The University once again kicked off the new academic year with a rousing welcome for its incoming ID 119 students. From August 30 to September 7, this year’s Lasallian Personal Effectiveness Program (LPEP), with the theme Living the Animo, treated students to a dazzling display of activities, educational modules, talks by University officials and student leaders, performances by various organizations, and a roaring reception by student organizations in the Frosh Welcoming Walk.
Details of the different events
Day one of LPEP commenced at the Teresa Yuchengco Auditorium with an introduction to the Lasallian prayer and the core principles of DLSU, followed by a Eucharistic Celebration. University President Br. Raymundo Suplido FSC and other key speakers also welcomed the students with heartening speeches. After a short break, the students were ushered to various classrooms, where they spent time getting to know each other.
Students started the afternoon with the Lasallian Identity Module, the first of three modules prepared for LPEP. Finally, to acquaint the students with the new environment, a campus tour was hosted, marking the end of day one.
On the second day, students attended two separate modules hosted by the Office of Counseling and Career Services and the Student Discipline Formation Office. Activities that awaited the frosh after lunch showcased Lasallian talents to the frosh. Performances by the Culture and Arts Office, as well as the Animo Squad, highlighted the best DLSU had to offer.
A yearly tradition, LPEP ended with the incoming students making the celebrated Frosh Welcoming Walk, where student organizations and upperclassmen stationed along the St. Joseph Walk gave out trinkets and souvenirs amid chants and cries of “Welcome to La Salle.”
Organizing LPEP
The LAMBs are tasked with the responsibility of organizing the LPEP, which includes guiding and entertaining frosh from different colleges through the various activities planned around the campus.
Rina Mutiangpili (V, PSM-MGT), the Human Resource Management and Development Core for the LAMBs, said that for this year, both the Office of Student Leadership Involvement, Formation and Empowerment and the LAMBs ensured that the modules used for LPEP were more relatable to the incoming frosh.
One key change from previous years was the introduction of the Lasallian Identity Module. Kim Pua (IV, BSA) from the Marketing and Relations Core explained that the module aimed to “hone the Lasallian identity of the frosh themselves as early as now.”
Aside from the LAMBs, the Council of Student Organizations’ Frosh Welcoming Committee also helped carry out the monumental task. Alex Viray (II, MKT), Project Head for Creatives and Productions, said that the committee is responsible for inviting and coordinating different student organizations to participate in the Frosh Welcoming. For this year’s LPEP, Viray explained that the chosen theme of the Frosh Walk was holidays around the world.
All this work was done, according to Jaren Agoy (VI, ECE), Team Head for Creatives, because the goal is to welcome the frosh in a manner that is “very cozy or intimate”. “[LPEP] yung magiging first impression ng frosh on what college really is,” he stressed.
([LPEP] will be the first impression of the Frosh on what college really is.)
In response to the challenges of organizing LPEP, Pua stressed the importance of LAMBs knowing their purpose, which is to give the incoming frosh the same LPEP experience they had in the past. On the other hand, Viray expressed that even though not all student organizations want to join the Frosh Welcoming, the Froshwalk Committee is still determined to maximize the potential exposure that participating organizations can get from the ID 119 students.
New Lasallians
After their first memorable experience in the University, incoming ID 119 students gave their thoughts about LPEP and their expectations as Lasallians.
Manuel Cortez (I, BSA) called LPEP “fun” despite expecting it to be boring. He said he enjoyed the part “when the Animo Squad started leading [the cheers].” Cortez also expressed praise for the University’s Accountancy program while recognizing the need to adjust to the college environment.
Sharing his sentiments, Charles Edric Li (I, MKT) appreciated the friendliness of Lasallians during his LPEP experience. “I feel excited [to go to school] because I feel welcome here in La Salle,” he elaborated. When asked about his decision to study in DLSU, Li said that the reason is that most of his friends study in the University.
The roads lay open for the incoming Lasallians as students, organizations, faculty, and administration now shift their focus back to performing regular activities. Classes are set to begin on September 16, Monday, under the new U Break schedule.
With reports from Jan Emmanuel Alonzo, Paolo Panlaqui, and Enrico Sebastian Salazar
