UPOU to hold Grand Sunduan 2008

In honor of its graduates, and to welcome new students, the UP Open University will hold a Grand Sunduan on 23 May 2008, Friday, at the UPOU Headquarters in Los Baños. Sunduan is a Filipino term derived from the root word sundo, which means to fetch or to pick up.

Chancellor Grace J. Alfonso said that the event will aim to make the student life of UPOU distance learners more enriching and memorable for them. In addition to the usual orientation program and distribution of materials on the Grand Sunduan day, graduating and continuing students will welcome new students to the challenging world of distance learning, in the same way that a big sister or brother will be greeting newly arrived members of the family, and coach or advise them on what it is to be a distance learner including on how to do well in UPOU. On the other hand, the new graduates will be greeted and saluted by the alumni as a symbolism of the new life journey that they are about to embark on armed with their UPOU degrees.

Since majority of distance learners get to meet only online, the Chancellor also said that the event will give everyone a chance to interact face-to-face personally, and to foster camaraderie with representatives of their alma mater, classmates, faculty, tutors, and friends.

Dr. Melinda Bandalaria, the University Registrar, said that since not all UPOU students, graduates, and alumni will be able to participate in the Grand Sunduan in Los Baños, the university will also be holding mini Sunduan events in the various UPOU learning centers all over the country on 31 May 2008.

For questions or comments regarding the Sunduan 2008, you may course your inquiries or send an email to registrar@upou.net or lgelisan@upou.net, or call the UPOU at telephone number (049) 536-6001, local 710. (Luisa A. Gelisan, OC).

(Date posted: April 18, 2008)