Abbey Excellence

December 12, 2023 By Sarah Bolton Leave a Comment

Belmont Abbey College Establishes New Nursing Advisory Board

Belmont Abbey College Establishes New Nursing Advisory Board

Belmont, N.C. (December 12, 2023) – Belmont Abbey College announces the establishment of a Nursing Advisory Board, focusing on collaborating with local community members to offer guidance and support for the college’s nursing program amidst the evolving healthcare landscape. Rooted in the Benedictine hallmarks and Catholic intellectual tradition, this initiative seeks to enhance the educational experience for nursing students and foster strong connections with healthcare professionals and organizations in the region.

The newly established Nursing Advisory Board will serve as a vital resource for Belmont Abbey College’s nursing program, offering valuable insights and expertise in matters of program effectiveness, advocacy, and promotion. Comprising a diverse group of healthcare professionals, the board will provide strategic guidance on program development, clinical partnerships, and emerging trends in the field of nursing. Board members include Dr. Trish Goble, Senior Director of Patient Care Services at CaroMont Health, Mr. Patrick Leonard, Abbey alum and nurse at Fairview Southdale Hospital, and Dr. Michael Vaccaro, Novant Health Greater Charlotte Market Chief Nursing Officer, along with twenty-two other university, professional, and healthcare consultants in the region. The inaugural meeting of the advisory board took place today, marking a significant milestone for Belmont Abbey College Nursing.

The advisory board actively supports and advises Belmont Abbey’s nursing education programs as one of its primary objectives. By aligning their efforts with the program’s mission and goals, the board members will help achieve the objectives of the nursing program and serve the nursing discipline, as well as the regional and local healthcare community. Their guidance will ensure that Belmont Abbey Nursing continues to provide exceptional education and training to aspiring nurses. “We are thrilled to launch the Nursing Advisory Board and collaborate with esteemed professionals from our local community,” said Dr. Lee-Ann Kenny, Interim Chair and Director of Nursing. “Their wealth of knowledge and experience will greatly benefit our nursing program, enabling us to continue producing highly skilled and compassionate nurses who are well-prepared to meet the ever-changing healthcare needs of our society.”

Belmont Abbey College’s nursing program commits to excellence in nursing education. With a holistic approach that integrates medical discipline with a foundation in the liberal arts and sciences and Catholic healthcare ethics, the program equips students with the skills and competencies necessary to excel in the healthcare industry. The Nursing Advisory Board will play a crucial role in ensuring the program remains at the forefront of nursing education.

To learn more about Belmont Abbey College’s nursing programs, please visit https://belmontabbeycollege.edu/academics/healthcare-education

Press Inquiry Contact: Rolando Rivas, Associate Vice President for Marketing & Communications, rolandorivas@bac.edu or 704.461.6561

Download the press release.

December 5, 2023 By radefolaju Leave a Comment

New Graduate Degree in Classical and Liberal Education

Belmont Abbey College Announces a New Graduate Degree in Classical and Liberal Education

Belmont, N.C. (December 5, 2023) – Today Belmont Abbey College announces the launch of a Master of Arts in Classical and Liberal Education. Through this degree, Belmont Abbey and its partner institutions will provide strong formation in classical pedagogy, the Great Books, the liberal arts, and the Christian and Catholic intellectual tradition. Intended for individuals with a passion for classical education, this degree program will enlighten classical educators on the formation of their students in the moral, intellectual, and theological virtues. In turn, these qualified educators will address the growing demand for classical liberal arts education coming from K-12 students and their parents.The college will welcome its first cohort for this new program in the Fall of 2024.

