When Abraham Diolanda, a fourth-year medical biology student, joined the Far Eastern University (FEU) Chorale during the pandemic, he simply sought a creative outlet. What he discovered was far richer: “I found a second home. My journey with the FCA taught me discipline, built my confidence, and grounded me in empathy, resilience, and servant leadership,” he shared.
Diolanda’s story is one of many shaped by the FEU Center for the Arts (FCA), a community of campus based, student-led cultural groups that includes the university’s Bamboo Band, Chorale, Dance Company, Drum and Bugle Corps, Drummers, Guides and Theater Guild. Beyond mounting performances and mentorship, the FCA cultivates creativity, self-reliance, and a strong sense of purpose that reflects the university’s broader commitment to holistic student development.
For Danyel Reyes, an alumnus of the Institute of Architecture and Fine Arts, the experience extended far past the campus. “Through the FEU Dance Company, I performed, choreographed, and even competed abroad—something I never imagined doing as a student,” he recounted. Having represented FEU and the Philippines twice in South Korea and once in Taiwan, Reyes credits the FCA for helping him develop the management skills and professional maturity. His experience at FCA continues to guide him in his current roles as an advertising practitioner and as a member of Hiraya Contemporary Dance Company.
This ethos took national stage when FEU recently hosted the 11th National Conference of the Association of Cultural Offices in Philippine Educational Institutions, Inc. (ACOPEI). The event united cultural officers, educators, policymakers, and prominent speakers such as National Artist Ricky Lee, NCCA Executive Director Eric Zerrudo, CHED Executive Director Atty. Cinderella Filipina Benitez-Jaro, DTI Creative Industries Program Manager Atty. Gio Franco Gomez, and CCP Vice President Dennis Marasigan.
In recognition of FEU’s leadership in arts and culture education, the conference also marked the election of FCA Director Martin Lopez as ACOPEI president. In his three-year term, Lopez will prioritize a Safe Space Handbook for student artists, a legislative proposal mandating Cultural Affairs Offices in higher education institutions and closer relations with the Commission on Higher Education.
Over the past two academic years, the FCA has engaged an average of more than 300 student-artists per semester, with more than half benefiting from full scholarships. Participation has consistently been strongest from the Institute of Arts and Sciences and the Institute of Health Sciences and Nursing, which underscore a broad appreciation for the arts that span both humanities and STEM disciplines.
This level of participation is made possible in part by FEU’s robust scholarship program, which plays a critical role in keeping the arts accessible to students from all backgrounds. Students who meet both academic and artistic standards may receive partial or full grants, with top- performers eligible for additional assistance that covers miscellaneous fees. For many, this support enables not only participation but the completion of their education. “As a student who struggled financially, receiving an FCA scholarship helped me finish college,” recalled Aulwin
Ortiz, a former member of the FEU Drummers. He added that the FCA became a space of diversity and unity, where a wide range of perspectives were embraced, celebrated, and channeled toward a shared goal.
With this foundation of inclusiveness, FCA student-artists regularly bring recognition to FEU on national and global stages—from the Chorale’s participation in the Asia Choral Grand Prix in Bali, to the Dance Company’s silver-medal finish at South Korea’s Andong Mask Festival. Their accomplishments span performances across Philippine cities such as Baguio, Tarlac, Cavite, and Manila, as well as global venues in Indonesia and Mongolia. These triumphs further resonate through FEU’s cultural calendar, with FCA groups leading signature events like the Marching Band Festival, Tamdula, FEUlikulahan at Kuwentuhan and Pasko sa Piyu that exemplify FEU’s dedication to creative enrichment and excellence.
“At FEU, culture and creativity are not peripheral to education,” Lopez said. “Our work at the FCA has always been about widening access and deepening impact and ensuring that every student has the opportunity to create, lead, and find belonging through artistic expression.”
Now at the helm of ACOPEI, Lopez brings with him a vision grounded in practice. His national agenda is not a departure, but a continuation of the inclusive, student-centered work he has long championed at FEU. By scaling the values and experiences that have defined the FCA— access, mentorship, and empowerment—Lopez aims to help institutions nationwide recognize them as a vital pillar of education.
