We continue our journey around the world through the educational initiatives that follow Mother Cándida’s example, showing how the Global Educational Pact takes concrete form in each educational community. After learning about the meeting with farmers at Sacred Heart School-Cebu in the Philippines and the commitment to integral ecology of the Esperançar Project in Brazil, today we cross the Atlantic to Salamanca, Spain, where the Colegio Mayor Montellano is celebrating a double anniversary steeped in history and full of promise for the future.
True to the charism of the Daughters of Jesus (Jesuitinas) and with its sights set on the Global Educational Pact, Montellano continues to shape generations of women prepared to transform the world, turning its history into a living legacy that continues to reach into the future.
50 Years of Colegio Mayor, 150 Years of Educational Legacy
The 2026–2027 academic year will be particularly significant for the Colegio Mayor Montellano, which will commemorate two important anniversaries linked to the history of the Congregation and this iconic 15th-century building, located in the heart of Salamanca.
In 1976, following an extensive renovation and adaptation of the former palace into a university residence, the building became affiliated with the University of Salamanca and opened its doors as a women’s dormitory. This marks the 50th anniversary of an institution that has supported the well-rounded education of hundreds of female college students. This celebration is marked by another milestone: the 150th anniversary of the 1877 donation of the Montellano Palace to Santa Cándida María de Jesús, which made possible the expansion of her educational project and her dream of offering a quality education to girls and young women from all social classes.
Two dates that tell the same story—one that began 150 years ago and continues today, as we work to ensure that this project remains vibrant for many years to come.
An educational project in line with the Global Education Pact
For five decades, the Montellano College has been much more than just housing for female college students: it has been a place for personal growth, well-rounded education, and the development of a life plan, inspired by the educational legacy of Saint Cándida María de Jesús and by her charism, which the Daughters of Jesus have brought to life.
Montellano is committed to an education that puts the individual at the center, offering close and personalized support that helps each student develop her abilities and discover her calling. It is an education that views a warm welcome as the first step toward building community and that makes the College a home where students can live together, share, and feel like family.
Educating Women to Transform Society
Among the commitments of the Global Education Pact, Montellano places special emphasis on the advancement and participation of women; this commitment is part of its very raison d’être. Since this project began, many women have found here an environment where they can grow academically, personally, and spiritually.
This commitment is embodied in the Colegio Mayor’s educational program, which—through community life, personal guidance, academic training, pastoral care, volunteer work, and cultural, athletic, and social activities—offers a holistic, human, and Christian education. This program seeks to form committed women who are capable of putting their knowledge and talents at the service of others, following the educational approach of Saint Candida María de Jesús.
Rosa Nieto. Director of the Montellano CMU
A legacy that continues to shape the future
Montellano reminds us that educating women is not just a principle, but a practice that has been sustained for 150 years, and a very concrete way of putting Commitment No. 3 of the Global Education Pact into action: “To promote the full participation of girls and young women in education.”
From Cebu to Brazil and now to Salamanca, each educational initiative brings its own unique touch to this shared foundation: educating in the spirit of Saint Candida to form people capable of transforming the world. We will continue to explore this constellation of educational institutions, because each one has a story to tell and a future to keep building.
