“Hi, my name is Brian Guengerich, class of 2006. I’m excited to give you a tour of Montreat College, my alma mater. Welcome to Montreat.”
“Inside Gaither Hall is Graham Chapel. This is one of my favorite places on campus. Reverend Billy Graham and his wife were married in this very chapel.”
“Fun fact, Graham Chapel is made out of American chestnut. American chestnut is actually no longer in existence. And so we had to insure Graham Chapel for a different type of wood in case it burned down.”
“Montreat College has chapels every Monday and Wednesday at 10:00 AM. This is a place where we can foster spiritual formation and really develop our students in a different way.”
“In addition to chapel, there are many other opportunities out there for you to get involved. You can get involved in worship teams, small groups, and many of the local churches that are around Montreat.”
“We’re standing outside Gaither Hall, and many people think the archway behind me symbolizes the gate when you come through Montreat College. In actuality, it symbolizes the keystone. The keystone is the center stone that holds the entire building together. We believe at Montreat that Christ is the keystone that keeps our foundation held solid.”
Belk Campus Center
“We’re standing outside of Belk. Belk is literally the center of Montreat College. It’s our main academic building and it’s our student center. Belk is where you can find our mail room, you can find our bookstore, many of our classrooms, and our state-of-the-art cybersecurity lab.”
“The lower level of Belk, also known as Cottrell Commons, is the main hub for where students come after their classes are done. Here you can pick up your mail, you can play pool, you can get involved in a really big game of ping pong till 2:00 AM in the morning. It happens all the time. And we’re really excited that this is one of our main areas for our students to enjoy.”
Cybersecurity Lab and Campus Store
“We are standing in our state-of-the-art cybersecurity teaching lab. This lab is an important part of Montreat College. Cybersecurity is our fastest growing major here at Montreat. And we have been recognized as a center of academic excellence by the Department of Homeland Security and the NSA.”
“Welcome to the campus store. The campus store is where you can get all your Montreat swag, such as what I’m wearing right here. You can also go across the way to the document center and pick up mail. Ordering through the campus bookstore is a great way to ensure you get the right textbook. They’re really good at matching online prices as well.”
Chapel of the Prodigal
“We’re standing in the Chapel of the Prodigal. The Chapel of the Prodigal is another spectacular place of worship here at Montreat College. This chapel is a place where you can come for some recitals. Um, it’s also a place where we hold small music concerts. It’s also where we have, uh, one of the world’s most famous fresco paintings by Ben Long, which is right behind me. And people come from all over to visit this chapel to see this painting.”
“When you’re on campus, please stop by the Chapel of the Prodigal and come and see this amazing painting and amazing place of worship.”
L. Nelson Bell Library
“We’re standing in front of the L. Nelson Bell Library. The library is located in the center of the campus as well. It is a great place where you can come and get some studying done. We also have the Thrive Center in the L. Nelson Bell Library where you can come and start looking at careers and how you can connect careers at Montreat College and beyond.”
“In the lower level of the library is our health and wellness center. This is where you can meet with the campus nurse, our Dean of Spiritual Formation, and our counselor. We have computers for students to use on both floors of the library and also have free printing. We also have a state-of-the-art writing center. The writing center is a great resource for all of our students. Whether you think you’re a great writer or not, the writing center scholars can help you perfect that first, second, or third draft.”
“Because we also believe in snacks at Montreat College, you can visit Nelson’s Study Snacks right behind me and come into the library and enjoy a snack while you actually study.”
Residential Life
“On campus, we have multiple residential housing options. All of them come with great lobbies, great places to hang out, and we also have free Wi-Fi and laundry in each of the locations.”
“Residential life is extremely important at Montreat College. We truly value community and we truly value our students here at the college. Not just students getting together with students, but also students and staff and the relationships we have is one of those things that makes Montreat so special. For more information and photos, check out our website.”
Howerton Dining Hall
“I’m standing outside Howerton Dining Hall, our main cafeteria on campus. This is one of my favorite spots here at Montreat College where you can come outside and sit and look at Lake Susan and have great food prepared by our great staff here at Montreat.”
“We really care about health here at Montreat College and we have really good food options that are healthy and a great variety as well. Even if you have specific dietary restrictions, Montreat College staff will go out of their way to help get you what you need. And being a small campus, our dining staff will know you by name and go as far as to have monthly birthday cakes specifically for you.”
Athletics and Conclusion
“We’re standing inside McCallister Gymnasium, home of the Cavaliers men’s and women’s basketball team and the women’s volleyball team. Montreat College is a part of the NAIA and the Appalachian Athletic Conference. We have 20 athletic teams here at Montreat College.”
“Though our gym is small in size, on game day we pack this place out and it becomes a rowdy place for us our fans to be able to enjoy a great game of basketball. Our men’s basketball team has gone back-to-back years to the national tournament. We are consistently recognized in the NAIA for being the Champions of Character, where it’s not just about what we do on the court, but it’s also what we do off the court. At the Black Mountain campus, we also have a state-of-the-art softball field and lacrosse facility.”
“Montreat College is really excited to offer wrestling, cheer and dance, and clay target shooting this year. The coaches and staff truly invest in you not just as an athlete, but also as a student. They really want you to succeed as a student because that will carry you much further in life as well.”
“We hope you enjoyed this virtual tour, but nothing beats seeing this place in person. Contact the admissions office to schedule your campus visit.”