Saint Michael's College of Laguna (SMCL) is an autonomous college[1] in Biñan, Laguna, Philippines, formerly known as Biñan College. SMCL was founded by the nine Limaco sisters, on August 25, 1975. Luisa Limaco-De Leon provided the idea of building the school, Pura Limaco financed the school's operations, while Milagros Limaco, a teacher, was later elected as the chairman of the board and director of the school. The school was named after the Limaco patriarch, Miguel, a philanthropist.
In 2008, the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA), awarded SMCL with a Level III Reaccreditation Status for its Liberal Arts, Business Administration and Teacher Education (Elementary and Secondary) programs. In 2010, the Nursing, Grade School, and High School programs received Level I Formal Accreditation. It was also granted Deregulated Status by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in 2003 which was retained for another five years starting in 2009 through a Commission en banc decision.[2][3] SMCL is also an ISO 9001:2015 certified educational institution.[4]
Academic programs
Tertiary Education Division
School of Education, Arts and Sciences
Bachelor of Secondary Education, majors: English, Filipino, Social Studies, and Mathematics; Bachelor of Elementary Education, Bachelor of Early Childhood Education; Bachelor of Arts in English Language; Bachelor of Arts in Filipino Language; Bachelor of Science in Psychology
School of Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
School of Business, Management, and Information Technology
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, major: Marketing Management, Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management; Bachelor of Science in Computer Science; Associate in Computer Technology
Basic Education Division
K to 12 (Integrated School - Kinder to Grade 10; Senior High School (Grade 11 to Grade 12 - STEM, HESS, ABM, GAS)
Accreditation and Certification
The Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA) accredited all programs of the school. The Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP) certified the grant.
The outreach arm of the school is Lingkod at Pagmamahal ng Saint Michael's College of Laguna Foundation, Inc. (LINGAP-SMCL). LINGAP-SMCL is responsible for the HEAL (Health and Sanitation, Education and Empowerment, Advocacy and Social Awareness, and Livelihood Opportunities) Program. A study on the program's effect to its beneficiaries was accepted in the 4th International Barcelona Conference on Higher Education (2008) of the Global University Network for Innovation (GUNI).[6] SMCL is also a Gawad Kalinga partner (GK1MB school).
TED Central Student Council (Highest governing council of the Tertiary Education Division)
Central Student Council (Highest governing council of the Basic Education Division)
SMCL Golden Z Club (Winner for several years, Emma Conlon International Award for Service)[8][9][10]
Z Club of Laguna (Winner for several years, Emma Conlon International Award for Service)[11]
Michaelean Theater and Dance Co. (Cultural/performing arts group, July 11, 2011 Winner, Showtime - ABS-CBN) (Defunct)
SMCL Dance Company (Cultural/performing arts group)
SMCL Drum and Lyre Corps (Cultural/performing arts group)
Tanghalang Michaelean (Cultural/performing arts group)
The Michaelean Herald/Pahayagang Miguel (Official student publication, winner in the National Schools Press Conference[12] and Best Culture Writing Page of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (Philippines)[13][14])
Archangels Pep Squad/Blue Angels Dance Squad (Finalist, NCC Philippines)[15][16] (Defunct)
SMCL Arachangels Varsity Team
Michaelean Film Collective (2020 Finalist, Documentary Section, Gawad CCP para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video)[17]
Institutional Affiliations
Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU)[18][19]
Philippine Association of Private Schools, Colleges, and Universities (PAPSCU)
Association of Southeast Asian Institutions of Higher Learning (ASAIHL)
Laguna Inter-institutional Consortium
PAPSCU Excellent Academic Research Link
CALABARZON Research Council
Philippine Society for Educational Research and Evaluation
Coordinating Council for Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA)
International Association of Student Affairs and Services (IASAS)
Eleuterio F. Timbol Jr.(2021 Empire State Excellence in Teaching Award -NY, USA,[26] AFTA New York City Ulirang Guro Awardee 2015 [27] and 2024 SLOAN STEM Teaching Awardee[28])
Business
Ma. Guia Lopez de Leon [29] (Most Outstanding Youth of Laguna 2005)
Anthony Almeda (President, National Grid Corporation of the Philippines)