From Transfer Quarterback to Future History Teacher
Thomas Vaccaro celebrates after rushing for a touchdown in a November 7, 2026 win over rival Hope College. Photo credit: Daniel J. Cooke
Thomas Vaccaro’s grandmother taught for more than 40 years in a small town in Ohio. When he was growing up, his family would visit her and her school, and what he remembers best happened outside the classroom.
“We would be walking around town or even go to the grocery store, and almost every single person would come up and talk to her and thank her,” Vaccaro said. “Just seeing the impact she made on so many people made me want to do the same with my life.”
Vaccaro is now a graduate student in Calvin University’s Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program, the starting quarterback for the Knights, and a future history teacher and football coach. Getting here took a transfer and a very specific list.
Vaccaro with his grandmother after a football game. Photo credit: Vaccaro family
Transferring to a small Christian university in the Midwest
Vaccaro began his college career as a walk-on at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, after growing up in Southern California and Nashville. Near the end of his sophomore year, he was ready for something different.
He knew exactly what he wanted.
“I was looking for a small private Christian school in the Midwest that had the master’s degree program that I wanted to do, which is Master of Arts in Teaching,” Vaccaro said. “And honestly, Calvin fit perfectly.”
Calvin also brought him somewhere familiar. Grand Rapids is his mother’s hometown, so the move came with a family connection. Football would stay in his life, and so would a place his family already knew.
A Bible verse in the Calvin football locker room
On the wall of the Knights’ locker room are the words of Ephesians 6:10: “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”
Vaccaro said the verse reflects what the program is about. “For me, just having these verses, and the best thing about Calvin football, is making champions for life,” he said. “Why do we play football? We love the game because we glorify the Lord through how we play football.”
He found the same spirit outside the locker room. “From my teammates to my classmates to my professors, each person took the time to get to know me as an individual,” he said. “The way different professors encouraged me to grow and become a better person, while also speaking life into me, made me feel at home.”
Vaccaro prays with teammates after a game. Photo credit: Lisa Hunter.
Walking into the coach’s office as a transfer student
In the summer of 2025, Vaccaro and his dad walked into head coach Trent Figg’s office. Vaccaro wanted a chance to compete. By September, he was Calvin’s starting quarterback. In an early-season win over Oberlin, he completed 17 of 26 passes for 171 yards and three touchdowns.
Figg watched it build.
“After the season last year, we said, ‘Okay, this is our guy. We need to tailor this offense to his skill set.’ Every week you could see him growing and developing. He’s a really smart kid. He’s a great leader.”
Vaccaro has since been named MIAA Offensive Player of the Week and to the D3football Team of the Week. He is near the top of Division III in passing touchdowns and passing yardage. Ask him about it and he points somewhere else.
“The thing that I love about football is that it is the complete opposite of an individual sport,” he said. “Those honors are really team honors.”
Thomas Vaccaro runs through Hope defenders in a 38-24 win on November 7, 2026. Photo credit: Johann Van Tassel
From history major to Master of Arts in Teaching
Vaccaro earned his undergraduate degree in history at Calvin, and he credits the department with teaching him how to think.
“Many of my professors challenged me to become a better historian, which in turn gave me the skills to become a better teacher,” he said. “One of the most important things they taught me was how to approach a topic with curiosity and how to ask insightful questions that allow me to grow as a thinker.”
Professor Caleb Lagerwey has enjoyed having ThomasVaccaro in history classes.
“Thomas is passionate about mentoring both students and athletes. His enthusiasm on the field translates well into energetic history lessons in the classroom. I appreciate his presence and poise while teaching,” Lagerwey said.
When it came time for graduate school, Vaccaro didn’t look far. He chose Calvin a second time, this time for the MAT. Faith was part of the reasoning.
“In addition, the MAT’s commitment to developing Christian teachers, as well as Calvin’s commitment to a faith-filled community, was another important factor,” he said.
Vaccaro also gets to keep playing. “Being a graduate student at Calvin has allowed me to gain further expertise in a profession that I want to do for the rest of my life while allowing me to continue to play the sport I love amidst a student body that challenges me to grow in my faith and as a person.”
Vaccaro celebrates after a big win. Photo credit: Lisa Hunter
What a quarterback learns about teaching
The further he gets into the program, the more teaching and quarterbacking sound alike to him.
“Football is all about relationships,” Vaccaro said. “Relationships are the key pillar that really good teams are built on. … We play football to grow in relationship with each other and as people.”
The coursework is already changing how he talks to teammates, who have hundreds of plays to learn.
“Teaching has changed how I communicate through trying to use a variety of modes,” he said. “Presenting concepts or plays verbally to my teammates, alongside physically walking through them and then watching them on film, continues to reinforce learning and understanding.”
And the idea he most wants to carry into a classroom of his own comes straight from his grandmother’s grocery store.
“Showing your students you care about them beyond the classroom is what makes learning transformational and shows students that their value comes from who they are, not what they produce.”