In 2001, the first Tipon Silliman was held in Chicago. A biennial convention of Silliman alumni in North America, the gathering has over the years become the biggest event among alumni in this part of the world. The first Tipon in Chicago in 2001 accomplished much


in terms of cementing the ties among the different alumni chapters in North America, foremost of which was the cre- ation of the Silliman University Alumni Council of North America (SUACONA). This was to be an umbrella organi- zation which would coordinate the efforts of the different alumni chapters in the U.S. and Canada in order for them to be able to benefit Silliman University in a way that is sub- stantial, significant and relevant. Along with the creation of SUACONA came the election of


its first set of officers. Elected to serve as SUACONA Chair- man for the term 2001-2003 was Dr. Sylvester Almiron, Jr. of New York. His past involvements in Silliman affairs as well as his vast experience in community leadership positions made him the ideal lead person in nurturing this nascent organization. Much of the accomplishments of 2001-2003 was organizational, reaching out to and coordinating with the various alumni chapters, as well as casting a vision of how SUACONA can be relevant in the overall operations of Silliman University.


Involvement with worldwide alumni community Under Dr. Almiron’s leadership, and in close coordina-


tion with the NYNJ Chapter, the second Tipon Silliman was held at the Glenpointe Marriott Hotel in Teaneck, New Jersey. Learning from the experiences of the first Tipon, the second convention was a very much improved version which offered varied substantive and fun-filled activities. It was held on the July 4th weekend, timed to coincide with that week’s customarily big celebration in New York. Un- doubtedly, the highlight of the 4-day gathering was the boat cruise around Manhattan to watch the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks. No less than 500 alumni and friends boarded the exclusively chartered boat, featuring food and dancing as the group sailed into the Manhattan sunset awaiting the marvelous display. At the convention site in Glenpointe Marriott, vibrant discussions were going on, assessing our lives and rela- tionships among fellow alumni, other chapters, and with Silliman University. In between these discussions, we were entertained by the choral group “Ating Pamana,” a spin-off of the widely successful Silliman Choristers, who flew in di- rectly from Dumaguete City. A significant item discussed during Tipon 2003 was the pro- posal of the Silliman University administration of erecting a Continued on the following page


Greetings from G. Venenoso Services, Inc.


Filipino Balikbayan Box Pickup Service Door to Door Sea & Air Cargo Service to the Philippines


Metro Manila — $50.00 Outside Metro Manila — $55.00 Visayas — $65.00 Mindanao — $65.00


Licensed Real Estate Agent, New York Area


30-93 37th St., Astoria, NY 11303 Telephone: 347-623-0518


Congratulations to All Officers of the


Silliman University Alumni Association


From


Josephine Cagara and


Beth Santos


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72