Thomas Aquinas College’s new Northfield campus plans open house Sunday; classes begin in the fall

NORTHFIELD – A new college campus opening here in the fall will host an open house Sunday afternoon, April 7.

Thomas Aquinas College, founded in 1971 at Santa Paula, California, currently enrolls nearly 400 students at the home campus. It was given 103 acres of former Northfield Mount Hermon property that included several buildings, by National Christian Foundation in 2017.

The college now boasts on its website: “One Program, Two Coasts.”

"We are very excited to open our second campus this fall, and we are eager to introduce ourselves to our new neighbors,” said Admissions Director Jon Daly in a statement. “We offer this day as a way for friends, both old and new, to come learn about how, for nearly 50 years, we have offered our highly rated program of Catholic liberal education in California, and how we now plan to do the same in New England.”

Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., the arts-and-crafts retail chain, purchased the 217-acre core Northfield campus in 2009, with the goal of giving the property to a Christian educational institution. Franklin County records show Hobby Lobby paid $100,000 for the property.

The National Christian Foundation has pledged $5 million over 5 years to help the college in renovating campus buildings.

The event will begin with Mass at 1:30 p.m. in the campus chapel, offered by Rev. Michael Casey, a chaplain at Central Connecticut State University.

Following the Mass, college officials will lead guests on a tour of the grounds. The groups will then gather in the Moody Auditorium, where they will hear from the college’s president, Michael F. McLean, and the associate dean for the New England campus, Thomas J. Kaiser, as well as from Thomas Aquinas College alumni, parents, and admissions counselors.

The day will conclude with light refreshments in Merrill-Keep Hall.

“This is a great way to learn about Thomas Aquinas College, New England, and to meet members of the community,” Daly said. “We encourage those who may be interested to come join us — and also to pass along this invitation to anyone whom they think it could benefit.”

Guests are asked to RSVP online at thomasaquinas.edu/admission/april-7-open-house-rsvp

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