DLSU achieves scholarship target

The University offers a wide variety of scholarships, loans and other types of financial assistance programs to academically gifted but financially challenged individuals who choose to study in DLSU. It has always been the goal to make quality education accessible to all as stated in the revised vision mission.

Thus, in 2011, the University made a commitment to provide scholarships to 20 percent of the student population among the 18 De La Salle schools.
Initial steps

In line with this thrust, the University’s Vaugirard Scholarship Program was launched in 2012. This program accepted its first batch of 50 students who graduated from Philippine public high schools and topped the DLSU College Entrance Exam on the same year.

The grantees of the scholarship receive special privileges such as full waiver of school fees, monthly stipend, free dormitory accommodation, and meal subsidy.

According to the Office of Admissions and Scholarships (OAS), the University took the step and achieved its target. “Full Scholarship Equivalence (FSE) for Term 3, AY 2012-2013 is 20.75 percent,” Joel Navarez, Coordinator for Internally-Funded Scholarships says. FSE is the percentage of full scholar students versus the total number of full time students enrolled. However, there is still no final data of FSE this coming school year.
Reaching the target

In the September 2011 issue of The LaSallian, the scholar population in other La Salle schools has already reached 18 percent, yet the University fostered only 12 to 14 percent. However, with the addition of the Vaugirard Scholarship program, the target has been actualized.

The University is also consistently working in living up to the core value of service, mores which emphasizes its commitment to being a resource for the Church and nation. “DLSU is committed to being socially responsible in building a just, peaceful, stable and progressive Filipino nation by providing accessibility of Lasallian education for the poor yet capable and deserving Filipino men and women,” Navarez explains.
Scholars’ experiences

Simon Stephen San Pedro (II, BS-STAT), from the first batch of Vaugirard Scholars, extends his gratitude for the University’s generosity in providing him a prestigious scholarship.

He says that adapting to the new environment during his freshman year was easier and more enjoyable with the guidance of upperclassmen and involvement in student organizations.

He elaborates that the benefits that come with the scholarship helped improve his college experience. “Through the scholarship, I was able to get a high quality of education only given in few universities in the country,” he says.

He also mentions that he did not initially consider DLSU as his first choice, but due to the unavailability of his preferred course in other universities and the distance of the university from his residence, he opted for La Salle.

“The Vaugirard Scholarship Program and my degree program [influenced] me to consider DLSU. After staying in La Salle, I guess I made the right choice,” he concludes.

Jaylym Escorpizo (II, CHE), a St. La Salle scholar, shares his experiences in the University, stressing his involvement in different activities sponsored by various organizations. He adds that he had certain expectations upon entering the University such as a diverse student population, terror professors, and college cultures that he need to adapt to in the new environment.

He explains that he chose DLSU due to its facilities and high quality of education. “I appreciate how advanced the facilities are, considering any engineering program would require the best resources possible to get the most of it,” he elaborates.

He also believes that the current system of the University in attracting scholars is already effective, and suggests that the school should try to extend to public schools. “They’re doing well in encouraging scholars to attend DLSU…. With extended information campaigns, even more would be encouraged.”
Accessibility vis-à-vis quality

At first, the University found it difficult to bridge the education gap because of the public perception about the University as elitist and unapproachable. Now, with increasing number of scholars is a greater accessibility to Lasallian education.

Lasallian education ideally is quality education. As the University works towards attracting the best and the brightest, the quality of education at the very least should be directly proportional, contributing to the development of the standard of education in the University.

Gearing towards development, one considers that quality education has diverse enabling factors. Not only the kind of students enrolled but also the type of faculty and administering staff of the universities are considered in defining such.

The challenge now for the University is to sustain the increasing number of scholars and at the same time to improve the all factors that affect the quality of education.