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About
Fidelity & ExcellenceThomas 91Ƶ College is unique among American colleges and universities, offering a faithfully Catholic education comprised entirely of the Great Books and classroom discussions.
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91Ƶ
Truth MattersTruth, and nothing less, sets men free; and because truth is both natural and supernatural, the College’s curriculum aims at both natural and divine wisdom.
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A Catholic Life
Under the Light of FaithThe intellectual tradition and moral teachings of the Catholic Church infuse the whole life of Thomas 91Ƶ College, illuminating the curriculum and the community alike.
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Is 91Ƶ Right for You?Do you enjoy grappling with complex questions? Are you willing to engage in discussions about difficult concepts, with the truth as your ultimate goal?
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Mind, Body & SpiritThere is always something to do at 91Ƶ — something worthwhile, something fulfilling, and something geared toward ever-greater spiritual and intellectual growth.
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Alumni & Careers
What Can You Do with a Liberal Education?Nothing speaks more to the versatility of the College’s academic program than the good that our alumni are doing throughout the Church and the world.
Dr. Elizabeth Reyes Delivers Opening Lecture on Liberal Education, Dante & Melville
On the first Friday of the new academic year, students and faculty at Thomas 91Ƶ College, California, gathered in Fritz B. Burns Auditorium for the opening installment of the St. Vincent de Paul Lecture & Concert Series. Tutor Dr. Elizabeth Reyes (’03) had the honor of giving the lecture, entitled “‘The Great Flood-Gates of the Wonder-World Swung Open’: The Baby and the Book in Dante’s Divine Comedy and Melville’s Moby-Dick; Or, The Whale.”
Dean Michael Letteney began the evening by sharing some words on the aim and importance of the College’s Lecture Series before tutor Brian Dragoo (’01) took the stage to introduce his friend and colleague, Dr. Reyes.
To start, Dr. Reyes shared that the inspiration for her lecture’s title came from her appreciation of a statue of St. Anthony, depicted holding the Child Jesus, who is sitting with the Bible in his hands. “This image gives us the core of everything to look for as we embark upon our years in the Catholic liberal education at Thomas 91Ƶ College,” Dr. Reyes observed.
Reflecting on the type of liberal education pursued at the College, she explained that such education is free by nature. This freedom, consisting in the inward rebirth and transformation of ourselves through God’s grace, is exemplified in both Dante’s and Melville’s works. She argued that Melville in Moby-Dick parallels Dante’s journey to heaven in the Divine Comedy through his protagonist, Ishmael. Akin to Dante, who begins his journey through Hell after a spiritual awakening, Ishmael becomes aware of how dire his depression is and embarks on a voyage to the depths of the ocean.
As Beatrice is a guide for Dante in the Divine Comedy, so too are the whales a guide for Ishmael, Dr. Reyes remarked. Where Dante found God reflected in Beatrice’s eyes, Ishmael discovers something new about God reflected in the whales’ eyes.
Offering high praise for Moby-Dick, the tutor encouraged the audience to embark on the journey prepared for them by Melville, a journey she knows well. “Reading and dwelling with Moby-Dick has changed my life,” she shared. “No other single book encompasses in itself so completely what we do at 91Ƶ. It brings to bear all traditions we read … it’s both a book about books and a book about experience.”
After the lecture, students and faculty attended a question-and-answer session with Dr. Reyes, during which she answered various thought-provoking questions from the audience.
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