CAMPION COLLEGE (1960 - 2010), FORTES IN FIDE ET OPERE

"Steadfast in Faith and Work"

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V. Rev. Peter McIsaac

Born in Canada and now a naturalised Jamaican citizen, V. Rev. Peter McIsaac, SJ, is the Regional Superior of the Society of Jesuits in Jamaica and chairman of Campion College, St. George’s College and St. Anne’s High, Primary and Infant Schools, as well as director of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kingston Deacon Programme, and a lecturer at St. Michael’s Theological College. Even with this demanding workload, Father McIsaac remains a familiar face on the campuses of the five schools he oversees and, like a good parent, demonstrates equal care and interest in all. Here, Father McIsaac shares his views on where Campion has been, where it is now, and where it is going as the school prepares for its 50th anniversary in 2010.

CHAIRMAN'S INTERVIEW

What do you see as the key priorities for the Campion Board at this time?

Obviously, Campion College already possesses the distinction of being one of the best schools in the Caribbean, and this is based primarily on its reputation for academic excellence. But Campion also has impressive extra-curricular programming. Campion’s Board and staff have already taken important steps for its development of key components of what would be considered important aspects of “Jesuit” education: the expansion of its community outreach programmes; the development of its campus ministry and chaplaincy; a focus on issues of social justice (both in its own institutional structures, and in its formation of the students’ awareness of their social responsibilities).

I also see Campion College as having an important role to play in providing a positive model for Catholic education, but even more broadly as contributing to the development of education in Jamaica. The staff and leadership of Campion College have a collective wisdom that I believe should be more effectively placed at the service of the nation, particularly in this time of great disparity in the educational system. The Board must have as a priority this wider vision, and become effective partners with other agents for the development of education. 

What is the school’s biggest challenge?

Given the priorities of the Board, one of the greatest challenges for Campion College is the fostering of a “community” that is united by vision and mission. It is always difficult to form community in large institutions, and it requires an extraordinary trust and generosity on the part of the members (Board, staff, students, parents, and alumni). Campion has the benefit of having an extraordinary resource of talent and goodwill, as well as a history of excellence. Co-ordinating these gifts requires charismatic leadership among all the various stakeholders. In many ways, Campion already enjoys a strong “community” that has contributed to its success; and I believe that the present leadership at all levels of the school provides us with an unprecedented opportunity for growth and maturity.  

What are your own personal hopes for the school?

The hope that I have for Campion College is inextricably bound up with the broader mission of the Society of Jesus. All of the ministries of the Society of Jesus (educational, social, pastoral) are directed toward the service of the Christian mission, and in some sense the goal of the mission – the vision we have of the “kingdom of God” – is the basis for all our hopes for the persons and communities that our ministries serve.

I hope, then, that the young men and women who attend Campion College will have an opportunity to excel in their studies, to broaden their horizons and discover untapped talents through extra-curricular activities, and to experience the wonderful gift of holistic formation. But my deepest desire, the one that springs from my Jesuit mission, is that Campion College will be a locus for an experience of the grace of Christian life, community and service. And this is an experience that I hope not only for the students, but their parents, their teachers and staff persons, their benefactors, their predecessors, and their successors. 

You are Chairman of two very high profile schools, how do you ensure that both continue to make positive strides?

Campion College and St. George’s College are two very different schools, with divergent needs, histories, and resources. Both schools, however, share the same Jesuit “mission”, and the same inherent challenges to that mission: namely, the formation of Christian community, and the development of the Roman Catholic and Jesuit character of the schools.

The Chair of any Board of Management in a Denominational school has standard administrative responsibilities; but as Jesuit schools, the Board Chair oversees the identity and mission of the school, as well as providing support and formation of the staff. The support and formation of staff involves the vital identification of leadership and cultivating strong relationships among the various stakeholders.

Both schools enjoy the benefits of very strong, charismatic, professional, and creative leadership. The most effective means of ensuring future progress is to support and develop the leadership that has already distinguished the schools, to implement institutional structures that will facilitate cooperative leadership, and to provide a plan for a less proximate future that strategically addresses the process of leadership succession. 

What memory of your own High School experience would you like Campion students to also have?

My personal experience of high school was very positive. I was fortunate to be in a class of young men who were talented in academics and sports; and to have formed friendships with those who had a good sense of faith, spiritual life, and acute social consciousness. Obviously, adolescence can be an awkward and difficult period. But it was in this time that I developed friendships that have persisted more than any others. Despite the very different paths our lives took, I remain close to my high school friends. We have been supportive in difficult times, encouraged each other in times of decision making, and generous to each other in times of need. The staff of my high school provided much of the mentorship for the development of these kinds of relationships. I am very grateful to them for this gift that has been so important to me in my life. 

What role would you like the alumni to play in the growth of the school?

Alumni groups are vital agents for the development of the school, in two important ways: First, through the organization of events that intend their own consolidation and celebration, they contribute a unique “spirit” to the school. In this way, the alumni demonstrate that Campion College is not just an educational institution to “pass through,” but a community to “belong to.”
The second important way that alumni contribute to the school is by supporting the school as “stewards” of the future: generously giving their time, their expertise, and assisting with financial support. The success of any school in the present educational system depends on the cultivating of partnerships of many kinds: governmental, denominational, community, and parental. But it has been my experience that alumni associations have been most vital in providing the supports that change the character of a school: developing infrastructure, creating opportunities for specialized programming, responding generously to the emergent needs of the schools. 

How has the school changed in the last twenty years? How will Campion’s Jesuit roots continue to play an integral role in the future?

Campion’s history in the past twenty years could be in some ways presented as a story of growth and an ever-increasing litany of successes. It would be a constant climb to its present place as a premier educational institution. Originally founded by the Society of Jesus, the number of Jesuits active in the school diminished significantly in a short period, and administrative leadership as well as staff membership was very quickly assumed by lay professionals. The stellar leadership of the school in the last twenty years, despite the decline of actively engaged Jesuits, has attracted teachers of extraordinary professional competence as well as those generously dedicated to the school. Having appropriated the most important elements of Jesuit pedagogy and charism, the administrative leaders of the school have cultivated a culture of discipline, excellence and generosity.

With an on-going formation of staff in the charism of the Society of Jesus and the character of Jesuit education, it is my hope that the roots that established Campion as a school of distinction will continue to define the schools mission and vision. This will require an on-going commitment of Jesuits to the school – actively engaged in the leadership of the school through the structure of the Board of management, but also as participating in the campus ministry of the school, and in the formation of staff. 

What do you attribute to Campion’s success in attracting and producing such a high calibre of students?

Clearly, Campion’s rise to pre-eminence had much to do with the original dedication and proficiency of the Jesuits and staff. As the school’s reputation for excellence widened, the rating scale and placement mechanism of the Ministry of Education also contributed to the attraction of the most gifted students to Campion.

Once having chosen and been placed at Campion, however, these outstanding students are exposed to an unparalleled staff, and to a school with a character that undeniably lends itself to growth and excellence. It is a great challenge to take the gifts of these young people and develop them so that within a few short years they are able to compete internationally in all academic fields. To achieve the excellence that they do, much more than adequate pedagogical methods need employment: it requires a maturity that comes only through discipline and maturity, both of which require the positive example and mentorship of staff, parents, and alumni.