Loading

The Forum The Official Newsletter of the Honors College

Greetings!

We hope that this newsletter finds you happy and healthy! As yet another year comes to a close, this season seems marked by a sense of beginning and ending, renewal and change. I hope that 2023 will bring you as much peace and joy as it did to our Honors College this past year. Now free of covid restrictions, the Honors College was able to fully reinstate all fall traditions, including lectures, bonfires, symphonies, and conferences. We also had the privilege of welcoming the freshman class of 2026. Only the generosity of our donors, family, friends, faculty, and students can make our continued education in friendship and virtue possible.

This Fall 2022 edition of The Forum highlights friendships made during the reinstated senior Ireland trip, student presentations at the University of Dallas, and the Halloween Bonfire. In addition, we were blessed to invite Rusty Reno, Fr. Robert Nixon, and Dr. Susan Hanssen to deliver lectures on topics ranging from the Benedictine tradition to the virtue of George Washington. Honors students watched nine panelists present at the “Life in America After Roe” conference. Furthermore, you will find stories from two of our freshmen, an interview with Assistant Professor Dr. Thomas Varacalli (Honors '11), and news of several alumni weddings. This issue would not have come together without the guidance and advice of Laura DiMarzio (Honors ‘23) and Helen Behe (Honors ‘23). Thank you for reading and for your continued support of the Honors College!

—Christopher Mee, Class of '22, Student Editor of The Forum

STUDENT NEWS

Seniors Study Abroad in Ireland

The Honors senior class, joined by recently graduated Honors students of the 2021 class, spent the month of June in Limerick, Ireland, taking classes studying Irish history and literature. Throughout their stay, the students spent time in Galway, Dublin, and Belfast. Among the sites visited were Inishmore Island, the Rock of Cashel, the Book of Kells, and lookouts along the Antrim Coast. The students' experiences in Ireland were irreplaceable.

"The best way to learn history is to be immersed in it, and the opportunity to study abroad in Ireland was truly immersive. It was particularly moving to learn about the Troubles in Northern Ireland and see, first-hand, a community that is working to rebuild and heal after decades of struggle and violence." -Hannah Matousek (Honors '23).

"The Ireland experience was life-changing... The memories I made there will last a lifetime." -Lauren Carpenter (Honors '23).

Upper left and continuing clockwise: Megan Canavan (Honors '23) and Mary Frey (Honors '23) look over the cliffs of Dunmore Head on the Dingle Peninsula's Wild Atlantic Way. Upper right: Students walk through The Giant's Causeway. Lower right: Dr. Patrick Wadden explains markings in Kilmalkedar Church. Lower middle: Laura DiMarzio (Honors '23) and Kevin Gillett (Honors '23) examine writings in Kilfenora Cathedral. Lower left: The group poses for a quick photo in the Burren National Park.

Braniff Undergraduate Conference in the Liberal Arts

Anthony Klein (Honors' 24), Kevin Gillett (Honors '23), and Laura DiMarzio (Honors '23) were invited to present their research papers at the University of Dallas. The conference was hosted and organized by the graduate students and faculty at the Braniff Graduate School. Anthony, Kevin, and Laura were honored to present on a variety of topics, from the philosophy of Hobbes to the poetry of Dante. Paper titles are listed below:

Anthony Klein: "What is Love? Hobbes’ Redefinition and Abolition of Love in Leviathan

Kevin Gillett: “The Divine Toolbox: Images of Fire and Music in Dante’s Purgatory

Laura DiMarzio: "Shakespeare’s Stage of Politics: The Private and the Public in Coriolanus

From left to right: Lauren Crane (Patrick Henry College), Elyse Burgess (Patrick Henry College), Jordan Raum (Thomas Aquinas College), Theresa Ramsay (Wyoming Catholic College), Anthony Klein (Honors '24), Molly Zepeda (University of Dallas), Laura DiMarzio (Honors '23), Kevin Gillett (Honors '23), Ardith Amon (Ashland University).

