University Of San Carlos

Founded by the Spanish Jesuits on August 1, 1595, USC was formerly known as the Colegio de San Ildefonso. In 1769, it was closed upon the expulsion of the Jesuits from the Philippines. It reopened in 1783 along Martires Street on the initiative of Bishop Mateo Joaquin de Arevalo under the name Colegio-Seminario de San Carlos, named after St. Charles Borromeo, the great patron of ecclesiastical training in the Renaissance. In 1867, the Vincentians took over the administration of San Carlos. One of the top universities outside Manila, the University of San Carlos enjoys an environment free from the hustle and bustle that often distracts students in the capital. But the difference stops there. As the business and tourist hub of Southern Philippines, Metro Cebu provides Carolinians (as USC students are called) with a cosmopolitan setting where malls are just a few minutes away from the beaches, heritage towns, or mountain resorts. With its four campuses housing all levels of educational programs that include eight colleges and 27 departments, USC is truly a “universe-city” in its own right. International linkages now External Affairs and a steady influx of foreign students and visiting professors have made USC a multicultural academic community bonded by the common pursuit for global standards. A mix of old and new marks USC’s brand of education. The missionary spirit is kept alive with the school’s pursuit for the latest in science, technology, and the arts. A sense of heritage blends well with the Carolinian enthusiasm for the new. And this is best shown in the increasingly eclectic look of the school’s architecture. In general, USC is busy getting a makeover. But as modern buildings rise in the campuses, ancient ones are carefully preserved. Thus, the newly-renovated façade of the Main Campus looks as fresh as when it rose from the rubbles of the Second World War during the University’s period of reconstruction. A recent campaign to name the buildings, halls, and premises after past administrators and individual patrons who contributed greatly to the University’s growth helps to give today’s Carolinians a sense of campus history. Students often wonder why most of the names are those of foreigners. Then they realize that their school has always had that international character and so gearing up for the challenges of the future, today’s global-minded Carolinian never stops to pay tribute to the past.

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