Friends,

Ulysses S. Grant, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur … and St. Thomas Aquinas College students!

Last week, I had the honor of joining 18 of our Aquinas Leaders during their Fall Study Break at the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point for our first-ever Fall Summit, “Leadership in Complexity: Character, Judgment & Career Readiness.” Our students put their skills into practice and learned directly from military professionals who have dedicated their careers leading and serving others.

Established under President Thomas Jefferson, West Point opened on July 4, 1802, and is the nation’s oldest military service academy. Its motto, “Duty, Honor, Country,” reflects the Academy’s longstanding commitment to leadership and service.

Our visit began at the West Point Simulation Center, where an interactive team-building experience challenged our students to communicate clearly, collaborate, and work toward a common goal.



Retired Lt. Col. Jennifer “Jenn” Voigtschild, USMA command historian, led our students on a tour of the Academy’s academic buildings and historic grounds. The group visited the Plain, the expansive lawn where cadet formations and ceremonies take place, and the Battle Monument overlooking the Hudson River. We also stopped at the Cadet Mess Hall in Washington Hall, which can serve approximately 4,500 cadets in just 25 minutes—an impressive demonstration at the coordination behind daily life at West Point!

The highlight of our visit was our conversation in the historic Alexander M. Haig Jr. Room on “Character-Based Leadership in a Complex World” featuring retired Col. Mark Bieger, President and CEO of the West Point Association of Graduates, and Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus, US Navy Commander. Drawing on their experience in military service, higher education, and local government, they shared lessons from their careers and answered our students’ thoughtful questions about the decisions that have shaped their leadership.

As we build the College of the Future, we are preparing today’s students to lead in their careers and serve in their communities. We create meaningful opportunities for students to put their learning into practice and connect with leaders and mentors who are willing to share their experiences. Our goal is for every student to graduate with confidence, grounded in experiential learning and a clear sense of how they will lead with integrity.

I am especially grateful to our West Point hosts for investing their time in our students and sharing lessons they can carry into their own lives and careers. I also want to recognize our Dean of Experiential Learning at St. Thomas Aquinas College, Denise Hopkins-Poselle, and her team, as well as Board Trustee Bill Madden and Vice President Kevin Nesbitt, for the care and effort that made this inaugural summit possible.

It was a pleasure to hear from Lieutenant General James B. Bartholomees III, West Point’s 62nd Superintendent, who shared after our visit: “We appreciate our partnership with St. Thomas Aquinas College … and look forward to our upcoming (October 23) football game!” We share his enthusiasm for the Army-STAC game … but we will be cheering on our Spartans this weekend!

I left West Point proud of its prior history and proud of the current Cadets we met. As a small token of our appreciation to those who have served in the military, we will proudly fly 50 American flags from our front gates next month and host our 3rd annual Lunch With Veterans on November 17. I am especially proud of our Aquinas Leaders and the example of service they set for our Spartan community.

Together — We lead. We serve. We honor. We ignite the Spark!

Warm Regards,