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<img src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources-26/miriam-college.avif" alt="Miriam College" loading="lazy" />
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<h2>
Founding and Early Years (1926-1945)
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The origins of Miriam College can be traced to 1926, when Archbishop of Manila <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_J._O%27Doherty" class="news-link-ext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Michael O'Doherty</a> made a pivotal request to the Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic in Ossining, New York. He invited these American missionary nuns to establish a teacher-training program for women in the Philippines, responding to the urgent need for qualified female educators in the archipelago. The Maryknoll Sisters, founded by Mother <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Joseph_Rogers" class="news-link-ext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Mary Joseph Rogers</a> in 1912, embraced this mission as part of their broader commitment to international education and evangelization.
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The first Maryknoll Sisters arrived in the Philippines on May 2, 1926, establishing the Malabon Normal School in an old remodeled Augustinian convent in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malabon" class="news-link-ext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Malabon, Rizal</a>. The school began with 300 pupils across grade school, high school, and normal school levels. The founding sisters included Sr. Mary de Sales Mullen, Sr. Mary Teresita O'Donnell, Sr. Mary Angela Dalton, and Sr. Mary Philip Bergeron, among others. The institution produced its first four women graduates in 1930, marking the beginning of what would become a long legacy of educating Filipino women leaders.
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As enrollment grew, the school relocated several times within the Manila area. In 1936, it moved to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Avenue" class="news-link-ext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Isaac Peral Street</a> in Manila and was renamed <b class="lt-bold">Maryknoll Normal College</b>. The institution expanded its offerings beyond teacher training to include nursing in 1938, becoming the only Catholic college to offer this program at the time. By 1939, the Maryknoll Sisters had also established Maryknoll Academy in Lucena and renamed the Malabon school <b class="lt-bold">St. James Academy</b> in honor of Fr. James Anthony Walsh.
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<h2>
World War II and Reconstruction (1941-1952)
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The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_occupation_of_the_Philippines" class="news-link-ext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Japanese occupation of the Philippines</a> brought significant challenges to the Maryknoll educational mission. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the Maryknoll Sisters, along with other religious personnel, were detained by Japanese forces. Many sisters were imprisoned at various locations, with 46 eventually held at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Ba%C3%B1os,_Laguna" class="news-link-ext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Los Baños, Laguna</a> internment camp, which was dubbed "Vatican City" due to its concentration of Catholic clergy.
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The dramatic rescue of Los Baños internees on February 23, 1945, by the U.S. Army's 11th Airborne Division became one of the war's most celebrated liberation missions. Sister Maria del Rey Danforth, a Maryknoll sister from Pittsburgh, later described the moment: <b class="lt-bold">"A rustling of wings overhead  - a hundred angels, garbed in the uniform of U.S. paratroopers  - dropped from the skies"</b>. The successful operation freed all internees, including the Maryknoll Sisters who had endured more than three years of imprisonment.
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After the war, 29 Maryknoll Sisters remained in the Philippines to rebuild their educational mission. They faced the enormous task of reopening St. James Academy in Malabon, St. Mary's Hall and Maryknoll College in Manila, Maryknoll Convent School in Baguio, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryhill_College" class="news-link-ext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Maryknoll Academy in Lucena</a>. The war had destroyed many of their buildings, requiring extensive reconstruction efforts supported by donations and financial assistance from abroad.
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<h2>
Permanent Establishment in Quezon City (1952-1976)
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The most significant development in the institution's history came in 1952 when the school finally settled permanently in Diliman, specifically in what is now known as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loyola_Heights" class="news-link-ext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Loyola Heights, Quezon City</a>. The 18-hectare campus provided the space needed for the growing institution, which was officially renamed Maryknoll College at this time. The campus was strategically located near other prestigious educational institutions, creating an academic corridor along Katipunan Avenue.
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Under the leadership of Sister <a href="https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/deceased-sisters/sister-miriam-thomas-thornton-mm/" class="news-link-ext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Miriam Thomas Thornton</a>, who served as president from 1946 to 1958 and again from 1968 to 1976, the college underwent tremendous growth and development. Sister Miriam Thomas was instrumental in acquiring appropriate land, raising funds, and overseeing the construction of permanent buildings on the Quezon City campus. The Marian Auditorium was completed in 1954, becoming the cultural heart of the institution. Other significant buildings included the Mother Mary Joseph Hall, named after the Maryknoll Sisters' founder, and the Paz Adriano Hall, honoring the college's first lay president.
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<p>
The 1950s marked a period of educational expansion and vision refinement. In 1956, under Sister Miriam Thomas's guidance, the school adopted a clear vision to promote women leaders who would be "spiritually vigorous, intellectually cultured, social-minded ... one with the courage and heroism to do what is right in the face of those who disregard the examples and teachings of Christ". This philosophy would guide the institution's mission for decades to come.
