Thomas More College is a liberal arts college located in Crestview Hills, Kentucky, a suburb near Cincinnati, Ohio. The Roman Catholic school serves 1,900 full and part-time students. The college was founded in 1921 by the local Benedictine Sisters as Villa Madonna College.
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History
The Benedictine Sisters of Covington, Kentucky, founded Villa Madonna College in 1921 to train Catholic school teachers and to provide college education for young women. The college was chartered by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1923. Villa Madonna graduated its first students in 1929 and became the official college of the Diocese of Covington that same year. Three religious orders operated Villa Madonna in its early years: the Sisters of Notre Dame, the Congregation of Divine Providence, and the local Benedictine Sisters. Through the 1930s and early 1940s, the college grew slowly. The school year 1942-1943 closed with commencement exercises on June 4 with ten graduates. The number of graduates of the college including the 1943 class was 152.
Although Villa Madonna was founded as an institution for women, men attended many of the same classes through the affiliated St. Thomas More College, a college-level program of Covington Latin School. In 1945, Villa Madonna was designated a co-educational college, and St. Thomas More College was abolished. In that year the Diocese of Covington purchased the college. At the opening of classes in September 1945, Villa Madonna College enrolled 28 Sisters, 56 laywomen, and 28 men for a total of 112 students. As the college began to grow, facilities and classrooms were stretched to their limits. Several buildings owned by the Diocese of Covington were quickly secured for additional classrooms and offices. Over the next two decades, as enrollment and curriculum steadily grew, any available space was acquired and adapted for the college's use. Eventually, all available space was exhausted, and it was clear that a more spacious campus was needed.
Campus buildings of Villa Madonna College include St. Joseph's Hall, St. Thomas More Hall, Cabrini Hall, St. Pius Hall, Talbott Hall, Cafeteria Annex, Columbus Hall (library), St. Jude Hall, Aquinas Hall, Bernard Hall, St. Luke Hall (art department).
In 1964, the school's chancellor, Bishop Ackerman, announced a building program. A growing co-educational institution, an expanding campus and the opportunity to serve a wider area made the move the natural choice. In 1968, the college was moved from downtown Covington to what is now Crestview Hills. In this same year, Bishop Ackerman announced that Villa Madonna College would be renamed "Thomas More College". The same year another Thomas More College opened - a woman's college of Jesuit Fordham University in New York which later merged with Fordham College as a co-educational college and dropped the Thomas More name. Although the college was opened in January 1968, dedication ceremonies were held on September 28 with President Lyndon B. Johnson in attendance. The college serves 1,900 full- and part-time students. Although primarily from Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, students from roughly 20 states and several countries attend Thomas More College.
Thomas More College Soccer Video
Presidents
- Sister M. Domitilla Thuener, O.S.B (1921-1928)
- Monsignor Michael Leick (1928-1943)
- Reverend Edmund Corby (1943-1944)
- Reverend Thomas A. McCarty (1945-1949)
- Reverend Joseph Z. Aud (1949-1951)
- Monsignor John F. Murphy (1951-1971)
- Dr. Richard A. DeGraff (1971-1978)
- Dr. Robert J. Giroux (1978-1982)
- Dr. Thomas A. Coffey (1982-1985)
- Dr. Charles J. Bensman (1986-1992)
- Reverend William F. Cleves (1992-2001)
- Dr. E. Joseph Lee II (2001-2004)
- Sister Margaret Stallmeyer, C.D.P. (2005-2013)
- David A. Armstrong (2013-present)
Accreditation
The college is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
The college is a member of Greater Cincinnati Consortium of Colleges and Universities, an organization including all of the accredited colleges and universities in the area. This consortium relationship gives students access to course offerings of the other institutions through a cross-registration arrangement as well as access to library resources of the other schools in the consortium.
Programs of study
- Athletic Training
- Accountancy
- Art
- Art History
- Biology
- Business Administration
- Chemistry
- Computer Information Systems
- Communication
- Criminal Justice
- Drama (Theatre)
- Economics
- Education
- English
- Environmental Science
- Exercise Science
- Foreign Languages
- Forensic Science
- French
- Gerontology
- History
- Humanities
- International Studies
- Management
- Mathematics
- Medical Technology
- Music
- Nursing
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Political Science
- Pre-Engineering
- Pre-Legal Studies
- Pre-Med
- Pre-Veterinary
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Spanish
- Sports & Entertainment Marketing
- Theatre
- Theology
- Web Design
Greek life
- Alpha Delta Gamma, Rho chapter (est. 1965)
- Theta Phi Alpha, Alpha Eta chapter (est. 1968) - Recruits in both the fall and spring semesters. The sisterhood has an intense focus on philanthropy and community service.
