New Belmont Abbey College Connect Program
Gaston College and Belmont Abbey College officially joined forces to help our local students achieve their goal of a Bachelor’s degree. In a signing ceremony held on Tuesday, Feb. 9 on the Gaston College Dallas Campus, both college presidents signed a joint Memorandum of Understanding outlining a new relationship that will enable Gaston College graduates to have direct-entry admission to Belmont Abbey College to pursue their Bachelor’s degree.
Named ‘Belmont Abbey College Connect,’ the new agreement provides qualified students an easier pathway to their next degree. The program allows currently enrolled Gaston College students a direct-entry pathway to Belmont Abbey College upon graduation from Gaston College. Qualified students must simply apply for admission, be in good standing at Gaston and other institutions attended, demonstrate good citizenship and conduct, and earn and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 at Gaston College and a minimum GPA of 2.20 in their most recent term.
In addition, candidates must earn their associate degree from Gaston in a college transfer program for which an articulation agreement exists. They must also enroll at Belmont Abbey College within one year of their graduation and meet all admissions requirements at Belmont Abbey.
“We’re excited to provide a program that enables students in our local community streamlined access to their four-year degree in partnership with Gaston College. Any program that helps to ensure student success toward achieving their life goals is worthy of our investment and our commitment,” said Belmont Abbey College provost Dr. Travis Feezell. The program begins immediately at the execution of the agreement between the two institutions.
The program affords Gaston College students access to information about academic programs, faculty, and staff at the Belmont Abbey campus who will facilitate their transition to BAC. In addition, the program prioritizes the student’s ability to receive admission, financial aid, registration, and orientation communications early in the transition process, as well as setting up Gaston’s students for maximum success at both institutions.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for us to be a part of the ‘Belmont Abbey College Connect’ program,” said Dr. John Hauser, President of Gaston College. “This new agreement will provide a smooth transition for Gaston College students from all backgrounds to successfully transfer and pursue a Bachelor’s degree at Belmont Abbey College. As a partner, our focus is to ensure qualified students are well prepared academically, so they excel once they arrive, and after graduating they can successfully enter the workforce and contribute to the growth of our community and state economy,” said Dr. Hauser.
Students interested in the program should visit www.belmontabbeycollege.edu/connect.
About Belmont Abbey College
Founded in 1876, Belmont Abbey College is a private, Catholic, baccalaureate and liberal arts institution. Our mission is to educate students in the liberal arts and sciences so that in all things God may be glorified. Guided by the Catholic intellectual tradition and the Benedictine spirit of prayer and learning, we welcome a diverse body of students and provide them with an education that will enable them to lead lives of integrity, to succeed professionally, to become responsible citizens, and to be a blessing to themselves and to others. Our beautiful and historic campus is conveniently located just 10 miles west of Charlotte, N.C., and is currently home to more than 1,500 students. For more information, visit www.belmontabbeycollege.edu.
About Gaston College
Gaston College is one of 58 community colleges in the North Carolina Community College System. Serving both Gaston and Lincoln counties, Gaston College enrolls approximately 5,350 students each term in curriculum programs and averages over 12,400 annually in its Economic and Workforce Development and Continuing Education programs. Gaston College offers over 100 fields of study to obtain a degree, diploma or certificate. To learn more about the College’s services and programs, visit the Gaston College website at www.gaston.edu.
