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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Belmont Alumnus Launches Million Masks for Kenya Campaign

Haley Charlton
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Belmont Alumnus Launches Million Masks for Kenya Campaign

Kipkosgei Magut, a former Belmont student-athlete and Kenyan native, is now an entrepreneur out to help his homeland during the COVID-19 pandemic. In partnership with The Addis Clinic, Belmont University Enactus, Kenya Association of Middle Tennessee and Uniti Health, Zyllion Technology and Kenyans in the Diaspora are launching Sew for Life, a campaign to make one million masks for Kenyans who cannot afford them.

“We are all living in unprecedented times due to the pandemic; unfortunately, my homeland Kenya has not been spared. According to health experts’ models, COVID-19 will infect 200,000 Kenyans,” said Magut. “It is in times like this that, as an entrepreneur, I innovate.”

More than 100 tailors have been recruited for the effort and there is a Facebook Fundraiser underway to mobilize resources needed to bring the idea to fruition. All donations will go to The Addis Clinic, a 501(c)3 non-profit providing telehealth work in Kenya, to compensate tailors and acquire raw materials to make the masks.

Magut spoke with News Channel 4 about the impacts he hopes to see from the campaign.

Mass transportation systems in the U.S. are associated with Uber, Lyft or even the New York Subway system—all of which present challenges in the era of social distancing. However, in Kenya, mass transit comes in the form of five or twelve-seater cars hauling passengers seated side by side to hospitals, grocery stores, work, hospitals or any other destination in the city. Very few people, if any, have a personal mode of transportation. Public transportation is akin to grocery stores in America; it is an essential thing difficult to escape, no matter the adherence to social distancing.

Additionally, Kenya is home to the second-largest slums in the world with an estimated population of anywhere between 500,000 to 1 million. People in Kibera are lucky to earn the U.S. minimum wage. They lack running water or proper restrooms. COVID-19 has only made their struggles worse. Since Kenya has imposed a lockdown, many people in Kibera and other slums such as Mathare have lost their jobs and cannot afford to buy food or medicine, let alone masks or other forms of protection.

“Each one of us, no matter our economic status, deserves a chance to breathe without worrying about contracting COVID-19 because they did not have a $1 mask,” said Magut. “Please join us and provide a mask to someone in need. Together, we can beat COVID-19 and bring hope to Kenyans in need of medical protection.”

Belmont University’s Occupational Therapy Master’s Program Receives 10-Year Accreditation

Haley Charlton
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Belmont University’s Occupational Therapy Master’s Program Receives 10-Year Accreditation

Belmont University’s Occupational Therapy Master’s Program recently received full accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The status was granted for a period of 10 years. The program’s Interim Report will be due in spring 2024, and the next on-site evaluation will be scheduled within the 2029 academic year.

Dean of the College of Health Sciences and Nursing Dr. Cathy Taylor said, “We are so proud of this extraordinary achievement. While we see the dedication and hard work of program faculty, staff and students every day, such recognition for excellence is especially meaningful when it comes from respected peers.”

As one of the first in the country to gain professional accreditation at the doctoral level and with a unique master’s program providing advancement opportunities for occupational therapy assistants and physical therapist assistants throughout the U.S., the Belmont University School of Occupational Therapy leads the way in educating future occupational therapists. Students receive a comprehensive education from experienced practitioners, utilizing the latest methods and technologies in an environment that encourages life-long learning, service and advocacy.

The ACOTE onsite team is comprised of expert reviewers who evaluate the overall effectiveness of the program relative to its mission and success with respect to student achievement. Chair and professor of the School of Occupational Therapy Dr. Lorry LiottaKleinfeld explained programs can be granted a five, seven or ten-year period for re-accreditation based on the recommendations of the team.

“While a 7-year period for re-accreditation is the standard timeline that is awarded, the 10-year period for re-accreditation that the MSOT program was awarded reflects the finding of the exceptional educational quality of our program,” said LiottaKleinfeld. “I believe that the quality of our program reflects not only a sound curriculum taught by expert faculty but reflects the involvement of community partners from across the United States and the qualities of our students who are at the heart of our program.”

Graduates of Belmont’s program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist, administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination.

Accreditation has been a stated function of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA®) since 1923. AOTA’s Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE®) is recognized as the accrediting agency for occupational therapy education by both the United States Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). ACOTE is also an active member of the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors (ASPA). ACOTE currently accredits over 400 occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant educational programs in the United States and its territories.

