Beaming with Smile, Pride & Joy It’s Graduation Time for 1712 Students of St Aloysius College
Mangaluru: “Graduation is only a concept. In real life every day you graduate. Graduation is a process that goes on until the last day of your life. If you can grasp that, you’ll make a difference” had said Arie Pencovici. A graduation ceremony is a pageant celebrating the transition from student to graduate and marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter in their life. 1712 graduates belonging to various courses namely- B Sc, BCA, Ba, B Com, BBM, MBA, MCA, M Sc, PGDBM, PGDHRM, PGDCA, among others, all dressed to thrill- girls in their white, while Boys in black and white, and rank holders in black gowns, who were about to receive their certificate and medal were all beaming with smile and pride as they were ready to enter the hall for the big celebrations, amidst their teachers, parents and college-mates.
And now as these graduates emerge from the campus and look forward to serving the community, they will be of great asset to the nation and world who are anticipating their dedicated and professional services. As it is said, “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. An attitude of absoluteness is the basis for everything. A star is formed out of a cloud of cool, dense molecular gas. In order for it to become a potential star, the cloud needs to collapse and increase density. But from all that pressure, their dazzling brilliance never fails to stand out and shine across unimaginable distances for myriads of years.
These graduates resemble that of a Star-who have now graduated with pride and dignity, but, full of gratefulness. However, this journey brought about many challenges, like decisions to be made and feelings to be nurtured. And today, these graduates celebrate their achievements, who have committed to and succeeded in completing one of the most challenging modes of studying. They have all brought immense joy to their Alma mater, and most of all, to their teachers and especially, their parents. Congratulations, Graduates!
St Aloysius College which has carried the tradition of excellence for the past 143 years was all set to celebrate its 13th Graduation day. Guided by the motto “Lucet et Ardet” i.e. “Shine to Enkindle”; the institution is committed to the vision of spreading the light of knowledge and wisdom.. The motto of the college, “Lucet et Ardet” which means “shine to enkindle” has inspired countless students to become men and women for and with others, thus bringing light and joy into the lives of people. Thousands of students who have passed through the portals of this institution have rendered outstanding service to humankind not only in India but across the globe. The Institution is proud of its alumni/ae who have turned into agents of radical social change.
For all these graduates, this was not just a college campus but a binding place where they made their memories; they learnt not just the syllabus but life lessons; those canteen bites helped them to relish the taste of friendship; the college crest printed on their uniforms also ensured a permanent place for St Aloysius in their hearts; and after this day, they are not just going to be called as graduates… but proud men & women, shining to enkindle the Aloysian values. They were all set for what promised to be a memorable & once in a lifetime extravaganza.
The THIRTEENTH GRADUATION CEREMONY of St. Aloysius College (Autonomous), Mangaluru was held on Saturday, 20 May 2023 at 2.00 pm in Loyola Hall, St. Aloysius PU College Campus, Mangaluru. It was a time of celebration where students were lauded for the efforts they put in to obtain their degrees. The Convocation Procession was led by the Brass band, and Dr Alwyn D’Sa, the Registrar of the College escorted the entourage of eminent personalities comprising Prof Dr Satheesh Kumar Bhandary, Vice Chancellor, Nitte (Deemed to be University) as the Chief Guest; Rev Dr Praveen Martis SJ, Principal of SAC (autonomous); Fr Melwin Joseph Pinto SJ; Rector of St Aloysius institutions; Fr Dionysius Vas SJ; Provincial of Karnataka Province of Jesuits and President of MJES), joined by Governing Body members, Directors, Experts of academic Council, Deans, the Librarian, Office manager, among others.
The Graduation Ceremony began with invoking God’s blessings through a prayer song by College Choir, followed by the declaration of the Convocation Open by Rev Fr Dionysius Vas SJ- Provincial, Karnataka Jesuit Province & President of Mangalore Jesuit Educational Society. “He that imposes an oath makes it, not he that for convenience take it”- and it was the honour for Rector Rev Fr Melwin J Pinto to convey the oath to the graduates, who all repeated after him raising their right hand forward, with pride, dignity, with gratefulness, and recapitulated it, committing themselves to their respective noble professions, during which the College Anthem was sung by the College Choir.
