To register to attend this event, or any of the Alumni Reunion Weekend events, please click here: REGISTER
To purchase a copy of Becoming Aquinas, please click here: BECOMING AQUINAS
In celebration of the 100th anniversary of The Aquinas Institute's establishment on Dewey Avenue, alumnus Bob Gibbons, Class of 1965, has authored Becoming Aquinas, the first comprehensive history of the school. Illustrated with dozens of vintage photographs, this story-based account will be unveiled during the upcoming Reunion Weekend, scheduled for September 27-29, 2024. Gibbons will be on campus during the event for a Q&A session with alumni and autographing first edition copies of his book on Saturday, September 28, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. The event will be held at Aquinas in the Thomas F. Bell ’57 auditorium, right before the homecoming football game at 1:00 p.m.
Becoming Aquinas stands out not only as the only complete history of Aquinas but also as the first book to tell the full story of any private school in the United States. The book chronicles the school's enduring traditions in music, sports, drama, and debate, alongside its everyday experiences over the decades. It traces Aquinas' journey from its founding in downtown Rochester to its forward-looking vision for the future.
“There are so many interesting characters, so much humor and heart woven into the fabric of this school, someone needed to write a book that would enable others to see the difference that Aquinas has made––and continues to make––in our world,” says Gibbons. “I thought, ‘Why not me?’”
Gibbons spent the past year meticulously gathering information from school yearbooks dating back to 1912, vintage editions of Rochester newspapers, as well as out-of-print books and unpublished manuscripts. His dedication has resulted in a compelling narrative that captures the essence of Aquinas' history. Prior to writing Becoming Aquinas, Gibbons co-authored two class histories for the University of Notre Dame, his alma mater, and penned Growing Up on Oriole Street, a memoir of his boyhood in Rochester.
“Aquinas can trace its roots to a typing class taught by a young Sister of St. Joseph with one typewriter in 1902,” Gibbons reflects. “To grow from there––and thrive for more than a century––Aquinas has found its way forward through a maze of formidable challenges and thrilling successes. Through it all, the school has continued to evolve, to grow, to change, and to become what it needed to be to prepare its students for the future. Finding those stories––and being able to tell them here––is what kept me enthused during the book-writing process.”
For over a century, Aquinas has held a special place in the hearts of its community. “To those who know Aquinas, to those who love the school, to those who have been––in some way or other––part of the Aquinas family,” says Gibbons, “I hope Becoming Aquinas will be a source of reading enjoyment––and will reaffirm their belief in the enduring importance of the school.”
Copies of Becoming Aquinas will be available for purchase at the event and directly through Aquinas by clicking here: Becoming Aquinas. Proceeds from the book sales will directly support The Aquinas Institute and its mission.
To register to attend this event, or any of the Alumni Reunion Weekend events, please click here: REGISTER