By Cassandra Taylor, Publications Assistant
Thomas More College of Liberal Arts is known for its educational, affordable, and fun Great Books Summer Programs for high school students. Now, the College has expanded its summer offerings to include a Rome High School Summer Program for rising Seniors. This new program—which is based out of the Villa Magnolia, the College’s Rome campus—combines a curriculum of interesting poems and primary texts with exciting excursions, all led by TMC’s Rome faculty and staff.
“My two weeks in Rome during the Thomas More College summer program was one of the most impactful experiences of my entire life,” said participant Caleb Brower. “The city of Romulus and Remus, Augustus and Trajan, Innocent and Pius, the founding city of the Western world and the capital on Earth of the Christian faith, inspired fascination and reverence in me which will last for the rest of my life.” “Rome was an amazing chance for me to grow in my faith,” Helena Horne agreed. For Marianne Dowsett, “What impacted me most about TMC’s Rome High School Summer Program was the atmosphere. I was surrounded by people who loved Rome and knew its history, which I came to learn was my history. The teachers were inspiring, and the city was breathtaking.”
The readings for the first Rome High School Summer Program were both ancient and modern, combining selections from Livy’s History of Early Rome, Virgil’s Aeneid, and Seneca’s Moral Letters to Lucilius with the Roman poems of Richard Wilbur. Humanities was complimented by a course in Art and Architecture, which was conducted in places such as the Colosseum, the Basilica of St. John Lateran, and the Catacombs. “My favorite memories of the trip were walking around Rome in the evening with my friends and Art and Architecture class every day with Miss Hannah O’Connor, who is a wonderful teacher,” said Miss Horne. “Being able to see all the beautiful art and architecture in the basilicas and buildings of Rome was incredible.”
Of course, one of the best parts of the trip was visiting St. Peter’s Basilica. Izabella Kijewski remembered how much she loved visiting the most famous church in Christendom: “It was amazing to see the architecture and mosaics that make it such a holy place. It makes you feel so much closer to God.” She continued, “Learning the history of it was equally as important as seeing the church itself, and I was surprised to learn that the basilica we see today is built on top of the ruins of the first Saint Peter’s.” Participants also attended a Sunday Angelus with the Holy Father and took a day trip to Assisi—a highlight of the program for Anthony Dow. “It felt like you were going back in time,” he remarked. “Seeing where St. Francis actually stayed and walked was a really special experience.” They also visited the tombs of St. Clare and Blessed Carlo Acutis.
For participants who enroll in Thomas More College as undergraduates, the Rome High School Summer Program will have been a preview of life as a TMC Sophomore. Second-year students at the College spend the spring semester in Rome, exploring the city and what it has to offer. The Rome semester, which students undertake at no increase in tuition, also features classes such as Art and Architecture in Rome and Humanities IV: Approaches to the Eternal City. The community life which is a pillar of the College’s culture in Merrimack also lives on in Rome: “I have so many fond memories from my time in Rome and, aside from nightly gelato runs with Miss O’Connor, my favorite memory was our final dinner,” remembered Miss Dowsett. “Everyone was encouraged to dress up, and we ate dinner together on the back patio of the villa.”
Another hallmark of the TMC curriculum is experience, and the Rome High School Summer Program is no exception. Rising Seniors in high school who are interested in deepening their faith, digging into important texts, and exploring Rome for themselves need look no further. “All can read books and watch movies designed to glorify or teach about the city and its history,” said Mr. Brower in closing, “but nothing can prepare someone for the majesty of the Eternal City in person.” “If you have the chance to go,” concurred Miss Horne, “take it!”
For further reading:
The Building Blocks of Critical Thinking: An Interview with Micah O’Leary Kurtz CFP® ’11
