Four years ago, the halls of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) echoed with the footsteps of a single pioneering batch. On September 21, 2026, those same halls transformed into a bustling hub of games, music, and shared experiences, as roughly 130 attendees and students across all undergraduate cohorts gathered at the TeaM Energy Bridging Leadership Hall for the Student Council’s Garden Soiree Mixer.
Marking the Monday of the seventh academic week, the evening provided a relaxed entry point into campus life for incoming freshmen while bridging the gap between new students, senior batches, and student organizations.
Opening the event, AIM President and Dean Jikyeong Kang reflected on how quickly the undergraduate program has expanded.
“Four years ago, there were only the 2027s. Now, there are already four [batches] of you,” Dean Jikyeong noted, expressing her hopes to see even greater student participation and engagement in both academic and campus life.
Academic Program Director Prof. Benjur “Gino” Borja added to the night’s energy by hosting a Trivia Game. Addressing the crowd, Prof. Borja emphasized that gatherings, like the mixer, are essential for building camaraderie across year levels. He also noted that the Trivia Game is envisioned to become a recurring fixture of the BSDSBA experience.
Throughout the evening, food and drinks were served as freshmen got a firsthand look at campus involvement through club presentations, icebreakers, and a live performance by the AIM Music Society.
To cap off the night, the organizing team thanked the offices and people that supported the event—the Program Team, the Alumni Relations Office, the Marketing and Recruitment Group, Sir Prim Paypon from the Dado Banatao Incubator, the AIM Conference Center, Bistro Trasierra, BLK 513, Nolita Joe’s, and student volunteers who made the event possible, while rallying the student body to attend the student council’s upcoming Halloween gathering.
In an environment known for its rigorous academic routine, the Soiree highlighted the value of student life traditions—that long before graduation, the true strength of AIM’s future data science and business leaders lies in the community they build together.
Organizing Committee and Volunteers
from L-R | Top: Geo Lucena, Robin San Diego, Kenneth Tan, Dan Gochuico, Tye Tan-Gatue, Yiel Morales, Tristan Dulay, Marc Santiago, Enzo Trinidad, Mig Ferrer| Bottom:Hannah Trajano, Nico Ordillano, Megan Edades, Nandana Santhosh, RG Lor, Chloe Ganaden, Adrien Maniquis
