Professor Bennett Quillen was recently featured as a finance expert in WalletHub’s article titled, Best Second Chance Credit Cards. This article features experts weighing in on credit cards designed for individuals who are rebuilding their credit score.
Abbey News
Belmont Abbey College Launches Graduate Certificate in Catholic Educational Leadership
Belmont Abbey College Launches Graduate Certificate in Catholic Educational Leadership
Belmont, N.C. (May 4th, 2026) – Belmont Abbey College announces a new Graduate Certificate in Catholic Educational Leadership launching in Fall 2026, designed to prepare current and aspiring leaders to serve Catholic schools and organizations with clarity, competence, and conviction. The fully online program is distinctive in its focus on operational vitality and change management through the lens of the Church, while also deepening students’ understanding of Catholic educational mission, identity, and best practices.
Catholic education and organizations face unique challenges, from sustainability to cultural change, while remaining rooted in an unchanging mission. “Catholic education is an essential ministry of the Catholic Church. Now more than ever, families, bishops, and religious orders need strong leaders to guide our Catholic schools, diocesan systems, and programs,” said Gregory Monroe, Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Diocese of Charlotte. “They need leaders who are well-formed in the purpose of Catholic education, leaders who understand that we educate in order to form and evangelize, and leaders who also have the prudence, wisdom, and practical expertise to respond to the unique challenges facing our schools and systems today. Our goal is to form exceptional leaders who can strengthen Catholic education for the future while remaining firmly rooted in the wisdom and tradition of our Church.”
The program begins with the purpose of Catholic education, focusing on formation and evangelization, and then equips leaders with the tools needed to strengthen their ability to ensure operational vitality, lead effective institutional change, and deepen Catholic identity at every level.
The certificate includes four eight-week courses: Catholic Education – History and Mission, Operational Vitality in Catholic Schools, Leading Organizational Change in Catholic Education, and Servant Leadership & Catholic Identity Formation. The program can be completed within a year and is delivered in a 100% online asynchronous format.
“This program is designed to help working professionals grow into stronger, more effective leaders,” said Dr. Brad Frazier, Vice Provost and Dean of The Graduate School at Belmont Abbey. “Whether you are a teacher preparing for a leadership role, a current administrator, or a professional seeking to advance in Catholic education or nonprofit leadership, this certificate provides the formation, skills, and confidence needed to make a real and lasting impact on your school, organization, and community.”
Belmont Abbey College is addressing a critical need in Catholic education in partnership with Diocesan leadership, Dr. Monroe, to form leaders ready to guide schools with enduring and effective leadership. The program is designed for teachers, current administrators, diocesan leaders, Catholic nonprofit leaders, and professionals discerning a transition into Catholic educational leadership. Completion of the certificate program could put students on the pathway to complete a full master’s degree at Belmont Abbey.
For more information on the program, visit https://belmontabbeycollege.edu/academics/graduate-studies/cert-cel/
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
Belmont Abbey College Awards Simon Donoghue Lifetime Achievement Award
Belmont Abbey College Awards Simon Donoghue Lifetime Achievement Award
Belmont, N.C. (May 1, 2026) – During its third annual Celebration of the Arts Dinner and Reception, Belmont Abbey College awarded Simon Donoghue a Lifetime Achievement Award for his decades of dedication and service to the college and the broader performing arts community.
Simon Donoghue served for 48 years as Director of the Abbey Players, one of the longest-running theatre troupes in North Carolina, with 143 consecutive seasons. In addition to his considerable gifts as playwright, actor, and director, Simon is an exceptional teacher and mentor, and his impact on the last fifty years of Abbey Players and Belmont Abbey students cannot be overstated.
Throughout his tenure, Simon built a substantial and thriving campus community and developed collaborative relationships with the local performing arts. Under his faithful leadership, the Abbey Players brought together not only students, faculty, staff, and monks, but also local professionals, enriching the student experience and expanding the network of community theatre in the Carolinas. He also played a vital role in both the full renovation of the Haid Theatre in 1987 and the establishment of the performing arts as a recognized academic department, with majors, minors, and a premier scholarship named for Fr. John Oetgen.
