Starting the year off with a bang of awards, Benilde’s success did not stop there. Students gained more opportunities abroad to showcase their skills and talents in prestigious events. The College also upgraded parts of its curriculum during the Transition Term in preparation for the current school year. Take a look back on these mid-year highlights in the second part of Benilde’s Best of 2015.
MAY
BenildeFilm student awarded at Mexico International Film Festival
Digital Filmmaking (BenildeFilm) student Will Sim Garcia was given the Golden Palm award for student category in the Mexico International Film Festival held last May 1 for her thesis film entitled ‘Gamu-Gamo’. Aside from the Grand Palm award, the film also garnered the Best Storyline at UP Cebu’s UPelikula 2015 and Best Cinematography at CineSB 5inco Independent Film Festival’s The Chair Benildean thesis competition. It was also an official selection for the Diwa Film Showcase in Seattle, USA; the Biennial Edition of Cinewoman Film Festival, Sunderland Shorts Film Festival; and The Monthly Film Festival.
Read the full article here: http://old.thebenildean.org//2015/06/benildefilm-student-awarded-at-mexico-international-film-festival/
BP Valenzuela Performs in SG
After launching her album, “The Neon Hour”, earlier in March, electronic musician, singer/songwriter and AB Music Production student B.P. Valenzuela was given the opportunity to perform in Music Matters Live, an annual international music festival in Singapore last May. Other performers hailed from other parts of the world namely Australia, Asia, and Europe among others.
Read the full article here: http://old.thebenildean.org//2015/04/benildean-to-perform-in-international-music-festival/
JUNE
Benilde alumnus among architecture board topnotchers
Nielsen Bryan Uy, alumnus from School of Design and Arts Architecture (SDAAR) Program placed tenth in the licensure exam for architects. Two other Benildeans, Ma. Betina Dimaculangan and Carlo Luis Estado, also passed the said exam. They came from the first batch of SDAAR graduates, and also among the four examinees who came from Benilde.
Read the full article here: http://old.thebenildean.org//2015/06/sdaar-alumnus-among-top-licensure-examinees/
Benildean among outstanding college students of Manila
Bryan James Liboro, a senior BS International Hospitality Management (IHM) student and a student volunteer, was among those awarded in the Search for Ten Outstanding Collegiate Students of Manila 2015 held in the Manila Grand Opera House last June 15. The competition seeks to be able to coordinate with different colleges and universities to have students participate in the city’s community extension projects.
Read the full article here: http://old.thebenildean.org//2015/06/benildean-among-outstanding-college-students-of-manila/
Benildean ID student among the top 100 in Electrolux Design Lab competition
Benilde Industrial Design (ID) student Louisa Ilustre’s “Ride and Wash” concept design placed in the top 100 of Electrolux Design Lab competition among over 1500 entries from 60 countries all around the world. Her entry was the only Philippine entry that got accepted.
Read the full article here: http://old.thebenildean.org//2015/07/benildean-claims-top-100-spot-in-electrolux-design-lab-competition/
SMIT upgrades BSIT-GDD to BS-IEMC
Bachelor of Science in Interactive Entertainment and Multimedia Computing (BS-IEMC) was offered to freshmen students this starting S.Y. 2015-2016, in order to modernize the current curriculum of Bachelor of Science in Information Technology with Specialization in Game Design and Development (BSIT-GDD).
Read the full article here: http://old.thebenildean.org//2015/06/smit-upgrades-bsit-gdd-to-bs-iemc/
JULY
Cinemalaya Institute opens in Benilde
In partnership with the Cinemalaya Foundation and multimedia giant GMA Network, the Digital Filmmaking department of DLS-CSB opened the Cinemalaya Institute this year—a three semester program that offers training and workshops for aspiring filmmakers.
Read the full article here: http://old.thebenildean.org//2015/07/cinemalaya-institute-opens-in-benilde/
College-produced ‘Mana’ wins best film
The College’s Jubilee film—written and directed by School of Design and Arts (SDA) Production Design chairperson and faculty Mr. Gabriel Fernandez—won the Best Film Category at the Madrid International Film Festival held last July 11, 2015. The film, which features actors Jaime Fabregas, Ricky Davao, Tetchie Agbayani, Mark Gil, Epy Quizon, Fides Cuyugan-Asenso, and Cherrie Gil––who won Best Lead Actress in the festival––garnered five other nominations namely Best Director, Best Supporting Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Producer for Foreign Language Feature, and Jury Award.
Read the full article here: http://old.thebenildean.org//2015/08/college-produced-mana-wins-best-film/
Benilde joins annual international La Salle program
DLS-CSB, for the first time, joined the International Association of Lasallian Universities’ Fourth La Salle Summer Program on Leadership and Global Understanding held at La Salle headquarters in Casa Generalizia, Rome, Italy last July. They sent two students to represent the College: Phuong Thao Vo, junior Human Resource Management major and Katryna Lino, a junior Consular and Diplomatic Affairs major.
Read the full article here: http://old.thebenildean.org//2015/08/benilde-joins-annual-international-la-salle-program/
Coro San Benildo a finalist in 27th Grand Prix Seghizzi
Resident chorale group and official Philippine delegation Coro San Benildo took home 3 Special Awards, 3 Bronze medals, 4 Silver medals, and 1 Gold medal in the 54th Seghizzi International Choral Singing competition held last July in Gorizia, Italy. They were also among the seven finalists in the 27th Grand Prix Seghizzi, competing against countries Korea, Slovenia, Italy, China and Indonesia. Being the only competing group that earned a standing ovation during the whole competition, they were also commended for being “the most behaved, disciplined and organized group of all the nations that competed.”
Read the full article here: http://old.thebenildean.org//2015/09/coro-san-benildo-a-finalist-in-27th-grand-prix-seghizzi/
Watch one of their performances in the competition here:
AUGUST
SBRDC wins Silver in the 2015 Hip Hop Worlds
After winning back-to-back national champions, the Saint Benilde Romançon Dance Company warmed up the world stage again to bring home the silver medal at Hip Hop International’s (HHI) 2015 World Championships in San Diego, California. A crowd favorite, they topped the initial rounds of the competition and finished second in the final round, placing behind The Bradas of New Zealand.
Watch their fierce performance again here:
The second trimester of the year just got even better for the Benilde, excelling not only in performing arts, but also in academics. It stays true to the core values instilled to its students. Stay tuned for the third and final part of Benilde’s Best of 2015!
Read Part 1 here.
Written by Mika Abad and Rosabella Mercado
Photo by Steven Lam of Hip Hop International, Abby Magsanoc, Xi-Anne Avancena, and Yves Publico
Photo courtesy of Coro San Benildo, Luisa Illustre and Phuong Thao Vo
