Belmont Abbey College

The Catholic College of the South

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Meet Dr. Judith McDonald!

Author: The Crusader Staff Writer, Laura Gonzalez 

The Elementary Education professors are some of the coolest teachers I have ever had the opportunity to learn from. One professor I want to share is Dr. Judith McDonald. Dr. McDonald teaches lots of education classes, but the best one was the Science Methods of Teaching. She is more than a hard-working professor at the Abbey. She has spent lots of time in schools helping with their science programs to this day, traveling, and helping write 3 chapters of a book. Dr. McDonald is always willing to help students out with achieving their goals, but have you ever heard of one that is helping the Kingdom of Sudira Rabum understand a new standard and implementing interactive science for students grades Kindergarten through 12th.

Becoming a teacher was something she realized was her dream job.  Teaching science is what stood out to her since she was so young. According to Dr. McDonald, she was at girl scout camp when she realized her strong passion for science. In the summer of 6th grade, when the astronauts landed on the moon, she was demanding everyone to watch the moon landing. She cut out all the pictures from Washington news and still has them to this day. Watching the moon landing was an incredible experience that helped her fall in love with science.

Dr. McDonald has been working here at the Abbey for 15 years and is currently in her 16th year. She has taught a “lifetime” of all grade levels, including graduate school. Dr. McDonald has spent another “lifetime” of learning and is continually still learning to this day. Outside of the college classroom, Dr. McDonald works with schools around the Charlotte area. At one school, she is helping the school build a garden. She helps host STEAM nights where some of the education methods students help teach another school an educational project. Dr. McDonald has created so many opportunities for her students to adventure out and have experiences with their teaching careers. Something that gives her motivation to stay involved in school is when she sees her education students cross the line from student to teacher.

Outside of being a great professor, she loves to be outdoors, hiking, enjoying nature, gardening, and traveling. She has to Switzer, France, Iceland, Hawaii, Costa Rice, and Panama. Dr. McDonald loves to travel and discover new science within all the adventures. In Iceland, she saw volcanos, swam, and touch the Europe plates. She saw northern lights and glaciers. In Hawaii, she saw an active volcano in Kailua and observatories. Hiked the Grand Canyon to see rock formations. Went to Costa Rica to see the biodiversity. Gone to Panama for volcanoes and the canal. Snorkeled the Caribbean and watch coral bleach. One of her favorite things is to observe clouds everywhere she goes.

This article was originally posted in the Spring of 2023, Issue 1 of The Crusader Newspaper. Download the full issue here.

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Double Major of Sports Management and Business Management

Author: The Crusader Staff Writer, Frankee Hendricks

Are you thinking of pursuing a career in either the sport or business world? The dual major of sport management and business management is great for anyone looking to pursue a career in sports. The two majors overlap in many ways so that the class load is not nearly as bad as it seems. Students should take full advantage of this convenient way to get two majors out of their four years at Belmont Abbey. 

For the sport management major, it is required to take EC201(Introduction to Economics), BU315W (Business Communications), and BU265 (Spreadsheet and Data). All three of these are also required for the business management major. If you take these classes, they will count towards both majors! The sport management degree alone also required a lot of electives in order to get to the 120 hours. Therefore, the extra classes that you would need to take for business management can be filled up by sports classes towards your sport management major. 

Again, taking these courses just one time will go towards both majors! These majors also only require one internship collectively! This was actually my deciding factor for deciding to double major. It would seem as though you had to do two separate internships, one for each major, when in actuality, it is just one for both! It is a huge time saver!

There are so many careers in the sports management field that require a degree in business to be successful. Almost every aspect of sports includes business in some way, whether that is management of recreational facilities, social media marketing, or even spot finance. Having both of these majors on your resume will give you an edge over your peers. 

 Overall these two degrees go hand in hand, and it would be majorly beneficial for anyone to take advantage of this opportunity if you are in school for either of these majors alone. It is a great way to maximize your time at Belmont Abbey College.

This article was originally posted in the Spring of 2023, Issue 1 of The Crusader Newspaper. Download the full issue here.

