WE CONTINUE TO RISE: COLLEGE SILVERS!
AC College Silver Jubilarians, a Special Metal
Surprise!
More than the thought of being AC College Silvers — has it really been 25 years?! — we were definitely taken aback that our batch was being called upon to join the Velada. When we were in AC, we had always thought of it as a high school tradition. Joining various beautiful generations of Assumption alumnae who are called jewels of precious gems and metals, College ’99 is actually the third college batch to join the annual Velada.
It was a daunting task to say the least. How can we contact and unite batchmates who were only together for 4 years — mostly with their own blockmates coming from various courses? However, as the oft repeated saying goes, “when the going gets tough, the tough gets going”. The core team composed of the ’99 College Student Council Officers May Valdez – Napa, Michelle Cataquis – Toledo, and Darlene Tan – Salazar hunkered down to work, relying on social media and friend groups to reach out to as many as possible. With much God-given grace, a lot of our batchmates responded to the Velada call to come together and give their support. We were able to add more members to our core team as well with Angel Reyes-Nacino, Tons Velo – Tan, Darlene Tolentino, and Rio Peralta – Balmeo completing our bevy of inspired ladies.
Twenty-three spent several weekends practicing, and wowed the crowd with a medley that takes one from the happy-go-lucky beginning of college to the more serious, “time to work” mindset of someone graduating. Three costume changes with high energies, changing ebb and flow choreographies, four soloists who were previous members of the AC Voices (the AC Chorale ensemble), and two rappers who encapsulated the thoughts of our homecoming, all were among the details that made the batch performance truly one for the books. One of the highlights, too, was the Eucharistic celebration attended by many other College Old Girls — some flew in from provinces and various countries to hear mass and be with batchmates. Others joined the celebration through online channels.
The beauty of the Velada lies not just in the well thought of and prepared performances but the opportunities to gather, reconnect, make new friendships, pray and unite to give bACk to our alma mater, the institution that shaped who we are and gave us roots that propelled us to discover our life missions.
The Velada lit a fire in each of us, and has inspired usto keep this burning till we are older and definitely groovier. As we look bACk as the last batch to have graduated from the past millennium and the Mother Rose Hall (before it became the Mother Rose Auditorium), many of our ladies have AChieved and with God’s grace will continue to do so. As daughters of St. Marie Eugenie called to love and serve the Lord, these women have and continue to Christianize their families and workplace — championing various advocacies, fields and disciplines committed to education, social transformation, faith and spirituality. The batch has planned projects to add to the coffers for the benefit of scholars in the college and the Assumption mission schools. As daughters of the Assumption, we continue to carry the banner of the College. We continue to RISE to be able to pass on the legacy and the gift of the Assumption education to form more women and men of faith and action.
All for Jesus, in Jesus!
