Alumni News

Belmont Abbey College to Establish Patrick McHenry Papers in Abbot Vincent Taylor Library Archives and Host Highway Dedication in His Honor Belmont, N.C. (September 10th, 2026) – Belmont Abbey College is thrilled to celebrate the legacy of alumnus Patrick McHenry with the addition of his papers to the Abbot Vincent Taylor Library’s Special Collections. The collection preserves the story of one of the college’s distinguished alumni and his nearly two decades of public service to North Carolina and the nation. The college will mark the occasion with a special ribbon-cutting of the collection on October 3 during its annual Homecoming festivities. The event will also include a dedication of the “Congressman Patrick McHenry Highway,” courtesy of the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), following legislation led by Senator Brad Overcash. The addition of the Honorable Patrick McHenry Papers represents a landmark acquisition for the Abbot Vincent Taylor Library’s Special Collections and Belmont Abbey College as a whole. The archive significantly expands the Library’s holdings, adding more than 58,000 files documenting two decades of congressional service.  The collection includes committee files, policy research, correspondence, press materials, and awards. These materials create new opportunities for research in modern American history, political science, financial regulation, digital asset policy, and North Carolina political history, while providing students and faculty with access to a substantial body of contemporary primary sources.  For Belmont Abbey, the acquisition strengthens the college’s research capacity and extends the reach of the Abbot Vincent Taylor Library to researchers and educators both regionally and nationally. As a Belmont Abbey alumnus, McHenry’s papers hold particular significance for the college, connecting his professional legacy and decades of public service with the institution that helped shape his early life and education.  Alexxis Lynn, Director of Library Services at Belmont Abbey College, emphasized the significance of...