IMPORTANT NOTE: These are the archived stories for Belmont News & Achievements prior to June 26, 2023. To see current stories, click here.

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Ocean Way and Make-A-Wish Fulfill Lifelong Dream for North Carolina Teen

Julia Couch
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Ocean Way and Make-A-Wish Fulfill Lifelong Dream for North Carolina Teen

This spring, Ocean Way Nashville and Middle Tennessee’s Make-a-Wish Foundation united to fulfill a lifelong dream for 16-year-old Samuel Shannon. When the North Carolina native was diagnosed with scleroderma four and a half years ago, he could barely make a fist. Although his illness has affected his fingers, Sam is still an avid guitar player. Through Make-a-Wish—with the help of Ocean Way Nashville—he was given the opportunity to professionally record two of his original songs and learn about the recording and editing process in the studio.  

Accompanying Sam on “Wish Day” were his parents Elana and Jason Shannon along with president and CEO of Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee Beth Torres. Ocean Way’s director of operations Joe Baldridge was instrumental in planning and coordinating the session.  

With community at its core, the Make-A-Wish request was an easy ‘yes’ for Ocean Way. The team ran the session with the same expectations as any other commercial session. The day described by Baldridge was both a community and skill builder for the Ocean Way team.  

“It’s important to listen to people and come alongside them in both a community and creative sense,” he said. “This can be a transformative process for everyone involved. If you can make it a good experience on multiple levels, you’ve got to say yes.” 

As one of the largest [recording] rooms in town, Ocean Way Studios can accommodate a 60-to-70-piece orchestra for a single session. The studio serves a diverse list of clients spanning various styles from pop/rock to country to classical. While the studio is best known for its recording capabilities, Ocean Way is a place to not only record songs, but create media such as games and trailers. 

The players and engineers for Wish Day were a team of Belmont alumni including:  

  • Jackson Anderson, ‘22 – electric and acoustic guitar 
  • David Crutcher ‘17 – Keys  
  • Garrett Arwood, ‘21 – Bass 
  • Cole Pomeroy, ‘22 – Drums  
  • James Russell, ‘19 – Engineer  
  • Jase Keithley, ‘21 – Assistant Engineer 
  • Hunter Meredith, current media studies student – Videographer

“It was our pleasure to get the opportunity to serve and inspire Sam,” said Baldridge. “I hope what we create together can inspire others to get more involved with dream-making for those who are facing struggles beyond their control.” 

As Sam enters medical remission and continues writing music, he hopes that the use of his wish can be channeled to give back to the community.  

Matters of the Heart: Belmont partners with Heartbound Ministries to Serve Incarcerated Adults through Theater Production 

Allison Fomby
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Matters of the Heart: Belmont partners with Heartbound Ministries to Serve Incarcerated Adults through Theater Production 

Each semester, Belmont Theatre and Dance instructor Shawn Knight gives his Acting III class a project nearing the end of the course. In the fall, he received a call from Andrea Shelton, parent of a Belmont student and Executive Director and founder of HeartBound Ministries, a non-profit organization providing programs and resources to meet the needs of the prison community. 

A member of Heartbound’s prison ministry population presented Shelton with a play that he had written titled From This Day Forward, a story of hope. It was his dream that one day the play could be presented in a public forum and be recorded to be shown in prisons and shelters to inspire others and spread domestic violence awareness.  

To prepare for the production, students spent the back end of fall semester rehearsing. They started with a table-read of the show for an ideation of the story and let Professor Knight know of any specific roles they wanted consideration for. After casting, they held blocking rehearsals — working on the show twice a week leading up to the performance. 

“My class spent a lot of time examining and understanding the weight of telling the stories of domestic violence victims. Professor Knight also walked us through how theatre activities can help lower retention rates in correctional facilities, which helped put our mission into perspective,” said Dani Kucera, junior musical theatre major. “This felt extremely meaningful to know we could help play a part in fulfilling the mission of Heartbound Ministries — to promote hope and restoration.” 

Having spent time getting to know Belmont over the course of her daughter’s time as a student, Shelton had built relationships and gotten to know many members of the campus community, so she reached out to faculty members with the opportunity and was most impressed that even in such a busy time in the semester, she received a response from Professor Knight within a few days — immediately followed by action.  

“I can’t think of another University that would take such a request to heart,” Shelton said. “Our constituency isn’t a group of people that the public is typically thrilled about — so the fact that Belmont would act on something like this means a great deal to so many people. It’s obvious that Belmont is a school committed to putting words into action – especially when they speak of flourishing for all people.” 

