iseek can truth Since 1886, Aquinas College has empowered students to search for their own truths. It all starts with courses like Inquiry and Expression and the First-Year Experience. In those (and beyond), you’ll begin to contemplate some of the great questions of the universe—and come up with a few of your own. By the end, you’ll learn to think deeply and powerfully. The big lesson is this: You really can make all the difference in the world.
“One of the Midwest’s Best Colleges” U.S. News & World Report
i can
stand for
justice
You might call this the perfect environment for growth. Our trees think so. The well-wooded, 117-acre Aquinas campus is home to nearly every variety in Michigan. They thrive here. Just like our students. And while you’ll be comfortable and happy here, you’ll also be challenged (intellectually and spiritually) to see the world as it is—imperfect, and sometimes unjust. When that happens, we’ll show you how you can stand up, speak out, and make all the difference. You can, at Aquinas.
Named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll President Barack Obama
i can passion
live with
For people with passion, no dreams are impossible. Aquinas will give you the time and space to ponder new ideas, to dream boldly and without limit. And, most important, to question the role you can play in making the world a better, brighter place. You see, for people with passion, impossible isn’t. That’s what we’ll teach you at Aquinas. And that’s what you’ll carry out into the world.
Champions of Character Five-Star Institution Award Winner National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
i can act
with courage
St. Thomas Aquinas is the perfect role model. One of the world’s greatest thinkers, Thomas showed tremendous balance, equally emphasizing soul and body, faith and intellect, freedom and order. But in the face of ignorance and injustice, he was a change agent of his time. You can be, too. His charge to us: Believe you can make all the difference in this world. Then get to work.
Signer of the “St. Francis Pledge” for Sustainability Catholic Climate Covenant
That’s what it means to be
At Aquinas, it’s what we call the “Dominican difference”—and it will change the way you see the world. We guarantee it.
Saint Thomas Aquinas was a 13th-century Dominican preacher and Catholic scholar, professor, and philosopher. He’s considered one of history’s most brilliant thinkers. aquinas.edu/about/thomas
Simone Martens ’17 “Model United Nations taught me invaluable research and diplomatic skills. ”
Nick Gregory ’17 “My AQ Dominican Republic service trips provided me the opportunity to grow as a global citizen.”
Patricia Schlutt ’16 “I spent the summer writing poetry through a fellowship.”
Dare to be a modern-day Domini can.
Tom Christy ’17
Brett Sack ‘18
“I serve as President of AQ Epic.”
My semester in Rome was filled with Vatican views, gelato cups, and soccer games. The best memories of my life!
Jamie Patel ’15 “I work at the animal hospital twice a week.”
Follow the AQ i-cans all over Instagram #icanAQ
Elizabeth Richer ’16 “I’ve strengthened my faith through Campus Ministry.”
Hannah Acosta ’16 “I competed in the Van Andel Institute Creative Marketing Challenge.”
In the spirit of St. Thomas Aquinas, who advised, “Contemplate the truth and share the fruits of that contemplation,” we focus our rigorous liberal arts education on the never-ending search for truth.
At Aquinas,
you can make all the difference in the world. That’s a promise we don’t take lightly. We are a small Catholic college on a simple yet awe-inspiring mission. St. Thomas Aquinas, our namesake, is arguably history’s most famous Dominican. You, however, can be a modern-day Dominican. It all starts with two little words: I can.
that’s why nearly 2,100 students are drawn to AQ. They come from 23 states and 20 countries. They come from many faith traditions—including (but certainly not limited to) Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim. They speak 14 languages. They’re smart, dedicated, talented, and genuinely nice.
They’re at the heart of everything we do—and you will do—at Aquinas College. I can gives you the power to make all the difference in the world. Perhaps
Whoever you are and wherever you come from, you can choose to be “Dominican.” It’s that simple— and that challenging.
“What I love about AQ,” says one sophomore, “is that I CAN do just about anything here. It’s easy to get involved and take the lead.”