A Halloween Bonfire in November

North Carolina weather nearly stopped the first bonfire of the semester. However, students and faculty persisted stubbornly despite the constant rain. The bonfire meant for Halloween night took place on November 12th (with students still in costume of course!).

From upper left and continuing clockwise: The winners of "Best Embodiment of the Honors College Costume" Laura DiMarzio (Honors '23) and Helen Behe (Honors '23) dressed as Niccolo Machiavelli and Friedrich Nietzsche, Dr. Wysocki plays guitar for an assorted group of characters (including Dana Jakubielski as Shrek and winner of "Best Costume" to his right), Dr. Basil announces the winners of the costume competitions in a terrible Hawaiian shirt that does not count as a costume.

Charlotte Symphonies

The Honors College spent two evenings in Charlotte this semester to attend symphonies. On November 18th, professors and students of the Honors College saw a beautiful performance of Beethoven's Triple Concerto before discussing the symphony over food together. The Honors College returned to Charlotte in early December to see all of Handel's Messiah played, which proved a welcome break from studying for finals!

CULTURAL EVENTS

Rusty Reno Lecture

The Honors College hosted Rusty Reno for a talk entitled "Friendship in an Age of Polarization." Reno is the Editor of First Things Magazine and is formerly a professor of theology and ethics at Creighton University. Students participated in First Things' Charlotte Area Reader Summit. Seminar groups discussed excerpts from Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, Cicero’s Laelius de Amicitia, C. S. Lewis’ The Four Loves, Gregory the Nazianzen’s Funeral Oration for St. Basil, and Willa Cather’s Two Friends.

Photo courtesy of National Conservatism.

Fr. Nixon Lecture

The Honors College was pleased to welcome Fr. Robert Nixon, OSB, monk of the Abbey of the Most Holy Trinity at New Norcia in Western Australia. A retreat master, liturgist, and accomplished pianist, students were thrilled to hear his unique lecture entitled "The Love of Learning and the Desire for God" which addressed the history of the Benedictine order while interspersed with masterful piano playing. Fr. Nixon is the author of TAN's Resurrection Book series, recently translating works by St. Ambrose and Thomas A Kempis.

Photo courtesy of Tan Books.

Constitution Day

Thanks to a generous grant from the Jack Miller Center, the Honors College was able to invite all faculty and students to attend a Constitution Day Lecture by Dr. Susan Hanssen. The title of her talk was “George Washington and the Virtue of Patriotism” and considered George Washington's political philosophy and the importance of virtue in an emerging republic.

Dr. Susan Hanssen is an Associate Professor of History at the University of Dallas' Constantin College of Liberal arts. During the summer of 2008, Dr. Hanssen was an Adjunct Professor for the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation at Georgetown University. Dr. Hanssen was the 2010-2011 Garwood Fellow at the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University. Dr. Hanssen received her B.A. at Boston University, graduating Summa Cum Laude, and earned her Ph.D. at Rice University in Houston.

Thanks to the Jack Miller Center we were also able to host a second Constitution Day event at the Belmont House in Washington D.C. entitled “Rome and the Republic: Catholics and the Constitution” featuring a conversation with Dr. Joe Wysocki, Dr. Jerome Foss, and Dr. Shaun Rielly. The event began with a prayer offered by Honors College benefactor Fr. Paschal Morlino.

Dr. Jerome Foss is Professor of Politics at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, where he also serves as the Endowed Director for the Saint Vincent Center for Catholic Thought and Culture and a Fellow in the College's Center for Political and Economic Thought.

Dr. Shaun Rieley is Senior Director for Advancement & Programs at The American Ideas Institute, where he leads fundraising efforts, advises on strategy, and directs the Constitutional Fellows Program.

Life in America After Roe Conference

Alongside The American Conservative, Belmont Abbey College co-hosted a conference on the future of the pro-life movement following the Supreme Court's landmark decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization case this June.

