St. Thomas and Pizza at Spring All-College Seminar

On the first Friday of Lent, students on the New England campus spent their evening reflecting on the mystery of Our Lord’s passion and His resurrection.

These discussions were part of the semi-annual All-College seminar, when Thomas Aquinas College students split into groups of 18-20 across different grade levels, all reading a single text that is outside of the integrated curriculum. For this spring’s All-College Seminar, tutors led students through excerpts of St. Thomas Aquinas’ Compendium Theologiae, from which they contemplated the nature of Christ’s salvation of man.

“From the opening question, students, even students who don’t know each other, immediately recognize they are all doing the same thing together,” observes Tutor Dr. Taylor O’Neill. “There is an immediate camaraderie.” Although still in a formal setting, these seminars are more relaxed than regular classes. “All-College Seminars stand outside of the curriculum, so you can have fun, not worry too much, and enjoy yourself,” says Thomas Doylend (’22).

All-College Seminars are not, however, limited only to students and their tutors. Members of the campus staff and chaplaincy also join in. “The style of the Discussion Method, I find very helpful for learning and understanding the text,” commented Chaplain Rev. Carlos Viego. “The critical thinking part of TAC happens here all the time, not just in the classroom.”

At the conclusion of the seminar, participants continued their conversations over pizza in the Tracy Student Center.