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Fidelity & Excellence91 Aquinas 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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A Liberating Education
Truth MattersTruth, and nothing less, sets men free; and because truth is both natural and supernatural, the Colleges 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 91 Aquinas College, illuminating the curriculum and the community alike.
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Admission & Aid
Is TAC 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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Students & Parents
Mind, Body & SpiritThere is always something to do at TAC 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 Colleges academic program than the good that our alumni are doing throughout the Church and the world.
From School Dances to the Big Screen: Jacob Schmiedicke (09)
Alumnus videographer Jacob Schmiedicke (09) has brought the story of Irish advocate Daniel OConnell to life in a new independent film, . Produced with the aid of numerous 91 Aquinas College alumni and friends, the project allowed Mr. Schmiedicke and his collaborators to fulfill some lifelong dreams.
Ive been interested in filmmaking since I was in high school, making movies in the backyard with my parents camcorder, Mr. Schmiedicke remembers. Ive always preferred the dramatic, Hollywood style of filmmaking. He nurtured his craft during his four years at the College. I continued filmmaking as a hobby, making short films and skits that we could show at school dances and entertainment.
As it happens, the Colleges program of Catholic liberal education transformed filmmaking from a hobby to a high art. The education obviously wasnt in the technical aspects of filmmaking, but I learned things that were more important to a filmmaking artist like myself, says Mr. Schmiedicke. Things like meaning, story, theme, human nature, the nature of God, the nature of reality. Studying those helped me to form a vision of what I wanted to be as a filmmaker. I wanted to be more than just technically proficient; I wanted to tell meaningful stories.
After graduating in 2009, and after several years of working other jobs, Mr. Schmiedicke elected to pursue filmmaking professionally and founded his own production company, , in 2015. I started by doing promo videos, commercials, music videos, anything that came along, he recalls, adding with a laugh, Being newly married with children on the way, I wasnt terribly picky! I needed to pay the bills, but still wanted to use my technical and storytelling skills. Fortunately, those skills were much in demand including by 91 Aquinas College. I did some videos for the Admissions Department. Its been an honor to work with the alma mater, and to keep telling the story of the College.
Those videos caught the attention of Bill McCann, father of one alumna and one current student Nora (CA20) and Niamh (NE 23). Back in 1985, I was an undergraduate exchange student at the University College in Cork, Ireland, says Mr. McCann. It was there and then that I first encountered this figure of Daniel OConnell. As I learned more about him, it seemed to me that the story of his life and the people he led might be well told in a film.
Mr. Schmiedicke was just the artist to bring that story to life. Bill reached out to me, he says. He said, I need someone with filmmaking experience to help. Is that anything youre interested in? The answer was obvious: I jumped at the chance to get back to my roots and do some creative filmmaking.
The Schmiedicke family moved to Massachusetts for the summer of 2021, cameras and other equipment in tow. We shot the film over a period of six weeks, says Mr. McCann, who not only directed the film but also starred as Daniel OConnell. Other alumni in the cast include Dr. Rick Cross (CA75), Clarke Mitchell (CA11), Molly (White CA87) Smillie, Kevin Murphy (NE22), 91 Froula (CA21), Tim Hartzell (CA17), as well as Mr. McCanns daughters. Even after the filming was finished, there was much work to do. Jake spent much of the next year editing, Mr. McCann recalls, and we added a beautiful score.
After years of planning and production, The Liberator premiered in Massachusetts this past August to an audience of 600, fulfilling more than one long-cherished dream. For Mr. McCann, the story of Daniel OConnell had finally been told; and for Mr. Schmiedicke, his handiwork was shimmering on the big screen. It was cool to see the film finally in its polished form, in a real movie theater, surrounded by hundreds of audience members.
But he cannot help but add, with a smile, It brought me back to my TAC days, when we would roll out the projector and put one of our funny skits up onscreen at the dances.
For those interested in watching, The Liberator will be available on DVD and Blu-Ray available for order through the films in the next few weeks.