Two Belmont Students Announced as Participants for Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriters Project

Haley Charlton
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Two Belmont Students Announced as Participants for Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriters Project

The Johnny Mercer Foundation (JMF) and the American Music Theatre Project (AMTP) at Northwestern University will proceed with plans for the 15th annual Songwriters Project, recently announcing two Belmont students as participants: senior Kate Cosentino and Calista Garcia. Despite the cancellation of in-person gatherings because of COVID-19 concerns, the intensive songwriting camp, master classes and workshops honoring the legacy of Johnny Mercer will take place online from June 21-27.

More than 180 applicants, between the ages of 18 and 30 years old, applied for the 12 spots in the prestigious program. The program is free-of-charge to selected songwriters through the generosity of the Johnny Mercer Foundation.

Cosentino said she is excited about the experience of joining the 15 emerging songwriters to spend the week with Tony and Grammy Award-nominated master teachers Stephen Bray, Craig Carnelia, Andrew Lippa and Lindy Robbins. “I am hoping they can shine a light on how to make being an artist and a songwriter my full time career-especially since I am graduating this December,” she said. “I am also so excited to meet my fellow writers, be inspired by their work and collaborate with them.”

Calista Garcia
Calista Garcia

The Songwriters Project has been a catalyst to the careers of many artists. Among the program alumni are Tony, Oscar and Golden Globe Award winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (“La La Land,” “Dear Evan Hansen”). Other alumni have been honored with a Latin Grammy Award, a Fred Ebb Award, a Lucille Lortel Award and 14 individual Jonathan Larson Awards.

Garcia said she was particularly interested knowing that many of the participants write for musical theatre, as well as contemporary songwriting. “I have written and composed for a few musical theater projects, including a rock musical I wrote called ‘Crystal Skies’ which is a finalist for this year’s Eugene O’Neill National Musical Theatre Conference,” she explained. “So this project is uniquely suited to combine my interests in both these areas. I am looking forward to collaborating with these incredibly talented artists from all over the world and learning from the amazing faculty. I’m so grateful the program was able to continue online this summer!”

Jonathan Brielle, executive vice president of JMF, said, “Given the virtual format of this year’s program, participants will be able to receive an even greater focus on lyric details. We are excited to be able to continue Johnny Mercer’s gift of collaboration during these difficult times.”

About the Johnny Mercer Foundation:

The mission of the Johnny Mercer Foundation (JMF) is to support the discipline of songwriting in the tradition of the Great American Songbook as exemplified by the life and work of the legendary Johnny Mercer: lyricist, composer, performer, collaborator and producer. The Foundation continues Johnny’s legacy by partnering with individuals and organizations dedicated to celebrating and nourishing the disciplines he mastered and the causes he and his wife Ginger Mercer championed.

JMF has created a number of dynamic creative joint ventures with several prestigious institutions to facilitate our goals including; the Johnny Mercer Writers Colony at Goodspeed Musicals, Accentuate The Positive Programs (New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Miami), the Musical Theater Program at NJPAC, the Musical Theater Program at the Alliance Theatre (Atlanta), Georgia State University Fellowship Program, the Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project with Northwestern University and the Johnny Mercer Archives at Georgia State University. In addition, JMF supports the Braille Institute’s Johnny Mercer Children and Adult Choirs.

American Music Theatre Project

The American Music Theatre Project (AMTP) at Northwestern University partners leading artists in music theater with Northwestern’s faculty, staff and students to develop new musicals, bridging the educational and professional worlds through uniquely tailored new work processes. AMTP’s goal is to nourish and invigorate American music theater by supporting writers in their early stages of development, creating new connections between the professional and academic communities, and increasing opportunities for education and training with Northwestern’s theater, music theater and dance programs.

Johnny Mercer

The legendary Johnny Mercer (1909-1976) composed more than 1,400 songs, including “Accentuate the Positive,” “Fools Rush in (Where Angels Fear to Tread),” “Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home,” “Too Marvelous for Words” and “Come Rain or Come Shine.” He also wrote songs for 100 motion pictures and won four “Best Song” Academy Awards. A top radio personality and recording artist, he was a co-founder and president of Capitol Records and established the Songwriters Hall of Fame with Abe Olman and Howie Richmond.

Nursing Alumna Jennifer Scanlon Conducts Study on Barriers to Clinical Research Participation

Haley Charlton
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Nursing Alumna Jennifer Scanlon Conducts Study on Barriers to Clinical Research Participation

Jennifer Scanlon, DNP, Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital (VCH) nurse and graduate of Belmont University’s Doctor of Nursing Program (May ’20), sought to determine how stakeholder race, trust and education influence participation barriers in clinical research through her scholarly project, “Predictors of Barriers to Participation in Clinical Research in Adults Living in the Southeastern United States.”

