Forty-nine freshly minted Thomasian professors received professorial medals in a solemn ceremony held on July 9, 2025, at the Buenaventura G. Paredes, O.P. Building.
Organized by the Office of the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and the Office of the Secretary-General, the solemn rite of conferment of professorial medals was a formal academic ceremony and a prayerful celebration that honored and invoked God’s blessing upon dedicated Thomasian academicians who have distinguished themselves in scholarship, teaching, and service.
For Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Prof. Cheryl R. Peralta, DrPH, PTRP, the conferment of the professorial medals marked a significant milestone in the journey of Thomasian educators, as the title of Professor invited them to serve as role models of integrity, dedication, and excellence. “Though you now hold the highest rank in academia, you are called to embrace humility in the spirit of service. It is our responsibility to offer meaningful guidance to novice academic staff, helping them grow and develop the skills necessary to inspire and engage their students effectively,” Peralta said.
Vice-Rector Rev. fr. Isaias D. Tiongco, O.P., JCD said the professorial medals celebrate their life’s work, passion, and the quiet sacrifices they made to pursue truth and knowledge. “These medals placed upon you carry a weight […] far greater than their physical form. They are symbols of trust of a university that looks at you as scholars and companions in its noble mission. They represent a legacy that others will follow in a light that future generations will see as they take their first steps in the academe,” fr. Tiongco said.
On behalf of the newly minted professors, Prof. Joel L. Adamos, PhD, of the College of Education, delivered the message of acceptance, where he inquired and reflected upon what they truly profess in their mission as Thomasian educators.
“As professors, what we profess reflects our deepest convictions on education. We profess our belief in the power of education to transform lives, and we profess our faith in the dignity and potential of every learner. We uphold truth: Veritas in Caritate, truth pursued not only with intellect but with compassion. We value research that seeks to understand and question the world we live in. We embrace community service as a meaningful extension of our academic mission. And we profess hope that, through thoughtful teaching, purposeful scholarship, and engaged service, we can foster a more just and sustainable future,” Adamos said.
“[We] carry not just the honor, but the renewed sense of commitment. To profess is to be present. To profess is to serve. To profess is love,” he added.
View the newly promoted professors here: http://www.ust.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/CI87-Solemn-Rite-of-Conferment-of-Professorial-Medals_Attachment.pdf.
