“The Beauty of Truth and Sincerity”

By Dr. Brian T. Kelly (’88)

Note: The following remarks are adapted from Dean Brian T. Kelly’s report to the Board of Governors at its February 17, 2015, meeting. They are part of an ongoing series of talks about why the College includes certain texts in its curriculum.

“The most dramatic jump in the National Liberal Arts Colleges rankings,” write the editors of U.S. News & World Report, “came from California’s Thomas Aquinas College, which rose 29 spots from a tie at No. 82 to a tie at No. 53” — the top third of the top tier.

Each fall the sophomores, juniors, and seniors take turns hosting welcome events for the new Freshman Class. This past weekend, it was the seniors’ turn. The day began with a joint trip to the beach:

Then, that evening, the seniors held a welcome dance, complete with student-produced skits, in St. Gladys Plaza:

Friday night on the academic quadrangle, students hosted an ice-cream social that soon turned into an impromptu dance. See photos in the slideshow below:

Members of the Thomas Aquinas College community celebrated Pope Francis’ canonization of St. Teresa of Calcutta on Sunday, recalling fondly her visit to campus nearly 35 years ago.

As Thomas Aquinas College looks forward to His Holiness Pope Francis’ canonization of Bl. Mother Teresa of Calcutta on Sunday, members of the community recall fondly her visit to campus nearly 35 years ago. Having received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, Mother came to the United States in 1982 to give three Commencement Addresses — at Harvard, Georgetown, and Thomas Aquinas College. “It was a singular privilege to have among us this ‘Saint of the Gutters,’” recalls President Michael F. McLean.

Kudos Include “Best Classroom Experience”
& “Most Religious Students”

On Saturday members of the College community gathered on the athletic fields for the annual All-College Picnic. The afternoon began with an inter-class tug-of-war, followed by a refreshing dive on a make-shift slip-n-slide. Finally was the picnic itself — a chance for upperclassmen to reconnect after the summer and to get to know members of the Freshman Class: