Hollins University has announced the creation of the Claudia W. Belk International Scholarship Fund, an endowed program that will offer deserving Hollins students the opportunity to study abroad for a semester or year, participate in an international experience during the university’s January Short Term, or engage in community service or career internship placements abroad.

The fund was established by John Montgomery Belk, chairman emeritus of the board of Belk, Inc., and former mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina, in honor of his wife, Claudia Watkins Belk, a member of Hollins’ Class of 1960 who went on to become the first female district court judge in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, and whose legal acumen has been recognized with the Claudia Watkins Belk Center for Justice at Central Piedmont Community College. Claudia Belk has long been an enthusiastic supporter of Hollins, serving as a member of the university’s Board of Trustees since 2000 and hosting numerous alumnae, admissions and donor events. The Belks also have a distinguished history of generosity to Hollins, supporting the Richard Wetherill Visual Arts Center, the Nora Kizer Bell Chair in the Humanities, the Hollins Scholar Award Program, and the Hollins Fund.

The objectives of the Claudia W. Belk International Scholarship Fund are similar to a program created by John Belk at his alma mater, Davidson College.

"This gift underscores Claudia’s belief in the importance of global understanding," said Hollins President Nancy Gray. "It matches our strategic direction to build on over 50 years of excellence in study abroad opportunities as we prepare women to make a difference in the world in the 21st century."

In 1955, Hollins became one of the first liberal arts colleges in the country to establish its own foreign study program when it began offering study abroad opportunities in Paris. Today, the Hollins Abroad program sponsors its own satellite programs in Paris and London, and also offers students the chance to study with affiliated programs in countries around the world, including Spain, Japan, Mexico, Ireland, and Italy. These initiatives are complemented by faculty-led tours, language-immersion courses, community service work, and professional internships.

"Study abroad allows our students to gain first-hand, in-depth knowledge of another culture, see the world from a new perspective, and develop intercultural skills that help them succeed in today’s global society," said Gray. "Thanks to the Belks’ generosity, future Hollins students will have an open door to a world of opportunity."