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Now that readers have met the head prefects for the initial Summer Programs in ����ӰԺ and New England, we would like to introduce the rest of this year’s teams. Over the next several weeks, the Summer Blog will publish weekly posts — one from each coast — about the young men and women who will lead this summer’s programs. 

It’s an amazing group, and a TAC High School Summer Program is an amazing experience. If you haven’t already, submit an application while there’s still time!

Elizabeth van Wijk (CA’28)

Elizabeth van Wijk (CA’28) first visited Thomas Aquinas College with her family on a layover between New Zealand, her home country, and Minnesota, where she was visiting American relatives. Years later, she crossed the equator once again, swapping a New Zealand winter for a ����ӰԺ summer, and attended the Great Books Program. There, she was inspired by the College’s approach to education and formation: “I really liked the understanding the College had of people as wholes, as creatures who needed spiritual assistance, and also help forming your intellect, which is obviously the main mission of the College. They had such a strong emphasis on community and building good friendships. It seemed like every aspect of the whole person was being accounted for," she reflects. 

In addition to a love for reading and discussing the Great books, Elizabeth enjoys playing pickup volleyball with friends and dabbles in the ukulele. Having just completed her freshman year, she can’t wait to share “all the beautiful things that we have here and the things that make the College unique.”

Joseph Esser (CA’27)

What excites Joseph Esser (CA’27) most about serving for the first time as a prefect on the Great Books Programs? “I’m really looking forward to dominating the students in sports,” he laughs. His competitive spirit isn’t the only reason he looks forward to meeting the programmers on the field, however. “The sports field really shows you a lot about someone’s character,” he adds. “I think it’s a really good tool for getting to know anyone.”

 Not only is Joseph a formidable opponent on the soccer field and volleyball court, he is also a talented pianist and vocalist. A ����ӰԺ native from Chino Hills, Joseph followed in his three older siblings’ footsteps in coming to the College, but it was a decision he made thoughtfully after attending the Summer Program and experiencing campus life for himself. “The learning caught my interest, and it was supplemented and guided by faith,” he remembers. “You could see that with the Masses that are available, the communal Rosary that we say every day, and Adoration.” 

Adeline Fellona (CA’28)

Growing up in a military family, Adeline Fellona (CA’28) has called many different countries and states home over the years, from Germany, Spain, and Italy to Texas, South Carolina, and, as a rising sophomore at Thomas Aquinas College, now ����ӰԺ. Amidst her globetrotting, Adeline had time to explore her love for music and theater, and, at the College, she enjoys playing the saxophone and performing in plays and musicals. 

After her own experience as a student on the Summer Program, she joyfully looks forward to serving as a prefect for the first time. “When I came, I totally fell in love with the school,” she remembers. “I felt really at peace when I was on campus. You really feel like you're doing something important here in the pursuit of truth.” This summer, she hopes others will experience “a new peace and a new way of looking at the world through the questions that we ask.” She is excited to make new friends and explore the Getty Center with the programmers on their day trip into Los Angeles. 

Luke Connelly (CA’27)

“This is exactly where I need to be,” rising junior Luke Connelly (CA’27) remembers thinking on his first Great Books Summer Program. Growing up in Tacoma, Washington, Luke decided that he wanted to attend a college that would strengthen his faith, not just earn him a prestigious degree. At the Summer Program, he found what he was looking for: a community that challenged him to grow both in his faith and as a whole person. 

“I’d never felt so fulfilled in every aspect of my life,” he says. “I felt like I was trying myself and testing myself rigorously and intellectually, but also spiritually, and in every aspect.” Now a junior at Thomas Aquinas College, Luke enjoys researching American history, teaching and training in jiujitsu, and finding adventures in the great outdoors. A talented cook, he’s well known on campus as the mastermind behind the Meat Club, which brings students together for a barbecue dinner once a week. “The Summer Program is a really great time just to be able to share all the goods of the community that TAC has to offer,” he says. 

Rising High School Seniors:
Apply to the Summer Program!