The Ateneo is known for its foremost value of being men and women for others. With the combined efforts of the University and generous benefactors, nearly 18% of the Loyola Schools (LS) student body is composed of scholars.

According to the LS Student Handbook, for over 50 years, the Ateneo College Scholarship Program has been accessible to “deserving but financially challenged students.”

Among the five types of grants, namely Merit, Athletic, Academic, Director’s List, and Financial Aid (FinAid), FinAid scholarships are awarded to undergraduate students on the basis of exceptional intellectual ability and “service to the community with the potential for greater service in the future.”

Those who wish to apply would need to complete a Financial Aid Questionnaire, which involves applicants providing information of their family’s personal information, financial situation, and living conditions.

However, despite the University’s willingness to support them, FinAid scholars in the Ateneo remain vulnerable to difficulties that may influence their well-being as students of a prestigious private university.

Trials and tribulations

Management economics junior Hya Bendaña, a grantee of the 100% tuition and fees FinAid scholarship and a former student representative to the LS Budget Committee, claims that the life of a scholar in campus is not easy. She cites that the cost of living has soared through the years.

“Two years ago, the prices [in Gonzaga Cafeteria] were at PHP 80 to 85. Right now it’s at PHP 90 to 95, but our allowances as scholars, ‘di dumadagdag [do not increase].”

Angel Aranas, a senior mathematics major, San Ignacio Merit Scholar, and Ateneo Gabay President concurs by stating the hard facts.

“We cannot deny that the standard of living in Ateneo is expensive.” Even so, he feels that the Ateneo is conducive to scholars for its continuous support in various areas like dorms and loans.

For Bendaña, she admits that high living expenses can hinder a FinAid scholar’s adjustment to the University. “Tanggap naman namin [we accept] that we will never have the same lifestyle as others,” she says.

Bendaña also comes to the defense of her fellow grantees: “Just because you’re a scholar, does not mean you cannot own nice things.”

She recalls that a scholar felt offense when confronted about one’s love for makeup. “[They ask,] where do you get the money to buy makeup [if you’re a scholar]?” Others would even query, “why do you own an iPhone if you needed money for education?” For some, the pragmatic approach is to ask why a student in need would own costly things. Unfortunately, it is easy to disregard that these objects were saved up for with years of allowance.

Discrimination, she says, is often an obscured narrative in the Ateneo; however, it appears that the crux of the problem is not a particular type of person but a lingering culture. Expressing discontent, Bendaña confesses: “It is unfair how people delineate simply because it is not in [the scholars’] financial capacity.”

Meanwhile, Aranas argues that the stigma attached to being a scholar has gradually dissipated. He notes that if there are issues, some members of the community are ready to come to the scholars’ defense.

Bendaña supposes that scholars struggle with grasping their identity especially when surrounded by affluent peers. For the underrepresented, some scholars purportedly feel that they should “remain in their place.”

Regarding psychological counsel, the Ateneo Bulatao Center for Psychology Services provides free services in the first seven meetings. Beyond that, scholars would have to shell out a hefty portion of their allowances when availing expensive psychiatric services in other institutions.

And while these appointments are supported through subsidies offered by the LS administration, the OAA currently cannot provide subsidies for medication such as hormonal pills that may be prescribed during these appointments.

Bendaña says a pertinent problem that has not yet been resolved involves food expenses. She references one scholar who was found to subsist on a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter for the entire week, which was compensated by drinking more water.

Despite the OAA’s efforts in providing food stubs and allowances, not all scholars avail of these services. When asked why, Bendaña shares that in a dialogue with her fellow grantees, some scholars confessed that they purposefully do not claim the stubs because they felt that “others were in greater need.”

Aranas admits that wasted food stubs may be indicative of limited reach, citing the difficulty of reaching out to all of the scholars in the university.

Clarifications and solutions

OAA Director Jose Ma. Edito Tirol provided clarifications about the current scholar situation. He claims that the OAA is “an undermanned office,” where “the logistics are daunting.” With that, he and his office try their best to help the scholars with their situations in life.

Using the information gathered from the FinAid Questionnaire, the OAA could assess the current situation of students, enabling the office to prioritize the needier students.

A few years ago, the OAA also began conducting 20-30 minute individual consultations to help gauge the scholars’ current situation so they can provide extra medical and food assistance according to their needs.

