Hi welcome!
Let’s talk about dorming at Saint Thomas Aquinas College. Here at STAC we have two dorming facilities, the McNelis Commons and the Fitzpatrick Village . One is for freshman and younger transfer students. The other is for upperclassmen, (sophomores, juniors, and seniors), and older transfers. All dorm rooms are separated with only males living with males and females living with females, never both.
Here's a map of the campus to get an overview of the whole school!
1. Romano Student Alumni Center
1a. Career Services Center
1b. Student Development
This is the center of campus where many events are held. Students meet with each other for a bite to eat, to grab a coffee at the Spartan Grille, a quick game of pool, or to watch some television all while listening to the student-run WSTK radio station. The Romano Center also houses the Career Services Center, Student Activities, and other Student Development Offices: Counseling and Psychological Services; Residence Life; Campus Ministry; and more.
2a. Naughton Hall (Admissions Center)
3. Maguire Hall
3a. Sullivan Theatre
The Sullivan Theatre, home to the Laetare Players-STAC’s drama club, is located in Maguire Hall. The Sullivan Theatre also serves as a classroom for music, performing arts, and other classes. Maguire Hall is home to classrooms, art studios and the Smith Seminar Room.
4. Aquinas Hall
Aquinas Hall is located in the center of the academic buildings. It houses Campus Safety & Security, the Mail Room and Athletics Offices.
5. Gymnasium & The Kraus Fitness Center
The Gymnasium is the hub for athletics, intramural and club sports and is home to our NCAA DII Basketball teams. The Kraus Fitness Center has state-of-the-art equipment, including cardio machines with advanced training technology.
6. Costello Hall
6a. Azarian-McCullough Art Gallery
6b. Science Labs
Costello Hall, our sciences building with the Berdais Biology and the Casazza Chemistry Laboratories, is a second home for many of our science students who spend a majority of their academic time in class and labs.
In addition, you will find the Poggi Family Terrace and the Azarian-McCullough Art Gallery, where various exhibits are displayed throughout the year.
7. Spellman Hall
7a. Registrar
7b. Communications Studio
7c. Computer Labs (Digital Imaging Lab, Language Lab, General Labs)
7d. Lougheed Library & The Bloomberg Professional Lab
7e. Financial Aid
7f. Admissions
Spellman Hall, one of the main academic buildings, has classrooms, a digital imaging lab and computer labs. Students visit the many academic and administrative offices in Spellman Hall including Academic Affairs, the School of Arts & Sciences, Admissions, Financial Aid, the Registrar, and the HEOP Office. You’ll also find them studying in the Lougheed Library, being tutored in the Center for Academic Excellence, or learning in the Bloomberg Professional Laboratory or Communications Television Studio.
8. Aquinas Village Residence Halls
The Aquinas Village houses upperclassmen. The buildings have a contemporary feel with a common area, and quad, triple, double, or single room options
Before we dive into each facility let’s talk about some advantages about STAC’s campus. STAC’s campus is quite small. The entire campus is currently 72 acres. Both facilities are located within walking distance to the campus academic buildings. It takes most students about five minutes to walk to class. The Fitzpatrick Village is on the same side of the street as the academic buildings. It doesn’t take very long to get to class. For the McNelis Commons; it is across the street from all our academic buildings. There is a crosswalk and has a designated pedestrian walkway signal. Sometimes the roads are busy but the majority of the time you do not have to wait long.
Another advantage of STAC’s suites is that the buildings are only two floors. So, instead of having to carry all your stuff up numerous flights of stairs it is only one. This is particularly nice on move in and move out days. For some it's going to be a lot of belongings but it would be so much worse to have to carry it up several flights of stairs with no elevator. Lastly, there is a nurse on campus. Her office is located in the commons, in the 2 building. You can go to her about health concerns, COVID problems, and anything health related. There is also an app that STAC uses if it’s an emergency and the nurse is not on campus. Students have the ability to get help 24/7.
