Xavier Ateneo Welcomes Graduate Students in 2025 Information Session
“Connect. Learn. Engage: Forming Graduate Leaders of Character for
the Next Century”
Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan formally welcomed its graduate students for AY 2025–2026 through the annual Graduate Students Information Session, held online on 6 September 2025. With the theme “Connect. Learn. Engage: Forming Graduate Leaders of Character for the Next Century,” the event set the tone for a new academic year by emphasizing both academic excellence and the mission of leadership with character.
The Graduate Students Information Session aimed to provide students with essential updates, clarify academic guidelines, and introduce the academic leaders who will accompany them in their graduate journey. More than orientation, it served as a venue to connect new and returning students with faculty, program coordinators, and deans, fostering a sense of belonging and shared mission from the very start.
This was further affirmed in the welcome address of Dr Juliet Q. Dalagan, Vice President for Higher Education, who spoke on the role of graduate education in shaping leaders of character as the university looks toward its centennial in 2033. Her message underscored graduate studies as both an academic pursuit and a transformative formation.
Introducing the Graduate Programs
he session also featured the formal introduction of the deans, graduate studies directors, and program coordinators who lead Xavier Ateneo’s graduate community. Alongside their introductions, the various graduate programs were presented, emphasizing their thrusts in education, business, health, sciences, technology, and agriculture. This segment underscored not only the wide range of offerings but also the commitment of Xavier Ateneo’s academic leaders to guide students in pursuing excellence and purpose in their graduate journey.
Policies and Graduate Journey
Students were also reminded of the importance of upholding high academic standards and meeting research requirements, including dissemination and publication, as part of Xavier Ateneo’s commitment to quality graduate education.
Launch of the Xavier Ateneo Graduate Journal
A milestone moment was the release of the maiden issue of the Xavier Ateneo Graduate Journal (XAGJ), presented by Dr Hilly Ann R Quiaoit, Editor-in-Chief. A highly cited researcher in marine science and sustainability, Dr Quiaoit highlighted the journal as a multidisciplinary platform for graduate research publication, supporting both institutional policy and CHED’s mandate for research dissemination.
The maiden issue features contributions from across disciplines, including an article by University President Fr Mars P Tan, SJ, on environmental management in Cagayan de Oro’s catchment. Dr Quiaoit also announced the Call for Papers for Volume 2, encouraging graduate students and faculty to submit research articles, literature reviews, policy papers, and other scholarly works for publication.
The Graduate Path Ahead
Beyond requirements, the session encouraged students to reflect on their deeper purpose. Dr Rustum Dy C Gevero concluded his discussion with the question: “What is your WHY?” — a reminder that perseverance in graduate school is sustained not merely by deadlines and requirements but by a clear sense of personal mission.
Looking Forward to the Centennial
As Xavier Ateneo approaches its centennial in 2033, this year’s Graduate Information Session reaffirms the university’s dedication to forming leaders of character for the next century. With strong academic programs, clear guidelines, and platforms like the Graduate Journal, the session highlighted how graduate education at Xavier is both rigorous and mission-driven.
