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At its fall meeting, the Thomas Aquinas College Board of Governors voted unanimously to appoint Dr. Thomas E. Dillon to a fourth six-year term as College president, starting this May. In making this announcement, Board Chairman Mrs. Maria O. Grant said, "With his firm commitment to the mission and principles of Thomas Aquinas College, Dr. Dillon has introduced this institution to new friends across the country and abroad." Mrs. Grant added that Dr. Dillon "has gained interest in and support for the College among the Roman Curia and from many donors who have made possible its strong position today." In his 18 years as president, Dr. Dillon has worked to secure the College's finances, to strengthen its faculty, and to build up the young campus while preserving the institution's commitment to classical liberal education and its fidelity to the Magisterium of the Church. During his tenure, the College has witnessed the construction of nine new structures, including the library, the laboratory building, five residence halls, the faculty and administration building and, most notably, the crown jewel of the campus, Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Chapel, which will be dedicated in March. At the same time, Dr. Dillon has engaged with the faculty to refine the academic program and reaffirm the College's special character and its discipleship to St. Thomas. Moreover, in the years since Dr. Dillon first took office, the College has achieved a national reputation for excellence. Enrollment has increased from 198 students to the College's maximum capacity of 350, and the number of teaching faculty has doubled from 18 to 36. Addressing the Board, Dr. Dillon said he was honored by his re-appointment and that he remains committed to the College's founding vision. "My aim has always been to take that great idea and help make it real - to realize our highest aspirations," he reflected. Once a student of founding president Dr. Ronald P. McArthur, Dr. Dillon first came to Thomas Aquinas College as a member of the teaching faculty in 1972, just one year after its founding. From 1976 to 1981, he served as assistant dean for student affairs and then as academic dean from 1981 until his first appointment as president in 1991. While holding these various positions, he has continued to serve as a tutor and enjoys leading a sophomore seminar. "It was always the vision of the College's founders that top administrators, including deans and the president, be active tutors so that they would be personally involved in the lives of our students and directly involved in the intellectual life of the community," Dr. Dillon explained. "I am grateful that, even with the travel and other responsibilities that being president entails, I am still able to teach. It is one of the great joys of this position to see how our unique program of education continues to enrich our students' lives." Dr. Dillon holds a bachelor of arts degree in integral liberal arts from St. Mary's College of California, and master's and doctoral degrees in philosophy from the University of Notre Dame. He is a member of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, and he has been a member of Legatus for the past 13 years. He and his wife, Terri, have been married for 42 years and have four children and 15 grandchildren. Members of the Board of Governors "are grateful for Dr. Dillon's unceasing efforts for the College over the last 18 years," said Chairman Grant. "We look forward to supporting him in his continuing leadership for six years more." -- Qtrly Newsletter, Winter 2009 |
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