The project – which was the first collaboration between Belmont’s School of Nursing and the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance (MVA) – utilized secondary, cross sectional survey data collected between 2014 and 2016 through the former Mid-South Clinical Data Research Network (CDRN), currently known as the STAR-CRN.

“We have underrepresentation in minority races,” Scanlon said. “In those races, there are the greatest health disparities. If we don’t have adequate representation in minorities, we won’t be able to treat them effectively, which will worsen disparities that already exist.”

Scanlon connected with MVA Research Assistant Professor of Medicine Alecia Fair, DrPH and Belmont University Adjunct Instructor of Mathematics David Phillippi, PhD, who served as Scholarly Project Team Managers. Belmont University Director of Graduate Nursing Studies Linda Wofford, DNP served as the Scholarly Project Advisor.

“Dr. Fair and MVA Research Assistant Professor Sarah Stallings, PhD, came to Belmont to introduce datasets they had available,” Scanlon recalled. “They talked about gaps they’d seen, which was why they had a dataset, and it was the perfect thing. I was like, wow, this is what I want to do.”

The dataset consisted of, 5,000 respondents. It came from the former Mid-South Clinical Data Research Network (CDRN), currently known as the STAR-CRN, and was a study of consumer interests and attitudes towards research.

Her research lasted roughly two years, culminating in the fall of 2019. The project’s results indicated that numerous variables impacted different individual’s participation in research.

Scanlon asked how a person’s level of trust and education affect the way they view research. “That analysis showed a lot of different things depending on race and ethnicity. There is a ton of variability in how people perceive research, and it goes back to how there are a lot of personal and environmental factors that influence a person’s decision,” she said. “An individual’s trust, race or education can really influence how they perceive research. Clinicians recruiting participants need to be aware of those characteristics to effectively introduce research.”

At the same time, the results support the importance of trust between patients and healthcare providers. Its conclusion states, “Medical providers involved in recruiting and engaging participants in research must have heightened awareness, consideration and appreciation of the complex relationships of personal and environmental factors that make a participant and their attitudes, specifically towards research, unique.”

Scanlon, who works in trauma and surgery at VCH, said she has always had a passion for minority and underserved populations. Even before this project, she was drawn to research in social determinants of health.

“I’m going to be a Doctor of Nursing Practice, and that role is looking at the healthcare system and closing clinical gaps in research,” she said. “Looking at healthcare as a whole, through this research, I have several future steps, looking specifically at the DNP role and how they represent underrepresented populations.”

She added, “There’s definitely a lot I could do in the future because of this project.”

About the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance

Founded in 1999, the Alliance bridges the institutions of Meharry Medical College and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Its mission is to enrich learning and advance clinical research in three primary areas — community engagement, interprofessional education and research — by developing and supporting mutually beneficial partnerships between Meharry Medical College, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the communities they serve. Through community engagement, the Alliance serves a large community of stakeholders including surrounding universities and colleges, community organizations, faith-based outlets and community health centers. Its interprofessional education enhances students’ interdisciplinary understanding and improves patient outcomes through integrated care. The research conducted provides access to experienced grant writers and materials supporting the grant application process and facilitates grant-writing workshops.

Recent Graduate Gives Virtual Talk on Physics, Data Science for American Physical Society

Haley Charlton
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Recent Graduate Gives Virtual Talk on Physics, Data Science for American Physical Society

Recent physics and audio engineering double-major Spring 2020 graduate, William “Billy” Mitchell, recently gave a talk on subjects involving data science and physics on the American Physical Society Youtube channel.

View his talk on Modeling Time-dependent Nonlinear Signal Processing Effects using Deep Neural Networks here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0DkOWWWcdM

Mitchell will attend graduate school in Texas this fall. 

College of Pharmacy’s Healthcare Informatics Program Receives Visitor from Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy

Haley Charlton
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College of Pharmacy’s Healthcare Informatics Program Receives Visitor from Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy

As a leader in Healthcare Informatics among colleges of pharmacy in the United States, the Belmont University College of Pharmacy’s program frequently entertains visitors interested in learning more about the curriculum and activities of the teams. The spring 2020 semester was no exception.  

On Wednesday, February 25, P4 students in the Doctor of Pharmacy program received Dr. Hilary Campbell, PharmD, JD. for a visit and class session. Dr. Campbell is a research associate at the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy, where she provides guidance on a wide variety of clinical, legal, regulatory, policy and technology issues. Dr. Campbell has developed curriculum for UCSF and Duke, worked at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, and recently spent a one-year term as the special assistant to the chief data officer of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Campbell is currently researching innovative informatics programs in colleges of pharmacy in the U.S.

