With the theme “Promoting Digital Leadership Through Excellence and Integrity,” the Benilde Committee on Student Involvement (BCSI), in partnership with SDA Student Government, conducted the Student Organization Awards and Recognition (SOAR) 2021 to honor excellent student leaders, organizations, and projects, as well as announce the accreditation status for the upcoming academic year via Facebook Live yesterday, July 16.
Formerly known as the Student Leaders Year-End Gathering, SOAR is a formal assembly that primarily aims to announce the accreditation status of each student organization after accumulating their gathered points throughout an academic year.
Furthermore, this event also serves as a celebration and an awarding and recognition ceremony for highlighting the service, programs, achievements and leaders of each and every organization that stood out within A.Y. 2020 to 2021.
To formally commence the event, Benilde President Br. Edmundo “Dodo” Fernandez FSC provided his opening remarks, congratulating everyone for their hard work in adapting to the environment shift whilst realizing the goals of their organization, as well as highlighting what it means to become Benildean student leaders.
“More than the prestige, leadership is a call to service. More than fighting for our rights, being servant leaders entails appreciating the gifts and resources available to us and using these as tools to continue our service. (...) So dear Benildeans, as you aim to SOAR, do so with gratitude and humility,” Br. Dodo emphasized.
Coro San Benildo, Benilde’s resident choral company serenaded the audience as they sang Josu Elberdin’s “Izar Ederrak.” Consequently after the performance, the individual awards were announced to award executive organization members for their exemplary performance this academic year. The winners per category along with their represented student organization are as follows:
Outstanding Finance Head
1st Place: Louie Nathaniel Kiu, Benildean Scholars Association (BSA)
2nd Place: Cyra Therese Muyano, Benilde Red Cross Youth Council (BRCYC)
3rd Place: Mary Athena Gundan, Human Resources Management Society (HRMS)
Outstanding Secretary
1st Place: Aira Fatima Yutuc, BRCYC
2nd Place: Ella Louise Villa, Benildean Industrial Designers (BIND)
Outstanding Vice President
1st Place: Maria Beatriz Pineda, AIESEC in DLS-CSB
Outstanding President
1st Place: Allyssa Beatrice Meer, Association of Information Management (AIM)
2nd Place: Abbygail Dela Cruz, BSA
3rd Place: Jasmine Tan, Guild of Rising Interior Designers (GRID)
4th Place: Martina Teodoro, Social and Academic Guild for Architecture (SAGA)
5th Place: Maureen Angelica Stinson, Benilde Arts Management (BeAM)
The top three student leaders who stood out with their skills on proper and effective project implementation while leading a balanced student-organization life are SAGA’s Daud Kim Anthony So (3rd Place), BRCYC’s Amanda Maria Raymundo (2nd Place), and Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management Society (HRIMS) and BRCYC’s Janelle Frances Ang (1st Place).
The top five outstanding student organization advisers, who have assisted the organization’s strategic planning, participated in its events and meetings, and monitored its reports and documentations in line with their mastery of the College policies, are as follows:
1st Place: Ms. Ionica Abraham-Lim, Mark of Designers Alliance (MODA)
2nd Place: Ms. Karol Ann Antonio, GRID
3rd Place: Mr. Alain Zedrick Camiling, BeAM
4th Place: Ms. Diana Pria Banas-Vizmanos, Benildean Deaf Association (BDA)
5th Place: Mr. Juan Paolo Sumera, World-class Hoteliers in Progress (WHIP)
Under the project awards, the list of the winners that stood out with their innovative concepts, impacts, and commitment of service through their projects to the Benildean community are as follows:
Outstanding Social Engagement and Development Project
1st Place: “Padayon, Kapatid! Kaagapay Mo ang Sining” by GRID, BSA, and BCSI
2nd Place: “Helpline: Coping with Academic Stress in the New Normal” by BSA
3rd Place: “Sagip Kabataan, Para sa Kinabukasan” by Benilde Nature Development and Outdoor Club (BUNDOC) and UNICEF Benilde; and “Reel Talk Series” by Benildean Film Works (BFW)
Outstanding Constitutional Project
1st Place: “ID Masterclass Webinar and Workshop Series” by BIND; and “VAXX to the Future” by BRCYC
2nd Place: “HIGHLIGHTS 2021: A Celebration of Gratitude and Recognition” by BSA
3rd Place: “IS Week 2021: Encouraging Individuality, Fostering Innovation” by AIM
As the main highlight of the event, under the group awards, the organizations that dominated as the top 10 outstanding student organizations are announced as follows: BFW (1st Place), GRID (2nd place), BRCYC (3rd place), BDA (4th place), AIM (5th place), BIND (6th place), HRIMS (7th place), SAGA (8th place), BSA (9th place), and BeAM (10th place).
After the awarding, Student Involvement Unit (SIU)’s Student Engagement Coordinator Mr. Keane Cyril Gadia announced the organizations' accreditation status for A.Y. 2021 to 2022. The Accredited and Recognized Student Organizations (ARSO) are ADLAW Political Party, AIESEC in DLS-CSB, AIM, Animotion, Artelier, BDA, BeAM, Best Buddies Benilde, BFW, Benilde Hive, BIND, BRCYC, BSA, BUNDOC, Computer Business Association, Chefs in Progress, DrawINK, Export Management Society, Gamers Union for Innovation and Leadership Development, Greenergy, GRID, HRIMS, HRMS, Leaders in Diplomacy, Media Max, MODA, Nihon Bunka-Bu, Primo Musi.Co, SAGA, Travelers in Progress, UNICEF Benilde, Vateliens in Progress, and WHIP.
Meanwhile, Benilde Commision on Elections, BCSI, Benilde Debate Varsity, Benilde International Student Emissaries, Benilde Central Student Government, and Student Trainers (STRAINS) were also announced as SIU-recognized organizations.
SIU Head Ms. Karen Barby Asuncion spearheaded the turnover and oath taking ceremony for the incoming and outgoing officers. Benilde Center for Student Life Dean Ms. Norie Ador Dionisio provided her closing remarks to conclude the event, connecting the framework inspired by SOAR through strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results as the future vision of every organization when they partake into the next school year.
“We support your organization’s aspirations and hope to contribute and make a difference. (...) We are in a very different context and reality, let’s be kinder and be more understanding of the outcomes. (...) Continue to always do your good work for your fellow Benildeans and Benilde as a whole,” Ms. Ador Dioniso pointed out, further thanking and highlighting the advisers, organizers, SIU, and the leaders and organizations who made this event possible.
BCSI announced the launching of the first Benilde organizations catalogue this July 2021. Likewise, they encouraged student leaders to attend STRAIN's BLeSED 2021, which will be held from July 30 to September 10.
BCSI is the main coordinating body and accreditor of all ARSOs in the College that assists and hones student leaders’ leadership skills by organizing activities for the best interests of their corresponding student organizations.
Aspiring student leaders who are interested to #LEVELUPwithBCSI after reading their primer may sign up in the form provided.
For more information, you may visit their social media handles via Facebook and Instagram.
