Thomas Aquinas College is unique among American colleges and universities, offering a faithfully Catholic education comprised entirely of the Great Books and classroom discussions.
Truth, 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.
The intellectual tradition and moral teachings of the Catholic Church infuse the whole life of Thomas Aquinas College, illuminating the curriculum and the community alike.
Do you enjoy grappling with complex questions? Are you willing to engage in discussions about difficult concepts, with the truth as your ultimate goal?
There is always something to do at TAC — something worthwhile, something fulfilling, and something geared toward ever-greater spiritual and intellectual growth.
Freshman Classes Host “Speakeasy” and “Tea Party” Dances
All College
|
April 18, 2023
Share:
Suffused with Easter joy, the freshmen of Thomas Aquinas College threw dances for their fellow students on both coasts Saturday.
In New England, students received a password to enter a “speakeasy” that mysteriously appeared in Bl. Pier-Giorgio Frassati Student Center. After whispering the code to suspendered bouncers, they were admitted to the venue, where they found elegant tables piled with eclairs in cigar boxes, exposed lamp heads, and a dance floor lined with gin boxes. The coffee shop, meanwhile, had given way to a bar serving fruity mocktails.
After enjoying the evening’s slapstick video entertainment — featuring a hectic campus-wide competition between freshmen eager to volunteer for a Euclid prop — the dancing began. In addition to hours of swing, the evening featured the annual waltz competition, in which Tanner Sheffield (’23) and Bridget Stoutz (’23) took first place with moves that held the TAC speakeasy rapt. In between songs, students enjoyed rounds of poker and pool, giggling over printed “gossip columns” about campus life written in parodied 1920s-style prose.
Freshmen reveled in the success of their first dance as a class. “It was amazing to see my whole class come together,” said Isabella Caughron (’26). “Everyone got to use their talents to help in any way they could, and the whole thing turned out great!”
TAC Speakeasy in New England
Meanwhile, freshmen in California invited their fellow students to St. Joseph Commons for a tea party — or rather, for every tea party all at once, from Boston Harbor to a quaint English garden. The space was furnished with revolutionary flags and elegant decorations, and beneath twinkling lights guests nibbled scones and macaroons, while (of course) sampling a fine selection of teas.
Before the dance, students were treated to the evening’s entertainment: a rousing story of an intrepid freshman adventurer and his allies racing evildoers to find the fabled “Quill of Aquinas.” The Indiana Jones-esque short film was a tremendous hit: “It’s one of the best entertainments I’ve ever seen,” remarked one junior. Soon after, couples took to the floor for waltzes and swing as the music dictated, much of which was provided by a live student band. The dance also featured this year’s swing competition, in which classmates Max Nunes (’24) and Francesca Vercillo (’24) finished in first place.
When not dancing, friends snapped group photos with the intricate decorations, laughing at a “spilling the tea” table, which was strewn with slips of paper covered with facetious “rumors.” If the smiles on students’ faces returning to their residence halls were any indication, the freshmen’s first dance was a resounding success!
