Character is the new flex
By Dr. Jerry Kliatchko
Dean, School of Media and Marketing
“The Whole Person.” At University of Asia and the Pacific, this is not merely a marketing slogan; it is the animating idea of our academic philosophy. It is also expressed in our motto: Unitas—a unity that speaks of wholeness, integration, and harmony in the human person.
We hold that while intellectual and professional growth are essential, they are not enough on their own. The formation of character is indispensable.
For what is the value of a brilliant entrepreneur who lacks integrity? What is the gain of a glittering career built on deceit? What becomes of genius when it is guided by a distorted conscience?
The UA&P credo reminds us:
“Education is a lifelong process… the primary purpose is the integral formation of the human person.”
Over the past 35 years, I have been privileged to witness this transformation firsthand. I have mentored more than a hundred students, accompanying them as they journey from eager freshmen into, we hope, principled leaders. Our aspiration is that they unite professional excellence with deeply rooted values. To see this take shape in their lives is the quiet but profound reward of our vocation as mentors and educators.
Along this journey, I have drawn three key observations:
First: Character formation is both art and discipline
The formation of character engages both the heart and the mind. Aristotle spoke of ethos—not as a fleeting disposition, but as a stable habit of choosing the good, especially when it is difficult.
As mentors, we are not merely instructors of content; we are companions on a deeper journey toward what may be called inner harmony. We walk with our students as they learn to integrate thought, emotion, and action so that their lives may be marked not by fragmentation, but by coherence.
Character is not formed overnight. The university years are a privileged time for this work, yet the process requires patience, constancy, and the quiet fidelity of both mentor and mentee. What we seek is a life of integrity and purpose—something that grows slowly, like a well-rooted tree.
Second: The climate changes, but the human heart remains
Human nature remains constant, but each generation lives under different “weather.” Some longings are timeless: every young person eventually seeks to understand their desires, their gifts, and their limitations. Each searches, in one way or another, for meaning to fill the subtle emptiness that often accompanies the journey to adulthood.
For today’s generation, this search unfolds through the lens of a digital world. While technology offers unprecedented connection, it also brings particular challenges that we cannot ignore:
A quiet rise in anxiety and isolation, often fueled by comparing one’s unfiltered life with the carefully curated lives of others.
A fragmentation of attention that makes sustained focus increasingly difficult.
A diminished capacity for patience in a culture shaped by immediacy and instant gratification.
I see in many students a growing fragility—a “softening” of character. Anxiety and distraction are familiar companions for many of them. Even well-meaning approaches, such as overly protective forms of upbringing, can inadvertently weaken resilience. When comfort is constant, endurance becomes unfamiliar.
There are also deeper concerns. Easy access to harmful content, particularly pornography, can erode self-mastery at an early stage, before one has fully grasped the meaning of authentic love and human dignity.
Third: The call to mentor is both urgent and hopeful
Despite these challenges, there is much reason for hope. I see in many of my students a sincere desire to grow, to become better, to live with purpose. There is a quiet hunger for formation that invites our response.
Among the virtues that seem especially needed today are:
Freedom: understood not as mere license, but as the capacity to choose what is truly good.
Fortitude: the strength to persevere in what is right, even when it demands sacrifice.
Patience: the recognition that what is worthwhile unfolds in time.
Chastity: a reverent self-mastery grounded in a true understanding of love.
Generosity: a readiness to serve others and transcend self-centeredness.
Propriety: a quiet dignity and refinement in one’s conduct and relationships.
To accompany students along this path of growth is, for me, the most meaningful work of my life. It is not always easy, but it is always worthwhile.
In the end, the mission remains clear. We strive to form not only competent professionals, but men and women of character—individuals whose lives are not merely successful, but deeply whole.
And perhaps this is the truest measure of education: not what one achieves, but who one becomes.