Alumnus Jack Benz (1955, B.S. in Business Administration) recently co-authored a book with Garrett Williams about his great-great grandfather, Captain William Driver. “From Salem to Nashville OLD GLORY: The Life and Times of Patriot Captain William Driver” tells the story of a young Driver who goes to sea at age 14, becomes captain at 21 and experiences many exciting adventures in the South Pacific.
The week following final exams, a group of 25 College of Pharmacy students from both Belmont and Lipscomb Universities travelled to El Zamorano, Honduras on a medical trip with Belmont on Mission. The team split its time between spending time at Jovenes en Camino, a home for 50+ boys from the area, and setting up mobile clinics. In these clinics, the students spent time ministering to and serving the surrounding areas in the Zamorano valley by providing medical care and medication to those without access to adequate health care.
Trisha McHugh, P3, described a typical day. “We prepared a triage center and three different clinic rooms outside the mobile pharmacy. From there, we started seeing patients from the community. There were men and women off all ages from the area and we treated all that came through our doors,” she explained. “Every single smile, hug, and ‘gracias’ only reaffirmed that what we were doing mattered. We provided fluids for someone in severe dehydration. Medication was given to families who were struggling with infections. Prayer was spoken over parents dealing with loss of loved ones. Every single moment worthy of our full time and devotion.”
This team was the result of the combined effort from the deans of the Colleges of Pharmacy from Belmont and Lipscomb, Dr. David Gregory and Dr. Roger Davis, respectively. As long-time supporters of Jovenes en Camino, both universities were eager to formalize their partnership, understanding the importance of service-focused education for students.
MacKenzie Firek, P2, said, “This trip has given me time to reflect on how God intertwined my story with all the people I meet and those who came with me. Everything I had done from choosing a profession in pharmacy to choosing to go to Belmont brought me to this one moment were my story intertwined with others. This trip has taught me to cherish every moment and know there is a reason my paths cross with certain people in life.”
This time last year, Walker Burroughs was about to begin his American Idol Journey: a journey in which he successfully finished in the Top 8. A year later, Walker is back at Belmont, thriving halfway through his junior year and continuing to boast his vocal chops, well on his way to a successful career in music.
American Idol’s next season is set to premiere on
February 16, 2020 with the potential for more Belmont students to be featured,
as the show hosted an exclusive audition on campus earlier this fall. We sat
down with Walker to discuss his experience on “Idol,” his advice to others
embarking on the journey and to find out what he has been up to since his time
on the show ended.
When Walker released a single in the summer of 2018, he
was encouraged to audition for “Idol.” As a music education major not planning
to pursue a career in performing, Walker decided he didn’t have much to lose
and wanted to see what would happen. He quickly found himself in the executive
producer round in Nashville and then the celebrity audition in October 2018.
“This easily felt like the biggest audition that I’ve
ever done. I had no experience with TV, cameras or producers or interviews or
any of that stuff. I went in for the celebrity audition, and it was just so
overwhelming,” said Walker.
But, he wowed the judges and scored a golden ticket. Walker
described the first couple of rounds as “intense on so many levels” because he
didn’t know how his skill level compared to other contestants, and not to
mention the timing landed him right around Belmont’s finals week.
“Belmont gave me a huge amount of support through all
of that. Belmont is the REASON I was as successful as I was on the show, I
think. Hollywood week is very stressful and leaves you constantly tired, but being
in the music school here helped me know how to take care of my body and my
voice – that helped me get through,” he said.
To everyone who asks Walker if they should audition,
he promptly says “yes, they should.” But, he is also quick to explain that their
journey may not be solely based on talent; it’s a lot more than that.
Walker performs on “American Idol”
“Looking back now, it’s like I was really lucky that I
fit their puzzle piece. It is a singing competition, but first and foremost,
it’s a TV show, and they have to have these different characters,” he
explained. “I just fit into this box really well of the perky little next-door-neighbor
boy, you know? There are plenty of other people that I think, in my opinion,
were much better than I was that got cut a lot sooner than I did. And it’s just
because I fit the box.”
Walker had multiple friends with him at Hollywood Week from Belmont and was thankful to move on to the next round with Belmont alumna Emma Kleinberg. He said the moral support he received from the small group of friends he kept in the loop through the process is what reminded him he was worthy and capable.
“It was a ridiculous amount of help and support that I
got, so much more than I could’ve expected,” explained Walker. “I’m back at
Belmont now because this is where I need to be; this is where my people are. I
think education is super important; I’m studying to be a teacher. But also, my
community of friends and the community here make me remember I still have SO much
to learn and so far to go as a musician and as a person. ‘Idol’ was really
great, but it’s just a very, very different community than what I have here. I
needed that community when I was gone so I’m happy to be back.”
