Alumni Updates (September 14-20)
The first-ever “Founders Day in Europe” held September 11 to 13 in Oslo, Norway was hosted by the newest alumni chapter in Europe, the Silliman University Alumni Association Kingdom of Norway (SUAAKON) – better known as the Silliman Vikings. The three-day Founders Day celebration included a cultural tour of Oslo, which included stops at the Sculpture Park, Ski Jump, Viking Museum, Polar Museum and Kon-Tiki Museum. During the Gala Night held September 12 at the Anker Hotel Oslo, Storgata 55, Philippine Consul General Charmaine Rowena C. Aviquivil administered the oath of office to newly inducted SUAAKON officers: Josephine Tragico Torremocha (president), Ma. Dennizah de la Peña Exclamador (vice president), Jose Richard Reyes II (secretary/treasurer), Estrellita Abestano-Lie (auditor), Ma. Rowena Guatelara Olivares-Nærland (public relations officer), Perla Somoza-Jahre (adviser), and members of the Board of Directors: Delia Bulfa-Hellesøy, Pamela Bucoy- Cañete, Asuncion Gajunera-Rossnes, Ilyn Fe Guasa-Svee, Karleen Junette Liberal Ranttila and Arvy Ybarola-Pedersen.
Alumni chapters represented during the three-day celebration included: SUAAFE GABS EUROPE (Germany, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg & Switzerland); SUAA Ireland & North Ireland; SUAA United Kingdom; SUAA of New York and New Jersey; and SUAA of Northern California. Other groups present were SU High School Class 1977, Alpha Phi Omega and Job’s Daughters.
The Silliman University Home Economics Alumni Association (SUHEAA) held a post-Founders Day get-together at the residence of Remedios Gargantiel Gaudiel (former High School Home Economics teacher) last September 12, 2015 in Dumaguete City. SUHEAA pledged to support the Professor Emeritus Evangelina N. Bokingo Memorial Scholarship fund. The formal turnover of P300,000 to support the said scholarship will be announced at a later date. SUHEAA President Luz Camacho-Forbes is inviting all Home Economics graduates to join and be active members of the group. Luz Forbes may be reached at for[email protected].
Virginia-based alumnus Dr. Al B. Fuertes (BTH ’90) spearheads The Daniel Fissell Music Foundation 4th Annual Wine Tasting Fundraiser to be held on September 20, 2015 at the Winery at Bull Run in Centreville. Tickets are sold at US$20 each. A ticket entitles the bearer to an afternoon of wine tasting and music, and a beautiful souvenir Daniel Fissell Music Foundation wine glass. The Daniel Fissell Music Foundation is a nonprofit organization created to honor the memory of Daniel Fissell. The foundation supports charitable activities with a 501(c) 3 status. The foundation provides scholarships to economically deprived and deserving college juniors and seniors who are music majors at Silliman University. Through a grant selection process, the foundation also supports inadequately funded elementary school music programs that need resources and materials. This process is facilitated through the Institute of Service-Learning of Silliman University.
Dr. Fuertes is chair of the Daniel Fissel Music Foundation. He is a professor at the New Century College, George Mason University (GMU) where he teaches courses in Refugee and Internal Displacement, Forgiveness and Reconciliation in Divided Communities, Spirituality and Conflict Transformation, and Conflict, Trauma, and Healing.
For more information on the fundraiser event, e-mail: [email protected], or call Ginny at 703-624-2077.
The Silliman University Alumni Association National Capital Region (SUAANCR), covering the states of Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC, recently celebrated Silliman’s 114th Founders Day in a picnic held at the residence of Neil and Fidelity Levy in Alexandria, Virginia last August 29, 2015. It was a day of fun, fellowship, food and a bit of fund-raising. Mr. Danny Luzada is SUAANCR’s current chapter president.