If you ask a student what primary mission a university has, he/she is likely to say that it is the transmission of knowledge that one can use for achieving professional goals in the future. This is certainly true to a great extent, but it is crucial to remember that higher education is aimed not only at sharing information from a specific field of human knowledge but also at shaping your personality through the development of the best qualities of mind and soul. Being a student is not only about being a data receiver. First and foremost, it implies transforming yourself in the constant striving for perfection.
I believe that Jesuit tradition in education is the best way to achieve outstanding results in preparing yourself for living, interacting, and working in the multi-faceted ever-changing modern world. This is a kind of education that is based upon both religious and secular values. Therefore, the aesthetic perception of the Renaissance interweaves with gospel ideals of the Society of Jesus, which creates the most favorable conditions for both intellectual enrichment and spiritual uplift of a person.
However, the opportunity for growth and comprehensive development is not the only reason I consider the Jesuit tradition valuable for higher education. I also believe that nowadays our society suffers from two equally prejudicial and destructive extremes: some are convinced that religious values are outdated and can only throw you back, whereas others think that science has gone too far and people should turn to God as the only omniscient guide and mentor. Despite the fact that it seems to be a deadly feud, Jesuit tradition gives us a unique chance to take the best of both positions leaving out dangerous extravagancies.
Contrary to the common belief that religion puts strict limitations on a person, Jesuit values prove to be liberating for students, since liberal curriculum not only provides a wide variety of subjects but also encourages you to open your mind to a totally new perception of the world. You come to understand that you should appease excessive desires in order to discover your true vocation. It does not imply denying yourself every imaginable pleasure – it rather means learning how to get rid of the redundant. Jesuit education gives us access to a liberating vision of ourselves and life that surrounds us.
However, there is nothing about imposing a worldview in the Jesuit approach. As a former school student, I know how hard it is to preserve your identity when you constantly experience pressure from public opinion, including your teacher’s and parents’ expectations. As a result, you always feel stressed because of failing someone else and become afraid of revealing your real self. Liberal arts education encourages you to explore your inner strivings and inclinations. You learn how to find out what really brings you joy and makes you feel your value as an individual. It makes you stronger, more self-confident, and adaptable to the changing world.
Nevertheless, such a way of thinking does not make you a complete egoist. The paradox is that the more you learn to concentrate on your personality – the more you happen to think of other people. This is perhaps the most valuable thing in Jesuit education for me. I believe that, no matter how hard it may seem to be a humanist, it is totally worth it. When you find beauty and perfection in your own soul, you start seeing them in everything that surrounds you, which gives you the most precious gift possible – that is, to live in harmony with yourself.