Dr. Darrell Gwaltney at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, September 30, 2021.
Dr. Darrell Gwaltney has announced his plan to retire as Dean of Belmont University’s College of Theology and Christian Ministry (CTCM), effective the end of the Fall 2022 semester. Gwaltney came to Belmont in May 2004 when the University had just under 4,000 students and the School of Religion served about 1,900 students. Today, Belmont’s student body has grown to 8,995 and CTCM serves more than 4,000 students each year, underscoring Gwaltney’s leadership throughout the more than 18 years since he joined Belmont.
Belmont President Dr. Greg Jones said, “Over the years as he has served Belmont, Darrell Gwaltney has made countless contributions to our campus community, the College of Theology and Christian Ministry and in the lives of hundreds of students. The nearly two decades of commitment and devoted attention that Dr. Gwaltney has graciously invested as dean have been instrumental to the growth of the College, its programs and our goal of forming Christ-centered leaders.”
Under Gwaltney’s leadership, Belmont’s School of Religion became the College of Theology and Christian Ministry and has grown its programs significantly. With 10 undergraduate programs and two graduate programs—including an M.A and a Ph.D. in Mental Health Counseling—the College continues to thrive. Most recently, the newly established Ph.D. in Mental Health Counseling earned full accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), Belmont’s accrediting body.
“I have been deeply changed by my students and those with whom I have worked,” Gwaltney said. “My faith and understanding of who I am vocationally has been enriched, deepened and improved by my colleagues’ profound faithfulness, kindness and creativity. As I move into a season of life where I am able to reflect on the work with which I have been privileged to participate, I look to each memory and each person with gratitude, wonder and grace.”
Gwaltney will be on the sabbatical for the Spring semester and will return to campus in Fall 2023 as a faculty member, teaching courses in Religion, Honors and Mental Health Counseling. He will also continue his work leading Project Thrive, the Moench Center for Church Leadership and the Academy of Preachers.
Belmont Interim Provost Dr. David Gregory added, “Although the role he will serve on our campus will look different in the coming months, I am so grateful that Dr. Gwaltney will be staying at Belmont as a member of our exceptional faculty. The impact he has made on our campus is immense, and I look forward to the continued impact he will make in the lives of our students moving forward.”
The Belmont University Board of Trustees added five new individuals for the start of the 2022-23 academic year: Dr. Agenia Clark, Rusty Gaston, Rev. Dr. Gabriel Salguero, Rev. Dr. Clay Stauffer and Kimberly Williams-Paisley.
Board of Trustees Chair Milton Johnson, a Belmont alumnus and retired CEO/Chairman of HCA Healthcare, said, “Each of our new Trustees brings unique perspective and insight to the work of Belmont University, and I’m grateful for their willingness to serve. These new members join a strong group of individuals who are fully committed to supporting Belmont’s vision, mission and Strategic Trajectory.”
“I am honored to have these influential leaders join Belmont’s Board of Trustees,” Belmont President Dr. Greg Jones said. “Each one of them clearly serves as an agent of hope for their communities, and I’m delighted to have them contributing their passion, ideas and energy to our Board.”
Dr. Agenia Clark, named Nashvillian of the year in 2021, is the president and CEO of the Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee. Clark is highly recognized in Music City, making the list of Nashville’s 100 Most Powerful People in the Nashville Business Journal for 2018, 2017, 2016 and 2015.
Belmont alumnus Rusty Gaston (‘98) is the CEO of Sony Music Publishing Nashville. Driven by his love of country music, Gaston went from the small town of Van, TX and rose through the country music ranks first as an amusement park performer, to a music production intern, to co-founding the highly successful THiS Music publishing company, all before receiving the call in 2019 to serve in his role at Sony.
Rev. Dr. Gabriel Salguero is the president and founder of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition (NaLEC) and pastor of The Gathering Place, a Latino-led, multi-ethnic church in Orlando, Fl. Salguero has been named as one of the nation’s most prominent Latino evangelical leaders and has written extensively on Latino evangelicalism, immigration, racism and multicultural congregations. Salguero also spoke on campus last fall during the inauguration celebration for Dr. Jones.
