Professor of Music Business at Belmont University, Dr. Don Cusic, recently released his latest book, “Nashville Sound: An Illustrated Timeline.” The book, which was released towards the end of 2018, tells the story of music in Nashville beginning in the nineteenth century.
Cusic’s book release was covered in several media outlets that highlighted the topic of the book as well as Cusic’s expertise in music history. Locally, he and his book were featured on Business Williamson, WKRN News Channel 2, WSMV News Channel 4 as well as WSM-AM Radio. In addition, news of “Nashville Sound” was featured in several publications focused on the music industry and country music like Music Row, Maverick Country Magazine and The Country Note.
“Nashville Sound” is one of the more than 28 books Cusic has published about music and music history. Maverick, an independent country music magazine, calls it more than just a coffee table book saying the “stories and Nashville insider information make it much more and provide background of why the city is really known as ‘Music City U.S.A.'”
An article written by Belmont College of Law visiting professor, David Hudson, was recently published by the American Bar Association Journal. The article, titled “Is recording others legal, and is it ethical?,” focuses on whether lawyers recording their clients is legal and ethical. It is featured on their website and in the January magazine issue.
Hudson is a Visiting Associate Professor of Legal Practice and is teaching Legal Information and Communication at Belmont. He is the author, co-author or co-editor of more than 40 books and much of his career has focused on First Amendment issues.
Event kicked-off Belmont’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. breakfast with keynote address
Bishop Vashi Murphy McKenzie, the 117th elected and consecrated bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the first woman to serve in the role, spoke to a packed crowd on Friday, January 18 as she delivered Belmont’s MLK Week Celebration Keynote Address in the Janet Ayers Academic Center Conference Room.
The event began with remarks from Metro Nashville Mayor David Briley, including a proclamation from the city officially welcoming McKenzie to Nashville. Director for Athletics Media Relations Kenisha Rhone introduced the Bishop, noting her recognition by the Huffington Post last year as one of 50 Most Powerful Religious Women in the World.
McKenzie began her address with a simple question – “When was the last time you took a stand for something,” she said. “For anything? For some cause greater than yourself.” Detailing the importance of finding and understanding our own convictions, principles and beliefs, McKenzie wondered if its our fears and our desire to hold onto earthly accolades that keep us from taking action against the causes that are put on our hearts.
The granddaughter of a Delta Sigma Theta Founder, Bishop McKenzie’s DST sorors attended the event in their signature red.
Quoting “To Every Man There Openeth,” a hymn written by John Oxenham, McKenzie described the “misty flats” we often find ourselves traveling — the times in our lives between the highs and lows where we might become too comfortable, complacent even. These ‘misty flats’ can be dangerous, she said, like “the ‘misty flats’ where having people speak well of us means more than our convictions. Where uncivil discourse is easier than real conversation…No one appreciates a person who tries to stand on both sides at the same time.”
So, instead, we find the areas we are being called to stand for — and we fight. Likening David’s fight against Goliath to Dr. King, Jr.’s fight for civil rights throughout his life, McKenzie highlighted commonality among the two men – a sense of audacity to step in when necessary. “It wasn’t [David’s] fault, but it became his fight,” she said. “It wasn’t [Martin’s] case, but it became his call. When you take a stand, you don’t have to go looking for the fight. The fight will find you.”
“We might not have been there when it happened,” she said, motivating listeners to forgo unnecessary conversations surrounding whether or not they witnessed the wrongdoing they are called to combat. “But now it’s our fight.”
“Audacity is believing you have something to offer than no one has yet given,” she said. “Look past your perceived disadvantages and make them work for you…David did. Martin did…Martin was audacious enough to step into the fight that wasn’t his fault and became his fight, and everything changed forever.”
But her time with attendees didn’t end there – she went on focus on the importance of each listener, highlighting the way God has called each for a unique purpose – a unique fight. “God wasn’t looking for anybody – God was looking for you,” she said. “You are the one that is needed for such as time as this…when God has opened the door for you, how dare you close it in the face of someone else.”
