The B.S.M.E. graduates of March 1979 participated in the celebration of the 71^st birthday of Fr. Ben Nebres, S.J. last March 15, 2011 by ceremonially turning over a check for PhP 2.5 M for a full scholarship endowment fund.  This is to fulfill the commitment they made to Fr. Ben in August 1, 2009 during the 1st Grand M.E. Alumni Homecoming when the ME@40 Scholarship Fund Drive was launched as part of the Sesquicentennial Celebration of the Ateneo de Manila University. Among the batches that pledged to give one full scholarship each, the March 1979 class is only the third to have done so to date. The class is especially happy to be able to do this in time to give it personally to Fr. Ben since they had the rare privilege of having Fr. Ben as a teacher during their first year in Ateneo, even if only for just a few weeks.   Dr. Marijo Ruiz, who also taught the batch, was also present at the turnover.

The members of the class were led in this ambitious undertaking by their batch representatives, Mr. Gener Mendoza and Mr. Benjie Go, who believed from Day 1 that through their concerted efforts, the class could achieve its goal.  It took them 18 months, two fund-raising events (the play “Hunchback of Notre Dame” and a concert by Karylle in Club Mwah) and a lot of dinner meetings. Along the way, they reconnected with each other and relived their student days. But they did it! Other Core Group members include Carlos Cheng, Thomas Toh, Genju Lapez, Sherwin Chua, Gus Apostol, Bars Encarnacion, Bam Halaguena, Bobby and Nong Narciso, and Chil Gonzalez-Soriano. Others present at the turn-over were Nilo Daez and Alex Mallare.