On August 29, 2024, the University of Santo Tomas – General Santos officially welcomed the inaugural batch of students to the Thomasian Community at the UST General Santos Main Building lobby.
UST Rector Very Rev. fr. Richard G. Ang, O.P., PhD, led the Eucharistic Celebration. In his homily, fr. Ang acknowledged that there will be challenges and reluctance along their journey, especially in the new and big learning environment they are about to experience in the newly inaugurated Mindanao campus. However, the Rector encouraged them to take the first step. “Your true destiny will await you the moment you decisively commit yourselves to your newfound academic endeavor,” fr. Ang said.
“Freshmen, we want you not just to survive but to thrive, for your successes and glory are tantamount to our communal achievement,” fr. Ang added.
In the Academic Year 2024-2025, a total of 126 Thomasians from the School of Health Sciences, School of Business and Accountancy, and the School of Engineering and Information Technology experienced the same Thomasian tradition conducted annually in its Manila counterpart, namely the Welcome Mass, ROARientation, and the Thomasian Welcome Walk.