600+ Belmont Students Travel the World this Summer

Cara Baker Davis
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600+ Belmont Students Travel the World this Summer

Belmont students have been taking on the world, exploring all the wonders it has to offer during Maymester and short-term summer trips. The total number of programs included 25 Maymester and nine summer programs led by 68 faculty with 626 total students. Here’s a look at a few: 

students on bikes in austraila
students in front of the sydney opera house
student silhouettes look at sydney opera house and bridge

Australia 

Recently, a group of Curb College majors led by Assistant Professor of Media Studies/Cinema, TV, & Media Jen Duck and Chair of Creative & Entertainment Industries & Associate Professor David Schreiber ventured Down Under and embarked on a four-hour bike tour in Sydney, Australia. They also had the privilege of enjoying a private tour of the iconic and breathtaking Sydney Opera House, as well as setting sail in the stunning Sydney Harbor on a historic tall ship.  

They snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef while learning about conservation efforts, experienced and document the Pamagirri Aboriginal culture, and collaborated with students from Australia and China with industry partner Live Nation and V.I.P. Experiences.  

In addition, a group of Belmont Law students made some great memories on their overseas trip to Sydney, Australia. The week-long trip is part of “Legal Globalization and Comparative Law,” taught by Professor Lucian Dervan. 

law students pose as a group on bondi beach on a hike
law students pose as a group on blue mount
law students pose as a group in syndey harbor

South Korea 

Doyuen Ko, Associate Professor of Audio Engineering Technology led students on a trip to South Korea, where they attended the Asian Leadership Conference opening ceremony. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol gave a speech, and the event was attended by many prominent figures, including Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska and The National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine. The following night, attendees had the pleasure of attending acclaimed filmmaker Oliver Stone’s film premiere, “Nuclear Now,” and had the opportunity to ask him questions during a Q&A session.  

Europe 

Two classes took a European tour: “The Sacred, the Secular, and the Spiritual,” which explored the intricacies of religious landscape through the lens of physical space, and “Interior Design Studio III,” an intensive design studio journey. Over a period of 10 days, students visited awe-inspiring sites such as the Roman Forum, Colosseum, Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica. They made a day trip to Florence to see the remarkable Pisa Cathedral and Bell Tower. In Paris, they finished their class with visits to Notre Dame de Paris, Musée d’Orsay, Sainte Chapelle and even the Eiffel Tower.  

For more information on Belmont Abroad programs, visit global.belmont.edu. 

Variety Names Belmont Top Film School in North America 2023

Julia Couch
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Variety Names Belmont Top Film School in North America 2023

Belmont University has been recognized for its exceptional film program by Variety’s Education Impact Report: Top Film Schools in North America. Joining the likes of USC, NYU and UCLA, the prestigious list highlights the University’s commitment to providing students with a top-notch education in the film business.

Dean of the Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, Brittany Schaffer, expressed her pride in Belmont’s inclusion on the list, stating, “We are thrilled to be recognized again by Variety for our Motion Pictures program. At Belmont, we strive to provide our students with an education that prepares them for success in the ever-evolving entertainment industry, and this recognition is a testament to the hard work of our faculty, staff and students.”

John Lloyd Miller, Chair of the Motion Pictures Department, echoed Schaffer’s sentiments, adding, “Our program is designed to challenge and inspire students to tell meaningful and impactful stories. We are proud of our students’ accomplishments and look forward to continuing to help them grow as artists and professionals.”

Belmont’s Motion Pictures program offers students hands-on experience in all aspects of filmmaking, from screenwriting and cinematography to post-production and distribution. With state-of-the-art facilities and a dedicated faculty of industry professionals, Belmont provides students with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the competitive world of film.

As one of the only schools whose students learn to mix in Dolby Atmos, Belmont provides students with top-of-the-line gear and facilities including the ARRI Alexa LF, a 2,500-square-foot sound stage and a Foley/ADR stage. In addition, Motion Pictures is one of the first film departments in the world with Avid Media Central, allowing students to work on projects from nearly anywhere in the U.S. —through which they can log in and control one of 87 remote editing systems. With nearly two petabytes of storage, Belmont’s media server and Avid Media Central make collaborating on films from anywhere faster and easier.

Interested in motion pictures at Belmont? Learn more at belmont.edu/cemb.

A Belmont Student Experience of the 2023 Nashville Mayoral Debates 

Staff Writer
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A Belmont Student Experience of the 2023 Nashville Mayoral Debates 

Politics have always seemed further than an arm’s length away for me until I got a hands-on experience to see the 2023 Nashville mayoral debate proceedings up close. Prior to debate day, I was given the opportunity through Belmont University to publish a story with The Tennessean about issues I saw plaguing Nashville. It was a full-circle moment to hear some of the candidates voice my same concerns on the Fisher Center stage that I wrote from my bedroom. This experience not only aided me in my local awareness but my active engagement. I felt like my words were taken off the page and applied to real issues.  

