M’lore: St Aloysius College poised to become St Aloysius University; Fr Rector Denzel Lobo

By John Baptist Monteiro
Bellevision Media Network

Mangalore, 13 Jan, 2014: The one-hundred-and-thirty-three-year-old St Aloysius College here is poised to become an university soon, said Fr Denzel Lobo, rector of St Aloysius education institutions.

 
Fr Denzel was making a power PowerPoint presentation on the origin, growth and prospects of the college at annual reunion of Alma Mater organized by St Aloysius College Alumni Association (SACAA) at the college campus here on Sunday January 12, with a few hundred old students and their families soaking in nostalgia of their days as Aloysian students.

 

 
Fr Denzel noted that the college had already enjoyed autonomous status and, more recently, has been designated as community college. He stressed the role of the college in empowering women by throwing its portals open to them since the college celebrated its centenary in 1980 and noted that presently girl students comprised 50 per cent of the total intake.

 
Fr Denzel traced the Jesuit tradition of imparting education and more than information, transforming men and women into leaders of tomorrow and living for others. He said that the students are encouraged to shine and reach out to people with compassion. In this context he recalled the Boys Home set by the college post-centenary to take care of juvenile and destitute children who have greatly benefited by this uplifting mission as reflected in some of them attaining post-graduate degrees -  M Com and MSW. He recalled how this activity has evoked wide appreciation by visitors to the Home and gave the example of writer Arvind Adiga, an alumnus of the college, gave a substantial part of an international award he received some years ago.

 
Fr Denzel said the college has developed vast infrastructure to meet the eligibility criteria as a university and its 2 campuses compared with the best even globally. The college, he said, was collaborating with international universities like Boston, North Dakota and Fairfield.
 
 
The evening function started with introduction by Felix D’Silva, convenor of the 2014 Reunion and welcome by SACAA president Michael D’Souza.
 
Jesuit scholastics rendered the commencement prayer song.
 
To emphasis the interactive part of the programme, the VIPs and SACAA officials did not sit on the dais and went to the podium to play their part.
 
Fr Denzel and St Aloysius College principal and SACAA director Fr Swebert D’Silva felicitated the College vice-principal and SACAA deputy director Fr Francis D’Almeida and SACAA former vice president Arthur D’Souza, in recognition of their month-long visit to United Arab Emirates (UAE) to garner substantial funds for the proposed Rs 5 crore Olympic class swimming pool project under execution on the college campus. Both Fr Denzel and Fr Swebert also honored Alwyn Pinto of Dubai who had untiringly helped the visiting fundraisers by facilitating their local logistics.
 
 
SACAA vice president Dr Richard Gonsalves proposed the vote of thanks. Sumit Rao and Janice Goveas compered the programme.