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Belmont Abbey College Magazine 2026
Read our latest edition of the Belmont Abbey College Magazine.
Belmont Abbey College Dedicates The Simon & Debbie Donoghue Theatre
Belmont Abbey College Dedicates The Simon & Debbie Donoghue Theatre
Belmont, N.C. (October 5th, 2026) – Belmont Abbey College has renamed its Haid Theatre as The Simon & Debbie Donoghue Theatre, honoring the legendary director of the Abbey Players and member of the college community for nearly 50 years. The celebration, held in the college’s 150th anniversary year on October 3rd, also unveiled the theatre’s newly refurbished stage. Alumni, students, faculty, and friends of the college gathered to commemorate the Donoghues’ legacy and inaugurate a new era for Belmont Abbey College Performing Arts.
Simon Donoghue served for 48 years as Director of the Abbey Players, one of the longest-running theatre troupes in North Carolina, which has had 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. The theatre’s new name also recognizes his wife, Debbie Donoghue, his longtime behind-the-scenes partner, whose support has helped sustain the Abbey Players for decades.
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, minors, and a premier scholarship named for Fr. John Oetgen.
“For nearly half a century, Simon has enriched the artistic and cultural life of this college and served as a mentor, counselor, and director to generations of students,” said Abbot Placid Solari, O.S.B., Chancellor of Belmont Abbey College. “As Belmont Abbey celebrates 150 years, it is fitting that the stage where he formed so many young people will carry his name, and Debbie’s, for generations to come.”
“Simon built the foundation the Performing Arts Department stands on today,” said Kristin Hayes, Chair of the Performing Arts Department. “He has impacted the lives of so many Abbey students and people throughout the Gaston community and beyond. Dedicating this theatre to Simon and Debbie, with a renewed stage ready for the next generation, celebrates everything he started.”
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
Abbey Alum, Bill Ficke, Featured in Miami Herald
Former Belmont Abbey College basketball player, Bill Ficke, opened Big Bill’s New York Pizza in 1995. One week after the attacks on September 11th, the restaurant held its first fundraiser for a fireman’s fund in New York. Since that fundraiser, the restaurant has continued to hold fundraisers reaching up to $170,000 in donations in a single year!
Belmont Abbey College Earns Higher National Rankings While Maintaining Strong Enrollment
Belmont Abbey College Earns Higher National Rankings While Maintaining Strong Enrollment
Belmont, N.C. (September 25th, 2026) – Belmont Abbey College has earned national recognition for academic excellence, rising two places to the No. 10 spot in the Regional Colleges-South category in the U.S. News & World Report rankings, affirming its continued growth and impact in the region. Ranked No. 8 among top private regional southern colleges, Belmont Abbey remains committed to providing an education that meets the needs of today’s students while preparing them to contribute meaningfully in their professions and in the world around them.
U.S. News & World Report also named Belmont Abbey College the 3rd-highest-ranked regional college in North Carolina, underscoring its growing national recognition and distinction within the state. Belmont Abbey is the highest-ranked Newman Guide college in the region, and maintains strong enrollment for Fall 2026, with 1,693 students enrolled, the second largest enrollment in ten years.
“These rankings affirm what we hear consistently from our students and families: Belmont Abbey’s greatest strength is the quality of the education and formation students receive here,” said Dr. Jeffrey W. Talley, President of Belmont Abbey College. “Our faculty are deeply invested in their students, and our community challenges them to pursue excellence while preparing them to lead lives of purpose and service.”
This national recognition comes as Belmont Abbey maintains stable overall enrollment and welcomes its largest class of traditional non-athlete students in 8 years, highlighting continued interest in the college’s high-quality academic program offerings as well as its distinctive approach to Catholic higher education. The fall 2026 incoming freshmen cohort comes to Belmont Abbey with an impressive academic record and strong ties to leadership, Catholic identity, and civic engagement.
“This recognition in the U.S. News rankings validates what we see every day: that more students and families are seeking an education dedicated to forming the whole person,” said Jesse Dorman, Vice President of Enrollment at Belmont Abbey College. “The strength of this year’s incoming class reflects the appeal of a Belmont Abbey education – an education that combines academic excellence, a close-knit community, and a strong Catholic identity. We are excited to welcome these students and see how they grow during their time at the Abbey.”
As the college begins the 2026-2027 academic school year, several of Belmont Abbey’s distinctive academic and scholarship programs further demonstrate the breadth of interest in the college’s offerings. The nursing program welcomed 33 students this year, including 18 direct admits and 3 honors students, bringing total enrollment in the program to 125 students. Belmont Abbey’s unique motorsport program continues to attract students. This semester, 24 new students are exploring the field through an introductory course, while the program welcomed 12 new female students this year. The program is committed to educating and graduating more female students while helping to expand opportunities for women in the motorsport industry. This momentum reflects the appeal of combining a liberal arts education with the specialized knowledge and professional skills needed to pursue careers in dynamic fields such as motorsports and nursing.
The Fall 2026 enrollment comes as Belmont Abbey celebrates its 150th anniversary, making it a milestone year for the college and its community. Founded in 1876, the college has remained committed to an education rooted in the Catholic intellectual tradition and its Benedictine identity.
For more information about Belmont Abbey College, please visit www.belmontabbeycollege.edu.
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