Commonalities in all the dorms:
I’m sure you want to hear what’s included in all the dorms! Let’s talk about the basics. Each student is given a bed, a dresser, a closet/ cabinet, a desk, and a chair. Some of the furniture may look different than others and some desks are smaller than others. Majority of the of the desks include drawers but some of the tighter rooms have desks with a single skinny drawer underneath the writing surface. Another appliance in all the dorms is a microwave in the common area. They used to have a fridge as well but no longer do because of COVID. If students chose to bring their own they may do so.
9. McNelis Commons Residence Halls
The residence suites are both contemporary and spacious enough for each student to live comfortably. With two suite rooms per unit, the students have the essentials with the legroom that they need. The common area allows the students to meet in the middle for hang time or just a quick chat.
10. McNelis Commons Dining Hall
The Dining Hall offers buffet-style dining, with a variety of options and specialty stations for all tastes.
11. Borelli Hall
Borelli Hall is home to the Office of the President, Enrollment Management, Financial Affairs, Institutional Advancement, the Business Office, Human Resources, and the Schools of Business and Education.
12. Spartan Athletic Complex
Home to the College's Soccer, Softball, Lacrosse, and Women's Field Hockey Teams.
13. Palisades Credit Union Park - Home to Spartan Baseball Team in Pomona, NY
Palisades Credit Union Park - Home to the Spartan Baseball Team, located in Pomona, NY, 20 minutes from campus.
What to expect of a first time dorming student anywhere:
When first starting out you’re probably wondering what to expect going to a new college away from home for the first time. Well according to the article What is College Like? from Collegedata.com, you can expect to find more like-minded people, a rocky start, learning how to manage your time, and instantly starting a daily routine for yourself.
College is full of people that think like your and have the same interests as you. That’s why you picked the same college! At the beginning of your first semester you will have to learn some things very quickly in order to stay float but don’t be scary everyone else is going through the same thing.
Attached I provided the article if you’d like to read more:
https://www.collegedata.com/resources/campus-life/what-is-college-like
Let’s talk specifically about the McNelis Commons! In the McNelis Commons there are four buildings you could be placed in. The 1 build, the 2 building, the 3 build, and the 4 building. The way for students to get into their dorms is by a key. You are required to keep the key all year and return it when you move over to the village. As a student who's been here all four years of college, from the outside they are technically the same. They are all suites and each building has two floors. Each suite is composed of two dorm rooms, common area, and a shared bathroom. Depending on the room you get you can either be in a room of two, or three people. Before covid they only had suites of rooms with three or four people. This was when one room in the suite was given bunk beds to sleep in. Now there are no bunk beds and everyone has their own bed space in the rooms. Depending on the suite set up common areas will be shaped differently, and the size of the rooms may vary a little but for the most part they are basically the same. The bathrooms vary as well but aren’t drastically different. All the bathrooms have two sinks, a toilet and at least one shower. The differences that can occur are if the toilet is in the open area or it’s in a little room of its own with a door for privacy. The other difference is with the shower(s), some suites have two standing showers, some have one standing shower, and one (if you’re on the ground floor) could be a shower with a bath.
Laundry room/cafeteria:
Some added facilities in the McNelis Commons are a laundry room and the dining hall. The laundry fee is included in your room and board tuition. Therefore, there is no longer a cost to wash and dry your clothes. You do still need to buy detergent, any fabric softeners you use, or any dryer sheets. The laundry room holds several washers and dryers. It is easily accessible from the dorms. The only dining hall is located in the McNelis Commons, too. The caf, as the students refer to it, is conveniently located right in the center of the grounds. The cafeteria has many food options and so there is always something for everyone. Some of the stations in the cafeteria are a grill station, a hot food station, a deli station, a salad/ fruit station; and more. There are seriously so many options of food for students to select from. This is why for such a small campus having only one dining hall is okay for the students.
Cons of living on a campus:
According to Keystone’s Bachelor studies some cons of dorming are less privacy, less freedom, and more expectations. What they mean by this is at home you’re probably used to a room by yourself but when dorming you have learn to share and be a roommate rather than living by yourself in your room. What they mean by less freedom is that the dorm isn’t yours, you are just paying for it. You have to meet requirements and are told how to keep your room. Similar to less freedom, more expectations mean you are expected to keep you room the entire year, up to the standards of that college and fire department.
