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 Adjunct Instructor Launching NFT Platform for Resale Fashion

Cara Baker Davis
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Belmont Adjunct Instructor Launching NFT Platform for Resale Fashion

Lacie Thorne was standing in a factory in mainland China surrounded by 60,000 pairs of neon pink jeans she designed for the Jennifer Lopez line for Kohl’s in 2011. It was a moment that would forever alter how she viewed “fast fashion” and set her on a course to improve the industry.

“There was a light bulb moment and it was just, ‘I can’t believe that we are using our resources to grow the cotton, neon-dye the fabric, all of the human labor, all of the shipping involved to create this product, when we’re going to sell it for $19, the consumer’s going to wear it twice and then they’re going to throw it away effectively,’” she said.

lacie thorne
Adjunct instructor Lacie Thorne

The clothing industry is responsible for up to 10% of carbon emissions annually, surpassing international flights and shipping combined. While she’s designed and styled for top celebrities and brands across the U.S., Hong Kong and Paris, it’s sustainability that fuels Thorne’s work now. And technology is the driving force. Thorne currently serves as an adjunct instructor for O’More College of Architecture & Design at Belmont University and leads classes in Fashion Portfolio Development, Internship, Marketing Fashion Brands and Senior Capstone. She’s also the founder of Phigitals, a blockchain-based web (web3) fashion resale venture, that incentivizes individuals and brands with royalties when they resell an item of clothing. It’s the missing link that could help fuel a second-generation life cycle of quality items.

And the newest generation of consumers – as well as students of the fashion industry – are primed and ready for such innovation. “This generation’s fashion students are incredibly passionate about fashion sustainability (as is just Gen Z in general),” she said. “They’re more aware of the opportunities in fashion sustainability. They see the need and impact for it and are super passionate about initiatives and sustainable fashion.”

Phigitals uses NFTs, non-fungible tokens, and associated smart contracts to list and resale fashion items and incentivizes brands and consumers to think of the longevity of garments in four ways:

Incentivizes brands and consumers with royalties.

“The smart contract allocates a royalty distribution upon the resale of every fashion item. So normally when a consumer resells an article of clothing on Poshmark or eBay, those platforms will take up to and above 25%. And that is the end of the transaction, but the brand isn’t incorporated into that profit model at all.…They aren’t incentivized to care how many times that article of clothing exchanges hands in the future, because they don’t receive a profit from it….We believe that when brands are incorporated into the profit loop, they will create quality garments that last beyond the first-generation user, because they want to extend that royalty lineage as far as possible.

“Our smart contract also includes a portion of royalty distribution for what we call the ‘Consumer Lineage’ for the people who have owned that exact item. So using our platform, theoretically, a consumer could buy a really nice jacket in the year 2022, take good custodial care of that jacket, and then resell it into a community of people that is going to keep it in circulation and still be receiving royalty commissions on it in the year 2050.”

Adds value with “metadata memories” feature.

“Consumers can actually upload what are called metadata memories to their individual NFT. Our hypothesis is that the actual ownership lineage of an item can increase the value of that item, depending on what kind of memories and what kind of people have actually been verified to own that specific item before.”

Generates marketing data for better product decisions.

“When consumers upload these metadata memories to the NFT, brands can actually get verified consumer data associated with the objects that people buy and how they use them: ‘If I own this Nike jacket and I upload a memory of myself going to a Mexican food restaurant and then going ice skating.’ That information is incredibly valuable to brands from a marketing perspective… And therefore [brands] can create better products that match consumer demand moving forward and avoid the carbon associated with products that consumers don’t want.”

Makes it easy to list an item for resale.

“Normally, when you want to sell something on a secondhand marketplace, the listing process is really clunky. You have to take a picture of the item, write a description, choose the platform and hope that your item finds a buyer. And with our platform, you can be standing in front of your closet, and because all of that information is preloaded onto the NFC, including beautiful marketing images, description, care content, labels, including everything up to measurements, just hit the resale button on your NFT. And it streamlines the process to upload to a brand’s existing eCommerce website as an API extension of their existing retail platform.”

Secondhand fashion is big business. The global secondhand market is growing at 3x the rate of the global apparel market. In the U.S., it is expected to more than double by 2026, reaching $82 billion.

Thorne is launching her Phigitals platform, initially funded by the Yale Entrepreneurial Fellowship program, at Rolling Loud, the world’s largest hip-hop festival, held in New York City Sept. 23-25. (If you have a crypto wallet and are familiar with cryptocurrency, you can reach out to Lacie directly to volunteer to test the prototype right now before the launch.)

