Alumni Update November 6 – 12, 2023

Engr. Elizabeth “Betsy” Merto Engle, Outstanding Sillimanian Awardee (OSA), was featured in an exhibit celebrating Filipinos in Alaska at the Anchorage Museum. The multimedia exhibit showcasing the stories and histories of the Alaskan Filipino community opened last October 26, 2023

We share here with you an excerpt of the featured story on OSA Betsy Engle.

“Seven months – that’s how long Elizabeth “Betsy” Engle was supposed to be in Fairbanks Alaska. Arriving in 1967 to work on their construction of Fairbanks International Airport, Engle decided to stay after meeting her husband. She went on to have two children and a 44-year engineering career, for which she received the Pamana ng Pilipino award during the 2018 Presidential Awards for Filipino

Individuals and Organizations Overseas conferred by then-President Rodrigo Duterte.

Originally from Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines, Engle is the eldest of six children. After earning her bachelor’s degrees in Civil Engineering from Silliman University and Sanitary Engineering from Mapua University, she accepted a job in Washington, D.C. She was later inspired to move to Alaska after seeing an advertisement for a position in Fairbanks in an engineering journal.

Engle was Project Planner for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilitation and rose to become the first female Director of Design and Construction. After retiring from the public sector in 1996, she joined the private sector serving as Project Manager at the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company from 2000 to 2008.”

Betsy Engle shares, “Regardless of where you came from, if you work hard, you will be able to achieve what you want. It can be anything you want, and I tried to teach my kids that.”

The Mana Alaska project was created and produced last year by local artists and journalists Joshua Albeza Branstetter, Shayne Nuesca and Tasha Elizarde, as a way to share and preserve stories from Filipinos in Alaska. These compiled stories are now part of Alaskan Filipino history.  Filipinos have lived in Alaska for more than 200 years and are the state’s largest immigrant community. Around 27,000 people of Filipino descent live in the state.

IN MEMORIAM: Fe Doreas Cometa Alguso (BSEED 1966 FS) October 12, 2022; Sandra Perez-Duran-Uriarte (HS 1956, BSE 1969) December 3, 2022; Engr. Bernardita G. Dorado (COED Faculty) December 8, 2022; Bishop Hilario M. Gomez, Jr. (AB ENGLISH 1961, OSA 2004) December 9, 2022; Teodoro B. Florendo, Jr. (HS 1966) December 20, 2022; Prof. Betty Jane Martinez (BBA 1978, MBA 2000) January 1, 2023; Trinidad P. Suasin (HS’55, BSN’59) January 1, 2023; Teodoro R. Lucero, Jr. (HS 1969) January 3, 2023; Cynthia Teves (ELEM 1972, HS 1976) January 8, 2023; Dr. Romeo P. Ariniego (BS PRE MED 1967, OSA 2010), Achilles Arturo S. Umbac, Jr. (BBA 1992, LLB 1997) January 12, 2023; David B. Molina (Elem’48, HS’52, AB’56, LLB’59) January 16, 2023; Mary Ann P. Arnaiz (HS’74) January 20, 2023; Carlos B. Florendo (Elem.’68, HS’72, BS’65-76) January 23, 2023; Angel C. Alcala (BS BIO 1951; OSA 1988; SU Trustee; National Scientist) February 1, 2023; Chona T. Trasmonte (HS’73; BBA’77) February 2, 2023; Jon Jennel L. Bobon (HS 2008; BEED-SPED 2012) February 3, 2023; Rodolfo P. Alano (AA’49) February 6, 2023; Don Paolo Z. Teves (ECS’87; Elem.’93, HS’97; AB Pol Sci 2003) February 6, 2023; Lionel Jo Tayko (HS’53; LLB’59) February 13, 2023; Ester G. Mamicpic-Sison (HS’52; BS BIO’57) February 16, 2023; Jessica Catan-Kelly (AB Psych ’81) February 24, 2023; Aida B. Segundo (HS’48) March 1, 2023; Roel R. Degamo (BSME’89, Former Gov. in Negros Oriental) March 4, 2023; Segundino Amor (Retired SU BG Staff) March 10, 2023; Gracia Sison Melocoton (BSE-Musi Ed.’73) March 12, 2023; Estrella Acosta Kiamco (ETC’47, BSE’48) March 13, 2023; Edgar Q. Edjec (HS 1971) March 16, 2023; Joel T. Rendal (HS 1971) March 18, 2023; Arturo D. Bobon (HS’68; LLB’79) March 22, 2023; Erica Violeta-Duray (BSN 1978) March 26, 2023; Belinda A. Fontelo (BBA 1983) MARCH 31, 2023; Rosigen Macalisang-Harris (Elem ’66, HS ’72, BS Math ’76) April 22, 2023; Ramon Cecilio T. Mijares (BSA ’86) April 22, 2023; Herbert P. Timtim (BSIE ’71, MA (ED) ’77) May 1, 2023; Sofia Flores Castañares (Staff at Legal Counsel) May 9, 2023; Rosalind Balasabas-Ablir (HS’65, AB History ’69, MA History 2005) May 12, 2023; Rosario K. Raterta (BCED ’50) May 14, 2023; Grace Roble Tabada (Former Music Teacher, AB Music ’58-’63 (Former Student) May 31, 2023; Hidita C. Villas (BTH ’78, BBA’79) June 3, 2023; Clinton Reliel B. Jubela (HS ’73, BSA ’81) June 6, 2023; Edgar Arthur V. Ygnalaga (HS ’60) June 1, 2023; Mauro F. Ederial Jr. (BS Chem ’64-Former Student) June 10, 2023; Saul E. Pa-a (BMC ’82) June 30, 2023; Carmencita A. Credo (BSEED ’69) June 22, 2023; Myrna Margarita Sabinosa Mendiola (BSEED ’81) April 2023; Vicente A. Espinosa (BTH ’58, Divinity ’72, OSA 2002) July 18, 2023; Candelario V. Gonzalez (BBA ’74, LLB ’78, Former BOT) July 30, 2023; Jimmy L. Legaspi (BSME ’73) August 6, 2023; Douglas Philip O. Emperado (HS ’77, BSME ’82) August 13, 2023; Stella galicano-Adanza (HS ’49, BSE ’53) August 12, 2023; Bernie B. Catada (HS ’59, BBA ’62) AUGUST 30, 2023; Fele D. Magdamo (BSN ’62, OSA 2001, Past President SUAA NY/NJ) September 2, 2023; Solomon B. Bilaoon, Jr. (BD ’70) September 11, 2023; Rebecca Ragay-Galon (BSEED ’69) September 15, 2023; Ranulfo Zamora Limpiado (BBA ’57) September 16, 2023; Prosperidad Sevilleno-Dagdayan (AB ’83) September 24, 2023; Lily Pinpin-Teves (HS ’52) October 14, 2023; Leo Val C. Adalla (ECS ’95, Elem 2002, HS 2006, BSN 2011, Medicine 2017) October 16, 2023; Emma Garcia-Mason (Elem ’68, HS ’72, BSN ’77) October 15, 2023; Rosalina Castor Tan (A.A. ’46, BSE ’47, MA ’58) October 26,2023; Arcaido Narciso (Retiree HRD Staff) October 28, 2023; and Ma. Luisa Villanueva-Bocanegra (BBA ’85) October 30, 2023.