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The college also embraced social consciousness during this period. In 1964, student volunteers began community work through the Maryknoll Mission Band, a lay associate project. Three years later, the Maryknoll Adult Education program was launched to serve out-of-school youth and adult learners. These initiatives reflected the institution's commitment to social justice and community service.
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<h2>
Transition to Lay Leadership (1977-1989)
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The Second Vatican Council of the 1960s prompted the Maryknoll congregation to reevaluate their global mission in light of their original apostolate as a missionary order. Recognizing the readiness of the Filipino laity to continue the educational mission they had started, the Maryknoll Sisters began the process of transferring ownership and management to local administrators.
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In 1976, Dr. Paz V. Adriano became the first lay president of the institution, coinciding with the college's 50th anniversary. Dr. Adriano, an alumna of the Maryknoll nuns, had the distinction of being the first female president of a Catholic college in the Philippines. The formal transfer of ownership and management occurred in 1977, when control passed to a Board of Trustees composed of members chosen from the local Filipino community, many of whom were alumnae trained by Sister Miriam Thomas.
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<p>
The transition agreement stipulated that the Maryknoll name would eventually be changed to allow the institution to develop its unique identity while maintaining its connection to Maryknoll values. After extensive consultations throughout the 1980s, <b class="lt-bold">Maryknoll College was officially renamed Miriam College in 1989</b>. The name "Miriam" was chosen for multiple reasons: <b class="lt-bold">it is the Aramaic name of Mary</b>, the Blessed Mother, and it served as a tribute to Sister Miriam Thomas Thornton, who had devoted 50 years of service to the institution.
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<h2>
Distinguished Leadership and Continued Growth
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Following Dr. Paz Adriano's pioneering leadership, Miriam College has been led by a series of distinguished women educators who have each contributed to the institution's growth and reputation. Dr. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lourdes_Quisumbing" class="news-link-ext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Lourdes Quisumbing</a>, the second president, served during a crucial period of expansion. She later became Secretary of Education, Culture, and Sports under President <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/897/today-in-philippine-history-january-25-1933-cory-aquino-was-born-in-manila" class="news_link">Corazon Aquino</a>, making her the first female education secretary in Philippine history. During her tenure at both the college and in government, Dr. Quisumbing championed values education and worked to expand free public education to the secondary level.
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Dr. Loreta Castro served as the third president, followed by Dr. Patricia B. Licuanan, who later became the chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education. Dr. Licuanan, a social psychologist with advanced degrees from <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/" class="news-link-ext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Cornell University</a> and <a href="https://www.psu.edu/" class="news-link-ext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Pennsylvania State University</a>, brought international experience and expertise in gender issues and educational reform. Her leadership emphasized social responsibility and global awareness, preparing the institution for 21st-century challenges.
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Dr. Rosario Oreta Lapus served as the fifth lay president from 2010 to 2019. A devoted educator with extensive experience in psychology and research, Dr. Lapus guided the institution through a period of significant expansion, including the establishment of Miriam College Nuvali in Laguna. Under her leadership, the college celebrated its 85th anniversary in 2011 with the theme <b class="lt-bold">"Expanding Horizons, Creating Impact"</b>.
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In 2020, Ambassador Laura Quiambao-Del Rosario was inaugurated as the ninth president and sixth lay president. A distinguished diplomat with 37 years of foreign service experience, she served as undersecretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and ambassador to India and Vietnam. As an alumna of Maryknoll College, she received her Bachelor's degree in English literature magna cum laude and the coveted Mother Mary Joseph Award. Her appointment represents the institution's commitment to global engagement and international perspective.
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<h2>
Academic Excellence and Social Advocacy
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Throughout its evolution, Miriam College has maintained its reputation for academic excellence while expanding its mission to include comprehensive social advocacy. The institution has earned PAASCU Level III accreditation status for various Higher Education programs, including Liberal Arts, Education, and Business. The High School, Lower School, and Middle School have also maintained Level III accreditation status, demonstrating consistent quality across all educational levels.
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The college's commitment to social issues became more pronounced during the Marcos dictatorship, when the Maryknoll community was known as one of the most active Catholic educational institutions protesting the regime's abuses. Sister Helen Graham became a founding member of the Task Force Detainees of the Philippines, while High School alumna Suellen Escribano dedicated her life to serving marginalized communities in Quezon and Bicol provinces. Both women's contributions have been recognized by the Bantayog ng mga Bayani, which honors those who fought for democracy during the martial law period.
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History of Miriam College in Quezon City