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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Cusic’s ‘Minnie Pearl’ Musical Earns Strong Reviews Opening Weekend

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Cusic’s ‘Minnie Pearl’ Musical Earns Strong Reviews Opening Weekend

Don CusicThe musical “Minnie Pearl: All the News from Grinder’s Switch” saw a sell-out opening weekend Sept. 7, 8 and 9 at Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theater. The musical was written by Belmont University Professor of Music Business and music historian Don Cusic. The musical focuses on how the character Minnie Pearl came to be created and cultivated by Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon. It also shares stories from times at the Grand Ole Opry, intertwined with original songs to show more of who the character Minnie Pearl was.

Aimed at showing the audience two sides of the story, both Pearl’s and Cannon’s, Cusic includes a switch in the second act to focus on the lesser known side of the country comedian, Cannon as her true self. According to Broadway World Nashville, there are “moments of emotional resonance that make the larger-than-life character of Sarah Cannon more accessible.”

The show features two separate actresses for the parts of Pearl and Cannon individually. Broadway World Nashville says the dual casting “works beautifully in Cusic’s slight play, giving audiences a glimpse into the process of how Sarah became Minnie and, in turn, the evolution of a seemingly cornpone comic helped her become an entertainment legend.”

Cusic is working on another musical to be released Oct. 1 that is based on a musical timeline of Nashville and titled “Nashville Sound.”

Massey Alumna Appointed President of Shaw University

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Massey Alumna Appointed President of Shaw University

Dr. Paulette R. Dillard, who received her Masters in Business Administration from Belmont University, was recently appointed as the 18th President at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. The university’s Board of Trustees reached a unanimous decision to appoint Dillard on Saturday, Sept. 8.

“Upon her appointment as interim president, we determined Dr. Dillard to be the ideal selection to lead this institution,” said Chairman of the Board of Trustees Joseph N. Bell, Jr. “We believe her performance to date has demonstrated that she is committed to the transformative education process and more than qualified to lead Shaw University into this next era of excellence.”

Dillard was serving as interim president prior to her official appointment to the position. She previously served as the University’s vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college of arts and sciences. She held prior positions in the field of diagnostic laboratory science.

Shaw University, founded as the Raleigh Institute, is a private liberal arts institution and historically black university affiliated with the Baptist church with an enrollment of approximately 1,600.

 

Alumna Lands Position at Bone McAllester Norton Law Firm

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Alumna Lands Position at Bone McAllester Norton Law Firm

I'Ashea Myles-DihigoBone McAllester Norton PLLC recently announced the addition of attorney and Belmont alumna I’Ashea Myles-Dihigo, an experienced commercial construction and business litigator who also has counseled clients on alcoholic beverage laws.

In her construction practice, Myles-Dihigo handles matters related to the building and development of both commercial and residential properties. Her experience includes representing owners, contractors and subcontractors in federal and state courts. Additionally, she counsels her clients through the building process, including bid negotiations, contract drafting, liens and compliance with changing regulations.

Myles-Dihigo also counsels business clients on a variety of matters, including litigation and alternative dispute resolution, and advises restaurants, hotels, bars and other venues on federal, state and local alcoholic beverage licensing and regulatory compliance.

“With the addition of I’Ashea, the firm bolsters both its alcoholic beverage law and real estate practices,” said Charles R. Bone, president and CEO of Bone McAllester Norton. “Her knowledge and perspective will be a great asset as we continue to build upon our tradition of offering diverse and robust practice areas to best serve our clients.”

Myles-Dihigo earned both her undergraduate and law degrees from Belmont University. She received a Bachelor of Music with minors in music business and marketing, and graduated from Belmont’s College of Law in 2014. While in law school, she clerked for the Tennessee Court of Appeals under the Honorable Judge Richard H. Dinkins. In 2017, Myles-Dihigo was named to the National Black Lawyers’ Top 40 Under 40. She was recently selected to Murfreesboro Magazine’s Top 20 Under 40 and as a fellow for the American Bar Association (ABA) Forum on Construction Law.

She is currently on the board of directors for the United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties and also has served on the Board for the Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers Division.

Award-Winning Poet Nikki Giovanni to Speak to Belmont Students

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Award-Winning Poet Nikki Giovanni to Speak to Belmont Students

Renowned poet, activist, educator and author Nikki Giovanni will be this year’s keynote speaker at Belmont University’s 2018 Humanities Symposium. Giovanni will also be the College of Liberal Arts and Social Science’s Scholar-in-Residence. Giovanni is an award-winning poet, known for her work driven by the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s. She has written a number of poems, some of which have been compiled into larger works,  as well as composed children’s books and recorded many readings of her poetry.

