Aside from the new Magis Building inside the Xavier University Campus, more exciting things are brewing for XU.

So, what’s in store for Xavier University students for this academic year? They have a new hospital. While the hospital is not literally a new one, it will provide the medicine and nursing students of the university with a base hospital where they can undergo training as part of their curriculum.

Not a lot of people know this, but last June 29, 2010, Xavier University, the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres, and the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro signed a partnership to jointly own the Maria Reyna Hospital. Today, the hospital is known by its new name: Xavier Maria Reyna University Hospital.

A Look at the Xavier Maria Reyna Hospital

The Xavier Maria Reyna Hospital is a private 140-bed hospital located at Hayes St, Cagayan de Oro City. The hospital used to be owned solely by the city’s Catholic Archdiocese and was managed by the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres until last year, when the agreement with Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan came into fruition.

Today, the hospital is a private, general, tertiary hospital that does not only focus on patient treatment, but on training and teaching as well.

Medicine students of Xavier University now have their residency training programs for various fields, including family medicine; internal medicine; obstetrics-gynecology; ophthalmology; otolaryngology; pediatrics and surgery. Nursing students will likewise undergo hospital duties in the different departments of the said hospital as part of their curriculum requirement.

Plans for the Future

In the future, the hospital will see some improvements and new constructions, one of which is the Medical Arts Building. The new construction will house several specialty centers. The Medical Arts Building is envisioned to provide specialty health care to the local population, so that they can get specialized quality care without the need to go to Manila or Cebu.

With these improvements, the Xavier Maria Reyna University Hospital is envisioned to be one of the foremost medical institutions in the area, not just in terms of its advanced medical technology and superior services, but also as a place where people can get quality medical care to patients and of course, training for the students.

Members of the board have also been chosen to represent each of the three parties. To represent Xavier University, Dr. Ruth Beltran, Engr. Elpidio Paras, and Fr. Jose Ramon T. Villarin SJ were chosen as members of the board. For the Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres – Sisters Maria Bernaldez, Zeta Caridad Rivero and Maria Bernaldez. Lastly, to represent the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, Archbishop Antonio Ledesma and Fathers Gil Escalante and Columbus Villamil were chosen as members of the board.

-Justine B. Raagas-

It’s already the first week of June, and before you know it, you’ll be diving head first into the sea called college several days from now. While your first day in college may seem overwhelming, there’s nothing like some preparation to make sure that you begin your college experience with a great start.

What to Wear

When it comes to first day of classes, deciding what to wear usually comes to mind. First impressions last, so you have to look your best. You may be tempted to go all out and dress up, but always remember that you’re dressing for school, not for a party. Dress according to your preference and comfort, but try to check school dress codes beforehand so that you don’t end up violating it.

What to Bring

You might be tempted to buy notebooks and other supplies ahead, but it would be wiser to do otherwise. Some teachers will require different notebooks and things, so it’s best to buy after the first day of class. For the meantime, bring just one notebook for note taking instead and do your shopping afterwards.

Aside from your notebook, don’t forget to bring several pens (you certainly don’t want to go around the classroom borrowing pens on the first day) and a couple of sheets of yellow paper. You will never know when they might come in handy. An iPod or MP3 player might also come in handy, especially in between classes when there’s no one to talk to while waiting.

June usually has its share of rain showers, so a foldable umbrella might come in handy, too.

Be There on the First Day

Some people don’t show up on the first day of class since not all the teachers/professors are around. However, there’s a good reason to be overly-excited. Some teachers do show up during the first day of class, and first meetings are usually about instructions and orientations – and you certainly don’t want to miss that.

Make Friends!

Even if you don’t know anyone in class, it doesn’t hurt to be friendly. There are a lot of freshmen students who are just as bewildered and perhaps, as alone as you; so don’t be afraid to say hi, make small talk and ask questions. Some college buddies and best friends start out as total strangers during the first day of class. Get contact numbers of your classmates; this will be extremely helpful, especially if you need to ask questions or clarifications in case you find yourself absent from class.

Truly, entering college is an exciting experience for anyone – and it can certainly be just the same for you. So, what are you doing to prepare for college? Do you have your own list of essentials for the first day on hand already? Get started now!

-Justine Raagas-

Syagit, an annual advertorial campaign exhibit presented by senior Development Communication (Dev Com) students of Xavier University, was once again brought to life last March 11, 2011 with the theme “Communi Speak: Think Aloud, Speak Out, Syagit.” This year’s venue was the Limketkai Center.

The second floor of Limketkai’s north concourse was in a flurry as guests and students went scurrying about to fulfill their tasks to make the opening of the exhibit a success.

Like most exhibits, Syagit was formally opened with a feast for the senses. There were talks about the program’s purpose, its goals and achievements. The talks were followed by the ribbon cutting rite, and then it was finally time to walk around the exhibit area to behold what the Dev Com students spent sleepless nights for. And let’s not forget the food that was served to guests as they laid eyes on the displays.

The print campaigns included were for Breast Cancer Awareness, Vegetable Gardening, Library Campaign, Onion Bulb Production and Waste Management. There were also local publications, including news journals for the barangays, such as Calaanan, Bayanga, Nazareth, Bayanga, Lapasan and Consolacion.

Syagit is more than just a collection of artworks and sheets of paper pasted together. The annual exhibit aims to raise awareness of societal, environmental concerns and other relevant issues of our rural towns and barangays. After all, it’s the local communities that comprise a nation. For that reason, the students tied up with the aforementioned barangays in order to push development.

