Tom Monaghan’s bond with the Catholic Church dates back to when he was four years old. His father died and his mother was unable to care for Tom and his younger brother for some time. She placed them in an orphanage run by the Felician Sisters. The positive experience led him to consider the priesthood, but eventually Tom decided on a career as an entrepreneur and businessman. His pizzeria, Domino’s, grew from a single store in Ypsilanti, Michigan, to franchises around the country.

As a businessman, Tom understood the importance of education in shaping young people. He also recognized the need for a truly Catholic institute of higher learning. In the late 1900s and early 2000s, he combined his faith with his business acumen and made it his mission to build a Catholic university in Florida.