Buildings
Thomas More College Success Center
- Institute for Academic Support
- Institute for Learning Differences
- Institute for Career Development and Graduate School Planning
www.thomasmore.edu/successcenter
Clubs
Official list of clubs
SGA sanctioned clubs
Student organizations
TAP
The Thomas More College Accelerated Program (TAP) is specifically designed for working adults. It offers an associate, bachelor's, or master's degree in Business Administration. Classes meet only once a week and utilize group-study project teams, which emphasize interaction and participation. TAP classes are held at two locations: the campus in Crestview Hills, Kentucky, and in the northern Cincinnati suburb of Blue Ash, Ohio.
MAT
The Master of Arts in Teaching Program (MAT) is run by the Education Department of Thomas More College. It is targeted for those who hold a baccalaureate degree and meet the requirements of the Kentucky Educational Professional Standards Board (EPSB). The program has two tracks: one for those holding a Temporary Provisional Certificate and the other for those wanting to acquire their teacher certification.
Recognition
Thomas More has been listed in the U.S. News and World Report's "America's Best Colleges" edition and Money Magazine's "Best College Buys" issue. It has also been recognized by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a "selective liberal arts college." The college is also a member of the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities.
Student government
The student government of Thomas More College serves as the official representative of the Student Body. It is governed by its Constitution and consists of an Executive Board, Delegates at Large, and Associates. The President of the Student Government Association receives a full-voting membership on the Thomas More College Board of Trustees.
Athletics
The Thomas More College sports teams are called the Saints. They compete in the NCAA's Division III in the Presidents' Athletic Conference.
The following sports are offered:
Men's sports
- Wrestling
- Head Coach Jason Russell
- Brand new program to the school
- Head Coach Jason Russell
- Baseball
- Presidents' Athletic Conference Regular Season Champs: 2008, 2011,2016
- NCAA Division III Tournament Appearances: 2000, 2003, 2010, 2011,2016
- Basketball
- NAIA Men's Division I Tournament: 1957 (as Villa Madonna)
- First official upset in NAIA Tournament history, because it was the first year seeding was added to the tournament. Villa Madonna upset West Virginia Tech 93 to 91.
- Presidents' Athletic Conference Regular Season Champs: 2009, 2010
- NCAA Division III Tournament Appearances: 2009
- NAIA Men's Division I Tournament: 1957 (as Villa Madonna)
- Cross Country
- Football
- Second Fastest Division III School To 100 Wins
- Best All-Time Win Percentage in NCAA Division III
- Undefeated Regular-Season - 1991, 1995, 2001, 2009, 2010, 2015
- NCAA Division III Football Championships (playoffs) - 1992, 2001, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016
- Association of Mideast Colleges Conference Champions - 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995
- Presidents' Athletic Conference Champions - 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 (co-champions), 2014 (co-champions), 2015, 2016
- Golf
- Presidents' Athletic Conference Champs: 2010
- NCAA Division III Championship Appearances: 2010
- Soccer
- Presidents' Athletic Conference Regular Season Champs: 2009, 2011
- NCAA Division III Tournament Appearances: 2009, 2010, 2011
- Tennis
- Track and Field
Women's sports
- Basketball
- Presidents' Athletic Conference Regular Season Champs: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
- NCAA Division III Tournament Appearances: 1997, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
- NCAA Division III Final Four Appearance(s): 2015, 2016
- NCAA Division III Championship(s): 2015 (Vacated), 2016
- Cross Country
- Golf
- Soccer
- Presidents' Athletic Conference Regular Season Champs: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010
- NCAA Division III Tournament Appearances: 2003, 2011
- Softball
- Presidents' Athletic Conference Regular Season Champs: 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010
- NCAA Division III Tournament Appearances: 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010
- Tennis
- Volleyball
- Presidents' Athletic Conference Regular Season Champs: 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
- NCAA Division III Tournament Appearances: 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
- Track and Field
- Lacrosse
Notable people
- Paul G. Bens, Jr., former Hollywood casting director/producer and author of the Black Quill Award-winning novel Kelland
- Darrell Brothers, art professor and listed artist
- Rick Hughes, NBA basketball player
- David Justice, MLB player (attended, did not graduate)
- Roxanne Qualls, Cincinnati politician (attended Thomas More, but did not finish there)
- Daniel K. Richter, award-winning historian of early America and professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
- Larry Staverman, NBA basketball player and coach
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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