Thorne was born in Nashville, received her undergraduate business degree in Texas, and enrolled in Parsons Fashion Program in NYC. After working for 10 years as a fashion designer for brands including DKNY, Theory, Tibi and White House Black Market, she launched several lines for celebrities, including Jennifer Lopez for Kohl’s, Adam Levine for Sears and Nicki Minaj for Kmart.

Belmont Law Alumni Appointments Represent Inclusive Excellence in Nashville Justice System

Jasmine Simmons
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Belmont Law Alumni Appointments Represent Inclusive Excellence in Nashville Justice System

The recent appointments and elections of alumni I’Ashea Myles ‘14, Marcus Floyd ‘15, Ashley Upkins ‘14 and Aftan Strong ‘16 exemplify how Belmont College of Law alumni are active agents in embracing hope and inclusive excellence to reweave the social fabric, specifically in Nashville’s justice system. 

The Tennessee State and Federal Primary Election featured the longest ballot in Metro history with a record number of open seats in the House and Senate. Myles and Floyd both occupied space on the August 4 ballot. 

Myles won the general election as the Tennessee 20th Judicial District Chancery Court III judge. Her twenty years of business and legal experience set Myles apart in her campaign where she beat out the Independent write-in, Leroy Ellis, in the general election.

Floyd ran unopposed on the ticket for Division VII judge of the Davidson County General Sessions Court. He spent his entire legal career in public service and championed the key messages of fairness, trust and respect throughout his campaign.

“As judge, I will ensure that every person that walks into my courtroom is treated with the same high level of dignity and respect,” said Floyd. “No matter their zip code, income bracket or background.” 

Both judges emphasized the prevailing message of representation in the judicial system to further the goal of equity in the legal process. 

“It would be different if people could go somewhere else and get their disputes resolved, but they can’t,” Myles said on her campaign website. “Until our Tennessee courts are comprised of all people, lady justice’s scales cannot be balanced and her eyes blind.”

From beyond the ballot, alumnae Strong and Upkins each recently received significant appointments.

Upkins was appointed Vice President of Membership for the National Bar Association (NBA). Founded in 1925, the NBA is the nation’s oldest and largest global network of predominantly Black American attorneys and judges. The association connects over 67,000 lawyers, judges, law students and law professors of color while engaging in social justice economic issues and NBA-sponsored professional development.

Strong’s appointment as Juvenile Court Chief Magistrate in Shelby County presents a two-fold account of firsts. She will be the first female and the first African American to hold the position come September 1 when she is sworn in.

Strong’s experience in family law motivated her goal of holding a position that “administered justice for youth” rather than advocating on their behalf after their sentences were issued or pending.

The appointments and elections of these Belmont Law alumni are the beginnings of an actualized goal to see a judiciary that is reflective of the communities which it serves. 

“It is not lost on me that this is a dream realized,” Strong said. “It truly feels like a journey down the path of purpose.”

Belmont’s Scholarship Program Extends to All MNPS-Zoned High Schools

Cara Baker Davis
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Belmont’s Scholarship Program Extends to All MNPS-Zoned High Schools

Belmont University’s Bell Tower Scholars, the centerpiece scholarship program for our Bridges to Belmont initiative, announces its expansion to all 12 zoned Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) high schools in the fall of 2023.

The addition of Cane Ridge and Antioch high schools follows a significant expansion this fall to include 50 students across Metro Nashville high schools.

“Belmont’s generosity in making full-ride scholarships available to MNPS graduates never fails to put a smile on our faces, and we’re thrilled to be able to say that graduates of all 12 of our zoned high schools are eligible,” MNPS Director of Schools Dr. Adrienne Battle said. “It’s an incredible commitment to our young people and a smart investment in their success.” 

The Bell Tower Scholars program was designed to provide high-achieving, high-need students from Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) full-ride access to a Belmont University education. Since its launch in 2013, the initiative has grown with the support of Belmont alumnus and Belmont Board of Trustees Chair Milton Johnson and his wife Denice, who created a $10 million endowment to support the initiative in 2015. 

The charter class included 27 students from four schools and now includes 143 scholars who collectively hold an average 3.01 GPA. Many of these are active student leaders holding executive board or chair leadership positions in several organizations, including the Black Student Association, Greek Life, HOPE Council, Student Government Association, Hispanic Student Association, Belmont Engineering & Robotics, Bruin Recruiters and more. To date, Belmont’s investment in MNPS students through the Bell Tower Scholars pathway exceeds $34 million.