During the meeting, the P3 data governance team discussed current projects, including an ongoing collaboration with Google to expose all students in the PharmD curriculum to coding. 

After a class observation and follow up meeting with Dr. Anthony Blash, the college’s informatics professor, Dr. Campbell had this to say: “The students in Belmont’s cutting-edge pharmacy informatics program aren’t just learning highly marketable skills that are largely absent from pharmacy school curricula, they are putting them into practice and becoming skilled clinical informaticians and advocates for their specialty.”

Dr. Hilary Campbell, PharmD, JD.
Dr. Hilary Campbell, PharmD, JD

Belmont’s College of Pharmacy is the only pharmacy school in the U.S. to be recognized as a Health Information Management System Society (HIMSS) Approved Education Partner (AEP). As the sponsor of the HIMSS/Belmont partnership, Associate Professor Anthony Blash, Pharm.D., CPHIMS has created a four-course sequence of classes that meets the HIMSS rigorous standards for quality health IT or healthcare education. The informatics courses provide student pharmacists in the healthcare informatics focus track an advanced knowledge of health IT upon graduation.

Additionally, through a combination of expert conversation, live projects and traditional study, students gain the advanced knowledge of healthcare informatics needed to successfully achieve the Certified Associate in Healthcare Information & Management Systems (CAHIMS) certification, further demonstrating the certificate holder’s knowledge of health IT and management systems. To learn more about healthcare informatics partnering opportunities or to schedule a visit, please email Dr. Anthony Blash.

Danie Contreras Wins 2020 Harold Love Award

Haley Charlton
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Danie Contreras Wins 2020 Harold Love Award

For the second consecutive year, a Belmont English major has won a highly competitive Harold Love, Sr. Outstanding Community Service Award, presented by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission each year to recognize dedicated service by individuals in the higher education sector. Rising senior Danie Contreras is a 2020 recipient for her extensive work with Moves and Grooves, Inc., which works with three Metro Nashville Public Schools to provide dance and tutoring inside of the classroom.

The Awards announcement said of Contreras: “Danie has always had a passion for learning about the world and her place in it. She loves reading and researching about global issues and dedicates her time to enriching the lives of those near and far. Whether she is teaching dance, aiding in student business proposals or encouraging students to be critical problem solvers, Danie strives to inspire others to actively recognize and respond to community needs through acts of meaningful service. Shaped by her faith, Danie believes everyone she engages with should be received as Christ, and therefore, deserves to have an unconditional champion in their lives.”

Moves and Grooves (MAG) serves more than 200 Metro students annually and was selected in 2012 to be a Nashville After Zone Alliance Anchor Partner by then Mayor Karl Dean. While at MAG, Contreras was highlighted and nominated as a top Tennessee volunteer by “DoingGoodTv.” View that video here.

Contreras said she did not have too much time to process the email informing her of the award because she was scheduled to do a middle school tutoring session on Zoom when she received it. “Getting the award and going into a tutoring session felt kind of like a full circle moment,” explained Contreras. “I believe in being an advocate and a champion for people. When we believe in others, it makes it easier for them to believe in themselves. Whether I’m teaching dance, giving tips on writing or teaching myself math so I can teach someone else the next day, I know it’s making a difference even if I don’t feel it in that moment. Getting the award just felt like a reminder to remain where my feet are planted because I know I’m doing good work. It was a reminder of faith to say the least.”

English Professor Dr. Robbie Pinter nominated Contreras for the award. She taught Contreras in the English Department’s Peer Tutoring course last fall. Contreras said the class was working on tutoring theory and students were asked to stop by Pinter’s office to pitch ideas. “I just started talking about social justice, which I’m very passionate about in terms of youth and race and ethnicity. Dr. Pinter really opened up a space for me to tell her about the projects I had been involved in. She is a great listener,” she said. “She has been an amazing teacher and friend, and I wish I could’ve hugged her in person when I got the news. Virtual hugs will have to do for now.”

Pinter said, “In the Writing Fellows class I teach, Danie mentioned some work she did through a Notre Dame teaching and learning program that met in a prison. We had several conversations about that program, and every time we talked, I learned of a different way she had volunteered, all related to teaching those who were ‘othered’ in some way.”

At Belmont, Contreras has also volunteered on a regular basis with several programs, including Salama Urban Ministry where she tutors students in mathematics. She volunteers at Stone Soup at Judson Baptist Church where she meets monthly with those who are differently abled to aid them in their social skills. Contreras has made the Dean’s list every semester and was inducted into Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honors Society in 2018. 

After graduation from Belmont, Contreras will continue her work with MAG, as she serves as a student mentor to high schools who are developing their own business plans.  

