University Vision-Mission Week (UVMW) 2019, with the theme Siglo: One Heart. One Commitment. One Life., ended with its culminating event, Animusika, last June 21 at the Henry Sy Sr. Hall Grounds. Along with this, other activities were held to commemorate the 300th death anniversary of the school’s founder, St. John Baptist de La Salle.
The two-week celebration, spearheaded by project heads Trish Andulte and Nates Martin, kicked off last June 14 with a eucharistic mass at the Most Blessed Sacrament Chapel and the Taft Campus Animosaic Formation, a human formation of the image of St. La Salle.
Remembering St. La Salle
Animosaic Formations were held in three of DLSU’s campuses, namely in Manila, Laguna, and the Rufino Campus in Bonifacio Global City, which were all formed by volunteers from the Lasallian community. In an interview with The LaSallian, Dean of Student Affairs Nelca Villarin said that formations such as those rarely occur; the last formation was organized during the University’s centennial anniversary celebrations in 2011.
When asked why the formation was shaped in the face of St. La Salle, Nelca responded by saying that it symbolized how the Lasallian community represents the founder’s mission which is still alive today.
“The idea is for us to remember that St. La Salle remains to be alive. His mission is alive because of all of us,” she stated.
In celebration of talent
The Lasallian Showtime, another staple event during the UVMW, with the theme The Rewind, brought back the best of the 80s, 90s, and 2000s through showcasing dance and song performances held last June 19 at the Teresa Yuchengco Auditorium.
Group and solo performers took the stage in the University-wide competition for a grand prize of P12,000, followed by P8,000 and P5,000 for the first and second runners-up, respectively.
With over nine contenders, Iman Cristal was crowned this year’s Lasallian Showtime champion, impressing the judges and audience with her rendition of Beyoncé’s chart-topper song, Sweet Dreams. Dance group Hex bagged the first runner-up title, while singer Meth De la Cerna landed as the second-runner up.
siLEAP
Another recurring event during the UVMW is this year’s Lasallian Enrichment Alternative Program entitled siLEAP, which is sponsored by the Council of Student Organizations (CSO) accredited organizations; the University Student Government (USG), particularly the college and batch units; and administrative offices of the University.
The alternative classes gave the students a chance to pick a class that interested them. A Walk In the Dog Park, where students brought their dogs in the University; Language of the Hand, a class where students were taught the basics of sign language; and Happy Tea, a milk tea making class were just some of the notable classes held this year.
A night of OPM
Held every UVMW, Animuska is dubbed as one of the week’s most-awaited events. The campus was opened to outsiders for a fee of P400, while alumni were charged P350 for a chance to be a part of a night of OPM. Meanwhile, Lasallian staff, graduates, and undergraduates were given free entrance.
This year, Animusika’s headliner, Itchyworms, made a comeback to the University after three years. Janine Teñoso, Quest, Orange and Lemons, I Belong To The Zoo, and Mayonnaise also took the stage to render their performances.
The crowd was also treated with Lasallian talent, starting with cheers from the Animo Squad, as well as a captivating performance from the De La Salle-Innersoul. A fashion show modelled by Lasallians was also featured in the event, with products from sponsors Sole Academy and The Store at DLSU made its appearance in the runway.
Other weeklong activities
Apart from the headlining events, other weeklong activities were also held during the UVMW, such as the UVMW 2019 bazaar fixture, which featured a myriad of food and clothing stalls scattered across the campus.
Lasallians were also given a chance to participate in an escape room-themed game, Businesscape. It challenged students from the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business to a simulation where seven puzzles needed to be solved in under 30 minutes.
A plastic bottle drive done by the USG was also held where students are asked yes or no questions about political issues and advocacies which are located in Miguel Walk, Central Plaza, Yuchengco Lobby, and Henry Sy Sr. Hall Grounds.
Behind the scenes
In an interview with The LaSallian, Andulte and Martin narrated their experiences and challenges in bringing UVMW 2019 to life. They admitted that it was difficult to plan for the event since they were coming off a loss from the previous year. “Our team had to repeatedly consult with the administration regarding the projects we wanted to push for,” Andulte shared, although she said that their team had a strong motivation to “bounce back from the deficit.”
The proceeds for this year’s UVMW also had a beneficiary, Lasallians for Zero Extreme Poverty, which pushed the team to not only recover from losses, but also to execute a successful event.
“This motivation to achieve a successful UnivWeek is not just for ourselves, but for something much bigger. In this case, it is [for] the families of Barangay 718 that really pushed us to adopt a change in perspective,” Andulte pointed out.
One of the goals for this year’s UVMW was to also increase the marketability of Animusika to other universities. Andulte and Martin shared that they are proud of the turnout of attendees, which was beyond their expectations.
While the project heads cannot as of the moment disclose the final figures of UVMW 2019 without first reporting it to the UnivWeek Council this coming July 8, Andulte said, “we’re proud [because] we were able to generate a net income.”
Both have also recognized the efforts of the team leaders, assistant team leaders, and partner offices. Andulte noted, “because of our synergy and the working dynamic we have developed in the long months of preparation, we ultimately came up with a University Week that we are very proud of.”
