Since Aidan McGill was four years old, the University of St. Thomas has surrounded his life with community, support and a home.
The Tommie legacy started with his grandmother attending St. Thomas and trickled down to his mother, Sheila McGill, who has been coaching 18 seasons of women’s soccer. In 2022 and 2023, his older brother and sister graduated from the university.
“Pretty much all I’ve known is St. Thomas, so I got some purple in my blood,” said McGill, a business operations and supply chain management major and business analytics minor in the Opus College of Business at St. Thomas.
Now, McGill is ending his senior year as the recipient of the 2025 Tommie Award.
The Tommie Award is sponsored annually by the Division of Student Affairs and honors a senior selected by students, faculty and staff as best representing St. Thomas Aquinas’ ideals of scholarship, leadership and campus involvement.
McGill’s dedication to St. Thomas values and fostering an inclusive environment comes from his family’s Irish Catholic heritage and campus involvement.
Throughout his undergraduate journey, he has served in several leadership roles on campus. These include the Undergraduate Student Government, Supply Chain & Operations Management Club, Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization and many more.
“Aidan has consistently demonstrated responsibility, teamwork, and a strong work ethic,” said his supervisor, Kevin Manson, director of club sports and the Anderson Student Center. “His positive attitude and willingness to help others have made a significant impact on both student colleagues and supervisors, fostering an environment of collaboration and respect.”
One of the biggest things McGill is proud of is serving in the Army National Guard with the 34th Military Police Company. With the help of St. Thomas professors, his commitment to the army never outweighed his determination to maintain a 3.95 GPA in school.
How did you feel about being a Tommie Award finalist alongside Brecken Thomas and Jack Zupfer?
I mean, first off, just honored. I actually know Brecken and Jack really well. My family reached out to friends and congratulated me. It was nice to feel that support from everyone else, but when it’s your family, it’s something different. It feels special.
How has your journey at St. Thomas changed you, from freshman year to senior year?
There are two things at the top of my head, leadership and time management. In my freshman year, I got into some positions of leadership. An opportunity to get my foot in the door and try something new. As a first-year residential senator, was I changing the University of St. Thomas? No, but did it feel like I made small changes here and there? Yeah. I started joining lots of different clubs and there were a lot of opportunities to lead. But then goes time, right? Trying to balance 10,000 things at once and trying to plan a wedding on top of it, it’s a lot. GPA, school, the Army, all these things, it’s tough but it’s made me better for it.
What is one memorable thing people should know about you?
One of the biggest things I’m proud of is serving in the Army National Guard on military police. I have been doing it for almost three years now. Just came back from Norway, actually. I was gone for over two weeks serving, doing some winter survival training and living out in the mountains. I think it’s one of the most passionate things I’m about. It’s either that or my Catholic Irish background.
Why did you decide to enlist?
First off, my grandpa served. Then, I went to a four-year Military Academy high school, St. Thomas Academy. And I did a year of college without army anything, and realized I missed it. So, between freshman and sophomore year in college, I decided to enlist. And I love that decision I made. It was a lot, and still is a lot, and will always be a lot. It’s an eye-opening experience, but I think they say they break you down so they can build you up more. And I truly believe that.
What is it like balancing being in the Army National Guard and school?
Our commitment is two weeks every summer and then one weekend every month. Sometimes the two weeks happen in February, which just happened to me. I showed my professors my orders and said, ‘Hey, unfortunately I have to be gone.’ They all said don’t worry about it, you go ahead and do what you need to get done and once you come back, we’ll figure it out. So, I got back and I’m catching up as best as I can.
Who was the most impactful in your life as a St. Thomas student?
Bill Raffield, he’s my teacher at operation supply chain management. He’s, so far, been my favorite professor. He actually served as well. He was in the Air Force. So, he understands where I’m coming from.
You’ve been in multiple clubs and organizations, is there one you’re most proud of?
I’m proud of a lot of them. I think the biggest one that I’m proud of is (men’s) club soccer. My brother, who graduated in 2022, actually founded club soccer. I took it over spring semester of my freshman year, and it was a lot. I began as president and (was) in sophomore, junior and senior year, too. I recently hosted an election to pass it on to the next person. And believe it or not, my little brother was voted and is taking over as the next president. I’m proud of the program (and) that I’ve been able to help it grow a lot. For me, soccer is everything. My mom has been very influential in my soccer life.
What are your plans after graduation?
I’m starting my full-time job at Ameriprise Financial in June. At the beginning of my junior year, I was reaching out at the St. Thomas career fair or on the Handshake app. Ameriprise is one that I reached out to. When I got the offer, I told them that I had to be gone for two weeks for the Army because it’s a requirement. They made sure that whatever I had (going on), they had a plan to bounce back. It was big for me, and it made me really want to be there. Eventually, they extended an offer to stay full-time. Also in June, I’m getting married, which I’m even more excited about than the job. Sometimes (I am) a little more stressed, just because we’re kind of doing it ourselves, which is a lot as 21-year-olds, but we have a great support system. Everyone’s reaching out and sending a hand to help. So, as the stress is leaving, the excitement’s building up.
