THE SCHOOL of Social Sciences (SOSS) may be composed of diverse courses and departments, but they are united in one goal: being catalysts for nation-building.
Unity in diversity was what SOSS celebrated in SOSS Week 2010, from January 25 to 29. Themed “RenaiSOSS: Reawaken the Nation,” the entire SOSS community came together to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its establishment in the Ateneo.
Some of the events included org booths and a Mr. and Ms. SOSS pageant. It ended with a culminating night titled “Pantheon,” held on January 29 at the Ford Autohaus in Global City. Over 300 people attended.
The theme of SOSS Week was based on the Renaissance period, a time when different nations coexisted and flourished, despite the different cultures.
Dungca said that the Renaissance theme was apt for SOSS Week. “Because SOSS is very diverse, from the courses to the departments,” he said.
Healthy competition
Mr. and Ms. SOSS pageant winner Lauren Laudico said that the people behind SOSS Week were successful in creating a Renaissance among SOSS courses and students. “I saw unity and passion. But at the same time, friendly competition and support between organizations.”
She also said, “I’m really happy and grateful that SOSS Week happened because then, we’ll have something to look back and be proud.”
Senior SOSS Executive Officer Janlee Dungca said, “I was happy that we were able to raise…SOSS awareness.”
Acting SOSS School Board (SB) Chair Cindy Gorospe said that SOSS Week was able to show the LS community what SOSS is capable of. “By holding different events like the RenaiSOSS person contest, we showed that no matter how different we are in SOSS, we could come together and unite in this one big event.”
Full participation
Though SOSS Week has been going on for years, SOSS Week 2010 had its first-ever full participation of the SOSS organizations, said Gorospe.
Gorospe said that the SOSS SB asked a representative from each org to join their planning for SOSS Week. “We also had a dinner with them to discuss the details of their participation in the week.”
Freshman SOSS Executive Officer Third Fernandez also said that all org activities incorporated three themes in their activities and events during the week, aside from the main theme. These additional themes were Ateneo’s sesquicentennial celebration, the May 2010 elections, and the assistance for the victims of Typhoon Ondoy.
Passersby in Zen Garden saw the SOSS org booths, decorated in a way that is consistent with the SOSS Week theme and the personality of the org.
Well-rounded
One way utilized to attract the SOSS community’s participation was the Mr. and Ms. SOSS pageant, or the RenaiSOSS Persons. Each org chose a representative that embodies what an ideal SOSS Atenean should be.
“Each chooses one [representative that is] well-rounded …and hopefully, has the four pillars that Sanggunian wishes every Atenean to possess. So, academically excellent, culturally rooted, socially involved, and spiritually mature,” Dungca said.
Throughout the week, these RenaiSOSS Persons were assigned to do different tasks, be it a Question & Answer portion, or an Amazing Race.
Votes were determined by dropping coins in the cans that the contestants were holding. The money earned in the pageant will go to the victims of typhoon Ondoy.
Laudico, who represented the Ateneo Association of Communication Majors, said that the challenges given to the RenaiSOSS persons weren’t easy. “We [the contestants] were all very supportive of each other during Q&A, Talent and Renaizoom.”
Fernandez said that he was overwhelmed by the passion of the SOSS orgs. “They were really trying to get votes and participants for the RenaiSOSS Persons.”
A SOSS Shirt Day on January 27 was also encouraged for the freshmen. They wore a specially designed shirt that they voted on. The upperclassmen were allowed to buy their shirts during the week.