Belmont University Announces Intent to Return to Campus, In-Person Classes for Fall 2020

Haley Charlton
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Belmont University Announces Intent to Return to Campus, In-Person Classes for Fall 2020

In an e-mail to students, faculty and staff, Belmont University President Dr. Robert Fisher announced yesterday the University’s intention to open for in-person learning and on-campus living as scheduled on August 19.

“Please know that we do not take this decision lightly. Like all of you, we have been struggling to understand the uncontrollable, unpredictable and serious nature of this virus,” Fisher’s e-mail said. “Our leadership has sought the consultation of top medical officials from some of the world’s leading health care companies and research hospitals. We have been agonizingly thoughtful about what it will take for us to return to on-campus living and learning.”

The University has had six teams intensively working on protecting the health and safety of the Belmont community from COVID -19 since the beginning of February. Dr. Fisher explained that, over time, the focus of these teams has shifted and they continue to work diligently to learn, innovate and design solutions to the multitude of factors that are important to the decision to re-open campus activities. Modifications to processes and behaviors, he said, will be critical. “Including faculty, staff and students, Belmont is a 10,000 person community. For us to be successful in our return to campus we will have to do some things very differently to minimize the risk to ourselves and each other.”

Fisher pledged that keeping everyone as safe as possible will be the top priority, stating the decision comes with built in conditions: “If at any point conditions change dramatically for the worse, we will not hesitate to change our course.”

Belmont plans to share more details regarding fall plans and expectations in the coming weeks.

Wiley, Mills Awarded Research Grant to Study Undeclared Student Experience

Haley Charlton
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Wiley, Mills Awarded Research Grant to Study Undeclared Student Experience

Claire Wiley, research and instruction librarian and associate professor, and Jenny Mills, coordinator of research services and associate professor, received a NACADA Research Grant to facilitate the study of the advising experience of undeclared students.

Library faculty, who serve as advisors for this group, will conduct in-depth interviews with formerly undeclared students in order to increase the understanding of how these students perceive the discernment process, the transition to a new major, as well as their general experience as part of the Belmont community.

May 2020 Graduate Anas Saba Receives Esteemed Fulbright Teaching Grant

April Hefner
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May 2020 Graduate Anas Saba Receives Esteemed Fulbright Teaching Grant

May 2020 Belmont University graduate Anas Saba was recently awarded a Fulbright program grant for overseas teaching in Mexico. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is an international exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government that provides competitive grants to graduating seniors and graduate students to serve as cultural ambassadors of the United States abroad.

Belmont Provost Dr. Thomas Burns said, “Fulbrights are extremely competitive, prestigious national awards that recognize our country’s best and brightest. I am confident Anas Saba will represent the United States and Belmont University well in his international placement as he possesses remarkable intellect, passion and commitment to service. Though a recent graduate, he is already fulfilling Belmont’s mission to empower students ‘to engage with and transform the world.’”

Saba graduated from Belmont earlier this month as a double major in international business and management with concentrations in entrepreneurship and Spanish. A Nashville native, during his time on campus Saba served as president of Belmont’s Collegiate DECA chapter, vice president of alumni relations for Phi Kappa Tau fraternity and as a Belmont Ambassador. Saba also founded Nashville Hidden Gems, a food tour agency that takes guests on food tours of immigrant owned restaurants along Nolensville Pike, known as Nashville’s international corridor. “The support I have received from the Belmont and greater Nashville community as I have grown this business has been incredible,” he said. “I consider it a privilege to facilitate the cultural exchange between tourists of Nashville and the international community that calls Nashville home.”

Saba is also interning with Millions of Conversations, a media campaign with the purpose of transcending divides and bringing Americans together over common values, and his long-term aspiration is to work for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Development’s global strategy team. “Belmont has taught me so much, both inside and outside the classroom. I have been so incredibly grateful to my professors who invested so much in me through their mentorship. From professors, to organization advisors, to administrators, to counselors, I was given unconditional support and encouragement. This support instilled in me the belief that I could pursue a Fulbright award and foster community anywhere it sent me.”

With his Fulbright Award, Saba will continue his commitment to facilitating cultural exchange as he teaches English in a public school in Mexico and works with local entrepreneurs in his host community. Due to COVID-19’s impact on international travel, Saba’s program won’t begin until January.

“My aim is to learn from them what their challenges are, and apply what I have learned from my professional and educational experiences to work together to find collaborative solutions… this Fulbright award gives me the flexibility to engage in the two areas I am most passionate about: education and economic development. In any community in the world, education and economic development are the two tools that must be used in tandem to support a healthy community where everyone can succeed.”

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