Southwestern University (Philippines) - History

History

In summer of 1946, when the Philippines was in the rehabilitation process after World War II, Southwestern University was founded with the name Southwestern Colleges. The founders were husband-and-wife pharmacists Matias Hipolito Chavez Aznar II and Anunciacion Barcenilla Aznar.

Southwestern Colleges started with 18 faculty members and 509 students in three two-storey buildings on an approximately two-hectare lot. It had the following courses: elementary, high school (day and night classes), first two years of Arts and Sciences (Associate programs), Education and Commerce, and first-year Law. In the school year 1946–47, the Colleges of Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy and the Graduate School were opened. The College of Nursing was added in school year 1948–1949.

The school became a university on December 11, 1959 with its formal inauguration and the investiture of the co-founder and second president Anunciacion Barcenilla Aznar on February 13, 1960. The school year 1959–1960 also started with two new courses: Engineering and Optometry. The College of Medical Technology was opened in 1962. Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine came after a few years. The latest colleges added were Computer Studies, Physical Therapy, Maritime, and Criminology. In 2009, the university had 20 colleges and departments.

Southwestern University has continuously expanded its curricular offerings and its physical plant. The university now occupies more than 18 hectares. The Aznar Coliseum with a seating capacity of approximately 7,000–8,000 is the venue for sports and cultural activities.