With profound gratitude, the University of the Philippines Cebu honors the remarkable 33-year career of Dr. Mary Gretchen F. Chaves, whose steadfast leadership, scholarship, and commitment to public service have left an enduring legacy in the University and the communities it serves.
For more than three decades, Dr. Chaves served UP Cebu as a faculty member, administrator, mentor, and public servant.
Through her many roles, she helped shape academic programs, strengthen institutions, guide colleagues, and advance the University’s commitment to public service.
Throughout her career, she held several key leadership positions, including Dean of the School of Management, Director of Ugnayan ng Pahinungód, Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Chairperson of the Management Division, Coordinator of the Office of Institutional Linkages, and Coordinator of the BS Management and MBA programs. She also contributed her expertise and sound judgment to numerous University committees on academic planning, institutional governance, research ethics, and quality assurance.
As Director of Ugnayan ng Pahinungód, Dr. Chaves championed volunteerism, fostered meaningful partnerships, and strengthened UP Cebu’s engagement with communities through programs grounded in compassion, participation, and service. Within the University, she was regarded by many as a trusted adviser on school and academic management, generously sharing her knowledge and mentoring colleagues throughout the years.
Even in her final year of service, Dr. Chaves continued to help shape the University’s future. She co-chaired the committee on the proposed establishment of the UP Cebu College of Medicine and chaired the committee that proposed the elevation of the Physical Education Program into the Department of Lifelong Integrated Health, Sports, and Kinetics (LIHOK). These initiatives reflected her continued commitment to the University’s growth and development.
Dr. Chaves demonstrated that leadership is expressed not only through the positions one holds, but through the people one mentors, the institutions one helps build, and the communities one serves. Her contributions have strengthened the School of Management, enriched the University’s academic and administrative life, advanced UP Cebu’s tradition of public service, and left a lasting mark on generations of students, colleagues, and partners.
The University extends its deepest appreciation to Dr. Chaves for her 33 years of dedicated service and lasting contributions to UP Cebu. As she begins a well-earned retirement, the UP Cebu community wishes her good health, fulfillment, peace, and many rewarding years ahead.
While her years of service in the University have come to a close, the legacy of her work lives on in the people she inspired, the institutions she helped build, and the communities she served.
Padayon, Dr. Chaves. Daghang salamat sa imong 33 ka tuig nga matinud-anong pag-alagad sa UP Cebu ug sa katawhan.