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Thomas Aquinas College Newsletter Winter 2009

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Thomas Aquinas College Newsletter Winter 2009 quinas A C s o a l Thomas Aquinas College Newsletter m l e o g h e T Winter 2009 C 1 al 7 if 19 Volume 37, Issue 1 ornia - Chapel Update Educational Value Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Chapel Nears Thomas Aquinas College Gets High Rankings in Completion National Surveys n a warm Monday n light of the trying economic climate, one criterion has become increasingly im- morning in late No- portant to high school students and their families in choosing colleges and univer- Ovember, Thomas Aquinas sities:I value — that is, the quality of the education an institution provides measured College students, faculty, against the price of the tuition that same institution charges. and staff gathered on the By that standard, the various authorities all agree: Thomas Aquinas College is academic quadrangle to see one of the best values in the country. what St. John might have The question of value in higher education was the subject of a front-page described as “a great sign … USA Today story in January. “Now, more than ever,” the newspaper reported, “stu- in the sky, a woman clothed dents and parents need to make every education dollar count.” Two of the nation’s with the sun, with the moon most popular college guides have recently released value rankings, and on both, under her feet, and on her Thomas Aquinas College scored near the top nationwide. College b lue y Th Va e st Pr e in B c head a crown of twelve stars” Once again, The Princeton Review has ranked Thom- 9 e 0 t 0 o 2 n a R (Rev. 12:1). as Aquinas College as one of the 50 “Best Value” private e d v e i e m w colleges in the country. The College is one of only five in- a Aided by a massive N crane, a construction crew stitutions in California — and the only Catholic school in * Value was carefully hoisting an the country — to make the list. 8-foot, 3,300-pound, white, Similarly, Kiplinger’s, which is dedicated to delivering marble statue of the Woman sound, unbiased advice for families and businesses on sav- of the Apocalypse to its per- ing, investing, retirement planning, and paying for college, manent home atop the lime- has ranked Thomas Aquinas College as number 33 among its list of the Top 50 best stone façade of Our Lady of values. The College is one of only two Catholic colleges, and the only one founded the Most Holy Trinity Cha- within the last 100 years, to earn a spot in Kiplinger’s rankings. pel. Onlookers watched in Although The Princeton Review and Kiplinger’s surveys focus on value, their se- awe as the statue, suspended lection criteria are not limited to finances. Indeed, both considered only institutions by thick, yellow straps be- with excellent academic reputations and records of achievement. As Ben Zelevansky, neath its outstretched arms, director of data analysis for The Princeton Review, toldUSA Today, “This is not a list slowly ascended some 60 of America’s Best Financial Aid Packages. This is a list of schools that provide the best feet to the top of the Chapel’s pediment, where workers fastened it to a limestone plat- balance of a strong education and a reasonable cost of attendance…. The schools on form. our list really go above and beyond.” This glorious work of art is a gift of The Hardart Family, in memory of husband In a statement, Kiplinger’s echoed this theme: “Our rankings measure academic and father Frank Hardart, Jr., M.D. Thanks to the Hardarts’ generosity, Our Lady of the quality and affordability, with quality accounting for two-thirds of the total…. These Most Holy Trinity Chapel at last has Our Lady’s likeness, and with it this longstanding institutions … provide a top-quality education at an affordable price — usually with construction site looks more like the glorious place of worship it will become when it generous financial aid.” is dedicated in March. Perhaps these measures of “value” help to explain why Thomas Aquinas College also scored so well on the newly published 2009 U.S. News & World Report study of The Doctors Are In academic “yield” — the percentage of students who, hav- ome six stories below the pediment, flanking the Chapel’s main entrance, are newly ing been accepted at a college or university, go on to enroll commissioned statues of St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas made of white there. According to U.S. News, Thomas Aquinas College marble.S Resting in niches between fluted columns, these sculptures call to mind the has the third-highest yield rate of all American colleges and universities for the sec- College’s classical curriculum, which culminates in the study of the Church’s two