Lyceum-Northwestern University started as the Dagupan City School of Nursing under the management of former Secretary of Health and former Governor of Pangasinan Dr. Francisco Q. Duque, a man of public service and decisive management skills. The institution was co-founded with his wife Mrs. Florencia T. Duque in 1969 and it was based in the Dagupan City Polyclinic
Hospital.
Under Dr. Francisco Q. Duque’s presidency, new course offerings were added in succeeding years, to include Pre-Nursing, Liberal Arts, Medical Secretarial Science, Radiologic Technology and Medical Technology. By then, the school had been renamed to the Lyceum of Dagupan City.
In 1974, Dr. Duque’s forward thrust for the expansion of the institution led to the acquisition of the Northwestern Educational Institution. The Lyceum of Dagupan was thereafter renamed to Lyceum-Northwestern. The acquired infrastructure allowed for the addition of B.S. Elementary Education, Junior Secretarial, Commerce and Master of Arts in Education.
In the latter part of the year, the Lyceum-Northwestern management spearheaded a consortium of local tertiary schools and founded the Northern Philippines Institute of Medicine. The Lyceum-Northwestern became the first medical school of the North. The consortium did not last, though, and
upon its dissolution in 1976, the Lyceum- Northwestern management took sole control of the institute and renamed it to the Dr. Francisco Q. Duque Medical Foundation College of Medicine.
With the passing of Dr. Francisco Q. Duque, Mrs. Florencia T. Duque assumed leadership as LN’s 2nd president in 1976. Her leadership provided continuance to the pace set during Dr. Duque’s management. Her term of office from 1976-1990 had given rise to 20 courses, two campuses and a peak enrollment of seven thousand students by the late 1980s. Expansive investments pursued by Mrs. Duque had led to Lyceum-Northwestern’s becoming the largest educational institution in Dagupan City.
In December 1990, LN mourned the death of Mrs. Florencia T. Duque. Their eldest son, Dr. Salvador T. Duque became the institution’s 3rd president. His assumption into offi ce came at a time when Dagupan City had just suffered heavy losses due to the earthquake of July 16 earlier that year.
Dr. Salvador’s presidency saw a very active role of LN in the city’s socio-civic activities. He founded, with distinguished civic leaders, the Metro Dagupan City Civilian Reconstruction Fund Foundation, Inc. (MDCCRFFI), an umbrella organization of all civic clubs in the city whose concern was to help in the rehabilitation of Dagupan City.
The 3rd presidency saw the offering of Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering and B.S. Marine Transportation. It also saw the construction of the LN Gym and junior Olympic swimming pool, making LN the only institution in Dagupan City to have both facilities in campus.
Dr. Salvador Duque shared his younger brother, Cesar T. Duque’s interest in school accreditation. By 1994, LN earned its Level I Accreditation Status from the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP) through the Philippine Accrediting Association for Schools, Colleges and
Universities (PAASCU). Upon his initiative, Dr. Salvador relinquished his presidency to give way to a new leadership for the school.
PRESENT TIMES
The management of Lyceum-Northwestern University has fi nally come full circle as turnover for the University’s 4th presidency came under the leadership of yet another seasoned public servant, former Vice Governor of Pangasinan and former POEA Deputy Administrator Atty. Gonzalo T. Duque on August 17, 1998.
Disposed to a brand of management and thrust towards academic excellence shared in common with Lyceum-Northwestern’s first President, Atty. Gonzalo T. Duque instituted radical measures to reaf- firm LNU’s founding principle of public service through relevant and quality education.
The rush generated by his presidency has led to an array of recognitions and grants that have furthered LNU’s distinct position among academic circles in then province of Pangasinan and Region I.
On April 16, 1999, LNU profi ted the approval of the FAAP through the PAASCU for the award of Level II Accreditation Status covering the colleges of Medical Technology, Arts & Sciences, Education and Commerce.
In the era of this second millennium, the Lyceum-Northwestern found great honor in being the country’s fi rst college to be elevated to the level of a University on November 19, 2001 through an en blanc resolution by Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairperson Ester Albano Garcia and her Commissioners Hadja Roquaiya Maglangit, Manuel D. Punzal, and Carlito S.Puno.
No less than Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo extolled the institution’s Conferment and Investiture Ceremony as she swore unto Atty. Gonzalo T. Duque the honor and authority of University President.
Parallel to its achievements in the field of academic preparation, LNU earned its BS EN ISO 9001: 1994 Certifi cate of Excellence from the UKAS Quality Management and the Anglo Japanese American Registrars on August 24, 2001 for excellence in Quality Management System. LNU has since earned another certifi cation, ISO Certifi cate 9001:2000 on November 25, 2003.
The Lyceum-Northwestern University is now a Deregulated University, a rare measure and high privilege of academic freedom and power, granted by the CHED on October 27, 2003. Again, Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal Arroyo honored LNU by ceremonially conferring the award to Atty. Gonzalo T. Duque in Malacañang on November 28, 2003.
In the fi eld of technology, LNU’s IT and network infrastructure is powered by E1 hardware, ranking it as having the fastest connectivity in Region I. Its effi ciency is the backbone of the university’s connectivity with its linkages abroad.
The dice has now been cast and the returns generated are becoming evident in the performance of the University’s graduates. LNU periodically turns out topnotch board examinees. Its College of Pharmacy has been ranked as the nation’s top third by the Philippine Regulations Commission (PRC).
