The College’s community service program is advised by staff but led entirely by passionate, dedicated students. The goal of the service club is to make a positive impact on the community that surrounds and hosts Belmont Abbey College and to help Abbey students cultivate an attitude of charity, generosity, and gratitude. Our efforts are primarily directed toward those most in need—the poor, homeless, disabled, and marginalized—and much of our work is performed in cooperation with local human service providers. Students are encouraged to propose their own creative ideas for addressing the needs of the local community and, working through Abbey Volunteers, to advertise and recruit fellow Abbey students. New opportunities to serve—either once or on an ongoing basis—will become available throughout the year.

The monks of Belmont Abbey have joined the Benedictine Volunteer Corps program sponsored by St. John’s Abbey, Collegeville. The mission of the Volunteer Corps is to provide opportunities for students and/or alumni with six to eight months volunteer service at a Benedictine monastery while participating in the monastic life of that community and supporting its work.

For more information, contact Fr. Christopher Kirchgessner, OSB frchristopherosb@icloud.com

Crusaders for Life is an on-campus Pro-Life club dedicated to promoting a culture of life on campus through educated discussions with fellow students to seek truth and virtue in every aspect of life.

Advisor: Wesley Nelson, Director of Campus Ministry – wesleynelson@bac.edumonastic

Dance Marathon is a 4 hour long no sit event. Members of The Abbey Community can come to help fund raise for Levine Children’s Hospital Cancer Ward.

Men’s Household Sons of Mary is an entirely student-run organization of young men seeking to lead lives of Chastity and Humility. Although we are a Catholic Household, we welcome and encourage our non-Catholic brothers to join us, as this helps broaden the scopes of our discussions and helps us become familiar with different viewpoints while developing meaningful relationships and friendships. We generally meet once a week on Sunday evenings to discuss various topics that relate to our lives or our beliefs (these topics range from religious and spiritual to political and personal, but we always try to keep the discussion relevant and applicable). Abbot Placid Solari, OSB, joins us in our discussions once a month. We also meet to pray the Rosary together every Monday night in the Grotto. In addition to our weekly schedule, we have a few additional events each semester, which include things like hiking up Crowders Mountain together, helping out with service projects, and having cookouts with Women’s Household. We will also go on a retreat/campout near the end of the Spring semester with Abbot Placid (schedules permitting).

Advisor: Dr. Thomas

The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) of Belmont Abbey College is comprised of a dynamic group of student-athletes who graciously volunteer their time, effort, and enthusiasm to a number of causes. A few of the SAAC activities include: building a sense of community within the athletics program involving all teams, soliciting student-athlete responses to proposed conference and NCAA legislation, promoting communication between athletic administration and student-athletes, and organizing community involvement efforts. The SAAC committee is an avid supporter of the “Make-A-Wish Foundation” and is near the top of the Conference Carolinas in the fundraising competition. In addition to its traditional activities, this year’s committee has established the energetic “Red Sea Club,” as well as the Student-Athlete of the Month recognition. The SAAC is in a sense, the student-athletes’ unified voice.

Student Contact: Caroline Lauer – carolineelauer@abbey.bac.edu
Advisor: Toni Elyea – tonielyea@bac.edu

We want to bring Belmont Abbey College women together to know and love Christ and to show that love by serving the community and other students. We have weekly coffee hours, monthly socials and volunteer opportunities on and off campus. This group is a great way for current and first time student to build new friendships.

Faculty Advisor: Kristin Hayes – kristinhayes@bac.edu

The Abbey Chorus is the campus choral ensemble made of up students, faculty and other interested persons. The ensemble primarily performs sacred works of the past 500 years but also does a variety of secular music from folk songs to musicals. The chorus is under the direction of Abbey organist Karen Hite Jacob, karenjacob@bac.edu.

The ensemble is a campus group of diverse band and orchestra instruments made up of students, faculty or other interested persons. Under the direction of Samuel P. Stowe, III, they perform two concerts during the academic year and provide music for other campus events.

The Abbey Players produce six main stage shows during a season, relying on the talents of students, faculty, staff and members of the local community.

Advisor: Jill Bloede — jillbloede@bac.edu

The Abbey Dancers participate in community events as well as perform in the annual Dance Showcase performance.

For more information about The Abbey Dancers, or about the Dance Minor program, please contact KristinHayes@bac.edu.

