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CAMPUS LIFE
MULTIMEDIA |
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Video: “I came to TAC because I wanted answers.” |
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Alumnus Brother on Vocation, Religious Life |
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| UPCOMING EVENTS |
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Feast of St. Thomas
January 28 |
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President's Day
February 15
No classes / office holiday |
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Anniversary of the Death of
Rev. Thomas A. McGovern, S.J.
February 19 |
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Don Rags
March 2-4 |
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Solemnity of the Dedication of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Chapel
March 7 |
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Easter Recess
April 1-7 |
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Holy Thursday
No classes / office holiday |
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Good Friday
April 2
No classes / office holiday |
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Holy Saturday
April 3 |
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Easter Sunday
April 4 |
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Easter Monday
April 5
No classes / office holiday |
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Anniversary of the Death of College President Thomas E. Dillon
April 15 |
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| IN MEMORIAM |
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Peter Serkin
February 1
Pianist, performed the first concert in
St. Cecilia Lecture and Concert Hall
Mary Ann St. Arnault
November 10
Mother of Nadine (’78), Nan (Barrett ’78), Natalie (Halpin ’80); grandmother of Rose (Halpin ’06) McCann and Meg (Halpin ’08) Tannoury
Charlie P. Diliberti
December 8
Legacy Society member
Margaret Hunt
December 11
Mother of Tutor Richard, grandmother of Rose (Froula ’06), Eddie (’99), Austin (’07), Joseph (’10), Roland (’20)
David Cain
December 18
Father of tutor Steven; grandfather of Margaret Mary (Richard ’13), Sophia (Ford ’16), Thomas (’18), and Peter (’23)
Dr. Henry J. Zeiter
December 20
Member of the Thomas Aquinas College Board of Governors and Order of St. Albert; father of Suzie (Andres ’87) and Camille (’91); grandfather of Joseph (’12) and Dominic Andres (’24) and Zach Zeiter (’21)
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The wonder of learning
Students Look Back on Academic Highlights of Last Semester
Although the first semester of Thomas Aquinas College’s 2020-21 academic year included many more challenges than usual, students and faculty carried on with the essential work of Catholic liberal education. As they read and discussed their way through the College’s classical curriculum, they encountered deeper truths and ever more of the connections that unify the disciplines. Among the highlights from the recently completed fall semester, as expressed by members of each class, are:
Freshman Mathematics
Graduates of Thomas Aquinas College can all vividly recall moments from their Freshman Math tutorial, in which students spend an entire year on Euclid’s Elements. The class demands serious preparation, as each freshman is frequently called upon to present geometrical propositions before the class. “My favorite part of Euclid class is definitely presenting props,” remarks Luke Cecchi (’24). “It makes me want to study harder.”
Sophomore Philosophy
Last semester sophomores began to probe the very foundations of being during their study of Aristotle’s Physics. Many discussions centered around Aristotle’s Four Causes, nature’s acting for an end, and motion. “Oftentimes the things closest to us are the most difficult to grasp,” reflects sophomore Paul Dinan. “Exploring some of the most basic and yet most profound elements of being under the masterful tutelage of Aristotle is a powerful experience.”
Junior Theology
Having received the necessary philosophical and theological tools during their first two years at the College, the Junior Class embarks on a thorough analysis of questions from St. Thomas Aquinas’ masterpiece, the Summa Theologiae. Over the last few months, juniors have meticulously followed the Angelic Doctor in his quest to establish both the existence of God and several of the divine attributes. “It’s the study of God Himself, which is … the end of all of our studies,” reflects John Greene (’22). “It’s what we want to know, what we want to accomplish.”
Senior Natural Science
In the fall seniors completed a fascinating exploration of light, electricity, and magnetism. Relying heavily on the calculus they studied previously as juniors, they delved into the modern theories of Einstein and Maxwell, among others. “The more complex the world is, the more beautiful it is and … it inspires awe in you,” remarks Garin Ballard (’21). “That helps you grow in your relationship to God.”
► Full story
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Outdoor classes
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SACRED STITCHERY
Alumna Sews Priestly Vestments for New England Chapel
“When Father walks among the angels and offers back to God on the altar all our hearts and sacrifices along with his own,” says Hélène (Augros ’92) Froula, “it’s best that he wears something that represents not only the finest of what is available in earthly materials, but also the best kind of offering in terms of human effort.”
For Mrs. Froula, these words reflect not only a pious insight, but also a personal devotion. An alumna of the College, the wife of New England tutor Dr. Josef Froula (’92), and the mother of 10 children, she has personally sewn many of the ornate and beautiful vestments that Chaplain Rev. Greg Markey wears when offering Mass in Our Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel.