The new program aligns with Belmont Abbey’s mission to educate students in the liberal arts and sciences, so that God may be glorified in all things. Dr. Joseph Wysocki, Dean of the Honors College and Interim Provost, speaks to the need for this program. “At Belmont Abbey College, we believe in the development of the whole person—mind, body, and soul. During the undergraduate years, we help instill a foundation of critical thinking in our students so that they can go forth and lead virtuous lives. At the graduate level, individuals come to us with career and industry experience and a desire to lead. The new Master of Arts in Classical and Liberal Education takes this idea of educating the whole person and edifies educators on how to implement this approach so they can form future generations”, said Wysocki. Developed with administrators, educators, and non-profit leaders in mind, the Master of Arts in Classical and Liberal Education follows an online, synchronous format with 30 credit hours required for graduation. This program is designed intentionally with a pathway for students to earn up to 12 graduate credits for prior learning through their completion of teaching apprenticeships at the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education (ICLE) and the Center for Independent Research on Classical Education (CiRCE).

The Institute for Catholic Liberal Education (ICLE), a robust supporter of Catholic educators, offers an attractive alternative to state teacher licensure. ICLE’s credential program prepares educators to infuse a deeply Catholic philosophy and practice of education into their teaching. “This new program at Belmont Abbey is a welcome opportunity for Catholic educators who seek to understand the Church’s long-standing tradition of education and apply that in their classrooms,” said Dr. Alyssan Barnes, Director of ICLE’s Credential Program. “It’s an excellent next step for many of our CEFC (Classic Educator Formation and Credential) graduates; our program introduces them to the great treasures of the Catholic intellectual tradition, and the M.A. in Classical and Liberal Education at Belmont Abbey will further deepen their intellectual formation.” The 18-month CEFC program contributes nine credit hours towards the Master of Arts in Classical and Liberal Education and is delivered through in-person workshops and distance learning. The application period for ICLE’s credential program opens December 15, 2023. Click here to get more information on the program.

The CiRCE (Center for Independent Research on Classical Education) Institute provides inspiration, information, and insight to classical educators throughout the U.S. and Canada. The three-year Teaching Apprenticeship Program from the CiRCE Institute equips educators to understand the nature and principles of classical education and shows how to apply those principles in any classroom. “By partnering with Belmont Abbey College, we at The CiRCE Institute look forward to our Apprenticeship graduates being able to further develop the arts of truth perception with a trusted faculty. We are working toward the same end, toward the purpose of Christian classical education, which is the cultivation of human excellence”, says Andrea Lipinski, Vice-President of the CiRCE Institute. Students can pursue CiRCE’s Teaching Apprenticeship Program, accruing 12 credit hours, and pair it with the Master of Arts in Classical and Liberal Education at Belmont Abbey. CiRCE is currently accepting registrations for the Teaching Apprenticeship Program. Register here.

Belmont Abbey College is currently accepting applications for the Fall 2024 semester while the Master of Arts in Classical and Liberal Education is awaiting final approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Get program information and apply here.

Press Inquiry Contact: Julia Long, Director of Enrollment Marketing, julialong@bac.edu or 423-827-8727

Download the press release.

November 10, 2023 By radefolaju Leave a Comment

Alumni Committee Establishes Legacy Scholarship

Scholarships provide essential support to Belmont Abbey College students as they grow into men and women of excellence and virtue. Generous donors like Sarah Mukerji, who help to endow and sustain these scholarships, truly embody the essential aims and ideals in the Made True campaign pillar, Made Secure.

This pillar safeguards and reinforces Belmont Abbey College’s freedom to live and act in accordance with our Judeo-Christian values. In a sense, this pillar makes secure the strength and freedom of the other two, protecting the college and monastery – as well as new and emerging centers of engagement – from the mandates that so often accompany federal funding.

To maintain our integrity as an authentic Benedictine institution, we plan to grow our endowment and explore innovative programs to help undergraduates avoid incurring burdensome levels of college debt.

Even beyond this vision of security, the monks and the Belmont Abbey alumni family have always understood community itself as an essential pillar by which we are Made Secure. It is particularly appropriate, then, that among the many notable contributions to the Abbey’s endowment, and thus to its future, is a remarkable example of alumni participation through both community building and fundraising.

Sarah Mukerji ‘83 and a group of dedicated alumni have formed a committee to host a festive NYC Christmas fundraiser, the goal of which is to create and endow the Alumni Legacy Scholarship.

