CCO§SIX)4E)S
Bchnont Abbc^ Colley
Volume VI, No. 6
BELMONT. N. C.
June, 1978
New President Takes Office
Belmont Abbey College has a
new president.
Father Neil W. Tobin began
his first official day as college
president at a breakfast held in
his honor in Maurus Dining Hall
on the Belmont Abbey College
campus.
Father Bradley, his
predecessor, invited trustees,
advisors, clergy, ad
ministrators, faculty, and
friends of the College to the 7:30
a.m. breakfast. In introducing
Father Tobin to the group, he
thanked everyone for coming
out at that “unchristian hour.”
He expressed his gratitude to
those gathered for their kind
ness toward him and assured
Father Tobin he would get the
same kind of support.
As Father Tobin addressed
the ^oup, he expressed his
delight in fmding the Belmont
Abbey College community such
an integral part of the larger
community. “We are all people
needing people,” he continued,
and we must “support and
depend upon one anotoer.”
Admitting that the best
characteristic a college
president can possess is “the
ability to bear pain gracefully,”
Father Tobin continued, “I
know'I have some big shoes to
fill. 1 shall do my l^t to fill
thenl, but I have to be myself.”
Bishop Michael J. Begley,
D.D., bishop of the Diocese of
Charlotte, was also on hand to
welcome Father Tobin. “God
took one Tobin away and sent us
another,” Bishop Begley ex
plained. Father Joseph Tobin,
O.S.B., who died last March,
was associated with the College
in various capacities for more
than fifty years.
Basil Whitener, the
Gastonia attorney and former
U.S. congressman who’s vice
chairman of the College’s Board
of Trustees, said Father Tobin
was off to a good start. Father
Bradley, he noted, “has been
with us for 15 years and he
didn’t eat his grits this morning.
But Father Tobin has been here
for only 15 days and he ate all
his grits.”
Abbey and community welcome Fr. Tobin on his first official day as president.
Knight Publishing Co. - BAG
Complete Marketing Research Study
Belmont Abbey College has
,just completed its first
“Marketing Research Study” to
determine the image of the
College held by the residents of
Gaston and Mecklenburg
counties. The survey was done
in conjunction with the
Marketing Research Depart
ment of Knight Publishing
Company in Charlotte. The
instrument was designed by the
Knight Publishing Company
and administrators of the
College. The survey was
conducted by telephone over a
ten-night span. Thirty students
volunteered to make the phone
calls.
There were several objectives
of the study. The study sought
to determine the factors that
influence the choice of college to
attend. It also questioned how
aware the community was of
the College.
The survey also consisted of
several statements concerning
the College, and the respon
dents were asked to agree or
disagree. Some of the
statements included academic
strengths, entrance
requirements, cost, religious
affiliation and social life.
The respondents were also
questioned about their media
selections. This will enable the
office of Institutional Relations
to determine which areas of the
media to concentrate their
efforts.
The findings of the study have
been released in a 125-page
report. The report will be
evaluated to determine the
action which the College will
take in the future.
This study will benefit the
College a great deal. This is the
first time the College has had an
accurate idea of how the
community views Belmont
Abbey College.
Fr. Tobin gives a prospective view of Beimont Abbey College.
Breakfast speakers (left to right) are Basil Whitener, Fr. John
Bradley, Fr. Neil Tobin and Bishop Michael Begley.
Local Students Receive
Tuition Reduetion
Belmont Abbey College has
increased its automatic tuition
reduction to qualified students
from Mecklenburg, Gaston,
Cleveland and Lincoln counties
by $100.
In the past, the College has
reduced tuition for these
students by $200 per year, $100
per semester. Beginning in the
1978-79 academic year, their
tuition will be reduced by $150
per semester or $300 per year.
A “qualified student” is any
present resident of Mecklen
burg, Gaston, Cleveland, and
Lincoln counties who also
graduated from a high school in
one of those counties. Once the
student is accepted . for ad
mission to Belmont Abbey
College as a full time student,
he or she automatically
receives the tuition reduction.
These students also receive
an additional tuition reduction
of $300 per year from the state
of North Carolina, a grant
awarded all residents of North
Carolina. Therefore, a student
who qualifies for both grants
will automatically have his
tuition reduced by $600 per
year.