Belmont Abbey College Launches Fr. Arthur Pendleton Scholarship Program in the Natural Sciences
Belmont Abbey College Launches Fr. Arthur Pendleton Scholarship Program in the Natural Sciences
Belmont, N.C. (October 28th, 2026) – Belmont Abbey College has established the Fr. Arthur Pendleton Scholarship, a new premier academic scholarship for students pursuing the natural sciences. The scholarship honors the late Fr. Arthur Pendleton, a beloved monk of Belmont Abbey who taught chemistry at the college for decades. The program honors the college’s monastic and academic tradition while promoting rigorous undergraduate research that is anchored in truth, faith, and academic excellence.
The Pendleton Scholarship program is designed for students passionate about the natural sciences who plan to major in biology or biochemistry and have at least a 3.25 unweighted GPA. Each Pendleton scholar will receive $9,000 per year, renewable for up to four years.
Beyond the award, Pendleton scholars join a community built around rigorous research and the integration of faith and reason. Each semester, students will meet with faculty directors for a one-hour seminar on faith and scientific discovery, built around shared readings and conversation. Every scholar will pursue an original research project under the mentorship of a science faculty member. The cohort also gathers for departmental events such as a Gold Mass, which honors those serving in the sciences, and an undergraduate research symposium. In their upper-class years, scholars will serve as laboratory teaching assistants and mentors to younger students. Each scholar will finish the program by writing and presenting a senior thesis based on their own research.
“Fr. Arthur showed generations of Abbey students that studying the natural world is a way of encountering the order and beauty of God’s creation,” said Dr. Brad Frazier, Provost of Belmont Abbey College. “The Pendleton Scholarship program carries that legacy forward. Our students will conduct real research alongside faculty mentors and think seriously about how faith and science illuminate one another. They will leave Belmont Abbey ready to lead as scientists, physicians, and researchers.”
Fr. Arthur came to the Carolinas to work in the textile industry after studying textile chemistry and textile engineering. He entered the monastery at Belmont Abbey and was ordained a priest in 1964. With over 40 years in the college’s chemistry department, including 15 years as the department chair, he was known as a demanding teacher who cared deeply about both his subject and his students. In the monastery, he served as prior under four abbots and was a sought-after confessor and spiritual director. He died in 2020.
“Many of our alumni still speak of Fr. Arthur with great affection and gratitude. He was not an easy teacher, but he was a deeply caring one,” shared Abbot Placid Solari, O.S.B., Chancellor of Belmont Abbey College. “His students knew he expected their best because he gave them his. We are grateful to see his name attached to a program that will form young scientists in that same spirit.”
As Belmont Abbey College celebrates its 150th anniversary, the Pendleton Scholarship program reflects the college’s commitment to educating students in the liberal arts and sciences. The program will be led by two of Belmont Abbey’s esteemed faculty, Professor Adolfo Ayala and Dr. Rebecca Silady.
To learn more about the Fr. Pendleton Scholarship Program at Belmont Abbey College, visit https://belmontabbeycollege.edu/financial-aid/premier-scholarships/pendleton/.
About Belmont Abbey College: Founded in 1876, Belmont Abbey College is a private, Catholic baccalaureate and liberal arts institution. Our mission is to educate students in the liberal arts and sciences so that in all things God may be glorified. Guided by the Catholic intellectual tradition and the Benedictine spirit of prayer and learning, we welcome a diverse body of students and provide them with an education that will enable them to lead lives of integrity, to succeed professionally, to become responsible citizens, and to be a blessing to themselves and to others. Our beautiful and historic campus is conveniently located just 10 miles west of Charlotte, N.C., and is currently home to more than 1500 students. For more information, visit belmontabbeycollege.edu.
For Immediate Release
Contact: Sarah Bolton
P: 704-461-7016 E: sarahbolton@bac.edu
