Texas-Style Hospitality for Sillimanians in ‘Tipon’ 2015
Some were in boots. Others in cowboy hats. A good number were in checkered shirts. But whatever attire they were in, everybody was there to get into the groove for Texas-style hospitality in this year’s Tipon celebration.
Around 350 Silliman alumni, family and friends are converging in San Antonio, Texas for the much-awaited 2015 Tipon from June 17 to 21.
Tipon is a biennial gathering of alumni and friends from across North America and other parts of the world. It is spearheaded by the Silliman University Alumni Council of North America (SUACONA). Member alumni chapters of SUACONA across North America take turn as host.
Hosting this year’s Tipon along the famous landmark, the San Antonio River Walk, is the Association of Central Texas Sillimanians, led by its president Ms Hazel Quisumbing.
One of the lead organizers, Ms Faith Manigsaca-Duran, auditor of SUACONA and president of the Silliman University Alumni Association in Southern California, said the 300-seat gala dinner on June 19, which formally opened Tipon 2015, was sold-out. It was at this same event where Silliman officials were introduced and had the opportunity to share updates on developments on campus.
University President Dr. Ben S. Malayang III leads the Silliman delegation. Together with him are Board of Trustees Chair Prof. Leonor Magtolis-Briones, Vice Chair Judge Candelario V. Gonzalez and Trustee Dr. Sylvester B. Almiron Jr., Alumni and External Affairs Director Mr. Ruben N. Bokingo and Mrs. Gladys R. Malayang.
In 2013, Tipon was brought for the first time to Silliman University. Its celebration coincided with the University’s Founders Day, making it one of the bigger founding anniversary events that Silliman and Dumaguete had after the University’s centennial in 2001. Two years from now, the Aloha Chapter will be welcoming Sillimanians and friends to Tipon 2017 in Hawaii.
(Updates and photos from Mr. Macky Hiponia, Mr. Chito Delorino, Judge Candelario Gonzalez, Mr. Armand Ansaldo, Ms Rhodora Corton, Ms Amy Vicoy and Ms Nenita Lodh. A file in the photo gallery on the website will be posted next week to contain more photos of this year’s Tipon.)
