22/12/2025
celebrates the creativity and talent of the MMA communityโstudents, faculty, alumni, and their works.
This week, we feature Hanna, First Runner-Up at .
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"Hi! Iโm Yohanna Elyse Mendoza, ID123, and my bylines are Hanna Mendoza and Yohanna Mendoza on web and print, respectively. Outside of academics, Iโm serving my second year as the Creative Director of Benildeโs official student-journalistsโ organization, the Benildean Press Corps (BPC).
In early September 2025, I received an invitation from adobo Magazine to participate in Portfolio Night Manila, the Philippine leg of the worldโs largest advertising portfolio review program. Presented by adobo Magazine and The One Club for Creativity, it was a valuable opportunity to have my work reviewed by some of the biggest names in the industry.
Placing first runner-up among so many talented individuals from the countryโs most renowned art schools and creative agencies felt surreal. Discussing my work in a room of industry leaders and receiving internship offers from such esteemed companiesโit was all just really, really surreal. It was also very reassuring. Iโm incredibly grateful for the experience, and I owe it to my time here in Benilde for shaping me into the creative I am now.
I honestly think I went into Portfolio Night a lot less prepared than most people. I didnโt prepare a script for my presentation, didnโt polish my portfolio prior to the event, and hadnโt even taken MMPPEXD. I just had a lot of faith in the work Iโve done so far and enough confidence to speak about my creative process, and that was able to carry me through. The technical skill and intuition I needed to pull that off, though, Iโve been building for years.
My brand identity is โat iba pa,โ literally meaning โand so on.โ Itโs purposefully open-ended and implies that thereโs more beyond whatโs listed, because thatโs who I am as a creativeโopen to experimentation, adaptable across different mediums, and continuously evolving.
Because Iโm more of an all-rounder, I donโt really see myself mastering just one specific medium, though illustration and graphic design hold a special place in my heart. Regardless of the medium, my creative process always revolves around intention. I always create with meaning in mind; itโs very important to me that thereโs a reason behind every creative decision.
For anyone interested in Portfolio Night or building their portfolio in general, my advice is to put yourself out there. Grab the opportunities that come your wayโyou never know where theyโll take you. When I applied to Benilde and joined BPC in my freshman year, I never imagined it would lead me to Portfolio Night Manila and, earlier this year, Young Stars in South Korea. Benilde offers plenty of opportunities if youโre willing to take that leap."
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