May 2025
Seminar on Maharashtra din and Workers day
On 1st May 2025, St. Vincent College, Pune, commemorated International Workers’ Day and Maharashtra Day with a flag-hoisting ceremony followed by an academic seminar. The National and Maharashtra State Flags were unfurled by Fr. Dr. Kenneth Misquitta, S.J., Director of the college, in the presence of the Principal, faculty, staff, students, and support personnel. The national anthem was sung, followed by the Maharashtra Geet performed collectively by staff led by Prof. Yogesh Mate, fostering a sense of shared identity and pride in the state’s cultural heritage.
This was followed by a seminar titled “The Legacy of Maharashtra: Identity, Struggle, and Progress,” featuring a keynote by Fr. Misquitta. He linked the dual significance of 1st May—honoring labor and marking Maharashtra’s 1960 formation through the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement—and highlighted the contributions of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule, and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar in shaping the state’s ethos of swarajya, social justice, and inclusive education. Emphasizing the dignity of labor, he urged recognition of non-teaching and support staff as vital to the institution’s functioning. The event blended ceremonial observance with intellectual reflection, reinforcing the college’s commitment to social consciousness, equity, and cultural awareness.
Strategic Academic Collaboration with TNS Foundation for Skill Enhancement and Employability Development
St. Vincent College, Pune, has entered into a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with TNS Foundation, a Mumbai-based not-for-profit organization, to provide its enrolled students free access to high-impact certification courses in Power BI, Advanced Excel, and Soft Skills for the academic year 2025–26. Registration remains open until 5th May 2025, ensuring wide accessibility. These industry-aligned courses address critical competencies: Power BI trains students in data visualization and reporting; Advanced Excel covers financial modeling, pivot tables, and macros; and the Soft Skills module builds communication, teamwork, emotional intelligence, and professional etiquette. Fully funded by the college, the initiative removes financial barriers and promotes equitable access to premium skill development across disciplines.
Beyond training, the partnership includes on-campus placement drives, mentorship, resume workshops, and mock interviews, creating a seamless pathway from skill acquisition to employment. Designed in response to market demands in finance, data analytics, marketing, and public service, the collaboration embodies the college’s philosophy of anticipatory education—aligning academic offerings with real-world needs. Faculty coordinators and the Career Guidance Cell will work with TNS Foundation to monitor outcomes and refine delivery. This initiative exemplifies St. Vincent College’s commitment to inclusive excellence, 21st-century skill integration, and public-private partnerships, positioning its graduates as confident, agile, and industry-ready professionals in a competitive global economy.
6th National Convention of AICUF – “Students in Pursuit of Change: Embrace, Encourage, Engage”
The 6th National Convention of the All India Catholic University Federation (AICUF), held from 16th to 18th May 2025 at Loyola College, Chennai, marked a centennial milestone under the theme “Students in Pursuit of Change: Embrace, Encourage, Engage.” Over 300 delegates—including four student representatives and faculty mentor Prof. Milind Gaikwad from St. Vincent College—gathered for three days of liturgical reflection, constitutional deliberation, and cultural expression. The opening day featured a Eucharistic celebration, inaugural procession, and keynote addresses by Justice Kurian Joseph and Archbishop Elias Gonsalves, emphasizing constitutional morality and fearless truth-telling. A historical session traced AICUF’s legacy, while state-wise study circles and a cultural programme—including a street play on justice and tribal performances—highlighted resistance and unity.
Day Two centered on constitutional renewal, with a keynote by Mr. Derek O’Brien and a deliberative amendment session chaired by Adv. Henry Tiphagne, where state representatives debated and refined AICUF’s governing document through participatory democracy. The final day addressed youth challenges, with Fr. Nithin Monteiro SJ diagnosing issues like “ephebiphobia” and digital burnout, and urging a return to AICUF’s roots through “romanticizing the past, eventifying the present, and reimagining the future.” Br. Reuell Paul SJ led a session culminating in state-wise protest songs affirming solidarity with marginalized communities. The convention concluded with a National Statement, valedictory address by Dr. Felix Raj SJ, and a collective affirmation of AICUF’s mission—reaffirming its identity as a Catholic, constitutional, and justice-oriented student movement poised for prophetic witness in its second century.