Looking ahead, Walker says he is still figuring out
his plans and taking opportunities as they come. Since the show, he has been
writing music and performed for several months as the piano player on tour with
Bobby Bones, a national radio host and mentor on “American Idol.”
“I’m the musician, Bobby’s the comedian, and then
there’s this other guy that’s kind of in between named Eddy. We have a great
time,” said Walker. “Bobby lets me sing some of my music during the show, and
guess who’s opening for that show? Emma Klein, who’s one of my best friends in
the world. It’s just a dream. The best thing that could’ve happened. And it’s
all because of ‘Idol.’ That’s another reason I say, ‘audition.’ You just don’t
know what you’re gonna get.”
In addition to touring the country with Bobby Bones,
Walker managed to balance school work, sing in Belmont’s a Capella group, The
Beltones, and perform with Belmont’s Jazz Choir.
He is constantly learning how to balance the many pros
and cons of his new normal. “Being recognized in public is very exciting except
for when I’m eating. That’s the annoying time. I took a bite out of my sandwich
once and this guy was immediately like, ‘Will you take a picture with my daughter?’
Let me just finish this bite!” he laughed. “Seriously though, it’s so
flattering and so cool that people would want to come say hi to me. I think
about if there was somebody that I admired enough to want to go say hi to them.
It’s a scary thing to go say hi to people in that way. So, I think it’s really
cool that people would have the courage and kindness to want to compliment me
in that way.”
Walker released his latest single “Made to Be” this fall and has had the chance to perform many of his own shows. He is featured on the recent album “Searching” by The Beltones on the track “Searching for a Feeling.” He will also be spotlighted during his solo with the Jazz Choir when “Christmas at Belmont” airs on PBS nationwide December 23 at 8 p.m. CT (9 p.m. ET). Local stations may air the show a second time: check local listings for times.
Walker’s advice to any Belmont students that may make it on the show or might consider auditioning in the future:
Hi
Belmont friends, I’m proud of you for doing something out of your comfort zone.
If
I could offer any advice it would be to pick the right song for your voice and
for the artist and person that you are. Show your range, show your runs if you
have them, but also do not go over the top. Be tasteful, but also show off what
your voice can do.
Also
know that this is not entirely your talent or anything like that, which was so
helpful to me to understand. Go in with the mindset that “this is a really
awesome opportunity” and “I’m gonna see what happens.” You’re going to learn
something from this no matter what happens, so hopefully it’s a positive
experience.
As
long as you stick to the person you are and remember that as you grow in the
experience, “American Idol” is absolutely worth doing because of the
connections and the experience. It is unlike anything you’ve ever done. It’s
crazy. And, good luck!
Biology department faculty Drs. Steve Murphree, Jennifer Thomas, Darlene Panvini, Chris Barton, Nikki Glenn, Emily Rotich and 13 undergraduate research students representing biology, environmental science and biochemistry & molecular biology majors, attended the 129th Tennessee Academy of Science (TAS) Annual Meeting in November in Columbia, Tennessee.
Six Belmont students were recognized for the quality of their research in their respective poster sections:
David Feng, second place, zoology
Taylor Gerson, third place, cell and molecular biology
Faith Martin, first place, ecology and environmental science
Nicole Pope, first place, zoology
Holly Pyles, second place, cell and molecular biology
Kailey Shannon, first place, health and medical sciences
In addition, Biology Professor Dr. Jennifer Thomas gave a presentation, “Take time to celebrate: an impactful strategy for end-of-course reflection,” in the Science and Math Teaching section.
The Tennessee Academy of Science, founded in 1912, organizes symposia, manages on-going programs in many fields and communicates with the national scientific culture. Biology Professor Dr. Steve Murphree serves as TAS’s treasurer and Biology Professor Dr. Darlene Panvini serves as president-elect.
Titles of all student poster presentations are as follows:
Occurrence of soil arthropods along a pH gradient at an urban protected site in Nashville, Tennessee. Mernaa Fayik* and Darlene Panvini.
Impact of noise pollution on the diversity and abundance of bird species at feeders in two urban neighborhoods. David Feng* and Darlene Panvini.
Lichen DNA barcoding: an aid in lichen identification and air quality assessment. Taylor Gerson*, Chris Barton, and Darlene Panvini.
An Exploration of Endophytes Within Known Medicinal Plants in Pursuit of Novel Antibiotic Synthesis. Zaid Hatem*, Ethan Lilly*, Emily Rotich, Matthew Heard.
Anti-proliferative effects of amodiaquine on multiple cancer cell types. Spenser Johnson* and Chris Barton.
