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About
Fidelity & ExcellenceThomas Aquinas College is unique among American colleges and universities, offering a faithfully Catholic education comprised entirely of the Great Books and classroom discussions.
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A Liberating Education
Truth MattersTruth, and nothing less, sets men free; and because truth is both natural and supernatural, the College’s curriculum aims at both natural and divine wisdom.
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A Catholic Life
Under the Light of FaithThe intellectual tradition and moral teachings of the Catholic Church infuse the whole life of Thomas Aquinas College, illuminating the curriculum and the community alike.
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Admission & Aid
Is TAC Right for You?Do you enjoy grappling with complex questions? Are you willing to engage in discussions about difficult concepts, with the truth as your ultimate goal?
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Students & Parents
Mind, Body & SpiritThere is always something to do at TAC — something worthwhile, something fulfilling, and something geared toward ever-greater spiritual and intellectual growth.
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Alumni & Careers
What Can You Do with a Liberal Education?Nothing speaks more to the versatility of the College’s academic program than the good that our alumni are doing throughout the Church and the world.
Alumnus “Super Attorney” offers “Confessions of a Catholic Litigator”
“For more than 30 years, I have struggled over my role within the framework of litigation,” writes alumnus attorney David A. Shaneyfelt (’81) in Confessions of a Catholic Litigator, recently published in the University of St. Thomas Law Journal. “I want to be a good Catholic. I want to be a good lawyer. Can I be both? Are there things I must do in my practice that offend my faith (and thus offend God)? Conversely, will practicing my faith to the fullest make me an inferior lawyer? Am I binding myself to some higher standard than legal ethics require?”
In a long, thoughtful article that raises as many questions as it answers, Mr. Shaneyfelt considers the ethical tensions afflicting Catholic attorneys, who must vigilantly serve their clients while, more importantly, also serving and honoring the Lord. Mr. Shaneyfelt is among the 5 percent of attorneys recognized as a Southern California Super Lawyer and has the highest possible ranking for ethical standards and legal ability from Martindale Hubbell. A former trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice who now practices with The Alvarez Firm in Calabasas, California, he has litigated complex civil matters in state and federal courts across the country.
“Be kind and civil to your opponent, even when your opponent is not civil in return. Treat your support staff fairly and be in good cheer,” Mr. Shaneyfelt advises fellow lawyers. “Be honest in all your dealings — with clients, colleagues, opponents, judges, court personnel, or anyone involved in a case. Virtue, to be sure, is its own reward, and those who practice it, while practicing law, will succeed or fail in the same measure that others succeed or fail in whatever endeavors they do.”