The advent of this inspiration dates back to 2014, when Sarah reached out to volunteer her time as a member of the Belmont Abbey Alumni network. Seeing her youngest daughter off to college had prompted her to think about alumni involvement and its incalculable effect on the life of an alma mater. “I was always taught to give back and help others,” Sarah reflected, and this driving philosophy has informed an evolving tradition of active generosity and thriving fellowship.

After assisting with a 2014-2015 campaign to involve alumni families and cultivate alumni donors, Sarah began to consider other ways to encourage community participation. Her husband Rana had recently become a member of the Harvard Club NYC, so in December of 2017, Sarah organized her first Christmas party and fundraising event there, together with fellow alumnus, Jack Calaman ‘72.

Sarah then became a member of the Alumni Board in March of 2018. Within this board, she also joined alumni like Donna Kemp ‘83, Roma (Dudko) Grogan ‘83, A. M. Stevens ‘00, and Joe Reeves on a fundraising committee tasked not only with raising money but also with initiating a “philosophy of change:” challenging the wider alumni community to more active participation in Abbey life. In response to the enthusiastic reception of the previous year’s Christmas party, they organized a second event, this time on the Harvard Club’s rooftop bar, where attendees raised several thousand dollars toward a Presidential Scholarship.

Although Covid interrupted this momentum, Sarah Mukerji and a dedicated committee of fellow alumni remain determined to cultivate the kind of fellowship and involvement that helps to Make True Belmont Abbey’s future. In the tradition of Benedictine hospitality and community participation, they are currently preparing for the largest and most ambitious event yet: a Christmas party fundraiser that will establish and endow the Alumni Legacy Scholarship. Contributing to the endowment in a way that directly benefits generations of students, Sarah and her committee Make Secure, not just an institution or a student body, but a thriving community centered on the excellence and virtue – the love and stability – of an Abbey education.

Click here and give to the Alumni Legacy Scholarship today, supporting Abbey students for years to come.

October 19, 2023 By Sarah Bolton Leave a Comment

Belmont Abbey College Establishes Permanent Belmont House in Washington, D.C.

Belmont Abbey College Establishes Permanent Belmont House in Washington, D.C.

Belmont, N.C. (October 19, 2023) – Belmont Abbey College announces today the establishment of a permanent residence in Washington D.C. with the purchase of a property for its thriving Belmont House, made possible with a $1.7 million gift from Dr. Maximo Alvarez. Belmont Abbey College has established a new home for the Belmont House in Washington, D.C., located in close proximity to the U.S. Capitol. The college established the original Belmont House in 2021 where it has helped to return Christian voices to the public square, promote Judeo-Christian values, and prepare young professionals to engage with our culture and politics in fruitful and ethical ways. The venue has brought together people of faith, people in government, policy experts, and Catholic ecclesiastical leaders from around the world, particularly where Catholics and Christians face severe persecution. The recent bipartisan Nigerian resolution addressing the systematic ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom in the country is one fruitful example of these consequential discussions.

In the spirit of the Benedictine Hallmarks of hospitality and stability, the Belmont House on Capitol Hill is in service to the church and country. The work of the Belmont House seeks to restore the witness of faith to its rightful place in the public square. Even within its first two years, Belmont House has become a significant Catholic intellectual and public policy venue in our nation’s capital, and thanks to Dr. Maximo Alvarez, the Abbey looks forward to a future Made Strong in Washington, and someday in other centers of cultural influence across the United States.

Having immigrated from Cuba to the U.S. as a child under Operation Pedro Pan, Dr. Alvarez now serves as a trustee of the Pedro Pan Group, an outreach of the Catholic Welfare Bureau of Miami still working to sponsor and assist immigrant children in need. Founder and President of Sunshine Gasoline Distributors, Inc, he has long been both a vital force in the Florida business community and an exceptional philanthropist, whose generosity demonstrates an unwavering commitment to giving back.

