Looking back on the approval and turnout of coeducation in its first few years at the Ateneo

If life does begin at 40, then coeducation in the Ateneo de Manila has undoubtedly come of age.

 

Letting women into an all-men’s college is never an easy step. Although more and more women were going to college, joining the workforce and contributing significantly to society, coeducation was still considered a bitter pill to swallow in the hallowed halls of the Ateneo. Established in 1859, and counting among its graduates the nation’s patriots, poets, and yes, government leaders and industrialists, it was only 114 years later that the Ateneo would countenance such a move.

 

The transition was gradual. Perhaps as a way to test the waters, so to speak, cross-enrollees from women’s colleges were allowed to take classes at the ADMU. Finally, on January 26, 1973, the Ateneo de Manila University Senate approved the coeducation policy for the College of Arts and Sciences.

 

On February 3, 1973, the Ateneo’s Board of Trustees composed of Chairman Cesar Concio, Jr., Ateneo President Rev. Jose Cruz, S.J., and board members Antonio Ayala, Rev. Victor Badillo, S.J., Rev. John Carroll, S.J., Rev. Horacio de la Costa, S.J., Rev. Thomas Fitzpatrick, Oscar Ledesma, S.J., Rev. Antonio Leetal, S.J., Rev. Richard Masterson, S.J., Rev. Benigno Mayo, S.J., Juan Mercado, Ramon Reyes, Sixto Roxas, III., and Washington Sycip, supported and approved the University Senate’s move to coeducation. Also instrumental to making the change possible were the board’s resource persons Rev. Bienvenido Nebres, S.J. (who eventually became Ateneo de Manila President from 1993 to 2011) and Rev. Thomas Steinburgler, S.J., and board secretary Maria Teresa Colayco.

 

In June 1973, the first full-fledged coed students (not just cross-enrollees) stepped into the Ateneo. It marked a new era in Ateneo history. In the same year, the ratio of female freshman students to male freshman students was 1:4 and a grand total of 127 (counting both freshmen and transferees) enrolled in the Ateneo College of Arts and Sciences.

 

By March 1975, there were six female graduates from the university. The following year, this number rose to 11 female graduates. The College Class of 1977 was a historic one as it included the first batch of coeds to graduate after a complete four-year tenure at the Ateneo.

 

The coeds of Class 1977 were indeed a dynamic and talented group of young women. In school year 1976-77, five out of 14 campus organizations presidents were fourth-year coeds. Those in the list included Margarita “Margie” T. Logarta of the Communication Arts Society of the Ateneo (CASA), Maria Victoria “Mavic” Silayan (now Simon) of Sarilikha, the late Veronica Vina of the Ateneo Management Association, Pilar de Guzman (now Palabrica) of Tanghalang Ateneo, and the late Jocelyn Lee of the Ateneo College Glee Club who steered Ateneo de Manila’s esteemed singing group to a first place finish at an inter-collegiate choir contest.

 

But prior to SY 1976-1977, the Socio-Anthropology Association already had a female president in Karen Berthelsen (now Cardenas).

 

The Ateneo coeds were exceptional in sports as they were in the arts. The Ateneo Women’s Volleyball Varsity, led by its Captain – Nanette Dulay (now Iñigo), made an impact in collegiate sports when it cinched Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (WNCAA) Volleyball Championship in Season 1976-77.  

 

A good number of coeds of Class of 1977 graduated with academic distinctions—five graduated with honors, four were awarded cum laude, and three magna cum laude.

 

In 1978, Ma. Assunta “Achoot” Caoile (now Cuyegkeng) and Ma. Natividad “Tina” Ozaeta (now Lebron) both graduated as summa cum laude.

 

Ateneo de Manila’s first female valedictorian would graduate in 1979—just two years after the graduation of the first batch of coeds, and six years after the coeducation policy was approved.

 

Maria Cecilia “Chil” Gonzales (now Soriano), BS Management Engineering, was hailed as the valedictorian of her batch. The feat of Chil, as Cecila is fondly called, was doubly significant since ME is considered as a very challenging course in the Ateneo.

 

Today, being a female student at the Ateneo de Manila University Loyola Schools (College of Arts and Sciences) may not feel any different or special. In fact it’s fairly common and not unusual to see many young girls on campus now. But once upon a time, coeducation seemed like an impossible dream for young Filipinas who aspired for a Jesuit education. - Gay Ace Domingo (Batch ’93), from the Women of Ateneo files

Photos from the University Archives

Press release from Ateneo de Manila University