Nearly half of AQ freshmen are ranked in the top 25 percent of their graduating classes. (Oh, and the average incoming GPA is about 3.5—so start studying now.)
No Catholic college would be complete without a chapel. We’re building a new one – Our Lady Seat of Wisdom, which will accommodate up to 300 people.
Our Can-Do spirit is rather contagious. There is nothing that determined, passionate, motivated AQ people can’t do when they set their minds— and hearts—to it. Win a Fulbright? You can. Research carbon management among West Michigan companies? You can. Launch your start-up business just months after graduation? You can. At AQ, you’ll be surrounded by possibilities (and trees). Get ready for a mind-expanding exploration guided by dedicated and
caring Aquinas professors. In small classes, they’ll urge you to challenge untruths, question accepted truths, and discover new ways of thinking. They’ll be your greatest champions. Along the way, they’ll help you discover your major purpose in life. There are more than 60 AQ majors to explore, from Sustainable Business to Studio Art and Community Leadership. Let our Can-Do spirit move you to greatness.
Our Can-Do spirit led us to develop the country’s FIRST Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Business degree program.
13:1 We have one mind-blowing professor for every 13 AQ students.
The AQ Way Small classes (20 students). Intense intellectual debate (guaranteed).
New York Times selected Grand Rapids as “One of its 52 places to go in the world in 2016.” Forbes called it one of the best places to land a job.
According to the Sierra List, Aquinas is one of the “Greenest Colleges” in America. Grand Rapids is #8 in the nation in biopharmaceutical research.
AQ students know the value of a good internship. American Cancer Society, Walt Disney World, Clear Channel Radio, and Mercy Health St. Mary’s are just a few places you’ll find our people.
Forest or trees?
It’s a matter of perspective. Some say our 117-acre (and tree-rific) campus looks like a private country estate. It once was, you know. We preserved some of its elements, like the manor house, the terraced gardens, and acres of wooded grounds, and added some stately resources of our own, including the library, laboratories, residence halls, and studios. The result? A natural habitat for deep thinking and discovery that’s been called Michigan’s “most beautiful small college.” And it’s located right in the heart of Grand Rapids—America’s newest “it” city. All in all, pretty grand.
107,000 HOURS AQ student service hours— just last year.
AQ students host weekly “fireside” faith chats with Father Jim over coffee at St. Thomas Catholic Church. Feel free to join.
Consider the world a work-in-progress. No pressure, but the world’s kind of counting on you. Our founders, the Grand Rapids Dominican Sisters, made all the difference in the world to countless lives. We follow in their footsteps and will show you how you can, too. Start with Project Unite, our annual AQ service day for freshmen and your introduction to your new community. We paint murals in local schools. Plant trees in the park. Gather food for a shelter. Whatever needs to be done, Aquinas people do it.
But the world’s a big place. And in the Catholic and Dominican spirit, we go forth. Intern at the United Nations in New York or spend a summer working at a medical clinic. You’ll also get plenty of chances to discover the world through travel and research to Ireland, Italy, and Japan. Or stay at AQ and build your own independent study or research project. Just don’t limit yourself. Here, you’re free to seek new truths in any academic area and around the world.
AQUINAS SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Acadia National Park Bar Harbor, Maine
El Llano, Dominican Republic
Nazareth Farm Salem, West Virginia
Bethlehem Farm Pence Springs, West Virginia
Habitat for Humanity Baldwin, Michigan
International Samaritan Program Nicaragua
Christian Appalachian Project Martin, Kentucky
Jerusalem Farm Kansas City, Missouri
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation South Dakota
Edmundite New Orleans, Louisiana
Lurin, Peru
Vincentians Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
AQ was named a five-star “Champion of Character” institution by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in recognition of the RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, INTEGRITY, SPORTSMANSHIP, and SERVANT-LEADERSHIP of our players.
i can be an All-American. In all, more than 200 Aquinas Saints have been named All-Americans and over 300 have earned Academic All-American honors.
