The University of San Carlos, headed by outgoing President Fr. Narciso A. Cellan, SVD, D.Comm., incoming President Fr. Francisco Antonio T. Estepa, SVD, Ph.D., and Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs Atty. Joan S. Largo, Ll.M., officially inaugurated four smart classrooms in USC Downtown and Talamban campuses on July 31, 2023.
During the ceremony, AVP Atty. Largo expressed her gratitude to the alumni sponsors who made the smart classrooms a “dream come true.”
She emphasized the importance of offering impactful, relevant, and transformative programs and at the same time, making USC an environmentally-friendly and sustainable campus by transforming classrooms into those that will replicate industry and workplace standards to make Carolinians work- and life-ready.
Fr. Cellan also highlighted the importance of collaboration especially when it comes to Carolinian education and education, in general.
“Hopefully, more alumni will be joining the bandwagon of ‘smartness.’ You have a place in USC and you can be very well part of our journey in enhancing education and improving the educational experience of our students,” he shared.
Meanwhile, Fr. Estepa also expressed his support by highlighting the importance of empowering teachers and providing them the competence and skills with the help of technology and smart classrooms to enhance teaching, learning, and research.
The four smart classrooms were donated by the Vicsal Foundation, represented by Jack Gaisano (B.S. Ch.E., 1976) and Margaret Gaisano-Ang (B.S.C. major in Accounting, 1974, cum laude) in honor of their father Victor and mother Sally; Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC), President and Chief Executive Officer Eugene Acevedo (BS Physics, magna cum laude), and wife Cenia Natividad Lucas Acevedo, M.D., (B.S. Biology, magna cum laude); and the USC Chemical Engineering Alumni, in collaboration with the USC Chemical Engineering Society (USCChES) Foundation in honor of former Engineering Dean Engr. Elsa P. Roska.
Former Dean Roska graced the ceremony and expressed her sincerest gratitude to USC and her students. “I’m so happy to be in this University which has given everybody a chance to succeed. Thank you, everyone,” she shared.
In a social media post, Eugene Acevedo said the “four new smart classrooms… will use digital tools and create a new student experience.” He added, “One of these rooms used to be my ‘torture chamber’ as a student and where I also started as an Instructor, reversing roles!”
USC Talamban Chaplain Fr. Dindo Anthony Fallarme, SVD, and Assistant VP for Administration Fr. Melchor P. Fuerzas, SVD, blessed the smart classrooms.
The event was hosted by the Office of Naming Rights, Endowments, and Sponsorships (ONES), Assistant Director Elizabeth M. Remedio, Ph.D.
by Syrine Gladys Podadera