St. Thomas Aquinas College
Established	1952
Type	Private
President	Dr. Margaret Fitzpatrick
Students	2,400
Location	Sparkill, NY, USA
Campus	Suburban
Newspaper	Thoma
Colors	Maroon      Gold
Mascot	Spartans
Athletics	14 Varsity Teams East Coast Conference NCAA Division II
Website	www.stac.edu

St. Thomas Aquinas College is a private four-year, liberal arts college in Rockland County, New York that occupies a forty-eight acre campus. Located at 125 Route 340 in Sparkill, New York, the college is named after the medieval philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas. It was founded by the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill, New York. St. Thomas Aquinas College now offers a BS degree in Forensic Science.

Contents 1 Majors Offered 2 Special Programs 3 St. Thomas Aquinas College Spartans 4 Notable alumni 5 Pop culture 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Majors Offered

Bachelor of Arts:

Art*

Art Therapy

Communications Arts

English*

History

Philosophy/Religious Studies

Romance Languages

Spanish*

Bachelor of Science:

Accounting

Business Administration

Biology*

Commercial Design

Criminal Justice

Finance

Liberal Arts and Sciences

Marketing

Medical Technology

Mathematics*

Natural Sciences*

Psychology

Recreation & Leisure

Social Sciences*

Bachelor of Science in Education:

Elementary Education

Elementary Education & Bilingual Education

Special Education

Dual Degrees:

Physical Therapy

Engineering

Library Science

(*denotes option for 7-12 Certification)

[edit] Special Programs

Honors Program

The Honors Program at St. Thomas Aquinas College is designed for students of superior academic ability with a decided commitment to humane values. The Program reflects the declared mission of the College as an institution committed to both the search for truth through the enlightenment that comes from knowledge and to human freedom that is an outgrowth of seeking the truth.

The objectives of the Honors Program at St. Thomas Aquinas College, which was implemented in 1987, are student centered and may be expressed as follows:

to experience the inter-relatedness of knowledge from various disciplines;

to deepen a passion for knowledge that goes beyond the more formal aspects of education;

to experience that the search for truth is timeless and never ending;

to realize the necessity of discipline in scholarly pursuits;

to appreciate more fully the broad array of gifts of all persons.

Students who are selected for admission to the Honors Program will have their academic schedules modified to include special courses taught by versatile professors dedicated to the humane objectives of the Program. Over the several semesters of their attendance at St. Thomas Aquinas College these students will be invited to enroll in a series of Honors courses, beginning with special sections of freshman English and followed by advanced courses on particular topics in a variety of disciplines. Some of these courses will be interdisciplinary in nature and may be team-taught. The Honors Program encompasses the four years of undergraduate study during which students are expected to complete a minimum of six Honors courses.

Applicants to the Honors Program are strongly encouraged to apply early. Completed applications are considered on a rolling basis, and admission to the Honors Program is highly competitive.

Application to the Honors Program is open to new freshmen entering college as full time students in the Fall semester who meet the following criteria:

High school average of 90 or above in major subjects at the time of application, and

Combined SAT scores of at least 1200 with no section less than 550 or ACT composite score of 27.

Evidence of a rigorous course of study in high school (usually includes honors and/or AP courses).

Evidence of substantial involvement in extra-curricular activities.

Pathways

Pathways, formerly known as "The STAC Exchange," is a program serving selected college students with learning disabilities and/or attention deficit disorders at St. Thomas Aquinas College. The program emphasizes individualized support and personal attention in a comfortable atmosphere conducive to education.

The STAC Exchange was established at St. Thomas Aquinas College in 1982 to meet the growing need for specialized services at the college level for bright students with learning disabilities. In an effort to serve this population, STAC researched, developed, and implemented a pilot program for select high school graduates with the potential to earn a college degree. The STAC Exchange has adapted to the increasing diversity of college students with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders, with an emphasis on individualized services. In September 2004, the program's name was changed to "Pathways," a name that better reflects its mission.

Pathways focuses on the development of effective learning strategies by critically evaluating and educating each student about his or her specific needs and abilities. The aim is to break the pattern of dependency often created in students with learning deficits, to foster a spirit of independent and active learning, to teach students to maximize strengths in order to compensate for weaknesses, and to inspire confidence in the student's own abilities.

Pathways students represent almost every major the College offers, often attaining academic honors as they work toward their degree. After graduation, some Pathways alumni have pursued graduate study at such institutions as Fordham University, New York University, Iona College, and John Jay College; some have remained at STAC to pursue master's degrees in Education or Business. Pathways graduates are employed in a wide variety of positions, including special education teacher, high school teacher, college instructor, recreation therapist, school psychologist, police officer, radio broadcaster, national park ranger, mortgage broker, and small business owner.

[edit] St. Thomas Aquinas College Spartans

The St. Thomas Aquinas College Spartans field 14 varsity NCAA Division II East Coast Conference athletic teams. These include Track and Field, Cross Country, Baseball, Basketball, Lacrosse, Soccer, Golf, and Tennis.

[edit] Notable alumni

• Barbara Corcoran, self made real estate millionaire who sold her company The Corcoran Group for $70 million in 2001.
• Gordon M. Johnson, represents the 37th legislative district in the New Jersey General Assembly.^[1]
• Frank Messina, poet and author.^[2]
• Gordon Chiesa, is an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA.
• Kevin P. Duignan, Class of 1975 and 2006 MBA,Vice President for Institutional Advancement at St. Thomas, member of the College's Alumni Hall of Fame 2008, member of the board of directors of All Hallows High School, Bronx, NY and Albertus Magnus High School, Bardonia, NY.

[edit] Pop culture

The campus was also used as a filming location for the 2003 Katie Holmes film Pieces of April. External shots of Marion Hall, an educational building that also houses the school's main business office and several professors offices, is used as the grandmother's nursing home.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• St. Thomas Aquinas College's Official Site

v • d • e East Coast Conference Bridgeport • C.W. Post • Dowling • Mercy • Molloy • NYIT • Queens • Saint Thomas Aquinas Associate Members: Mercyhurst • Dominican • Wheeling Jesuit University • Lake Erie College • Seton Hill University •

v • d • e Dominican College and Universities Albertus Magnus College • Aquinas College (Michigan) • Aquinas College (Tennessee) • Aquinas Institute of Theology • Barry University • Caldwell College • Dominican College • Dominican University of California • Dominican University • Ohio Dominican University • Edgewood College • Molloy College • Mount Saint Mary College • Providence College • Saint Catharine College • St. Thomas Aquinas College • Siena Heights University