The Student Involvement Unit (SIU), in collaboration with the Benilde Committee on Student Involvement (BCSI), invited Benildean students to partake and experience the thrill of the annual Student Involvement (SI) Week 1.0 on Sept. 28 to Oct. 2, simultaneously at the 2/F Mezzanine and 9/F Cafeteria at the Atrium @ Benilde, 12/F Cafeteria at the Design and Arts (D+A) Campus, and the 9/F at the Angelo King International Center (AKIC) Campus.
With the theme “HORIZON: Voyage Beyond Imagination,” SI Week 1.0 reminded students of the opportunities that are waiting to be traversed and explored while offering an engaging and welcoming recruitment experience.
Ready to embark
Benildeans were greeted by a week-long array of engaging booths set up by various organizations, centers, and units. Students were given spaces to promote their respective organizations, enabling them to foster and encourage the blaze of the extraordinary Benildean school spirit.
Among the booths are those of the Student Publications Unit (SPU), Accredited and Recognized Student Organizations (ARSO), Culture and Arts Unit (CAU), Benilde Well-Being Center (BWC), Center for Social Action (CSA), Center for Lasallian Ministry (CLM), Center for Inclusive Education (CIE), and Benilde Marketing Center (BMC).
A quest on the horizon
Aside from the booths, this year’s SI Week featured an interactive Bingo game for CSBLIFE Accreditation. Students were invited on a quest to tour the different Benilde campuses, granting them signatures from each student organization per cluster.
SI Week 1.0 involved three Academic Clusters, one for each of the specialized programs in the different campuses. The cluster in D+A highlighted the student organizations in the areas inclined with the campus’ programs, while the cluster in AKIC focused on student organizations with specialties under the School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management (SHRIM) programs. Additionally, the cluster for School of Diplomacy and Governance (SDG) and School of Management Information and Technology (SMIT) also had booths for student organizations within the disciplines of their departments.
The Special Interest Cluster featured the students’ passion and creativity, highlighting the Romancon Gaming Community (RGC) for gamers and DrawInk for comic artists. Moreover, the Socio-Civic Cluster highlighted community and purpose-driven organizations such as Benilde UNICEF, Best Buddies Benilde (BBB), Benildean Scholars Association (BSA), and Benilde Red Cross Youth Council (BRCYC).
The SIU Recognized Clusters exhibited the College’s diversity, showcasing global cultural exchange with Benilde International Student Emissaries (BISE); martial arts specialty with Jiu-jitsu Benilde (JJB); and student development with Student Trainers (STRAINS).
Emphasizing the Benildean Expressions of Inclusivity and Service, the School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies (SDEAS) was highlighted alongside volunteer groups such as Kaagapay Volunteers Group (KVG).
What awaits beyond
In an interview with The Benildean, Ema Montierro, an ID124 Animation (AB-ANI) student and a member of Animotion, expressed how SI Week laid down a foundation wherein students could connect and form lifelong friendships through shared interests and hobbies.
“When you’re in a [program], a lot of the time you’ll just interact with people inside of your [program]. But, if you’re part of an organization, you get to talk to [new] people and make new friends [...] as long as you have that shared interest,” she said, shedding light on the importance of community.
Montierro also mentioned that despite all the bustle and cheerful hecticness, she enjoyed seeing the heap of students stepping forward and showing an infectious interest in the booths.
As Benildeans voyage into new horizons, their adventure for the academic year has only just begun. If you missed out on SI Week 1.0, stay tuned for the next SI Weeks through the SIU and BCSI official Facebook and Instagram accounts.
