Tuesday, May 15, 2007 Espina: Beijing - Cebu Academic Links By Mila C. Espina In my Diary
THE University of San Jose - Recoletos led by Fr. president Anthony Morillo, OAR, Rev. Fr. VP - Ferdinand Fornilos, Ramon Sebastian (Adviser, USJ-R Dramatics and Cultural Ensemble and Cebu Performing Arts) and SPEECHCOM VP Rolando Espina, wowed the China Agricultural University when it had its academic-cultural exchange trip to Beijing, April 25 - 29, 2007.
What made this program meaningful? It provided our students the learning experience to interact and perform with the Beijing officials, faculty and students led by President, Dr. Zhangliang Chen, who said “this event marks the academic sisterhood between CAU and USJ-R, and a stronger Cebu - Beijing ties!” He saw the USJ-R perform during the ASEAN AIPO forum in Cebu in September, 2006. CAU - Beijing will visit Cebu in July to reinforce the concept of educational tourism. After all, the basic tenets of tourism start from the classroom.
The participants, aside from Frs. Morillo and Fornilos, Mr. Sebastian and the Espinas, were Professor Jude Yburan, Alumni Jimmy Marquez, Greg Limpin, Adrian Diongzon, Jayne Abella, Portia Florenosos, Francis Eric Isidro, Jessica Famador, Alex Usman and students Sweeney Villahermosa, Johar Lapasaran, Gail Frejoles, Dondee Sabanal, Mabel Balbuena, Rheanne Mae Princesa and Victorino Fernando Reynes IV. They performed in two shows before 2000 audience (SRO) and got standing ovations; toured the Great Walls, Summer Palace, Forbidden City, Tiannamien Square and some malls; and made new friends.
The success of the USJ-R Cebu - CAU Beijing program is in line with the current thrust of academic consortia. In Cebu, the Filipino - Chinese community, specifically, Joseph, Alex and Edward Gaisano, Lim Liu, We Care Foundation, DFA Usec Francisco Benedicto, Speechcom International, Congressman Nerissa Soon Ruiz and Congressman Tony Cuenco , William Go, Ramon Sebastian, Consul Samuel Chioson, Elizabeth Abejo, Sunview Co., Inc., Ang Chong, Vanex Trading, Amparito Lhuillier, and Pablo Ko gave 100 % financial support. Cebu Fortune Travel, Cathay Pacific and the People’s Republic of China Consular staff were very helpful.
My fulfillment as the group’s director / coordinator, is beyond words, seeing our youth transform into well - behaved and excellent performers and helping schools expand their perspectives. I have felt this since 1987 when my students started to gain global exposure first in Xiamen and, in the years which followed, in Korea, Singapore, Hawaii, USA, Russia and many more. This cultural dimension of education, as Bacon said, “maketh a full man!”
