Saint Louis University (Philippines)

Saint Louis University was founded on December 1, 1911 by Rev. Fr. Seraphin Devesse, CICM for 10 local boys in the City of Baguio. Along with his relocated St. Patrick Church, he founded a one-room elementary school in Baguio at what is now Cathedral Hill for ten local boys, naming it the Saint Louis School. In 1907, eight CICM missionaries arrived in the Philippines, mandated by the Holy See to Christianize the northern part of the country. Divided into two groups, one set out for Baguio City. They settled in Baguio because of its proximity to Manila and the mountain province of Benguet beyond the Cordillera mountain range, which was home to numerous indigenous tribes. In 1908, Fr. Seraphin Devesse, CICM, built the first Catholic Church in Baguio City, naming it St. Patrick Church, in honor of St. Patrick, who was then patron saint of Baguio.[3]

In 1912, he opened a second church and school along Naguilian Road, then named the St. Louis Campo Filipino. It currently houses the high school department of St. Louis School Center, which is under the stewardship of the ICM sisters. St. Louis Campo Filipino, later renamed Holy Family College in 1935, would later relocate to San Fernando, La Union in 1952. It is now known as Saint Louis College of San Fernando,[3] one of the CICM-PSN Schools. In 1915, under the stewardship of Fr. Florimond Carlu, CICM, the St. Louis School expanded, becoming a vocational and trade school, training students in silversmithing, carpentry, hat-making, weaving, and shoe-making. In 1921, Saint Louis High School opened.

As World War II broke out in 1939, St. Louis School resumed classes in 1942, until it became impossible to do so. Classes were then suspended until 1945. Due to the carpet bombing of Baguio, the school's buildings were destroyed. Tents were thus used as temporary classrooms.

In 1952, the combined efforts of Msgr. William Brasseur, Rev. Fr. Rafael Desmedt, CICM, and Rev Fr. Karel Pieters, CICM, founded Saint Louis College, then consisting of three departments: Education, Liberal Arts, and Commerce and Secretarial.[4] The school started with only 75 students with Rev. Fr. Gerard Decaestecker, CICM, as its first rector. In 1955, the graduate-level programs of Saint Louis College were granted recognition.

On 13 May 1963, Saint Louis College was conferred university status by the Philippine government under the presidency of Diosdado Macapagal, becoming the first private university north of Manila. with Rev. Fr. Gerard Linssen, CICM transitioning from its third rector to become its first president. From its Gonzaga Campus along General Luna Road, which was then SLU's main campus, it transferred to its current main campus, the Mount Mary Campus, in 1969, which is located along Andres Bonifacio Street. SLU now uses the Gonzaga campus for its elementary department.

During the 7.7 magnitude 1990 Luzon earthquake on July 16, 1990, classes were luckily suspended earlier due to student protests preventing casualties and damage to the university's infrastructure. SLU accommodated victims of the earthquake at its open court grounds.

During the term of Rev. Fr. Paul Van Parijs, CICM, which was from 1996 to 2005, SLU was able to acquire two additional campuses, one in Navy Base and another in Bakakeng.

On May 10, 1977, the Saint Louis University Hospital of the Sacred Heart (SLU-HSH) was opened. It serves as a training ground for the university's Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Natural Sciences. It is one of the hospitals in Baguio City.

Fr. Ghisleen De Vos, CICM Building (left), St. Aloysius Gonzaga Building (center) and Msgr. William Brasseur Building (right)
SLU-LES Gonzaga campus

• Saint Louis University Laboratory Elementary School (SLU-LES) beginning as the one classroom school in 1911, is the elementary division of SLU, offering Kindergarten up to Sixth Grade since 1915. It is located at the Gonzaga Campus.
• Saint Louis University Laboratory High School (SLU-LHS) is the collective name of the two departments of the high school division of SLU, subdivided into the junior and senior high departments:
  • Saint Louis University Laboratory Junior High School (SLU-LJHS) is SLU's coeducational junior high department. Originally known as Saint Louis University Boys' High School, it was founded as an all-male school in 1921 and had its pioneer graduates in 1929. It became coeducational in 2003. Following the implementation of the K-12 program, it is separately administered from the senior high department. It is currently housed at SLU's Navy Base campus, alongside the senior high department.
  • Saint Louis University Laboratory Senior High School (SLU-LSHS) is SLU's coeducational senior high department, It was established following the implementation of the K-12 education curriculum system. It is currently housed at SLU's Navy Base campus, alongside the junior high department.

Fr. Karel Pieters, CICM Building (left) and Fr. Jan Van Bauwel, CICM Building (right)
SLU-LJHS Navy Base Campus.

