Ms. Glynnis Jean C. Casino

She was dearly loved as she was growing up, and so it comes as no surprise that loving others comes so naturally to her.

Ms. Glynnis Jean C. Casino, the secretary at the Claire Isabel McGill Luce Auditorium, is fondly called Ate Gang or Gang by colleagues and friends. A nickname likely coined as an endearment, having been born the only child and the youngest grandchild in a brood of 69 in the small agricultural town of Liloy in Zamboanga del Norte.

Like most traditional families, Gang lived in a community with relatives for neighbors and cousins for playmates. The male cousins outnumbered the females, so unlike most girls her age, she was hooked to playing with rubber bands and marbles, instead of dolls.

Recalling her childhood, Gang describes herself as a competitive grade-schooler at Baybay Central School in Liloy. Her mother was a public school teacher. Being able to perform well in school seemed the right thing to do. By the time she reached high school, she opted for a change in environment. She spent her first two years of high school away from home, in Dipolog City, which is two hours of travel from her hometown. But her search for some independence also led to new adventures, and came with it was teenage romance. When her father learned about it, she was made to return home and finish junior and senior years at Liloy National High School.

Gang’s father had always been clear about where he wanted Gang to pursue in college and the course that he wanted her to take. So after graduating from high school, she found herself travelling to Dumaguete City. In 1996, she enrolled in Silliman University for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.

She found a home in the dorm of the Vistas. Most of her dorm mates were members of the praise and worship team of the Maranatha Church. Every day spent with them made Gang grow more curious about the fulfillment and joy that her dorm mates shared with each other. In her sophomore year, she found herself in a personal encounter with God. She submitted herself for discipleship and has grown in maturity since then.

In 2000, Gang gifted her father with his wish: a college diploma from Silliman University. Committed to further developing herself, she enrolled in the Graduate School in Silliman for the Master in Public Administration program. This was also the same time when she assumed the post of dorm manager at the Azucena Cottages, one of the University’s cooperative dormitories.

Her long stay in Silliman was, however, cut off two years later when her father passed away. Gang had to return home to Liloy to be with her mother. In order for her to care for her mother and be with her, she decided to work as a high school teacher at St. Vincent College in Dipolog. It was an adjustment period that she afforded herself and her mother for a year.

A year later, in 2003, convinced that her father would have also approved of her decision if he were alive, Gang came back to Silliman to complete her graduate studies. Her choice to return to the University seemed to have fallen on the right track. Within the same year, she was appointed secretary of the Cultural Affairs Committee and concurrently dorm manager of Azucena. Her hard work and sacrifices paid off when she finally obtained her graduate degree in Public Administration in 2004.

With a new feather on her cap, she applied, and eventually accepted, for the position of secretary of the Claire Isabel McGill Luce Auditorium.

Not one who rests on her laurels, she pushed herself farther. This time, her journey was at the College of Law in Silliman. She hurdled the requirements of law school, successfully balancing her responsibilities as a full-time professional, a part-time student and a doting daughter. Seven years later, she marched the stage to receive her diploma for yet another achievement: Bachelor of Laws.  Her first attempt at the Bar may have been unsuccessful, but the experience bolstered her resolve to do more and better in breathing life to her dreams.

Thirteen years as a dorm manager allowed for Gang to accumulate a wealth of experience in aiding significantly in drafting a handbook for cooperative dorm residents that contain policies, procedures and a guide to ensuring a truly enriching dorm life experience.

She also took active involvement in development projects undertaken by faculty in Silliman. Among them are the Economic Valuation of Apo Island, Philippines (2010), Value Chain Analysis of Coconut: The Case of Valencia, Negros Oriental (2012), Value Chain Analysis for Red Seaweeds (2014), and Masbate City’s Drivers of Economic Growth (2014).

In March last year, she was elected president of the Silliman University Staff Association.

At this point in her life, Gang considers it her mission to introduce dorm residents under her wing to the love and truth of God.

Describe yourself in three words.
Trustworthy, Passionate. Thoughtful

What is your motto in life?
“You will reap what you sow.”

What makes you laugh?
Watching cartoons, but not just any cartoon. I enjoy “Winnie the Pooh,” “Mickey Mouse,” and “Tom and Gerry.”

What makes you cry?
Sad thoughts and hurtful words

What’s your favorite time of the day and why?
After lunch, because it’s the only undisturbed time I get at the dorm

What’s your favorite day of the week and why?
Weekends. That’s when I can spend quality time with my mom and my pets.

What do you love doing when not working?
Sleeping.

What is your favorite hangout place in the University?
Amphitheater

What makes you blush?
Seeing my crush

If you were an actress, who would you be?
Angelina Jolie

Tell us a fact about yourself.
I have three dogs — Kyle, Jazz and Strum

What’s your favorite game growing up?
Rubber bands and marbles.

What is your idea of a relaxing day?
Peace and quiet.

What one thing would people be interested to know about you?
I am over-protective of my 71-year-old mother and close friends — such kindness that reflects the heart of God.

What song best describes the YOU and the life you have now?
“Come away with me” by Norah Jones

What is the first thing you do right after waking up in the morning?
Pray.

What’s your idea of a family?
Wherever there is love.