New England
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July 26, 2021
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Long shot of the registration tables under the USA and TAC flags

Sunday was a busy day on the campus of Thomas Aquinas College, New England, as students for the 2021 High School summer Program began arriving early and continued well into the afternoon. Those traveling from afar came in to Boston’s Logan Airport, where they met up with TAC prefects — dressed in easily spotted crimson t-shirts — who then shuttled them back to campus. Once here, they were met by yet more prefects, who led students to their residence halls and offered a campus tour that afternoon.

Arrival!
  • David Carey, prefect, greets an incoming student with a handshake
  • Another incoming students waves to the camera
  • Two new students, the mother of one of them, and a prefect outside the women's dorm
  • An HSSP student, a College student, and a prefect beside the registration tables
  • Irene Collins, prefect, leads a group of girls to their dorm
  • Jack Blewitt greets an incoming family
  • Mary O'Reilly, prefect, greets a family at the registration table
  • Jean Guerreiro, prefect, greets an incoming student
  • A small group of new arrivals and families chats in the parking lot
  • Various people afront the Tracy Student Center
  • Jack Blewitt greets another incoming family

Nearly everyone arrived in time for a dinner of BBQ chicken pork in Gould Hall, followed by an orientation in the Dolben Library auditorium. Admissions Director Jon Daly and Associate Director John Jost welcomed students and gave them a sense of what they could expect for the next two weeks. Mr. Jost then introduced students to the full team of prefects, and the program’s two chaplains — Rev. Greg Markey and Rev. Miguel Batres, O.Praem. (’08) — spoke about the spiritual life of the campus. 

Orientation
  • Students file into Dolben Auditorium and take seats
  • A students selects his seat in a row
  • "Thumbs-up" from a seated student
  • Students chat with one another in the seats as they wait for orientation to begin
  • Another group of seated students talking prior to the orientation lecture
  • A group of students smile for the camera
  • A student smiles for the camera
  • Jon Daly delivers the orientation lecture
  • Jack Blewitt high-fives a student
  • John Jost delivers his orientation address
  • Students listen to the lectures
  • John Jost delivering his lecture, with prefects on either side
  • Fr. Miguel delivers his own orientation address
  • Fr. Markey delivers the final address

The men and women then split up for dorm parties back at their residence halls (Wilson and Merrill-Keep, respectively). There they continued with more ice-breakers, discussed the campus’ rules of residency, and feasted on Goldfish, s’mores and Otter Pops.

Today the work of the Summer Program begins for real, starting with the morning’s first class on Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex! Expect an update sometime this afternoon …