Silliman’s Journey of Over a Century

To most Americans in the late 1800, Dumaguete was a name their tongue was still to
master. It was unfamiliar to them. 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.
The late Dr. Arthur Carson, third Silliman president, wrote in his book how a man’s strong
resolve to help shape Philippine education paved the way for the establishment of Silliman
University. This man was Dr. Horace B. Silliman, a retired businessman 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 would need a new kind of education. To support
this, he contributed the initial sum of $10,000 toward the founding of an industrial school.
Legend has it that the Board Secretary was surprised and explained that the Board had only
begun to consider a mission in the Philippine islands. At that time, news was fresh on the
naval victory of Admiral Dewey over the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay. The Board Secretary
thought it would 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. Among such
institutions was Hampton Institute of Virginia, and his proposal to the Presbyterian Board
was for an industrial school in the Philippines on the Hampton model.
The mission in the Philippines started with Dr. David Sutherland Hibbard and wife, Laura,
who were commissioned to head it. Three areas were considered: Cebu, Zamboanga and
Iloilo. 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 August 28, 1901, Silliman Institute was established. As Dr. Hibbard described the
modest beginning of Silliman half a century later:
‘There were fifteen boys that first morning. The equipment consisted of four desks about ten
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 in the university 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.
Developments on campus were interrupted by two significant events in Philippine history:
World War II and martial law. But Silliman braved these historic events and left dents on the
pages of Philippine history.
At the height of the war, Silliman faculty members and students evacuated to four localities
in Negros Oriental, and continued rendering professional services 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, however, stop
students from gathering and keeping their patriotism aflame. At the basement of the
Silliman University Church, in a room named 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 on June 19, 2002.
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 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 thirteenth and first female President, Dr. Betty Cernol-McCann,
who assumed the presidency on June 1, 2018, carries with her a strong background in
Asian higher education and a large network of higher education institutions, particularly in
Asia. Prior to joining Silliman, she served as Vice President for Programs of the United
Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia, a New York-based not-for-profit organization
with which Silliman University has long relations.
Three American presidents and nine Filipino presidents have been instrumental in paving
the way to what Silliman is today and what more it can still become: 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 Venacio Aldecoa (1983-1986), Dr. Pedro Flores (1987-1989), Dr. Angel Alcala
(1991-1992), Dr. Mervyn Misajon (1994-1996), Dr. Agustin A. Pulido (1996-2006) and Dr.
Ben S. Malayang III (2006-2018).

Present Silliman
All of the country’s top universities would boast of offering quality education. Silliman
University, which is turning 117 on August 28, 2018, 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. Its bewitching beauty lies on the outside and within – on its
sprawling green campus and the people who make life more colorful and meaningful.
Dotted with over 300 acacia trees, the Silliman campus is uniquely embraced in between
views of the Cuernos de Negros mountains in its background and the Visayan sea at its
frontage. The 62-hectare campus offers patches of greens on where personal relationships
are nurtured, spiritual nourishment facilitated, and the concept of quality student life
redefined. In 2014, Christian Universities Online included Silliman on the list of “50 Most
Beautiful Christian College and University Campuses in the World” – the only one in the
Philippines and one of only two in Asia.
Silliman University is a melting pot of cultures and religions. Of its overall population of more
than 9,000, over 200 are international students from more than 50 countries in Asia,
America, Africa and Europe. 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.
“Whole person education” is what Silliman offers. It is the holistic development of one’s
competence, character and faith, transforming one into a person for others. It is the
approach to learning that is encapsulated in its tri-logical ministry of teaching, healing and
preaching, providing opportunities of deep reflection towards an appreciation of self in
relation to the larger community. Campus life revolves around the motto Via, Veritas,
Vita(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 those in need.
Granted Full Autonomous Status by the Commission on Higher Education, Silliman offers
over 140 certificate, undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate programs in 19 academic
units: College of Agriculture, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business
Administration, College of Computer Studies, College of Education, College of Engineering
and Design, College of Law, College of Mass Communication, College of Nursing, College
of Performing and Visual Arts, Divinity School, Graduate Programs, Institute of Clinical
Laboratory Sciences, Institute of Environmental and Marine Sciences, Institute of
Rehabilitative Sciences, Institute of Service Learning, Medical School, School of Agro-
Industrial and Technical Education, and School of Public Affairs and Governance. It also
offers a strong Basic Education program from Early Childhood to Senior High School.
The University is located in the charming city of Dumaguete, dubbed the “City of Gentle
People”, an hour away by plane from Manila and roughly four hours 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 are 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 businesses sprouting in support of
the city’s “University Town” concept.
It is also the conducive residential campus life that sets Silliman University apart from the
other leading universities in the Philippines. The 13 regular and cooperative dormitories,
including the newest Rolando Villanueva Del Carmen Honor Hall (which offers free board
and lodging to top honor students), provide a home away from home to Silliman students
who come from outside Dumaguete. In the dormitories, students belong to a family, a part
of the bigger Silliman community. Corollary to this sense of community is the “Silliman
Spirit” – an atmosphere of personal closeness, warmth, friendship and concern.

