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Following its counterpart in New England, Thomas 91����Ƶ College’s second Alumni & Parent Day of 2026 took place October 17 in California, with cars full of excited parents, alumni, and families rolling onto campus around 9:00 a.m. The weather was perfect for the occasion, warm and sunny with clear skies all day.

The day fittingly began with a Mass in Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Chapel, offered for the repose of the soul of Dr. Ronald P. McArthur, the founding president of the College. Many gathered for a campus tour and brunch in St. Joseph Commons, then found their way to the classrooms for a discussion of one of founding father James Wilson’s lectures on law. Alumni got a chance to indulge in the nostalgia of their college years through the seminar method they know and love from their time as students, and parents got a real taste of the pedagogy their children are perfecting in their academic pursuits at the College. 

One of the most anticipated events of the day was the inaugural Fr. Buckley 5k & Fun Run. This new event is named after a beloved former California campus chaplain, Rev. Cornelius M. Buckley, S.J., who served the College for 17 years. There were two races: the “Cornelius Course,” a 5k track around the painter’s shack, and the “Buckley Bolt,” a one-mile sprint around the lower campus ponds. Under the blazing afternoon sun, the horn sounded and the runners — consisting of current students, their parents, siblings, alumni, and even a few faculty members — were off!

As the race was under way, many spectators popped into the gymnasium to see another exciting athletic exhibition: the students vs. alumni basketball game. Both teams had no lack of eager players, with many of the students passionately vying to get on the court to represent their team, but age and experience won the day, and the alumni took home the victory with a score of 46-34. 

While the basketball game finished up, racers arrived at the finishing line with some staggeringly swift times. In the Buckley Bolt, alumna and 91����Ƶ mom Therese (McCarthy ’05) Monnereau took the win for the one-mile loop. Meanwhile, for the 5k Cornelius Course, Andrew Nazek (’29) finished first overall with a time of 18:20, which will now be held as the inaugural course record. Theresia Kuebler (’28) finished first for the women — and 7th overall — with an incredible time of 22:13.

 “The course was very challenging, but it was so much fun to run alongside my college peers, as well as my brothers and mom,” Theresia reflected. “The feeling of running across the finish line with my friends, with everyone cheering, was something entirely new. The whole race was such an experience of cheerfulness and companionship amidst the challenge of running such a difficult course!” 

Alumni and their families continued to enjoy the beautiful October day, playing games on the grassy fields outside or participating in the cardboard boat race on the ponds of lower campus. Before dinner, the adults gathered on the St. Gladys Patio for drinks and conversation before hearing from College President Dr. Paul J. O’Reilly on the state of the College. 

As the evening began to wind down, barbeque dinner was served on the lawn in front of Sts. Peter and Paul residence hall. Children raced around, ice cream in hand, while parents, students, and alumni chatted and caught up with one another, reflecting on the fun day they had shared. To end the night, student actors dazzled their peers and visitors with a production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

More photos from Parent & Alumni Day

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