Ending the way she began, Bishop McKenzie’s closing words were clear. “So,” she said. “Who will take a stand?”
Belmont University’s College of Pharmacy first-year students,82 in total, received their white coats on January 11, a practice that symbolizes their transition into pharmacy practice experiences in institutional and community settings. The Tyler Duke family received the Friend of the College Award in recognition of their sustained support through the Tyler Duke Endowed Scholarship and support of student missions.
Dr. Condit Steil, professor of pharmacy, received the Professional Stewardship Award which recognizes a health care professional who has answered the call to service that comes with professional standing in the community.
The Being Belmont Award is given each year to a person or entity that has exemplified what it means to uphold the values of the University and has benefitted students and the pharmacy program. Belmont’s Counseling Services received this year’s award.
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Condit Steil, the Professional Stewardship Award Winner
Counseling Services, the Being Belmont Award Winner
The Duke Family accepts the Friend of the College Award
Dr. Eric Hobson, professor of English, recently served as the featured speaker for the Experimental Aircraft Association’s 2019 kick-off dinner in Knoxville, TN. His presentation was titled, “Demonstrating Aircraft’s Value to Science in Extreme Settings: The Matto Grosso Expedition (1931),” and explained the role the expedition’s aircraft played in the expedition’s success.
He also discussed the part the aircraft played in establishing aircraft as essential tools for geographic, archaeological, and ethnographic exploration.
More than 200 first year graduate students in the Colleges of Health Sciences and Pharmacy participated in an inter-professional seminar focused on understanding the roles and responsibilities of each discipline as part of an inter-professional team to maximize patient outcomes. As part of this event, students worked on teams to create the tallest structure they could using spaghetti, string, tape and a marshmallow.
Approximately 190 second year graduate students from the Colleges of Health Sciences and Pharmacy also participated in an inter-professional seminar which explored the importance of communication and the risk of medical errors when there is miscommunication. These inter-professional events enable students to learn from and with students from other disciplines who will be their professional colleagues when they graduate.
With Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day approaching, Belmont University has announced plans for its 2019 Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative week, including several opportunities for students, faculty, staff and community members to get involved. The annual commemorative program began at Belmont in 1997 to celebrate the life of Dr. King as a part of an observance for his birthday in January.
This year’s keynote address will be given by Bishop Vashti McKenzie of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. A well known preacher, McKenzie is also the author of five books and served on President Obama’s inaugural Advisory Council of the White House Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. All are welcome to attend the keynote speaker breakfast at 7:30 a.m. on Friday, January 18. Tickets can be purchased in advance, here.
Belmont’s MLK week events will offer additional opportunities to learn about the life and legacy of Dr. King.
Friday, January 18 at 10 a.m. – Bishop McKenzie will host a convocation in the Massey Performing Arts Center focused around how this generation can continue Dr. King’s legacy.
Saturday, January 19 – Belmont students, faculty and staff will have the opportunity to take part in the MLK Day of Service with other community members and universities in the area
Monday, January 21 at 6:30 p.m. – An art exhibition will be available for viewing in the Gabhart Student Center.
Monday, January 21 at 7 p.m. – A candlelight vigil will be held in the Gabhart Student Center followed by a procession across campus to continue reflection of Dr. King’s life.
Wednesday, January 23 at 10 a.m. – Motivational speaker Ronald L. Jones will host a convocation focused on how student leadership can sustain Dr. King’s legacy. This event will be held in the Gabhart Student Center.
Wednesday, January 23 at 10 a.m. in the Ayers Conference Room, 4th Floor – Dr. Rohini Anand, SVP of Corporate Responsibility and Global Chief Diversity Officer at Sodexo, will present on the importance of an organizational focus on diversity and inclusion.
Wednesday, January 22 at 6 p.m. – Join the Black Student Association for an interactive MLK worship service in the Chapel.
