Aquinas College is a private Catholic college that offers liberal arts education in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. It was created as the Novitiate Normal School in 1886 by the Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids. The college has also been called Sacred Heart College, Maywood College, and Catholic Junior College. Today, the college has more than 2,000 students who are studying for bachelor's degrees and master's degrees. It offers 61 different areas of study and gives out bachelor's and master's degrees.
History
The Congregation of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans), now known as the "Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids," led by Mother Aquinata Fiegler, OP, established the Novitiate Normal School in Traverse City, Michigan, in 1886. The school's purpose was to train young women who had not yet taken vows in the Order (called novices) to become teachers in parochial schools across Michigan. It successfully prepared and sent many sisters to teach. In 1911, the school and the sisters' motherhouse moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, at the request of the bishop of the new Diocese of Grand Rapids.
To meet the need for sisters to earn four-year college degrees, the sisters reorganized the Novitiate Normal School as Sacred Heart College in 1922 and began admitting non-religious women. The State of Michigan granted the college permission to award two-year degrees to women that same year. The college moved to the sisters' new motherhouse on East Fulton Street in Grand Rapids.
Between 1922 and 1931, the school was renamed Marywood College. In 1931, it became Catholic Junior College, moved to a location on Ransom Street near the Grand Rapids Public Library, and became the first Roman Catholic college in the United States governed by women religious to admit both men and women. Bishop Joseph G. Pinten of Grand Rapids supported this change, and the college awarded two-year degrees at that time.
In 1939, Catholic Junior College added a third year to its program and began offering four-year college degrees. It was renamed Aquinas College in 1940, in honor of St. Thomas Aquinas and its founder, Mother Aquinata Fiegler, OP. The legal documents to officially change the college's name were filed with the State of Michigan in 1941. In 1945, Mother Euphrasia Sullivan, OP, arranged for the college to buy the Holmdene Mansion, built by Edward Lowe in 1908, and its surrounding land at 1607 Robinson Road. The college moved to the former Lowe estate, where it remains today. The North Central Association officially recognized the college in 1946.
In 1948, students started a chapter of the Dominican Third (Secular) Order (tertiaries; TOP). In May 1950, the outdoor Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima was dedicated, remembering members of Aquinas College who died in World War II, following a two-year campaign by students and alumni.
The 1950s and 1960s were times of growth and new buildings. During this period, the college sold its original campus on Ransom Street. In 1955, the new Administration Building, now called the "Academic Building," was built.
In 1974, the college became legally independent of the Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids. In 1975, the name of the athletic teams changed from the "Tommies" to the "Saints" after a student vote, as African American members were often mocked with the term "Toms."
In 1977, the college earned the right to award its first graduate degree, the Master of Management in business, which focused more on the humanities than mathematics, unlike the traditional Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. In 1993, the college awarded its first doctorate, though it was an honorary degree.
In 1997, the college officially named its mascot, a St. Bernard dog, "Nelson," in honor of President Paul Nelson, who retired that year. In 1998, the college was reorganized into three schools, each led by a dean and divided into departments: the School of Education, the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the School of Management.
A marker recognizing the college as a Michigan Historic Site was placed by the Michigan History Division, Department of State, in 1962. The marker's inscription reads:
Campus
The campus is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The college has four dormitories: Dominican Hall, Hruby Hall, Regina Hall, and St. Joseph Hall. It also has five apartment buildings on campus and five "living-learning communities," which are called "houses" on campus.
Academics
The college has about 1,200 undergraduate and graduate students and offers 61 majors, awarding bachelor's degrees and master's degrees. It is officially approved by the Higher Learning Commission. Its most popular undergraduate majors, based on the number of graduates in 2021, were:
Many graduates go on to attend graduate school. The chance to study abroad is a major reason many students choose this college, as many spend a semester studying at a school in another country.
Administration
The college is led by a president and a board of trustees. The college's first leader was Monsignor Bukowski, and its chapel is named after him. In February 1969, Norbert J. Hruby became president after Bukowski. Hruby Hall, a building used for administration and student housing, is named after him.
Aquinas's third president, Peter D. O’Connor, led the college from 1986 to 1990. R. Paul Nelson was the fourth president from 1990 to 1997, followed by Harry J. Knopke from 1997 to 2006. On July 1, 2006, Provost C. Edward Balog became acting president and later became the college's sixth president in May 2007. He retired on June 30, 2011. Juan Olivarez became the seventh president on July 1, 2011, and left in the spring of 2017. Kevin Quinn was the eighth president but left before completing his term. Steve Germic served as acting president until July 2022, when Alicia Córdoba was chosen as the ninth president. She remained in this role until she resigned in April 2025. Maureen Geary accepted the board's request to serve as acting president in April 2025 and was officially named president on July 7, 2025.
Student publications and radio
The college has several publications, including the following:
- The Paraclete, a Catholic newspaper that shares news and opinions
- The Torch
- The Saint
The student radio station is called "AQ Sound."
Athletics
The Aquinas athletic teams are known as the Saints. The university is part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and mainly compete in the Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) since the 1992–93 academic year.
Aquinas participates in 30 college-level sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, rugby, soccer, swimming & diving, track & field, and volleyball. Women's sports include basketball, bowling, cross country, dance, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, rugby, soccer, softball, stunt, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, and volleyball. Co-ed sports include cheerleading and eSports.
Notable people
- Paul Assenmacher, professional baseball player
- Carlos Camacho, first Governor of Guam
- Phil Cavanagh, member of the Michigan House of Representatives
- Clement Chiwaya, Malawian politician
- Dave Gumpert, professional baseball player and sportscaster
- Bob Hay, songwriter and musician
- Dave Joppie, professional baseball coach
- Kenneth Marin, economist
- Patrick Miles Jr., former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan
- Godfrey Mwakikagile, writer and scholar of African studies
- Ardeth Platte, anti-nuclear activist
- Randy Richardville, member of the Michigan Senate
- Roy Schmidt, member of the Michigan House of Representatives
- Brad D. Smith, former CEO of Intuit, President of Marshall University
- Glenn Steil Sr., member of the Michigan Senate
- Shirley Weis, former chief administrative officer of Mayo Clinic
- Brian Williams, sportscaster
- Michael Woroniecki, Christian missionary and street preacher
- Andrew Bergeron, guitarist and member of the Folias Duo group
- Mary Jane Dockeray, environmental educator
- AnaLouise Keating, gender studies academic
- Carmen Maret, flutist and member of the Folias Duo group
- Kenneth Marin, economist
- Gleaves Whitney, political scholar
References
- Among students who chose to submit