Nikki Giovanni 2Giovanni’s visit to Belmont’s campus comes in conjunction with the 2018 Humanities Symposium which will focus on the subject, “The Present and the Future of the Past.” She is also the featured First Year Seminar speaker and will give a talk titled “I’m Just a Poet: All I Have is Words” on Sunday, Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. in the Curb Event Center.

As the First Year Seminar keynote speaker and Scholar-in-Residence, Giovanni comes to Belmont to serve as an inspiration to underrepresented students, to offer guidance and to introduce students to opportunities for advancing education.

Originally from Knoxville, Giovanni attended Fisk University where she took an interest in writing and was editor of the campus literary magazine. Giovanni went on to continue her education at the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University in New York. She has lectured and taught at many schools including Rutgers University, Ohio State University and Virginia Tech, where she is a University Distinguished Professor.

For her achievements in teaching, writing and poetry, Giovanni has received awards such as the Langston Hughes Medal, NAACP Image Award, Caldecott Honor Book Award and was named as one of Oprah Winfrey’s 25 Living Legends. She has also been nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for her recording of “The Nikki Giovanni Poetry Collection.”

During her visit to Belmont, Giovanni will not only be a featured speaker but she will also do a poetry reading to conclude the 2018 Humanities Symposium on Monday, Sept. 24. First year seminar students and faculty will have the opportunity to speak with Giovanni through a series of different events on campus.

More information on her visit can be found on Belmont’s campus calendar.

Preview: 2018 Humanities Symposium to Discuss Ideas of the Past, Present and Future

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Preview: 2018 Humanities Symposium to Discuss Ideas of the Past, Present and Future

The 18th annual Humanities Symposium at Belmont University will  take place Sept. 17-24 in the Janet Ayers Academic Center on Belmont University’s campus. The title of this year’s symposium is “The Present and the Future of the Past” and will be a week long event discussing how, in society, historical and cultural resources are identified, interpreted, preserved and dismissed based on their relation to the present and future. Belmont University’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences has been working to prepare a symposium with many key speakers, from differing disciplines, to speak on topics relevant to today, and the past.

With over 30 speakers featured at this year’s symposium, a variety of topics will be examined. These topics range from philosophy to poetry, and all contribute to a week-long discussion over the wider theme of the symposium. The week will begin with the Monteverde Plenary Address given by Dr. Doug Murray, professor of English, who will explore the past and how culture treats it.

There will be six different key speakers at this years event. Each has been brought in to share on a specific area of the overall topic of the symposium. Speakers include:

  • Dr. James A. Clark, professor of English at Barton College
  • Dr. Gregory Hansen, professor of folklore and English at Arkansas State University
  • Dr. Gregory N. Reish, director of the Center for Popular Music and professor of music history at Middle Tennessee State University
  • Dr. Martha Norkunas, professor of oral and public history at Middle Tennessee State University
  • Dr. Paul S. Loeb, professor emeritus of philosophy from The University of Puget Sound
  • Nikki Giovanni, a renowned poet, activist, author and educator who will also be the First Year Seminar featured speaker

“By examining and (re)contextualizing the past, we will discuss how versions of the past are communicated in society through a multiplicity of institutions and media, including school, popular entertainment, public displays, art and literature,” said Dr. Francesca Muccini, associate professor of Italian and chair of this year’s symposium. The symposium will conclude on Sept. 24 with a poetry reading from Giovanni followed by questions from the audience.

The week before the symposium an international film festival will be held on campus. Organized by Dr. Maggie Monteverde, professor of English, a different film will be shown every night that will help lead in to what is going to be discussed at the symposium.

For more information on the 2018 Humanities Symposium, click here. For a schedule of the week’s events, click here, or look on Belmont’s campus calendar.

Searcy Featured in StyleBlueprint’s FACES of Nashville

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Searcy Featured in StyleBlueprint’s FACES of Nashville

Belmont Director of Community Relations Joyce Searcy was previously featured as a FACE of Nashville by StyleBlueprint, a local digital media company. The article highlighted her dedication to the Belmont community, as well as numerous organizations in the Nashville area including Nashville Public Library, Nashville Public Library Foundation, Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Tennessee Women’s Forum.

Searcy shared with StyleBlueprint that she is “grateful to have the opportunity to serve both the University and our city through her position at Belmont.”

To read the article in its entirety, click here.