Today Dr. Alvarez’s exceptional generosity continues to champion those often denied a voice in the public square. Reflecting on his journey, Dr. Alvarez expressed his gratitude for the pivotal role Belmont Abbey College played in his success. He stated, “I’m here to express my gratitude for the years that I spent at Belmont Abbey. Belmont Abbey is another entity, to which I owe my success. Today I’m just paying back a little bit of what was given to me. If I gave away everything I have today, it wouldn’t even be 10% of what was given to me through charity by the people of this country.”

While Dr. Alvarez’s legacy already extends far beyond any simple calculation, his contribution, through the Belmont House, to Making Strong the future, not only of Belmont Abbey College, but also of this country, is genuinely incalculable. Belmont Abbey College plans to refurbish and enhance the newly purchased property, ensuring it is ready to welcome the public. Learn more about Made True: the Campaign for Belmont Abbey College by visiting www.bac.edu/madetrue.

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 https://belmontabbeycollege.edu/.

Download the press release.

October 9, 2023 By Sarah Bolton Leave a Comment

Belmont Abbey College Receives $9 Million in State Funding for New Performing Arts Center

Belmont Abbey College Receives $9 Million in State Funding for New Performing Arts Center

Belmont, N.C. (October 9, 2023) – Belmont Abbey College receives $9 million in funding from the North Carolina General Assembly in its 2023-2024 budget towards the total cost for the construction of a new performing arts center. With the help of this investment, the college can begin to plan for the construction of a new performing arts center which will allow the college and the surrounding region to enjoy theater, musical performances, art exhibitions, dance, along with other educational and cultural events in a beautiful, welcoming, first-rate facility.

“The Performing Arts Center at Belmont Abbey College will greatly enrich the lives of the people in our community,” said NC Senator Brad Overcash. “I am proud of the $9 million appropriation to create this important community resource.” NC Representative John Torbett echoes this sentiment, stating, “I am extremely proud to be a part of the building of Belmont Abbey College’s success through the building of a world-class cultural destination. This performing arts center will assist in growing the talents of our youth as well as presenting the talents of professional artists. I am especially honored to have played a part with so many others in support of the Abbey.”

The construction of a fully outfitted performance space will provide opportunities for theater and stage productions, as well as dance competitions, art exhibits, and conferences, making Gaston County a desired destination for large, high-quality events and performances.

The project promises to be a major economic development agent for Gaston County and will provide new opportunities for students and the community alike. Gaston County Manager Dr. Kim S. Eagle has expressed support for the project, stating that “The new performing arts center would directly connect to the County’s adopted strategic plan by supporting two of our own strategic focus areas: Economic Development and Planned Growth, and Recreational, Cultural, and Life-Long Learning Opportunities. Taken together, our community strategic plans and visions would directly benefit from the addition of this community asset and would advance our goals to provide a warm and welcoming community that is the premier destination to live, work, and play in the Charlotte region.”

Chris Peek, President and CEO of CaroMont Health, has also emphasized the economic benefits of the new facility, stating that “this new facility will not only support students in their quest to learn, grow and perform, but will also serve as a major economic development agent for Gaston County and the region.” Patrick Mumford, President and CEO of the Gaston Business Association (GBA) shares a similar viewpoint: “The GBA recognizes Gaston County’s artistic and cultural assets, such as the proposed performing arts center on the campus of Belmont Abbey College (BAC), are essential to sustaining economic growth. We are encouraged by the recognition of this facility’s ability to address arts events and performance needs of not only BAC, but also
those of the broader Gaston arts community.”

The college launched its $100 million Made True capital campaign earlier this year. As part of this campaign, the college hopes to secure additional philanthropic support from alumni, parents, and the broader community for the new performing arts center on campus. President Thierfelder remarked, “This project helps realize the college’s mission to bring the true, the good and the beautiful to as many people as possible and thereby culturally enriching the state of North Carolina and beyond.”

The Abbey will be developing a Community Leaders’ Advisory Committee to give input for the study, programming, and conceptual design for construction of the performing arts center. The committee will solicit and collect input from the college’s constituents and other subject matter experts in the community to formulate recommendations that will be developed into a report that will include conceptual drawings and suggested programming in the Center.

Download the press release.