Seeing my name followed by “Guest Columnist” was a surreal moment and I was incredibly thankful that I was given the space and platform to share my voice. I was so excited from my home state of Michigan that I sent my boyfriend on a mission to purchase the physical newspaper in Nashville so I could always have it tangibly in print.  

When given the choice to attend the debates or be behind the scenes with the candidates, I chose the latter. I have been an observer; I wanted to be a converser. I had seen the candidates as politicians, I wanted to meet them as people. I booked a flight to Nashville. After one layover, missed flight, and Uber, I finally arrived at the Fisher Center ready to be amidst the action (and to never step foot in an airport again)!  

Jaymey Hedberg poses for a picture with mayoral candidate Natisha Brooks at the 2023 Nashville Mayoral Debates.

As a volunteer, I escorted Matt Wiltshire, assuming the role of liaison between my assigned candidate and Belmont University. I briefed my candidate on the logistics regarding debate day and acted as a representative of Belmont’s hospitality. Matt Wiltshire was a pleasure to work with– his witty humor and pleasant demeanor contributed to my enjoyable experience and memorable evening.  

From Matt Wiltshire asking me first thing: “So, what’s your story?” to Natisha Brooks complimenting my outfit and asking to pose for a picture with me, the humanity of these candidates transcended their politicalness. Their intentionality and genuine, down-to-earth attitudes were evident even when they weren’t mic’d up.  

I am very humbled to have been in the presence of so many great people and minds, all passionate about the same thing–our beloved city. I am looking forward to future involvement with this race and the corresponding exchange of ideas, actualization of promises, and the realization of the city we all want to see thrive. 

Two Young Alumni Selected as Belmont University Board of Trustees Regents 

Jasmine Simmons
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Two Young Alumni Selected as Belmont University Board of Trustees Regents 

2022 Belmont Sport Administration and Corporate Communication graduate Peter Geoly and 2023 graduate of Belmont Politics and Public Law Keidron Turner were recently selected to serve as Young Alumni Regents on Belmont University’s Board of Trustees. Young Alumni Regents are chosen to help provide leadership and direction to the Board by representing the views of students and new alumni.  

Geoly’s student experience was characterized by a high level of involvement in clubs and organizations. He served in various capacities as a Bruin recruiter including working as an outreach specialist, overnight host, greeter, welcome desk worker, tour guide and admission assistant. He co-founded the Sport Admin Club, and he was involved in University Catholic Association and held several leadership positions, including vice president. Geoly was inducted into two honor societies, and he served as a team leader and ambassador for the Belmont Office of Leadership Development (BOLD). 

“Above all, during my four years, I tried to give back to the school that gave me so much,” Geoly said. “The Young Alumni Regent position will provide me with the opportunity to continue to give back to the Belmont community and provide a voice for students and young alumni.” 

Turner exhibited exemplary leadership both on campus and in the Nashville community as a student. He served as a senator within the Student Government Association, co-chairing Belmont’s Voter Friendly Campus Initiative. Turner was officially recognized by the Tennesse State Legislature for his work as a legislative intern for the Tennessee General Assembly in 2021, and he participated in the 2023 Nashville Mayoral Debates, submitting a student editorial piece and volunteering at the first of four scheduled debates held May 18 in the Fisher Center for Performing Arts.  

“I simply want to return the favor by being a vessel of service to the values and mission of our university,” Turner said. “The mission and investment into student success is something that has never faded with the ever-growing changes within Belmont and Nashville. I will be forever grateful and in debt for that.” 

Regents are invited to all Board meetings and are provided with all materials pertaining to Board activities. Though they do not vote on action items before the Board, selected representatives serve on various committees and their advisory role is invaluable in guiding the Board in its thoughts and actions.  

Geoly will serve as regent for a two-year term and Turner will hold the position for a three-year term. In total, three Belmont alumni are selected as Young Alumni Regents. 2018 graduate Emily Falvey is currently serving as a regent and her term will expire in 2024.  

Hany Tomas – Belmont is Home Away from Home 

Haley Charlton
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Hany Tomas – Belmont is Home Away from Home 

Before the sun rises each day, Hany Tomas makes the trek from Hermitage to Wedgewood Avenue to his job as a custodian in Belmont’s Barbara Massey Rogers Center. But years ago, he made a much bigger trek: from Alexandria, Egypt to the United States in search of a new chapter. 

