During spring break, you will travel to Rome and stay at Sant’Anselmo, the Benedictine monastery of the Abbot Primate of the Benedictine order. It sits on the Aventine Hill, right across the street from the famous keyhole through which the dome of Saint Peter’s Basilica can be seen. Down the street is the Circus Maximus, the Colosseum, and the Roman Forum. It's hard to imagine a better way to wrap up your four years at Saint Vincent than with this life-changing trip. As you and your BLS friends look back on how much you have grown since freshman year and discuss post-graduation plans, your time in Rome will strengthen your resolve to put your formation into practice out in the world.
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In This Section
Leadership for the Lord’s Service
The Benedictine Leadership Studies (BLS) program invites you to explore who you are as a leader—a disciple called to serve others and promote the common good. Grounded in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition and the rich heritage of the Benedictine Order, BLS helps students gain a deeper understanding of their vocation as men and women made in the Image of God.
Guided by the 10 Hallmarks of Benedictine Education, you will apply these principles to your professional and personal endeavors and grow in community through classes, events, and service. Following in the footsteps of Saint Benedict, your experience culminates in a spring break trip to Rome, Italy!
Structure of the BLS Pathway
Benedictine Leadership Studies is one of four Pathways that make up SVC Honors.
Before beginning the BLS Pathway, all SVC Honors students share a common first year of coursework, lectures, service opportunities, and social celebrations. This shared foundation promotes meaningful relationships and a strong sense of community with other SVC Honors students, while fostering a collegial friendship among BLS students.
As you dive deeper into the exploration of leadership rooted in the Rule of Saint Benedict and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, you will focus more on BLS-specific courses, events, and projects. The BLS experience concludes in a spring break trip to Rome during your senior year.
For more information, please contact the BLS Director, Michael Krom, Ph.D.
To learn more about Benedictine Leadership Studies, follow us on Facebook or on Instagram.
SVC Honors
Rome Capstone Experience
Highlights
Internships Rooted in the Benedictine Tradition
Unique internships for academic credit will allow you to put your studies into action. In recent years, BLS students have served as research assistants, consultants, graphic designers, camp counselors, pharmacy technicians, teacher’s assistants, and more. Our students have interned at places like Warner Bros, Mission of Mercy Dental Clinic, Camp Wojtyla, and PNC Bank. Collaboration with our Career and Professional Development Center will ensure that you are ready for that first interview as you launch your career.
Transformative Experiences in Faith and Leadership
One of the standout electives in the BLS program is Outdoor Leadership: Traveling Monastery, a unique course built around a 35–40 mile backpacking journey on the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail. This immersive experience challenges you to live simply, rely on your community, and put the Benedictine Hallmark of Love of God and Neighbor into action, all while carrying everything you need on your back.
Reflective Mentorship
BLS aims to create a strong community of student-scholars, guided by caring professors and peers who walk with you on your journey. As a BLS freshman, you’ll meet annually with a BLS faculty advisor to reflect on your college experience and ask questions, helping you stay grounded and supported. As you discern your vocation, having a close-knit group of friends can help fine-tune the ears of your heart, making it easier to listen for God’s voice in your life.
Service Leadership and Learning
As a BLS scholar, you will engage in service learning, team-building, and career planning that helps you connect the 10 Benedictine Hallmarks to your personal growth, daily life, and future vocation in real-world settings. You may also serve in one of our apostolates in such places as Senegal, Brazil, Taiwan, and Alaska! To keep track of everything, you will create an online portfolio that highlights your academic work, leadership growth, and application of Saint Benedict’s Rule.
Student Spotlights
“BLS introduces students to a lifestyle of faith and leadership modeled after Saint Benedict and his tradition. It’s helped me broaden my definition of leadership with others who share my Catholic faith.”
Jonah Vaglia C'24
“Participating in the BLS program was one of the best decisions I made for my spiritual, social, and professional life at Saint Vincent. This program introduced me to some of the most remarkable people that I am proud to call my closest friends. Comradery with other driven faithful students challenged me to be a better Catholic, a better student, and a better leader.”
Natalie Homison C'25
Expected Coursework and Other Requirements
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Anticipated Courses and Events
Academic requirements
Benedictine Leadership Studies Core Curriculum
Complete 6 Honors courses in various disciplines and electives where leadership, inspired by the Benedictine tradition, is a central theme. These courses serve as preparation for the senior-year trip to Rome.
