A proud milestone for the Atienza family — one of the Philippines’ most prominent — as Eliana Hung Atienza walked across the stage at the University of Pennsylvania, earning her degree from the College of Arts and Sciences with summa cum laude honors.
Television personality Kim “Kuya Kim” Atienza had long anticipated this moment. When Eliana was first accepted into the Ivy League university, he wrote: “Fly as high as you can, our dearest Eli! Welcome to your mother’s Alma Mater.” Eliana’s mother, Felicia Hung Atienza, is herself a Wharton School graduate.
Beyond the academic distinction, Eliana was also given a special recognition for her social involvement and contributions to the city of Philadelphia, according to Kim’s Facebook post announcing the achievement.
The road to graduation was not without turbulence. In 2024, Eliana made international headlines after she was suspended and temporarily barred from her campus dorm at UPenn for her active role in pro-Palestinian protest encampments, becoming one of six students placed on mandatory leave. Kim publicly stood by his daughter throughout the controversy. “We’ve always been there for her, and I don’t want to restrict her from doing anything as she is capable of making decisions. She has a heart of an activist, and there’s nothing wrong with it because it’s human rights she’s fighting for,” he said at the time.
The graduation comes months after profound heartbreak for the family. Emmanuelle “Emman” Atienza, the youngest of Kim and Felicia’s three children and Eliana’s sister, passed away on October 22, 2025, at age 19. In the family’s statement, Emman was described as someone who “brought joy, laughter, and love” into the lives of everyone she knew, and who helped many feel seen and less alone through her openness about her mental health journey.
