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On October 18, 2025, Nepo Quad in Angeles City shifted from its usual calm into a vibrant pop-up marketplace. Third-year EMC students from Holy Angel University’s School of Computing transformed the open space into a showcase of originality, grit, and student-led entrepreneurship.

These students were part of EMC, or Entertainment and Multimedia Computing, a program that blends creativity with technology. While animation is its core specialty, EMC students also study game development, app development, interactive media, and creative entrepreneurship. The program trains students to both create and code, preparing them to build digital products, launch ventures, and navigate the business side of the industry. Events like this one offer a real-world stage to apply all those skills.

What unfolded in Nepo Quad wasn’t simply an exhibit — it was a self-built ecosystem of ideas. Some groups launched original games, others sold stickers, pins, and gacha packs, while a few invited visitors to try quick Dungeons and Dragons sessions. Every booth offered a small world of its own, showing that EMC creativity can take shape in countless directions.

The day began under a punishing sun. Students received extension cords but no fans, leaving everyone to battle the heat with handheld fans and improvised fanning using flyers. Still, no one backed out. They stood their ground, sweating but smiling, calling out to passersby and proudly explaining their work. What was meant to be a requirement quickly felt like a real test of endurance and initiative.

By midday, the quad had transformed. The quiet setup hours shifted into a steady flow of students, families, shoppers, and office workers drifting between the rows of tables. Displays ranged from handmade crafts to polished game demos, and for many attendees, this was their first time seeing what EMC students could do outside the classroom.

A student from System Plus College summed up the surprise after trying FoxTrot, one of the featured games. “It was fun,” he said. “I didn’t expect something like that from a school event.”

Booths varied widely in style and spirit. Stickers and Dragons combined quirky illustrations with tabletop energy. Karnibal ni Jorge recreated the color and chaos of a local carnival with handmade mini games where visitors could win customizable dolls. Charmnival blended art and intimacy through stickers, totes, tarot readings, and live sketches.

Certain attractions stood out early. The FoxTrotters’ game booth quickly drew a line of curious players laughing through challenges and cheering one another on. Just steps away, Ars Nova gathered a different crowd with My Chemical Romance stickers, music-inspired prints, and handmade guitar pick necklaces that felt straight out of a gig merch table. Together, the two booths highlighted the wide spectrum of EMC expressions from digital design to tactile craft, from gameplay to subculture artistry.

Behind the color and noise was a bigger intention. Professor Sig Yu explained that the idea began during last year’s School of Computing Days, where students sold projects inside HAU. This time, however, the Nepo Quad event was driven almost entirely by the students themselves.

“This year we wanted them to experience selling in a public setting,” he said. “The question is, does it just remain developed, or does it become something real?”

And real, it became. With guidance from Sir Sig but no department funding or committee, the execution rested entirely on the EMC students. Stall reservations, logistics, finances, transportation, setup, and on-site management were handled solely by them. No department budget. No official committee. No staff. The quad became a proving ground for independence.

For many, it was their first experience selling to strangers. Others used the day to test business strategies for existing small ventures. Across the quad, every sale, conversation, and customer question became part of a hands-on lesson in entrepreneurship.

Among the crowd was Network Administration student Arnold Nunag, who stayed from start to finish. “I love the whole event because I saw not just EMC students but also my friends from WebDev, Cyber Security, Computer Science, and Network Administration,” he said. “It wasn’t just an EMC event. It was a showcase of what HAU students can do.”

His observation captured one of the day’s unexpected outcomes, cross-department support. Students did not simply buy from one another. They encouraged and celebrated each other’s work.

For Professor Yu, that spirit is exactly the point. “If they cannot find their own market, they can make one,” he said. “If they cannot find a job, they can create something others can work with.”

As the afternoon softened into evening, the quad slowly returned to its usual calm. Students packed unsold items, compared notes, and talked about what they wanted to improve next time. They were tired but energized, proof that they had built something meaningful from scratch.

What began as a requirement had become a milestone. Students learned how to pitch ideas, manage money, track inventory, talk to strangers, and turn imagination into something tangible. The tents and tables were temporary, but the confidence they carried home was not.

Because on October 18, the EMC students of Holy Angel University did not just set up booths. They built a marketplace. They built a community. And most importantly, they built a glimpse of the future they’re capable of creating — one handmade sticker, one game demo, and one brave idea at a time.

by Calvin Ochoco