Friday, January 25 at 10 a.m. – Come hear Dr. Brenda Salter-McNeil, director of reconciliation studies at Seattle Pacific University, discuss the topic of soul change to social change in the Chapel.
All students, faculty, staff and community members are invited to attend the events of Belmont’s MLK Commemorative Week. The events are sponsored by the MLK Celebration Committee, Bridges to Belmont, Office of Multicultural Learning & Experience, Center for Social Entrepreneurship, Spiritual Development, Office of the University Counsel, University Ministries, Teaching Center, Welcome Home Diversity Council, Division of Student Affairs, Office of Service Learning, Black Student Association and HOPE Council.
Dr. Amy Smith, assistant professor of music business, was recently published in the Journal of Critical Incidents.The journal is published by the Society for Case Research and provides examples of critical incidents that promote quality in teaching.
Smith’s work was titled “Is Fair Use Fair? Analyzing the Defense of Fair Use in a Copyright Infringement Case.” It presents a case study on the copyright infringement case of Authors Guild v. Google, Inc.
The School of Music recently awarded their annual Curtain Call Award to 2002 commercial music alumnus Jonathon Long. Long majored in commercial piano, with an emphasis on music technology and has gone on to continue to use his talents in the music industry.
Since graduating from Belmont, Long has seen success as a keyboardist for several big names in country music including Billy Currington, Jamie O’Neal and Sara Evans, whom he toured with for seven years. Most notably, Long has been working with Lady Antebellum since 2006, both playing with them and working as their music director.
Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum performs with Long
Long has also performed at The Grammy’s and CMA and ACM award shows, among others. Besides piano and keyboard, Long has experience playing B3 organ, harmonica, accordion and percussion.
After receiving his award, Long performed live with a band that featured several other Belmont alumni. Country singers Sara Evans and Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley made
Sara Evans also made an appearance to support Long.
surprise appearances and sang on a few of the songs Long performed.
Belmont University’s School of Music created the Curtain Call Award in 1995 to honor an alumni who has had success in the commercial music field. The Curtain Call Award has been awarded to alumni in a variety of fields in the music industry including songwriters, instrumentalists, vocalists and music industry leaders.
As a part of Vision2020, the Belmont Office of Leadership Development (BOLD) has been charged with centralizing leadership and leadership development across campus. The 2019 campus-wide Student Leadership Fair, held in the Maddox Grand Atrium on Thursday, January 9, epitomized what it means to believe in and offer “leadership development for all.”
A group made up of 74 representatives from 33 Belmont offices, departments, centers and all academic colleges participated as exhibitors in the event, double the number of representatives from the 2018 Fair. Exhibitors were pleased with both the turn out, as well as the engagement with student attendees.
A representative from the College of Law commented on the recruiting potential the Fair provides as undergraduate students begin thinking about their time after graduation. “This is a good opportunity for us to connect to Belmont undergrads for recruiting purposes,” she said. Their table recommended students become more active in the Pre-Law Society to gain meaningful leadership development experiences.
Up from 154 participants in 2018, 217 Belmont students attended the fair and met with at least seven departments, offices, centers or academic colleges to discuss leadership opportunities. Students signed up for opportunities with BOLD, University Ministries, Belmont on Mission, Study Abroad, Multicultural Learning and Experience, the Office of Career and Professional Development, service-learning SAPB, SGA, FitRec, Enactus, ODK, Towering Traditions and more. Students from across campus where given the chance to learn more about leadership development opportunities in every Belmont academic college.
Social Change & ME, a three part leadership development experience, is up next for all Belmont students interested in further leadership development this semester. Registration begins on Friday, January 11. Additionally, supplemental leadership development experiences, through BOLD, have been planned for the entirety of the semester.
The 2019 Fair was a student-led effort presented by BOLD Team Leaders through the Division of Student Affairs and in partnership with others across campus. Leadership development across campus for each college, office, department and center are listed in detail on BOLD’s website and in Bruin Link, here.
