Beginnings. To most Americans in the late 1800, Dumaguete was a name their tongue was still to master. Even the Philippines, which at that time was still recovering from the onslaught of the Spanish-American War, was not on the immediate list for a Presbyterian mission. But it took the vision and commitment of a man to turn this around.

Dr. Arthur Carson, third president of Silliman University, wrote in his book about how a man's strong resolve to help shape Philippine education paved the way for the establishment of a university. That man was Dr. Horace Brinsmade Silliman, a retired businesman of the town of Cohoes in New York State.

In 1899, Dr. Silliman appeared at the office of the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions with the conviction that the Filipino people needed a new kind of education. To support this, he contributed the initial sum of $10,000 toward the founding of an industrial school for boys.

Legend has it that the board secretary explained that the board had only begun to consider a mission in the Philippines. At that time, news was fresh on the naval victory of Admiral Dewey over the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay. It might be too early for a school.

But the visitor persisted. Something had caught his imagination about these islands, and the people whom he had never seen and whom he would never meet.

Dr. Silliman had long been an active supporter of schools and colleges, including Hampton Institute of Virginia. His proposal was for an industrial school in the Philippines based on the Hampton model.

The mission in the Philippines started with Dr. David Sutherland Hibbard and wife, Laura. Cebu, Zamboanga and Iloilo were considered. While in Cebu, someone suggested for him to make a side trip to Dumaguete. Sailing from Cebu on a Saturday night, he came out early on deck the next morning and saw "the unsurpassed drama of a Dumaguete morning from the sea."

It was told that the friendly attitude of the people and the caliber of the local officials attracted him to Dumaguete, a "place of health and beauty."

On 28 August 1901, Silliman Institute was established. As Dr. Hibbard described the modest beginning of Silliman half a century later:

"There were 15 boys that first morning. The equipment consisted of four desks about 10 feet long, two tables and two chairs, a few McGuffey's Readers, a few geographies, arithmetics and ninth-grade grammars. I was president; Mrs. Hibbard was the faculty."

Enrollment grew gradually to include students from Asian countries. The year 1912 marked the admission into the university of the first female student, Pura Blanco. Silliman was granted university status in 1938.

Pages of History. Developments on campus were interrupted by two significant events in Philippine history: World War II and martial law.

At the height of the war, Silliman faculty members and students evacuated to four locations in Negros Oriental, continuing to teach whenever there was an opportunity. This led to the establishment of the "Jungle University" in the mountain of Malabo -- the first community school in the Philippines.

In 1972, when martial law was declared, Silliman was one of the first two universities closed. It was also one of the last universities allowed to resume operations after the closure. Despite the threat to life and democracy, martial law did not stop students from gathering and keeping their patriotism aflame. At the basement of the Silliman Church, in a room called the Catacombs, the "secret" campus rendezvous of students continued.

The rich contribution of Silliman to Philippine history has earned it the distinction of national landmark from the National Historical Institute.

The growth of Silliman in the early period was greatly attributable to the support of the local community. Local families shared in the vision of Dr. Silliman and believed in the educational pursuits of Dr. and Mrs. Hibbard, and accordingly offered their properties through sale and donation to expand the campus.

Later developments were characterized by more infrastructure development, and the initiation of student activities, ranging from journalism, public speaking, performing arts, and athletics.

Silliman continues to be nurtured under administrations headed by presidents of character and tested credentials. Its incumbent president, Dr. Ben S. Malayang III, is a notable environmentalist. He is a Silliman alumnus and holds a Ph.D. in Wildland Resource Science from the University of California in Berkeley, and graduate degrees in Philosophy and International Affairs from Ohio University.

Three Americans and eight Filipinos have previously served as Silliman presidents: Dr. David Hibbard (1901-1930), Dr. Roy Brown (1932-1936), Dr. Arthur Carson (1939-1953), Dr. Leopoldo Ruiz (1953-1961), Dr. Cicero Calderon (1962-1971), Dr. Quintin Doromal (1973-1982), Justice Venancio Aldecoa (1983-1986), Dr. Pedro Flores (1987-1989), Dr. Angel Alcala (1991-1992), Dr. Mervyn Misajon (1994-1996), and Dr. Agustin Pulido (1996-2006).

