The Divine Word College of Urdaneta is one of the earlier university and college owned and managed by the Society of the Divine Word, popularly known as the Divine Word Missionaries. It has evolved from a small educational institution in Urdaneta City to a source of quality Catholic education in the region. Early in 1963, the Society of the Divine Word opened a seminary of its own in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan. Later, the idea of adding a high school and college was approved. Father Augustine Herbers, SVD was in charge of the project. A 6.5 hectare lot was bought from the Sison family in 1964. To find funds for the building, Fr. Herbers went to Germany and sought the help of his friends. On March 20, 1966 the Most Reverend Archbishop Mariano Madriaga, D.D, blessed the cornerstone of the building. By the school year 1967-1968, the three-story building was ready to open its doors to the first students. There were 165 high school and 72 college students and 8 seminarians enrolled. Fr. Herbers was the first seminary rector and Father George Harwardt, the first college director. At the end of that school year the first secretarial students graduated; the first high school graduation took place in 1970. From the first year the Divine Word College offered high school, secretarial, commerce, liberal arts and education degrees. Fr. Harwardt was transferred to Manila in 1970 and Fr. Herbers became director with Frs. Francis Cuylen and Cecil Floresca as his assistants. Due to the very urgent need for a new building to accommodate the growing student population, Fr. Herbers had to go to Germany again to seek funds for the construction at the beginning of the school year 1972-1973. In his absence, Fr. Panfilo Gianan, a Filipino, became director with Fr. Fabia, also a Filipino, as prefect of the seminarians and treasurer of the college. The Divine Word College of Urdaneta opened its pre-elementary department in 2003 and its elementary department in 2005.
Administration
The Divine Word College of Urdaneta is under the administration and spiritual direction of the Society of the Divine Word. The SVD is a Roman Catholicinternational organization of religious priests and brothers founded in 1875 by a German priest, Saint Arnold Janssen. Its members, over 6,000 strong, are working in 35 countries as missionaries and educators. In the Philippines, the Central House of the Divine Word Missionaries is the Divine Word Seminary in E. Rodriguez Boulevard, Quezon City. In Urdaneta, a minor seminary is attached to the Divine Word College where young aspirants study with the high school boys and girls. More than 60 institutions of learning in the Philippines are owned or directed by the Divine Word Missionaries.
School Presidents
The DWCU has been serving the thirteen SVD priests since the year when the school was built. On June 22, 2017 Fr. Roberto J. Ibay, SVD was installed as the 13th President of the Divine Word College of Urdaneta preceding Fr. Gil T. Manalo, SVD who is now in Divine Word College of Bangued in Abra, also serves today as president of that institution.
Fr. George Hardwart, SVD
Fr. Augustine Herbers, SVD and Fr. Panfilo Ginan, SVD
On the seal of the DWCU, the fortress or castle stands for the town of Urdaneta where the college is. According to history, Fray Andres Urdaneta, after whom the town is named, had a fortress in his coat-of-arms or seal. The orb surmounted by a cross represents the Society of the Divine Word, a missionary organization, whose members run the college. The cross is also used to symbolize the Divine Word College itself because, being a Catholic institution of learning, it contributes to the spiritual and moral upliftment of the community. What appears as rays emanating from the cross are the four letter Vs of the college motto: "Verbo Veritatis, Verbo Vitae". This is a dedication of the school to Christ who calls Himself the Truth and the Life. The motto is also an avowal of the aims of the school, namely, to bring the truth and the Christian way of life to its students. Saint Joseph Freinademetz, the first SVD missionary to China, is the patron saint and model of the school.
The DWCU hymn
Join friends our hearty cheer Shout it with voices clear Divine Word College, hail! Our love will never fail! Sing out a lively song Sing it sincere and strong, Beloved school, our guide, True Urdaneta's pride!
