BELMONT — Belmont Abbey College is marking its 150th anniversary with a year-long celebration beginning on its Founders’ Day, April 21, which commemorates the 1876 arrival of the first Benedictine monk and students who came to establish a monastery and college in North Carolina.
“For 150 years, Belmont Abbey College has formed generations of students to think critically, lead faithfully and serve others with purpose,” said Dr. Jeffrey Talley, president of the college. “Since 1876, we have remained dedicated not only to preparing students for successful careers but also to forming lives rooted in truth and virtue.”
Belmont Abbey College is the region’s only Catholic private liberal arts college. This fall, the college announced the highest total enrollment in its history – 1,741 students. The college offers 30 undergraduate and seven graduate programs and has more than 17,000 alumni.
Throughout its anniversary year, the college will host events bringing together students, faculty, staff, alumni and the surrounding community. The year kicks off with a Founders Day celebration honoring the college’s Benedictine legacy that includes Vespers followed by a German Festival featuring food, music, games and a biergarten.
A lasting legacy
Beyond education, the college and abbey have been instrumental in helping to establish and invigorate the Church in North Carolina.
“Beginning with our first abbot, Bishop Leo Haid, who was responsible for the Catholic Church in the entire state of North Carolina, Belmont Abbey has played an active role in the Church in the Southeast,” said Abbot Placid Solari, the current Abbot of Belmont Abbey.
Unique in American Catholic history, Belmont Abbey existed as an independent diocese from 1910 until its incorporation into the Diocese of Charlotte in 1977. Early leaders such as founder Benedictine Father Herman and patrons including Saint Katharine Drexel devoted themselves both to building up the Church and founding a college.
“Together with the Sisters of Mercy,” Abbot Placid noted, “the monks began Catholic education in North Carolina and established monasteries and schools also in Florida, Georgia and Virginia.”
Belmont Abbey College continues to earn national recognition for academic excellence. It ranked number 12 among regional colleges in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings, placing it in the top 10% percent. It was also ranked number two for undergraduate teaching among regional colleges for the second consecutive year.
The college plays a significant role in the diocese by providing academic formation for seminarians at Saint Joseph College Seminary and for candidates studying to become permanent deacons in the dioceses of Charlotte and Raleigh. The campus regularly hosts diocesan events, including the Bishop’s Youth Pilgrimage, as well as vocational discernment retreats such as Duc in Altum, and Quo Vadis Days. Over the years, many alumni have served the Church as bishops, priests, deacons and consecrated religious.
Building on a strong Honors College, a vibrant NCAA Division II athletic program, and new initiatives such as the American Semester in Washington, D.C. – that offers students internships, study and firsthand experience in the nation’s capital – the college continues to expand opportunities for student formation.
As Talley said, “As we celebrate this milestone, we remain committed to our founding mission and to the graduates who carry that mission into the world each day.”
For more information about Belmont Abbey College’s 150th anniversary celebrations, visit www.bac.edu/150.
— Catholic News Herald and Belmont Abbey College