Rev. Dr. Clay Stauffer is senior minister at Woodmont Christian Church in Nashville and a regular columnist for the Faith and Values section of The Tennessean. Stauffer’s primary research interests include the intersection of faith and politics within American culture, moral foundations of liberals and conservatives, polarization and the formation of character.
A well-known actress and New York Times best-selling author, Kimberly Williams-Paisley co-founded with her husband Brad Paisley (a Belmont alumnus) The Store, a free, referral-based grocery store with the aim of empowering low-income individuals and families in the Nashville area. The Paisleys partnered with Belmont on The Store’s campus location, and through a “2-Gen Grant,” the University provides services at the center to eligible families. Williams-Paisley is a long-standing supporter of Belmont, having set up an endowed scholarship for its students in 2012 with her husband. Belmont dedicated a ballroom in the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts as the Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams-Paisley Ballroom in 2021.
Belmont University today opened Mesa Komal Café in partnership with Sodexo and Conexión Américas, a Nashville-based nonprofit organization on a mission to build a welcoming community and create opportunities where Latino families can belong, contribute and succeed. The first dining outlet of its kind, the restaurant will house local, minority entrepreneurs from the Conexión Américas Mesa Komal culinary incubator program on rotation as they gain experience operating their culinary ventures.
Belmont Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship and Management Dr. Jose Gonzalez said the café blends the opportunity for entrepreneurs to expand, grow, learn and experiment with new ideas with another dream to strengthen Belmont and Sodexo’s connections with the broader community in a real and tangible way.
Dr. Jose Gonzalez speaks at ribbon cutting ceremony
“Mesa Komal Café will be an outlet to amplify the vibrancy of the culinary scene of the immigrant and the refugee communities. I can’t wait for my Belmont family to experience the vision of Mesa Komal as these amazing chefs bring that vision to life,” said Gonzalez. “Over time we will see different types of food in the restaurant, representing the talent and the diversity of food entrepreneurs who have made Nashville home from all over the world.”
Entrepreneur Karla Ruiz and her team will be the first business to utilize the space with Viva la Vida, a restaurant serving various tacos, salads, chips, dips and desserts. Entrepreneurs will also feature items from other Mesa Komal partners during their rotations.
Co-Executive Director of Conexión AméricasMartha Silva said opening the café has been a longtime vision of Conexión Américas. “So many Latino immigrants and entrepreneurs will be exposed to the experience of what it is to have their own restaurant. They can build skills and income for their next steps and dream big,” she said. “People like Karla are remarkable examples of what talent, hard work and persistence can achieve.”
Chef Karla Ruiz shares her gratitude for the opportunity.
Ruiz expressed how thankful she is for the team supporting her and her business. “I think about my small business getting to work with big organizations like Belmont and Sodexo and think of them as my wings – they help cover me and help me to grow,” she said. “I am so thankful for them to open their doors to these small businesses so we can grow and provide for our families and our communities. I love people and I love to cook – that’s my way to show love. I have no other choice but to be successful so I can pave the way for the next vendor, and the next and the next and the next.”
Dr. Susan West, executive vice president for administration & chief of staff at Belmont, opened the ribbon cutting ceremony by explaining that this partnership is an opportunity for those in the Belmont community to be catalysts for helping their neighbors thrive. “I am thrilled that many minority-owned businesses will become a part of our campus and that our students, staff and faculty will be able to directly support them, get to know them, and watch them grow and succeed, all while enjoying their delicious food,” she said. “We want these entrepreneurs to feel they belong here on this campus, and I know they will feel that warm Belmont welcome from all who patronize their businesses.”
The Café is officially open for business Sunday – Friday from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Belmont University’s Mental Health Counseling Ph.D. program has earned full accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), Belmont’s accrediting body. The program, housed in College of Theology and Christian Ministry, trains master’s level mental health professionals who are interested in becoming doctoral-level professors ready to train tomorrow’s mental health professionals, or highly skilled clinicians who work with clients in a variety of settings across the mental health care continuum.
Belmont’s program offers two specialty tracks—Advanced Clinical Practice and Counselor Education & Supervision—to equip mental health professionals with enhanced counseling and research skills and stronger treatment efficacy while exploring connections between personal spiritual beliefs, biases and client diversity.