Despite his brother warning him it would be too hard to move to the U.S. to find work, Hany felt he had to try. “If it doesn’t work, I’ll move back,” Hany told him. 

It worked. The Tomas family moved from their business and farm in Egypt to Nashville in 2005, Hany working a number of jobs before landing at Belmont in 2007. A lot has transpired in the fifteen years since, including the opportunity to send two of his three children to Belmont to further their education. 

His second daughter earned her degree in biochemistry and later moved to Germany to pursue her master’s degree, and his son graduated just last year with a degree in business. His oldest daughter is currently expecting twins—Hany’s first grandchildren. 

He calls it a privilege to work at Belmont and love those he gets to work with. Whether it’s those whose offices he cleans, the faculty he calls friends or his manager, Sandra, Hany thinks highly of everyone at Belmont. “The people here are very nice; why would I leave?”  

Mr. Hany will happily tell you about his home in Egypt—his family, where to visit, his favorite Egyptian foods—but home is where love resides, where memories are made, where you feel you belong. And he’s found just that at Belmont. 

Belmont Students Participate in 2023 Nashville Mayoral Debates 

Jasmine Simmons
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Belmont Students Participate in 2023 Nashville Mayoral Debates 

On May 18, nine leading candidates in the 2023 Nashville mayoral election visited Belmont’s Fisher Center for Performing Arts to launch the Nashville Mayoral Debate series sponsored by The Tennessean, NewsChannel 5 and the League of Women Votes of Nashville.  

Three Belmont students experienced the world behind the curtain on Thursday. Recent May 2023 graduate Keidron Turner, rising senior international politics student Nebiu Ermias and junior political science student Jaymey Hedberg served as escorts for the event with all-access passes to the Fisher Center and face-to-face, backstage access to candidates.  

“When given the choice to be in attendance at the debates or be behind the scenes with the candidates, I chose the latter,” Hedberg said. “I have been an observer; I wanted to be a converser. I had seen the candidates as politicians, I wanted to meet them as people. From Matt Wiltshire asking me first thing: ‘So, what’s your story?’ to Natisha Brooks complimenting my outfit and asking to pose for a picture with me, the humanity of these candidates transcended their politicalness and their intentionality and genuine, down-to-earth attitude was evident when they were or weren’t mic’d up.” 

Candidates joined co-moderators David Plazas from The Tennessean and Carrie Sharp from NewsChannel 5 on stage for a 90-minute question and answer session to cover a range of concerns including balancing the competing needs of residents and tourists, affordable housing and increasing concerns about public health, among other topics. 

Each candidate opened with a 90-second introduction. The debate was organized into rounds with candidates answering moderator questions in a round-robin format where candidates responded to questions in groups of three, followed by lightning rounds.  

Leading up to Thursday night’s debate Hedberg, Turner and political science and journalism student Braden Simmons expressed their concerns and perspectives in student editorials that were published in The Tennessean.  

“From seeing the behind-the-scenes work of what it takes to manage a debate, researching what issues surround the metro elections in August, and getting a one-on-one conversation with the candidate I had the honor and privilege of escorting – councilmember Sharon Hurt – I am simply reminded of the deep devotion Belmont has to ensure students have every opportunity to participate in the democracy we live in and understands the importance that comes with being civically engaged,” Turner said. 

The students wrote about easing the burden of inflation, the balance between resident and tourist concerns and the need for a mayor with Leviathan characteristics, among other concerns. Follow the link to read each student’s editorial below. 

The general election takes place on August 3, and the runoff election is on September 14. Three more debates are scheduled for the series with Belmont hosting the second debate on June 22, American Baptist College will host a third debate on July 6 and the final debate will be back at the Fisher Center on August 24 if a runoff is necessary.

Belmont University Receives $1.4M as Part of the Families First Community Grant Program 

Jasmine Simmons
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Belmont University Receives $1.4M as Part of the Families First Community Grant Program 

Belmont University was recently named among 40 grant recipients to receive funding from the Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) through its Families First Community Grant Program, an initiative that will award more than $95 million in funding to organizations providing innovative and direct services to support Tennessee families in need. 

“We are honored to announce the 40 organizations that have been selected to receive Families First Community Grant funding to help us ensure that all Tennesseans have a pathway to self-sufficiency and economic prosperity,” TDHS Commissioner Clarence H. Carter was quoted in a press release on Wednesday, May 3. “At TDHS, we understand that we have the greatest impact when we partner with community-based organizations to provide innovative solutions to better support families in need. With the help of these organizations, it is our goal to transform the state’s safety net for our most vulnerable citizens.” 