Belmont President Dr. Greg Jones said, “We are thrilled to continue the trajectory of hope we have with the Bell Tower initiative. We believe that by expanding this program, we expand our capacity for being part of generational change among our most deserving neighbors. These proven problem solvers and leaders of character will address the challenges of today and tomorrow, and it’s our honor to support them throughout their higher education experience.” 

The Bell Tower Scholars program reflects an intentional step on the part of Belmont’s administration to enhance the University’s cultural and ethnic diversity while also continuing efforts to provide higher education to students in Davidson County. Scholars, many of whom are first-generation college students, each are awarded a full four-year scholarship that covers tuition, room, board, required fees and books (from state and federal grants as well as Belmont scholarship funds.) Throughout their higher education experience, they also are given academic support and peer mentors.

The program requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and a 20 ACT score, though Belmont is also continuing to operate as test-optional for admissions. Priority is given to first-generation, Federal Pell Grant eligible applicants. Interested students are encouraged to contact their high school guidance counselors for information on how to be considered.

To learn about ways to support this initiative, please contact Belmont’s Office of Development at 615-460-5517.

Belmont Psychology, Songwriting, Audio Students Visit Strawberry Field

Haley Charlton
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Belmont Psychology, Songwriting, Audio Students Visit Strawberry Field

Since 1934, Liverpool’s Strawberry Field has been operated by The Salvation Army. It was on the grounds that a young John Lennon, before his Beatles fame, often came to play, reflect and escape the post-War streets of Woolton. Those days on the grounds shaped him and would later inspire his work as an adult in the Beatles, including the famous song, “Strawberry Fields Forever.” 

In July 2022, Belmont Songwriting and Audio Engineering Technology (AET) students joined Linda Jones’s Psychology class on a visit to Strawberry Field. The students heard testimonials from current participants in the Steps to Work program at the hub. Director of the Month in London Program Dr. Maggie Monteverde arranged the trip to Strawberry Field with Salvation Army consultant Ginette Goulston-Lincoln.

As the custodians of this precious heritage, the Salvation Army mission at Strawberry Field is now threefold: first, to provide sustainable employment opportunities for young people with learning difficulties. The new hub offers training, skills and work placement to provide real employment prospects. As part of this program, participants and their families are offered support, time to socialize, develop aspirations and help to break down barriers so they can achieve their fullest potential.

students at Strawberry Fields

Second: to open the gates to the public for the very first time as a way to provide additional funding to sustain their mission. And third, to provide a Christian Community of spiritual exploration, retreat and pastoral care so that visitors can take time to rest and refresh.

Songwriting and AET students joined hub team member Joe Doogan to sing the song “Imagine” in front of the original gates in the park.

The Practicum in London program primarily involves meeting with music industry executives based in London (this year, publisher manager Melanie Redmond) to receive writing prompts.

Belmont Instructor Drew Ramsey’s Songwriting students then create songs and work with AET Lecturer Alan Shacklock’s class to generate recordings to pitch back to the executives for feedback. This year for the first time, Dr. David Schreiber’s music business students were tasked to handle administration on the student songs and some marketing work.

To further expand this new partnership next year, songwriting students will write original songs inspired by the Salvation Army mission at Strawberry Field and perform them live in the park on their visit.

Belmont University Dedicates, Opens Newest Residence Hall–Caldwell Hall

Julia Couch
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Belmont University Dedicates, Opens Newest Residence Hall–Caldwell Hall

Belmont University today dedicated its newest and largest residence building, welcoming students for the 2022-2023 school year. Caldwell Hall joins Belmont’s residential village on the southeast side of campus, created with the completion of Tall Hall in 2018. Providing scenic views of the Nashville skyline, Caldwell Hall will house 606 upperclassmen students growing Belmont’s capacity for residential students to more than 60%.

The building primarily features four-bedroom units, along with single studios and two-to-six-bedroom units, all with private bedrooms. Increased amenities include flexible basement space, practice rooms, a fitness center, a two-story lobby featuring study and gathering areas, laundry room and two exterior courtyards. The $98 million project by longstanding University partners R.C. Matthews and ESa is built with the same high-performance environmental standards as other Belmont projects.

“We are delighted to provide even more space for undergraduate students to live on campus, a thriving community within our great city of Nashville,” said Belmont President Dr. Greg Jones. “As our students engage in purposeful learning and discovery here at Belmont, buildings like Caldwell Hall enable more than the convenience of living close to their classroom. The friendships students foster and the community they build here will support the development of who they are and who they are becoming.”