“We are filling a gap within doctoral degree counseling programs in Tennessee through our unique teaching approach,” said Associate Director of Mental Health Counseling Dr. Tom Knowles-Bagwell. “Spiritually-guided and research-informed curriculum will train students to provide excellent care to those seeking support and address the depth and complexity of human suffering.”
The doctoral program utilizes a hybrid of online and face-to-face instruction each term. Applications are accepted throughout the calendar year, and admissions decisions are made as applications are submitted. Courses include spiritual development, mental health care in contemporary societies, theories of change, vocational discernment and global spiritual traditions.
Enrollment at Belmont University continues making positive trends with total student enrollment reaching 8,995 for Fall 2022. New student registrations surpassed the admissions office goal with 1,939 new Bruins registering for classes. The year-over-year record for the undergraduate cohort amidst a struggling higher education climate demonstrates Belmont President Dr. Greg Jones’ vision for the University to “Let Hope Abound.”
Dr. Jones said, “Our increased student interest at the undergraduate and graduate levels shows that new students are attracted to Belmont University’s propensity to shine as a beacon of hope for the good of our community and beyond. I look forward to this new year and new opportunities to develop leaders of purpose and character who are eager and equipped to make the world a better place.”
As enrollment numbers rise, so do new structures. In an effort to meet the increasing demand for on-campus housing, Caldwell Hall opens its doors to 606 upperclassmen this semester. The addition of Caldwell Hall increases Belmont’s total housing capacity to 4,294 throughout a total of nine residence halls. The new addition features apartment-style living where residents will enjoy numerous amenities such as a fitness center, incredible views of downtown Nashville, and a unique two-story lobby featuring study and gathering areas.
The University’s vast portfolio of more than 169 programs of study grows with the additions of Public Advocacy and Special Education. Four new accelerated programs in Music Business (3 + 3 JD), Biology (3+3 OT/PT), and Pharmaceutical Studies (3+4 PharmD) will be added to the catalog. Students participating in these accelerated programs will receive two degrees in an abbreviated timeframe.
New graduate registration opened August 19 and is at 589. A number that is anticipated to increase as some programs delay registration until students show up to campus. Strategic Leadership in Education, PhD. and Mental Health Counseling, PhD. are two new career-focused programs available among the graduate programs.
Belmont continues making strides with the goal of being a University with a stronger representation of diverse perspectives as 23.9 percent of the undergraduate freshman class come from underrepresented populations and 26.1 percent from underrepresented populations on the graduate side. Registration for transfer students remains open and currently has 401 students registered to join Belmont from 37 different states.
Vice President for Enrollment Services Dr. Chris Gage noted, “The freshman class is Belmont’s most diverse ever. The enrollment team also maintained Belmont’s rigorous academic profile and the cohort is just as geographically diverse as last year with 46 states and the District of Columbia represented. There’s just unbelievable momentum going into the Fall of 2023 recruitment cycle.”
First-time freshmen students moved into campus housing on August 18 with the first day of classes held Wednesday, August 24. Final enrollment numbers will be available in late-September following the University’s official census.
During LEAD Week, leading up to Move-In Weekend, students and staff diligently prepared for the huge undertaking of helping more than 4,200 student and families come home to Belmont. There were more than 400 student leaders who cheered and supported new and returning residential Belmont students as they returned to campus.
Student leaders engaged in a variety of leadership development sessions and training workshops led by the Division of Student Formation staff in University Ministries, the Belmont Office of Leadership Development (BOLD), Residence Life, New Student Orientation, the Office of Student Engagement, Counseling Services and Student Support Services.
Trainings included topics like creating belonging and inclusion, understanding and putting personal and shared values into action, identity and diversity, along with a host of other fun and collaborative experiences. Belmont President Dr. Greg Jones and other staff also shared with student leaders during the annual Leadership Launch for all student leaders.
Supporting students and families is more than lifting hundreds of mini-fridges, loading in futons, cheering on Belmont moms or dads or walking shelves up ten flights of stairs. The experience is about helping student leaders and staff serve and lead well. It’s about student leaders aligning their shared values consistently to help realize the Belmont mission.
For resident assistants, BOLD students, student organizations, Towering Traditions, Orientation Council, athletes, spiritual life assistants and service year leaders, LEAD Week and Move-In experiences are about helping people make connections and find a home away from home. Even more importantly, the experiences are about being radical champions for all.
