Support for student success.
Known for our close-knit community, personalized approach to education, and experiential learning opportunities, the St. Thomas Aquinas college experience dares you to imagine all you can achieve in your career and beyond. Our expert and caring faculty are dedicated to your success and committed to guiding you through every step of your college adventure.
Emphasis on career readiness. Inclusivity, community, and mentorship.
Vision
St. Thomas Aquinas College endeavors to be a vibrant, inclusive learning community that is the top choice for students who seek a leading-edge, transformative education rooted in the liberal arts and designed to prepare them for career success in a changing world.
Mission
St. Thomas Aquinas College seeks to challenge, guide, and energize each student to realize and create their own path to success and commit themselves to making a profound difference in the world.
Values
Rooted in a tradition of study, reflection, and service, and faithful to our founders, the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill, St. Thomas Aquinas College believes that education has the power to liberate and transform. We are committed to:
Access and transformation.Financial needs will never be a barrier to St. Thomas Aquinas College students receiving a quality education. We are committed to providing all access to all students, especially those from diverse learning backgrounds and those who face social and economic inequities, such as first-generation students and students of color.
In addition to financial support, we offer a low student-to-faculty ratio that empowers all students to succeed. Our highly-credentialed faculty members prioritize mentorship and deliver a transformative curriculum with a personalized approach. The outstanding internships, community service opportunities, research projects, clubs, and championship athletics available at St. Thomas Aquinas help students to discover their path for a lifetime.
A diverse, responsive education. Our commitment to academic excellence cultivates a responsive learning community that listens to our diverse and ever-changing student body. Our courses, faculty members, services, and students reflect how highly we value diverse experiences, voices, and opportunities. We encourage rich inquiry and intellectual risk-taking, guiding our students and our campus community into a culture of compassionate citizenship that equips each individual for meaningful engagement with local and global conversations.
Learning for a lifetime. Once a Spartan, always a Spartan. At St. Thomas Aquinas, graduation day is not the end. Instead, we support students and alumni throughout their academic, personal, and professional pursuits throughout their lives. Alumni may return to us for graduate school, participate in forums and panels on campus, collaborate with professors on research, or mentor the next generation of Spartans. We are committed to maintaining our relationships with alumni and empowering them with market-responsive opportunities that continually equip them to succeed.
Education for the whole self. We are dedicated to the success of our students in their education, careers, and lives overall. Through personalized study, experiential learning, and individualized advisement and mentorship, St. Thomas Aquinas College supports each student in discovering their path. Our expert faculty are committed to helping students imagine the possibilities for their futures, and to guiding and supporting them as they work to achieve their dreams.
Access and Affordability
In order to express our commitment to removing financial and social barriers for students, we have:
- Made a commitment to financially assist any student who was impacted by COVID-19.
- Set a campus-wide goal of “access and affordability” for all current and new students.
- Launched the Justice Studies Institute and the Social Justice and Equity Forum to explore relevant and contemporary issues from the perspective of students.
- Completed the significant Romano Student Alumni Center Renovation, including a new floor plan and upgraded technology.
- Expanded St. Thomas Aquinas College’s footprint by 30% through the purchase of 12 acres adjacent to campus, as well as 4 acres through the long-term lease agreement at the former St. Agnes Gymnasium and open field.
- Opened Fitzpatrick Village residence hall and Naughton Hall admissions welcome center.
Student Success
At St. Thomas Aquinas, we prioritize whole-person flourishing. From preparedness for college to academic excellence and clear career pathways to a powerful sense of community, we aim to nurture every component of our students’ lives. To that end, we have
- Launched the School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
- Invested in student wellness, including increased mental health counseling personnel.
- Quadrupled our student mentoring staff.
- Increased our first to second-year retention rate to 80%.
Student Engagement
Our focus on student social integration will enhance our campus culture and further foster a sense of St. Thomas Aquinas as a “home away from home” for our students. We have recently enhanced our residential offerings and refreshed our campus by expanding our outdoor spaces, hosting movie nights, bringing food trucks on campus, and launching a new campus bike-sharing program. In the coming semesters, we will:
- Grow our intramural and club sports program.
- Expand our campus reach to better engage commuters.
- Host increased on-campus events, cultural outings, and sports trips.
Experiential Learning
We believe that our role is not only to educate students but to create pipelines to purposeful careers or further education. Our new Career Center and enhanced Career Services team lead students from diverse backgrounds into meaningful opportunities that help them more vividly imagine their futures. We have:
- Introduced STAC Your Future Month and increased internship opportunities.
- Launched the STAC Skills Summer Immersion program for building internship skills.
- Created a platform for weekly mentoring and life-after-college preparation through the Career Center.
Lifelong Learning
St. Thomas Aquinas College aims to become the model for lifelong learning in the lower Hudson Valley. Through ongoing engagement, conversations, connections, and education, we will continually provide our students and alumni with opportunities for transformative growth in their knowledge and whole lives through:
- Building pathways for graduate programs for current and new students, including the establishment of new, five-year master’s programs.
- Launching on-campus internship programs.
- Guiding 90% of School of Business students in the Class of 2025 and beyond to complete the requirements of the School of Business Experiential Learning Program by graduation.
- Creating new credit and non-credit certificate programs that are market-responsive for current and future students.