November 2025

“There’s no place like home … ”

— Dorothy Gale, 1939

Friends,

While author Thomas Wolfe famously wrote You Can’t Go Home Again in 1940, here at St. Thomas Aquinas College we prefer to believe in the magical words spoken by a beautiful young girl in the Wizard of Oz just a year earlier: 

“There’s no place like home …”!

Last month, the spirit of returning home was on full display as we hosted our Spartan Spirit Homecoming Weekend, along with a full calendar of engaging events that brought together students, parents, alumni, employees, and friends:

- Bonfire Pep Rally

- Tailgate & Football Game

- College Day Town Hall & BBQ 

- Carnival on the Front Lawn

- 5K Alumni Race 

- Alumni Trip to Italy 

- Clay Tournament 

- “Angels on the Fairway” Outing

- Mental Health STACchat with

former NFL Player, Aaron Taylor 

- Fall Open House as we welcomed our Class of 2030 recruits (yes, Class of 2030!!!)

Throughout the month, we were honored to celebrate so many of our dedicated alumni: 

• Kyle Kondracki '21 ran an incredible time of 2:36:20 in the Chicago Marathon — and won the alumni race in front of his proud Dad, our Track & Field Coach Ray Kondracki; 
• Lieutenant Colonel Joe Winter '00 was elected to our Board of Trustees; 
• Peter '90 and Kim '99 Unanue were selected for the Aquinas Medal at our upcoming Annual Tribute Dinner; and
• Madde Cohen '13 began her tenure this year as new President of our Alumni Board (her Dad Lanny is a member of our Board of Trustees). 

My wife Laurie and I were blessed to attend Madde’s wedding to Chris Bauer — and to celebrate and dance the night away! As the wedding ended, we clicked our heels, closed our eyes, and proudly sang: 

“There’s no place like home ... there’s no place like STAC”!

STAC Athletics Honors Academic Perfection with 4.0 Club Ceremony

The St. Thomas Aquinas College Department of Athletics recognized 25 of its student-athletes for their superior achievements in the classroom, as each Spartan earned a perfect 4.0 GPA during the 2025 Spring Semester. An official ceremony was held at the new Spartan Athletic Complex. After the ceremony, the Women's Volleyball team won a thrilling match against Georgian Court University with three straight set victories to take the match 3-1.

Advance your career. Elevate your success. Join us for St. Thomas Aquinas College’s Graduate Open House on November 13 at 6:00 PM!

Join in person or virtually to explore our in-demand graduate programs in Business, Education, Exercise Science, and Public Administration, with flexible options designed for working professionals.

Did you know? St. Thomas Aquinas College alumni are automatically eligible for our Alumni GRAD-itude Scholarship, offering up to $12,000 in financial support toward your graduate degree program.

STAC Cross Country Hosts 2025 Alumni Race

The College's Cross Country team recently welcomed back members of its alumni, hosting a Spartan Spirit Homecoming race at Tallman Mountain State Park. The 5K event united the many former Spartans (coaches and athletes included!) who have helped shape the program over the years. Current members of the squad also joined the race in friendly competition. Kyle Kondracki '21 was the winner of the men's race with a time of 16:47, while Laura Kiernan (Koch) '07 was victorious in the women's race with a time of 22:49. Go Spartans!

In addition to running in this year's Cross Country Alumni Race, Kyle Kondracki '21 also ran in the Chicago Marathon with a time of 02:36:20.

Congratulations on this special achievement, Kyle!

Special congratulations to Lt. Col. Joe Winter ‘00, who has been appointed to the College's Board of Trustees.

He is a proud alumnus and holds a Bachelor of Science in Recreation & Leisure/Sports Management. He continued his academic journey at Sacred Heart University, earning a Master of Arts in Teaching in 2002. He achieved further distinction in 2024 as a Superior Graduate of the U.S. Army War College, where he received a Master of Strategic Studies.

Thinking back on his time as a student at the College, Joe notes: “STAC opened my eyes to the world around us and afforded me an opportunity to practice leading my peers, a skill that has paid dividends for my whole life."

Ciao from Italy! The STAC Alumni & Friends Travel Club ventured to Rome, Florence, and the Tuscany and Umbria regions at the end of October for a food and wine tour! The School of Education faculty and administrators were among those who attended alongside our alumni! Our Spartans discovered the heart of Italy’s rich culinary traditions and warm culture, thanks to the exceptional coordination of Professor Maria Roglieri.

Our “Spartan Spirit” Homecoming Weekend was amazing! Students, parents, alumni, employees, and friends gathered together to enjoy a bonfire night, BBQ, carnival, and tons of activities where the "Spartan Spirit" energy was unmatched. Our Fall Open House was held the same weekend, and over 300 students and families visited and toured our campus.

The College community recently joined the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Sparkill Creek Watershed Alliance, and Keep Rockland Beautiful for the Trees for Tributaries program — a rewarding day of environmental action on campus and our second consecutive year supporting this vital initiative!

Together, we planted 200 trees and shrubs along our local tributary to help protect water quality, reduce flooding, prevent erosion, and support thriving wildlife habitats. Last Fall, we planted nearly 300 trees and shrubs, and were delighted to plant more nearby this semester.

Thank you to everyone — especially Dean Bianca Wentzell and First Lady Laurie Daly — who came out to support our students. Together, we are Spartans for sustainability!

Super Bowl Champion, College Football Hall of Famer, and CBS Sports’ lead analyst Aaron Taylor joined our campus community to lead a Hope Huddle and special Signature STACchat, “Tackling Mental Health, Together!”

Before a packed crowd of 300+ students filling the Aquinas Hall Gymnasium, Aaron illuminated how powerful the connection can be when Spartans come together to support mental health … and support one another. We are deeply grateful to the Ryan Patrick O’Shea Foundation, the Joseph Savasta & Family Mental Health Awareness & Wellness Challenge, Thomas Flood — and to every member of our community — for bringing hope and healing to our students. Together, we are sparking new ways to stand beside one another in the pursuit of wellness.

At the beginning of October, the Mental Health Club hosted a "Breaking the Stigma" panel as a part of Mental Illness Awareness Week. This panel paved the way for a powerful and meaningful discussion surrounding mental health. A special thank you to the five amazing panelists who generously shared their time and insights. Fantastic job to the Mental Health Club on campus for putting together such an impactful event! President Daly visited the Mental Health Club and also hosted a Town Hall with the Student Government Leadership team.

STAC students Kevin DeLucci and Jude Peterson joined President Daly at an impactful lecture led by Dr. Alex Levy, a Holocaust Survivor.

Dr. Levy was born in Berlin in 1936, and his parents fled Germany with him in 1938. He survived the holocaust by hiding in a Catholic girls' orphanage during the war in occupied Brussels, Belgium. His story of survival moved all who were in attendance.

Check out St. Thomas Aquinas College's feature stories! We are delighted and proud to introduce you to the following individuals:

Gage Parnell '29

Management Major

Christopher Taussi Memorial Scholar

Derick Thornton

Director, Annual Giving, Stakeholder Engagement, and Stewardship

Kathy Moss '91

Quality Improvement Specialist with QUALITYstarsNY