great- ond year in a row, with 76 percent of its accepted applicants matriculating. The only est theologians. continued on page 10 continued on page 10 Matters of Church and State President of Vatican City Visits Thomas Aquinas College ver the course of its 38-year history, Thomas Aqui- nas College has been blessed to welcome many Cardinal Lajolo lauded Thomas membersO of the Church hierarchy and, on occasion, some high-ranking government officials. One afternoon Aquinas College for “the high last fall, it had the rare privilege of hosting someone who quality of its professors and its is both. cultural contribution through On Friday, November 7, the College postponed af- philosophy and theology.” He ternoon classes so that the entire community could at- tend a luncheon lecture from Giovanni Cardinal Lajolo, also extended “the personal and President of the Governatorate of Vatican City State and cordial greetings of His Holiness President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City Pope Benedict XVI” and “his State. His Eminence, who was in Southern California on Apostolic Blessing to all the official Vatican business for only 72 hours, made a spe- cial trip to Thomas Aquinas College to speak before a faculty, staff, and students” of crowded room full of students, faculty, and staff mem- the College. bers in St. Joseph’s Commons. Born in the Piedmont region of Italy, Cardinal Lajo- lo was ordained a priest in 1960 and a bishop in 1989. XVI appointed him President of Vatican City State, and proximately 110 acres in area, it is similar in size to our His previous diplomatic positions in the Vatican include in 2007 elevated him to the College of Cardinals. own campus; and with a population of fewer than 800 Secretary of the Administration of the Patrimony of the In introducing His Eminence, College President Dr. souls, it is not much larger than our small college com- Apostolic See, Apostolic Nuncio to Germany, and Sec- Thomas E. Dillon remarked, “Cardinal Lajolo presides munity. Yet it has within its borders the home of one of retary of the Secretariat of State. In 2006, Pope Benedict over the smallest independent state in the world. Ap- the most significant individuals in the world — that of continued on page 5 From the Desk of the President Comprehensive “House of God, Gate of Heaven” Campaign Update ere on the campus of Gospels, have given generously from the little they have. 100 - Thomas Aquinas College, With your help and the help of all of our benefactors, thereH is growing excitement as Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Chapel — a $23 mil- Our Lady of the Most Holy Trin- lion project — has come to be a reality. ity Chapel nears completion. In While to date we have received just over $18 million 90 - this past month, some key ele- in gifts and pledges to erect this beautiful house of God, ments were delivered from Spain our goal is to raise the remaining $5 million in order $83.36 M — the altar, tabernacle, baldac- that, wholly unencumbered by debt, this Chapel may be chino, and altar rail. Artisans entirely set apart for the glory of God. 80 - from Arte Granda, the company I hope that you will consider joining in this final ef- that fabricated these pieces, have now installed them in fort by making a sacrificial gift to our Chapel Fund using the Chapel sanctuary, and their beauty is breathtaking. the envelope enclosed with this newsletter. Your con- 70 - Benefactor With these installations accomplished, the heart of tribution will help ensure that this crown jewel of our $12.02 Estate the Chapel is now complete. At the same time, plans are campus will truly be a “house of God and gate of heaven” Pledges now very much underway for the Chapel’s Dedication (Gen. 28:17). Mass, which will occur only a few weeks from now. Even more, though, you will be helping to secure Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Chapel will cer- Thomas Aquinas College’s financial well-being dur- 60 - tainly be a blessing for the whole community of Thomas ing these difficult economic times. Because we accept Aquinas College. Not only will its seating capacity allow no direct government funding, and because we do not all our faculty, staff, and students to worship together, its turn any student away simply for financial reasons, we Cash/ beauty and grandeur will be edifying for anyone who en- are challenged each year to raise $4 million for financial 50 - $35.04 Foundation Grants ters through its magnificent bronze doors. aid and operations. Though never easy, in this present We are deeply grateful to all those who have con- economic climate, it will be more difficult than ever to tributed to this project — those who have given greatly meet this challenge.
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