Hansman, Sarah

English

epublications@Marquette

Conversations on Jesuit Higher EducationVolume 53 Article 21February 2018Student Voices: A Call for Prophetic JesuitLeadershipSarah HansmanFollow this and additional works at: https://epublications.marquette.edu/conversationsRecommended CitationHansman, Sarah (2018) "Student Voices: A Call for Prophetic Jesuit Leadership," Conversations on Jesuit Higher Education: Vol. 53 ,Article 21.Available at: https://epublications.marquette.edu/conversations/vol53/iss1/21                                                                                                                                                                                                               47For two decades, Fr. Michael Himes has welcomed genera-tions of incoming freshmen at orientation with his explana-tion of what makes Boston College and their impendingJesuit education so meaningful. “The measure of the successof your education,” Himes intones with conviction, “is themeasure to which people who never got to come to BostonCollege lead richer, fuller, and more genuinely human livesbecause you did go to Boston College.” Father Himes em-phasizes the importance of giving away one’s education –the critical-thinking skills, the acquired talents, the lived ex-periences – to those who were not privileged with such anopportunity. Former Superior General of the Jesuits Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J., argues that at the heart of the Societyof Jesus, and subsequently of every Jesuit institution, is “theservice of faith” and “the promotion of justice.” Jesuitschools at their best produce dynamic students equippedwith both the skills to excel and the conscience to do so eth-ically. More important, they produce students who are eagerto share their education with those in need. Jesuit graduatesare commissioned to use their education to create a morejust, more compassionate society.        But shaping men and women to enact positive changeonce they leave campus is not enough. In a position of suchimmense power and influence, the Jesuit university, specifi-cally university officials, has the task to speak propheticallyon issues of social justice. This duty emerges from the core ofthe Catholic faith, from St. Ignatius’ founding of an order thatactively promotes justice, and further back from the gospelitself and the call by Jesus to care for the least among us. Jesuitleadership must model and practice the values they preach.In such a divisive time, this is difficult to do. But for the samereason that it is difficult, it is equally important.        As a senior at BC, there are areas in which I am proud ofthe administration’s commitment to the “promotion of jus-tice.” Service-learning courses such as PULSE and immersiontrips both domestic and international reflect the heart of thismission. However, there have been moments in which I feltthat the university fell short in opportunities to reject inequityand speak out on behalf of the marginalized. For example,there is a lack of space to facilitate and hold conversations orrallies around pressing social issues. Often, it isn’t what theuniversity says and does, but rather what the university failsto say, fails to do. It is the silence that hurts the most. And inhistorically divisive times like the one we are living throughnow, that silence is resounding.        This is not to oversimplify; before condemning admin-istrative silence as cold, students must recognize the in-tensely competitive, ever-changing world of highereducation. Running a top tier university is incredibly diffi-cult and involves a number of moving pieces and uniquegoals. But if money, prestige, and reputation are takingprecedence over combatting injustice in all its forms, I urgeour Jesuit universities to reconsider their priorities.        Father Kolvenbach writes, “The real measure of our Je-suit universities lies in who our students become.” If BC ex-pects its students to work for a more just and compassionatesociety, university leadership must first model that passionfor justice. Boston College is a place we come from; and Ihope that when my class graduates this spring, we leavewith a greater call to strike through the silence and speakout against injustice and, as St. Ignatius said, to set theworld aflame. Originally from Duxbury, Mass, Sarah Hansman is a senior atBoston College studying theology and higher education. With apassion the Jesuit education, Sarah plans to do a post-grad yearof service and then get an M.A. in theology and ministry. A Call for Prophetic Jesuit LeadershipBy Sarah Hansmanstudent Voices“The real measure of our Jesuit universities lies in whoour students become.”                      -Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J. 1Hansman: Student Voices: A Call for Prophetic Jesuit LeadershipPublished by e-Publications@Marquette, 2018

Student Voices: A Call for Prophetic Jesuit Leadership

https://epublications.marquette.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2162&amp;context=conversations

Student Voices: A Call for Prophetic Jesuit Leadership

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

epublications@Marquette