Fr. Gerard Decaestecker, CICM Building
SLU-LSHS Navy Base Campus

• School of Accountancy, Management, Computing and Information Studies (SAMCIS) – is a merger of two schools, namely the School of Accountancy and Business Management, which was originally the College of Commerce, one of the four original schools of St. Louis College, and of the School of Computing and Information Sciences in 2018. It is currently housed at the Maryheights Campus of SLU. Its current dean is George K. Ramos, Ed. D, CPA.[7]
• School of Engineering and Architecture (SEA) – is one of the four original schools of St. Louis College, which was originally called the College of Engineering and Architecture. It is currently housed at the Otto Hahn Building at SLU's Main Campus. Its current dean is Engr. Cynthia L. Posadas, PhD Mgmt.[7]
• School of Natural Sciences (SNS) – split from the then College of Liberal Arts in 1968 to be named thereafter as the College of Natural Sciences. It is currently housed at the Dr. Jose P. Rizal Higher Sciences Building at SLU's Main Campus.[7]
• School of Nursing (SON) – branching out from the then College of Natural Sciences in 1976 to be named thereafter as the College of Nursing. It is currently housed at the Dr. Konrad Adenauer Science Building at SLU's Main Campus.[7] It offers the Bachelor of Science in Nursing course. Its current dean is Dr. Mary Grace Lacanaria, RN.[8]
• School of Teacher Education and Liberal Arts (STELA) – is a merger of two schools, namely the School of Teacher Education, which was originally the College of Education, one of the four original schools of St. Louis College, and of the School of Humanities, originally named College of Liberal Arts, which was also one of the four original school of St. Louis College. Its current dean is Dr. Felina P. Espique, LPT.[7]

• International School of Medicine (SOM) – split from the then College of Liberal Arts in 1976, to be named as the College of Medicine. It is currently housed at the Dr. Jose P. Rizal Higher Sciences Building at the Main Campus of SLU, alongside the School of Natural Sciences. Its current dean is Dr. John Anthony A. Domantay, MD, FPSP, M.Sc., Ph.D.[7][9]
• School of Law (SOL) – founded in 1954 as the College of Law. It is currently housed at the 4th Floor of the renovated Diego Silang Building (now named as Professional Building)[7][10]

• School of Advanced Studies (SAS) – is the graduate schools of Saint Louis University. Its current dean is Dr. Cecilia Mercado.[7]

Msgr. Charles Vath Building
SLU Main Campus

The Msgr. Charles Vath Library is the main library of Saint Louis University, housed in a seven story building. Inaugurated on Dec. 13, 1974, it is one of the largest libraries north of Manila, housing a variety of print, non-print, electronic and internet based resources, including an American corner.[11] It is also one of the tallest structures in the city.[7]

A satellite library named the Fr. Seraphin Devesse, CICM Library is located on the 10th floor of the Devesse Building at SLU's Maryheights Campus. It is specially for the use of the then-separate School of Accountancy and Business Management and School of Computing and Information Sciences, which is now merged as the School of Accountancy, Management, Computing and Information Studies.[11]

The high school and elementary departments have their own libraries. The high school department has its library housed in the Fr. Pieters Building for the Junior high and in the Fr. Decaestecker Building for the Senior high. For the elementary department, its own library is housed in the St. Aloysius Gonzaga Building at its Gonzaga Campus.

SLU is in the top ten universities for their performance in Teacher Education, Law, Medicine, Medical Technology (Medical Laboratory Science),[12] Pharmacy,[13] Engineering, Nursing,[14] and Architecture.[15]

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has recognized three of SLU's programmes as Centers of Excellence, namely its Teacher Education, Nursing and Information Technology programmes. Eight of its programmes are recognized as Centers of Development, namely its Business Administration, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Entrepreneurship, Mechanical Engineering, Medical Laboratory Science, and Mining Engineering programmes as of May 2016.[2]

Its elementary and high school divisions are both accredited as Level II by the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU).[16]

Saint Louis University is a non-stock, non-profit institution. It is directed by a board of trustees, composed of 15 people. Since its inception as a college in 1952, it has been headed by a Rector. Upon its elevation to university status in 1963, its head has since been addressed as President. He is assisted by 5 vice-presidents. SLU has seen 3 rectors and 7 presidents lead it, 8 of whom are of Belgian descent. It was only in 2005 that SLU saw a Filipino as its president. All of its heads has since been priests of the CICM order. Its current president is Rev. Fr. Gilbert Sales, CICM, Ph.D Ed.[24]

SLU is under the CICM Philippines School Network or CICM-PSN, managed by the CICM mission.

SLU is a member of several international associations, namely the Association of Southeast Asian Institutions of Higher Learning (ASAIHL), the Association of Southeast and East Asian Catholic Colleges and Universities (ASEACCU), the International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU), the International Association of University Presidents (IAUP), and the University Mobility in Asia and the Pacific (UMAP) Council Inc., Philippines.[25]

• SLU Intramurals – a yearly competition between the various schools of SLU, a separate one is held for the elementary, junior high school, senior high school and college level.

SLU Open House

• SLU Lantern Parade – Instituted in 2008, the SLU Lantern Parade is a yearly lantern-making contest and parade of all 10 schools of SLU along Session Road at the beginning of December, ushering in the celebration of Christmas in Baguio City.[26][27]
• Annual Christmas Tree Lighting – SLU schools of the college level, in rotation, prepares a Christmas tree for its annual lighting ceremony. The tree is encouraged to be made out of recycled materials.[3]

There are currently 61 accredited student organizations at SLU.[28]

White & Blue is SLU's official student publication.[29] It is named after the colors representing the Blessed Virgin Mary, with which the CICM is associated. It is run by college students and is under the supervision of the publication adviser from the SLU administration. The elementary division has two student publications, namely the Young Louisian Courier, which uses English as its medium, and the Alab, SLU-LES' Filipino language publication.

The Center for Culture and the Arts has six resident performing groups.

• The Tanghalang SLU
• The SLU Glee Club
• The SLU Dance Troupe
• The SLU Children's Dance Troupe
• The SLU Chamber Ensemble
• " The SLU Symphonic Band" or popularly known as "The SLU Marching Band"

Saint Louis University's athletics team is SLU Navigators.[30][31][32]