In the first panel, entitled "Ending Abortion in America," students heard from Katy Faust, Terry Schilling, and Josh Hammer on further steps needed to fully end abortion in the United States. In the second panel, entitled "The Future of the Anti-Abortion Movement," students heard from Noah Brandt, Debbie Capen, and Caitlin Connors regarding the future of legislative action against abortion. In the third panel, entitled "Family Policy for a Post-Roe America," students heard from Catherine Pakaluk, Helen Andrews, and Gladden Pappin on ways to support healthy families following the Dobbs decision.

|Student Spotlights|

Ms. Mary Fallon

From: Auburn, NY

High School: Tyburn Academy of Mary Immaculate

Favorite book: J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye

Why the Abbey? I always knew I wanted to attend a Catholic college; I saw it as the next step. When my older sister left for Belmont Abbey, I thought that could be me in four years. I went through all of high school with Belmont Abbey and the Honors College in the back of my mind. When the time came, I was so excited to apply to the Honors College. Belmont Abbey was the college I wanted to attend and there was no question about it. I watched my sister create friendships that would last and I watched her gain knowledge that she would have never gotten from any other college. I wanted that for myself as well.

What has your first year experience in the HC been like? Because Belmont Abbey is rather small and the Honors College is even smaller, becoming settled in and finding a good group of people to hang out with was not difficult. I love living in community with everyone. We attend the same classes, go to mass, and share meals together. I could not have gotten the classes that I am taking and the experience I am having at Belmont Abbey and in the Honors College from any other college.

Recent graduate Abigail "Abby" Fallon (Honors '22) enthusiastically grabs coffee with her sister Mary "Lulu" Fallon (Honors '26) at Holy Grounds.

Mr. Patrick Gerrity

From: Cincinnati, OH

High School: St. Edmund Campion Academy

Favorite book: Charles Dickens's  David Copperfield

Why the Abbey? When I started looking for colleges to apply to, Belmont Abbey was one of the schools I applied to but didn’t think much of because it was not on the top of my list. As it was getting to the time for me to make a decision on where I was going to go to school, I visited Belmont Abbey on the advice of my parents. When I visited the college, I fell in love with the campus and the people. It is a great Catholic college coupled with the excellence of the Honors College. There is a strong Catholic community on the campus and the sacraments are always readily available with the Benedictine community on campus. Belmont Abbey is a stronghold of Catholic life coupled with strong, classical education.

What has your first year experience in the HC been like? The experience has been wonderful. I came into the Honors College not knowing what to expect, but now that I have finished my first semester, I am so happy I decided to join the Honors College. Between the classes you take your first semester and all the wonderful professors that teach you, the Honors College gives each student an excellent introduction into college life while also maintaining a rigorous education. I have been able to grow both as a student and a person, having made many new, wonderful friendships with many great people. The Honors College is a truly unique place to learn and grow, both spiritually and mentally.

From the Desk of the Dean

Dear Honors College Alumni, Friends, and Benefactors,

Happy New Year! I pray that you and your families have had a restful and blessed holiday season. As you can see, our community has been doing great things this semester. All of this would not have been possible without the hard work and support of my dedicated colleagues, students, alumni, and partner organizations.

In particular, I would like to thank our newest faculty member Dr. Thomas Varacalli who has done excellent work in taking over the main student recruitment duties for the Honors College. Thanks to his stewardship of our applicants, we are on pace to welcome the largest incoming freshman class in Honors College history next fall! Dr. Varacalli is also leading the expansion of our summer Schola high school program to Belmont House in Washington D.C.. The program will be entitled the Colloquium on Catholic Statesmanship.

Dr. Christine Basil, in addition to doing many other great things, is shepherding a project for the renovation of Grace Auditorium into a beautiful space that will be used for seminars, lectures, study, and student gatherings. Thanks to her work we have secured the approval of beautiful plans and have already raised a significant amount of the funds necessary. We hope to begin the first phase of the project this summer. I have attached the blueprints for the project in my email to you. We certainly would be most grateful for any support you might add to help beautify your de facto Honors home.

