A Moment to Remember: Celebrating the SoFA Design Institute Class of 2026
A Milestone in Their Design Journey
On August 7, 2026, SoFA Design Institute celebrated the graduation of its Class of 2026 at the RCBC Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, marking an important milestone for a new generation of designers in Fashion Design and Interior Design.
A total of 26 students were formally recognized during the commencement ceremony, representing different pathways within SoFA’s design education programs. The graduating class included 3 students from the 2-Year Fashion Design and Marketing program, 11 students from the B.A. Fashion Design and Marketing program, and 12 students from the B.S. Interior Design program.
The occasion marked the culmination of years of academic study, design development, research, studio projects, academic tours, critiques, and creative exploration. Each experience contributed to the students’ development, shaping not only their technical abilities but also their perspectives as emerging designers.
From developing initial concepts and refining design executions to responding to critiques and navigating the demands of studio-based learning, every stage of their education became part of their growth. These experiences challenged the graduates to think critically, work with intention, and develop a stronger understanding of their individual creative practices.
For the Class of 2026, graduation marked more than the completion of an academic program. It signified the beginning of a new chapter as they prepare to enter the professional fields of Fashion Design and Interior Design.
From Students to Emerging Designers
The commencement ceremony brought together graduates, families, friends, faculty members, mentors, and the wider SoFA community to celebrate the achievements of the Class of 2026.
Throughout the occasion, graduates shared photographs with their families and classmates, revisited friendships formed throughout their years at SoFA, and celebrated a milestone made possible through years of dedication, perseverance, and support.
The gathering also reflected the connection between SoFA’s Fashion Design and Interior Design communities. While the two disciplines differ in their mediums and methods, both are grounded in research, concept development, material exploration, creative problem-solving, and the ability to communicate ideas through design.
As graduates from both disciplines came together, the ceremony became a reflection of the creative community they had built during their time at SoFA and the shared experiences that connected them beyond their respective programs.
Reflections From the Class of 2026
Among the most meaningful moments of the commencement ceremony was hearing directly from members of the graduating class.
Three students representing different programs shared personal reflections on their academic journeys, the challenges they encountered, and the lessons they carried with them as they prepared to move forward.
Before the student reflections, SoFA Co-Founder Ms. Loralee Baron-Soong welcomed the Class of 2026 with a message centered on the role of design and the responsibility that comes with becoming a designer. She reminded the graduates that design is not only about creating beautiful objects and spaces, but also about understanding people, responding to challenges, and imagining possibilities with empathy and purpose.
She encouraged the graduates to remain curious and resilient as they enter an industry shaped by technology, artificial intelligence, sustainability, and globalization. More importantly, she reminded them to build meaningful relationships through kindness, collaboration, and a willingness to continue learning. For Ms. Soong, their graduation is not an endpoint, but the beginning of what may become their most important creative project: their lives and the impact they choose to create through design.
Her message set the tone for the student reflections that followed, as each graduate looked back on their own experiences and the personal lessons that shaped their journey at SoFA.
Alyssa Denice Garcia | Fashion Design and Marketing
Representing the Fashion Design and Marketing program, Alyssa Denice Garcia who graduated with highest distinction and received the SoFA Fashion Design Excellence Award, SoFA Fashion Marketing Excellence Award, and SoFA Fashion Technical Proficiency Award, reflected on the process of becoming a designer and learning to navigate the balance between creative ambition and the realities of the design process.
Her reflection centered on learning when to refine an idea and when to trust the process and continue moving forward. She shared how her time at SoFA taught her to create work with greater intention while remaining authentic to herself.
“I learned how to find the right balance between overthinking and continuing. I was guided in creating works that are intentional and authentic to one’s self.”
For Alyssa, the SoFA experience was also defined by the people and community she found along the way.
“SoFA gave me a community, a community where you can be the truest version of yourself.”
Her reflection ultimately returned to a deeply personal realization:
“I found myself in SoFA.”
Her words captured an important part of the design education experience: learning not only how to create, but also understanding one’s identity, perspective, and voice as a designer.
Dexter Leil Monette Deala | B.A. Fashion Design and Marketing
Representing the B.A. Fashion Design and Marketing program, Dexter Leil Monette Evardo Deala, who graduated Cum Laude and received the SoFA Fashion Technical Proficiency Award and the Co-Curricular Excellence Award, shared a reflection on finding confidence and belonging within the creative industry.
His message spoke to the uncertainty that can come with entering spaces filled with talented and accomplished individuals. Rather than allowing comparison to become a reason to step back, he encouraged his fellow graduates to recognize that they have already earned their place through their own work, experiences, and perseverance.
He reminded the Class of 2026:
“You are now living the dream you once yearned for. You are in the room where people are doing incredible things, people who are creative, just like you.”
This idea of belonging became central to his message, leading to a powerful reminder for graduates beginning their professional journeys:
“There is no reason to leave a room where you belong just because others made you feel like you don’t.”
His words encouraged the graduates to enter the creative industry with confidence, recognizing that growth often comes from having the courage to remain present, participate, and believe in the value of their own perspective.
