Monday, September 7, 2009

Ateneans in Toronto



There are indeed ties that bind and in our case, the Ateneo is a tie that strongly binds. My wife and I spent a thoroughly enjoyable evening with KOB – Toronto, fellow Ateneans I have not seen for more than 38 years. Rey Domondon graciously hosted a gathering that included Mon Carluen, Al Roldan, Ding Bautista, Robert Farolan and Mon Leuterio. Spouses were also present to share the laughs and the camaraderie.
Of course there was a lot of food including a full lechon – we are talking about Pinoys after all. There were reminiscences about Ateneo. There were updates about where life had taken us. But most of all, we got to share our thoughts not just about the Philippines but also about our experiences as immigrants who, whether we choose to or not, still straddle two cultures. Naturally, there were other things we talked about but as Ding said, what happens in Toronto, stays in Toronto.
Ces and I thank the guys and gals who made our brief visit to Toronto very memorable. I do hope we get a chance to visit again. Toronto is a beautiful and cosmopolitan city.
And Louie G. – thanks for establishing and maintaining this group. It is a very valuable tool for maintaining our ties.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009



Cecilia Manrique, Professor and Chair of Political Science/Public Administration; Carla Burkhardt, Office of the Dean College of Science and Health; and Lisa Jansen, Recording and Corresponding Secretary for the Golden Key UW-La Crosse chapter attended the Golden Key International Conference held in Orlando, Florida on July 31-August 2. The team had a showcase of the work they do with the freshmen in UWL 100 and the mentoring done by Golden Key officers. They presented a workshop on the relationship between advisors and officers entitled “Captain and Crew: Officer - Advisor Relations.” They engaged in community service activities in the Orlando area. The chapter was once again awarded the Gold chapter award.

Manrique attended the Golden Key Board of Directors meeting on July 29-30, chaired the meeting of the International Leadership Council (ILC) as President, and opened and closed the conference. As President she presented the President’s award to Dr. Derek Swemmer of the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. Manrique was also sworn in for her second three–year term as President of the ILC.