Who is an Atenean?

To 150 and Beyond

by Patricia Mariano

Having just celebrated its sesquicentennial, the Ateneo de Manila University can boast of a long and proud history (more of which will be discussed here) that is by no means dwindling with the passage of time. As with before, Ateneo is still committed to its ideals of magis and of working for others and for the greater glory of God. Ateneans - students, alumni, faculty, and staff - have in them this something that is never quite lost.

In an effort to get a better idea of what that something is, I interviewed alumni and interested applicants.

(Article below.)

Those who went to Ateneo.

The alumni were interviewed in order to get a better idea of what Ateneo was like then, so as to compare it with what the perception of Ateneo is now. They were asked what they remembered about it and, as this is about legacies, if they would send their own children to Ateneo.

Although a very limited number was interviewed, it seems that the school spirit that binds Ateneans is an integral part of the college experience. As one of the former students mentioned, Ateneo is the only school willing to go to such lengths just to celebrate a basketball game (in reference to the bonfires held for UAAP basketball).

It is also notable that the Ateneo de Manila campus is one of the few places in the city where you can wear a jacket in the mornings because it actually feels like the fresh start of a new day and not just a dreadfully hot continuation of yesterday.

Those who want to go to Ateneo.

The last year spent in high school is not only filled with nostalgia for the years that have past. More likely, it is a whirlwind of excitement and anxiety for the years that will follow. What school will you go to, what course will you take, will you be able to make friends easily? To consider these questions, of course, you first have to get accepted into a college. And for some people, there is only one college they want to get into; everything else won’t be at all right.

I interviewed those who want to study into Ateneo, asking them why that was they school of their choice and what their impression was of the university and its students.

Ateneans are rich. They are spoiled, they are elitist. But they work hard and are good at what they do. It seems that magis is a very important principle. You give your all, and then a bit more. You can give a 100%, surely, but why stop there when you can give 150? If you can exceed your expectations of yourselves, then why shouldn’t you? If there is something more to be given, then why not?

Years ago, talking about how arrogant universities can get and how petty rivalries are, my friend (who studied in Ateneo but did not like how mayabang people were), conceded: Mayabang ang mga Atenista kasi may ipagyayabang sila. Ateneo has this legacy of striving for excellence because everything is offered to God, and you can’t give him anything less.

Perhaps it is partly the legacy of Rizal, who spoke so highly of the school (very visible in school shirts that read, “Ateneo: I spent many happy years there”); perhaps it is the inspiration of St. Ignatius. Whatever the source may be, it was true then and it is true now. Ateneo is a school for the rich. Ateneo is a community where students are given opportunities to excel and where these students exceed their own expectations, whether in terms of academics, sports, or being for God and others.