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 A Cappella Groups Seize First, Second Place in International Championship Quarterfinals

Katie McAdams
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Belmont A Cappella Groups Seize First, Second Place in International Championship Quarterfinals

On February 9, 2020, the Morton Theatre held the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella South Quarterfinal Competition in Durham, North Carolina. Belmont groups Pitchmen and The Beltones placed first and second and will advance to the semifinal competition.

Pitchmen took the stage with “I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston and blew the audience away. Lead singer for that song, Chris Wiper, was awarded Outstanding Soloist at the competition. “Good Things Come to Those Who Wait” by Nathan Sykes and “Must Be Hard Being You” by Clark Beckham were also performed by the group.

Concluding the night in lavender and white outfits, The Beltones performed “American Privilege” and “Is This Love” by Allen Stone, as well as “Help Us to Love” by Tori Kelly, accompanied by the Hamiltones.

“I know Pitchmen and I are beyond excited to be moving onto the semi-finals with the Beltones,” said student leader Ben Holcomb. “Both groups brought incredible powerhouse vocal talent to the stage that could only come from Belmont. The Pitchmen owe our success to our fantastic music director, Wilson Smith, for all of his hard work and direction this year!” 

Carly Stiver, student leader of The Beltones also shared, “It was such a rewarding weekend getting to share our love and joy for performing with each other to an audience full of family and friends. We had so much fun getting to share the experience with Pitchmen, as well. We feel so blessed to get the opportunity to do it again at semi-finals!”

‘Social Change & ME’ Unites Undergraduate, Graduate Leaders

Katie McAdams
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‘Social Change & ME’ Unites Undergraduate, Graduate Leaders

Belmont’s Office of Leadership Development (BOLD), in partnership with 10 Belmont staff and students from across campus, guides graduate and undergraduate participants through understanding and applying the 7 C’s of the Social Change Model. Each spring, BOLD hosts “Social Change & ME (SC&ME),” an interactive overview of socially responsible leadership. A staff and student team has worked throughout January and February to provide seven options for Belmont students to study and practice the levels of the development in Social Change Model.

The model’s seven values are congruence, consciousness of self, commitment, collaboration, controversy with civility and citizenship. During SC&ME, students rotate through stations including interactive activities that challenge students to learn and practice implementing behaviors related to each of the 7 Cs while collaborating and engaging with each other.

The sessions are facilitated by graduate and undergraduate students who share their leadership lessons to empower students in realizing that they can be socially responsible leaders now, both on and off campus.

One student said, “I learned how to be a good leader, but that I have to take that out in the world to affect positive change. I have to bring self, group, and citizenship together to make a real difference.”

Students most appreciated open conversations, new ways to talk about leadership, the diversity of the presenters and their activities, as well as being able to put their learning into practice.

Graduate Assistant Logan Monday explained, “SC&ME helps students recognize and develop the skills they have to be socially responsible leaders now.”

Kristina Sullivan, a graduating senior and facilitator during SC&ME, noted how awesome it was to watch students learn to implement behaviors that exhibit socially responsible leadership.  She said, “It’s amazing to see the kind of development that can take place during a 30-minute experiential learning session.”

Next, students will participate in BOLD’s Leadership Lately with men’s and women’s basketball coaches, Casey Alexander and Bart Brooks. Click here to learn more details about these upcoming events.

Belmont Launches New ‘BULoveU’ Initiative

Katie McAdams
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Belmont Launches New ‘BULoveU’ Initiative

Belmont University has announced a new initiative, BULoveU, coming up next week, February 17-21. The week is dedicated to mental and physical wellness, specifically surrounding self-compassion, body image and body positivity. BULoveU is an initiative allowing students to focus on themselves in order to become strong individuals who can support their own well-being and be there for others.

Alyssa Karmia, graduate assistant for group fitness and special events, explained, “A lot of us tend to place ourselves second in our lives to try and be there for others. This initiative provides a space for students to turn that focus inward and work towards feeling strong both internally and externally.”

BU Love U logo

The week’s programming will include interactive conversations about diet and nutrition, free blood pressure screenings for students, methods for self-care and caring for others, guided meditation and fitness sessions. The last day will feature guest speaker Courtney Grimes, president and founder of Body RenewED, an organization supporting individuals struggling with eating disorders.

