Meet the California 2025 Summer Program Prefects, Part IV

We continue to introduce the prefects for the California High School Summer Program, which begins July 6! For previous introductions, see the Summer Blog, and to be part of this year’s program, apply now!

Sofia O’Reilly (CA’27)

The first time Sofia O’Reilly (CA’27) visited Thomas Aquinas College, she was nine years old, unable to speak English, and very far from her home country of Argentina. Many years later, she returned as a Summer Program attendee, giving the College a try, but sure she would attend veterinary school in the fall. “I had imagined college as just a place to study — read, discuss, repeat — but when I came to the Summer Program, I realized it was so much more,” she says. “I decided to come to TAC because I saw that seeking truth is possible, that God was showing me this was where I could find it.” One month later, she entered her first seminar as a member of the Class of 2027. 

Now, Sofia is excited to have fun in the sun with this year’s “programmers,” as well as show them everything the College has to offer. “I hope that all the attendees leave campus with a love for truth, new friends to help each other get to Heaven, and renewed hope that, no matter how ugly things get in the world, Christ is always with us and the gates of Hades will not prevail against His church.” 

Jeremiah King (CA’27)

Jeremiah King’s first impression of Thomas Aquinas College was one of wonder. “I was struck by how beautiful it was,” he says. “By gazing on the Chapel, walking through the grounds, and seeing all the students with smiles on their faces, pursuing truth and love of God as a common goal, it was clear this was no ordinary college.” His older brother attended TAC, and after hearing his stories and determining that he wanted to pursue a Catholic liberal education, he decided to go himself. 

“What I love most about the College is that it provides an education that is not solely geared toward a career, but rather to perfecting the whole person,” Jeremiah says. He is excited to share with attendees the readings and propositions that endeared him to a life of seeking knowledge for its own sake, as well as the sense of brotherhood he found while attending the High School Summer Program. 

Riley Seeley (CA’28)

“I never thought of TAC as an option for college,” says Riley Seeley (CA’28), who learned about the College through some family friends. She attended the Summer Program, anyway, and found herself enjoying it much more than she thought she would. “It brought the curriculum to my attention, specifically the emphasis on the Great Books,” she says. “I realized I had completely misjudged TAC and began my application.” 

Among her many revelations on her Summer Program, Riley was especially interested in the unified nature of life at the College. “What struck me most is the intricate interconnectedness at TAC: the curriculum, Socratic learning, the Faith, and the student body were like parts of a puzzle, with each piece enhancing the others in a way that was captivating to me.” As this is her first time serving as a Summer Program prefect, she is looking forward to making new friends and having deep conversations about the truth with this year’s attendees. 

Joseph Emrich (CA’27)

When two of his older brothers went to Thomas Aquinas College, Joseph Emrich (CA’27) was interested, but wasn’t initially sure it was for him. “I fell in love with philosophy during my freshman year of high school,” he says. “While discerning where I should attend college, TAC struck me as a place where philosophy is most properly valued and studied.” His experience at the Summer Program sealed the deal, and two years later, his love for the study of nature has only grown. “The curriculum and seminar-style classes have been some of the greatest joys of my life.” 

As he prepares to return to the Summer Program as a first-time prefect, Joseph hopes to instill in attendees the same love for the Great Books he has fostered in himself. “The Summer Program provides high schoolers with a taste of the intriguing and rewarding works studied at TAC,” he says. “It is difficult not to fall in love with such excellent books, studied in such an enjoyable way.” 

Bridget Gardner (CA’27)

The daughter of two alumni and sister to two more, Bridget Gardner (CA’27) was familiar with Thomas Aquinas College, but it wasn’t until a visit to the California campus her junior year that she got to see it for herself. “Almost everyone, without prompting, came up and introduced themselves with a handshake and a smile,” she says. “I was also fascinated by the way the students were learning: I witnessed so many lightbulb moments, just from having a conversation around a table.” Drawn by the joy she witnessed, she enrolled as a freshman in the fall of 2023. 

Bridget is happy to return for her second stint as a Summer Program prefect and can’t wait to spend part of her summer making memories with the attendees. “The Summer Program is not just about visiting a campus,” she says. “It’s about joining into a rhythm of life centered on truth, beauty, and friendship. It’s a rare opportunity to experience college life in a meaningful, hands-on way.”