 

Belmont Announces 4th Annual Diversity Week Listing of Events

Hope Buckner
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Belmont Announces 4th Annual Diversity Week Listing of Events

Slate of events to include nationally-known author Austin Channing Brown, a guided tour of Fisk University and a Privilege Walk, among others

Launched in 2015 to celebrate the University’s diversity and inclusion initiatives campus-wide and invite faculty, staff and students to engage in important conversations, Belmont’s fourth annual Diversity Week is scheduled for Monday, October 1 through Friday, October 5. This year’s celebration will include opportunities for members of the Belmont community to engage in important dialogue, hear from nationally-known authors and speakers, experience privilege in a physical way and view “Won’t You Be My Neighbor,” among other things.

A complete listing of this year’s events can be found here.

A sampling of this year’s events include:

  • The Power of Diversity: Mark Charles on Monday, October 1 at 10 a.m. in the Janet Ayers Academic Center Chapel: Mark Charles is a Navajo Christian Community Development leader who engages the complexities of American history regarding race, culture and faith in order to help forge a path of healing and biblical reconciliation.
  • Global Engagement Study Abroad & International Missions Fair on Monday, October 1 at 10 a.m. in the Maddox Grand Atrium
  • The Auxiliary Partners Luncheon on Tuesday, October 2 at 11:30 a.m. in the Maddoc Grand Atrium: Director of Bridges to Belmont and the Office of Multicultural Learning and Experiences Dr. Mary Clark will be this year’s featured speaker as she discusses gender in the workforce and strategies that can be adopted to further the talent pipeline. The Auxiliary Partners exist to provide Belmont students with scholastic support and the event’s $40 ticket covers both lunch and a donation to the scholarship. Register here.
  • Real Talks (for Students) on Tuesday, October 2 at 5 p.m. in the Johnson Center, Room 422: This event will provide an opportunity for student participants to engage in a ‘real talk’ regarding diversity and inclusion efforts on Belmont’s campus and offers the chance to discuss important issues honestly and authentically.
  • I’m Still Here, Austin Channing Brown on Wednesday, October 3 at 10 a.m. in the Chapel and 3 p.m. in McWhorter Hall, Room 110: Austin Channing Brown’s book, “I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness,” is a Publisher’s Weekly “must-read” for its exploration of racial justice, faith and black womanhood. Austin has an MSW and served as Multicultural Liaison at Calvin College.
  • Fisk University Guided Walking Tour on Wednesday, October 3 at 1 p.m. on Fisk’s Campus: Join us for a visit to Fisk University, a historically black university and the oldest higher education institution in Nashville. Fisk has a rich history, both for its work in the Civil Rights movement and for the contributions of its alumni, from W.E.B. DuBois in the 1880s to contemporary poet and author Nikki Giovanni and US Representative John Lewis.  Our visit to Fisk will include a campus tour of Fisk’s Van Vechten gallery, which include works from Cezanne, Picasso, O’Keefe, and as well as examples of African, Oceanic and Asian art. RSVP here.
  • Privilege Walk, Walking Towards Awareness, Equity and Action on Thursday, October 4 at 5 p.m. on the Lawn between the Baskin and Johnson Centers: This event provides a unique opportunity for students, faculty and staff to better understand their privilege, and the privilege of the Belmont community, in a physical way. Afterwards, trained facilitators will provide a debrief experience for all participants. RSVP here.
  • A Discussion on Race & Sports with Andrew Maraniss on Friday, October 5 at 10 a.m. in Beaman A&B: Andrew Maraniss will be on campus to discuss race and sports. Maraniss is the author of The New York Times bestselling book “Strong Inside,” the untold story of Perry Wallace who enrolled at Vanderbilt University in 1966 and became the first African-American basketball player in the Southeastern Conference. “Strong Inside” is not just the story of a trailblazing athlete, but of civil rights, race in America, a campus in transition during the tumultuous 1960s, the mental toll of pioneering, decades of ostracism and eventual reconciliation and healing.
  • Juvenile Injustice, Judge Sheila Calloway on Friday, October 5 at 10 a.m. in the Chapel: Judge Sheila Calloway was elected Juvenile Court Judge in 2014. She helps lead the Disproportionate Minority Task Force as an advocate for at-risk children and youth and teaches on the undergraduate and graduate levels at both Vanderbilt and American Baptist College.
  • “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” Screening on Friday, October 5 at 9 p.m. in the Johnson Center Theatre: The film is a 2018 American documentary film directed by Morgan Neville about the life and guiding philosophy of Fred Rogers, the host and creator of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.

