History
Just after the close of World War II, Atty. Gabriel Fabrero Fabella — a UP history professor from Romblon who had resettled in San Jose — rallied community leaders to build the town's first school. On August 8, 1945, Southern Mindoro Academy (SMA) opened with just 30 freshmen and 8 sophomore students in Barrio Siete Central, near the Philippine Milling Company sugar mill.
In 1946, the school relocated to land purchased from the Soldevilla family — its current site to this day. In May 1960, Fr. Carlos Brendel, SVD completed the SVD's acquisition of SMA, with Mena R. Quinto facilitating the transaction. The school was renamed Divine Word Academy in 1961 and then Divine Word College in 1966.
DWCSJ expanded steadily with programs in Secretarial (1978), BSA (1993), Computer Science (1997), AB Communication, BSHRM, and BST (2000–2001), and BS Nursing (2005). In 2016, an International Language Center opened offering Spanish, French, Italian, and Mandarin Chinese. The current 14th president is Rev. Fr. Felino B. Javines Jr., SVD (installed August 11, 2023). Motto: "Witnessing to the Word."
Notable Achievements
- First and oldest educational institution on all of Mindoro island — predating the island's split into two provinces by 5 years
- Accredited CPD Provider for Professional Teachers by PRC (2017)
- International Language Center offering Spanish, French, Italian, and Mandarin Chinese (2016)
- Robotics program for Junior High School students via TechFactors Inc. (2019)
- Mangyan Education Community Extension Program for indigenous communities
- Autonomous MBA and MAEd programs — fully independent government recognition (1993 & 1995)
Location & Street View
Programs Offered
Business & Accountancy
- BS Accountancy (BSA)
- BS Business Administration (BSBA)
- Accounting Technology
Communications
- AB in Communication
Computer Science & IT
- BS Computer Science (BSCS)
- BS Information Technology (BSIT)
Education
- Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEED)
- Bachelor of Secondary Education (BSED)
Engineering (via DWCC Extension)
- BS Civil Engineering (BSCE)
Hospitality & Tourism
- BS Hotel & Restaurant Management (BSHRM)
- BS Tourism Management (BSTM)
Nursing
- BS Nursing (BSN)
International Language Center
- Spanish
- French
- Italian
- Mandarin Chinese
Graduate Programs
- Master in Business Administration (MBA) — autonomous
- Master of Arts in Education (MAEd) — autonomous
- Doctor of Philosophy in Management (PhD) — via DWCC extension
Senior High School
ABM · HUMSS · STEM · GAS · TVL (HE, ICT)
