Ateneo de Naga University

Ateneo de Naga
University
Pamantasang Ateneo de Naga
Ateneo de Naga na Unibersidad
Latin: Universitas Athenaea Nagaensis
Former names
  • Camarines Sur Catholic Academy (1935-1939)
  • Ateneo de Naga (1940-1998)
MottoLatin: Primum Regnum Dei
Motto in English
First, the Kingdom of God
TypePrivate Roman Catholic Research Non-profit Coeducational Basic and Higher education institution
Established1940; 84 years ago (1940)
FounderSociety of Jesus
Religious affiliation
Academic affiliations
ChairmanAtty. Avelino Sales, Jr.
PresidentFr. Roberto Exequiel N. Rivera, SJ
Vice-president
  • Alfredo C. Fabay
    (VP for Higher Education)
  • Lydia T. Goingo
    (VP for Basic Education)
Dean
List
  • Dr. Digna P. Alba
    (College of Humanities & Social Sciences)
  • Dr. Christopher Abelinde
    (College of Business & Accountancy)
  • Joshua C. Martinez
    ( College of Computer Studies)
  • Engr. Referendo Soriano
    ( College of Science & Engineering)
  • Dr. Maria Luz Badiola
    ( College of Education)
  • Dr. Delia B. Oco
    ( College of Nursing)
  • Dr. Michael Cuesta
    (Graduate School)
Principal
List
  • Fr. Stephen Abuan, SJ
    (Senior High School)
  • Fr. Martin Licup, SJ
    (Junior High School)
  • Ms. Ma. Jeanette Naval
    (Grade School)
Academic staff
377
Administrative staff
306
Students186 (Grade School)
1,500 (High School)
6,000 (Undergraduates)
7686 Total
Address
Ateneo Ave., Bagumbayan Sur
,
Naga City
,
Camarines Sur
,
Philippines
CampusUrban
  • Main
    Bagumbayan Campus
    Bagumbayan Sur, Naga City (College)
  • Satellite
    Bonoan Campus
    10 hectares (100,000 m2)
    Brgy Pacol, Naga City
    (Pre School, Grade School & High School)
NewspaperThe Pillars Publication
Patron Saint
ColorsBlue and gold
  
NicknameAteneans
Sporting affiliations
Naga City Charter Inter-Collegiate Basketball League
CEACAL BUCAL
MascotGolden Knights
Website

The Ateneo de Naga University (Central Bikol: Ateneo de Naga na Unibersidad / Filipino: Pamantasang Ateneo de Naga), also referred to by its acronym AdNU, is a private Catholic Jesuit basic and higher education institution run by the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus in Naga City, Camarines Sur, Philippines. It was established in 1940 when the Jesuits took over the administration of the diocesan school, Camarines Sur Catholic Academy. The Jesuits renamed the school Ateneo de Naga after taking control. The Jesuits were naming all the schools that they were opening at that time Ateneo. Ateneo de Naga was the fourth school named Ateneo by the Jesuits. Typical of universities in the Philippines, AdNU has primary (since 2014) and secondary departments, which are both coeducational.

History

The Ateneo de Naga University was established in 1940 when American Jesuits took over the Camarines Sur Catholic Academy, a small private school under the supervision of the Diocese of Nueva Caceres, at the invitation of Bishop (later Archbishop) Pedro P. Santos of Caceres. Classes formally started in June 1940 at the building formerly used by the Camarines Sur Catholic Academy (now Naga Parochial School) with 650 elementary and high school students. Meanwhile, Msgr. Santos initiated the construction of the Jesuit faculty house and the Ateneo school building with the now well-known four pillars. These buildings were intended to be turned over to the Jesuits on December 15, 1941. However, this plan was thwarted when the Pacific war broke out. During its first year of operation, it included intermediate grades 4-6 of elementary school. In 1941, however, the elementary school students were transferred to the nearby school run by the Daughters of Charity, and the Ateneo became an all-boys high school. The college department opened on June 5, 1947, and admitted its first female students on October 26, 1953.[1]

On September 16, 1996, the university president, Fr. Raul J. Bonoan, SJ issued a memorandum declaring the separation of the different colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Commerce, and the College of Information Technology and Engineering. Almost a year after, the College of Education was created. In 2001, a College of Computer Studies was established. In school year 2004–2005, the university opened the College of Nursing. Most recently, the university opened a law school starting in the first semester of school year 2017–2018. The new College of Law offers a four-year program leading to a Juris Doctor (JD) degree. With these separations and additions, the university now has a total number of 7 colleges.

University status was granted to the Ateneo de Naga on November 11, 1998, upon the approval by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on November 11, 1998, of Resolution No. 142-98.

Expansion

From 1947 to 2003, the college and high school were on the same campus, i.e., the Bagumbayan campus which became crowded when AdNU became a university. Student population grew as the university added more undergraduate programs, and the campus open space shrunk as the university built seven new buildings to provide additional facilities to the growing college student population. These seven new buildings are Christ the King University Church, Jesuit Residence, Xavier Hall, Arrupe Hall, Fernando Hall (Conference Hall), O'Brien Hall (James J. O'Brien, S.J. library), the Engineering Building.

In the early 2000s, a ten-hectare land in Barangay Pacol, Naga City, was donated to AdNU. With the availability of a spacious new satellite campus, it was decided to transfer the high school from the Bagumbayan campus to the new satellite campus to decongest the former. This new property named Bonoan Campus became the new home of the high school in the summer of 2003 and also the place where the newly opened grade school was located. With the availability of more land, Ateneo de Naga can now accept a bigger student population. The same year of 2003, the high school became coeducational with the enrollment of 185 female students.

