NEXT SCHOOL year will be the end of an era in the Ateneo de Manila. After nearly 17 years of service, Fr. Bienvenido Nebres, SJ is set to end his term as University President.
On April 1, 2011, Fr. Jose Ramon “Jett” Villarin, SJ will succeed Nebres as the next University President. Villarin is currently the President of Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan (XU).
Nebres was appointed President in 1993. His term was extended in 2009 to lead the Ateneo during the sesquicentennial celebration.
According to Assistant to the President Maria Rosario Banzon, the Search Committee took note of Villarin’s “academic stature, leadership experience, and understanding of the demands of the position.”
In addition to being the incumbent XU President, Villarin is a laser physicist and climate scientist. He is an active member of the United Nations’ Consultative Group of Experts for Developing Countries, and the Inter-Agency Committee on Climate Change, among others.
The selection
Last year, the Board of Trustees gave instructions to initiate the search process for the next University President. A Search Committee was formed to conduct the search and make recommendations to the Board.
Banzon said that the selection process began with a multi-sectoral consultation workshop held February this year. Those who attended included Board members, administrators from various school units, faculty, staff, student representatives, alumni, and parents.
In the process, Fr. Jose Magadia, SJ, head of the Philippine Jesuit Society, identified Jesuits who were made available for the position. Interviews were conducted to screen candidates whose names were then recommended to the Board.
“The Board took into consideration the challenges facing the University, as well as the directions that are being pursued. Based on these, they tried to determine who among the candidates would be best suited to lead the Ateneo de Manila,” Banzon said.
On June 29, the Board eventually voted for Villarin to become the next University President.
Stepping up
Villarin had mixed feelings regarding his appointment. “[I am daunted] by the prospect, with sadness at leaving XU and Mindanao, yet reminding myself of the Magis, that I am a Jesuit and we go wherever we are sent,” he said.
But he added that “I have to tell myself what I tell our student leaders here [in XU]: do not be afraid to step up to the plate, to take charge.”
School of Humanities Dean Ma. Luz Vilches, Ph.D. was delighted to hear about Villarin’s appointment. “He is a well-respected scholar in his field of atmospheric physics and especially relevant today when the environment is at the forefront of any serious discussion both in the academe and in the larger society.”
A theologian and a scientist
Villarin graduated as the class valedictorian with a degree in Physics from the Ateneo de Manila in 1980. He obtained his Master’s Degree from the Marquette University in Wisconsin, USA.
He went on to earn his Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree in the Loyola School of Theology and his doctorate in Atmospheric Sciences from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
In the Ateneo de Manila, he has been campus minister, faculty of the Physics department, and Chief of Climate Studies in the Manila Observatory. He is currently a member of the Board of Trustees.
He has also been XU President since 2005.
Taking care of people
Being a scientist, Villarin said that “I was trained to deal with detailed precision stuff and with large complicated non-linear systems. The Ateneo may need precision work in some areas, and system work in others.”
With XU being about half the age of Ateneo de Manila, he said that he focused on “building” the people, “to institute systems and protocols, and to steer the whole ship along certain strategic priorities.”
After handling XU for five years, Villarin said he learned about the value of taking care of people.
“[Being XU President] has also taught me to listen and to think strategically, to step back every so often, so as not to miss the forest for the trees. XU has also taught me to be brave,” he added.
Honing potentials for nation-building
“His strength in research and scholarly work will help to push Ateneo’s research objectives,” said Banzon. “Certainly, his experience as President of Xavier University will guide him as he moves to Ateneo de Manila.”
Vilches expects Villarin to build on what Nebres has done for Ateneo. “I think he will bring to Ateneo a perspective of life and education outside of the metropolis,” she said.
Villarin said that since he taught in the Ateneo, he knows the potentials of its students and leaders.
“As President, what will excite me is the prospect of focusing all the talented and leading people—and the school—to make a lasting difference in the future of our nation, especially in the lives of our poor. I will be excited by the prospect of seeing the many ways in which the Ateneo can matter to our people.”
Villarin also shared that he and President Noynoy Aquino worked in the Sanggunian back in college. “I look forward to…working with him and with others to build our nation.”
*Editor’s note: The GUIDON tried to get in touch with Fr. Nebres, but he was unavailable as of press time.
