Off to a Great Start!

In the midst of Massachusetts cloud bursts, the campus of Thomas Aquinas College, New England, was abuzz with laughter and excitement all this afternoon as prefects and staff welcomed nearly 80 high school students for the annual Great Books High School Summer Program!

No rainy weather could deter the “programmers” from arriving on campus, ready to experience Thomas Aquinas College’s academic, social, and spiritual life while dwelling on some of life’s most profound questions. These high schoolers have come to the Summer Program from all over, both in and out of the country! They are all united by an eagerness to learn and contemplate the wisdom that the great authors of Western civilization have to offer.

Students arrived on campus in the early part of the day, checking in with registration at the Bl. Frassati Student Center before being escorted by prefects to their residence halls. The ladies will reside in Gould Hall, while the gentlemen will be living in St. Augustine Hall. Students spent the afternoon greeting their roommates and fellow programmers, unpacking, and getting to know the campus. Later in the afternoon, Bl. Frassati was once again alive with lights and laughter as students played pool and ping-pong.

After an orientation led by Summer Program Director Dr. Josef Froula, a member of the New England teaching faculty, as well as some words from Rev. Miguel Batres, O.Praem. (’08), Summer Program chaplain, the Admissions staff led attendees and their families on a tour of the campus. The consensus was unanimous: It’s beautiful! From Olivia Music Hall to St. Gianna Molla Hall, where students will take their classes, each building has a charming, historical New England feel, spread out on green lawns dotted with trees. 

More excitement is to come this evening as our students acclimate and prepare for tomorrow’s first day of classes! Visit the Summer Program Blog tomorrow — and regularly throughout the program — for photos and updates!