All College
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May 5, 2022
Spring marks the beginning of the end of the academic year at Thomas Aquinas College. For most students, another year beckons, promising more readings and more time to learn and grow. But for the senior classes in California and now, for the first time, in New England, these next weeks will be their last as TAC students. The communities of both campuses gathered recently to give their respective seniors a fitting send-off.
First, in keeping with a tradition that developed on the West Coast campus and which has now been transplanted to the East, the tutors in both locations faced off against seniors in games of softball. But the games played out very differently. In California, the seniors trounced the tutors, taking the first inning and never looking back. In New England, however, the tutors were unstoppable. Dean Thomas Kaiser struck out seniors left and right, with Head Chaplain Rev. Greg Markey snagging tough catches at first, and Dr. Peter Cross snagging pop-flies in left-field. At the end of seven innings the tutors walked away with a winning score of 20-4.
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Yet for all the winning and losing, both students and tutors left with a greater good, community. “It was beautiful to be in that environment; everyone was relaxed over softball,” said California senior Abby Francis. “It really strengthened the idea of the TAC community.” Nor were the New England seniors sore at their loss. “We’ve been so busy with our theses all year, so it was fun to be able to do something together one last time,” reflected Joe Caldwell (’22).
But it was not the last time, just yet. Drained from the bright sun and the tiresome game, the seniors of New England were treated to tri-tip, barbecued by their friends in the junior class at the Tracy Student Center. And in California, the seniors and tutors regrouped after their game at the new Pope St. John Paul II Athletic Center, where they reminisced about years past over burgers and hot dogs. “My favorite moment was seeing all of us gathered around, smiling and happy at our personal accomplishments and the accomplishments of our friends,” said Danny Salinas (’22). “It was wonderful to celebrate as a class.”
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Finally, and again in keeping with College tradition, the deans of the respective campuses led the seniors to roaring fires for the Thesis Draft-Burning party. Dr. John Goyette commenced the event in California with a poem, as he has done in all his years as dean. In New England, Dr. Thomas Kaiser inaugurated the event with a commendation of the seniors: “You have overcome a big hurdle, congratulations!” And then the burning began, with seniors approaching the flames with pages from their theses. “I had a chunk of papers saved from writing my thesis,” laughed New England senior Simone Kelly. “It was so satisfying to throw everything into the fire.”
Once all was said and done, however, some detected theological overtones in the celebration. “I think it’s odd, in a way, to consider us burning something we’ve worked so hard on throughout the year,” reflected California senior Aaron Dufresne. “It goes to show that everything we do on earth is ultimately meaningless without the glory of God. The draft burning is a really interesting symbol, that all of our works ultimately pale in comparison to the glory and kingdom of God.”
