Why I´m Choosing Ateneo

As we kick off OrSem week, we want to hear from our incoming freshies about what they’re most looking forward to in their Ateneo experience. So we start our series with incoming Management Engineering major, scholar, and student leader Aiji Umemori. As he embarks on a journey of self-discovery, Aiji tells us why his future is bright in blue and white.

I’m choosing Ateneo because of two things: practicality and flexibility.

For context, I was granted a 100% Tuition, Fees, and Books scholarship in high school. This was tremendous help as my mother constantly struggled to make ends meet for my sister and me. Because of the grant, I was able to pour all of my energy into studying and maximizing my time in the Ateneo Senior High School. I attained an average QPI of 3.88 in Grade 11 and 3.80 in Grade 12. I served as the president of my Grade 11 class (11-Fontoura) and the secretary-treasurer of my organization (Dulaang Sibol). I even joined the Senior High Orientation Seminar (SHOrSem) Committee as a student-moderator. Suffice to say; I was able to achieve a lot of things thanks to the opportunity that ASHS gave me. 

And now that the Loyola Schools graciously offered a 100% Tuition and Fees scholarship, I took it as a sign that Ateneo was the way to go. Because of them, I can continue my education without worrying about burdening my mother with its costs. Furthermore, I can again focus on my studies and hopefully serve the Ateneo community to show my gratitude for the renewed opportunity.
 

I applied to the BS Management Engineering program of Ateneo with the initial goal of becoming a lawyer as I’ve always told myself that I wanted to become one. However, current circumstances made me realize that this path might not be for me. With my mom earning significantly less due to the pandemic and the passing of a family member, we started to go into debt. After college, the idea of adding four more years of law education started to sound impractical as I can use that time to begin working full-time instead to help provide for my family.

Also, I discovered after a little more introspection that what I really wanted was the financial stability that came with the stereotype surrounding lawyers. Since my family constantly dealt with issues regarding money, I craved stability as I believed that it would solve a lot of my problems and bring me peace of mind. But if there’s anything that a year of being separated from my friends and loved ones taught me, it’s that there’s more to happiness than the fulfillment of material needs. Becoming a lawyer can bring me the stability I’ve wanted for so long, but I wasn’t sure if it was really for me.

Thankfully, this change of heart doesn’t really impact my college experience too drastically. Ateneo prides itself in offering liberal arts courses that teach its students a wide range of skills that make them competent in various industries. As my plans are currently uncertain, this flexibility would help me excel in any field and industry I plan to take after college. This also helps ensure that I can achieve stability in whichever career path I take. In addition, Ateneo values holistic development. Alongside striving for competence, Ateneo’s pedagogy emphasizes the importance of emotional and spiritual growth as part of care for oneself and others. Through their formation, I’m hopeful that I’ll discover what makes me truly happy and fulfilled.

To me, Ateneo is the gift that keeps on giving. More than the time for self-discovery and opportunity for skill development, they’re offering me a chance at a better life. I can’t wait to meet the people who will change my life as I go through the next four years of college. Even though we’re starting online, I believe that the education we’ll receive will be just as insightful and valuable to our growth. But, more importantly, I’m optimistic that we will come out just as capable of becoming servant-leaders who will incite change for the betterment of our society.