THE FACULTY of Arts and Letters (AB) recognized for the first time the best theses of each program during the Solemn Investiture held this month in a move that administrators hope will encourage students to produce studies that will enrich their respective fields.
“Hopefully, this award will serve as an incentive to our graduating students to take research seriously. Certainly, one cannot be nominated if his or her paper is haphazardly done. This calls for hard work for at least one and a half years,” Faculty of Arts and Letters Dean Marilu Madrunio told The Flame.
The University has been recognizing outstanding research work through the St. Albertus Magnus Award, which is given to papers that generated impact here and abroad. However, the Faculty only started to recognize its students’ research papers this year because of the K-12 program and the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions that reduced the number of graduating students.
The first batch of best thesis awardees are Ghislaine Faye M. Bautista, Patrisha Magcanan, and Remar Paulo Panganiban (Asian Studies); Mellena Marie H. Villanueva, Sheilla Mae Chee, and Jhenyvive A. Gerona (Behavioral Science); Rolaine Irish Toledo Zatarain, Enrico Miguel A. Basbas (Communication); Yasmin Sofia N. Media (Creative Writing); Joanna Marie V. Manrique and Gabriel Masangkay (Economics); Angeline M. Alberto (English Language Studies); Margaret V. Rogacion (History); Alyannah Hidalgo, Allaine Bernadette Chua, and Joshua James Huyo-a (Legal Management); Martina Raine Rivera (Literature); James Paul R. Gomez, Rushelle I. Intia, and Charlene Grace Lao (Journalism); Christian Zeus S. Suazo (Philosophy); Andrea Gaile A. Cristobal and Paul Christian David (Political Science) and Celda L. Palma (Sociology).
Madrunio said she longs to see the day when all AB programs are able to encourage their graduating students to write their theses individually.
“In that way, we can be assured that the research output is the product of the singular hard labor of the student concerned,” the AB dean added.
She encouraged undergraduate students to submit their academic papers to various local and international conferences.
“We hope that our students will be able to publish their theses in reputable, peer-reviewed journals where they can have the chance to be noticed internationally. Their future contributions in their respective fields begin from there,” Madrunio said.
Madrunio explained that the three best research papers were selected from each of the 13 programs. The papers will be sent to external evaluators for rigorous review.The evaluators will then select the best papers from the shortlist.
Madrunio said students who will enroll in the Faculty are expected to be equipped with the necessary research skills, given that there were subjects in the K-12 curriculum that require them to produce research papers.
“It is then expected that once they go to the University level, they bring with them the necessary research skills that will help them cope with the demands of the BA programs that we offer which require capstone projects that usually come in the form of research papers,” she said. F – Vanessa Noriko Yap and Mary Dienne Bernal
