STAC IS BACK!
CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) UPDATE: St. Thomas Aquinas College is scheduled for September 8, 2020 start. We are planning to resume in-person, on-campus instruction, residence life, and student activities for the Fall 2020 semester. We are examining various contingencies for whatever adaptations and changes will be required to open the campus for instruction, dorm life, and a range of student activities. Please continue to monitor this page and keep informed via our latest updates.
Title
STAC Stories
Dr. Rossen Trendafilov
Assistant Professor of Finance
Finance and Economics are both fields of study that require a great amount of analysis, attention to detail, and overall understanding of the world around us. “I try to establish a personal relationship with my students in order to better understand their current needs and their future goals. Further, I strive to help the students develop critical and independent thinking skills...
READ MORE
Monica Wendel
Associate Professor of Composition and Creative Writing
Monica joined the faculty at St. Thomas Aquinas College as an adjunct in 2010 and has been teaching English, creative writing, and poetry ever since. Now, as an associate professor, she values the College’s community and the close bonds students have with their professors and students’ commitment to service.
READ MORE
Deirdre-Noel Engels, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Marketing
“In my classes, I encourage students to develop practical skills that will enable them to hit the ground running at their first job. There are so many budding young entrepreneurs on campus; I hope that my classes will inspire them and provide them with the tools necessary to bring their ideas to life."
READ MORE
Linda Levine-Madori, PhD
Professor of Therapeutic Recreation
For the past 30 years, Linda has devoted her career to research, practice, education, and the the benefits this therapy offers people with cognitive disabilities. Her research on Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive functioning, and psycho-social well-being was the basis for the TTAP Method...
READ MORE
Meghan Mihal, Ph.D.
Professor of Economics
One of the most rewarding things about teaching economics is showing students that they really can do it, especially when they think they can’t ... READ MORE
Christine Cahill, JD
Assistant Dean and Associate Professor of Business Administration
Before she joined the Business School faculty at St. Thomas Aquinas College... READ MORE
Ryan D. Wynne, Ph.D.
Professor of Biology and Honors Program Director
Dr. Ryan Wynne says that after having a horrible chemistry teacher in 11th grade, he vowed that he’d never take another chemistry class in his lifetime...
READ MORE
Staci Shultz, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of English, Writing Program Director
Literature rooted in pop culture such as fan fiction is a genre that scholars like Dr. Staci Shultz find intriguing partly because, in the past, it has been dismissed as frivolous, Staci says. Today, “acafans” or academics who study fan practices... READ MORE
Ben Wagner, PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Why do some people seek out and enjoy taking personality surveys more than others? This is the subject of a yearlong research project Dr. Benjamin Wagner, assistant professor of psychology at St. Thomas Aquinas College, is working on with honors student Melissa Etter ’22... READ MORE
Isabella Szklany ’21
Communication Arts Major
Before she took the class Content Development for Public Relations, Isabella Szklany ’21 didn’t imagine herself baking cookies and handling PR for a local nonprofit that sends children with life threatening and/or terminal illnesses and their families on an all-expense paid vacation to ALL the theme parks in Orlando, Florida.
READ MORE
Timothy Henion '21
Finance Major
Timothy is an Honors Program student who hopes to work for a bank or financial firm in New York City upon graduation. Timothy shares, “I always take advantage of events going on around campus, from resume workshops to networking events. You never know where something could lead, but you have to show up and put yourself out there.”
READ MORE
Melissa Mounier ’20
English and Creative Writing Double Major
“Ever since I was twelve, I have been writing stories." Melissa sees herself working as an editor for a literary magazine or publishing house. “STAC helped me to consider the different career options within my field of study, and really helped me decide what field within the writing industry I wanted to pursue.”
READ MORE
Suzanne Clarke ’21
Accounting Major
Suzanne knew when she arrived at St. Thomas Aquinas College that she wanted a career that involved travel. Because of her international experiences and with the guidance of her professors in the School of Business, she decided to complement her Accounting major with a minor in International Business...
READ MORE
Gianna Galu '21
Biology Major
During Spring 2019, Gianna Galu ’21 and three other students spent seven days in the Dominican Republic on a medical mission ... READ MORE
Aliza Deen ’20
Psychology and English Double Major
Aliza Deen loves anime, so when her English professor suggested making it the focus of a joint project, she jumped right in. ... READ MORE
Luke Taplin
Finance Major, Economics Minor
Luke Taplin ’20 grew up playing tennis in Auckland, New Zealand. In fact, it’s the sport that brought Luke to the states after he was recruited to play it at St. Thomas Aquinas College...
READ MORE
Tyiana Nunez
Criminal Justice Major; Forensic Psychology Minor
From the time she was in sixth grade, Tyiana Nunez knew she wanted to be an FBI agent. Since then, the Criminal Justice major has had many opportunities to see what her future career is like in real-time. She has investigated... READ MORE
Americo Acevedo
Accounting Major
Americo Acevedo got a taste of what it’s like to work at a Big Four accounting firm courtesy of the Deloitte Pioneer Internship he landed during the summer of his freshmen year. For six weeks, he worked alongside partners and staff in Deloitte’s offices at New York City’s iconic Rockefeller Plaza and... READ MORE
Dr. Jerone Dunbar ’09
Senior User Experience Research Lead at Honda
As the lead of future in-car technology UX research for both mainstream and luxury cars, Jerone’s role as the User Experience Research Lead at Honda allows him to spearhead design and conduct evaluative research for future vehicle infotainment systems. READ MORE
Courtney Gerver '17
Teaching Assistant and Cognitive Neuroscientist at Penn State University
When it came time for Courtney to pick a school, what drew her to STAC was the smaller class sizes, the ability to get to know the professors, and the Honors Program. During her first semester, Courtney immediately found her passion when she took her Introduction to Psychology class. READ MORE
Kathryn Baumgartner '15
Children’s Librarian within the Great Neck Library System
For Kathryn Baumgartner, teaching was always a desired industry, and English was a field that greatly interested her. However, it was not until later on in her professional and academic career that she would realize a career as a Librarian would be the perfect fit.
READ MORE
Caitlin Zungoli '15
Financial Services Analyst at ConEdison/Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc.
While Caitlin wishes she had more time for volunteering, she always has time for her alma mater: “I will give the school as much time and talent as I can so that other students can have the same exceptional experiences I did..."
READ MORE
Melissa Urena Castillo ’17
Recreation Therapist at Helen Hayes Hospital
"The most rewarding thing about my career is seeing the physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits Recreation Therapy has for my patients" ... READ MORE
Sarah Montello, BA ’16
8th Grade ELA Teacher, Durham Public Schools, Durham, NC
Imagine researching 19th-century literature in one of the oldest libraries in Europe .... READ MORE
Ariana Carpentieri, BA ’18
Assistant to the Associate Publisher/Vice President of Marketing & Publicity for Books, Macmillan Publishers
Watching big ideas transform into manuscripts and ultimately bound volumes that land on bookstore shelves .... READ MORE
Nicki LiTrenta
Accounting Operations Representative at Bloomberg LP '18
Nicki LiTrenta knew she wanted to work at Bloomberg from the moment she visited the organization’s New York City’s headquarters with the STAC Business Club last year. While it took some serious perseverance, she has since made... READ MORE
Alexa Fox, BS ’13
Optometrist
Alexa Fox discovered her passion for optometry while shadowing professionals in the field as an honors student at St. Thomas Aquinas College. “I was pretty certain I wanted to pursue a career as an eye care physician and that decision was solidified after shadowing professionals in the field... READ MORE