At 268,000 square feet, Caldwell Hall is Belmont’s largest residence hall, demonstrating the University’s continued commitment to providing students with a residential, liberal arts education. Caldwell Hall adds to the more than 4,300 residential spaces Belmont has built on campus in the past several years through the construction of 11 residence halls as part of more than $1 billion invested in new construction, renovations and property acquisitions.

“It is certainly another great day in the history of Belmont University as we dedicate and open Caldwell Hall,” said Milton Johnson, alumnus and Chairman of the Belmont Board of Trustees. “This building offers extensive amenities that will provide meaningful living and learning experiences for students as they learn their purpose, develop in character and grow in wisdom. We look forward to welcoming students in a few weeks and to the connections and conversations that will come to life within these walls.”

Milton Johnson, Chairman of the Board, Taylor Ruscitti, Jordan Cooper, Dr. Greg Jones, Avery Anklet and Dr. Tamika Williams cut the ribbon during the Caldwell Hall Ribbon Cutting ceremony at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, August 11, 2022.

Other projects currently under construction include the new Jack. C. Massey Center and the Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine, slated to open in the fall of 2023 and 2024 respectively. The Jack. C. Massey Center on 15th Ave. South will house the recently launched Belmont Data Collaborative, the Cone Center for Entrepreneurship and the Transformational Innovation Hub along with classrooms and collaborative workstations for students and faculty. The Center will also be home to a new Welcome Center for the University and house its Admissions Team, becoming the University’s new front door.

The Frist College of Medicine will feature a 200,000 square foot facility with a state-of-the-art, 50,000 square foot Simulation Center, one of the most comprehensive in the nation. Fitting seamlessly within Belmont’s health care corridor, Frist College of Medicine will create a fully interdisciplinary educational experience, allowing students in Belmont’s existing health care programs to interact with student doctors and work as a team, just as they would within the health care delivery system they will enter as professionals.

Two Belmont Psychology Students Receive Grants for Fall Research Studies

Haley Charlton
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Two Belmont Psychology Students Receive Grants for Fall Research Studies

Belmont psychology students Wesley Stuart and Khalil Dabdoub were recently awarded prestigious Psi Chi Undergraduate Research Grants. Psi Chi, the International Honors Society for Psychology, receives numerous undergraduate grant proposals each term and both Belmont students’ projects were awarded $1,500 to fund their independent research studies for the Fall semester.

Stuart’s project, “How Disgust in Germ Averse Individuals Biases Avoidance Decision-Making” will look at how the disgust emotion makes us more wary of “germy” things in our world. Stuart is particularly interested in how stress regulates our avoidance of germs so he will be measuring salivary stress hormones and physiological markers of stress in participants. Stuart is a psychology major with a minor in worship arts. His faculty research advisor is Dr. Timothy Schoenfeld.

Dabdoub’s project, “Investigating the Effects of Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercise on Cognitive Performance and Endorphin Release” will examine a commonly-held belief that brief exercise improves our mental functioning in real time. He will test aerobic and anaerobic forms of exercise to see their improvements on cognitive skills. He is particularly interested in how our body’s endorphins regulate these improvements. Dabdoub is a double-major in psychological science and exercise science with a minor in business administration. His faculty research advisor is Dr. Michael Oliver.

Watkins College of Art at Belmont University Named Top 50 Illustration School in the Nation, No. 1 in Tennessee by Animation Career Review

Emma Johansson
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Watkins College of Art at Belmont University Named Top 50 Illustration School in the Nation, No. 1 in Tennessee by Animation Career Review

After considering nearly 150 schools across the US, the Animation Career Review named Watkins College of Art at Belmont University a Top 50 illustration school, coming in at No. 43 nationally, No. 7 in the South and No. 1 in the state of Tennessee. This honor is decided based on academic reputation, employment data, admission selectivity, depth and breadth of the program, value as it relates to tuition/indebtedness and graduation rate.

Watkins College of Art merged with Belmont University in 2020, originally existing as a separate institution established in Nashville in 1885. The school is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and offers Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Art Education, Studio Art, Illustration, Photography, Design Communications and Experiential Design, Bachelor of Arts degrees in Art, Photography, and Art History, Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in the Visual Arts as well as minors in Art History, Design Communications, Painting, Photography and Studio Art.

Dan Brawner, associate professor of design & illustration, says the honor is meaningful because “it puts a spotlight on our program, recognizes years of strong student work and reflects a dedicated faculty who are deeply immersed in the wider creative community.”