Diversity Week is part of the University’s overarching diversity and inclusion initiative, The Belmont State of Mind. For more information, click here. 

Tarr Authors New Audio Textbook

Hope Buckner
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Tarr Authors New Audio Textbook

Tarr's faculty headshotDr. Eric Tarr, assistant professor of audio engineering technology, recently authored a textbook published by the Audio Engineering Society and Focal Press, a division of Taylor & Francis. The book is titled, Hack Audio: An Introduction to Computer Programming and Digital Signal Processing in MATLAB and incorporates materials from his undergraduate and graduate classes taught at Belmont.

Hobson Published in Article Describing the Collection of Artifacts from Matto Grosso Expedition

Staff Writer
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Hobson Published in Article Describing the Collection of Artifacts from Matto Grosso Expedition

Eric Hobson Headshot

Dr. Eric Hobson, professor of English, previously facilitated the donation of historical records from the Matto Grosso Expedition to Penn Museum and was recently featured in an article published on the museum’s website. He discovered the records after reaching out to Hans F. Due Jr., son of Hans F. Due who was a pilot in the expedition.

After understanding his unique collection of items, Hobson directed Due, Jr. to Penn Museum. Once visiting the museum, Due, Jr. donated documents and materials from the expedition including a map with flight patterns, letters from Pan American Airlines/Panair, a list of supplies taken on the plane, the Engine Handbook, a telegraph key, photographs taken by Due, Sr. and three letters to Due Sr. from financial backer on the expedition, Fenimore Johnson.

The Matto Grosso Expedition was a zoological and ethnographic expedition over the Matto (now Mato) Grosso plateau of western Brazil. Due, Jr. was assigned to Flight Operator to the NC146M for four months in 1931. This expedition was based in Desclavados, Matto Grosso, about one thousand miles from Rio de Janeiro.

Dr. Hobson will be releasing a book on the expedition soon, but in the meantime, he will be discussing the Matto Grosso Expedition and Brazilian General Candido Rondon in an upcoming issue of Expedition, the Penn Museum’s member magazine.

Top 10 Again! Belmont Continues Consistent Performance in Annual U.S. News College Rankings

April Hefner
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Top 10 Again! Belmont Continues Consistent Performance in Annual U.S. News College Rankings

University scores accolades for innovation, teaching, veteran support and more

For the 10th consecutive year, Belmont University has again achieved a Top 10 regional ranking with today’s release of U.S. News & World Report’s 2019 edition of America’s Best Colleges. This year Belmont landed at No. 6 in the South region where the University remains the highest ranked in Tennessee in the category. In the publication released today, Belmont also appears as the only Tennessee institution from any category noted as being a “Most Innovative School,” landing on the list for the 11th year in a row due to the University’s ongoing commitment to “making the most innovative improvements in terms of curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology or facilities.”

Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher said, “Great universities don’t just happen. They are built through the dedication of faculty, staff and supporters who devote time and energy to creating challenging academics, state-of-the-art facilities, a welcoming environment and pioneering approaches to education. Belmont’s consistent presence near the top of its category, along with 11 straight years of being recognized for innovation, indicate we are fulfilling our mission to equip students to transform their communities and the world at large.”

Moreover, Belmont won the praise of its peers as it was included on a number of additional U.S. News lists that rate institutions on areas critical to student opportunities and success:

    • Strong Commitment to Undergraduate Teaching (No. 4 in the South): The strong commitment to undergraduate teaching ranking is determined via a survey of peer institutions, who cite their fellow institutions who best reflect that quality.
    • Best Colleges for Veterans (No. 4 in the South): To be included, institutions must be ranked in the top half of their overall category, be certified for the GI Bill and participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program with 20 or more veterans/active service members enrolled.
    • Best Value (one of only 66 institutions recognized in the Southern region): The listing takes into account a school’s academic quality and net cost of attendance for a student who received the average level of need-based financial aid. The higher the quality of the program and the lower the cost, the better the deal.
    • Top Undergraduate Business Programs: Each year, U.S. News ranks only those undergraduate business programs that have achieved accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Belmont is ranked in the top half of all schools nationally and is the top private business program in Tennessee.
    • Most Innovative School (one of only 19 recognized in the South)

    Maintaining its momentum for growth and innovation, Belmont began the Fall 2018 semester with a series of significant announcements, including:

    The U.S. News analysis places Belmont in a premier position among the 165 public and private institutions included in the South region, an area that covers Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana.

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