NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
School Profile

Don Mariano Fortunato Jhocson, a young man of 23 had a vision to inculcate the qualities of leadership, competence, moral and spiritual values, and the holistic development of the individual. He referred to this vision as "Dynamic Filipinism." In order to realize this vision, he founded the Colegio Filipino on August 1, 1890. It was a non-sectarian and co-educational institution which had elementary and secondary levels. Through the years, the Colegio Filipino developed a tertiary level by offering courses in commerce and changed its name to Colegio Mercantil. Later, it also offered law together with the Philippine Law School. Its most outstanding alumnus was the late Honorable Carlos P. Garcia, President of the Philippines.

Due to the steady growth of Colegio Mercantil in terms of the increased number of disciplines, it changed its name to the National Academy in 1916. However, it was in January 17, 1921, under its then President Camilo Osias that approval was sought from the Department of Public Instruction to change its name for the last time to the National University (NU). Currently, NU maintains its membership with the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities, the Association of Southeast Asia Higher Institutions of Learning and the International Association of Universities.

As NU,it has consistently played an active role in sports by first joining the National Collegiate Athletic Association in 1924, the Big 3 in 1930 and finally the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) on September 27, 1938. As a charter member of the UAAP, it has been a part of the league since the beginning. It was during the term of NU as host under the leadership of Mrs. Leticia J. Paguia that the UAAP sent its first delegation to compete internationally in the 1967 Tokyo Universiad.