Empowering Futures 2009: A Journey into Corporate Excellence with Computer Society of India (CSI), Loyola College, and Cognizant Technology Solutions

Report by Mercelin Antony

Computer Society of India, Loyola College students chapter in association with Training & placement Cell, LOYOLA COLLEGE & Cognizant Technology Solutions I Pvt Ltd Organized

Student’s-Industry Interaction program on

“Corporate polices for Software Project Management”

Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.

- Lou Holtz.

The undoubted ability, the motivation for success and the never-say-die attitude of the Computer Science Department was evident yet again on Saturday, the 7th of February 2009 when the Computer Society of India, Loyola College Students Chapter organized a Student-Industry Interaction Program for the second and third year students of the Computer Science Department at Cognizant Technology Solutions, Thoraipakkam branch.

In spite of the highly unfavorable conditions prevalent with the Government ordering the temporary closure of all colleges in the state, the students and the teachers turned out in large numbers defying all odds and helping make the program a grand success. They were also joined by the students and officials of Valluvar College of Arts and Science, Karur which has been undertaken by Loyola under the initiative of the principal, Rev. Dr. Albert Muthumalai, in his attempt to develop the rural colleges.

The entire crew of staff and students were blessed by Rev.Dr. John Pragasam, Deputy Principal, who invoked God’s blessings and also showed great satisfaction at the interest shown by the students as well as the teachers towards the event. The Program was flagged off in front of the statue of St. Ignatius at about 9 a.m. by Dr. Sudhakar, Assistant Commissioner, Cyber Crime branch and Dr. Lazer Selva, Director, Training and Placement Cell, Loyola College and the event after that was an entirely great experience for the students and an opportunity for them to develop their skills.

Three buses filled with students drove their way through the city, filling the air with the voices of the excited students and at about 10 a.m. was the first stop on reaching the Science and Technology Centre where the students spent a valuable hour on visiting the various scientific galleries around.

At about 11 a.m. , the buses started on their journey again and in about an hour we reached the campus of Cognizant Technology Solutions and at the sight of it, most of the students were sure that this was surely going to be a once in a lifetime experience. The students’ needs were first catered to and we were guided through the campus by one of their staff, Mr. Christopher who undoubtedly knew what the students wanted and took us straight for lunch where the banquet was already set. After a great meal, Mr. Christopher guided the students to the auditorium where the main event was about to unfold. Ms. Anusha, the Human Resource manager of the company briefed the students on the history and the current status of Cognizant Technology Solutions which was inspirational and filled with energy and also gave the students ‘the passion to make a difference’. The show was then taken over by Ms. Vishnupriya, a senior project manager who presented the students with an insight into project management and the various steps and risks involved and how the risks should be managed. The students’ hunger to learn was finally quenched by Ms. Vishnupriya with her seminar. Finally, the facilities manager, Mr. Sundaram took over the session and explained to the students about the management and development of infrastructure inside Cognizant and the various measures for pollution control that have been taken by the company took the students by surprise. He also told the students an inspirational story and presented a passion video of the company which inspired the minds of many students. The students were then taken on a campus tour and were shown how the various measures explained by Mr. Sundaram were put into practice. In the end the students, staff and officials posed for a group photograph and started their journey back from what had been a thoroughly exciting venture.

The invaluable experience that the students had gained through this event is beyond words and would surely go a long way in helping shape the careers of the students. On reaching the college, the students as well as the staff were entirely satisfied and thanked each other for their co-operation in making the event a grand success.

However, this report cannot be ended without bringing the man behind all this into the picture. Dr. J. Jerald Inico, the staff coordinator of CSI and the faculty of Computer Science Department has always maintained the development of students as his utmost priority and through the years has continued to give the students invaluable opportunities for development. The students will surely be thankful to him for his untiring efforts. The priceless fruits of this event would be evident from the number of times the word inspirational was used in this report.