Welcoming the New and Enriching Our Community

Benedictine College is known for its hospitality. When calamities or setbacks occur, the college ensures that individuals are welcomed and treated with respect as it follows Christ’s virtuous model.

When Magdalen College, a small, liberal arts school in New Hampshire, closed in May 2024, most of its students needed to continue their education at a different institution. With Magdalen’s population of only 65 undergraduate students, the college embraced its intimate size and thrived on the closeness of the community. As the college closed, the students left with a firm sense of values and the memory of a formative education.

Grace O’Brien, a junior at Benedictine College, attended Magdalen for her first two years of undergraduate studies. With her love of literature and classics, she found that the New Hampshire school had exceeded her expectations. The college enriched her love of academics and encouraged her to pursue her faith.

“I was already having amazing interactions with these professors, and I knew I wasn’t going to get that experience anywhere else,” Grace said. “The school was so small and intimate and was welcoming beyond the campus.”

When Magdalen closed, Grace needed to find a school that reflected the similar values and academics of her previous college. Having two siblings attending Benedictine College, Grace looked to the successful liberal arts school based in Atchison, Kansas, for the balance of her education. It was through Benedictine’s academics, faith-filled community, and President Stephen Minnis’ decision to match her scholarship at Magdalen College that Grace was able to become a Raven at the start of the fall 2024 semester.

“President Minnis was dedicated to try to match what Magdalen gave us and that was huge,” said Grace. “I was so relieved.”

As a new Raven, Grace was welcomed to campus with nine other classmates from Magdalen College and began working on her degree in English. With established relationships with her Magdalen peers, Grace had the opportunity to grow closer to them while expanding her relationships at the same time.

“It’s really nice to have some familiar faces, especially the girls,” said Grace about her Magdelen peers. “We are a tight-knit group of friends, and I think this has brought us closer.”

Through Benedictine’s transfer credit policy, the Magdalen students were able to relocate with ease. Alongside Grace, Antonio Gamundi, now a sophomore at Benedictine College, spoke about his experience as a recent transfer student. Majoring in Philosophy and Exercise Science, he talked about how attending Benedictine has enabled him to pursue a career in health sciences. With his two Benedictine degrees, Antonio plans to become a Physical Therapist, using mind and body to heal others.

With Magdalen College’s mission “to grow as a Catholic and live as an example for the world,” Antonio has found that it can be lived out at Benedictine as well. He is transforming the culture at Benedictine and Benedictine is transforming him.

Benedictine College welcomes its transfer students and, through its emphasis on offering comfort to those in need, the Benedictine community is enriched. All Benedictine students are invited to collaborate in community, faith and scholarship as they unite under one student body.

By Benedictine College

By Emma R.C. Lyons