Philippine university with two campuses located in Naga City, Camarines Sur, one on Elias Angeles Street and the other on Panganiban Drive. Vincent de Paul.
It is the only university in the world established by the Daughters of Charity of St. Its motto is By royal order from Queen Isabela II, six Daughters of Charity came to the Philippines to set up and educational institution for girls. Sisters Francisca, Crisologo, Ignacia , Juana, Rita and Antonia came from Spain to teach in the school, which was established by the Most Rev. Bishop Francisco C. Ga
inza, O.P., then Bishop of Caceres. It was named Colegio de Sta. Isabel (CSI) and admitted both paying and non-paying pupils, as ordered by the queen. By royal decree, it was made into a normal institution on January 11, 1872, making it the first teachers’ college in both the Philippines and Asia. The school admitted boys from 1940-1941 at the request of the Bishop, to allow those boys whose schools were closed during wartime to continue their studies. CSI was made by the Japanese troops into their headquarters, but continued to hold classes in the Archdiocesan Seminary and the convent of the Cathedral. After the war, the school buildings were restored. The school expanded over the years and became one of the most prestigious schools for girls in the region, with its students distinguishing themselves in academics and the arts. A pre-nursing program was started in academic year 1954-1955. The students would then be sent to the San Juan de Dios Hospital in Metro Manila to complete their training, until 1966, when the school acquired the Naga Medical Center, renaming it Mother Seton Hospital. In 1991, a larger Mother Seton Hopsital was built. Nutrition and Dietetics and Physical Therapy programs were eventually added.A College of Medicine was opened in 2002, only to close down 2 years later due to financial problems. In the 1980s-1990s, the lay faculty were allowed to take managerial positions, after years of domination by the members of the order. In 1998, CSI opened a night school for working students. It started with 11 students and in 2003, the first graduating batch numbered only 18, but there are now over 200 students enrolled in the night school. CSI achieved university status on November 17, 2002, becoming the Universidad de Sta. Isabel (USI). The population of the entire USI as of 2008 is more than 6,000. Of these, 3,185 are in the higher education level while 2,599 are in the basic education level plus there are 260 in the Night High School.
