The The Student Affairs and Services (SAS) department of Pines City Colleges (PCC) officially launched the first part of the Student Leaders’ General Assembly and Orientation last September 06, 2025, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM at the PY-Audio Visual Room. The event aimed to equip student leaders with a strong foundation for their leadership journey by providing an orientation on essential institutional policies, procedures, and responsibilities. More than just an information session, it also served as a platform for leadership development through training and collaborative engagement.
To further support the growth of student leaders, the SAS department conducted the second part of the Student Leaders’ Leadership seminar on September 27, 2025, titled “Leadership from within: From Why to How.” The seminar emphasized the essence of leadership as self-awareness, purpose, and effective action, encouraging participants to reflect on and integrate these values into their leadership practice.
The program began with an invocation and an icebreaker led by the PCC Supreme Student council. Ms. Lei Charmaigne Espiritu, SAS Officer, introduced the guest speaker, Mr. Lorenzo Santos Acosta III, who shared personal experiences from his own leadership journey. He discussed various topics designed to guide student leaders not just in becoming good leaders, but in becoming effective ones.
One of the key focal of the seminar was instruction regarding the Golden Circle, a framework that encourages leaders to begin with purpose and build up to action:
Why – The purpose or belief that drives an individual or organization.
How – The processes, values, and strategies that bring the purpose to life
What – The results, products, or services that come from living out the purpose and values.
By stating with “why,” the student leaders were once again reminded that leadership is based not on title or office, but on genuine conviction and intention. The speaker invited the attendees to reflect on two fundamental questions:
Why are you here? -Because something within you resonates with the need for representation.
Why now? – Because of the urgency of the present time and the uniqueness you bring.
These questions served as a challenge to the student leaders to identify their potential and understand the meaning of bringing that potential into action in the current context.
The seminar also stressed that leadership starts with the ‘Self’. Before leading others, one must first understand oneself — strengths, values, and motivations. Such self-awareness forms the foundation for authenticity, responsibility, and resilience in leadership, inspiring future leaders.
Furthermore, the seminar successfully inspired PCC student leaders to view leadership not as obligation, but as an internal transformation grounded in reason and passion. At the end of the seminar, the participants left with the task of determining their why, pursuing the how, and making the what happen. This timely and significant event reminded all who attended that leadership resides not merely in titles, but is developed from within, drawn from awareness, vulnerability, and authenticity.
Awarding of Recognition Certificates in Accordance with Performance Status
The seminar also featured the awarding of Certificates of Recognition for the performance status of student organizations. The recognition system includes five levels:
Level 1 – Performing Status: For starting organizations
Level 2 – Innovating Status: For developing organizations
Level 3 – Nurturing Status: For improving organizations
Level 4 – Empowering Status: For outstanding organizations
Level 5 – Serving Status: For excellent organizations
Under level 1: Performing Status, the recognized organizations were the Pines City Colleges Academic Scholars’ Organization (PiCCASO) and the Medical Laboratory Science Sphere.
Under level 2: Innovating Status, the Pines City Colleges Supreme Student Council (PCC-SSC) was recognized.
For level 3: Nurturing Status, the Association of Respiratory Therapy Students (ARTS) and the Organization of Future Pharmacists (OFPharm) received recognition.
While these organizations have been recognized, it is important to note that recognition is not limited to them alone. The Certificate of Recognition initiative remains ongoing in its efforts to identify and honor additional organizations that demonstrate merit and excellence.
To summarize, the Student Leaders’ General Assembly and Seminar aim to provide student leaders of PCC with a solid foundation in leadership by ensuring they are well-oriented on institutional policies, responsibilities, and procedures. At the same time, these activities build leadership capacity through training focused on personal growth and purpose. Through these initiatives, PCC student leaders are better prepared to foster a culture of accountability, inclusivity, service, and intentional action within their organizations and the broader academic community. #Iveeh Amparo & Girlie Faith Kimmayong