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Sports Management Minor

Author: The Crusader Staff Writer, Madison Jones

The Belmont Abbey College Sports Management Minor offers a curriculum that allows for students to grow and adapt skills that will help further them in their careers. With a variety of course, professors, and networking connections, this minor is one that allows students grow both
personally and academically. There are two required courses for this minor, one being SM 200, which is titled History, Culture, and Philosophy of Sport, and the other is SM 201, which is Introduction to Sport Management. These two-course set the base for students to be able to learn skills such as organizational theory and leadership in sports, sports marketing, and sport facilities and event management. 

The Sport Management department has professors all will a different background and skill set. Dr. Trey Cunningham is the chair and associate professor of the department and has a background in sport security. Dana Catchpole is an assistant professor with a background in risk management and human resources. Lindsay Hofferberth is also an assistant professor with a very strong reach into professional sports teams based in Charlotte. And Quinn Beekwilder is both an assistant professor and coordinator for the sport management department; he is known for his vast experience in the motorsport field. 

The Sport Management minor offers a wide range of benefits, from the skills that a student will learn throughout the courses to the skills that can be taught from the various backgrounds of each of the department’s professors. This minor offers a unique experience because it allows for students to learn both in and out of the classroom by taking the information that is presented in lecture and giving them the opportunity to apply it towards real-world situations and experience.

This article was originally posted in the Spring of 2023, Issue 1 of The Crusader Newspaper. Download the full issue here.

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The Crusader Psychology Club

Author: The Crusader Staff Writer, Katelyn Saxe

What is the psychology club? This club was started by a group of psychology members and the help of professors as a way to talk and educate students about hard topics in the field and create a medium for students interested in psychology but not looking to do that as their major. They host fun activities as a way to bring some light to the stressful college life. They have done events that include things like water balloon tosses and obstacle courses. There are also more laid-back meetings where they deliberate and have fun, energizing conversations. 

Who can Join? You may think this would be reserved for the psychology majors, but the club is offered to any student here at Belmont Abbey. All are encouraged to come and engage because everyone faces the troubles associated with 

stress and burnout of being a bust student, and what a better place to list off some of the weight of those problems! 

They typically meet on Thursdays at 12:15 pm, so if you are looking for something to do in between classes, then drop by room 111 in the science building. Just stop by a meeting and see what you think! You do not need to make any formal request to join. Come talk to any of the students that are in the group and just see what you think of a meeting. They are very open to anyone and enjoy the company of a student of any major.

This article was originally posted in the Spring of 2023, Issue 1 of The Crusader Newspaper. Download the full issue here.

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Succeeding in Class: Dr. Ian Crowe

Author: The Crusader Staff Writer, Patrick Gallagher

If you have taken a class with the much-liked Professor Ian Crowe, you know by now not to have a hood on your head in that class. The well-known professor has been teaching for 41 years and has been a professor at the Abbey for the last several years. He not only has experience being a high school and college professor, but he has also taught in a different country, which gives him an interesting perspective on how the classroom works. 

When asked about the most important things for students to be doing in class, Dr. Crowe had a surprising response. Most of the students at Belmont Abbey would think that a professor might say to do all the reading beforehand, take lots of notes, and maybe be on time every time. However, Dr. Crowe says out of all of these, the most important thing is merely to “look attentive” in class. 

Yes, my fellow students, it’s that easy. Simply look attentive in class, and you can have happier professors and better grades. 

Dr. Crowe says that if you look attentive, you will probably have a notebook on the desk in front of you, even if you don’t plan on taking any notes. But if you do have a notebook in front of you, you are more likely to pay attention and write something interesting down, and instead of the entire class being background noise, you may find that you have an interest in whatever subject you may be in. Even if this is not the case, simply looking attentive can lead to a better overall grade and a better understanding of what you are studying. So, have your ears uncovered, your notebook on the desk, and when your eyes are up, your grades probably will be too.

This article was originally posted in the Spring of 2023, Issue 1 of The Crusader Newspaper. Download the full issue here.

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