Silliman University

[6][7][8] The university was named after Dr. Horace Brinsmade Silliman, a former businessman and philanthropist from Cohoes, New York who provided the initial sum of $10,000 for the establishment of the school.

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.

Under the leadership of Dr. Arthur Carson, then president of Silliman, the remaining members of the faculty continued the operations of the university in the mountains of Negros Oriental.

[40][41][42] In the early 1960s and toward the beginning of the Martial Law years, the university embarked on a "Build a Greater Silliman" program in response to the growing student population and the corresponding need for more facilities.

With much help from many donors, mostly alumni and entities from abroad, the program saw the construction of more academic buildings, dormitories, housing units for the faculty and other facilities.

The decade also witnessed the 100% board exam ratings of the Electrical Engineering, Nursing and Accountancy programs and the installation of solar-powered light posts in the campus in the years 1986 and 1989 respectively.

To strengthen its local area network technology, the university installed fiber-optic cables that span the entire 62 hectare campus in 1999.

[45] Silliman University continues to draw support from the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia (UBCHEA), as well as from its alumni and other benefactors.

The university has adopted a policy of providing education to the surrounding regions without depending much on tuition and other fees to meet its operational expenses.

[citation needed] Because significant portion of the student population ride on motorbikes and scooters, the university has also aggressively adopted a "No Helmet-No Entry" policy.

Dotted by large acacia trees, the main campus is home to most of the colleges and schools of the university and is adjacent to the city's downtown district.

Occupying almost one-third of the downtown area, the campus faces the sea to the east, flanked by its portals which are now considered symbols of the school and city.

The Camp Lookout facility houses the university's Creative Writing Center which now serves as the venue and permanent home of the Silliman National Writers Workshop.

A number of excavations done by Sillimanian anthropologists in the 1970s yielded ancient artifacts, like burial urns, and porcelain pieces which date back to the Sung period in the twelfth century.

It showcases a collection of preserved animals traditionally found in the tropics such as different kinds of fishes, crustaceans, snakes, eagles, birds, flying lemurs, etc.

The garden started in the 1960s as a tree planting project and field laboratory studies facility by the Silliman University Biology Department.

[51][73] A majority of the university's student and faculty population are Roman Catholics, with a significant portion of Muslims from Mindanao and the Middle East.

[92][93][94][95][96][97][98][99][100][101][102][103][104][105][106][107][108][109][110] Silliman University confers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees accredited by different bodies and agencies such as the ACSCU-AAI, PAASCU (a member of FAAP), and the ATESEA among others.

The American Studies Resource Center is a result of a memorandum of agreement between the United States Embassy in Manila and Silliman University.

It contains an extensive collection of development publications and World Bank project documents to people involved in the academe, researchers, NGOs, media, government agencies and the business sector.

[133] In 1974, the cornerstone for a New Medical Center was laid down by the Netherlands Ambassador to the Philippines to commence the building of a four-storey structure with passenger elevators (the first in Negros Oriental).

[134] In 1979, the Medical Center made history when its Van Houweling Research Laboratory discovered and produced a dog vaccine that gave a three-year immunity from rabies.

[46] Recently, a new Medical Arts Building was added[135] to the main structure of the hospital to further address the growing needs of the surrounding community.

Established in 1974 through a modest grant from the United Church of Canada, it has produced notable research that are presently being applied in various cooperative projects in different local communities, such as the conservation programs in Sumilon and Apo Island.

(New International Version) The choice of the motto is firmly rooted in the university's belief that religious instruction, particularly in the teachings of Jesus Christ, is essential to the moral development of every young person.

In this week-long celebration, the university encourages all students to participate in the different Bible study or fellowship activities held in the homes and cottages of assigned members of the Silliman academic or religious community.

A regular participant of the Philippine University Games (UniGames) and the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA), Silliman is represented by a red and white Stallion or Mare.

[151] Other notable Philippine Olympians that came from Silliman include Jennifer Chan, who recently won a gold medal in the 25th SEA Games, Lisa Ygnalaga, and long jumper Simeon Toribio.

[citation needed] In addition to the foregoing, the university maintains a number of cottages for members of its faculty and staff as well as for guests and visiting alumni.

[186] Sillimanians have also excelled in the field of journalism such as Claire Delfin of GMA Network[187][188] and Ina Reformina of ABS-CBN;[189] while there are those who entered showbusiness such as Bret Jackson,[190][191] Beauty Gonzalez,[192] and Theodore Boborol.

Silliman Hall is the oldest standing American structure in the Philippines. The design of the building is reminiscent of the Stick style architecture that characterize American buildings in the late 19th century. Some of the materials used to build it were salvaged from an old theater in New York . [ 23 ] [ 24 ] The present structure was built in 1909 as an addition to the original structure built in 1902, now demolished. It presently houses the university's Heritage Museum. [ 25 ]
National Historical Commission marker installed in 1966
Dr. David S. Hibbard 's statue, facing the Rizal Boulevard in Dumaguete
Guy Hall, built in 1918, was one of the buildings occupied by Japanese troops during World War II.
The western side of the Gate of Knowledge is one of the iconic portals of Silliman University. Built in the 1950s, this landmark now serves as the main entrance to the main campus. The original portal, called the Gate of Opportunity (built circa 1901–1905), is on the southeastern side of the campus facing the Rizal Boulevard. Silliman's portals have become the de facto symbol for the university and the City of Dumaguete . It has also been incorporated into the provincial seal of the Province of Negros Oriental .
Portal West Building
National Historical Landmark declaration marker installed in 2022
An early morning photograph of the Silliman University Church. Construction for the church building began in 1941. Due to interruptions brought by World War II , it was completed only in 1949. [ 50 ]
The Claire Isabel McGill Luce Auditorium (built 1973–75) is named after the wife of Henry Luce III, elder son of Henry Luce who is the founder and editor-in-chief of Time magazine. [ 55 ] [ 56 ] Its construction was mainly funded by the Henry Luce Foundation. [ 57 ]
Ground floor terrace of the Anthropology Museum
Uytengsu Foundation Computer Studies Hall
The Dr. Luz Ausejo Hall is named after one of the longest serving deans of the College of Arts and Sciences . [ 111 ]
The College of Business Administration Building
The Mary Marquis Smith Hall is part of the new three-building complex of the College of Nursing .
The Uytengsu Foundation Computer Studies Hall of the College of Computer Studies
The Medical School Building
The Robert B. and Metta J. Silliman Library [b]
Medical Arts Building of the Silliman University Medical Center.
Silliman's Institute of Environmental and Marine Sciences (IEMS) has been designated by the USAID as a Center of Excellence in Coastal Resource Management, [ 86 ] and recognized by the CHED as the best research program in the country. [ 20 ]
Stained glass window of Silliman University Church depicting Jesus Christ and his apostles
Built in 1932, the Hibbard Hall houses the Office of the University Registrar.
Built in 1921, the Amphitheater is a common meeting place for students and student organizations.
Vernon Hall, one of the men's dormitories on campus