Chemistry Runs in
the Family
by Galilee Semblante
Ateneo Chemistry is like a huge, extended family. Upperclassmen are the savvy ate’s and the kuya’s, professors are the in-school parents, and non-teaching staff are the supportive aunts and uncles. Even as the family gets bigger, its members remain loyal to each other. As we could easily see in the recent Grand Alumni Homecoming, bonds forged in Schmitt Hall can withstand decades and more.
It is interesting to note that for some, the Ateneo Chemistry family is beyond the metaphor. It is family. Let’s take a look.
It runs in the family:
(L-R) Ria Reyes (BS CHCE 2002/03), Mrs. Rolly Reyes and Mr. Rolly Reyes
(BS CH '73)
Rolly and Ria Reyes
It is in the genes
Rolando A. Reyes (BS CH 1973) and his daughter, Ria Adelle Reyes (BS CH-CE
2002/2003) are currently in rank of the best in the corporate world, but
both had their roots in Ateneo Chemistry. Rolando, or Rolly for short, decided
to take up a natural science course because of a scholarship from NSDB (National
Science Development Board, now Department of Science and Technology). What
made him choose BS Chemistry of all the possible options was the fact that
chemistry was his best subject in high school. “I thought it was a
logical course to take,” he writes.
Rolly was accepted in other universities, but he picked Ateneo. “I still chose Ateneo because I thought that it was a rare opportunity for somebody like me, who comes from a poor family, to be able to study in a prestigious exclusive school.” he says.
Many years later, a very young Ria began to get interested in her dad’s field. She relates what she considers her “first glimpse of chemistry” when she was in Grade 6:
“I had to memorize a series of chemical names of household objects like NaCl (for salt) and CaCO3 (for chalk) for my Science class and I really found it difficult to memorize something that I didn’t understand. [When] I expressed this concern of mine to my parents, my mom coaxed my dad to explain the concept of chemical structures to me. My dad was a bit hesitant given that it was a very vague subject for a [grade school] student but my mom encouraged him to try and explain it to me in simpler terms. So my dad drew round figures on paper and introduced me to the world of atoms using simpler [terms]”.
Ria developed a greater affinity for chemistry during high school. She liked the subject so much that she joined ChemCamp, a summer program by the Ateneo Chemistry for high school students. Ria admits that her experience in ChemCamp, then headed by Fr. William Schmitt and his student assistant, Armando Guidote, Jr., inspired her to take up chemistry in Ateneo. “I chose Ateneo because I believed that I will obtain a [holistic] training from this university. I especially liked the fact that Theology and Philosophy were required subjects because [they] offered a different perspective on life.”
College life, then and
now
Father and daughter, despite living in different generations, agree on one
thing: the Chemistry course is very challenging. Rolly says that in his
time, the first hurdle that Chemistry majors had to go through was none
other than Father William Schmitt:
“Father Schmitt made it a point to handle the General Chemistry class for Chem majors, first semester, freshman year with the goal (I thought!) of carefully screening and weeding out those unfit to continue with the course.”
Father Schmitt, as anyone who had worked with him could remember, was a very strict and fastidious instructor. He demanded nothing less than excellence from his students, pushing them to reach their full potential. Rolly found this situation to be quite difficult, especially since he had a scholarship to maintain. “I had to study hard to pass the subjects and maintain my NSDB scholarship, otherwise, had I lost it, I would have been forced to transfer to a less prestigious school my parents could hopefully afford to send me to…”
Rolly took the struggle head on, and succeeded. There were seven freshmen Chemistry majors in his batch. Only two stayed in the course and eventually graduated with a degree in Chemistry, and Rolly was one of them.
In essence, Ria’s college life was the same as her father’s. She valued her education and did very well in school. She even found time to become active in the Ateneo College Ministry Group (ACMG), wherein she had responsibilities in prayer sessions and chapel services. However, this does not automatically mean that her academics sailed smoothly.
“My college life was the classic story of an Atenean who has mastered the art of juggling academics and extracurricular activities. During break time I either made tambay in the Chem tambayan at the Chemistry building or I would spend time in the library finding an alley to earn some powernap in between reviews for exams.”
Ria’s juggling skills were probably exceptional – she graduated with honors.
Fruits rarely fall far
from the tree
Both Reyeses consider themselves to be hardworking individuals. This characteristic
made Rolly rise up from his humble beginnings to attain the success he now
enjoys. His life story also set a grounding example for his daughter. “My
dad and my mom always liked to share with me and my sister their struggles
as young scholars studying in public schools. Their experiences were really
eye-openers for me to really make the most of the blessings that I already
had,” Ria shares. With this, Ria worked diligently not only to do
well, but also to go beyond what she could be.
Another similarity between the two is their unwavering Christian faith. Rolly instilled to his daughter the importance of having a meaningful relationship with God. “We both put God in the center of our lives and that’s the way it is with the whole family.” Indeed, a father could not teach his children a greater lesson than this.
This pair shows us that success is not a birthright, nor is it a gift of chance. Rather, it is gained through dedication and hard work. Rolly and Ria Reyes are truly rare gems, ones that the Ateneo Chemistry family can be proud to call its own.
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