In 1919, the visionary couple Dean Conrado Benitez and Francisca Tirona Benitez founded in Manila the Philippine Women’s College (now the Philippine Women’s University). In time, their vision of women’s education would transcend the boundaries of Manila and reach south of the archipelago. PWC alumnae from Mindanao saw the need to spread and promote the educational objectives of their Alma Mater among the young people of Mindanao. This idea became a reality when the PWU Board of Trustees approved the plan to put up the Philippine Women’s College of Davao (PWC), which eventually opened its doors to students in 1953.