The Lyceum-Northwestern University marches on with a forward-looking vision of becoming a new center of development and academic excellence–one that is powered by the conviction that excellence is a relevant need of the studentry and the community that it services.
Having achieved such sweeping success in evolving LNU, Atty. Duque was conferred the degree of Doctor of Education on March 17, 2002 by the University of Baguio. Asked how the institution was able to gain its University status and deregulation in so short a time, Dr. Gonzalo T. Duque
credited it to the consolidated support of the Board of Trustees and to institution’s credo that “Team work and hard work will always work.” And through “prayers, prayers,prayers.”
STUDENTS' ACHIEVEMENTS
Students of the Lyceum- Northwestern University enjoy the benefit of well-rounded exposure and involvement that make college life a hands-on encounter with the root of academic, ideological and artistic experience.
Student artists of in-campus clubs such as the LNU Symphonic Choir has had the memorable honor of performing side-by-side with the Philharmonic Orchestra last December 16, 2003 in a pre-Christmas concert entitled the Phil. Harmonic Orchestra Goes Pop held at the Dagupan Astrodome in Pangasinan.
Counter student performing arts club Teatro Francisco enjoy equal acclaim as its string of stage play productions–"Believe" (2003), "Hunchback of Notre Dame" (2003) and its latest, "Kutob" (2004)–have been the objects successful patronage and anticipation among those who have an appetite for theater.
Yet, greater still are the honors enjoyed by the young athletes of the institution. The FQD Special Science High School of LNU has the reigning 2004 Champion of the recently held World Taekwando Huwarang Festival in the person of Niño Patrick Ivan Ferrer. While college counterparts
Michael Dumayag and Clifford Nene were the 2003 gold medallist of the Czech Republic International Karate Championship.
It is a blessing not only to the students but also to neighboring communities that LNU is the province’s lead carrier of paramedical courses. Year round, LNU students reach out to frontline in missions, campaigns, community awareness programs that benefit hundreds of families.
Needy residents in the city of Dagupan and neighboring municipalities enjoy free services ranging from lecture seminars and dental missions care of the College of Dentistry; Hepatitis A and B screening, fasting blood sugar test, blood typing, urine and fecal analysis care of the College of Medical Technology; tree planting and cleanliness drive care of the Natural Sciences Department. And along side are the various community service projects sponsored by other major paramedical colleges such as Physical Therapy and Nursing.
Every year, LNU conducts Medical Missions with Chinese Charitable Institutions and the Chinese General Hospital led by its president Dr. James Dy, bringing benefi t to thousands of patients since its inception in 1999. But above all, the Lyceum- Northwestern University’s dedication to the ideals of education is most eloquently demonstrated in its various involvements, and recognitions in the field of research.
In the 26th Annual Scientifi c Meeting of the National Academy of Science and Technology last July 2004 chemistry students Jennifer Aguada and Rochelle Ellasus co-authored with LNU’s R&D Coordiantor Mrs. Cynthia Lopez a research on the Physicochemical Properties of Seed Gum from Paradise Flower. Their work was Region I’s sole entry coming from a Private Higher Education Institution (HEI).
On September 13-15, 2001 in the Annual World Conference of Science and Technology LNU enjoyed the double honor of having its entry entitled, "A Study of the Curative Potential of Atis Powdered Seed in Coconut Oil against Sarcoptic Mange of Native Dogs" to be accepted among the poster paper exhibits and its entry entitled, "The Potential of Sodium Bicarbonate, Sensodyne and Fluocaril to Reduce Tooth Surface Erosion Due to Swimming Pool Clorinated Water: Preliminary In-Vitro Findings" to be included as a full-length paper in the proceedings of the conference.
Recognition of LNU’s research endeavors has now become international with the publication of the research entitled, "De Lorenzo’s Four Interesting Mysteries Verifi ed in the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Journal of Chemical Education." The same work also gained the distinction of being one of the top five among 70 HEI entries of Regions 1, 2 and CAR submitted for the CHED’s Republica Award.
COURSES OFFERED
The Lyceum-Northwestern University offers a total of 39 graduate and degree courses and 21 non-degree courses. It also has one primary and two secondary schools that offer general and special science curricula.
The university ranks as having one of the most number of accredited course offerings in Region I. The university’s colleges of Arts Sciences, Commerce, Medical Technology, and Education are all Level II-accredited under the PAASCU while its colleges of Computer Science, Tourism and Pharmacy are undergoing consultancy for Level I accreditation.
The School system’s Francisco Q. Duque Medical Foundation Special Science High School is already Level I- accredited and is now prepped for its bid for Level II.
To further the university’s position relative to all other educational institutions north of Luzon, the school management is now in coordination with the PACUCOA for the first volley of inspections leading to Level I accreditation of the university’s Doctor of Dental Medicine, Master of Arts in Education, Master of Business Administration, B.S. Criminology, B.S. Nursing, and Engineering programs.
Aggressive investments in the university’s IT and Engineering departments are geared to making the institution an emerging standard in Region I in these fields.
The university is also highly focused in its thrust to promote Vocational Technology education. Yet, despite these changes and evolutions, Lyceum-Northwestern University remains in the eye of the public as the school of preference for paramedical courses.
Though the management prefers that there be symmetry in the distribution of its college students, market demand is a major factor that dictates course preference. Due to the strong allure of lucrative employment abroad, it is not surprising that more than half of the University’s 10,373 students are into paramedical courses.