Intensity of development and impervious substrate cover as indicators of urban plant diversity and community composition. Faith Martin* and Darlene Panvini.
Comparison of bird diversity reported at an eBird hotspot and a banding station in an urban natural area park in Nashville, Tennessee. Mia Melendez* and Darlene Panvini.
Drug Repurposing: Anti-malarial compounds decrease the viability of multiple cervical cancer cell lines. Hannah Moore and Chris Barton.
Occurrence of invertebrates along a dry streambed gradient in an urban park in Nashville, Tennessee. Gabe Newton* and Darlene Panvini.
Prevalence of Ophryocystis elecktroscirrha in Danaus plexippus during fall migration through Nashville, Tennessee. Nicole Pope* and Darlene Panvini.
Effect of amodiaquine on gene expression and apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells. Holly Pyles* and Chris Barton.
Analyzing the ability of amodiaquine to function in combination with starvation and additional chemotherapeutic compounds. Kailey Shannon and Chris Barton.
Apoptotic Effect of Amodiaquine on HCT116 Colon Cancer Cells. Sandra Tomas* and Chris Barton.
Belmont senior and rising artist Bren Joy was just added to the star-studded and diverse lineup of Jack Daniel’s Music City Midnight: New Year’s Eve in Nashville event. The event will ring in 2020 with free music, food, fireworks and Nashville’s spin on a midnight ball drop: the signature Music Note Drop®.
Reigning CMA and ACM Entertainer of the Year and four-time GRAMMY winner Keith Urban will headline for a fourth year in a row. Urban will lead an all-star and diverse lineup that includes Americana powerhouse Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit; English rock band The Struts; Americana award winner and 2019 nominee Amanda Shires, who is also a member of The 400 Unit and critically-acclaimed new band The Highwomen; and the Fisk Jubilee Singers. The 11th annual event will take place at the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park and is free and open to the public.
Joy, a Nashville native, specializes in resonant soul and rhythm and blues. He was the winner of Belmont’s 2018 Urban Pop Showcase and only began writing music earlier that year. Also in 2018, he released his first three singles, “Henny in the Hamptons,” “Scottie Pippen” and “Twenties,” that earned placements on editorial playlists and attracted a growing fan base to his budding career. This year, Joy released his debut project, “Twenties,” an eight-song track list embodying the beginning of one’s 20s. Stream Bren Joy on Spotify.
Bren Joy performing as the winner of Belmont’s Urban Pop Showcase in 2018.
According to a release from Visit Music City, the Nashville New Year’s Eve concert was featured on “NBC’s New Year’s Eve” national broadcast that was live from Times Square in New York City last year. It was the most successful New Year’s Eve event for Nashville with an all-time high $23 million in direct visitor spending over 2017’s $22.3 million. Attendance was approximately 175,000 to 200,000, a record attendance over 2015’s 150,000.
Cheryl Carr, associate dean and associate professor for the Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, presented “The Lawyer as Artist: Challenging the Jealous Mistress and Other Myths of the Legal Career” at the annual conference of the Southeastern Academy of Legal Studies in Business.
Belmont alumnus Jeffrey Dean, class of 1991, is now an ordained pastor, communicator, podcast host and author living in Nashville. He recently released his seventh book, published by Penguin Random House, titled “Raising Successful Teens.”
Dean, a family and teen-culture expert with more than twenty-five years of ministry and counseling experience, has spoken to more than four million people at churches, universities, schools, prisons and conferences. In 1993, he began Jeffrey Dean Ministries with the mission to help parents and teens know and grow in Christ. He hosts a podcast for parents addressing issues teens face and is a frequent guest on nationally syndicated radio programs. He and his wife Amy, a Belmont music business professor, have two daughters.
In “Raising Successful Teens: How to Help Your Child Honor God and Live Wisely” Dean, offers the advice readers need to help their teens thrive today while setting a solid foundation for the future. From the internet and social media to interactions with friends, teens are encouraged to pursue what feels good over what is good. In a world where suicide is spiking among young people between the ages of 10-17 and pornography is becoming the norm for 64% of young people, Dean offers a biblically-based message of hope and encouragement for parents in the trenches.
He writes, “The unique plan God has for your child is founded on the reality that God chose you to be his parent. Even before your teen drew a breath, God was preparing you to be the parent to lead him every step of the way.”
In addition to providing unique perspectives from teens and parents, “Raising Successful Teens” will help readers become all-in parents by equipping them to:
anticipate and be ready to answer the Top 10 Questions teens are asking today
understand the warning signs for suicide
navigate the current trends of sexting, Snapchat and image-focused social media
Today’s culture may be pushing one agenda, but Dean encourages parents to remember that “God is in control. He wants to bless your teen with an abundant life and remind you that you are the one He chose to help convey this truth.”
