July 2024

Friends,

Happy New Year! What, wait?! Today is July 1, not January 1…

In Higher Education, the new academic year starts on July 1 and is a time to reflect and celebrate the many achievements in the prior year, while preparing for an exciting new year of supporting students and transforming lives.

Today is also my 4th anniversary as President! So, as we prepare to welcome our new freshman Class of 2028, we take time to once again congratulate the graduates in the Class of 2024 — my first freshman class to graduate! — and proudly celebrate STAC’s transformational progress this past year … 

337 STAC Graduates in 2024

Hosted MLK III on Campus

Embedded Experiential Learning in Curriculum

Launched New ADVANCE Graduate and Certificate Program

Re-launched School of Arts & Social Sciences (“SASS 2.0”)

Piloted RIZE (Supply Chain courses) Partnership

Implemented New Canvas Learning Management System (LMS)

Developed New STAR Summer Readiness Program

Designed First STEM Master’s Program in Exercise Science

Opened New Fitness Center, Tennis Courts, and Food Truck

Won 5 ECC Championships

Won Men’s Volleyball Championship in First Season

Student Athletes Finished Top 10% NCAA DII Academically

Enhanced Mental Health and Wellness Program

Honored Mike Richter as Commencement Speaker

Held Earth Day and Winter Wonderland events

Raised a Record $5M in Fundraising

Progressed New SKAE Astronomy Center, Volleyball, and Track & Field Projects

Received First National Science Foundation (NSF) Grant

Recruited Class of 2028

 … and that was just one year here at STAC (please read below to learn more)!

So, as we start the “New Year” today, we are committed to building upon our successes and transforming the lives of our new and returning students once again in 2024/25 and beyond.

Now, I am onto "4 more years" as President!

Regards,

During the 2023-24 year, we were proud to relaunch our School of Arts & Social Sciences ("SASS 2.0") programming and introduce new Masters programs in Healthcare Management and Informatics, Human Resources, TESOL, and Public Administration (revamped MPA), as well as our first-ever STEM Masters Program in Exercise Science.

Graduates of the future MS in Exercise Science program will possess the expertise to assess, prescribe, and advocate for physical activity across diverse populations, making significant contributions to the field.

St. Thomas Aquinas College's School of Business is excited to announce a new Supply Chain Management minor that will be in the lineup starting Fall 2024. The innovative minor is offered through our partnership with RIZE, a leading provider of online program-sharing in higher education. 

This new minor is tailored to equip students for the growing demand in this field, enhancing the educational pathways for Business majors and students across other disciplines within the College.

The College's new Spartan "STAR" Summer Program is designed to help prepare select incoming Freshmen for academic success and the transition to college life.

It’s a FREE four-week Summer program starting on July 14 offering students the fantastic opportunity to live on campus and earn 6 credits towards their college degree while getting a feel for campus life and igniting their passion for learning. FREE iPads are provided to all students in the program.

Ready to advance your career? Discover our diverse range of affordable graduate programs and certificates at our Graduate Virtual Sessions on July 10.

Our graduate programs with options for recent graduates, experienced professionals and career changers, offer flexible class schedules, online options, and one-on-one advisement, to meet students where they are and support their career advancement.

Alumni are eligible for our Alumni GRAD-itude Scholarship, offering up to $12,000 in financial support toward your graduate degree program.

Questions? Please contact Dana at dcaponon@stac.edu or call (845) 398-4220.

The College is building a new Volleyball Center and outdoor Track with Track & Field facilities that will be built on the St. Agnes Gymnasium property — formerly Hallel — which is located next to the College, with approximately 4-acres of property. There will be additional athletic amenities including golf simulators, softball and baseball batting cages, and equipment for Club, Intramural, and Summer Camp programs.

The top-seeded St. Thomas Aquinas College Men's Volleyball team claimed the East Coast Conference Tournament Championship in their first season on April 21 during a five-set thriller to take a 3-2 decision over Dominican University.

Our third annual Winter Wonderland Family Festival held on December 2, 2023 was an exciting way to kick off the holiday season on our front lawn with Spartans and the local community.

