The College Department of the Ateneo de Naga University (ADNU) successfully conducted this year’s Orientation Seminar (ORSEM 2014) with the theme Seeking the Fire, Living the Spirit last 22-24 May 2014. One thousand two hundred and forty-six (1,246) incoming freshmen and transferees attended the event with venues held at various locations in school.
ADNU President Fr. Primitivo E. Viray, Jr., S.J. opened the activity with a Eucharistic Celebration held at the University Gymnasium.
Aside from the Opening Program, major activities such as the College and Departmental Orientations, Formation and Student Support Office’s Orientation, Interaction Laboratories/Small Group Activities, Library Orientation, Campus Tour, Parent’s Orientation, and the Closing Ceremony (which featured the Awarding of the ORSEM Cup) were conducted.
One of the highlights and new features in this year’s ORSEM is the Parents’ Orientation held in the afternoon of the 3rd day of the event at the school’s Covered Courts. Almost 900 parents/guardians representing 600 of our freshman students and transferees attended the activity.
The orientation was done in collaboration with the University’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA). Some of the key speakers in the event were the following: University President Fr. Primitivo E. Viray, Jr., S.J. who gave the Welcome Remarks, Academic Vice President Dr. Alfredo C. Fabay who discussed the University’s academic policies, Deputy Academic Vice President for Formation Ms. Janet Badong-Badilla who gave relevant information on the school’s formation programs and services, and PTA President Mr. Praxidio N. Buenagua who gave important announcements relevant to the activities of the PTA.
Aside from the topics discussed above, the Treasurer’s Office also presented a video containing practical/alternative ways on how parents/guardians can pay their son/daughter/ward’s tuition fees in school or through selected banks.
One parent wrote in the activity evaluation submitted that the orientation “gave parents a clearer view of the school’s major policies, mission, vision and formation, which is very important to parents of incoming freshmen.” Another said that the activity “helped me understand my role as partner of ADNU in the education/formation of my son.”
The Parent’s Orientation was done simultaneously with the holding of the ORSEM Cup Awarding ceremony at the University Gymnasium.
The ORSEM Cup is given to the College whose students exhibited good attendance, behavior, discipline, cleanliness in their assigned classrooms, and zeal and enthusiasm in the college cheer during the ORSEM. For this year, congratulatory greetings were sent to the following Colleges who won this year’s ORSEM Cup:
- The College of Education – for consistently winning for the seventh time in a row – the first place or the Saint Ignatius of Loyola Award;
- The College of Engineering– for winning the second place or the St. Francis Xavier Award; and
- The College of Nursing– for winning the third place or the St. Peter Faber Award.
Also, congratulations to the Colleges who won the following Special Awards:
The Pillar of Christ-Centeredness (College who was able to maintain classroom cleanliness)
- First Place – College of Nursing
- Second Place – College of Arts and Sciences
- Third Place – College of Education
The Pillar of Compassionate Commitment to Change (College who was able to sustain attendance)
- First Place – College of Nursing
- Second Place – College of Education
- Third Place – College of Arts and Sciences
The Pillar of Conscience (The most disciplined and behaved College)
- First Place – College of Nursing
- Second Place – College of Education
- Third Place – College of Engineering
The Pillar of Competence (College who had the best College Cheer)
- First Place – College of Engineering
- Second Place – College of Education
- Third Place – College of Business and Accountancy
“The activity was worth attending, the seminars and small group activities were informative and were found to be meaningful,” said one Accountancy student who expressed this view in the evaluation he submitted.
Another commented that the ORSEM is “unexpectedly awesome,” and that he found “all orientations meaningful because it made me familiar to all things about Ateneo,” wrote one Engineering student in the evaluation he forwarded.
Meanwhile, Dr. Rufino Ll. Ramos III, Director of the College Guidance Center expressed satisfaction on the outcome of the activity.
“More than this, it has been our prayer that the ORSEM would spark fire on our freshmen and transferee-students, for them to be able to imbibe and live-out the Ateneo values as exemplified by St. Ignatius of Loyola and his companions,” said Dr. Ramos.
The goal of the Orientation Seminar is a shared desire, and the outcome remains to be seen as the participants journey on through college here at the Ateneo de Naga University.
With this, we start an exciting year, and as we always say – Primum Regnum Dei!
