Did this chapter inspire you to write a book on Aquinas? I realized I wanted to write someone else’s story, and that story turned out to be Aquinas. I was pretty surprised no one had ever written about Aquinas in its 100+ years of existence. I’m not a historian by any means, I am a storyteller, and the stories I have found digging in the Archive room need to be heard! Aquinas has remained uniquely Aquinas, through change and through challenge, but it’s still alive and providing for tomorrow. It’s maintained its traditions, while preparing students for the future. I’ve been balancing facts and dates with a number of heartwarming and enlightening stories I think people are going to be amazed to read. I feel fortunate to brush o the dust and allow these stories to shine. Bob encourages high school students to focus on the fundamentals that can be learned and applied in the real world. In chapter 18 of Growing Up on Oriole Street: A Rochester Boyhood and Beyond, he emphasizes, “the requirements for future jobs will change - but the fundamentals won’t.” It was Bob’s way of summarizing what he thinks is important to learn in college and what not to worry about. • Discover who you are and the ways you can make a di erence. • Volunteer, sign up for extracurricular activities, and show up. You will gain experiences, meet people, learn di erent ways to solve problems, and develop understanding that you might not in a classroom. • Ask questions o en, and if you push yourself to tackle di cult things now, it will give you an edge in life forever. • Broaden yourself to higher goals even when you’re tired. • rough it all, don’t lose your sense of humor. What advice would you give to students at Aquinas? As we go through life, many will impart facts, but few will shape who we become. ese are the people we should thank, right now, for their impact on us. I would thank my senior English teacher, Fr. Frederick Wajda, CSB, for pushing me to read the book Rebecca despite my initial reluctance. He helped nurture my love for reading. I would express my gratitude to Fr. Leonard Cullen, CSB, head of the Aquinas Art Department for challenging my creative and artistic skills at a time when I felt like I had no room on my schedule to take an art course. He cultivated my love for the arts, which later in uenced me to design multiple publications at Notre Dame. I would acknowledge Fr. Bob Klem, CSB, for showing me how much fun learning another language could be. It ultimately in uenced my decision to major in Modern Languages at Notre Dame. Growing up as a blue-collar kid in the neighborhood, Aquinas gave me a great start in life. It enabled me to become more than I ever could have dreamed of. Writing a book about Aquinas is perhaps my way of saying thank you. It’s my way to acknowledge the profound impact the school had on my life. Bob’s book Becoming Aquinas is scheduled for release in the fall of 2024. He toyed between a few di erent titles but settled on this one because, to Bob, Aquinas is an organic entity – it’s always in the process of evolving, changing, adapting, stretching, building on its values and fundamentals – becoming what it needs to be to prepare students for the challenges they’ll face in an increasingly impatient and demanding world. Becoming Aquinas is a balance between its history and just some of the many priests, sisters, and others who helped give Aquinas its character. On behalf of all of us at the Aquinas Institute, we are thrilled to include this book in our library’s collection, alongside Bob’s previous acquisitions. We’d like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Bob Gibbons for his commitment to writing a book focused on our school and its many stories. Bob, we value your e orts and eagerly anticipate reading and sharing it with our Aquinas community! “One of the best decisions I ever made was my decision to attend Aquinas, and I hope Becoming Aquinas entertains, informs, enlightens – and even surprises – those who know and love the school… and that the book does the school proud.” – Bob Gibbons Bob Gibbons and Bob Newhart at Kodak Dinner Bob Gibbons with family on 70th Birthday (L to R: Emily, Jeanne, Bob, Tim ’93, Jennifer ’92) L to R: Gary Cook, Bob Gibbons, Allen Fitzpatrick ’65, Dave Smering. Band name: The Quintones 14 AQUINAS LANDMARK | SUMMER 2024
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