Meet the New England 2025 Summer Program Prefects, Part V

We now take a quick break from our ongoing coverage of the California two-week High School Summer Program to share this, the final installment in our introduction of the prefects for the New England High School Summer Program, which is less than a week away! There are still a few spots available — as well as for the California one-week program — so if you want to apply, it’s not too late! To read the previous introductions, see the Summer Blog, and be sure to visit throughout the program from regular updates and photos!

Sebastiano Egan (NE’27)

Fresh out of New York City, Sebastiano Egan (NE’27) was no stranger to Thomas Aquinas College in his high school years. “My sister, Georgiana, was in the New England Class of 2024,” he explains. “So I was pretty familiar with the school.” After hearing good things about the College and its community from his sister, he decided to try out for himself at the High School Summer Program. 

Sebastiano was impressed by the breadth and depth of the program’s curriculum, especially by how much material it covered in just two weeks. “I had done Discussion Method classes before,” he says. “But the discussions I had at TAC were on another level.” Besides the classes, Sebastiano’s favorite part of his Summer Program was the trip to Boston — and he’s looking forward to showing the city to this year’s attendees. 

Audrey Maddox (NE’26)

“I wasn’t really interested in TAC at first,” says Audrey Maddox (NE’26). “But a family member paid for me to go to the summer program, so I went.” Over the course of her two-week experience, Audrey found herself enjoying the classes far more than she had expected. “I loved the Discussion Method,” she adds. When she returned home to Easley, South Carolina, she found herself recalling how remarkable the classes and culture were. After some thought, she made a decision: TAC or bust. 

Four years later, Audrey knows she made the right call. Now a rising senior, she can’t wait to show high schoolers around the beautiful New England campus and share the joy she discovered by participating in the Socratic seminars. When she’s not reading Aristotle or Kant, Audrey can be found acting or reading fantasy novels. 

Vincent Buelk (NE’28)

Vincent Buelk (NE’28) was tipped off to TAC by a teacher at his Colorado high school who was an alumnus of the College. “He was such a cool guy,” he says. “He spoke so highly of TAC that I was really intrigued.” After visiting the campus, sitting in on classes, and meeting students, Vincent was sold. “Everyone was so welcoming in a deeply Christian way.” He applied, and one year later, descended the stage at Matriculation as a member of the Class of 2028. 

Although he loves all aspects of life at the College — including singing in the choir and acting in Shakespeare plays — Vincent especially loves the naturally friendly nature of the community. “I was struck by how easy it is to make friends here,” he says. “I’m so excited to share that community with the Summer Programmers!”