Beacons Beyond the Storm
The Resilience of the College Class of 2025
There are graduating classes that leave behind memories, then there are classes that leave behind legacies.
The Assumption College Class of 2025 belongs to the latter.
They entered college not through doors of wide-eyed excitement, but through the quiet, uncertain click of a login screen. It was 2021. The world was still shaken. Classrooms had been traded for screens and the idea of community was being redefined. What should have been their season of beginnings felt more like a time of volatility, uncertainty, anxiety and delay. And yet, against the odds, they chose to begin anyway — with trembling hearts but unwavering hope, they stepped into the unknown with courage.
Now, four years later, they walk across the stage not only with diplomas in hand, but with hearts strengthened by storms they never expected – and a resilience they never knew they had.
A Commencement Rooted in More Than Completion. The 2025 Commencement Exercises were nothing short of momentous. But more than celebrating academic achievement, it was a sacred recognition of growth. Shaped by late nights, quiet tears, and whispered prayers, it culminated into a beautiful milestone. Every diploma handed was a testament to resilience. Every tassel turned, a declaration: we made it through.
At the heart of this celebration was Cheska Agito Casanova, an Assumption scholar, graduated summa cum laude and received the Saint Marie Eugenie Award — Assumption’s highest honor. In her deeply moving speech to her fellow graduates, Cheska became the voice of a generation: one that struggled in silence, yet served with grace.
A generation that questioned their place in a shifting world, but never lost sight of their purpose.
A Shared Struggle, A Shared Strength. Cheska’s story mirrors that of many of her classmates — students who braved unstable internet connections, financial difficulties, household responsibilities, and the mental toll of isolation. Many of them were scholars — some working part-time, others supporting their families, all trying to hold on to a dream that, at times, felt just out of reach.
They are living proof that learning is not confined to lecture halls or printed syllabi. It happens in the stillness of perseverance, in the discipline of getting up each day — especially when giving up would have been easier.
What made Cheska’s speech unforgettable was not only the elegance of her words, but the power of what she stood for: an Assumptionist woman formed not just by academics, but by a deep interior life — one anchored in faith, community, and service.
Her success was not hers alone. It was the fruit of every person who believed, every educator who went the extra mile, every friend who cheered, “You’ve got this!”
“We were not formed in ease — we were formed in challenge. But in that challenge, we were also formed in compassion, in conviction, and in calling.”
A Legacy of Purpose. This batch did more than graduate — they rose: with integrity, with intention, and with hope. They now join the long line of Assumption women called to lead — not from comfort, but from courage; not through loud declarations, but through quiet influence; not merely by ambition, but by mission.
Their journey echoes far beyond the halls of Assumption. It represents the silent battles fought by thousands of students in this generation — a generation that began their young adult lives in uncertainty, and who are now shaping the world with grit, grace, and gospel values.
A Message to All Generations. To readers young and old, the story of the College Class of 2025 is a reminder: when love leads, purpose follows. Even in the most unexpected beginnings, something beautiful is being built. Setbacks are never dead ends, they are simply sacred detours.
Their lives say this loud and clear: You can begin again — even in brokenness. You can still rise. And when you do, rise with faith and action.