Frances Grace L. Florendo-Cuison | B.S. Interior Design
Representing the B.S. Interior Design program, Frances Grace Laylay Florendo-Cuison, who graduated Magna Cum Laude and received the SoFA Interior Design Technical Proficiency Award, offered a thoughtful reflection on the responsibility that comes with becoming a designer.
Looking beyond the academic environment, she reminded her fellow graduates that their future work has the potential to influence the spaces and communities people experience every day.
“As graduates, we will one day influence homes, workplaces, communities, and the design industry.”
Her reflection then moved beyond professional achievement and toward the importance of personal identity and values. She encouraged her fellow graduates not to allow recognition, success, or financial gain to define their sense of self.
“My hope is that we would never allow success, recognition, or financial gain to become our identity.”
Instead, she emphasized the importance of creating from a place of self-assurance and purpose.
“May we always remember that we are called to design from the security of knowing who we are, not to design in order to prove our worth.”
She concluded with a message that placed identity at the center of a designer’s journey:
“Because identity is not something we earn. It is something we receive.”
Her reflection offered a meaningful perspective on the responsibility of design, reminding graduates that the work they create should not only respond to the world around them, but should also remain grounded in who they are and what they value.
Together, the three reflections represented different experiences within the SoFA community. Alyssa spoke of finding herself through the creative process and community, Dexter reflected on confidence and belonging, while Frances emphasized identity and purpose. Their messages were distinct, yet connected by a shared understanding that becoming a designer is a continuous process shaped by learning, resilience, self-discovery, and the courage to pursue one’s creative direction.
A Commencement Message from Ms. Tina Periquet
The commencement ceremony was further enriched by Ms. Tina Periquet, Commencement Guest Speaker, who delivered a thoughtful message to the Class of 2026 as they prepared to enter the next chapter of their professional journeys.
Drawing from her experience as an educator and design practitioner, Ms. Periquet reflected on the realities of building a career in the creative industry. Her message encouraged graduates to approach professional life with purpose, resilience, curiosity, and a commitment to continuous learning.
Her address also offered an important perspective on the transition from design education to professional practice. While graduation marks the completion of their formal studies, the process of learning continues as designers encounter new clients, collaborators, technologies, challenges, and opportunities.
The message connected naturally with the reflections shared by the students earlier in the ceremony. Their experiences at SoFA have taught them to develop their own voices, remain open to learning, and find confidence in their perspectives. As they move into professional practice, these lessons will continue to guide how they respond to the opportunities and challenges ahead.
Ms. Periquet’s message served as a reminder that graduation is not the conclusion of a designer’s education. Rather, it is the beginning of a professional journey where knowledge continues to expand through experience, collaboration, practice, and an openness to the evolving creative industry.
Beyond the Academic Journey
For the Class of 2026, graduation represents both an ending and a beginning.
Their time at SoFA has equipped them with more than technical design skills. Through academic research, studio practice, critiques, presentations, collaborative projects, and industry exposure, they have developed the ability to conceptualize, investigate, experiment, communicate, and transform ideas into meaningful design outcomes.
More importantly, their education has given them opportunities to understand how their individual perspectives can contribute to the larger design community.
These foundations will continue to evolve as they pursue different paths within the creative industries. Some may enter professional practice in Fashion Design or Interior Design, while others may explore entrepreneurship, creative direction, styling, production, spatial practice, or other emerging areas of the creative economy.
Whatever direction they choose, their education provides a foundation from which they can continue to develop their individual perspectives, professional identities, and creative practices.
A New Chapter Begins
As the Class of 2026 moves beyond the academic environment, they carry with them the experiences, relationships, challenges, and accomplishments that shaped their time at SoFA.
The friendships formed in classrooms and studios, the countless iterations behind each project, the lessons gained through critiques, and the moments of uncertainty and achievement all become part of their journey as designers.
The reflections shared during the commencement ceremony captured this transition from students to emerging professionals. They spoke of finding oneself, understanding one’s place, believing in one’s abilities, and remaining grounded in personal values. Together, these perspectives reflect what it means to move forward not simply as graduates, but as designers with the responsibility to create with intention.
Graduation may mark the completion of their formal academic requirements, but it does not mark the end of their development as creatives.
As their alma mater, SoFA Design Institute remains proud of the designers they have become and looks forward to seeing how they contribute to the evolving fields of Fashion Design and Interior Design.
To the SoFA Class of 2026, may you continue to design with purpose, curiosity, and conviction.
Your academic journey may have reached its conclusion, but your journey as designers is only beginning.
We look forward to seeing where your ideas, practice, and creativity take you next.
Explore Our Programs
🎨 BA Fashion Design and Marketing
🏠 BS Interior Design
🛋️ BS Interior Design-Professional
📖 Workshops and Certificates
📒 Pre-College Programs
✂️ Short Courses
🖌️ Workshops
Enroll today!
📲 Contact our Admissions Office:
📧 admissions@sofa.edu.ph
📞 0917 539 7574 / 0917 501 8136
📍 2nd Level, The Proscenium Retail Row at Rockwell, Makati City, Metro Manila