Benefits of living on a campus:
According to Keystone’s Bachelor studies some pros of dorming are socialization, convenience, and infrastructure. When dorming you get to meet new people giving you the opportunity to make new friends or career opportunities. The convenience is having walking or reasonable driving distance to school. You could wake up late and still have time to make it to class in good timing. By infrastructure they mean all the conveniences of the room. They have wifi, on site support staff, security, gyms, and laundry facilities.
Now let’s talk about the Fitzpatrick Village! As mentioned before the Village is for upperclassmen and older transfers. The location of the village is directly next to the academic buildings. The only thing separating it is a parking lot for students. In the villages there are five buildings. The 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500. The 100, 200, and 300 are around what the students like to call the village circle. There are some parking spaces for dorming students and if you’re lucky enough to grab a spot you don’t have to walk very far to get into your room. Speaking of getting into your rooms, in the village you get in differently than the commons. In the village you scan your ID to unlock the door. Only you and your suitemates can open your door. If your suite is connected to the floor below there may be a small common area that includes the stairs to get to the second level. This common area is not big enough to put anything in though. Also, the different floors do not have access to each other's room, only the front door. The people living on the same floor do have ID access to the suite but they only have scannable access to the common area and their own room.
100-400
Four of the buildings, (100, 200, 300, and 400) are remotely the same. Similar to the buildings in the commons. Depending on the room you get you can either be in a room of two, or three people. With the exception of the 400 which is suites of three and three in each room. Before COVID they had suites of three and four people, with the four rooms being bunks. Similar to the commons, depending on the suite set up common areas will be shaped differently, and the size of the rooms may vary a little but for the most part they are basically the same. The bathrooms vary as well but aren’t drastically different. All the bathrooms have two sinks, a toilet and at least one shower. The differences that can occur are if the toilet is in the open area or it’s in a little room of its own with a door for privacy. The other difference is with the shower(s), some suites have two standing showers, some have one standing shower, and one (if you’re on the ground floor) could be a shower with a bath.
500
The 500 is a little different but it’s the newest building and doesn’t have suites. It has many singular rooms with only two people living in them. The first floor is for male students and the second floor is for female students. Each room has their own bathroom and everyone shares a big common area. There is a common area on both floors. In this area there are couches, two microwaves, high top tables and chairs. In this building all the rooms are a little smaller than the rooms in the other buildings but you only have to share with one person rather than a whole suite.
Laundry room/ Romano
On the Village side of campus there is also a laundry room. It is located in the 200 building and is a room on the bottom floor. There are several washing machines and dryers. Similar to the common’s laundry, you do not have to pay to get your laundry done. You just need the detergent and anything else you like to use to clean your clothes.
Campus Safety on STAC:
On campus there is Campus Safety. They give out their number at freshman orientation and we are able to call them for emergencies and other dorm related concerns. They respond to any medical and criminal emergencies calls but they are the ones you call if you lock yourself out of your dorm as well. They have foot patrols and vehicle patrons 24 hours a day. Campus safety also has a good relationship with the local police and the local fire department. If something is needed we know we are in the right hands.
Activities here on campus:
There are many activities on campus you can attend. For starters, STAC is a Division II college and has many sports games you can attend on campus. The men’s sports games you can watch on campus are; basketball, tennis, lacrosse, and soccer.
The women’s sports games you can watch on campus are; basketball, softball, tennis, soccer, lacrosse, and field hockey. There are other sports teams but would need to travel to attend those games. Other activities on campus such as intramural sports or even the fitness center. In the fitness center there are a variety of lifting machines and cardio machines. The fitness center is open to all students but if an athletic team is scheduled to use the gym, you cannot. Another popular place on campus is the library. It is quiet and the best place to study. Another popular activity is to join or attend events hosted by clubs. There are many clubs on campus and if there isn’t one you can make one. There is much more to do on this small campus than you think!
Activities close to campus and Drive length:
School Related:
New York Boulder’s Baseball (Where the baseball team plays!)
Address: 1 Palisades Credit Union Park Drive Pomona, NY 10970
Approximately 20 minutes away and 13 miles away
Torne Valley Complex (Where our Sprint Football team plays!)
