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“In our classroom, our primary function is to create an atmosphere that will encourage our students to think more boldly, to talk freely, and to act judiciously. We must pique their curiosity. Quicken their memory. Provoke their imagination. Challenge their reason. Prick their pride. Build up their self-respect. Make available to them the opportunity to exercise initiative in class and out. Give them room to grow. Chances to make mistakes. Ultimately, the responsibility to shape their own development.”
- Prof. Gabino Mendoza, April 8, 1931-December 22, 2011
ON JANUARY 31, 2012, the AIM community remembered Prof. Gaby Mendoza at a memorial service titled Celebrating Gaby Mendoza: The Teacher. Prof. Mendoza was dean of AIM from 1973 to 1986 and president from 1978 to 1986.
A faculty member asked Prof. Mendoza once long ago how he wanted to be remembered. Prof. Mendoza paused a while, and he said, "That I was a teacher.” Thus the event title Celebrating the Teacher.
Members of the AIM Board of Trustees, faculty, alumni, staff, and Prof. Mendoza’s family and friends graced the memorial service. Bishop Federico Escaler, Fr. Bert Ampil, and Fr. Antonio Samson presided over the Requiem Mass.
Sharing their memories of Prof. Mendoza as eulogists were AIM president DJ de Jesús; Prof. Titos Ortigas; Prof. Toby Canto; former professor Leni Panganiban; former Minister of Public Highways, Senator, and AIM governor Vicente Paterno; and Prof. Mendoza’s former classmate and student, Fr. Ampil.
President de Jesús announced that AIM alumni have also joined in paying tribute to their teacher. The alumni have come forward to establish the Prof. Gaby Mendoza Scholarship Fund. Renny Yeo Ah Kiang, MM ‘81 from Singapore and a Triple A winner, has pledged US$10,000. Joe Tam, MM 1980, the alumni chapter head in Hong Kong, has pledged PhP 1 million. In addition, Kelab AIM Malaysia is establishing the Prof. Gaby Mendoza Management Lecture, which has been approved by the Mendoza family.
President de Jesús (second from left) and Dean Ricky Lim (left) also presented a tribute from AIM to the Mendoza family. The tribute comprises mementos from Prof. Mendoza’s office, a compilation of messages from the AIM community, and a compilation of articles, papers, and cases written by Prof. Mendoza.
The compilation of messages from the AIM community and the commemorative video can be viewed online. Please click here for the video and here for the message compilation.
Prof. Mendoza’s book, Management: The Asian Way, is available on Amazon for Kindle. For inquiries on purchasing a hard copy of the book, please contact Ms. Eden Aquino at eaquino@aim.edu or +632 8924011 ext. 354.
Please click on the links below to read the eulogies of the speakers.