- Theology
- Philosophy
- Political Thought
- Literature
- History
BLS Capstone Seminar
After experiencing the Benedictine heritage first-hand in Rome for a spring break course, students will create projects comparing the Benedictine approach to leadership with other models.
Enrichment Opportunities
- Annual meetings with BLS mentor
- Reading groups
- Academic events
- Social gatherings
These experiences build community and help you decipher your vocation through discipleship.
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Key Courses
Catholic Political Thought: This course provides a background on the Church's 2000-year tradition of articulating the relationship between religion and politics, in obedience to Christ's teaching to "render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.
Justice and Charity: This course explores the virtues of justice and charity, essential for securing the common good. Through St. Thomas Aquinas' virtue theory, students will study these virtues' roles in moral, economic, and political life, and apply Aquinas' insights to contemporary issues and Catholic Social Teaching.
Psalms and Wisdom Literature: In this course, you will engage in an in-depth study of the Book of Psalms and the Wisdom tradition of the Old Testament, providing a foundation for discovering the meaning and value of Israel's prayers and wisdom in contemporary thinking and practice.
The 10 Hallmarks of Benedictine Leadership
- Love of God and Neighbor as Self – A Benedictine education aims at imparting “perfect love of God which casts out fear.”
- Prayer – As St. Benedict reminds us, “every time you begin a good work, you must pray to God most earnestly to bring it to perfection.”
- Stability – “A school for the Lord’s service” requires us to be committed members of the community.
- Conversatio (Growth as a Disciple of Jesus Christ) – Latin for “way of life,” conversatio demands an openness to our education’s transformative power so that we might be equipped with the “tools for the cultivation of virtue.”
- Obedience – To the Benedictine, obedience begins in listening carefully “with the ear of the heart” to God speaking to us in Sacred Scripture, Tradition, prayer, and worship.
- Discipline – The Benedictine motto, Ora et Labora (pray and work), calls us to be “clothed with faith and the performance of good works.”
- Humility – Contrary to the prideful ways of the world, we must remind ourselves daily that “we descend by exaltation and ascend by humility.”
- Stewardship – The goods of the Earth are entrusted to us so that we may build up the community, and we should see those as wealthy who do not seek for more material possessions but instead can “thank God” for needing less than others.
- Hospitality – Central to Benedictine spirituality is structuring the community so that “all guests who present themselves” can be “welcomed as Christ.”
- Community – A Benedictine community is one in which we “prefer nothing whatever to Christ” and give to one another “the good zeal which leads to God and everlasting life.”
The 10 Hallmarks shape the character of the BLS program. As a BLS fellow, you will be educated in the virtues associated with the Hallmarks, and encouraged to develop them in ways appropriate to your future profession and vocation. Love of God and neighbor as self, purposeful reflection, commitment to one's obligations, openness to truth, steady work habits, humble regard for others, and a respect for creation are all attributes encouraged by the program. Recognizing that all leadership takes place in the context of communities, whether they be civic, natural or supernatural, the BLS program seeks to cultivate the complete human person: body, soul and spirit.
Application and Contact Information
If you are interested in applying to SVC Honors, first apply for admission to Saint Vincent College: Apply to Saint Vincent College.
Students who meet the eligibility criteria of a 3.5 GPA are invited to apply for the SVC Honors Program. To be considered, you must submit a separate Honors application by February 15.
An interview is also required. Once your application is submitted, someone will reach out to schedule a brief interview.
If you have any questions or would like more information on SVC Honors, please contact our Director of Honors, Dr. Jerome Foss. He can be reached at: Jerome.Foss@stvincent.edu 724-805-2652
If you are interested in more information specifically about BLS, contact Michael Krom at michael.krom@stvincent.edu.
Explore other SVC Honors Pathways
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Aurelius Scholars of the Great Books
Explore the world through the Western intellectual tradition by studying the great texts, ideas, and perennial questions of the Western world.
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Faith, Science, and Technology Scholars
Explore the interplay between faith, science, and technology in the liberal arts tradition by cultivating critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and a deeper appreciation for the complexities of modern society.
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SEEK Scholars
Follow the path of Service, Exploration, Experience, and Knowledge (SEEK) while grounded in the tradition of Catholic Social Thought. Embrace stewardship for all creation by serving the poor, defending human dignity, and advancing social justice.