SJIT

            Education is the key to human and national development. This is the beacon of light from LIGHT HOUSE OF INSPIRATION in the distant horizon but this was the DRUM BEAT out of the passion of Nicomedes A. Salas (NAS) deep in his heart as he sought ways to respond to help theneedy and deserving, underserved and under skilled youth in the region. The passion of NAS was “SJIT MUST CONTINUE TO GROW AS TIME MARCHES ON”- life to the least of the people in the locality.

            SJIT, from humble beginning… a story of a school, tht even out of scarcity started in 1971 in a rented two-typewriters and old sewing machines that NAS out of small savings bought in Surigao City and a set of basic furniture for a classroom which became the learning hub of the first (3) three who could start the tinkering and learning of basic livelihood skills.

            In three years, the vocational-technical school grew and become a college, opening its doors to technical and professional programs with expanding enrolment. Determined to meet the increasing needs of the students population and faculty, NAS and his administration acquired the old rented building in 1974 and later was renovated. The institute acquired additional properties where the four storey structure made of wood was slowly built and completed in 1978. Later, a five storey concrete building was completed in November 1980 where the sister company Northerm Mindanao Broadcasting System was housed. To meet the expansion program of the school, a Prefab 12 classroom building was constructed and completed in 1985. A five storey concrete NICOMEDES A. SALAS (NAS) building was constructed and completes in 1993 followed by the LETICIA C. SALAS (LCS) Engineering building completed in 1996. The modern building conceptualized by architects and engineers from Manila became the latest addition to the construction of Saint Joseph Institute of Technology , a 6-storey NICOLE JOY C. SALAS (NJS) building, an edifice symbolizing growth and expansion.

            With a spn of a decade after its small beginngings, SJIT enjoyed a floushing hub of learning activities for students and faculty. The program offering expanded from just the vocational-technical skills based to professional-technical courses to include marine engineering, marine transportaion, engineering courses as well as humanities and liberal arts, commerce, education and management. In 1974 when the college opened, SJIT reached its students population to around 3800 in 1989 and rate of growth that rolled six to seven times over.

            Then, by the stroke of fate at the point of a gun, the life of NAS, founder/president of SJIT was taken away (when he was assasinated by his half-brother). While this event cpuld have toppled and crished the life of a floushing school dedicated to “Education at its Best”, the turn and twist of events proved otherwise. The leadership/management of the school was taken over by the Vice-President /wife of the fallen founder. The dream of the founder never faded with his untimely death; instead it became compelling brighter and clearer, empowering the new President Dr. Leticia C. Salas to steer the institution to meet the challenges and t greater heights of growth and success.

            A midst the agony of loss, the excruciating legal processes in the trial of the murder cases filed and cases counter filed to settle the issue of ownership by the siblings of the fallen founder, the new President anchored on her faith in God and deeply committed to the cause of education by her departed life partner, focused her own passion and talent with resolutenes to make SJIT more and different from its small beginnings.

            In barely a span of 2 decades, the enrolment of SJIT hit the 5000 mark. Its program expanded to include Masteral and Doctoral programs and the complete basic education curriculum. Determined and tenacious as ever, she obtained her doctoral degree at Southeast Asia Interdisciplinary Development Institute (SAIDI) and sent her eldest son to acquire a Master’s Degree in Management in the Asian Institute of Management (AIM). These strategic moves for leadership and management development are part of a plan to insure succession leadership for the sustainable growth of SJIT.

            Concomitant to his change “from scarce beginning to sustainable growth”, SJIT has expanded its infrastructure to what is now the most imposing and impressive school campus and its envisions itself to be in a newly acquired contiguous area of 15 hectares where the dream towards becoming a “US” (University Status)  will be located.

            With economic pinch, the competitiveness of the service industry, the stringent demands of the “global village” with the complexity and facility of information communication waves and winds of change to where  it is today, enjoying the blessing, the grace of God and the Universe, but persevering to provide and excel for its motto “EDUCATION AT ITS BEST”. With the ISO CERTIFICATION from a well known certifying body – DET NORSKE VERITAS and PACUCOA accredited process undertaken and the journey towards a University Status on the pipelines… SJIT… is living it by creating its own “abundance” in faith, love and hope for that is needed for SUSTAINABLE GROWTH.