Roosevelt College is located at J.P. Rizal St. Lamuan, Marikina City. Their central office is located at Sumulong Highway, Cainta, Rizal.

During the first year of operations, 23 students enrolled, all children of shoemakers. The following year, enrollment increased to 54. The first graduation exercises took place in 1936 with 10 "pioneer" graduates. In an examination given by the government for recognition purposes that year, the Marikina Academy placed 19th among the 70 private schools all over the country. By 1941, enrolment swelled to 272.

The school was closed on December 8, 1941 when World War II broke out. The Marikina Academy ceased operations after the death of its founder.

Meanwhile, a group of prominent citizens and educators, anticipating the enormous task of postwar reconstruction and rehabilitation moved to revive the Academy and invited all concerned to join them in the noble effort. So, in 1945, a corporation was organized to operate a Secondary School in the same, old hacienda house and the school was named Roosevelt Memorial High School in honor of the late wartime US President, Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Engr. Deogracias F. dela Paz, one of the incorporators was elected first President of the Board of Trustees, a position he held for 33 years. The school became the rallying point of almost all elementary graduates of the public schools in Marikina, San Mateo, and Montalban.

The increased demand inspired the school to branch out in the peripheral areas of Marikina. The branches opened were: San Juan in 1946, Cubao in 1948, San Mateo in 1949, Murphy in 1951, Quirino District in 1953, and Montalban (now Rodriguez) in 1962.

Collegiate courses were offered in 1962 and the school was renamed Roosevelt College. The opening of the elementary school in 1964 made the school a three-level academic institution.

In 1965, another branch was opened in Marikina, and later, in 1974, the original school in Marikina was transferred to Cainta. College courses in Cainta were opened in 1976, starting with Arts and Sciences, Engineering and Nursing. The Graduate School’s Agro-Forestry Extension program soon followed.

The decade of the 90s was greeted by bold steps taken by the Board of Trustees. The Roosevelt College Foundation Center for Teacher Education was established with a substantial amount as initial outlay with no return in investment expected except for the chance to hire teacher education graduates who are highly trained and qualified for the job.

The College Division responded to the country’s demand for manpower in the technical level by opening two-year course in Information Technology. Meanwhile, training for the professions was maintained at competitive levels by upgrading the engineering curricula and facilities to conform to the Technical Panel for Engineering and Architecture Education (TPEAE) standards. Courses like BS in Computer Science and BS in Commerce major in Management Information System were opened.

The latter half of the decade ushered in another degree course, BS in Computer Engineering aimed to produce professionals for the Information Technology industries. To handle the growing demand for an effective middle-level work force in the construction industry, Construction Technology was opened in SY 1998-1999. Through the joint efforts of the school and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the course was strengthened through a consortium with the Philippine Constructors Association, Marikina Valley Chapter (PCA-Marivalley), a group that will provide the required industry training for the students.

Capping the decade is the opening of another major under BS Commerce, Business Management, and Public Administration. The elevation of Computer Education Department to Institute of Computer Education is another milestone of the period.

PRESENT TIMES

The advent of the new millennium dictated changes especially in the educational system, to better respond to the call of globalization. Roosevelt College faced the challenges of the 21st century with wisdom culled from the past seven decades in its pursuit of the philosophy: "The essence of education is liberation from the bondage of ignorance and poverty."

A five-year development plan was drawn along the persuasions of accreditation requirements. The school’s philosophy, mission, and vision were revisited and adapted to present needs. Along this line, faculty, instruction, library, laboratory, student services, administration, facilities, and community services were analyzed and evaluated. School units were prepared and application to the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools Colleges and Universities (PAASCU) followed. To date, the unit in Rodriguez has undergone a formal PAASCU visit.

Massive infrastructure and facilities development program was also undertaken including modernization of science laboratories, upgrade of computer laboratories, language laboratory and a gymnasium.

To underscore its commitment to provide quality education, the school opted to implement the 2002 RBEC during school year 2002-2003, to test its effectiveness. Whatever insights gained from the yearlong experiment were inputted in developing a distinctly Roosevelt basic education curriculum. Towards this end, the school has sought permission of DepEd to modify the BEC for school year 2004-2005 to better reflect the school’s goals. English became the medium of instructions in all subjects except in Filipino.

In addition to the subjects required in the BEC, Roosevelt College enriched the curriculum by adding four subjects: Speech and Grammar, Journalism, Trigonometry and Calculus. Submission of defended Research paper also became a requisite for graduation in the secondary school. SY 2005-2006 saw the addition of Environmental Science as another additional subject, even as the Science subjects have integrated investigatory projects in the syllabi. In SY 2006-2007 Research Statistics will be added to the curriculum. Through this, the school hopes to regain the competitive edge it used to have before the RBEC was put into effect.

The great demand for Registered Nurses convinced the Board of Trustees to revive the Institute of Nursing, which was earlier phased out in 1982 after graduating its first batch of enrollees who all passed the Board Examination for Nurses. With AB Broadcasting, Nursing Assistant, and Caregiver course, the College Department is well along its way in giving relevant and quality education to future workers in the global village.