Story by Ana Liza Jane Banaynal and Katrina Marian Dumanjug | Image by Kirby James Jagape
The Crusader Yearbook of Xavier University launched the Paulo Javier Butalid Gener Memorial Scholarship Program earlier this school year in honor of the CYB’s moderator who passed away on November 14, 2013.
“Since the Crusader Yearbook is a memento of a student’s university experience, it would be a great legacy [to provide] other students their own Atenean journey,” said CYB 2016 editor in chief Karen Michelle Pahamtang.
As she recounted, XU treasurer Engr Lennie K Ong suggested reviving the scholarship program of CYB at one of their meetings and due to the recovery of the office from its losses from previous operations, the Paolo Gener Scholarship Program was developed.
The said program offers two different grants — the perpetual scholarship to two freshmen and the grant-in-aid for two graduating students.
The benefits include full coverage of tuition, matriculation, laboratory and other fees good for six school years for the freshmen scholars and one school year for the seniors.
The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (OSFA) director Glenda T Orlanes, CYB moderator Stephen J Pedroza and the CYB 2016 editorial board inked a memorandum of agreement on June 3 to officially commence the screening process of potential scholars.
OSFA will administer the screening based on the criteria and guidelines of the St Francis Xavier Scholarship Program.
To maintain the Paulo Gener Scholarship, the scholar must comply with the Quality Point Index (QPI) requirements and must render four hours of return service weekly at CYB Office.
“This undertaking is our tribute to a man who has inspired emerging artists and leaders not just from CYB but also from other organizations at Xavier,” said Pedroza, who is a cousin of Gener. “Puloy deserves this dedication after all his contributions to CYB and to the XU community at large.”
Besides being the CYB 2013 moderator, “Puloy,” as he was fondly called by his peers and students, was the layout and graphic artist of XU Communications Office, mentor of and music arranger for XU Glee Club, and instructor in the Information Systems Department of the College of Computer Studies.
For the first wave of the Paulo Gener Scholarship, the funds will be obtained from the accumulated net income of CYB 2013 and 2014. The CYB hopes to offer scholarship to another set of students next school year.
“CYB and OSFA will collaborate to ensure that this scholarship program will be sustained for the next years,” Pahamtang said. “[This program is] a proactive move of the Crusader Yearbook to give back to the Xavier University community.”