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Alumni News College grad spurs novel educational opportunity Living in a poor region of the world where job opportunities for high school graduates are limited and where university graduates are imported to fill positions for which there are few trained natives is a problem for many on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent. It may be on its way to being resolved thanks to an imaginative idea of College alumnus Ron Mendes (BA '81). Ron is a Holy Ghost priest working on St. Vincent and is co-founder of the Roman Catholic Youth Commission there. He has seen first-hand the frustration of native youth at being unable to compete for jobs taken by foreign university graduates. Early in 1983, Ron met with representatives from various Catholic youth groups in his diocese to focus on problems St. Vincent students have with school. The lack of skills training on the island, the unavailability of university programs and the prohibitive costs of studying abroad reinforced the view of many young people that there was little advantage to staying in school. "That was when the idea of correspondence courses through St. Jerome's College and the University of Waterloo first came to me," says Ron. "I thought that this may be the start of a solution to the problem of the lack of post-secondary education on St. Vincent." After discussing the idea with diocesan officials, Ron wrote to the College outlining his proposal. Meetings to discuss "The St. Vincent Project," as it was to become known, were held with UW's Associate Registrar for Part-time Studies, Bruce Lumsden, College Registrar Kevin Donelson, Admissions Committee member Peter Hinchcliffe and President Father Norm Choate. The idea had merit, they agreed, and in early December, cassette tapes, notes and texts for 15 credit courses in economics, English, french, geography and psychology were sent to St. Vincent along with 8 remedial courses in mathematics and chemistry. Tape recorders adapted to the island's high voltage electricity have also been sent. 2/Update! St. Jerome's pays the cost of tuition for all students involved in the program while UW has absorbed the costs of texts and tapes. All tests and assignments are marked by course instructors here using the same standards which apply to Canadian students. "The response has been extremely positive and the students are quite eager," says Ron. An eight member committee helps administer the program and members also serve as 'proxy instructors' ." This committee consists of local high school principals, a businesswoman, a lawyer and two Church brothers. "The tapes are played at scheduled times at night in one of the high schools. Students who have tape recorders get a copy of each lecture tape to take home," explains Ron. "Those with neither a recorder nor electricity at home come to the school on Saturdays and listen to the tapes again. All this takes time," acknowledges Ron, "but the committee shares the workload and the students see it as a great opportunity." Students are asked to keep a diary of their progress and difficulties so that the program can be modified to better meet their needs and be mindful of their cultural milieu. Ron's imaginative vision has brought to reality a much needed service for the people of St. Vincent. It has also provided a tangible illustration of how St. Jerome's alumni can remain actively involved in College life and can shape its contribution to society at home and abroad. Thank you, Ron! You can help! Please send us any recent university-level textbooks you may have in subjects such as mathematics, economics, the sciences, literature, psychology, French, and geography. We will forward them to Father Ron for the benefit of his students. Send or deliver books to "St. Vincent Project," University of St. Jerome's College, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G3. Gospel and Liberation That's the title of a new single-credit multidisciplinary summer course to be offered at the College, July 3-20, under the auspices of the Institute for Studies in Theological Renewal. It will study the Christian Gospel as a means to liberation and oppression in pre-modern and modern societies, and it will examine Liberation Theologies with respect to Latin America and the Women's Movement. For more details, call Institute Director Doug Letson at 884-8110, ext. 44. College News The Colorado String Quartet "The Chamber Music Coup of the Season" was the way the K-W Record described the Colorado String Quartet's November recital at the College's Performing Arts Series. Over 200 people in Siegfried Hall heard the all female Quartet which has risen to prominence after winning the Banff International Competition. They are regarded as one of the best young chamber groups on the continent. News Briefs St. Jerome's Centre Director Michael Higgins is the creator of a new four-part CBC Ideas program called Catholics to be aired on CBC-AM Radio 740 on May 6, 13, 20 and 27 at 9:05 p.m. In anticipation of the papal visit, this series examines the increasing role of the Roman Catholic church in international and economic affairs. It also features interviews with Canadian scholars including College professors Dr. Walter Bildstein, Dr. Doug Letson and Dr. Ken McLaughlin. Summer Program notes Introductory and advanced full-credit courses in Family Life and Sex Education are once again being offered this summer by the College's Family Life Program. The Institute for Studies in Learning Disabilities is offering full-credit courses at the introductory, intermediate and advanced levels in an effort to serve the needs of students with differing backgrounds. In both special programs, lecturers with specific areas of experience will participate. An array of courses in religious studies, English, philosophy and psychology are also offered. For a copy of our Summer Program brochure, please call (519) 884-8110. Photo by Peter J. Sever