St Pauls Institute of Communication Education (SPICE) celebrated its first annual Convocation Day on Monday, 6 May 2013 in the prestigious Alberione Hall in St Pauls Media Complex, Mumbai. During a simple but impressive convocation ceremony, PG Diplomas were distributed to seven students who have successfully completed the one-year course in Journalism. Ms Bachi Karkaria, an eminent journalist, author and columnist was the Chief Guest and Padmashree Astad Deboo, a contemporary dancer and choreographer was the Guest of honour for the day. Ms Bachi in her presidential address enumerated the seven virtues of a new generation journalist and challenged the students to uphold the dignity and the nobility of their profession. Felicitating the students on behalf of ST PAULS, the Director General said “they (students) have been brilliant in their studies, hard working in their assignments and very focused in their objectives”.
The annual student magazine SPICE Enquirer’s The Learning Curve (TLC) was released on the occasion. Presenting the copies of the magazine, Ms Carol Andrade, the Course Director, said that TLC is a perfect combination of professionalism and learning experience.
A unique item of the convocation ceremony was the presentation of the first ever Fr Maurus Ferrero Annual Award for the best student (of journalism) of the year. The award, consisting of cash and a citation, was presented to Ms Claudelle Monis from Mumbai for her overall performance during the year. The India-Nigeria Province has constituted the award as a tribute of love and appreciation to Fr Maurus Ferrero for his outstanding contribution to the Pauline apostolate in the field of writing spanning more than five decades. Besides being the founder of Province’s Publishing House, ST PAULS/BETTER YOURSELGF BOOKS, and the two magazines, The Teenager Today and Inspirational Quote, he has authored more than 125 books and a good number of which have been translated into some of the major world languages.
SPICE, one of the latest apostolic initiatives of the Province, was inaugurated on 20 August 2011 and has become one of the leading Institutes of Communication Studies in Mumbai under the dynamic leadership of Fr Shaiju Vadakkemury. Plans are underway for further expansion of the same with additional facilities, faculties and courses. As a part of the expansion project, the Province has constituted Fr (Dr) Attilio Tempra Education Foundation to encourage, assist, and promote communication studies through SPICE. Fr Attilio Tempra is one of the founding-fathers of India-Nigeria Province and had a great vision from the very beginning for the Pauline mission in the Indian subcontinent. The Foundation will make available scholarships for deserving students.