Belmont University’s studio-based Illustration program provides a multidisciplinary and entrepreneurial-focused education, so students are equipped for success in whichever path they choose- whether it be as an animator, art director, educator, graphic novelist, character designer, children’s book illustrator or any other occupation within this growing field. Graduates of Watkins have an extensive understanding of visual literacy, typography, conceptual and technical development, advertising illustration, art licensing and surface design, book illustration and sequential art, character design and development, and editorial illustration.  

“Our professors bring a breadth of experience to the classroom, challenging students and encouraging work that is on par with the best students in the country,” Brawner continued. “Extraordinary alumni accomplishments are proof that a career in illustration is not pie in the sky stuff.” He hopes to continue creating valuable opportunities for Watkins students, increase enrollment for the College of Art, add illustration faculty and grow their reputation.

The Animation Career Review is an online resource for people aspiring to work in animation, game design, graphic design, digital art and related fields. Launched in 2011, they strive to provide the most accurate and relevant information for prospective illustration students to use as a starting point in the college search process. Over the past eleven years, Animation Career Review has generated over 14 million unique visitors, an average of over 1.2 million per year.

The full rankings can be found here.

Belmont Undergraduate Students Spend Summer 2022 Immersed in Research Projects

Haley Charlton
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Belmont Undergraduate Students Spend Summer 2022 Immersed in Research Projects

Belmont’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships in the Sciences (SURFS) offers the opportunity for selected students at all levels to work on a focused, summer research project.

Click the story below to read about the projects that took place during Summer 2022.

SURFS 2022

Belmont Community for Diverse Faculty and Staff Members Present at ATE Conference

Haley Charlton
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Belmont Community for Diverse Faculty and Staff Members Present at ATE Conference

On July 31, Dr. Darcie Finch from Belmont’s College of Education, Dr. AdriAnne Sternberg from Belmont’s Division of Student Formation, and Dr. Anthony Blash from Belmont’s College of Pharmacy continued conversations around the impact of Belmont’s recently dedicated Freedom Plaza with members and guests of the Association of Teacher Educators (ATE).  

The ATE focuses on equity, leadership and advocacy for all teacher educators and learners. As participants in Belmont’s Community for Diverse Faculty and Staff (BCDFS), Finch, Sternberg and Blash engaged the larger community in discussions around inclusion, diversity and equity to emphasize Belmont’s strategic priority of helping reweave the social fabric.

With the ATE’s focus and Belmont’s commitment, the stage was set for rich opportunities for learning and reflection during the summer conference.

The BCDFS is an organization that was created in 2021 to serve Belmont’s diverse faculty and staff by providing a network of professionals that support each other through mentoring, research collaborations, teaching and social networking.

For more information or to join BCDFS, please contact Dr. Tiffinie Zellars at tiffinie.zellars@belmont.edu.

Belmont University’s Strategic Leadership in Education Ph.D. Earns Full Accreditation

Julia Couch
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Belmont University’s Strategic Leadership in Education Ph.D. Earns Full Accreditation

The newly launched Strategic Leadership in Education (SLE) Ph.D. at Belmont University has received full accreditation status through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, Belmont’s accrediting body. Housed in the College of Education, the program’s core courses are multidisciplinary and rooted in educational leadership theory and literature. Students will have the opportunity to select one of three concentrations in educational leadership, management and entrepreneurship, or faith and justice leadership.

“Helping communities flourish starts with education. Our new Ph.D. program is a tangible example of Belmont championing life abundant for our neighbors as we equip future leaders in education to make the world a better place. We are thrilled to receive this news and welcome our inaugural class this fall,” said Dean of the College of Education Dr. Jim McIntyre.

The program, which is offered predominantly online, will provide educational leaders with the tools they need to successfully confront the many organizational, political, fiscal and instructional challenges faced in today’s educational settings. Research-based and leadership-focused coursework will prepare students for advanced leadership and management roles in PreK-12 schools and districts, adult and higher education institutions, education-oriented foundations, nonprofit and faith-based organizations, and government.

The SLE program is designed to accommodate working professionals, requiring 60 credit hours that can be completed part-time within four years. The hybrid schedule offers courses primarily online that are supplemented with one required three-day, on-campus session each semester.

Countless challenges impact students, families and communities, and SLE graduates will be well equipped to work towards solving complex problems within education. Unlike other programs in the nation, this doctoral program will set graduates up for success as both senior leaders in education-oriented organizations and as scholars in the field of educational leadership.

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