Address: 115 Torne Valley Road Hillburn, NY 10931
Approximately 25 minutes away and 19 miles away
Orangeburg:
Stop and Shop (5 minutes away)
Target (10 minutes away)
Il Fresco, italian cuisine (3 minutes away)
La Fiesta, mexican cuisine (3 minutes away)
Mountain House (3 minutes away)
Cvs (4 minutes away)
Dunkin donuts (4 minutes away)
Shell Gas Station (4 minutes away)
New Jersey:
Exxon Mobil (6 minutes away)
Lukoil (6 minutes away)
Panera (6 minutes away)
Starbucks (6 minutes away)
Airports:
Newark Liberty International Airport
approximately 41 minutes away and 35 miles
LaGuardia Airport
approximately 33 minutes away and 26 miles
John F. Kennedy International Airport
approximately 47 minutes away and 37 miles
New York Stewart International Airport
approximately 52 minutes away and 43 miles
Questions to ask as a student look at colleges:
According to Cappex.com’s Questions to Ask On a College Tour, there are some good questions to ask:
Are freshmen required to live on campus and/or have their own dorm building?
What’s the average size of a dorm room? They’re all small, but you know your personal space preference. Stand in the room (or find a picture with someone in it) to get an idea of what you’re working with.
Do I have to live in a dorm with a roommate freshman year or are there other housing options? (A single or suite?)
Do all dorms come with air conditioning? (not all do!)
Are the bathrooms shared, private, or communal?
Is there a kitchen you can use in the building or on the floor? With a refrigerator and stove?
What’s the laundry situation? On the floor? In the building? In a neighboring building? Cost?
If something goes wrong in the dorms, say an issue with a toilet or window or whatnot, how easy is it to get a hold of the maintenance department?
How’s the Wi-Fi?
Are the dorms co-ed? Are there floors for either male- or female-identifying students? Are they placed in different houses?
Is there an LGBTQIA-friendly dorm?
Are their gender-neutral bathrooms on campus?
Is there a front desk where people have to check in?
Is there a key card needed to get into each building?
Are there RAs on each floor?
Is there security that will give me a lift to my room if I’m feeling unsafe or nervous?
Are there patrols around the dorms 24/7?
Bonus questions:
Is there a workout room in the building or nearby?
Are their music practice rooms?
Is there access to a computer lab?
Where is the nearest place to grab food?
Freshman
Junior
Senior
Hannah: Hi I am Hannah Parsinger. I’m from Germany and a freshman living in the 1 building.
Interviewer: Being a freshman can you talk about the process of getting a room here?
Hannah: Yes, so, as a freshman you don’t really get a choice. You kinda have to live in the 1 building. So, with your application, you can say if you want to live in a two dorm or a three dorm and then you just get assigned.
Interviewer: What do you like or dislike about this process?
Hannah: It’s pretty nice, no you don't have to worry about what kind of building you want to live in, as a freshman and at least you get the choice of two dorm or a three dorm. So, that’s fine.
Interviewer: Did the dorming play a part in picking your school and if it did, what were somethings that you were particularly looking for or like about the dorms?
Hannah: On the STAC website, you couldn’t really see what the dorms looked like, so, it didn’t really play a big role for me.
Interviewer: Having been in other buildings on campus, are there things that differ from yours?
Hannah: So, in other 1 rooms they have a carpet floor or wood and they have two showers instead of one and not just a toilet stall but an actual door.
Interviewer: Okay, now living in your suite, what are some things you like about it?
Hannah: I think we have enough space and it’s nice that it’s not just one long hallway with all the doors like in other colleges but everyone has like their own little house you could say.
Interviewer: With being from another country, and not having a car, are there lots of options for things to do on campus and how do you enjoy spending your time?
Hannah: Well, you kinda do need a car to get everywhere, to go shopping or whatever. On campus there’s not that much you could do. It’s more like hanging out with friends, so yeah that’s what i'm doing, too.
Interviewer: With the common’s being for freshman and younger transfers, is there a building you would like to live in next year? What about this building stands out to you?
Hannah: The 300 building is pretty nice, I think, because it’s still the same concept of you having your own space with your suitemates and there like two dorm rooms and you have a lot of space in your common areas. So, that’s nice.