The welcome address was delivered by Fr Praveen Martis SJ, the Principal of St Aloysius College, Mangaluru. A ship is safe in a harbour. But it is not designed to be in the harbour. Prof Dr Satheesh Kumar Bhandary, Vice Chancellor, Nitte (Deemed to be University), and an alumnus of St Aloysius PU College, was invited as the Chief Guest and delivered the Graduation Day Address. In his convocation address, Prof Dr Bhandary quoting Swami Vivekananda said “Education is the manifestation of the perfection already in a man and that unleashes the potential of every person.” He further said, ” For what I am today the credit should go to three people- firstly to my parents who have sacrificed their comfort for providing education, and to my teachers who have encouraged and moulded my life, and last but not least my alma mater (St Aloysius college), where my admission to this prestigious institution is a turning point in my life”.
“As graduates show gratitude towards their parents, where Mahatma Gandhi said that parents are the first teachers and teachers are the second parents. Secondly, be grateful to your teachers, as teachers are the ones who have moulded and chiselled you to become what you are today. Thirdly be grateful to your alma mater which has provided you with state-of-the-art facilities for your curricular and extracurricular activities. Alumni are the pillars of the college and play an important role as brand ambassadors of any institute. Last, but not least, ‘Give Back to Society’- we are all the benefactors from the work and sacrifice of a large number of people from society. As William Churchill said, “WE make a living by what we get, and we make a life by what we give ”. Be sure that you will never let go of an opportunity to help a needy soul in your professional life. Nature helps those who help others,” added Dr Bhandary.
Provincial Fr Dionysius Vaz SJ in his presidential address highlighted that everyone holds a fortune in his own hand. We are the sculptures of our future and the skill to mould it should be cultivated. Addressing the students, he said that as students they must promote unity and the social fabric of our country. To stand out we should read what nobody is reading, think what nobody is thinking and do what nobody is doing.” We are looking at education not just as a career but as a preparation for life and life in a very changing world. There are four outcomes we would like to see in our students- 1) Adaptability and Resilience 2) Societal Impact-how does an individual’s thoughts and action impact society, 3) Sense of purpose-why do we do what we do, and finally, 4) a sense of Ethics- developing a sense of what is right and wrong. The real test of our education is “What our students become”, what they value and what they do later in life and work”.
Rector Fr Melwin Pinto SJ said, “Our core educational mission is to prepare future leaders and citizens for lives of service. We, at St Aloysius College, are motivated despite the number of hurdles to develop our institutions into a comprehensive “social Project” that approaches its teaching, research and outreach missions not as a narrow educational enterprise, but as ways to live out our vision of creating MEN and WOMEN for and others in practice. Today I want to share with you three important lessons that I believe are crucial as you step into the next phase of your lives. The first lesson is to embrace curiosity. The second lesson is the importance of perseverance. Stay focused on your goals, remain resilient in the face of adversity, and never underestimate the power of hard work. The third lesson I want to impart is the significance of making a positive impact. Finally my advice to you-Go beyond the narrow confines of religion, language, culture and caste. We have always stood for humanity as children of God. Take this cue from this college, shed all biases and serve humanity in all your endeavours”.
Registrar, Dr Alwyn D’Sa read the list of Rank holders and special awardees, followed by a list of other UG/PG etc read by Directors of the college- a total of 1712 graduates were honoured. The vote of Thanks was delivered by Chethan Shettigar, the Assistant professor, dept of BBA and the coordinator of this event and the programme was meticulously and eloquently compered by Dr Mona Mendonca and Manoj Fernandes, both faculties of the college.
In conclusion, to all of you 1712 graduates, as you prepare to launch into the real world beyond college, Team Mangalorean takes a moment to congratulate every one of you. “Your beliefs become your thoughts, Your thoughts become your words, Your words become your actions, Your actions become your habits, Your habits become your values, Your values become your destiny.”, so go and move into the society and follow these words of Mahatma Gandhi, and be good professionals in your respected fields and serve the patients with dedication and sincerity and bring joy and smiles on their faces. Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars to challenge the world. Hope your dreams take you to the corners of your smiles, to the highest of your hopes, to the windows of your opportunities, and to the most special places your heart has ever known”- Congratulations, Graduates and Success galore!
