PROFILES OP PHASE I COLLEGES
St. Joseph's College
Tiruchirappali, Tamil Nadu

Founded over 150 years ago by Jesuit missionaries, the college personifies their belief in an education that brings about inner harmony - a synchronisation of the true, the good and the beautiful. The college has a unique program called SHEPHERD (Science and humanities for the people's development) as one of the co-curricular activities. The program is common to all disciplines and is handled by an independent department. The CDI project in the college was linked to the SHEPHERD program to reinforce the values and commitment behind it. In the original SHEPHERD program, each department adopts. a number of villages, which area then divided among each class, and assigned appropriately. The objective of this program is two-fold: Exposing all the students and the faculty to the rural masses in order to transform themselves to serve the people better; and taking up educational and developmental projects to enable the poor to become self-reliant.

The CDI project has strengthened the SHEPHERD program by stressing the value gained in the latter and has broadened the horizons to include lessons in respect of diversity. Looking at the very poor among villagers, the rich students of the college think twice before spending money and the poor students feel an empathy for the villagers, knowing that there are poorer people in the world. Many students have set up peace committees in the villages, hold inter religious functions there and have also opened clubs for women and children. A significant achievement was making the entire village of Mallachipuram literate. A seminar on the Religion and Society was organised under the auspices of the CDI program. The students were unanimous in their opinion that the exercise opened their eyes to many hidden truths of other religions besides also teaching them to look at their own religion in a new light. The teaching faculty was exposed to the issue of diversity in a camp organised for them at Kodaikanal. The diversity in a classroom in terms of different educational standards, economic status, language and attitudes, is phenomenal. Most of the teachers felt the need for a counseling program for the faculty, which would equip them better to deal with issues relating to the diversity in a peaceful manner.

Under the SHEPHERD program, inter alia, a herbal garden of plants with medicinal properties and a Synthetic Gem Cutting and Polishing Center were established in the college campus. It is therefore not surprising that the college has utilised the CDI funding to do more programs than can be done at a first estimate. As a student remarked, "the best part of the program is that by the end of the year, because if our activities under SHEPHERD and CDI we get to know the habits, customs and locality of all students in our class and we also know the, village life - a life so different from our own contributing positively to the India we know". The faculty also wholly agrees that this in itself is a very positive outcome of the CDI project. The students have indeed set a commendable example before the nation by generating faith in the minds of villagers towards science, particularly medical science, by getting plastic surgery, done on a young woman's face and by saving the life of an infant afflicted with congenital heart disease by timely surgery. As a result of commitment like this by the college and its students, the villagers are shedding superstitions and are turning to education and science. The consistent efforts of the students have made them aware of the achievements of science and instilled in them the need for education and learning.

We take pleasure in bringing out the profile and activities of one or two of the CDI Phase I colleges in each issue of 'Beyond the Margins'. The colleges are therefore requested to send an update on their campus profile, activities and life in order to maintain their links with the CDI program.  Editor