Unalloyed altruism constitutes the core and cornerstone of the vision of the founders of Sacred Heart College. The exhortation of its founding father St. Chavara: “Let there be no day in your life in which you did not do (some) good to others” has been the guiding mantra and goal to the institution. The centrality of the college in the life of the local community is unmistakable as the latter seeks the guidance support and sustenance from it. Conversely, the college ensures the optimal use of its resources through such a commensal relationship.
Sports Facilities: The scenic lakeside ground and the jogging track provide the much-needed fresh air for the densely populated Thevara region. The gates of the college are open for the local community to use the ground, the jogging track, Gym and the floodlit basketball court. A large number of residents use these amenities.
CAMPUS for Community: An outcome has been the emergence of a friendship network of senior citizens and well placed individuals, now willing to collaborate with the college in creating opportunities for student training, internship, professional mentoring and motivating students. The initiative is named “HEARTIAN STRIDERS” and while that build up a community among themselves including some of the faculty members, they also try to promote a fitness culture among the students. (It is expected to be further strengthened once the normal campus life resumes).
Open Gym – a facility in the open air, has been an outcome of such engagement with people with necessary resource links have played a role in establishing the same.
Coaching Camps: Football ground is given free of cost to the local club for providing football coaching to the schoolchildren of the locality during the early morning hours.
Sports and Games Academies to Catch ‘em Young: The institution hosts Mercikkuttan Academy for Athletics, SWANTON’s cricket club for cricket coaching, SCORELINE academy for football training and THEBASCO for basket ball coaching. All of them employ the principle: Catch ‘em Young. .
University of Third Age: The institution has taken a major initiative to provide digital literacy to the senior citizens by extending its IT infrastructure as well as the knowledge resources free of cost after college hours. This is to promote life long learning and keep the seniors engaged in meaningful activities. The learning is on both sides, with students acting as instructors/trainers and thus learning the art of teaching/training while the elder learn newer things including languages. The engagement extends further to recreation, cultural activities, outing and even outreach.
Organic Farming: Giving fillip to organic farming, the college provides space free of cost for the exhibition and sale of organic products in its premises during holidays. College is a member of the growing organic movement, under the banner Organic Kerala Charitable Trust, with the Principal being the chairperson of the same. College promotes vegetable gardens and offers support through organic Kerala Charitable Trust for one cent farming for households.
Its extension centre SHCOOB at Arayankavu is a dedicated to organic farming with a plot dedicated to fruits and vegetables.
Venue for Meetings: The institution provides its space free of charge for the meetings of NGOs, Government agencies and public spirited organisation for their meetings.
Museum: The exhibit-rich museums of the college is open to students from the neighbourhood. College has the larger plan of promoting a museum culture, with the entire campus being converted into a heritage and scientific museum. The bare walls would be having periodically changing paintings evolving from student Biennale, the halls would have paintings of the students, faculty and the parents who contribute them to the college and students would be permitted to design their classes, with prior approval, depending also on the policy of a particular department.
IGNOU study centre: College is one of the finest and most vibrant study centres of IGNOU with over 1500 students enrolled in various disciplines ranging from Management and Computer Science to Social and Basic Sciences.
Examinations: The institution provides venue for admission tests and recruitment programmes during holidays for a nominal fee.
Location for film shooting: The scenic setting of the college is a sought after location for moviemakers. The college permits such activities during the vacation and holidays, subject to the users abiding by the green protocol.
The institution ensures the optimum use of its infrastructure and resources for the benefit of the community without compromising on the needs of the students.
SH Community Initiatives – 30 Action Agenda for 2030
As per its mission statement, Sacred Heart college has been consistently making efforts to “disseminate knowledge beyond the academia”.
- Library services to the wider community
- Reaching out to people and planet through the holistic intervention platform called HEAL – Heartian Extended Arm for Life. Thevara Annual Local Social-Network Assembly (TALSA).
- University of Third Age – Age Friendly Club and Community education of senior citizens as third age learners.
- Annual local and campus bio-diversity assessment and documentation. (Flora, Terrestrial fauna, Aquatic bio-diversity, Avian fauna)
- CAP – Chemistry Awareness Programme
- ECAP – Energy Conservation & Awareness Programme through ENCON
- Swacch Thevara
- Ini Njaan Ozhukatte – cleaning River Konthuruthy
- FIT India – FIT Campus – FIT Community Programme (HEARTIAN STRIDERS)
- Yoga for Everyday Life – B-FIT Gym
- Building Local History – History Division
- Food Preservation for Home Makers – Chemistry & Aquaculture Department
- Breeding and Care of Ornamental Fish
- Model Cage Farming
- Mushroom Cultivation – training for the community
- Organic Farming
- UBA – Promoting sustainable development and livelihoods
- SDG campus & SDG community
- Wealth out of Waste – WoW programme in collaboration with ECORYCLE
- ONE CENT FARM for Urban Households
- DANCE FOR DEVELOPMENT – DfD
- MUSIC IS MEDICINE – MiM
- WE COOL THE PLANET – THIRTY THOUSAND TREES BY TWENTY THIRTY 3ton@30
- Thanal Maram – A cool shade for the homeless and the uprooted (Jesus Youth initiative)
- College @ school programme
- SADAS – against drug abuse, alcoholism and suicide (and violence).
- SAMVADAM for SAMNAVAYAM & SAMADHANAM (Speakers’ forum)
- Aqua One Lab for water analysis (with CMFRI)
- Campus Biennale
- Mangrove Conservation – Environment Science Department with Nature Club and NSS.
