UST’s Faculty of Arts and Letters (AB) started a new annual graduation tradition by including the support staff in the marching ceremony last June 2025.
The photos and videos of support staff marching in the graduation ceremony last year went viral, leading to the declaration of a new tradition.
In a typical graduation, only students and academic personnel are allowed to march. The AB’s new administration made a major difference by making the ceremony more inclusive. Allowing support staff to march onstage honors their contributions and gives them the recognition they deserve.
The facilities, teaching staff, and the students are what comes to mind when one thinks of a university. However, there is another layer to a university’s environment that is often overlooked: the security and janitorial staff who ensure the university is up and running through their continued cleaning and protection.
In an interview, Tammy Angeline S. Macalma, a student from the Faculty of Arts and Letters (AB), said she feels more comfortable and secure on campus thanks to the presence of support staff. She also expressed appreciation for AB’s graduation tradition that honors them.
“They’re an integral part of our school, and it’s right and fitting that we recognize their hard work,” she said.
Macalma recalled a memory from her final semester last academic year, when her classes ended as late as 7 p.m.
“It was already fairly dark. Knowing they were there with us made the walk inside the campus less scary,” she added.
Another group of AB students shared their sentiments when asked for their opinions on the university’s support staff.
“Guards make you feel safe and the custodians keep the place spotless,” Marion Nathaniel L. Faustino and his friends commented.
“Strict to a fault at times, sometimes ‘di ka papapasukin ‘pag mali suot mo. The custodians are sufficient… I feel bad whenever matatapakan ko ang bagong mop lang tapos nagmamadali,” says Manuel L. Jabson, a student from UST’s College of Tourism and Hospitality Management (CTHM).
Both types of students from AB and the student from the CTHM share similar feelings towards the security and janitorial staff.
When asked if the security and janitorial staff should be recognized for their work, all of the students that were interviewed agreed. Both groups believe that without the support staff, the environment of the school changes. There would be no longer individuals who check for potential threats and no one left to make sure the facilities are clean and working for use.
“It’s not a job that gets recognition, but they deserve it,” Jabson said.
The recent annual graduation rites of the UST’s Faculty of Arts and Letters emphasized the efforts of the faculty’s support staff. This small gesture helped build a more harmonious relationship between the students and support staff, celebrating their hard work that is often overlooked.