Welcome to the AQ Sainthood. Being an Aquinas Saint is hard work. It requires blood, sweat, even a few tears. But it’s worth it. You’ll see—and fast. On the field, we’re a competitive lot. To date, our Saints have earned 11 NAIA championships in the WolverineHoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC). Choose your intercollegiate game— from basketball to hockey. Or play intramurals—from touch football to table tennis.
Being a Saint also means being open to new adventures. There are more than 60 clubs and organizations just waiting for you. Take the lead in student government. Write for AQ’s The Saint. Take over the airwaves with AQ Sound. Join the AQ Players. Or start something new. Here, you have the freedom to explore. Go on, say, “I can.”
AQUINAS SAINTS’ SPORTS
Baseball (M)
Dance (W)
Outdoor Track (M,W)
Basketball (M,W)
Golf (M,W)
Soccer (M,W)
Bowling (M,W)
Hockey (M,W)
Softball (W)
Cheerleading (M,W)
Indoor Track (M,W)
Tennis (M,W)
Cross Country (M,W)
Lacrosse (M,W)
Volleyball (W)
Aquinas College was founded by the Dominican Sisters, named for a heretical and then canonized saint, and established as the country’s very first co-educational Catholic college.
Think with a strong mind. Lead with a bold heart. After college, then what? Will I land a job I love? Will I make a difference? We don’t have all the answers you seek. But we can prepare you to find them for yourself. In four years, you’ll hone your skills as a communicator, a critical thinker, and most important, a person of conscience. And after that, the world is wide, wide open. Ask our graduates. Seven out of 10 AQ applicants recommended by our Pre-Med Advisory Committee are admitted to medical school. Most are accepted into their chosen graduate
programs—at Duke, Rutgers, Oxford, and more. We also have one of the top education programs in Michigan and our Accounting program is ranked in the top 3% nationally. You get the picture. Our graduates are working for Ernst & Young, Spectrum Health, Steelcase, and Volkswagen. And you’ll find them in boardrooms, classrooms, and operating rooms. Make all the difference in the world for yourself. Go after the life you want the AQ way: wholeheartedly.
More than 95 percent of our graduates find jobs or enter grad school within six months of graduation.
AQ AT WORK Bissell Inc. Fifth Third Bank Herman Miller Inc. Orlando Magic Stryker Van Andel Institute
NOTRE DAME, JOHNS HOPKINS, AND MORE For a full list of where our students head after graduation, go to aquinas.edu.
Come see Aquinas for yourself. Your first visit’s on us. AQ pays transportation costs for all prospective out-of-state students. admissions@aquinas.edu Keep in touch with your admissions representative, receive updates on campus events, view pictures and videos, and learn more about AQ by joining us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
What kind of person seeks truth, thinks freely, lives passionately, and makes all the difference in the world? YOU.
#icanAQ APPLY online for free at aquinas.edu/undergraduate. Contact us: admissions@aquinas.edu Schedule a visit: Call (800) 678-9593 or (616) 632-2900
I can afford a great education. Nearly 100 percent of Aquinas students receive some form of financial aid. We’ve been called a “Best Value” by U.S. News & World Report, and we’ve been recognized by the Project on Student Debt because our students graduate with less debt. At Aquinas, you can.
63 majors 14 degrees 2,100 students 117-acre campus 7 international programs 14 service-learning opps 99% receive financial aid 5,000+ trees 2 miles from downtown 23 intercollegiate & club sports 60+ clubs & organizations 0 waste promise by 2017
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Admissions Office 1607 Robinson Road S.E. Grand Rapids, MI 49506-1799
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Philosophy Physics Chemical Physics Political Science Pre-Dental Pre-Engineering Pre-Law Legal Studies Pre-Med Pre-Occupational Therapy Pre-Physical Therapy Pre-Physician’s Assistant Pre-Veterinary Psychology Human Development Industrial/Organizational Social Science Sociology Theatre Theatre/Communication Theology Urban Studies Women’s Studies World Languages French/German/Japanese/Spanish Translation and Interpretation