Present Times. All of the country's top universities would boast of offering quality education. Silliman is no different. But while it joins the ranks of prestigious Philippine universities, it is humbled by a gift of a location that bespeaks of the natural environment's complement to academic learning -- one feature that sets Silliman apart from the rest.

Dotted with over 300 acacia trees, the Silliman campus is uniquely embraced in between views of Cuernos de Negros montains in its background and the Visayan sea at its frontage. The 62-hectare campus offers patches of greens where personal relationships are nurtured, spiritual nourishment facilitated, and the concept of quality student life redefined.

Silliman University is a melting pot of cultures and religions. Of its overall population of 8,400, over 300 are international students from 25 different countries -- South Africa, Australia, Canada, China, Congo, Denmark, Ethiopia, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Vietnam and the USA. The biggest group is from South Korea with 173 students. Thirty-eight students come from Iran, the next biggest group, and 30 students are from the USA, the third largest group.

Its affiliation with the United Church of Christ in the Philippines as a Protestant university has never been a hindrance to the exercise of religious freedom. Majority of Silliman students are Roman Catholics, and a good number are Muslims from Mindanao.

The university is located in the charming city of Dumaguete, dubbed "The City of Gentle People," an hour away by plane from Manila, and four hours away by boat from Cebu. Silliman thrives in a city where the strip of restaurants offering good food along the boulevard, and where everything a student needs, is just a stone's throw away. While offering the coveted "retirement getaway" environment, the city is not left behind by progress. You can find infrastructure developments and businessmen in support of the city's "University Town" concept.

Campus life revolves around the motto Via, Veritas, Vita (of Christ being the Way, the Truth, the Life). It is Silliman's mission to develop the whole person within the Christian context and in a sound environment. Students are expected to put their education to work in service to others -- another mark that distinguishes Silliman from other institutions of higher learning.

The 12 regular and cooperative dormitories provide a home away from home for Silliman students who come from outside Dumaguete. In the dormitories, students belong to a family, a part of the bigger Silliman community.

Silliman Education's 5 Cs. Silliman's goal of building competence, character and faith anchored on the Gospel of Christ aims for the development of the whole person. It believes that success and fulfillment are achieved when one views himself or herself in relation to the larger community.

Silliman, therefore, envisions genuine quality Christian education as a result of an interaction of experiences from at least five venues -- the classroom, the Church, the cultural center, the (athletic) court, and the Community.

• The Classroom. The classroom is a major component of the "second home" of students. Teaching at Silliman is made to challenge students to question prevailing concepts and theories, and find meaning in them in their day-to-day activities. Important to Silliman University is a mentoring system that walks students through the learning process of life.
• The Church. Christian faith is basic to Silliman education. Various activities for faith nurture, education, worship, fellowship, and service are in store for Silliman students all year round. Church activities are designed and organized in a way that does not discriminate students from other religious denominations.
• The Cultural Center. Every semester, the Cultural Affairs Committee stages five shows that put value on the appreciation for the arts at what most consider as the "cultural center of the south" -- the Claire Isabel McGill Luce Auditorium. Silliman students get a taste of the works of nationally- and internationally-acclaimed literary, visual and performing artists throughout the school year. Season tickets at subsidized rates are made available to students.
• The (Athletic) Court. Sports play an equally important part in the life of a Silliman student. The campus boasts of facilities for ball games, swimming, contact sports, and archery.
• The Community. Service-learning and volunteerism are vital components of all academic disciplines in the university. Students are challenged to test theories and principles through actual community work. With identified partner communities, Silliman students develop projects and programs, integrating expertise in business development, health care, legal management, and environmental advocacy. Sustaining this thrust on an international level, Silliman is active in an international service-learning program that aims for cultural understanding and multisectoral approach to addressing social concerns. Institutional Distinctions. For the third time, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has granted Autonomous Status to Silliman University for five years -- from 11 March 2009 to 30 March 2014. It has also been designated as a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education and Teacher Education, and Center of Development in Biology, Information Technology Education and Accountancy. This year, CHED identified Silliman as one of the higher education institutions to serve as National University/ College of Agriculture (NUCA) for Region VII (Central Visayas).

