Belmont, N.C. (May 9, 2023) – On May 2, 2023, the 32nd Annual Academic Awards ceremony took place in the Haid Ballroom at Belmont Abbey College and Dr. Matthew Siebert was awarded the Adrian Award for Teaching Excellence. The Adrian Award for Teaching Excellence was established in 1984 with the support of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Adrian to acknowledge and reward outstanding teaching performance by faculty members at Belmont Abbey College.
Dr. Matthew Siebert, Chair of the Philosophy Department, was chosen as this year’s Adrian Award for Faculty Teaching Excellence winner. Travis Feezell, Provost at Belmont Abbey College, shares, “Dr. Siebert has been a wonderful presence on our campus as a scholar, teacher, and mentor since his arrival in 2016.” Dr. Siebert arrived at the Abbey in 2016, and has since led the Philosophy department that plays a key role in the formation of new priests for the Charlotte Diocese. The diocesan seminarians receive their Bachelor’s of Philosophy from Belmont Abbey College before going on to major seminary to complete their priestly formation. Under Siebert’s leadership, the philosophy department has grown and carries out the critical mission of forming priests and students as they seek to answer fundamental human questions rooted in Catholic intellectual tradition.
A true conveyor of the Benedictine hallmarks, Dr. Siebert brings a sense of clarity to complex texts and ideas because of his passion and energy for the great books and his desire and love for truth. Beloved by both students and faculty, a Belmont Abbey student shares, “[I’ve] taken several courses with him, and he is by far the most energetic and hilarious professor I’ve taken. He takes his work seriously and expects you to as well. If you need help or have questions, he is always more than glad to be available.”
In September of 2022, the U.S. News & World Report selected Belmont Abbey College as the Top Institution for Undergraduate Teaching in the U.S. Southern Region of colleges for the 2022-23 year. Belmont Abbey is a place where students can learn, seek, and thrive in an authentic and supportive environment guided by exceptional faculty who are experts in their fields and upstanding members of their communities.
In sharing why he believes Belmont Abbey College was ranked #1 in Undergraduate Teaching, Dr. Siebert explains, “When students come to my philosophy classes, I usually see someone who wants to understand life. I keep asking them the tough questions in class and guiding them in trying to answer the questions themselves. We’re part of a great tradition that’s continuing, and even if it’s neglected elsewhere, it’s continuing here, and we’re doing it out of love.” The outstanding faculty at Belmont Abbey College guide students to find truth in the classroom and give them the tools needed to succeed once they leave the Abbey. The faculty draw students into the great Benedictine tradition of Belmont Abbey and encourage them to pursue excellence and virtue in all that they do.