This is, she remarks, her small way of aiding the priest in his holy purpose: “Someone’s individual handwork,” she observes, “their precious time and careful attention, which may not be factory-perfect, but perfectly heartfelt and freely given, should be there in support, if possible.”
► Continue reading
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Hélène (Augros ’92) Froula |
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BICOASTAL PREFECTS
Students Lead the Way at High School Summer Programs
For the better part of two decades, rising high school seniors from across the U.S. and the world have come to Thomas Aquinas College for two weeks each summer with one thought on their minds: Do I want to spend my next four years here? Ever since the College opened its East Coast campus in 2019, they have also had an additional question to consider: California or New England?
Serving as their guides in this discernment are the prefects of the Great Books High School Summer Program. As current TAC students and recent graduates, the prefects — who work hard to make the program a faithful and fun reflection of the intellectual, spiritual, and community life of the College — are well suited to help answer these questions. And whether serving on the California program or its New England counterpart, they are prepared to answer questions about either campus.
“We’ve used a mix of prefects from both campuses on both programs,” says Director of Admissions Jon Daly. “There have been prefects from the New England campus on the California program, and vice versa. We’ve even had some hearty prefects who worked the California program, then jumped on a plane, and started work on the New England program the very next day!”
► Continue reading
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Irene Collins (NE’23)
Tanner Sheffield (NE’23)
Maggie Dillon (CA’21) |
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FAITH IN ACTION
Highlights from the College's Alumni Blog
• At Sweetest Heart of Mary Church in Detroit on November 21, the Rev. Matthew Maxwell, MC (’08), became Thomas Aquinas College’s 74th alumnus priest — and, more notably still, the first American-born priest for the Miles Christi religious order. Dedicated to helping the laity grow in holiness through spiritual direction, Ignatian spirituality and sound doctrinal formation, Miles Christi is a young order of priests founded in Argentina, but with a small, burgeoning presence in the U.S. “We are here with a conviction that God is about to do something great,” said the Most Rev. Allen H. Vigneron, Archbishop of Detroit, in his homily.
• Three years ago Mary Katherine (’15) co-founded New Eve Media, where she serves as executive producer. Based in San Diego, the company specializes “in producing high-quality video content, as well as building and managing websites to distribute the content,” she says, for “mission-oriented organizations.” She finds that “independent thinking and adaptability,” both fruits of her liberal education, are essential to her work. “Analysis, synthesis, and the ability to identify the heart of a story are all critical components to my work as a producer,” she says. “I’ll be forever grateful for the education and the community I received at TAC.”
• What are the Christian’s responsibilities toward the environment and its care? A new book sets out to answer this question, decoupling it from the snares of ideology and partisanship. In The Glory of the Cosmos, several Catholic scholars consider environmentalism from the vantage of Catholic philosophy and theology, particularly the works of the Angelic Doctor. The book features four alumni authors: Dr. Susan (Burnham ’78) Waldstein, professor of philosophy at Franciscan University of Steubenville; scholar and author Dr. Peter Kwasniewski (’94); Pater Edmund Waldstein, O.Cist. (’06), professor of theology at Stift Heiligenkreuz in Vienna, Austria; and Christopher Zehnder (’87), general editor of the Catholic Textbook Project.
► Faith in Action blog
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Rev. Matthew Maxwell, MC (’08)
Mary Katherine (’15)
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ANNUAL REPORT
“A Year of Challenges … A Year of Blessings”
Dear Friends of Thomas Aquinas College,
June 30, 2020, marked the close of a remarkable fiscal year at Thomas Aquinas College. In August of 2019 we opened the doors to our newly acquired New England campus, welcoming students for the inaugural year at TAC, New England. Although the year began as expected, in mid-March we pivoted to online classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these difficulties, however, and because of your generosity, the College continues to operate and flourish.
Our newest Annual Report will give you insights into how Thomas Aquinas College has stepped up to the challenge. It will lead you through details of how we addressed COVID-19, the effects of the pandemic on campus life, how we successfully re-opened for classes, as well as achievements such as opening our New England campus and the groundbreaking of the Pope St. John Paul II Athletic Center in California. Meanwhile, our alumni continue to renew the face of the earth in their daily lives.
These stories only hint at the progress Thomas Aquinas College has achieved in the past fiscal year, and I urge you to review the Annual Report and the financial statements to see a more thorough account. The report will lead you through some of the milestones of the past year, such as alumni news and student activities, while the financial statements go into greater detail, showing our balanced budget, adequate cash flow, and successful fundraising efforts.
This year’s prosperity was possible only because of your generosity. Thank you for your support of Thomas Aquinas College. You remain in our prayers daily.
God bless,
Michael F. McLean
President
► Full story
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President Michael F. McLean
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