The Division of Student Formation will continue to help form diverse leaders of characters through relationship building, programs, experiences and engagement opportunities for all Belmont students.
Click here and here to see more pictures from 2022 LEAD Week and Move-In Weekend.
Service-learning is a Belmont distinctive. Ranked 20th nationally by U.S. News and World Report in this category, between 20 and 30 classes include a service-learning component, often requiring 10-20 hours of community service directly tied to learning objectives.
But community service spans beyond coursework. The wider Belmont community participates in community service across dozens of agencies locally and nationally. The top three areas of impact include: education, healthcare and the environment.
It’s part of the culture to be others-focused and hands-on. And while it’s nothing new, the trajectory and scope are reaching historic levels. “Service-learning’s been around for a long time,” said Tim Stewart, Director for Belmont’s Office of Service-Learning. “It’s not a new concept by any means, but it’s had renewed emphasis in the last 20, 25 years.”
In the last year, the Belmont community logged 32,033 hours representing a value of over $833,500 based on the Tennessee volunteer rate of $26.02 per hour. Based on the trajectory of the past five years, that number will top $1 million in the coming year.
Belmont OT student Danielle Huynh serves a program participant at FiftyForward near Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, August 23, 2022. Click here to see a full gallery of photos from this event.
The Rev. Keller Hawkins was named Assistant Director for the Office of Service-Learning in the spring. She explained that service opportunities range from literacy, job skills, English language lessons, recovery from addictions, transitions from incarceration, food, clothing, licensing, health care, self-care, mental health counseling, foster care and more. And increasingly, these opportunities are virtual, which makes it possible for more people to participate.
“Virtual volunteering has skyrocketed since COVID, so you don’t even have to leave your dorm room to serve,” Hawkins said. “So there’s a lot of virtual mentoring and tutoring opportunities. We can make this work for whatever your ability, whatever you’re interested in.”
One of those volunteer projects included writing letters to seniors in local communities to combat social isolation. Students donated 1,910 hours of volunteer service to GNRC (Greater Nashville Regional Council) in 2021, which equated to more than a thousand letters. The GNRC is an association representing 13 area counties that provides aging and disability resources. Belmont was recognized with GNRC’s Outstanding Team Award for 2021 for these efforts.
Students participate in the senior letter writing campaign in 2021 for the GNRC.
“The intention is to write uplifting letters and just show the seniors that we care about them,” said Rebecca Nofi, the GNRC’s Volunteer and Community Engagement Manager. “Our goal is to send one letter to each resident at each facility we work with monthly.… For us, this has really been a phenomenal volunteer opportunity that can be done from anywhere and has brought so much joy during the hard times of COVID isolation and restrictions in the nursing homes and assisted living facilities.”
Everyone in the Belmont community is encouraged to participate in community service–students, faculty, staff and alumni. In fact, several alumni (18 at last count) now work at the agency partners they first encountered as a student on campus–or started a nonprofit themselves. A nonprofit fair during Homecoming 2022 that was specifically open to Belmont alums who are working in the nonprofit sector featured these agencies.
The History
Community service has a long, unofficial history at Belmont. “There were a number of faculty here on campus who were doing service-learning [decades ago],” Stewart said. “They were early pioneers with service-learning here on campus, getting their students involved in the community as a part of their coursework, which is kind of the definition of service-learning.”
Stewart joined the staff in 2002 after many years of helping organize Belmont student volunteers as a community member. In 2008, Belmont started the social entrepreneurship major for undergraduates. “We were the first, as far as we can tell, in the country to have an undergraduate degree in social entrepreneurship,” Stewart said.
The Purpose
And while the concept is growing in popularity, Stewart is most proud of how students are approaching service and what they’re taking away from it. “When I asked them questions about their experience, they shared things that indicated they had a really clear understanding of why they were doing what they were doing, what they got out of the experience, what we hope they get out of it,” he said. “They talked about how it impacted them, how it fit in with what they were studying in the class.”
Ultimately, the goal is to make those who participate aware that “we’re related to one another in a reciprocal, mutually beneficial relationship,” Stewart said. “And it’s about giving and receiving and just being in community together. And I think our students are getting that, [and] love that.”
