Miriam College launches second campus in Nuvali

Miriam College staff release pigeons at the Ground Blessing, Time Capsule Dedication, and Contract Signing Ceremonies at Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Photo Courtesy of Miriam College External Affairs Office.

MANILA, Philippines – Miriam College and Ayala Land have partnered to create a new school in Nuvali that aims to educate and uplift the community and preserve the environment.

“Three things are most important in life: Timing, Opportunity, and Choice,” Rosario O. Lapus, Miriam College President, said in her speech during the soft-launching of the new campus.

“This opportunity for Miriam College to come to Nuvali has come at the right time. And we have made our choice. The right choice for us as a school,” she said.

“In this new place, in our Nuvali setting, serving a more diverse set of students, we will be ready to deliver our unique brand of Miriam College education,” Lapus said.

The 15-hectare Miriam College Nuvali is set to open in 2014 after years of research, study, and consultations with the local sector and potential market. The new school will have the best a school can offer: an athletic field, real and virtual classrooms, and a Learning Media Center with computer labs, among others, Lapus said.

Shared Values

Nuvali, Ayala Land’s property development project in Laguna, was chosen by Miriam College because they have similar values: sustainability, community development, and environmental advocacy.

“As we build NUVALI today, it is highly important that we partner with an educational institution that shares our vision for the kind of community we intend to build,” Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Ayala Land Inc. Chairman, said in his speech.

“The values and vision of the institution fit squarely with what NUVALI stands for. Miriam College’s strong emphasis on environmental education and NUVALI’s focus on sustainable development are highly complementary and mutually supportive of our goal to build a truly sustainable community,” he said.

As part of the environmental design, the campus will follow a 1:1 ratio of structures and open spaces, buildings will adapt to the existing terrain, climate, and environment, and sustainable energy sources will be utilized.

“We find a shared commitment towards the preservation of the natural environment, particularly with the institute’s strong programs in environmental education. We also find a common element in our desire to reach out to the broader community outside NUVALI,” Ayala said.

Miriam College President Rosario Lapus delivers the opening messages at the soft launching of Miriam College's second campus in Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Miriam College’s social and community development program, the Miriam Adult Education (MAE) program for out-of-school youth, is similar to Nuvali’s livelihood and training program that provides opportunities to hundreds of people to the surrounding communities.

“Miriam’s Adult Education programs that provide basic education and training for the underprivileged sectors and for those who have not had a chance at basic education, are very much aligned with our efforts to uplift the lives of people around NUVALI through education and livelihood opportunities,” Ayala said.

“We can be partners in imparting the philosophy of balance, nurturing young minds and teaching the importance of community and environment through Miriam College’s excellent academic programs infused with Christian values,” Aniceto V. Bisnar Jr., Nuvali General Manager, said in the statement.

Education Programs

The school will be for “smart, motivated, self-driven” boys and girls in Laguna, most of whom will have support from the school, Lapus said.

She said that they were adapting their education program for the modern world which he described as “global, digital, fast-paced, complex, and change-oriented.”

She hopes that they will develop creative and dedicated problem-solvers through engagement, discovery, and exploration as methods of learning.

The new school will start with basic education focused on Science, Math, and the Communication Arts which were “core areas that have been [Miriam’s] strength” for many years, she said.

Five years later, they will begin to offer higher education with programs “that blend tradition with innovation” so as to create “a dynamic and innovative fusion of the humanities with business and practical education,” Lapus said.

They will be offering majors in the fields of Marketing and the New Media, Entrepreneurship, Design and the arts, International studies and Migration, Gender Studies, Corporate Social Work, Humanitarian and Disaster Management courses, and Science, Technology, and Environmental Studies.

Full Potential

Lapus said that they would be fully dedicated to help the students “reach their spiritual, personal, and professional goals; build successful careers; lead rich and meaningful lives; and realize powerful returns on their educational investments.”

“We believe that Education is the single most powerful force for a better world. So this is our Choice, here we are at Nuvali, fully committed to the improvement of education and life in this new community,” she added.

Ayala thanked Miriam College for choosing Nuvali as the location of their second campus. “[Its] presence in a rapidly growing province like Laguna will serve the needs of many of its future residents as well as the communities outside it,” he said.

“We look forward to having Miriam College grow with the Nuvali community. We hope to work with you as you continue to expand horizons and create a lasting and meaningful impact in the lives of many Filipinos today and in future generations,” Ayala said.