Belmont alumnus Clayton Hart, class of 2016, is part of the student team at South Texas College of Law Houston (STCL Houston) that won a prestigious national advocacy championship for the second time this month, bringing the law school’s unrivaled national advocacy championship total to 133 — more than any other law school in the country by at least half.
The student team of Hart, Marcela Arevalo and Casidy
Newcomer remained undefeated throughout the three-day 20th Annual
National Entertainment Law Moot Court Tournament, hosted by Pepperdine
University School of Law in Malibu, Calif.
Hart said he feels honored to represent South Texas at such
a prestigious competition. “Mostly, I’m proud of how hard my teammates and
coaches worked to accomplish our goal,” he said. “We entered this tournament to
win, and we did. I would like to personally thank our wonderful professors who
have instilled in us a fierce commitment to working hard and perfecting our
craft. I will forever be proud to have been a student — and a competitor for —
South Texas College of Law Houston.”
Moot court competitions simulate appellate court proceedings
with students working in teams to answer questions directly from a panel of
judges.
According to the host school, the tournament afforded
participating students “the opportunity to argue novel entertainment law issues
before some of the best entertainment lawyers in Los Angeles, California.”
The STCL Houston students defeated Florida State University
College of Law, Mitchell-Hamline School of Law, and Pepperdine in the
preliminary rounds prior to besting Cardozo Law School in the semifinal round.
The South Texas team defeated students from Texas Tech University School of Law
in the finals.
The STCL Houston team also earned the tournament’s Best
Petitioner’s Brief award. Former top South Texas advocates Ryan Cunningham ’17
and Dominique Hinson ’14 helped coach the future attorneys to STCL Houston’s
unprecedented win.
“I couldn’t be prouder of these students who worked so hard
to reach this significant milestone — both for themselves and for South Texas
College of Law Houston,” said Rob Galloway, associate director of Appellate
Advocacy at STCL Houston. “Clayton, Casidy, and Marcela — along with their
outstanding alumni coaches — continue to represent our 96-year-old law school
well on the national advocacy stage.”
Billboard just released its highly anticipated Women in Music special issue, featuring top women in the music industry who are creating excitement and making their mark across labels, publishing and touring. This year, three Belmont alumnae were included on the list: Alison Smith, Cindy Mabe and Julie Boos.
Smith currently serves as the senior vice president of distribution, publisher relations and administrative services at Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI). She has been previously honored as one of Billboard’s Women in Music, as well as one of their Top 30 Power Players. Smith has a Bachelors in Business Administration from Belmont, graduating in 1984.
Mabe graduated from Belmont in 1995 and has worked in the music business since then. She now serves as the president of Universal Music Group Nashville after previously serving as senior vice president of marketing. Universal Music Group encompasses Capitol Records Nashville, EMI Records Nashville, MCA Nashville and Mercury Nashville.
Boos has also been working in the music industry since 1995 and currently works for Flood, Bumstead, McCready and McCarthy, Inc. She graduated from the Massey Graduate School of Business with her MBA in 2006. Boos has also been previously nominated by Billboard on their Top Women in Music list, Top Business Manager list and Nashville Power Player list.
Coinciding with the issue, Billboard’s Women in Music event
was held December 12 in Los Angeles. The event brought together music’s most
prominent female artists and the industry’s top female business executives to
recognize and celebrate their achievements. Besides the Top Women in Music
list, several other categories are honored including Trailblazer, Rising Star,
Icon and Woman of the Year, among others.
Billboard’s Women in Music special issue is available now.
After graduating in May 2004, Sandler established the Sandler Design Group, which works on residential and commercial properties nationwide. Besides being named a Tastemaker for Global Lighting, she was listed as one of Modenus’ Top 100 Interior Design Influencers earlier this year.
Sandler has also collaborated with leading designer brands,
such as American Standard and Sherwin Williams. She recently worked as a design
assistant for a season of the hit HGTV series “Property Brothers.”
A sample from Sandler’s portfolio. Photo taken by Kristen Mayfield.
She told Nashville Interiors, “I gain new insight with every
collaboration, whether it’s with a client, an architect, another designer, a
tradesperson or a builder,” she said. “In order to grow as a designer, you have
to constantly be open to possibility, change and new ways of seeing.”
This team was the result of the combined effort from the deans of the Colleges of Pharmacy from Belmont and Lipscomb, Dr. David Gregory and Dr. Roger Davis, respectively. As long-time supporters of Jovenes en Camino, both universities were eager to formalize their partnership, understanding the importance of service-focused education for students.