Interviewer: Would you recommend the building you’re living in now to other new first year students?
Hannah: Again, you don’t get a choice but it’s also not bad at all. So, I think it’s a good option and I would recommend it.
Interviewer: Thank you.
Tips and tricks:
According to Save The Student, there are 14 skills that can help you survive school:
Learn how to budget
Know when to go home on a night out
Start a meal plan
Avoid tricky seminar questions
Control your bladder in lectures
Learn how to read quickly
Ask for help when you need it
Learn some basic cooking skills
Learn how to use a washing machine
Know your limits on a night out
Keep on top of cleaning your house
Deal with difficult housemates
Use your student discount whenever you can
Beware of people trying to rip of college students
Attached I provided the article if you’d like to read more:
https://www.savethestudent.org/freshers/13-skills-to-help-you-survive-university.html
Jay: Hi my name is Jay. I’m a junior. I live in the 400 and I’m from North Carolina.
Interviewer: How many years have you been dorming here?
Jay: Three.
Interviewer: What buildings have you dormed in before?
Jay: The 1 building and the 400.
Interviewer: Did you like those, why or why not?
Jay: No, because they’re a little old-ish.
Interviewer: Now living in the 400 building, what do you like about it?
Jay: The space that it has.
Interviewer: What are some things you don’t like about it?
Jay: The place that it’s in like the area.
Interviewer: I noticed you have a game system, how reliable is the wifi and is it easy to play your games here?
Jay: It’s not reliable at all and no it’s not easy.
Interviewer: With living so far away, how far is the nearest airport and is it easy to get to?
Jay: It’s like 40 minutes away and it’s easy.
Interviewer: Would you recommend living in the 400 to other students?
Jay: No.
Lu: Hi my name is Lu. I’m a senior from Switzerland and I live in the 500 building.
Interviewer: How many years have you been dorming here?
Lu: I’m a transfer student so I’ve been dorming here for two years.
Interviewer: What building were you living in last year?
Lu: I was living in the 100 building.
Interviewer: Did you like that one, why or why not?
Lu: I did like it but I had five suitemates and I’m more of a quiet person. So, it was a little much for me.
Interviewer: What made you choose the 500 this year?
Lu: It is the newest building and it has the nicest bathrooms.
Interviewer: Now living in the 500, what are some things that you like about it?
Lu: I like that there’s only two people in one room. I really like the bathroom and I also like the common area.
Interviewer: Also, now living in the 500 building, what are some things you don’t like about it and would like to see changed?
Lu: I like everything here so I wouldn’t change anything.
Interviewer: Are there any additional resources in the 500 building compared to the other buildings?
Lu: Yes, there’s a big common area with couches and tables and a big tv.
Interviewer: How does dorming at STAC differ from your old school.
Lu: It is different. In my old school we had apartments and everybody had their own room. You couldn’t choose if you wanted two or three people in one room. Everybody just had a single room.
Interviewer: Would you recommend living in the 500 to other students?
Lu: Yes, I definitely would. It is really nice here.
Interviewer: Thank you.
According to Save The Student, there are 14 skills that can help you survive school:
Learn how to budget
Know when to go home on a night out
Start a meal plan
Avoid tricky seminar questions
Control your bladder in lectures
Learn how to read quickly
Ask for help when you need it
Learn some basic cooking skills
Learn how to use a washing machine
Know your limits on a night out
Keep on top of cleaning your house
Deal with difficult housemates
Use your student discount whenever you can
Beware of people trying to rip of college students
Attached I provided the article if you’d like to read more:
https://www.savethestudent.org/freshers/13-skills-to-help-you-survive-university.html
Ansel Adams:
Lastly, my inspiration for this series of photos was Ansel Adams. Ansel Adams was a well known photographer who for six years wandered UC Santa Cruz’s campus leaving behind 485 gelatin silver prints. They even feature him in a book ‘Seeds of Something Different.’ His work inspired me because his main theme was documenting college life on campus. The only differences between his and mine are he shot in black and white and also documented more of the campus grounds instead of the buildings. My mine focus was to show what the dorming buildings are like at STAC and some information most dorming students and their families would like to know.
Thank you for getting this far! I hope you found it interesting!