With support from the United States Agency for International Development, Silliman is a Center of Excellence in Coastal Resource Management. Its community-based coastal resource management program has inspired the recognition of Apo Island off the town of Dauin as one of the best diving spots in the world.

Just like other top universities, Silliman's academic programs undergo regular evaluation by any of three accrediting agencies: Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU); Association of Christian Schools, Colleges and Universities-Accrediting Agency, Inc. (ACSCU-AAI); and the Association of Theological Education in Southeast Asia. Silliman now leads the country in the number of accredited programs under PAASCU and ACSCU-AAI. At Level III under PAASCU are the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education, and College of Nursing. Also at Level III under the ACSCU-AAI are Master of Arts in English, Master of Arts in History, Master of Arts in Sociology, Master of Arts in Psychology, Master of Public Administration, Master of Science in Nursing, and Master of Science in Social Work.

Enjoying Level II re-accreditation under PAASCU are the College of Agriculture, Physical Therapy Program, Medical Technology Program, Elementary School Program, Bachelor of Science in Social Work, and the High School Department. High School also enjoys ACSCU-AA Level II accreditation together with Early Childhood and the Master of Arts in Filipino Program. College of Engineering and Information Technology are aiming for Level I accreditation which they hope to achieve this year.

Silliman maintains links on collaborative research, and faculty and student exchange with universities in the United States and Asia, on top of strong affiliation with the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia, and international development organizations. Its longest running student exchange programs are with three Japanese universities -- International Christian University, Ferris University, and Shikoku Gakuin University.

Last year, the Silliman University Main Library became the first library outside Luzon to be awarded Outstanding Library by the Philippine Association of Academic Libraries. It was recognized for its growing collection of over 250,000 volumes and its ongoing computerization program. For the award, the Silliman University Main Library now joins the ranks of the libraries of the Asian Development Bank, International Rice Research Institute, and Ateneo de Manila University.

Major Developments. To help augment non-tuition revenues, Silliman established The Portal West Building, a four-storey commercial building. The Portal West was initiated by the Board of Trustees, with the major source of construction funds coming from the Silliman University Alumni Council of North America. Other alumni, donors, and friends of Silliman have also contributed funds for the project. One of the building's more popular tenants is Negros Oriental's first National Bookstore.

In April 2008, Silliman received a property donation of 465 hectares in Ticao, Masbate from the How Family. A framework for a long-term development plan has been made and is now a subject of validation by local stakeholders in the area. Silliman envisions development in the area to be community-driven.

Silliman is also a recipient of funds from The Henry Luce Foundation of New York, USA, through UBCHEA.

The year 2007 saw the inauguration of two new buildings on campus -- the Uytengsu Foundation Computer Studies Hall, a donation of the Uytengsu Foundation Inc., and the Nursing Education Building I, established with support from Silliman nursing alumni.

The first building that the Uytengsu Foundation donated, the Uytengsu Hall, which is being occupied by the College of Engineering and Design, is undergoing renovation, supported by the Foundation that also donated the Untengsu Computer Center and the Alaska Basketball Court.

On the other hand, the Nursing Education Building I is one of three planned buildings to comprise the Nursing Education Complex. It features 12 lecture-laboratory rooms.

In August 2006, Silliman inaugurated the Salonga Center for Law and Development in recognition of the contribution of former Senator Jovito Salonga to Philippine democracy. The Center specializes in Transformative Law, the study and application of law to shape policies and improve the social system. Its three areas of concern are Environmental Law, Social Justice and Human Rights, and Labor Law. (Photos by Marx D. Iturralde)