Mrs. Elisa Torres Neff has spent countless hours developing a wonderful Honors College FYE (First Year Experience) curriculum that aims to introduce our students to the great books and the broad Catholic Intellectual Tradition. Students will discuss authors like St. John Henry Newman, St. John Paul II, Leo Strauss, Josef Pieper, and many others. Thanks also go to Mrs. Torres Neff for her work in organizing the First Things conference mentioned above.

Our students have taken on great leadership roles both within and outside of the Honors College. In addition to helping to organize and run our events, they have participated actively in the Abbey Players, the Agora, SGA, the Moot Court Team, the school newspaper, a variety of athletic teams, and many other clubs and organizations. Their contributions to the improvement of the academic and cultural community at the Abbey are difficult to count. I am incredibly proud of them! Thanks especially to junior Christopher Mee and the team that put this edition of The Forum together.

Thank you to all our alumni who continue to support our students with your donations. This year, your generosity has gone to support student travel to conferences, conferences and speakers at the Abbey, our summer Schola program, and a number of other events.

Thanks again this year especially to the John William Pope Foundation who has generously supported our marketing efforts to increase awareness of the Honors College to a national audience. We are grateful also to the Jack Miller Center for its increase in generosity this year which allowed us to host two Constitution Day events (one on campus and one at the Belmont House in Washington D.C.) and a spring conference. We are grateful to Fr. Paschal Morlino for his continued support of the Grace Auditorium project.

Finally, I would like to invite you to join the Honors College from March 9-11 as we host the Ciceronian Society for their annual meeting. There will be an incredible group of scholars from all over the country giving exciting talks on important philosophical, theological, literary, and political topics. Many Belmont Abbey professors will be speaking at the event, including opening and closing keynote addresses by Abbot Placid Solari and Dr. Ian Crowe respectively. Attending the talks is free but you can register if you wish to join in for the meals.

I wish you all the best in this new year. Come back and visit us anytime!

God Bless,

Joe Wysocki

Dean of the Honors College

Belmont Abbey College

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR GENEROUS DONORS

Hope in Returning Home

An interview with Dr. Thomas Varacalli, Assistant Professor of political philosophy and recent Honors College full-time hire

Dr. Thomas Varacalli joined the Honors College this year as an Assistant Professor for the Honors College. Before coming to the Abbey, Dr. Varacalli taught politics at Texas State for five years. He began his education at Belmont Abbey where he was a student in the Honors Institute and earned a B.A. in History in 2011. He then received his M.A. and Ph.D. in political science at Louisiana State University in 2014 and 2016 respectively. This fall, Dr. Varacalli taught HO201 Homer and Virgil to the freshman, HO302 Augustine and Aquinas to the sophomores, and HO311 Modern Political Philosophy II to the juniors.

Q: Where did you go for school and what was your education like?

A: As an undergraduate, I attended Belmont Abbey College and majored in History. I was part of the Honors Institute, the precursor to the Honors College. I graduated Valedictorian in 2011. Dr. Basil was in my cohort and she won Most Outstanding Student. I wrote my senior thesis on Julian the Apostate, the last pagan emperor who ruled from 361 to 363 AD. Julian was influenced by Neoplatonism and tried to repaganize the Roman Empire by mirroring certain Christian institutions. My thesis explored why he failed. After Belmont Abbey, I went to Louisiana State University where I received my doctorate in political science in 2016. I wrote my dissertation on Bartolomé de Las Casas and his defense of the Amerindians of the New World. He used Thomas Aquinas to condemn the Spanish Conquest of the Americas, and I compared Las Casas to other Thomists who were more sympathetic to the conquest.

Q: What was the most influential class you’ve ever taken or taught?

