Сент-Луисский университет: История и развитие филиппинского католического учебного заведения.

Roman Catholic university in Baguio, Philippines

Saint Louis University (Lang es;

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. 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, naming it St. Patrick Church, in honor of St. Patrick, who was then patron saint of Baguio.

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, 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 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 hospital for the university's Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Natural Sciences. It is one of the hospitals in Baguio.

Saint Louis University has 4 campuses with a total land area of
Main Campus (Mount Mary Campus) is a compound, along A. Bonifacio Street, Baguio City. Gonzaga Campus is a campus on General Luna Street, Baguio City.

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 OIC is Ms. Glory I. Dela Peña. 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. Jeffrey Des B. Binwag. School of Nursing, Allied Health and Biological Sciences (SONAHBS) – is a reunification of two schools: the School of Natural Sciences (SNS), which was once the College of Natural Science and split off from the College of Liberal Arts in 1968; and the School of Nursing, which split off from the College of Natural Sciences in 1976. Its current dean is Dr. Ann P. Opiña. 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. Mary Pauline E. Namoca, LPT.

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.
School of Law (SOL) – founded in 1954 as the College of Law. It is currently housed at the fourth floor of the renovated Diego Silang Building (now named as Professional Building)

School of Advanced Studies (SAS) – is the graduate school of Saint Louis University. Its current dean is Dr. Faridah Kristi C. Wetherick.

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. It is also one of the tallest structures in the city. A satellite library named the Fr. Seraphin Devesse, CICM Library is located on the tenth 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. Pharmacy, Engineering, Nursing, and Architecture. The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has recognized three of SLU's programs as Centers of Excellence, namely its Teacher Education, Nursing and Information Technology programs. Eight of its programs 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 programs as of May 2016. SLU is ranked 751 800 in the QS Asia Rankings, and 801 1000 in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.

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.

SLU Intramurals – a yearly competition between the various schools of SLU, a separate one is held for the basic education and college level. SLU Lantern Parade – Instituted in 2008, the SLU Lantern Parade is a yearly lantern making contest and parade of all 8 schools of SLU along Session Road at the beginning of December, ushering in the celebration of Christmas in Baguio. 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. with lyrics by Fr. Jan Augustijns, CICM.

Saint Louis University's athletics team is SLU Navigators.