Center for Catholic & Dominican Studies
“Be transformed by the renewal of your mind.”
— Romans 12:2
The Center for Catholic & Dominican Studies serves as a place of intellectual exploration and dialogue where students, faculty, staff, administration, and alumni can gather for study, discussion, reflection, and service.
The Center shares the richness and diversity of the Catholic and Dominican intellectual and spiritual traditions and the perspective they bring to the challenges of the day.
History and Location
The Center is housed in the former Aquinas Chapel. Opened in 1940 on the ground floor of the College’s first student dormitory, Aquinas Hall, the chapel was designed to accommodate a congregation of no more than two hundred. As the student population grew, the Aquinas Chapel was no longer adequate. In 2001, the College dedicated St. Dominic Chapel. In renovating Aquinas Chapel for use as the Center, the College was intent on preserving the spirit and beauty of a sacred space dear to many alumni. Many of the original furnishings, such as the stained-glass windows, crucifix, and altars, have been retained.