A: The old honors curriculum had a two-part sequence on the History of Ideas. The fall semester covered the writings of Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Athanasius, and Thomas Aquinas. The spring class included Machiavelli, Bacon, Hobbes, Locke, Dostoevsky, Sartre, Camus, and St. John Paul II. I was particularly struck by Bacon’s New Atlantis. In the work, religion is used as artifice. It made me realize that I had to discern more carefully between what is true and what is false.

Q: What brought you to the Abbey and why did you decide to teach here?

A: I came back as a professor because I loved my experience at the Abbey as an undergraduate student. During my senior year of high school, my father was invited by the Abbey’s Bradley Center to deliver a lecture. Belmont Abbey wasn’t on my radar, but when my father came back, he told me that I absolutely had to apply to this charming little Catholic school in North Carolina. I was invited to apply for the Hintemeyer Program and attended Scholarship Weekend in February 2007. During the weekend, my father chatted with Dr. Thuot, the director of the Honors Institute. My father convinced Thuot to give me a last-minute interview. Dr. Thuot agreed and I had the last interview that day at 4:40pm on Saturday. I nailed the interview. Afterwards, I distinctly remember looking down Abbey Lane, realizing that I was supposed to attend the Abbey!

Q: Was there anything else that drew you to teach here?

A: I taught political science at Texas State University for six years. I was teaching courses in Constitutional Law and American Politics. During the pandemic, I became frustrated with my career. I missed the Great Books. When my school went remote in March 2020, I started to re-read political philosophy and the great works of literature. In my heart there was this burning desire to teach Great Books. When I was notified by Dr. Basil in the summer of 2021 that Dr. Joshua Hren had left and that there might be an opening in the Honors College, I prayed that I could return to the Abbey. I never took a class with Dr. Wysocki, since we only overlapped a year, but I knew that he was a good man and I had heard many great things about the Honors College. I applied for the position on November 10th, the Feast Day of St. Leo. I wanted this position very badly because I wanted to come home, teach the Great Books, and be part of an authentic Catholic community.

Q: How did you get re-involved with the Honors College?

A: I became re-acquainted with the Honors College when Dr. Basil invited me to attend the Lilly Fellows Conference on The Drama of Atheist Humanism by Henri de Lubac. Dr. Basil and I were leading one of the seminar groups with various students from Belmont Abbey, Lee University, Gardner-Webb University, and St. Vincent College. It struck me that the Abbey students were more impressive. They were more well-read, and they demonstrated a sincere love of learning. When Dr. Basil drove me back to the airport the following day, I remember telling her, “I want to come back.” She smiled and that was my reintroduction to the Honors College.

Q: What is one lesson every student should learn while in college?

A: In short: Be grateful and avoid temptations to despair. We live in uncertain times and the state of current affairs can make us easily upset. A Great Books education brings tremendous solace. The Great Books remind us that we are not alone and that many of the problems we currently face were addressed by previous generations. During the Greek and Roman freshman courses, students should take note of what can be known through natural reason. During the Christian courses, students should grasp the importance of revelation, grace, and the divine law. When students are studying modern thinkers (many of whom are atheists), they should also reread brief passages from some Classical or Christian thinkers. Modern thinkers are worthwhile to read, but they can lead students to doubt, despair, and sin. Students should avoid any additional temptations to sin because personal vice tends to make the moderns more alluring.

Q: If you could have lunch with one famous intellectual—living or dead—who would it be?

A: Assuming we could speak the same language, I would love to have lunch with Aquinas. I would especially enjoy seeing him say Mass, interacting with others, and dictating the Summa to his scribes.

Q: Was there any one person who was particularly influential in getting you interested in political philosophy?

A: Dr. Eugene Thuot was the director of the Honors Institute and was the primary teacher of Dr. Wysocki, Dr. Basil, and I. He was a very kind and generous man who sacrificed a tremendous amount of time and energy for his students. He mastered the craft of teaching. He would reread everything he assigned, even if he taught the same work every year. For example, during a junior-level class on Plato’s Republic and Aristotle’s Politics, he remarked, with a grin, that it was his 35th reading of Plato’s Republic.

Q: Do you have any favorite topics or books to discuss?

A: I am trying to convince everyone in the Honors College to read Sigrid Undset’s Kristin Lavransdatter which, dare I say, is the best Catholic novel of the 20th century. It is even better than The Lord of the Rings and Brideshead Revisited. Set in medieval Norway, the book tells the story of young Kristin who falls in love with a “bad boy,” marrying a man who is not as noble and virtuous as her father. Yet she remains faithful to that man. The book outlines her spiritual journey and, to an extent, the spiritual journey of her husband and her father, Lavrans. Lavrans is my favorite character in all of literature because he is the man I aspire to be. The book is also historically accurate, and it is a great reminder of how Catholic Norway once was. Ever since I was a young boy, I have been fascinated with Scandinavia, and I earnestly pray for its reconversion.

Q: If you could learn any new subject or skill, what would it be?

A: I bought a keyboard for my birthday but I have not touched it yet. One day I’d love to play the Warsaw Concerto, but that would take years to learn. I guess that everyone starts with Chopsticks!

Q: If you could live anywhere for a year, where would it be?

A: Rome! In the summer of 2010, Dr. Basil and I participated in the first Study Abroad Honors Program. We stayed in the Aurelia suburb of Rome, and attended classes run by the Legionaries of Christ. The trip was very cheap, costing only $2,500. We studied Dante and Roman Architecture. I often wandered around the city by myself, visiting the different churches in the city. Rome truly is the center of the world.

Honors Alumni News & Announcements

Vincent Ginski (Honors '17) accepted a job as NC Chamber Foundation’s Director of Workforce Competitiveness, where his task is to ensure the state of North Carolina retains its top tier status as one of the best states to do business via the strength of its workforce. Through his role, he will be helping to build and manage exceptionally relevant talent pipelines for critical industries and trailblazing a new era of workforce development & innovation.

Patrick Means (Honors '22) finished his first semester at the Quillen College of Medicine. Pictured above is Patrick being coated by his parents, both physicians.
Marina Hart (Honors '15) and Austin Sirkin were recently engaged this December 17th, 2022. They hope to set the wedding for September 2023!
Melody Rose McClure (Honors' 15) married Július Kovács on June 4, 2022. Their original wedding date was canceled because of Covid, so they were incredibly grateful to finally celebrate in a safe and joyful environment. They were married near Melody's parent's home in the hills of Landrum, SC.
Laura Carlson (Honors '17) and Alex Brenner were married in June 2022. Several Honors and Abbey alumni from the class of 2017 were there to celebrate. (Left to right: Caroline Connell, Vincent Ginski, Honors ('17) Alex Ginski, Honors ('17), Grace Bruno, (Honors '17), The Brenners, and Sean Trompeter (Honors'17))
Sarah Mccullers (Honors '22) and Will Nobers (Honors '22) were married on November 19th, 2020. Several professors, Honors alumni, current Honors students, and St. Joseph seminarians were present for the happy occasion.
Clare Ruedisueli (Honors ‘21) married Jack Notarnicola (‘20) on October 22, 2022. The bridal party included Abbey alumni Patrick Bagatta ('20), Jimmy Reiff ('20), Frank Haywood ('20), Lily Mullen ('21), Kateri Brehany ('21), and Jessica Huber ('22). Pictured with the bride and groom are Clare’s sister Joanna “Jojo” Colclough (‘15) and her husband Chris (‘13).

Congratulations to all our alumni!

Follow us on social media to stay updated on the latest Honors College news and events!

IN FINE

A special thank you to Rolando Rivas, Nathan Schweitzer (Honors '25), Christopher Mee (Honors '24), Kevin Gillett (Honors '23), Laura DiMarzio (Honors '23), and Helen Behe (Honors '23) for use of their photos throughout.