Our Mission & Vision
Mission Statement
Aquinas College, an inclusive educational community rooted in the Catholic and Dominican tradition, provides a liberal arts education with a global perspective, emphasizes career preparation focused on leadership and service to others, and fosters a commitment to lifelong learning dedicated to the pursuit of truth and the common good.
Vision for Aquinas
Aquinas College will be regarded among the premier Catholic colleges in the Midwest, recognized for its excellence in preparing the whole person to lead a life of purpose and success in service to a just and sustainable world.
Our Diversity and Integrity Statements
Diversity - Aquinas College is committed to equality. This statement of the College speaks to
this commitment, as do our history and heritage. We believe that diversity is a blessing,
which brings a richness of perspectives to our intellectual, cultural, social, and
spiritual life. All members of our community - faculty, staff, students - will demonstrate
respect for each other regardless of our differences. All of us will be sensitive
in our actions, words, and deeds. We will demonstrate these sensitivities in our classrooms,
curricula, offices, meeting places, and living environments. We will maintain the
diversity of our Board of Trustees, faculty, student body, and staff and appreciate
the different gifts each brings to this community regardless of age, gender, race,
ethnicity, religion, or disability.
Non-discrimination Policy
It is the policy of Aquinas College that no person on the basis of race, color, religion,
ethnic origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, or disability shall be
discriminated against, excluded from participation or employment in, or be otherwise
subjected to discrimination under any program or activity for which Aquinas College
is responsible. Reports of sex-based discrimination and inquiries regarding the application
of Title IX can be made with the Title IX Coordinator, 107 Academic Building, titleix@jyycl.com, (616) 632-2439.
Integrity - Aquinas College is rooted in the Dominican traditions of prayer, study, community
and service, combined with a deep respect for truth, honesty and integrity. In this
spirit, we strive to create an environment in which integrity is prized and practiced.
We expect all community members to uphold these values through honesty, fairness,
and respect for others.
Our Commitment to Sustainability and Economicology
Peter Wege’s principles of Economicology are intertwined with the mission and vision of Aquinas College. Creating a balance between our ecology and the economy is necessary to create a just and sustainable world for the common good. Aquinas College seeks to apply these core principles in a living lab setting, developing students who are agents of change and setting a global standard of lasting educational change.
Our Heritage
Students have always been at the center of what we do at Aquinas College, and our main work is to prepare them to lead meaningful and impactful lives through post-secondary higher education. The education we offer is distinctive because it is informed by our Catholic identity and our Dominican heritage and is especially shaped by the values and history of the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids.
Early Dominican convents formed schools open to clerics and the public, and the Order of Preachers’ first General Chapter in 1220 required that each new priory maintain a convent school. Soon thereafter, Dominicans became highly influential at the major medieval universities in Europe, including the University of Bologna and the University of Paris, where St. Thomas Aquinas did much of his work. The Grand Dictionnaire Universel du XIXe Siècle called St. Dominic “the first minister of public instruction in modern Europe.” In his 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia entry, Pirerre Mandonnet, O.P., S.T.D, noted the Order of Preachers were the first instituted by the Church with an academic mission. Our educational mission and philosophies flow directly from this heritage, and we are proud to be a teaching and learning institution in this distinguished tradition.
Founded by the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids in 1886, Aquinas has a Catholic heritage in the Dominican tradition of working and serving as outlined in the Dominican Charisms. It is lived out by Aquinas students who volunteer their time and talents in the Grand Rapids community and by those who travel to places such as Oaxaca, Mexico; Appalachia, Kentucky; or any of several other service-learning locations. To learn more about the history of Aquinas College, check out our Heritage & Traditions website.
Our Namesake
The College is named for St. Thomas Aquinas, a 13th century Dominican scholar and teacher considered to be one of the most brilliant minds of his time and one of the most influential thinkers in the history of the Catholic church. St. Thomas stressed the importance of having an open mind and open heart and continuously learning from our life experiences. Throughout the years, the Aquinas community has continued to foster a learning environment centered on these principles.
Our Programs
The Dominican History within the context of Higher Education dates to the 13th century. Curricula innovation is a hallmark of Aquinas. That educational heritage continues at Aquinas each year as approximately 2,000 students register for classes in both its undergraduate and graduate programs, which encompass over 100 areas of study including a signature program in Sustainable Business.
The Distinctive Elements of an Aquinas College Education
Aquinas College is dedicated to helping all those who participate in our higher-education community in search of improving their lives. Four major principles deliberately guide the distinctive educational experience we offer:
Education of the Whole Person
The fullness of the human person is at the center of all the work we do at Aquinas College. Ex Corde Ecclesiae calls for “the entire educative process (to) be directed towards the whole development of the person.” Moral, ethical and spiritual development is an inherent part of this work. We believe the best way to accomplish this is through broad liberal arts multidisciplinary preparation, drawing upon the humanities, the natural sciences and social sciences, even as one concentrates on a single academic discipline.
Purpose
The U.S. Conference of Bishops states in The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers that “work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God’s creation.” In light of that perspective, our students are invited to consider their lives’ journeys and work to have true purpose and meaning for themselves and for others. We believe that whatever one does professionally, however one’s talents are invested, should be understood in the context of the value that we bring to the communities in which we live.
Success
Our namesake, St. Thomas Aquinas, reminds us of the difference between enjoyment and true happiness; the former is about worldly satisfaction, but it is the latter that makes for a genuinely successful life. Aquinas College unabashedly prepares students to thrive in a world characterized by modern market economies, and we value the personal fulfillment, comfort and security that financial accomplishment can provide. We emphasize that leading a genuinely good life is not blind pursuit of increased personal consumption or acquisition of ever more wealth. We call our students to a deeper understanding that success cannot be defined solely by professional or economic attainment, but must also include continued spiritual and personal growth, commitment to lifelong learning and the joy of regular self-giving acts to and with others.
Service
Aquinas College is a teaching and learning community in which all are called to seek Truth in pursuit of the common good. We exemplify and cultivate among our students respect for every human being and for all of God’s creation with emphasis on bringing one’s own gifts to bear on their behalf. Proactive service to others and to sustaining the health of all of creation is valued as an essential element of daily life. Service is one of the four pillars of Dominican life along with study, community and prayer.
Our Accreditation and Governance
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1946.
The College is approved by the Michigan Department of Education and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) to recommend candidates for teacher certification.
The College is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).
The College has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA).
Aquinas College is governed by its Board of Trustees in conjunction with the President's Office.