When former and current students (sometimes two generations of the same family) speak of St Teresa’s College (STC), they speak of how their alma mater empowered them and instilled confidence, was a “freeing experience”, “a space to be” and “find oneself”. It is high praise coming from students of a college, because college life reminiscences tend to be more about friends and stunts pulled with them. St Teresa’s College in Kochi, however, has been more than a college for those who have walked through its gates over the past 100 years of its existence.
Tania Francis, associate professor of Chemistry at Devagiri College, Kozhikode, of the class of 1996, says, “The college gave me a sense of being one with myself…it was a freeing experience which one did not get anywhere else.” The ‘freeing’ that she is referring to is the space she and her peers were given to speak their minds, fearlessly, with clarity, and grow into empowered women.
A view of St Teresa’s College, Ernakulam, today.
| Photo Credit:
THULASI KAKKAT
“I was the College Union vice-chairperson (1993-94) and Litcy Kurisinkal, who is now running for the Illinois State Representative Office (12th District), was the chairperson. The confidence our teachers instilled are life lessons which we still carry with us years later,” she adds.
When Tania returned as a lecturer, she saw Teresians from the ‘other side’. “The experience as a teacher was different from my experience as a student…” she says laughing. Seen from a teacher’s perspective, she understood why certain things were permitted and certain others were not.
STC means different things to different people, but the one thing they are unanimous about is the joy and happiness they felt while there. As Mareen Jose, of the class of 2002, of the Sociology department, says, “The emotion I feel when I think of my days there? Happiness… because those were my college days!”
Archival photos of the college which opened its doors on June 15, 1925
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
For her coming to St Teresa’s from Pala, in 1999, to do her graduation, was a drastic change. It was as per a plan that she and her group of friends in Pala came to STC. “We were a group of friends who did our pre-degree together and we decided to come to St Teresa’s for our degree course,” she says. Though her father was not keen initially, he relented.
“Studying there gave me confidence and taught me how to adapt. I would give my teachers credit for that. They were very different in their approach, they were very friendly — the kind to whom we could tell anything — and their teaching style was also different from what I was used to.”
The first batch, of the Intermediate Course, comprised 41 students
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
As a student of Sociology, field trips were a part of the curriculum, which Mareen says, gave her real world exposure. She also did her post-graduation there. “Everything that I am today, is because of the five years I spent there!”
Saumya Baby, head of the Department of Malayalam, has an interesting take on why many students talk about feeling empowered. She speaks from the experience of having studied in a co-ed college, “This is a girls-only college, which means they have to figure stuff on their own. In a co-ed the boys are asked to do certain things, that is not an option here. Heavy lifting, moving stuff around, organising events, getting sponsorships… the girls can do everything. They are so smart, they will figure out what needs to be done and do it. It creates a sense of independence and self-reliance. The biggest plus is the freedom and opportunities it affords these young women to stand on their own two feet.”
Teresa’s trivia
Named after St Teresa of Avila, a 16th century saint, the college opened its doors in 1925 with just 41 students for the Intermediate Course, under-graduate courses came later. “It was the vision of Mother Teresa of St Rose of Lima who came here and started St Teresa’s school in 1887. The college was established on June 15, 1925. At the time it was the only women’s college in Cochin State and the second one in Kerala’,” says Sr Vinitha, former Principal and Director-Manager.
The college began functioning in one of the large halls of the school. Sr Beatrice was its first principal and Mother Veronica, the first Manager. It was a Second Grade Arts College, affiliated to the University of Madras.
A separate building was constructed in 1926 and the classes shifted. The first batch passed out in 1927 and the same year it was upgraded to First Grade College.
Started as an intermediate college, with three subjects — Ancient History, Modern History and Logic. Today it has 25 departments, 64 courses, seven research centres and more than 4,000 students.
The college was shifted out during the Second World War, the buildings were taken over by the British Army and converted to a military hospital.
In 1946, the college “returned” to its original building and the affiliation shifted to Travancore University which later became the University of Kerala in 1957.
The college was conferred autonomy in 2014.
She says, “Sometimes people refer to our students as thantedi [which could mean bold, fearless, arrogant, capable based on the context] in a negative way. But it could also mean thantethaaya idam kandaval ( she who has made her space)…that is what a Teresian is…someone who has made space for herself!”
St Teresa’s College, Ernakulam.
| Photo Credit:
THULASI KAKKAT
A space to explore and figure out what she wanted to do, is what her alma mater is to Bengaluru-based management professional Tresa Abraham Paul. She had her schooling at St Teresa’s school, and joined STC, where she did her pre-degree and under-graduation. From kindergarten to graduation, she was there from 1974 to 1991. “When I joined college, pre-degree, I was clear I wanted to do medicine. But I didn’t qualify so I opted for English Literature,” says Tresa.
What she liked about the college, as she looks back, is that it gave her the space to be and explore what she wanted to do. “I loved being there!” An avid quizzer who brought prizes to the college, she fondly remembers the library and the chapel, her two favourite places on campus. It was there that she decided on a career in management, heading to XLRI Jamshedpur to do her MBA. She credits her teachers for igniting that spark in students to explore new directions and find their paths in life.
Tracing history
Noottandinte Charithra Vazhikal, published in 2024, to coincide with the inauguration of the centenary celebrations, traces the history of the college. Put together by Saumya Baby of the Malayalam department, it is the work of two-and-a-half years. “We found the information about the college, from the Annuals published by the Church, which had in great detail all the historical information we needed. The Annuals of 1937 mentions the opening of the college, with a ‘class’ in a hall in the school,” says Saumya.
According to Saumya the ‘golden era’ in the century-long history of the college has two periods, “When Sister Digna was the principal and the other when Sister Vinitha was the principal and director-manager. Sr Digna was the longest serving principal, for 29 years, from 1944-1970 and then for three years from 1973-76. At the time, I have heard the college was referred to as Digna-de (Digna’s) college. She had the vision and financial prudence to grow the college, add more courses and buildings. Though Sr Vinitha was principal for a year, it was during her tenure then and as director-manager that the college gained autonomy, Arts and Science blocks came to be, and the Centenary block, too.”
Tresa, incidentally, is a third generation Teresian, her paternal grandmother also Tresa Abraham, and mother are alumni. Her mother-in-law too. She talks of roots and the interconnectedness of those who have been at the college. The impression the college left on her is evident from how she remembers the names of many of her teachers, some of whom have passed away.
“Listening to our stories, our friends found it hard to believe that it was a convent,” says Suma Varma, dancer, who studied there from 1982-87. “As students, there were two aspects to college life: we were well taken care of, provided encouragement to pursue the arts (not just for competitions alone) and encouraged to take on leadership roles. These challenges refined and empowered us, encouraging us to grow as individuals while instilling in us a certain fineness of behaviour.” The campus was not as sprawling, which meant bunking was out because there was no place to ‘hangout’, “so one was either attending classes or taking part/organising something,” she says laughing.
These sentiments are echoed by current students as well. “Being a Teresian is a legacy, it is like being part of a flowing river. This institution makes a girl powerful enough to believe she can do anything. Apart from what is in our textbooks, we learn how to be brave!” says Sreya Mary P, a third year English literature student.