MoU Inked with New Jersey's Largest Catholic University

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Silliman University and Seton Hall University, the largest Catholic university in New Jersey in the United States on July 4. 

Seton Hall president Dr. Amado Gabriel Esteban was on campus to ink the formal partnership that covers academic and educational exchange, research collaboration, and conduct of lectures and symposia,among others.

He was with three other Seton Hall officers: Dr. Brian B. Shulman and Dr. Mona Sedrak, Dean and Associate Dean of the School of Health and Medical Sciences, respectively, and Dr. Joyce Strawser, Dean of the Stillman School of Business. He was also joined by his wife, Mrs. Josephine Esteban. 

After the signing of the MoU, the academic heads from Seton Hall met with their respective counterparts to learn more about the University's programs and arrangements in the areas of service-learning, student exchange and collaborative academic work. 

Dr. Esteban is a Filipino, so is his wife. He made history when he was appointed president of Seton Hall in January 2011, becoming the first Filipino to head a major American university and Seton Hall's first lay president after decades of leadership under priests. 

Silliman President Dr. Ben S. Malayang III welcomed Dr. Esteban to the University. The first time they met each other was in 2011 when Dr. Malayang was in the United States for an alumni gathering. In April this year, Silliman Vice President for Development Prof. Jane Annette L. Belarmino also had the chance to visit Seton Hall where she initially discussed partnership opportunities with her counterparts, including Dr. Shulman. 

(Silliman University President Dr. Ben S. Malayang III, fourth from left, exchanges signed copies of the Memorandum of Understanding with Seton Hall University president Dr. Amado Gabriel Esteban. Also in the photo are the three Vice Presidents of Silliman: Prof. Cleonico Y. Fontelo [Finance and Administration], Prof. Jane Annette L. Belarmino [Development] and Dr. Betsy Joy B. Tan [Academic Affairs]; and Seton Hall's Dr. Brian B. Schulman, Dean of the School of Health and Medical Sciences, Dr. Joyce Strawser, Dean of the Stillman School of Business and Dr. Mona Sedrak, Associate Dean of the School of Health and Medical Sciences.)

On the same trip to the US of Professor Belarmino and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Betsy Joy Tan on March 29 to April 28, they visited a total of 16 universities and institutions in the East Coast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest areas. One of the purposes of the visit was to explore areas of collaboration with top American universities.

Silliman currently has over 50 formal linkages with universities and international organizations across Asia, Africa, Europe and North America.