Holy Name University

Fr. Alphonse Lesage, SVD, is remembered for opening the doors to the stage tradition of what was then Holy Name College. Old-timers will remember the success of plays such as "Pilate's Daughter," "Condemned," and "Daughters of Sale," among others. Cultural life and inclination to the Arts began to take root in HNC and nurtured by Divine Word College of Tagbilaran. But it was not until the mid 90's that this tree indeed took form. The mid 90's was witness to a sudden upsurge in cultural activities in the province, providing seemingly limitless opportunities for various cultural undertakings. Tourism was on the rise and magnified what Bohol could offer to the country and the world with its rich heritage. Thus, the role of educational institutions in Culture and Arts development became more emphasized. DWCT saw this opportunity to carry on the legacy left by Fr. Lesage and recognized the need to nurture and develop the further growth of cultural life in the campus, the Province of Bohol, and beyond. Thus, in 1997, the Office of Cultural Affairs and Development (OCAD) was created.

OCAD became the Center for planning, implementing, and sustaining cultural projects and activities at Holy Name University. The office is directly under the supervision of the Office of the Vice President for Administration.

Holy Name University Libraries provide organized collections for information, which is the currency of the knowledge economy. It is arranged for the preservation, collection, organization of material, and access to it.

Mission

• Updated library collection
• Upgraded library facilities
• Extensive access to electronic information
• Quality library personnel service and
• Conducive atmosphere to learning.

We aim to

• Maintain a well-balanced library collection
• Provide functional library facilities
• Upgrade library automation
• Engage in continuing formal education and in attending professionally relevant seminars and training
• Improve the library's physical environment and the implementation of library policies.

Created under the President's Office in June 1989, the office is mandated to take the lead in research endeavors of value to the academe and the Boholano community. Through the Center, faculty members' institutional research is provided with technical, material, and financial support. It extends its services to the various academic departments, support-service offices, and student organizations as a lead office. Research capabilities of members of the HNU family are sharpened and enhanced. The Center has expanded to include training and documentation services. Not wanting to forego opportunities that allow for a more meaningful presence in the province, the Center has opened its services to outside institutions. Its valued clients include different organizations from government, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector.

The Center boasts of being the first locally-based institution capable of conducting local public opinion polling. The BOHOL POLL was initially funded in 1997 by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Governance for Local Democracy (GOLD) project of the Associates in Rural Development (ARD), with intensive technical assistance provided for by the Social Weather Stations (SWS). Now on its own, BOHOL POLL is annual monitoring activity on the sentiments of the Boholanos on social, economic, political issues of local and national concern. The Bohol Poll is conducted in April of each year since 2000. Pre-election surveys are impressive runs during an election year.

It was hardly an auspicious beginning for Holy Name College (formerly Divine Word College and now Holy Name University) when founded by Fr. Alphonse G. Lesage, SVD, in June 1947. Based on records, it was in December 1946 when the idea of opening a Catholic school in Bohol was broached by the Most Rev. Julio D. Rosales, who wanted an institution of higher learning providing quality education and instilling Catholic Christian principles. This lofty idea was the inspiration of a man who became the first Catholic Bishop of Tagbilaran. Two thousand and one was a blessed and momentous year. In September 2001, the Divine Word College of Tagbilaran earned the honorable distinction of belonging to the 32 higher education institutions given full autonomy by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).On November 19 of the same year, DWCT was finally granted university status! DWCT was renamed Holy Name University in humble recognition of the seed that started it all. Holy Name University underscores the continuity of the school's traditions, vision-mission, and goals with the commitment of becoming an alternative regional university to serve the people of Bohol and beyond.

Father Alphonse G. Lesage, SVD, is given credit as the Founder and First Director of Holy Name College (formerly Divine Word College and now Holy Name University) in 1947. He took the cudgels of running a school that figuratively was suffering the pains of growing and the problems of infancy.Fr. Lesage was a tireless and fearless worker. His burning missionary zeal and pioneering spirit saw him through the arduous task of establishing a Catholic college in Tagbilaran. He was known for his discipline and austere disposition. He is best remembered for his unique sense of fairness and justice, sincere spirit of frugality-avoiding excesses, and sticking only to what is necessary and essential. He was born on February 17, 1905, and died on December 30, 1977.