July 2025

Friends,

Today is my first day at St. Thomas Aquinas College … all over again! 

I began my tenure as President exactly 5 years ago today. This morning, I proudly retraced my steps to campus with the same excitement as on that special first day — my wife Laurie at my side, our dedicated employee team behind me, and our students at the heart of everything we do. 

Today, I am as energized as I was on that first day. I recommit to serving our students — every day and every step of the way — as they travel on the most important journey of their lives. 

As I proudly reflect below on all that we have achieved this past year, I thank our faculty and staff for their exceptional support of these students.

Another Transformational Year at STAC

275 STAC Students Graduated in Class of 2025

Embedded Experiential Learning, Internships, and Co-Ops into Curriculum

Implemented New STAR Summer Readiness Program

Launched New MBA Programs in AI, Data Analytics, and Cyber Security  

Launched First STEM Master’s Program in Exercise Science

Honored Barbara Mistick, NAICU, as Honors Convocation Speaker

Honors Students Flourished at Oxford University

Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Now Housed on Campus 

Won 4 ECC Championships

Won Men’s Volleyball Championship in First Two Seasons

Launched Women’s Flag Football

Men’s Basketball Beat Only Undefeated Team in NCAA DII Tournament 

Student-Athletes Scored 10% Higher Academically Than NCAA Peers

Enhanced Mental Health and Wellness Program

Held Special Memorial for President Emeritus Donald McNelis 

Hosted Dominican Preaching In Action Conference

Raised a Record $5M+ in Fundraising

Opened New SKAE Astronomy Center 

Started Construction of New Track & Field

Recruited Class of 2029

… and that was just one of my five years here at STAC (please read below to learn more)!

We now look forward to welcoming the Class of 2029, which will be our biggest freshman class in my time here at the College. We will update you next month on the many exciting plans to support our students in 2025/26 and beyond.

Please know how thankful I am to be the President of such a special college … on my first day and every day since.

Regards,

St. Thomas Aquinas College's 68th Commencement Exercises were held in person on May 10 at Clover Stadium in Pomona, NY, the baseball home of the New York Boulders — and the Spartans!

275 students were celebrated and awarded master’s, bachelor’s, and associate’s degrees across our four Schools. In addition, Academic Achievement Awards were presented to deserving students in all areas of study, while students who completed the Honors Program of Study were officially recognized for their admirable accomplishments. Congratulations again to the Class of 2025!

St. Thomas Aquinas College celebrated its vibrant community of scholars, leaders, and dedicated faculty at its 2025 Honors Convocation on April 8. More than 150 scholars were recognized for their outstanding academic achievements.

The College welcomed Dr. Barbara Mistick, President of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), as the keynote speaker. She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Public Service in recognition of her contributions to the higher education landscape.

St. Thomas Aquinas College celebrated its Community of Scholars and commemorated ten years of student innovation, creativity, and academic excellence at its 10th Annual IGNITE Exhibition in April. IGNITE is a dynamic showcase of undergraduate research, creativity, and scholarly achievement.

St. Thomas Aquinas College's Honors Program students were led by Dr. Meghan DeWitt, Associate Professor of Mathematics and visited by President Daly and Laurie Daly on their three week trip to Oxford last summer. The trip enables Honors students who are entering their senior year to live and study at Oxford.

The College was proud to honor Dr. Meenakshi Gajria and Professor Michael Murphy — two outstanding and long-serving academic leaders — as they prepared for retirement this year.

Dr. Meenakshi Gajria

Professor Michael Murphy

The College was proud to announce the appointments of Dr. Meghan Mihal as Dean of the School of Business and Dr. Nydia Prishker as Dean of the School of Education — two accomplished leaders dedicated to advancing academic excellence, innovation, and student-focused outcomes.

The College officially welcomed the Lower Hudson Valley Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to campus with a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony in March! The event celebrated the start of an exciting partnership focused on advancing economic growth, supporting local entrepreneurs, and expanding experiential learning opportunities for students.

The College welcomed 23 students and mentors from eight colleges and universities around the country for the Dominican Preaching in Action Conference. A special thank you to the Student Development team, Sr. Peggy Scarano, and Anne Schlinck, and Barbara Keegan in support of students — Fiona Daly (No Relation!), Michael Keegan, and Kelywn Sanguillen!

The College's Winter Wonderland Family Festival held on December 7, 2024 was a success with over 1,500 families and friends in attendance! Students in our Hospitality Events Planning and Management program under Professor Angela McDonnell worked diligently throughout the Fall 2024 semester to plan this incredible event.

In October 2024, President Daly and Dr Bianca Wentzell, Dean of the School of STEM joined students and volunteers from the College community, the Sparkill Creek Watershed Alliance, Department of Environmental Conservation, and local residents, to plant 290 trees and shrubs — "Trees for Tribs" — along the Sparkill Creek tributary, which runs behind the College’s Fitzpatrick Village.

During Women's History Month, Sara Haines, co-host of The View, and moderator Kelly Wallace, Chief Media/Brand Officer at TrailRunner International, joined us on campus for an unforgettable conversation. We thank them both for sparking such meaningful dialogue with our Spartan community, including our Women’s Basketball team (pictured above). Special thank you to Linda LoRe, Executive Director, Institutional Advancement for launching the Women's Leadership Network and organizing this event.

The College hosted its third annual Campus Walk to raise money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Special thank you to Dr. Staci Shultz and Kim Burns for their tireless efforts in spearheading this event for our community.

Everyone came together for "Spartans Take a Beat" Day in the Romano Student Alumni Center during the Fall and Spring semesters. The entire Spartan community focused on self-care and mental health awareness, taking time to unplug, recharge and reset.

We were honored to welcome Chris Herren to campus. His powerful story of resilience, recovery, and hope filled a packed room and left a lasting impact on our Spartan community. His message was clear — and deeply resonated: adversity does not define you, but how you rise from it can inspire countless others.

Students in Dr. Tracy Tully's "Psychology 301: Abnormal Psychology" course worked to create idiographic poster projects. Groups were assigned a mental health diagnosis to explore in detail and outlined information regarding the prevalence, impact, and treatment modalities for a particular mental health condition.

Ready to advance your career? Discover our diverse range of affordable graduate programs and certificates! Our graduate programs offer flexible class schedules, online options, and one-on-one advisement, to support students and their career advancement.

Our Master of Business Administration (MBA) program has expanded, with three new dynamic concentrations in Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Business Analytics — also available as standalone Advanced Certificates.

Our new graduate programs in Exercise Science include a 33-credit Master of Science degree and a 12-credit Advanced Certificate in Exercise Science, designed to prepare students to assess, evaluate, and develop exercise programs tailored to individual health needs and performance goals.

Our 36-credit Master of Public Administration (MPA) program allows students to choose from focused tracks in Nonprofit Leadership or Criminal Justice Leadership, or a customized specialization.

Our Master of Science in Education programs and Advanced and Post Master’s Certificate programs are designed for certified teachers seeking to expand their certification areas. Our in-demand Master of Science in Teaching programs are designed for aspiring teachers and offer paths to certification in sought after fields. 

Questions? Please contact Dana at dcaponon@stac.edu or call (845) 398-4220.

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

Thomas Quevedo, MBA '25

Regional Admissions Counselor

Shanice Madourie '28

Early Childhood Education with an English Concentration

Meghan Ruane '23, MPA '24

Incoming J.D. Candidate at Notre Dame Law School