How Ateneo dean Joey Hofileña modified a regulation pupil’s life

‘I by no means actually thought somebody of his stature would take into account a random message from a no person and reply with such generosity. He was so form.’

I used to be younger and determined to review at Ateneo Legislation in 2018. At 2 within the morning, my immature self, with poor judgment, randomly despatched Dean Joey Hofileña a really casual Fb message. I instructed him I handed the examination however couldn’t enroll due to my circumstances. He didn’t reply on FB.

However that very same morning, I woke as much as an e mail from the admissions workplace saying that the dean had made himself obtainable to debate my state of affairs. I by no means actually thought somebody of his stature would take into account a random message from a no person and reply with such generosity. He was so form. Really, deeply form.

Once we met in his workplace, he simply let me discuss and he listened so intently. I may inform he was making me really feel seen and understood. He accommodated me however he additionally made positive I understood what that lodging meant. He defined that scholarships for freshmen are more durable to grant as a result of we hadn’t confirmed ourselves but. Legislation college is hard and there aren’t any ensures. The varsity needed to ensure that any scholarship can be put to good use. He was sincere and particularly reasonable. And he was compassionate.

On the finish of our assembly, he instructed me the college would research my scholarship utility. Then with fun, he mentioned I didn’t must attend my lessons the subsequent morning on the different regulation college I had already enrolled in. I used to be granted 100% scholarship for my first semester in regulation college.

He turned my professor in business regulation in my fourth yr. On my final day of sophistication in 2022, I thanked him with tears in my eyes. I instructed him how every thing felt prefer it had come full circle. What an honor it was to start and finish my Ateneo Legislation journey with Dean Hofi.

I do know Ateneo Legislation now has even stronger scholarship applications, particularly for first-year college students. Little question it was him that strengthened the system, discovering donors, opening extra doorways for college kids like me who solely wanted one particular person to consider in them.

Dean Hofi modified a life. He modified mine. Thanks for listening to a 2 am message from a scared and hopeful child.

Relaxation nicely, dean. Your kindness lives on in each lawyer you helped construct. – Rappler.com

Vince Zyrence T. Barlongay is a member of the Ateneo Legislation College Class of 2022. This piece was initially posted on his Fb account, and revealed on Rappler with permission.