Alumni Update June 19 – 25, 2023
Silliman University (SU) alumnus and Leon Gallery founder and director, Jaime Ponce de Leon, visited the SU campus through the invitation of Silliman Alumni Association, Inc. (SAAI) Dumaguete Chapter President, Atty. Pristine M. Raymond last June 22, 2023.
Ponce de Leon visited the Laura Hibbard Heritage Room, a project of SAAI Dumaguete Chapter, on the second floor of the Silliman Hall and was briefed on the plan of adding more heritage rooms.
The planned heritage rooms will depict the old classroom and laboratory of SU’s Father of Environmental Research, Dr. James W. Chapman, and the workshop of the Silliman Builder and landscape architect, Charles A. Glunz.
A Healing Ministry Heritage Room will also be set up through the assistance of the Silliman University Medical Center Foundation, Inc.
The University will also be setting up a visitors’ center as an ideal take-off point for a university tour. The visitor center will feature a short introductory video about the University for guests.
Ponce de Leon has expressed his willingness to support and assist in whatever way he can to the University and the ongoing development of the Dumaguete Alumni Chapter’s Heritage Museum project.
(L-R) Atty. Prinstine M. Raymond, Jaime Ponce de Leon and SU Alumni and External Affairs director, Ruben N. Bokingo at the Laura Hibbard Heritage Room.
Dumaguete Alumni Chapter Secretary, Moses Joshua B. Atega (left), updates Jaime Ponce de Leon on the chapter’s projects.
Ponce de Leon expresses his desire to help Silliman and the ongoing Heritage Museum development in whatever way he can.
Ponce de Leon recently shook the Philippine art world by bringing home Juan Luna’s long-lost painting titled, “Hymen, oh Hyménée” which was unveiled in an exhibit last June 9, 2023 at the Ayala Museum with the cooperation of his gallery.
Reports say that the painting has not been seen in public in the last 132 years. As Jaime points out, “It is a work of the greatest Filipino artist.”
The exhibit will run till December 30, 2023.
He is a true blue Sillimanian, finishing his Early Childhood, Elementary, High School and college (BBA Management) at SU.
