Before there was a university, there was a small agricultural school, 26 pioneering students, and a piece of land that needed to be cleared.
Seventy-five years later, that humble beginning has grown into Mindoro State University (MinSU), the province’s first university and an institution that has become part of the story of generations of Mindoreños.
On August 25, MinSU–Victoria Campus marked this journey with a commemorative parade and ceremonial floral offering at the campus’ symbolic pyramid, held a day before the institution’s 75th founding anniversary.
More than a celebration of an institution, the activity was a tribute to the people who have carried its story through the decades - students who once walked its paths, teachers who shaped young minds, employees who kept the institution moving, alumni who carried its name beyond the campus, and partners who helped it grow.
From 26 students to a University
The celebration traced its roots to August 26, 1951, when the institution opened its doors as the Mindoro National Agricultural School (MINAS) with 26 pioneering students.
Established through Republic Act No. 506, MINAS was created to provide agricultural education in Mindoro. Its early years were marked not only by classroom instruction but also by hard work and resourcefulness, as its first students helped clear the virgin forest and build temporary facilities that served as classrooms and cottages.
As the years passed, the school grew and changed with the needs of the province.
MINAS became the Mindoro College of Agriculture and Technology (MCAT) in 1976. In 1995, it was converted into the Mindoro State College of Agriculture and Technology (MinSCAT) through Republic Act No. 8007, becoming the first state college in Oriental Mindoro.
Another chapter began with its conversion into Mindoro State University (MinSU) through Republic Act No. 10596, as amended by Republic Act No. 11006.
The institution subsequently secured full compliance with the requirements for university status on March 16, 2021.
From a school with 26 students, it had become a university serving thousands of learners and communities across the province and beyond.
A pyramid rooted in history
At the heart of the anniversary commemoration stood a familiar landmark at Victoria Campus, recalls the institution’s humble beginnings - campus pyramid.
More than a landmark, the pyramid carries a story.
According to MinSU’s historical accounts, the pyramid represents a fallen or tumbled tree, recalling the trees that once stood on the campus grounds when pioneering students helped clear the forest and build temporary classrooms and cottages.
The landmark connects the university’s present to a time when resources were limited but the commitment to education was already firmly planted.
The floral offering paid tribute to the people behind that journey - the pioneers who laid the institution’s foundation and the generations of students, faculty members, personnel, alumni, who carried its mission forward, and the partners who continue to contribute to its growth.
Leading the activity were Ms. Rovelyn P. Roxas, OIC-Vice President for Administration, Finance and Operations; Dr. Jerrel P. Reyes, Campus Executive Director; Ms. Filomena P. Reyes, Chief Administrative Officer; Ms. Elisa M. Agoncillo, Director for Extension; and Engr. Rodrigo C. Silvestre, one of the university’s Outstanding Alumni.
As MinSU Victoria Campus celebrates 75 years, its anniversary serves as both a reflection on the past and a commitment to the future.
From MINAS to MCAT, MinSCAT, and now MinSU, the institution’s history is a story of continuous transformation - rooted in service, strengthened by generations, and carried beyond the classroom into communities across Mindoro.
Seventy-five years later, the journey continues.
And like a tree deeply rooted in the soil from which it grew, MinSU moves forward - drawing strength from its past while cultivating a future worthy of the generations yet to come. (jdtdc)
#SDG4 #SDG16
302 Staff
10531 Students
9 Colleges
3 Years