As Christopher Donoghue, Simon’s son and current Director of the Abbey Players, notes, “For almost one third of the existence of the Abbey Players, he was at the helm. My father is the reason the Performing Arts Department exists at Belmont Abbey. We all benefit from his legacy.”
Kristin Hayes, Chair of the Performing Arts Department, adds, “We are thrilled to honor Simon Donoghue with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Through his dedication and hard work, the Performing Arts Department at Belmont Abbey College was born. He has impacted the lives of so many Abbey students, and people throughout the Gaston community and beyond. I am so grateful we get the chance to honor his legacy!”
“In Simon’s amazing forty-eight years as Director of the Abbey Players,” writes Abbot Placid Solari, OSB, “he not only enriched the artistic and cultural life of our college, but equally as important he served as mentor, counselor and director to generations of Abbey players whose college careers were immeasurably enriched by his guidance.”
The performing arts have been a vital part of Belmont Abbey culture since Abbot Leo Haid, himself an accomplished playwright, formed the Abbey Players in 1883. Mindful of this legacy and of the ways that art and theatre bring our campus together, the college is profoundly grateful for Simon Donoghue’s years of selfless dedication and arts leadership, through which the Abbey Players and the Performing Arts Department have grown and flourished.
To learn more about the Abbey Players and the performing arts at Belmont Abbey College, visit https://belmontabbeycollege.edu/campus-life/performing-arts/.
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
Belmont Abbey College Honors Recipient of the Adrian Award For Teaching Excellence
Belmont Abbey College Honors Recipient of the Adrian Award For Teaching Excellence
Belmont, N.C. (April 27th, 2026) – Belmont Abbey College hosted its 35th Annual Academic Awards Ceremony on April 24, 2026, in the Haid Ballroom, recognizing outstanding student and faculty achievements across the college. Among the thirty-five awards presented was the Adrian Award for Teaching Excellence, one of the institution’s highest faculty distinctions. Established in 1984 by Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Adrian, the award celebrates faculty members who demonstrate exceptional commitment to teaching and student development.
Belmont Abbey College encourages students to learn, seek truth, and thrive in an authentic and supportive environment, guided by exceptional faculty who lead in their fields and serve as exemplary community members. This year’s recipient of the Adrian Award is Dr. Jennifer Ellington, Associate Professor of Biology.
“As Dr. Ellington marks her twentieth year at the Abbey, her impact extends far beyond the curriculum,” said Dr. Joseph Wysocki, Provost at Belmont Abbey College. “She is an exceptional professor and mentor who goes above and beyond to support her students both academically and personally. She truly embodies the Benedictine hallmarks, fostering a community rooted in hospitality, humility, and a genuine commitment to the growth and well-being of each student.”
Dr. Ellington is widely recognized for her engaging instruction across courses such as genetics, microbiology, and molecular biology, as well as for her dedication to undergraduate research opportunities. In her role as the college’s Pre-Health advisor, she also plays a key part in strengthening professional pathways for students, helping many successfully pursue admission to competitive medical programs.
Her influence is best reflected in the words of her students. One student shared, “Dr. Ellington has a kind and gentle heart. She is extremely smart and over-qualified as a Professor, and I feel lucky to have her as my Professor. She loves what she teaches, and her excitement is contagious. She knows what I am capable of and encourages me to work hard and reach my potential. Dr. Ellington takes time and effort to learn about her students, and it makes me and other students feel important. Along with her laugh, her happiness is very contagious, and I never feel intimidated to show up to office hours.”
Rooted in the Benedictine tradition, Belmont Abbey College remains committed to fostering a learning environment centered on truth, excellence, and virtue. The Adrian Award continues to highlight faculty who embody these ideals. Previous recipients include Dr. Nancy Llewellyn, Dr. Thomas Varacalli, Dr. Matthew Siebert, Dr. Heather Ayala, and Dr. Mike McLeod.
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
Dr. Summers Featured in the Washington Examiner
Belmont Abbey College faculty member, Dr. Clark Summers, was recently quoted in a Washington Examiner article titled, After Venezuelan strongman’s ouster and Iran strikes, is Cuba the Trump administration’s next target? Read the full article to hear Dr. Summers’ thoughts on the matter.