Aside from the welfare of our barangays, Syagit promotes support across a wide range of sectors, such as health, education, cancer awareness and the environment.

Moreover, Syagit is so-called because at times like these, we have to shout to be heard, so that our leaders can hear our problems and our queries.

The exhibit was brought to fruition thanks partly to the support of its sponsors, namely Limketkai, Modtrade, Sticky Media Solutions Inc, Rose Pansit Malabon, Parasat Digital, Atoy Martinez and Style Candy.

-Gillian Abonitalla-

A graduation ceremony is a very important event that any dedicated student looks forward to. It is the culmination of the minimum twelve years spent in studying and training to prepare oneself for the challenges of the world beyond the walls of an educational institution. It is one of the rites of passage that students are eager to cross, officially leaving their status as minors and setting out into the real world as adults.

The traditional graduation attire is composed of a toga or gown, a hood and a cap. The diploma, which best completes and makes official the graduate status of a student, is awarded to each graduate later in the ceremony. Each of these articles symbolizes an important meaning surrounding the educational success of a graduate.

The Toga

Each educational institution usually has its own design and variation of the graduation toga, although all of them are basically similar. High school and college togas are long and reach just below the knee; high school togas are often white, while college togas are black, they have long sleeves; and they are treated with extreme care and reverence by their owners.

Toga represents the degree of education accomplished by a graduate. Besides the color distinction for college and high school, the design of the toga is also indicative of the graduate’s educational attainment. Togas for bachelor’s degrees have wide bell-sleeves; postgraduates have closed sleeves with long slits for the arms to go through; and doctorate graduates have three lines of colored velvet on the sleeves and in front of the gown.

A graduation toga also has a far deeper meaning. It symbolizes the democratic nature of education and learning. It emphasizes the equality of all men for the right to have a good education, regardless of gender, race or social status.

The Hood

The hood serves as a distinguishing mark for each field of study in college. The following color assignments for the different college disciplines are widely recognized by universities around the world:

Business – olive brown

Education – blue

Liberal Arts – white

Fine Arts – brown

Sciences – yellow

Industrial Arts – dull gold

Nursing – apricot

Law – violet

PhD – dark blue

The Cap

Graduation caps for bachelor’s and master’s degree graduates are topped by a square board. This is a cap of scholarship that symbolizes a book. Having this on a place of honor on top of one’s head, the cap symbolizes the knowledge earned that a graduate should be proud of.

The cap is also instrumental for a significant portion of the graduation ceremony. To make their graduate status official,graduates will transfer the tassel hanging from the caps from the left side to the right.

The Diploma

A grade school, high school or college diploma is the most concrete representation of one’s educational achievements. After all, a graduate won’t be wearing his/her toga for the rest of the days after the graduation, all the more during a job interview.

The diploma is the official document that affirms your educational background without the ceremonial pomp. This single, economical piece of paper contains the official signatures, course name and academic honor received by the graduate.

-Jay Bual-

(Photo taken from shawnuniversity.edu)

What makes an event in one’s life memorable? It is when something makes it incredibly special, or if it evokes extreme emotions from us, like intense happiness or sadness. All these things are bound to happen during graduation.

The following are just some of the aspects of a graduation ceremony that many graduates remember for the rest of their lives.

The Procession of the Graduates

This is the time of a student’s life where all shyness goes out the window and the desire to walk in front of the crowds of people isn’t something to be ashamed of. Even though there are other graduates with you in the line, you know that there are people who are specifically watching you: your family and friends, all of them celebrating your success.

The Tassel Tradition

Each school or university may have different programs when it comes to this special tradition (some universities have all the graduates do the tassel-transfer simultaneously, while some have each graduate do it individually as they receive their diplomas on stage), but the euphoria that a graduate feels as he performs this, whether alone on stage or with his fellow classmates, is priceless.

Receiving the Diploma and other Awards

The diploma is the culminating symbol of a graduate’s educational achievement. Nothing compares to the feeling of pride, fulfillment and happiness upon being presented with that special roll of paper that officially declares you as a graduate. As every graduate who later went through the troubles of job hunting can attest, this document serves as one of your ammunition in the real world.

The Valedictory Speech

This is always memorable for every graduate, although this is usually due to either of two things: one, he grew extremely bored and sleepy after the lengthy ceremony; or two, the class Valedictorian’s speech is very good and incredibly inspiring.

It is better to think that what a graduate remembers the most from his graduation will later help and inspire him as he faces the challenges of the world, though. Although not all Valedictorians are born speakers, all of them have something special to impart to their fellow graduates. A word of encouragement perhaps, a rare quote, or a prayer — to each graduate, there will always be something that will strike his/her heart.

After the Ceremony

This is where all the tears and laughter overflow among graduates. There is happiness in graduating, but there is also sadness in knowing that this day may well be the very last time that you will see some of your friends and classmates. Graduates have spent these last few moments together exchanging notes, tokens and taking pictures of one another.

Each graduation ceremony may seem the same year after year to a mere observer, but to the graduates, they will always see their own to be different from the others. It because it is a rite of passage, the end of your years as a young high school student, or a minor in college. Tears may have been shed by graduates, but still, there are a lot of things that they can look back to during their graduation ceremony that will make them smile a lot – more than make them cry.

-Jay Bual-

(Photo taken from buzzle.com)