economics, Anne Nicole Agravante and Vivien Sigrid Iñigo of English Language Studies, Shiloah Grace Torrechiva of History, Mac Norhen Bornales of Journalism, Lorane Angeli Basbas, Arbin Andrey San Juan, Lance Lester Sim, and Manuel Joshua Soriano of Legal Management, Ina Guiang, Myreen Raginio, and Franz Joseph Yoshiy II of Philosophy, and Bernadine Therese Ablaza of Sociology.
Batch valedictorian Quiambao reminded her fellow graduates to stay true to themselves even after they leave the University and find their own paths.
“You have to continue being you because it’s cowardice if you mold yourself to what other people are and if you change your views to what others believe in just because you’re afraid to get criticized,” Quiambao said.
“If you have dreams and your dreams do not exactly follow the prevailing standards of society or the common routine of people, please have the courage to pursue them still,” she added.
Echoing Quiambao, guest of honor and Faculty of Canon Law Dean Fr. Isaias Tiongco, O.P., JCD said being true to oneself and sticking to one’s principles would lead to a successful career.
“You are now at the center of the professional limelight and everyone will be watching you at the sidelines,” Tiongco said. “You should never burn a bridge and always do your best to be a genuine and sincere person since no one achieves success in isolation.”
There was no summa cum laude in AB this year.
The Faculty produced 149 Latin honorees out of 973 graduates last year.
The Solemn Investiture was held at the Quadricentennial Pavilion. F
