As new owners of the iconic Northfield campus, we want to thank the citizens of Northfield and the surrounding area for the wonderful welcome we have received. We are pleased to report that significant progress has been made as we undertake the challenging and inspiring task of returning the campus to the educational and religious purposes for which it was first founded by D.L. Moody.
We know that the campus holds a special place in the hearts of the citizens of Northfield and surrounding communities, as well as in the hearts of the many alumni of the school who spent formative years of their lives on the campus. As we have tried to make clear in our public presentations, we respect the history and traditions of the campus and we intend to do everything we can to preserve, protect, and enhance its buildings and grounds.
The goal of Thomas Aquinas College is to provide a Catholic liberal education for between 350 and 400 undergraduate students on the Northfield campus; the goal of the Moody Center is to welcome large numbers of people to its portion of the campus who revere the memory and legacy of D.L. Moody and who wish to prepare themselves for the work of Christian evangelization.
It is important for all of us to recognize that the campus will transition from what has come to be regarded, perhaps understandably enough, as an open, semi-public, and park-like space to a vibrant Catholic educational institution, on the one hand, and to an energetic and faith-filled organization committed to Christian openness and outreach, on the other.
Those of us now responsible for the campus, and for the success of our respective endeavors, have to be mindful of the safety and general well-being of those whom we will serve, including families with many young children, and of the respect and hospitality we owe to those guests who will visit the campus and, hopefully, support our efforts.
Accordingly, the citizens of Northfield can expect a renewed emphasis on maintaining the beauty and security of the grounds and facilities. They can expect as well changes that reflect the missions of Thomas Aquinas College and The Moody Center and that are consistent with the ordinances of the Town of Northfield. Good stewardship, and responsible ownership and management, require that we be attentive to these things and we are confident that the citizens of Northfield and the surrounding communities will respect and appreciate this fact.
We will continue to proceed in a prudent, respectful, and responsible way. We ask everyone to bear with us, and we assure all that our primary concerns are the needs of our respective organizations and the importance of safeguarding the treasure that is the Northfield campus.
Michael McLean
president, Thomas Aquinas
College
Emmitt Mitchell
president of The Moody Center