President of Thomas Aquinas College, A Saint Mary's Alumnus, Dies In Auto Accident

Dr. Thomas E. Dillon '68, the president of Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, California, was killed in an automobile accident in Ireland on Wednesday, April 15. He was traveling on behalf of the college when the accident occurred.

Like Saint Mary's, Thomas Aquinas College is noted for its Great Books curriculum. Mr. Dillon was a champion of the Great Books liberal education tradition. He held a Bachelor of Arts degree in Integral Liberal Arts from Saint Mary's College of California, and master's and doctoral degrees in philosophy from the University of Notre Dame.

He joined Thomas Aquinas College's teaching faculty in 1972, a year after its founding, served as assistant dean for Student Affairs from 1976 to 1981. He was academic dean from 1981 to 1991 and for the last 18 years he was the College's president.

Los Angeles Times Article
Ventura County Star Article
San Francisco Chronicle obituary