The week’s events include:

  • Monday, Feb. 17
    • Coffee with Kara, a dietitian from Sodexo, in Curb Café at 10 a.m.
    • Blood Pressure Screenings at 10 a.m. in Beaman with nursing and physical therapy students
    • Hip Hop Dance Party in the group fitness studio at 8 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Feb. 18
    • Mindful Conversation with Dr. Adrianne Sternberg (BOLD) at 10 a.m. in JAAC 1037
  • Wednesday, Feb. 19
    • Enneagram and U with Abbi Rodriguez in McWhorter Hall Room 102 at 10 a.m.
  • Thursday, Feb. 20
    • Meditation and Masterpieces with Counseling in the group fitness studio at 11 a.m.
    • International Ride (spin class) with Kayleigh in the group fitness studio at 8 p.m.
  • Friday, Feb. 21
    • Body Image and Positivity with Courtney Grimes from Body RenewED at 4 p.m. in the group fitness studio
    • Yoga with Kristen at 5 p.m. in the group fitness studio

Belmont Law Alumni Win Best National Brief

Haley Charlton
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Belmont Law Alumni Win Best National Brief

Scribes, The American Society of Legal Writers, recently presented an annual award for the best student-written brief in the country since 1996 to a Belmont Law student team of Allyson Lynch, Paul Madden and Sarah Martin. These students all graduated with the Class of 2019.

To be considered for this award, the brief must have previously won an award at competition. This team won the best regional brief at the National Appellate Advocacy Competition, sponsored by the American Bar Association last year. The top 15 to 20 briefs go to a committee which reads the briefs, deliberates and chooses the top three briefs.

After being entered into the Scribes Writing contest as a result of this win, and being the first entry to represent Belmont University College of Law, the team’s brief was selected as the national winner of the best brief. As a result, the alumni will receive an award at Scribes’ annual CLE in Chicago on April 3, 2020.

Belmont Law Professor and Director of Advocacy Amy Moore said this is a fantastic honor. “Out of all the briefs that won competitions around the nation, ours was the very best,” she said. “What a tribute to our legal writing program, our advocacy program and our hard-working students.”

Previous winners of this award come from schools like Florida State University, Wake Forest University, University of Georgia, Seton Hall School of Law, Case Western Reserve University, South Texas College of Law, Northern Kentucky University, George Washington University Law School, UC Davis, Texas Tech University, William and Mary and Fordham, among others.

Students, Faculty Contribute to Inclusive ‘Chill Zone’ at The Discovery Center

Katie McAdams
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Students, Faculty Contribute to Inclusive ‘Chill Zone’ at The Discovery Center

In January 2015, The Discovery Center formed its Special Needs Task Force to foster an environment that allows exploration without barriers. Yesterday, it unveiled its brand new “Chill Zone,” a calming room to offer to children and families experiencing distress, funded by a grant from the Nashville Predators Foundation. But, designing such a room required architects, creatives and occupational therapists. That’s where Belmont students and faculty stepped in.

Dr. Teresa Plummer, associate professor of occupational therapy, came in contact with this project during her sabbatical in the fall semester. She provided expertise as an occupational therapist for the “Chill Zone” project and made recommendations for beneficial items to include. Once the ball was rolling, Plummer reached out to Jayme Jacobson, assistant professor of architecture, with the opportunity for interior design students in the O’More College of Architecture, Art and Design to engage with the project. Jacobson immediately adjusted the studio schedule to make it work. With the studio having an inclusive design focus, this provided an extraordinary service-learning opportunity.

“Sometimes our students just need to hear that we believe in them,” shared Plummer. “In action, that means we provide them with opportunities to collaborate with other disciplines in volunteer opportunities. They realize we are all part of the same world, which blurs the line of inclusion. Students are part of the solution. Their gifts to our committee come full circle to reinforce their sense of belonging and understanding. We are one.”

A group of four design students and one occupational therapy student including current students Chloe Burch, Kat Stevens, Brittany Chamberlain and Stephanie Rathlef visited the space for the “Chill Zone” and put together a design proposal incorporating Dr. Plummer’s recommendations and the Discovery Center’s goals. The students assisted with the theme, color, feel and materiality of the room.

After researching design strategies for calming spaces and sensory activities, the group proposed a custom bench design with storage underneath and material selections and services provided at a discounted cost to the Discovery Center.

“It is especially rewarding for students to see their design work come to life in a real context, and even more so when it has a positive social impact as it surely will at the Discovery Center,” said Jacobson. “Dr. Plummer and I both celebrate real-working learning and social impact. This was an exciting opportunity in which we were able to contribute.”

Cusic Commissioned to Write for London Symphony Orchestra

Haley Charlton
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Cusic Commissioned to Write for London Symphony Orchestra

Don Cusic, professor of music business, was commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra to write Programme Notes for the London Symphony’s “Symphonic Gospel Spirit” concert on March 1.

Belmont’s Jack C. Massey College of Business Launches Partnership with Williamson County High School’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center

Haley Charlton
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Belmont’s Jack C. Massey College of Business Launches Partnership with Williamson County High School’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center

Belmont University’s Jack C. Massey College of Business recently launched its partnership with the Williamson County High School Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center, acknowledging the EIC’s commitment to championing high school students towards entrepreneurial endeavors.