Students in our Hospitality Events Planning and Management program worked diligently during the Fall 2023 semester to make this event a success. Terrific job!

Our annual Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 20 was a success! The event allowed nearly 2,000 members of the community to celebrate our planet, learn about sustainability, participate in nature and science activities, and enjoy a wonderful day outdoors! We are proud of our students from the School of Business and the School of STEM who all came together to organize and run this event for our community.

St. Thomas Aquinas College was honored to welcome civil rights leader and global humanitarian Martin Luther King III to campus for a special Black History Month fireside chat. 

Addressing a packed audience of 600 attendees, including hundreds of St. Thomas Aquinas College and high school students, Mr. King shared inspirational words and a message of change.

CBS New York aired a special hosted by Maurice DuBois titled "Black History is American History".

The Spirit of STAC Action Team hosted "Spartans Take a Beat" Day in the Romano Student Alumni Center in both the Fall and Spring semesters, where the entire Spartan community focused on self-care and mental health awareness. The Spartan community took time mid-semester to unplug, recharge and reset.

Spartans enjoyed relaxation stations, activity stations with crafts and Legos, and snacks such as smoothies and comfort food! Therapy dogs also stopped by to brighten the day of our students and employees.

2024 Commencement

St. Thomas Aquinas College's 67th Commencement Exercises were held in person on Saturday, May 11, 2024 at Clover Stadium! 337 students were celebrated and awarded master’s, bachelor’s, and associate’s degrees across our four Schools.

Special thank you to Dr. Michael Richter, President of Brightcore Energy and New York Rangers Hockey Legend, who was the distinguished keynote speaker for this year's Commencement ceremony. St. Thomas Aquinas College was delighted to bestow on Mike Richter the honorary degree of Doctor of Commercial Science.

Mary Kate Henry ‘24 completed her Co-Op with Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland.

"Through the Experiential Learning Opportunity Fund, I had the pleasure of working in Croke Park in the Meeting & Events Department, which oversees over 1.5 million visitors a year. This opportunity gave me more connections and has advanced my learning in the career I want to pursue. I know for years to come I will be thankful for this opportunity and forever grateful I went for it.”

Check out the video highlighting her experience and contribute to the Experiential Learning Opportunity Fund!

St. Thomas Aquinas College is proud to announce its involvement in a pioneering higher education initiative, which has secured a $3.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program. President Daly will serve on the Advisory Board.

Over the course of five years, this grant will fuel efforts to increase the presence of underrepresented students in STEM fields across seven member institutions of the Lower Hudson Valley Catholic Colleges and Universities Consortium (LHVCCUC).

St. Thomas Aquinas College received a $30,000 grant from the Motorola Solutions Foundation which will fuel the creation of the new Computer Science Scholar Success Program slated to launch for the 2024-2025 academic year. This program is aimed at bolstering the success of both incoming and current computer science majors.

The School of STEM at St. Thomas Aquinas College received a $100,000 grant from The Hearst Foundations to support scholarships for underrepresented and first-generation students pursuing a STEM degree.

St. Thomas Aquinas College has received a $229,624 two-year grant from The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation to establish The St. Thomas Aquinas Institute for the Study of Loyalists in the American Revolution. The Institute will include the work of faculty, students, and external academic partners to develop an online educational resource and digital center with extensive text and photographs related to the American Revolution.

Check out St. Thomas Aquinas College's feature on three of our incredible employees! We are delighted and proud to introduce you to the following individuals:

From Left to Right: Thomas Flood, Vice President of Institutional Advancement; Angela McDonnell, Professor and Coordinator of Hospitality Management; Shannon Hargrove, Director of Experiential Learning

Congratulations to St. Thomas Aquinas College leaders Thomas Flood, Angela McDonnell, and Shannon Hargrove on graduating from Leadership Rockland’s intensive 10-month educational program.

St. Thomas Aquinas College is proud to offer tuition discounts for Leadership Rockland graduates for our graduate and certificate programs including: MBA and MPA degrees, Advanced Business Certificates and specialized Education programs (for certified and aspiring teachers).