Belmont Abbey College, a private Catholic liberal arts school founded by Benedictine monks in 1876, is preparing for a major transformation with a $100 million capital campaign to fund physical and academic improvements.
The “Made True” campaign has already raised $72 million and aims to reach the $100 million mark by 2026 when Belmont Abbey celebrates its 150th anniversary. The new campus buildings will seamlessly blend in with the historic architecture of the Abbey, including a new performing arts center and monastery for The Abbey Players – the oldest performing arts group in North Carolina.
“We are humbled and grateful for the extraordinary support we have received through the silent phase of the campaign,” said Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari in a press release. “We now invite alumni, students and families, and people across the region to help us close the funding gap and ensure that this type of education is available for future generations.”
The $100 million campaign specifically includes:
- $15 million to help build a new monastery and performing arts center, as well as launch career and family programs aimed at building religious freedom. The funding will act as seed money to prompt partnerships, naming opportunities, and contributions beyond the campaign to bring the two high-profile buildings to fruition.
- $30 million to fund new academic programs in nursing, public policy, and finance, increased advocacy for religious freedom, and enhancements to its successful Belmont House in Washington, D.C.
- $55 million to boost the college’s endowment and reduce – eventually eliminating – federal aid, as well as provide the financial resources needed to become the employer of choice among its peers. It’s an effort to help secure the college’s ability to teach and live the Catholic faith without government mandates that might conflict with Church teaching. In addition, federal college loan programs have been unreliable and variable in their ability to make education affordable.
The capital campaign will also fund a growing student population, allowing Belmont Abbey to expand its offerings and help students graduate debt free.
This tour of Belmont video includes an interview with the president of Belmont Abby and drone shots of the campus: