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BELMONT ABBEY AWARDS $100,000 CRESCAT SCHOLARSHIP TO SAVANNAH, GEORGIA
STUDENT
Belmont Abbey College has awarded its prestigious Crescat Scholarship
to Savannah native Shannon Summerlin, a senior at Benedictine Military
School. The value of the four-year scholarship exceeds $100,000 and the
recipient is chosen by the monks of Belmont Abbey.
Summerlin competed
against an impressive array of other applicants from Benedictine (Catholic)
high schools from around the nation. Other nominated students are granted
an Academic Excellence Scholarship of at least $8,000.
The criteria for
determining the winner are quite exacting, according to Father Christopher
Kirchgessner, O.S.B., Chair of the Crescat Scholarship Committee. “We
look for academic excellence first and foremost,” Kirchgessner
said. “But seriousness of intent and the candidate’s involvement
in extracurricular activities are also key. Shannon Summerlin stood out
in all of those areas.”
Summerlin’s record at Benedictine
Military School has been exceptional: Honor Roll every semester since
the beginning of his freshman year; captain of the varsity wrestling
team; recipient of numerous awards for both his English and math prowess;
and achievement of the rank of Brigade Commander at the military school.
“We
feel blessed to have a young person of Shannon Summerlin’s
caliber coming to Belmont Abbey College,” said Father Kirchgessner,
who is a theology professor at the college. “The last recipient
of the Crescat [which in Latin means ‘Let it grow’], Ann
Cook from the Chicago area, is a phenomenal student and human being.
We feel confident that Shannon will carry on in that tradition.”
Named
one of the top 50 “All-American Colleges” by the Intercollegiate
Studies Institute (ISI), Belmont Abbey College finds its center in Jesus
Christ and believes in the development of the whole person – mind,
body and spirit.
The College’s mission statement:
“Our mission is to educate students in the liberal arts and sciences
so that in all things God may be glorified. In this endeavor, we are
guided by the Catholic intellectual tradition and the Benedictine spirit
of prayer and learning. Exemplifying Benedictine hospitality, 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.”
Founded in 1876, the College is home to more than 1,200 students from
29 states and 24 countries. The campus is situated on the 650-acre picturesque
monastic property of Belmont Abbey. Located just 10 miles west of Charlotte,
N.C., it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. For more
information, please visit the College’s web site at www.belmontabbeycollege.edu.
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