The Art Club is a great opportunity to grow in your appreciation of all forms of art. Occasional art classes, meetings, and special events will ensure that your love for art will only deepen with your involvement in this club.

Student Contact: President Sarah Biser — sarahkbiser@abbey.bac.edu
Advisor: Cathy Comeau — cathycomeau@bac.edu

Have you always wanted to dance, but you don’t know how? Swing by and we’ll teach you. Swing Dancing Club meets every week to teach and practice. Dances taught include: Swing, Waltz, Tango, Cha Cha, Foxtrot, Salsa, and Viennese Waltz. In addition to weekly meetings, the club hosts a dance once a month and tries to do a fun new event each semester (past events include coordinating a flash-mob in the cafeteria ).

Advisor: Kristin Hayes — kristinhayes@bac.edu

A club that welcomes and promotes hispanic/latino culture.

An honor society for student athletes. Must be a junior or senior, varsity athlete and have a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or above.

Agora is the title of Belmont Abbey College’s student literary magazine, published yearly during spring semester. A call for submissions of poetry, short fiction, essays, graphic art, and photography goes out yearly to students and faculty, and a student board of editors decides what works will be published. Prizes are also awarded for the best submission in the categories of written work (poetry, stories, and essays) and art (graphic art, computer art, and photography).

Student Contact: Katie McCarthy – katherinemccarthy@abbey.bac.edu
Advisor: Dr. Hren – joshuahren@bac.edu
Submissions – agora@bac.edu

The Crusader is the student newspaper of Belmont Abbey College. The newspaper welcomes all students, faculty, and staff to submit an article for each issue.

Editor: Samantha Day – samanthaday@abbey.bac.edu
Advisor: Dr. Erin Jensen – erinjensen@bac.edu

The Campus Activities Board is a hardworking student organization committed to providing innovative and exciting programs for its students. CAB regularly sponsors social weekends, dances, comedians, musical performers, coffeehouse performances, lectures, and other special events.

Student Contacts:
President Christopher Silvestri — christopherjsilvestri@abbey.bac.edu
Vice-President Rebecca Marcucci — rebeccamarcucci@abbey.bac.edu

Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) is one of the largest student organizations in the United States and has been dedicated to inspiring and developing the next generation of leaders in business and business-related fields. However, this club is open to all majors. Our conferences offer a breadth of activities that build personal and professional skills, including unique career development programs, business tours, workshops, and so much more.

The mission of Rotaract is to provide an opportunity for young men and women to enhance the knowledge and skills that will assist them in personal development, to address the physical and social needs of their communities, and to promote better relations between all people worldwide through a framework of friendship and service.

President: Morgan Castro — morgantcastro@abbey.bac.edu
Daphne Friday, Faculty Advisor — daphnefriday@bac.edu

We at the Table Top Club do form this group with the intent to both learn and teach a multitude of games and activities, in order to grow in fellowship and camaraderie. With goals including but not limited to reaching out to the often introverted and less active members of campus; to increase virtues such as Prudence, Temperance, Faith, and Love; as well as facilitate the growth of the Benedictine Hallmarks such as Community, Conversatio, and Hospitality. The club would benefit Belmont Abbey by engaging a group of students who normally may not participate in clubs.

Student Contact: Joseph Gallaher — josephfgallaher@abbey.bac.edu
Advisor: Dr. Basil

The Belmont Abbey College Debate Team was started in the early days of the college by Abbot Leo Haid, offering students opportunities for debate and discussion and representing one of the premier programs on campus. Although dormant for about four decades, it was revived for a new generation of students at Belmont Abbey College. This team, which houses the competitive debate squad, offers students the opportunity to develop and to test their abilities to reason well and communicate articulately.

Contact: Emily Mikkelsen, Director of Debate — emilymikkelsen@bac.edu.

Promote an interest in mathematics on campus and provide opportunities for students to explore and enjoy mathematical events.

To provide volunteer opportunities in and knowledge about the Motorsports Industry.

Advisor: Trey Cunningham — treycunningham@bac.edu

The Psychology club is an academic organization composed of psychology majors and other students interested in the discipline. The purpose of this organization is to provide opportunities for association and interaction with the students, faculty and administration interested in expanding their knowledge and experiences with and through Psychology.

Student Contact: Irelynn Davisson — irelynrdavisson@abbey.bac.edu
Advisor: Dr. Sauls — anncalhounsauls@bac.edu