Welcome to Aquinas College
A Letter from Sister Mary Peter, O.P.,
President of Aquinas College
Dear Friends,
Since the beginning of the academic year last fall, we here at your College have joined the healthcare community in celebrating the 25th anniversary of the renowned Associate of Science in Nursing (A.S.N.) program supported by the Carell Charitable Trust. Those of you who attended the annual Benefit Dinner in November may recall that we honored A.S.N. Program Director Peggy Daniel, who has been an integral part of Aquinas nursing for 20 of those 25 years. Peggy was recognized both for her outstanding contributions to the success of the program and for her singular achievement in keeping the dignity of the human person at the forefront of the clinical training offered here. I also want to congratulate our nursing faculty, staff, alumni, and students during this anniversary year. Through your daily efforts, you are truly living the mission of Aquinas College as you “transform lives and culture through truth and charity.”
Like many individuals and institutions across the country, Aquinas has recently been navigating the waters of uncertain economic times. However, in the midst of all the financial turmoil, we did have a bit of unexpected good news earlier this year. You may remember that in 2007, Aquinas College was included in The Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College, which featured 21 colleges notable for their commitment to fostering faith and cultivating reason. In February, The Center for the Study of Catholic Higher Education released a follow-up study on the financial benefits of attending the institutions featured in The Newman Guide. I am pleased to report that Aquinas was named “Faithful and Affordable” – the Center’s version of the “best buy” category! Their study found that the cost of attending Aquinas College is $4700 lower than the average private college in the state of Tennessee.
In the announcement of the study, the director of The Center for the Study of Catholic Higher Education observed that "beyond the cost savings, there is obviously much more to the value of a strong Catholic education, such as preparing students intellectually, spiritually and socially to engage modern society."
We agree! We believe that Aquinas College has much to offer each student who comes through its doors because we are certain that each student has much to offer the world. Confident in this ability to "bring the message of salvation to bear on ethical, social, political, religious, and cultural issues," we have been moving forward with our campus development project, obtaining the necessary zoning approval to help bring our strategic plan to fruition. In December, Metro Council approved our proposal of the Campus master plan that will enable us to expand academic programs and establish residential life. As we continue our efforts to provide a more traditional college experience, we are grateful for city council’s “vote of confidence” in us and for the outpouring of support from our neighbors that we were blessed to witness during the process.
Even more, we are grateful for the commitment of our own “Aquinas Family” -- the students and alumni, faculty and staff, benefactors and beloved friends whose faithful contributions enable Aquinas College to fulfill our mission to provide students with a professionally oriented liberal arts education rooted in the Truth and Charity of Christ.
God bless you,
Sister Mary Peter, O.P.
President
Quoting . . .
The best way for you to come to know us is to "come and see." I encourage you to consider a personal visit to our campus. God bless you.
Sr. Mary Peter, O.P. President, Aquinas College