Silliman Education’s 5Cs

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 foundational to Silliman education. Various activities for faith nurture,
education, worship, fellowship, and service are in store for Silliman students all year round.
These are activities that are receptive to the changing needs and preferences of students.
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. In the field of archery, Mark
Javier, the lone Filipino male archer in the Beijing Olympics, is a fresh addition to the list of
Sillimanian Olympians: archers Jennifer Chan and Lisa Ygnalaga and long jumper Simeon
Toribio.
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 a multi-
sectoral approach to addressing social concerns.

Institutional Distinctions
Silliman is one of select higher education institutions in the country granted autonomous
status by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). The same government agency has
also designated Silliman as a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education and Teacher
Education and a Center of Development in Accountancy, Anthropology, Biology and
Information Technology Education. It is also one of select universities granted membership
with CHED’s Philippine Higher Education Research Network, the higher cluster of
universities carefully selected based on strength in research and publications.
The University has been granted Institutional Accreditation (the highest) by the Federation
of Accrediting Agencies in the Philippines, the umbrella organization of accrediting
agencies. Just like other top universities, Silliman’s academic programs undergo regular
evaluation by the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities,
the Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities-Accrediting Agency, Inc., or the
Association of Theological Education in Southeast Asia. It is one of Philippine universities
with the most number of accredited programs. With support from the United Evangelical
Mission, it is a Center for Mission Studies in Asia.
In recognition of its pioneering works and active involvement in marine conservation,
Silliman was also tagged as a Center of Excellence in Coastal Resource Management
(CRM) by the United States Agency for International Development. The University’s
community-based CRM program has helped earn for Apo Island located off the town of
Dauin the reputation of being one of the world’s best diving spots. Apo is a model of
community-based coastal resource management with its story on its successful
management of marine reserves cited in several international scholarly publications.
The University is a founding member of the Association of Christian Universities and
Colleges in Asia. It also holds the same status in the Association of Christian Schools,
Colleges and Universities, and maintains membership with other local and international
organizations.
Board of trustees

Officers
Mr. Ricardo A. Balbido, Jr., Chair
______________, Vice Chair
Atty. Fema Christina P. Sayson, Secretary

Members
Engr. Emmanuel D. Abellanosa
Dr. Epifania D. Anfone
Mr. Eduardo A. Bangayan
Dr. Marl V. Ferenal
Bishop Melzar D. Labuntog
Dr. Evangeline B. Manjares
Atty. Mildred A. Pfleider
Atty. May S. Pono
Mr. Keith Arleigh D. Quebral
Mrs. Fenina T. Rodriguez
Mrs. Grace A. Ty

Ex-Officio
Dr. Betty Cernol-McCann (President)