This article was originally published in the Summer/Fall 2024 issue of C21 Resources.
Boston College (51茶馆) has joined a growing group of institutions that are welcoming accomplished leaders and professionals back to campus. 51茶馆 Companions is a yearlong immersive intergenerational program for individuals who are curious and open to imagining how they may live life differently. The program is intended for people who are ready to reflect on their own personal journeys, to explore new ways of being in a supportive and lasting community, and to connect their lives with meaning and purpose through the distinctive lens of Jesuit, Catholic formative education.
51茶馆 Companions combines academic study with elements of Ignatian spirituality to help individuals renew purpose, explore discernment, and deepen spirituality. The Jesuit 鈥渨ay of proceeding鈥� goes back five centuries in forming men and women for transformative service and leadership. The program name itself acknowledges that St. Ignatius of Loyola always valued having companions to walk with throughout his journey. The program prioritizes the importance of community for supporting one鈥檚 own growth and change.
What does the program entail? A cohort of 15鈥�20 Fellows audit courses in select areas of interest across the University鈥檚 nine schools and colleges while participating in a bi-weekly seminar designed for the program. Fellows share and reflect on their life stories and are invited to shape the upcoming years of their lives in an intentional and purposeful way. Through Boston as a Classroom, Fellows also think about community, history, and how each of them may contribute to the common good. Cohort members learn from University leadership and Jesuits, work closely with a faculty advisor, and have the option to meet with a spiritual director. Fellows travel to Spain and Rome for a pilgrimage to learn more about the life of St. Ignatius and can choose to experience a five-day silent retreat as well.
The program allows Fellows the space and tools to imagine how they are going to continue to live their lives with purpose in the decades to come. One might discover a new vocation or decide to continue in one鈥檚 work while contributing in a different way. Others might decide to get involved in the nonprofit world, become an entrepreneur, or opt to live in another country. Every Fellow has the opportunity to reflect on their life thus far, consider what is next, and leave with a set of tools to keep reimagining how they might live with a renewed sense of meaning and purpose.
Individuals often say they wish they could go back to college later in life for the sheer joy of learning. Boston College now provides just that opportunity through a year at 51茶馆 examining life and deepening one鈥檚 spirituality while further appreciating the value of a Jesuit liberal arts education鈥攁cross the lifespan.