Dear St. Thomas Aquinas College Community:
“... to whom much has been given, much will be required ...” (Luke 12:48)
As I proudly walk the campus on my first day as the new President of St. Thomas Aquinas College, I am humbled by the opportunity to achieve my lifelong dream of leading such a special college. I thank the Board, President-Emerita Margaret Fitzpatrick, and the entire STAC community for the warm welcome I have received over the past 6 months, especially as I am transitioning into this role at a very challenging time. I will spend my first day—and most of my early days—engaging with students, faculty, Cabinet members, and STAC supporters; planning for our COVID-19 response and our September 8 re-opening; and building upon our important conversations on Social Justice and Equity.
I commit to:
- Being a purpose-driven leader by engaging with all of our stakeholders as we advance our Mission and unite our community on a shared journey of developing students to their fullest potential.
- Caring for students as they navigate the current societal changes by providing them with access to affordable education in order to prepare them for college, community service, and career success.
- Fostering a dialogue with students to ensure all voices are heard and where inclusion, equity, and diversity are enhanced as part of our values.
There has never been a time when a quality education is more important. Education opens doors by providing students with a voice to express their views and compassion to understand one another; in this way, education develops leaders who can help solve the current and future societal challenges. When we face challenging times, there is no better guide on how to respond than to learn from those who came before us.
In 1898, long before the college was formed, there was a terrible fire on the prior campus which destroyed 10 buildings. So, how did our founding Dominican Sisters respond? They responded by heroically running into the burning buildings and saving the lives of 350 children by leading them through the raging fires. They immediately rebuilt the campus and have since left their lasting impact on the many generations of students they have educated here at the college.
Now, it is our turn to educate the next generation of students ... to lead them through the current fires that we face ... to make a lasting impact ... and to advance our proud Mission of developing each student who joins us here as we proudly walk together on campus.
With humility, respect, and responsibility for our students,
Best regards,