Up to the year 2013, Ateneo de Naga was the only Ateneo without a grade school. On June 4, 2014, AdNU opened its grade school at the Bonoan campus in Barangay Pacol, Naga City when it accepted students for Grades 1–3. Grades one to three classes were held at the high school building while the new grade school building was being constructed. The preschool kindergarten facility (the Ateneo Child Learning Center) was also transferred from the Bagumbayan campus to the Bonoan campus in school year 2014–2015. The preschool and grade school are also coeducational.

Statue of St. Ignatius of Loyola offering his sword to Our Lady of Monserrat

Academics

In 1979, the college and High School departments were the first in Camarines Sur to be accredited by the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU). They were accredited for the third time in 1992. On May 25, 2009, the PAASCU granted institutional accreditation status to Ateneo de Naga, a first for a private educational institution.[2] The Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP) certified AdNU's institutional accreditation on June 22, 2009.

In 2001, Ateneo de Naga was among the first 22 private higher education institutions in the Philippines granted by CHED deregulated status for five years. At the same time CHED recognized its colleges. In 2007, CHED re-designated the College of Computer Studies as a Center for Development for Excellence in Information Technology Education and designated the College of Commerce as Center of Development in Business Administration and also in Entrepreneurship. In 2007 CHED identified the Graduate School as a delivering institution for its Faculty Development Program. On June 2, 2008, CHED granted Ateneo de Naga autonomous status and approved the designation of the College of Education as a Center of Excellence in Teacher Education. The College of Computer Studies was also recognized as a CHED Center of Excellence in Information Technology in 2016.[3]

As of the year 2020, Ateneo de Naga is the only autonomous and institutionally accredited university in Bicol.

In 1991 the Department of Education, Culture and Sports placed the Ateneo in its list of 18 excellent universities and colleges.

  • College of Business and Accountancy
  • College of Computer Studies
  • College of Education
  • College of Humanities and Social Sciences
  • College of Law
  • College of Nursing
  • College of Science and Engineering

University press

Since 2005 the Ateneo has a publishing house for university research work and for outside manuscripts. While its daily operations are managed by the university press director, all publications receive final approval of the university president, upon the recommendation of the University Press Board.[4]

Jesuits honored

James J. O'Brien, S.J., Library

The following Jesuits have a building named after them, to honor their services.

  • Fr. John Joseph Phelan, S.J., science building – for his 40-plus years service.
  • Fr. James J. O'Brien, S.J., Library Main (Bagumbayan) Campus – for his long years of service.
  • Fr. Francis D. Burns, S.J., academic building – first rector, helped establish AdNU, 1940.[5]
  • Fr. Raul Bonoan, S.J., Pacol campus and building on Bagumbayan campus – first president.
  • Fr. Michael Rooney, S.J., high school building – guidance director, Jesuit Superior of Philippines.[6]
  • St. Pedro Arrupe, S.J., convention hall – world-renowned Jesuit, Superior General 1965–83: coined "men and women for others" and gave social justice thrust to contemporary Jesuit education.[7]
  • Fr. Richard M. Fernando, S.J., conference hall – sacrificed his life to protect Cambodian students.[8]
  • St. Francis Xavier, S.J., student organization building – patron saint of the university.
  • Fr. Hilario R. Bellardo,SJ. Senior High School building - director of religious formation (1993-2000) and student counselor (2001-2010) in high school.[9] And for his 34 years of service at AdNU.

Student publication

The official tertiary student publication of the university is The Pillars Publication which was founded in 1961.[10] The senior high school student publication is Kurit Bulawan while the junior high school student publication is The Blue and Gold.

Notable alumni

Notable teachers

Gallery

  • Burns Memorial Hall
    Burns Memorial Hall
  • Bonoan Hall
    Bonoan Hall
  • Arrupe Convention Hall
    Arrupe Convention Hall
  • University Church of Christ the King
    University Church of Christ the King
  • Covered Court
    Covered Court

See also

References

  1. ^ "University". Archived from the original on September 4, 2013. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
  2. ^ "The City of Naga [الأرشيف] - أرافيل:كل شئ عن الفلبين والعرب فى الفلبين". www.araphil. com (in Arabic). Retrieved October 1, 2017.
  3. ^ "Table 8. List of Centers of Excellence (COEs) and Centers of Development (CODs)" (PDF). Commission on Higher Education. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 28, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  4. ^ Team, i-Governance. "Ateneo de Naga opens university press with launching of 2 Bikol books « Dagos po sa Maogmang Naga". naga.gov.ph. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
  5. ^ "Google". www.adnu-alum.org. Archived from the original on April 24, 2015. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
  6. ^ Rooney
  7. ^ "Pedro Arrupe, SJ (1907-1991)". Ignatian Spirituality. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
  8. ^ "Richie Fernando SJ | walk the way". walktheway.wordpress.com. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
  9. ^ Philippine Jesuits. "BIOGRAPHY OF FR. HILARIO R. BELARDO, SJ". phjesuits.org. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  10. ^ Team, i-Governance. "Book Launchings, Art Exhibit in Ateneo « Dagos po sa Maogmang Naga". naga.gov.ph. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
  11. ^ Zamora, Fe (November 3, 2006). "Another Arroyo - 'Dato' - running for Congress". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  12. ^ "Roco succumbs to cancer". Philippine Daily Inquirer. August 6, 2005. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
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