Jesuit initiative grooms young leaders
Springboard members meet once a month for interactive sessions and to listen to leaders from various fields.
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Chennai:
More than 100 students from two Catholic colleges are being groomed to be future leaders by a Jesuit initiative called Springboard.
Started in March 2009, Springboard is the brainchild of Jesuit Fr. Joe Antony, the director of culture and communication at the Loyola College in Chennai.
“This initiative was started to promote leadership among college students in all fields,” Fr. Antony said.
The Jesuit priest said that there is “lack of good leaders at all levels and in every field, which is why people especially poor suffer.”
Springboard members are students of Jesuit-run Loyola College and Franciscan Missionary of Mary Immaculate-run Stella Maris women’s college. They meet once a month for interactive sessions and to listen to leaders from various fields.
“We train students to imbibe with values, various skills and in-depth knowledge of different issues that pertain to the Indian society,” the Jesuit priest said.
“Great importance is given to values more than skills,” he added.
Vimal Johnney, a student of Stella Maris College and a Springboard member, said that she now felt “more alert, sensitive and informed about various important issues.”
“After joining Springboard there is fire in the belly and I have dreamed big,” Rithika Roy, another student, said.
“We are being built,” Roy added.
Suresh, a guest speaker in one of the springboard meetings, said, “this is a very good initiative aimed at college students who are generally indifferent.”
Suresh, National Secretary of People Union for Civil Liberties, said, “Understanding and articulation among this generation, which is in a hurry, is less.”
“If this initiative makes them understand the Indian socio-political situation and imbibes them with sense of values that will be a big change,” the human rights activist added.
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