Given the steady annual tuition increases, Tirol stresses that if OAA were to accept the same number of scholars, they cannot guarantee the same degree of financial security that they have assured scholars from previous years. Julia Morata, Assistant to the Director for Scholarships, also claims that it is not often that scholars request for additional aid due to the rise in tuition.

While some scholars of Ateneo struggle with feeding themselves, the OAA does not provide 100% food scholarship. Tirol cites the importance of sharing the food budget with the family, as the University cannot afford covering every expense of the scholar.

Aranas cites that Gabay has been in constant communication with the OAA; however, due to the recently implemented Data Privacy Act, personal information on the scholars has been harder to obtain, making it difficult for Gabay to get status updates on their constituents.

To further aid the scholars, Tirol and the OAA seek the assistance of benefactors. Just recently, a benefactor donated 10 laptops to the OAA which will be given to “a select group of needy and deserving scholars.” The scholars are given free reign with the laptop, but are in charge of its maintenance. After the scholars graduate, however, they are required to return the laptop to the school to “pass it down” to another scholar.

Looking past the financial assistance provided by the OAA, they also contribute emotional support for the scholars. The scholars have a place to sit and relax in the OAA.

“When I say the Office of Admission and Aid, it’s not just financial but sometimes its psychological comfort and… the empathy and the sympathy that [scholars] might not find elsewhere, sometimes maybe not at home, but at least they can find it here in this office with the people here,” Tirol says.

Reflections and considerations

While the problems faced by FinAid scholars in the Ateneo may been caused by financial constraints and at times, lingering discrimination, the University with its administration and student body have been slowly adapting a paradigm shift.

Gabay currently has a variety of projects to aid the scholars, which include academic services, social adjustment, and community building.

Academically, the organization provides tutoring and a book lending service towards its scholars. To aid freshmen scholars, Gabay provides “mentors” for its freshmen to help them acclimate to the Ateneo way.

Despite being known primarily as a “scholars org,” Aranas says that Gabay is not a representative of the scholars’ community. “We are trying to serve the scholars community, but they are not our constituents.”

Bendaña and some of her co-scholars are also currently pushing for sectoral representation in the Sanggunian for the Ateneo’s scholars, which she finds lacking at the moment. “What we need is a structural approach. We need functions, we need people in committees, we need people who will write legislation, we need people who will influence administrative decisions,” she says.

In the future, FinAid scholars like Bendaña want to bridge the gap between the administration and student body by helping the OAA determine who is in need. As suggested by Bendaña, students should sit in committees to help to decide if prospective students are deserving. “We may know the situation of the person, more than papers or financial statements will say,” she adds.

Aranas also feels that the Ateneo community is beginning to become more proactive about giving a voice to the scholars. He thinks that the “Magtanong sa VP at mga Dekano” sessions are good opportunities to engage the administration in discussions. Furthermore, he mentions the efforts of the School of Science and Engineering to conduct forums to assess scholars’ needs.

Meanwhile, the OAA has been more active in encouraging more prospective students to choose Ateneo. A new scholarship grant, the Jose P. Rizal Academic Scholarship for Public High School Students, will be awarded to top graduates of public or state-supported high schools. Valedictorians and salutatorians will receive automatic 100% and 50% tuition and fees scholarships, respectively.

Aside from the endeavors of the OAA, the Ateneo Alumni Scholars Association and other benefactors are always open to extend help to Atenean scholars. Amidst various pressure points in maintaining the wellbeing of FinAid scholars, various stakeholders work hard to maintain a closely-knit community for the benefit of its grantees.

For Bendaña, the Ateneo’s framework for scholars to give back to community is lightest when compared to models followed by other universities. Ateneo only requires 10 service hours per semester at the minimum.

“Tayo na siguro ang pinakasuwerte [we might be considered as the luckiest] when it comes to the generosity of the OAA.” Be that as it may, scholars should not solely rely on the institution to provide for their needs. There must be a joint coordination with the scholar’s family and the University.

All that said, Bendaña believes the totality of what Ateneo has to offer outweighs the potential financial burdens one may experience in the LS. “When you come in Ateneo having your story and you come out with a different story, you can successfully say that you transcended limitations,” Bendaña says.

As for Aranas, he sees special value in the Ignatian education that the University offers. For him, the esteem is of gladness, “na wow Atenista ka! [that wow you’re an Atenean!]”

Beyond scholarly woes, the Ateneo must stay true to its roots as the Athenaeum, an institution that espouses wisdom and learning, regardless of financial capability.