Ranked a Top 20 College for Entrepreneurship in the U.S., Belmont is equipped to support the EIC as it creates its entrepreneurship curriculum at the highest standard. The College of Business’s goal is to lead both high school and collegiate level students to success in entrepreneurial launch of business and is proud to support the EIC in many ways, including sponsorship dollars, workshop series, professor mentorships and more.

Director of the EIC Dr. Kari Miller said the center was created to give high school students from across Williamson County an opportunity to open actual businesses and learn about entrepreneurship in an authentic, applied way.  “This authenticity is only possible through collaboration with our local entrepreneurship ecosystem, of which Belmont University’s Jack C. Massey College of Business is a pivotal member,” she explained. “The EIC’s partnership with Belmont’s College of Business allows our students to learn exponentially more than they could ever learn from a traditional high school business course, and it provides a glimpse into the possible entrepreneurial pathways open to them in college and career.” 

The Williamson County High School EIC supports its students’ businesses through adopting national curriculum standards, offering community entrepreneur mentorship and presenting business acumen workshops and entrepreneurship lecture series. With the support from Belmont’s partnership, the newly organized center is positioned to be “best in class” and set a high standard for high school entrepreneurship programs, not only in the region, but nationally.

Details of the agreement include:

  • Non-restricted sponsorship dollars to support the EIC’s efforts with student-run businesses
  • Jack C. Massey College of Business Entrepreneurial Workshop Series and Certificate Program delivered by entrepreneurship professors
  • Hosting the EIC students on campus for special events and entrepreneurial activities with collegiate students
  • Providing speakers outside of the workshop series on requested topics
  • Other programmatic offerings as needs arise
Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center

To kick off the partnership on January 14, Belmont hosted a talk with Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship Rachel Wilson about sources of funding, titled “Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees.” Wilson discussed understanding the best ways to fund a new business and common external sources of funding available for young entrepreneurs.

Another session occurred on February 4, as Entrepreneurship Professor Matthew Wilson presented “You think you have the next great idea… now what?” His session explored the feasibility phase of pursuing entrepreneurial ideas and reviewed the main components in the pre-launch phase.

There are several more events planned for the remainder of the spring semester, beginning at 5:45 p.m. each night and ending with a Q&A session.

On February 25, Jack C. Massey Professor and Chair of Entrepreneurship Jeff Cornwall will talk about career paths, exploring some of the paths that successful young entrepreneurs typically follow to achieve success. The talk will focus on gaining early experience with business startups and the power of bootstrapping in launching entrepreneurial careers.

On March 24, Professor of Entrepreneurship Mark Schenkel will present “Blue Ocean Strategy,”comparing and contrasting the concepts of market-creating (“blue ocean”) and market-competing (“red ocean”) strategic movements. Participants will explore these concepts, learning about principles and tools that can be important to understanding customers’ pain points and interests as they seek to identify uncontested market space.

On April 14, Jack C. Massey College of Business Admissions Officer Taylor Dillon will present a session for students who are interested in pursuing entrepreneurship as a college major and highlight the benefits of choosing the Jack C. Massey College of Business.

The Jack C. Massey College of Business Entrepreneurship Program has been named a National Model Undergraduate Program for excellence in entrepreneurship education by the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE), as well as a national Top 20 Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program by the Princeton Review. In 2010, the program was featured by Fortune magazine as one of five schools to consider when studying entrepreneurship. These awards and distinctions place Belmont’s Center for Entrepreneurship among the most exceptional entrepreneurship programs in the country.

Carr Presents at Southeastern Arts Leadership Educators Conference

Haley Charlton
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Carr Presents at Southeastern Arts Leadership Educators Conference

Cheryl Slay Carr, associate dean and associate professor in the Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, presented “Teaching the Law and Business of Musical Theatre” for the Southeastern Arts Leadership Educators conference. 

The session focused on intersections between sectors of the music industry, including non-profit and for-profit sectors, and examined contrasts and similarities between the traditional music industry and the business of musical theatre as a means for expanding frameworks for leadership in the entertainment industry.

Mike Lenda, CEO of The Well Coffeehouse, Shares Faith and Entrepreneurship Journey

Katie McAdams
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Mike Lenda, CEO of The Well Coffeehouse, Shares Faith and Entrepreneurship Journey

On Friday, January 31, more than 250 Belmont students heard from guest speaker Mike Lender, CEO of The Well Coffeehouse, about faith and entrepreneurship. The chapel was presented by the Thomas Cone Center for Entrepreneurship, the Kennedy Center for Business Ethics, Center for Social Entrepreneurship and University Ministries.

With “turning coffee into water” as Lenda’s personal mantra and the mission statement of The Well Coffeehouse, contributing to the construction of new wells for safe, clean drinking water in remote communities is a huge part of Lenda’s business. Since 2013, 23 wells have been completed with the substantial funds donated by The Well Coffeehouse.

Lenda shared his journey from working as a Starbucks barista in Nashville, Tennessee, to major U.S. market executive management roles with Starbucks. Lenda gives much credit to his unwavering belief and confidence in following the Lord’s plan for his life for his large professional success and rewarding personal life. Now serving as the CEO of The Well Coffeehouse, Lenda explained that his primary motivation for returning to Nashville was to help others improve their lives by having access to basic necessities. With purpose fueling his passion, Lenda strives to make an impact in local and global communities by amplifying voices unheard.

The most rewarding parts of his journey thus far, he shared, are the people he’s met and worked with along the way. Lenda finds great joy and purpose in leading teams to create a place where customers, donors and employees feel known, loved and cared for while caring for the world around them.

Faith and Culture Symposium Nurtures Important Dialogue about Mental Health, Faith

Katie McAdams
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Faith and Culture Symposium Nurtures Important Dialogue about Mental Health, Faith

This week, the College of Theology and Christian Ministry hosted its 7th Annual Faith and Culture Symposium with a number of events surrounding this year’s relevant theme, Mental Health and Faith: Human Wholeness, Mind, Body and Soul. Each event addressed the hot topic through various perspectives including theological, academic, cultural, social and artistic. This year’s symposium created a space for the Belmont Community to partake in the larger conversation concerning the intersection of faith and culture. Throughout the week, the College of Theology and Christian Ministry offered events including chapels, panel discussions and a writers round.

The week kicked off with an inspiring chapel featuring respected womanist process theologian Dr. Monica A. Coleman, a professor of Africana Studies at the University of Delaware and ordained minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Dr. Coleman shared with attendees her own journey with mental health and the struggles it brings in ministry and teaching.

Interfaith panelists
Interfaith panelists Rabbi Laurie Rice, co-rabbi at Congregation, Sabrina Mohyuddin, executive director of the American Muslim Advisory Council and Amy Mears, co-pastor of Glendale Baptist Church

An interfaith panel of Christian, Muslim and Jewish faith leaders occurred on Tuesday afternoon addressing how mental health is dealt with in various faith communities. Guest speakers Rabbi Laurie Rice, co-rabbi at Congregation, Sabrina Mohyuddin, executive director of the American Muslim Advisory Council and Amy Mears, co-pastor of Glendale Baptist Church, shared wisdom found in their respective faith’s traditions in addition to practical strategies used to cope with mental health challenges within their faith communities.

“Within our cultures and backgrounds we all follow a variety of different belief systems, and we often define our identity with our customs from our diverse cultures and religions,” explained freshman Ayla Schwartz. “When we look deep down, we are all humans that experience similar emotions and similar struggles, especially when it comes to mental health. This is what this symposium has taught me and something I will carry with me as I continue my path forward into my future.” 

On Wednesday, another panel discussion took place at Belmont featuring its own Heather Daugherty (University Ministries), Dave Jaeger (Counseling Services) and Jamie Zeller (Be Well BU). The discussion served to raise awareness for the many resources on campus that are available to students to assist in achieving wellness in college.

Performer at Rabbit Room
The Rabbit Room Writers Round with special musical guests, Drew Miller, Taylor Leonhardt, Eric Peters and Becca Jordan.

In a unique event, Belmont shed light on mental health and faith on Thursday through an art-focused approach, sponsored by the College of Theology and Christian Ministry Student Advisory Board. Special guests Drew Miller, Taylor Leonhardt, Eric Peters and Becca Jordan participated in the Rabbit Room Writers Round. The Rabbit Room is an assortment of local Nashville musicians, theologians, artists and pastors aiming to foster “Christ-centered community and spiritual formation through music, story and art.” A cookie reception following the writers round allowed attendees to engage in meaningful conversations surrounding the topics of faith and mental health.

Concluding the Faith and Culture Symposium, a chapel was held on Friday featuring guest speaker Natasha Walker, MM, MT-BC, instructor of Music Therapy. Speaking to students about the role of music therapy and mental health, she focused on the intersection between music, mindfulness, faith and mental health.

“This year’s Faith and Culture Symposium addressed a timely issue that deeply impacts all parts of the Belmont community,” said Dr. Gideon Park, assistant professor of religion. “The week wrapped up with the Rabbit Room Writer’s Round and the chapel featuring Professor Natasha Walker from the School of Music. Both events beautifully demonstrated the therapeutic role of music and mindfulness as an antidote to stress and anxiety.”

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