Honors College News

December 22, 2022 By radefolaju Leave a Comment

A Closer Look at the New Honors Professors

Author: The Crusader Staff Writer, Kathleen Stinneford

In the past year, the Belmont Abbey Honors College has hired three new professors: Dr. Thomas Varacalli, Professor James Neff, and Professor Elisa Torres Neff. Both Dr. Varacalli and Professor Torres Neff are Belmont Abbey Alums.

Dr. Varacalli has a Masters and Doctorate in Political Science from Louisiana State University and is an Assistant professor. Professor Torres Neff has a Masters in Philosophy from the University of Dallas and is currently earning her Ph.D. in Philosophy. She is a Visiting Professor. Professor Neff has a Masters in Philosophy from the University of Dallas.

Alongside teaching Honors courses, Dr. Varacalli is also in charge of reviewing new applicants to the Honors College.
He and Professor Torres Neff have published many articles and book chapters with each having published eight different publications which is very impressive.

It is very clear that Dr. Varacalli, Professor Torres Neff, and Professor Neff will all go on to do great things in the Honors College, and in Belmont Abbey College as a whole.

This article was originally posted in the Fall 2022, Issue 1 of The Crusader Newspaper. Download the full issue.

December 7, 2022 By radefolaju Leave a Comment

The Honors College at Belmont Abbey

Author: The Crusader Staff Writer, Maria Bagley

The Belmont Abbey Honors College is a four-year curriculum that encourages students to take part in diving more deeply into topics of friendship, philosophy, and religion, and how prominent all of these things are in life. By exploring “great books”, and works by esteemed writers and philosophers, the Honors Program inspires students to learn and live out a good, fulfilling life. The Honors College provides a scholarship for students who take part in this curriculum. The Honors College is a close-knit community, and with small class sizes it provides the ability to get to know one’s classmates and professors well.

While interviewing a sophomore Honors student who prefers to go unnamed, I asked them how the Honors College has been in comparison to the rest of their academic experience, and if it has caused them to grow in life. The student responded, “I feel as though I have grown not only in knowledge, but also in the faith and reason that professors instill in us as students.”

The Honors College focuses on Great Books, to encourage students to learn more from these great writers. Not only does the Honors College encourage students to learn, but also to take these important lessons, and live out their life with them. The students learn what is good, and are strengthened in this. The Honors College encourages critical thinking of one’s own. The Honors College is an important program of Belmont Abbey College, and encourages students to learn and grow in community with one another.

This article was originally posted in the Fall 2022, Issue 2 of The Crusader Newspaper. Download the full issue.

November 5, 2021 By radefolaju Leave a Comment

Dr. Wysocki Discusses Tocqueville

Our very own Dr. Joseph Wysocki, Dean of the Honors College at BAC, recently discussed the life and works of Tocqueville in partnership with the Classical Learning Test (CLT). The webinar is part of CLT’s “Through the Author Bank” seminar series.

Enjoy the entire seminar by Dr. Wysocki by clicking on the video included.