Mindanao State University – General Santos

Mindanao State University - General Santos City

Pamantasang Mindanao ng Lungsod ng Heneral Santos
Official Seal
Motto	Learn, Achieve, Excel.
Type	Public, State University
Established	September 1967
Chancellor	Abdurrahman T. Canacan
President	Macapado Abaton Muslim[1]
Vice-Chancellor	Mary Lynn S. Abiera Virgilio Ramos
Location	Fatima, General Santos City, Philippines
Campus	Fatima Campus, 156 hectares Downtown Campus, 3.3 hectares
Hymn	Himno ng Pamantasang Mindanao
Colors	Maroon and Gold
Website	www.msugensan.edu.ph

Mindanao State University-General Santos City is a state university based in General Santos City, South Cotabato, Philippines. The Mindanao State University-General Santos was created six years after the establishment of the Mindanao State University Main Campus Marawi City on September 1, 1961. It is one of the state universities of the Philippines with the aim of providing education for the different strategic locations across the island of Mindanao. It is a member of the Mindanao State University System

The MSU is the only state university in the Philippines with the special mandate of integrating the cultural communities in Mindanao into the mainstream of the nation's socio-cultural and political life by providing them with opportunities for quality and relevant public education for their self-development and providing trained manpower skills and technical know-how for the economic development of the region. Its mission is to attain peace and sustainable development in the MINSUPALA (Mindanao-Sulu-Palawan) region, setting the standards of excellence in science, arts, technology, and other fields; accelerating the economic, cultural, socio-political, and agro-industrial development of the Muslim and other cultural groups, thereby facilitating their integration into the national community; preserving and promoting the rich cultural heritage of the region and conserving its rich natural resources.

History

Starting as a Community High School in 1967, MSU-GSC grew into a junior college in 1971, but was then just limited to a two-year collegiate General Education Program. With a strong clamor from the studentry and the community and all-out support from its constituents for the offering of complete degree programs, the Board of Regents was prompted to study the potential of the College for academic expansion especially when the "feeder" concept was challenged. By virtue of BOR Resolution No. 822, MSU Community College became a full-fledged unit and integral part of the MSU System.^[2]

The campus underwent series of transfers as part of its continuing growth and expansion. As a Community High School, it was a "squatter" at an area inside the Dadiangas West Elementary School campus. Engr. Abedin Limpao Osop, the first Chancellor (who was then the Director) of the campus was able to acquire a 3.3-hectare lot as a donation from city government. It gave the impetus for the offering of various College degree programs. Later, the acquisition of a 156-hectare area in Tambler (now in Bgy. Fatima) enabled MSU-GSC to strengthen its functions in instruction research and extension, subsequently affirming the significant role it plays within its areas of coverage. Concrete proofs of this are the establishment of its Research and Development Center & Office of Extension Services, and in the growth of its various colleges: Agriculture, Fisheries, Business Administration & Accountancy, Engineering, Education, Natural Sciences & Mathematics, Social Science and Humanities and its College of Law (extension classes of the main campus). Moreover, it has also opened two advanced education degree programs, the Master in Public Administration and Master of Arts in Education (MAEd) as a response to a popular demand articulated by Socsksargen public administrators and academicians.^[3]

Present MSU Gen. Santos

MSU-GSC today is one of the top ranking universities in this part of Southern Mindanao. Such esteem emanates from the topnotch performance of its graduates in licensure and bar examinations in recent years. It has shown that academic excellence is not the monopoly of expensive Manila-based universities and colleges.

Above all, the University has been widely known for its concern to reach out to the community through the provision of scientific and technological know-how essential to meet the growing requirements of industries, business and other establishments in the highly progressive Socsksargen economic growth area. Indeed, despite its youth and humble beginnings, MSU-GSC has come a long way to being a leading institution worthy to be included in the list of the country's prestigious institutions of higher learning.^[4]

In 2008, MSU General Santos' College of Engineering was in the spotlight for grabbing the top three places in the 2008 Mechanical Engineering Licensure Examinations, and showing a perfect performance in the same examinations by maintaining a 100% passing rate (15 of 15 takers), making it the number one mechanical engineering school in the country.^[5]

The university recently became a new member of the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP) with its programs in Bachelor of Science in Elementary and Secondary Education in candidate status for accreditation as of December 31, 2014.^[6]

Academics

MSU Gensan is composed of eight colleges, the College of Law, College of Agriculture, College of Business Administration and Accountancy, College of Education, College of Engineering, College of Fisheries, and the College of Arts and Sciences now divided into College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and College of Social Sciences and Humanities; a graduate school (School of Graduate Studies) and a laboratory high school (College of Education Training Department). The university also hosts extension programs in Malungon, Sarangani in benefit of B’laan and Tagakaolo residents in the said area. This is part of the university's mission to integrate the cultural minorities into public education.

Recently, the Commission on Higher Education recognized the university as a Center of Excellence in Fisheries; as Provincial Institute for Agriculture; and as Center of Training in Education.^[7]

Goals and Objectives

1. Strengthen and pursue vigorously the instruction and training for technical skills in the thrust areas of agriculture, fisheries, engineering, science & technology and allied fields;
2. Develop competent middle and high level professionals to man and manage the growing number of industries, governing agencies and private enterprises;
3. Utilize research and extension community services in the development, promotion and utilization of appropriate and useful technologies in agriculture, fisheries and other allied fields/sciences;
4. Provide demand driven and local needs centered extension community/ services for individual and collective economic capability building;
5. Provide and develop judicious utilization and protection of the environment within the context of sustainable development;
6. Work for the upliftment of the educationally disadvantaged cultural communities and other marginalized sectors of the society to hasten their holistic development; and
7. Promote peace and development.

Admission

All freshmen applicants should take and pass the Mindanao State University System Admission and Scholarship Examination (SASE).

Notable Alumni

• Melisa Cantiveros - Actress and comedienne.

References

External links

• MSU - General Santos Official Website
• MSU - Main Campus Official website
• MSU - Iligan Institute of Technology Official website
• MSU - Naawan Campus Official Website