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About
Fidelity & ExcellenceThomas Aquinas College is unique among American colleges and universities, offering a faithfully Catholic education comprised entirely of the Great Books and classroom discussions.
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A Liberating Education
Truth MattersTruth, and nothing less, sets men free; and because truth is both natural and supernatural, the College’s curriculum aims at both natural and divine wisdom.
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A Catholic Life
Under the Light of FaithThe intellectual tradition and moral teachings of the Catholic Church infuse the whole life of Thomas Aquinas College, illuminating the curriculum and the community alike.
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Admission & Aid
Is TAC Right for You?Do you enjoy grappling with complex questions? Are you willing to engage in discussions about difficult concepts, with the truth as your ultimate goal?
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Students & Parents
Mind, Body & SpiritThere is always something to do at TAC — something worthwhile, something fulfilling, and something geared toward ever-greater spiritual and intellectual growth.
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Alumni & Careers
What Can You Do with a Liberal Education?Nothing speaks more to the versatility of the College’s academic program than the good that our alumni are doing throughout the Church and the world.
Alumni Family Business Takes Coffee “to the Heights”
When her Senior Thesis advisor, Dr. Jared Kuebler, treated Samantha Flanders (’15) to her first cup of home-roasted coffee, the experience would change her life. “Several times throughout the semester, he would invite students into his home and would do cupping sessions of his fresh-roasted coffee,” Miss Flanders recently explained to a reporter from her hometown newspaper. “It’s hard to go back once you’ve experienced really fresh coffee.”
Five years after her graduation, coffee would become her life’s work. Miss Flanders is the co-founder of Verso L’alto Coffee Roasters, along with her sister and brother-in-law, Hannah (Flanders) and Johnny Richard (both ’13). “Sam shared her love of coffee roasting with John and me,” Mrs. Richard recalls. “After two years of roasting on vintage popcorn poppers for friends and family, the three of us decided to take this hobby to the next level and invest in a 1.5kg studio roaster and to start a business.”
Verso L’alto Coffee Roasters officially opened shop in December 2020, and its first year of business has been a tremendous success. “In addition to a steady stream of online sales,” Mrs. Richard reports, “we have participated in several local artisan markets over the summer, signed a contract to be the exclusive coffee vendor for the Catholic.store's online sales, hosted a coffee bar at the Napa Institute, as well as roasted sample gift favors for private events” — among them, Thomas Aquinas College’s 50th Anniversary Gala in October:
“We are thrilled with how far we have come this first year,” she adds, “and look forward to expanding within the next year.”
The company’s Italian name translates to “to the heights,” a beloved expression of Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, the roastery’s patron. “We adopted this motto for our family business because it dares us to direct ourselves to the highest good and challenges us to unearth the beatific within the everyday,” says Miss Flanders. “When we view the world this way, we can transform something as simple as brewing a cup of coffee into an extraordinary moment.”
While it was their time at TAC that introduced them to fresh-roasted coffee, these young entrepreneurs also credit their Catholic liberal education with preparing them to share their gifts and talents in the marketplace. “The education that we received at Thomas Aquinas College has guided our entrepreneurial pursuits, not for the roasting itself, but for the way we have chosen to brand our company and for our vision for Verso L’alto Coffee Roasters,” reflects Mrs. Richard. “At Thomas Aquinas College we were immersed in a culture of truth and beauty, and in the curriculum we often reflected on man’s desires to seek the highest good. In addition to sharing our love of fresh-roasted coffee beans, we wish to invite our customers to seek the highest good for themselves.”