The Families First Community Grant Program was created through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Opportunity Act, passed and signed by Gov. Bill Lee in 2021 as an additional method to invest TANF funds into programs. In 2019, a $1.5 million 2Gen grant from TDHS significantly boosted the community impact of Belmont’s Family Wellbeing Program (FWP), an initiative established to develop services aimed at providing long-term benefits to low-income families and helping them move towards economic stability. $1.4M from the Families First Community grant will continue to help fund and expand the work of FWP.

“We are so excited about continuing our partnership with TDHS that has allowed us to support over 500 families in our community,” Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness, Educational Innovation, Dr. Paula Gill said. “The social impact of this grant is seen in the lives of our participating families and their ability to access healthy food and services such as music therapy, financial planning, nutrition, and exercise programs along with mental health counseling. This year, we will expand services to include workforce and youth development programs creating more opportunities for our neighbors.”  

FWP provides numerous wraparound services at Belmont’s Ministry Center to underserved children and families in the community in addition to supplying food assistance through a shopping experience at The Store, a non-profit co-founded by Belmont alumnus Brad Paisley and his spouse Kimberly Williams-Paisley. The Store aids upwards of 350 families yearly and celebrated its third year of operations in March.  

The complete list of grant recipients and services provided by each organization can be found on the Tennessee Department of Human Services website, by clicking here. 

Belmont College of Pharmacy Hosts 7th Annual Antimicrobial Stewardship Symposium

Haley Charlton
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Belmont College of Pharmacy Hosts 7th Annual Antimicrobial Stewardship Symposium

Belmont University’s College of Pharmacy hosted the seventh annual Middle Tennessee Antimicrobial Stewardship Symposium on May 19 in the Janet Ayers Academic Center. The event attracted over 125 pharmacists, nurses, physicians, epidemiologists, infection preventionists, residents and students from across Tennessee and the Southeast Region to learn and discuss ways to work together as a medical community to improve appropriate antimicrobial use and mitigate risks. Featured speakers represented the Southeastern Region, and Duke University’s Jillian Hayes gave the keynote presentation.

Dr. Hayes, PharmD, BCIDP, is a clinical pharmacist in infectious diseases and antimicrobial stewardship at Duke University Hospital. Her keynote, “Selling Stewie: Optimizing Social Sciences to Influence Antibiotic Prescribing,” reviewed the basics of implementation science, discussed recruitment of key team players (such as nurses) to perform antimicrobial stewardship, and introduced strategies for how to create an effective business plan to augment new stewardship initiatives.

Dr. Kelly Byrge, assistant professor with Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, noted the importance of the Symposium and its contribution to the field of antimicrobial stewardship. “The dynamic and diverse podium presentations from this year’s symposium provided strategies and knowledge applicable to all stewardship programs alike, regardless of size, longevity, location or affiliation. We are proud to offer content that will continue to lift up the growing field of antimicrobial stewardship.”

The event was planned and hosted by Byrge; Wiyanna Bruck, clinical coordinator/infectious diseases clinical pharmacist with East Tennessee Children’s Hospital; Dr. Christopher Evans, pharmacist with the Tennessee Department of Health; Dr. Kathryn Dambrino, assistant professor with Belmont School of Nursing; Dr. Athena Hobbs, clinical manager with Post Acute Medical; Dr. Shaefer Spires, assistant professor of medicine with Duke University; and Laura Hyde, continuing pharmacy education administrator at Belmont.

Morning lectures featured a lineup of experts from Vanderbilt and Duke. Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Assistant Professor Milner Staub, MD, MPH, presented “Practical Approaches to Starting an Outpatient Stewardship Program,” and Vanderbilt University Medical Center Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology Assistant Professor and Medical Director of the Molecular Infectious Diseases Laboratory David Gaston presented “Gram Staining to Sequencing: Emerging Diagnostic Advancements in Clinical Microbiology.” Rebekah Moehring, associate professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine, presented “Using Spectrum Score Metrics to Aid in Antimicrobial Stewardship Assessments.”

During the afternoon, participants attended roundtable and poster sessions led by pharmacists, physicians and nurses, allowing them the opportunity to discuss topics in a small group format. Planning committee member Dr. Kathryn Dambrino said she is proud this year’s symposium offered programming that highlights the interdisciplinary approach to antimicrobial stewardship.

“After last year’s meaningful panel discussion, we were excited to bring back a new interdisciplinary panel of antimicrobial stewardship experts representing physicians, pharmacists and nurses from different healthcare institutions in Middle Tennessee,” she said. “Antimicrobial stewardship teams require team members to offer role expertise and engage in strong collaboration across multiple disciplines in order to work effectively, and this panel demonstrates what that looks like in real practice.”

View the photo gallery from the symposium.

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