Chiang Kai Shek College’s higher education division celebrated its 55th year anniversary on April 10, 2021, through a virtual concert entitled “Thrive at 55: Inspiring Excellence, Building Future Leaders”. The zoom-concert is a collaboration between the Chiang Kai Shek College Collegiate Alumni Club and CKS College students, alumni, and administrators.
Whilst the entire nation had been placed under quarantine, making everybody distant to each other, the CKS College community which includes the Board of Trustees, college alumni and students as well as previous and current faculty and administrators remained close and intimate via a Zoom-powered virtual concert.
With warmest reception, Dr. Steve Wong, Chair of the Deans' Council, welcomed all the attendees through his heartfelt opening remarks. Afterwards, a series of inspirational messages were delivered by Mr. Sergio Lim, Chairman, Board of Trustees; Atty. Danny Chan, President, CKS College; Mr. Benjamin Tan, President, CKSC Alumni Association Inc., and Ms. Catherine Chiu, President, CKSC Collegiate Alumni Club. It was also in this juncture that Atty. Danny Chan announced the accreditation of the College and courses under its tutelage being granted Level I by Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA), an agency safeguarding accreditation, a concept of self-regulation which focuses on self-study and evaluation and on the continuing improvement of educational quality. He also paid his accolade to the key people (referring to former and present) who were integral in achieving such a feat. With much affirmation, Atty. Chan gave a quality assurance that CKS College would continue to strive and improve its level of education, for education remains to be the key to success; he also shared a famous quotation, "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance," thus crystallizing the mission of CKS College in providing an affordable instruction at its finest compared to its contemporaries.
Parallel with the 55th anniversary of the college is also the 30th anniversary of the CKSC Collegiate Alumni Club, presently headed by Ms. Catherine Chiu. Hence, the joyous night witnessed a double celebration to an extent.
To say that the concert was filled with much nostalgic bliss and marvel is an understatement. Various audio-visual presentations chronicling the institution's development and performances showcasing the talents of the community members were rendered to hype the spirit of revelry. These aforesaid performers include: Julia Bettina De Guia (BSA Bridging Program Student); Kyler Rich Chua Kiwahko (CAMPA Student); MASCKS Movers [Peter John Ko, Radbert Alem Melchor, Jimcen Dave Young, Kevin Louie Villanueva] (College Alumnus); Oliver Chua and Shariz Clares (College Dept. Staff) and Jimmy E. Chung (College Alumnus).
Mr. Judelio Yap, Vice President of the Alumni Affairs & External Linkages, and Director of the Office of Student Life, delivered the closing remarks to formally end the program proper; he also gave a symbolical analogy in the life of a caterpillar to the present context of life today being stricken by the pandemic. In the aforementioned narrative, the caterpillar thought that its life was about to end, but little did the caterpillar know that it would just undergo metamorphosis and would eventually emerge as a beautiful butterfly. Indeed, Mr. Yap offered an optimistic reminder that this pandemic shall also pass, and there are better things waiting for us.
To better elevate the festivities and giving back, CKS College had a virtual raffle for all the attendees. Cash prizes were given to lucky winners; thanks to the generous sponsors which include Ms. Catherine Chiu, Ms. Pue Chin Lee Chua, and Mr. Alexiz Tan. In toto, the aforementioned event is a success with Ms. Mary Grace Khu, a College alumna, as the host, and CHINOY TV as its official media partner.
Cheers to CKS College for another thriving 55 years and more!