The Divine World College of Calapan, as a Catholic institution of higher learning, goes back to the missionary work of Fr. Benito Rixner, SVD and other missionaries of the Society of the Divine Word in Mindoro. "Mindoro Junior College", as the school was first called, was established in April 1946. The formal opening of classes in first year Normal Education, Liberal Arts, Pre-Law, and special short-term courses in Typing and Stenography was on July 1, 1946. There were thirty-seven students as first enrollees.