Top 12 Agencies
The following nonprofits receive the most volunteer hours from the Belmont community:
Want to get involved? Register on the Get Connected tab in MyBelmont and attend the upcoming Community Connections Fair Sept. 26 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Maddox Grand Atrium. This annual event provides an opportunity for community agencies and nonprofits to introduce themselves to our students and the greater Belmont community. More than 90 agencies, many of whom Belmont alumni work for, will be present.
This summer, Belmont student leaders from the University’s NPHC* fraternity and sorority community traveled to Tennessee Tech University for the Culturally Black Fraternal Organization (CBFO) Consortium. The event was a day-long program designed to promote leadership development and education in areas related to the success of CBFOs.
Speakers in attendance at the consortium included L.E.A.D. Firm CEO Jarrod D. Benjamin, whose work earned him the United States President’s Lifetime Award, and The Harbor Institute President Rasheed Ali Cromwell, Esq.
The students had the opportunity to sit down with these educators in a small group setting to learn and discuss strategies to engage their members, lead with excellence and continue growing their organizations. Additionally, advisors of these organizations were coached in leading their students toward success.
Micah Wilson, current President of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., shared about her experience. “I feel like it’s common to think being a leader comes naturally because there is no conversation around how uncomfortable it is to adjust, but the consortium opened that dialogue and I’ll take that lesson with me even after college,” she said.
*The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) is composed of nine (9) historically black Greek letter fraternities and sororities (colloquially known as the Divine Nine or D9). The organization was founded in 1930 when African Americans were being denied essential rights and privileges that were afforded to others, and racial isolation was prominent. NPHC was created to provide community and a haven for these groups and to foster social change through community programs. Today, the purpose of NPHC remains the same: To promote community awareness and action through educational, economic and cultural service activities. Currently, Belmont is home to chapters of three of the nine NPHC organizations (Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.) and is hoping to welcome more in the coming years.
Belmont University hosted its August 2022 commencement ceremony for graduate and undergraduate students at 5 p.m on Friday, August 12 in the Curb Event Center. The University celebrated the graduation of a total of 286 students, awarding 117 bachelor’s degrees, 130 master’s degrees and 39 doctoral degrees.
Belmont President Dr. Greg Jones presided over the event and delivered the commencement address. Worship Leadership graduate Dedreck Carr presented the scripture reading and student reflection, followed by a student musical performance by graduate Margaret Collier.
This is the third Belmont commencement ceremony to feature the original song inspired by President Jones’s inaugural theme titled “Let Hope Abound,” performed by alumna Piper Jones. The piece was written by Chad Cates, Tony Wood and Melinda Doolittle.
A video of the ceremony can be watched by clicking here. Photos from the event can be found here.
Belmont’s University Marketing and Communications team earned four awards during the annual Tennessee College Public Relations Association (TCPRA) awards, presented on July 29.
April Hefner, Associate Vice President for Marketing & Communications at Belmont University, was awarded the 2022 Charles Holmes Award, presented annually to a member of TCPRA who demonstrates steadfast service and earnest dedication to the organization.
April Hefner at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, July 5, 2018.
This year’s conference concludes Hefner’s service as president of the TCPRA for the past three years. “I’m inspired by all the ways April works on behalf of Belmont’s students, staff and the university at large,” said Hope Buckner, Associate Vice President for Public Relations and Special Initiatives at Belmont University. “This award from her peers recognizes how we all see April day-to-day, giving of herself as an associate vice president and leading TCPRA the last three years as its president.”
Belmont’s awards also included:
GOLD–News/Feature Video: Homecoming 2022 by Noah Hanson
BRONZE–Feature Photography: Photo by Sam Simpkins
BRONZE–University Webpage Microsite: NewBruins.com by Lougan Bishop
Dave Jarvis, Belmont Bruins Baseball Coach at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, March 9, 2022. Jarvis gets 1000 wins!
Formed in 1975, TCPRA is an alliance of communicators who represent the colleges and universities, public and private, two-year technical schools, technology centers and community colleges that together define higher education in Tennessee. The organization supports the professional development and networking among individuals employed in state-wide higher education in the fields of marketing, public relations, communications, advertising, broadcasting and government relations.
