Abbey Excellence

April 13, 2021 By bacw Leave a Comment

Practically Pursuing Wisdom at the Abbey’s Honor College

How does the Honors College at the Belmont Abbey College help our students open up a life well-lived? By opening up the Great Books!

The uniqueness of the Abbey Honors College experience is found in our Great Books curriculum — unlike most educational programs, we don’t rely on your typical textbooks. Instead, we turn our attention to books that impart wisdom on us about the most important matters in human life.

Our Honors College curriculum emphasizes Ancient, Christian, and Modern authors – authors at the roots of Western civilization – while still permitting the pursuit of a traditional major. With careful study, our students investigate the fundamental questions of human and divine realities and explore the contemporary crises that shape the world in which we live.

The sum total of the Honors College experience at the Abbey is a liberating education that leads our students to excellence in not only professional life, but also gain the foundation for a joyful life. Just see what they have to say!

“I really chose Belmont Abbey because of the Honors College. The Great Books curriculum—reading the Republic, Homer, Virgil just in my first semester—appealed to me. I really liked the idea behind it—to learn to think critically by pursuing the realm of great books in a way that would develop these skills and will help me in any number of career paths.”

“Through the Honors College, I have met wonderful friends and mentors, grown in knowledge, and experienced an overwhelming sense of purpose and belonging. I am repeatedly amazed by Honors College faculty and students as we strive for excellence both in and outside the classroom. Our shared pursuit of truth creates a close-knit community that allows for a unique and rewarding education.”

Of course, our students also speak of their extracurricular experiences like concert and dance performances, visiting museums and hiking North Carolina mountain trails, a beach retreat and studying abroad in Ireland as memorable moments of their Honors College experience.

As Saint Augustine said: “We have been knocking on the doors of great and hidden questions.” If you’re ready to open up a life well-lived, the Honors College at the Abbey is where you will learn, seek, and thrive!

April 7, 2021 By bacw Leave a Comment

The Completion Of New Residence Hall

Belmont Abbey College announces the completion of the newest addition to its campus, a 136-room residence hall. The largest capital investment in the college’s history, the new hall primarily serves upperclassmen but also adds new classrooms, offices, and meeting spaces. MKC Architects designed the new building to mirror the Gothic architecture prominent on the college’s campus. This historic accomplishment came about due to the college’s partnerships with University Housing Solutions and Shiel Sexton Inc.

“The new residence hall is so pretty! I like that there’s a kitchenette on each floor because it’s an easy way to be around friends,” said Lauren Carpenter resident of the new dorm, “The laundry rooms on each floor are very convenient as well. It is one of the best spots on campus right by the cafeteria and close to all of the buildings for classes!”

The structure is five stories, with the first story having meeting areas, social areas, offices, two classrooms, and a student lounge available to all students, including commuters. The upper floors alternate between a men’s and women’s floor. Each residence floor has a kitchenette, study areas, a laundry area, and a gathering area on each side. For security, the upper floors are only accessible via the elevator and the stairwell with the student’s magnetic ID that will permit them to their floor.

The Belmont Abbey College Board of Trustees and the Southern Benedictine Society approved the addition of a new residential facility in October 2018. The new dorms conceptual design phase completed in May 2019. In December 2020 the college received all permitting. After the design process, construction began in January 2020 and finished in January 2021. “The new residence hall answers a need we’ve had for several years,” said Tom MacAlester, Vice Provost & Dean of Student Life, “When students live on campus, they have a more enjoyable and more successful college career. We look forward to having greater capacity on our campus, and giving more students the ability to call Belmont Abbey College their home away from home.”

The new hall welcomed its first residents at the beginning of the spring semester in January 2021. The annual cost for the new residence is $7,300 per year which is only about $70 more a month than St. Scholastica and St. Benedict Halls which were the last new halls built in 2013. Shiel Sexton, the general contractor generously donated $20 gift cards to Bearded Buffalo for the residents of the new dormitory. This serves as a thank you to the college and the residents of the new dormitory.

For more information regarding the new halls, contact the college admissions office at admissions@bac.edu or by calling 1-888-222-0110.

March 30, 2021 By bacw Leave a Comment

Belmont Abbey Debate Competes at Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Online Tournament

The Belmont Abbey Debate Team most recently competed at the Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament. While our main national competition will occur April 9-11 for IPDA Nationals, three of our students also participated in the virtual PKD format. The tournament welcomed approximately 270 debate students from across the country, and featured several state university teams.

In IPDA, Paloma Shrauder competed in the junior varsity division for the first time, winning three out of five preliminary ballots. The tie for advancement to elimination rounds was broken by speaking points, for which Paloma averaged 33 out of 40. In varsity, Blake Traylor earned two ballots, missing advancement in the tournament by one round. Nonetheless, Blake excelled with an average speaking score of 36.6 out of 40.

Freshman Kayleigh Guffey also competed in Lincoln Douglas Debate. As a first-year student, Kayleigh competed against students with far more experience and averaged 26.3 out of 30 speaking points for rounds she attended.

March 24, 2021 By bacw Leave a Comment

Dr. Beeman Featured on Expert Panel

Zippia, a career search engine for recent graduates, consulted with experts in higher education across the nation for their opinions on the current direction of the job market. Graduates in 2020 entered a job market facing unprecedented circumstances and these experts weighed in on what all recent and soon-to-be graduates should expect and how best to prepare. Dr. Julia Beeman, Chair and Associate Professor of Criminal Justice here at the Abbey, was among those experts interviewed.

Click here to read the full article on Zippia.com.

March 23, 2021 By bacw Leave a Comment

Maria Kuhlman Named Murphy Osborne Award Winner

Maria Kuhlman of Belmont Abbey has been chosen as the winner of the prestigious 2020-21 Conference Carolinas Murphy Osborne Award.

A senior from Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, Kuhlman owns a 3.99 grade-point average as a Theology major at Belmont Abbey. She also is minoring in Psychology and Sport Management.

The Conference Carolinas Elite 23 Award Winner in women’s basketball last season, Kuhlman was also a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection in the 2019-20 season.

On the court, Kuhlman was named the Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year in the 2017-18 season. She has been a first team all-conference selection in 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21. Kuhlman also earned all-conference honors as a third team selection in the 2017-18 season. Kuhlman was an all-region selection in the 2019-20 season.

The four-time all-conference selection is also a member of Belmont Abbey’s prestigious 1,000-point club.

Kuhlman has been strong in the community during her time at Belmont Abbey. A member of the Psychology Club and FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students), Kuhlman is also serving as a compliance intern with the athletic department this semester. In addition, Kuhlman has volunteered at the Charlotte Samaritan House (short term recuperative care for the homeless) and at Mount Hollyween, which is a community event on Halloween in Mount Holly, North Carolina.

The Murphy Osborne Award is Conference Carolinas’ Outstanding Senior Student-Athlete Award.

Student-Athletes are nominated by their institutions based on their academic, athletic and service accomplishments. The Faculty Athletic Representatives (FARs) from all Conference Carolinas institutions submit institutional nominations and votes are cast by the FARs.