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 Celebrates Brain Awareness Week

Hope Buckner
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Belmont Celebrates Brain Awareness Week

Students play with play doh at a brain awareness week event on Belmont's campus! Brain Awareness Week (BAW), March 12-18, is the global campaign to increase public awareness of the progress and benefits of brain research. Belmont’s College of Sciences and Mathematics celebrated BAW with many events on campus. Professor of Biology Dr. Lori McGrew said, “Brain Awareness Week is a great opportunity to showcase the talented neuro-scientists we have at Belmont along with fascinating speakers from our community.”

Neuroscience is a growing field, including a wide range of sub-disciplines such as cognition, behavior, cellular neuroscience and computational neuroscience. Belmont’s neuroscience major combines foundational courses in biology, chemistry, psychology and physics with upper level coursework in biology and psychology and culminates in a student-driven research project in neuroscience. The program prepares students for careers as research assistants and animal behaviorists among others or for entry into medical school or graduate school. A chapter of Nu Rho Psi, the National Honor Society in Neuroscience, was started at Belmont in 2017.The Psychological Science and Neuroscience programs at Belmont hosted numerous events to celebrate Brain Awareness Week this week including:

  • “Cognitive Study Strategies” talk with Dr. Yandell: Dr. Yandell discussed with students how to study in accordance with cognitive research in order to improve testing ability and scores.
  • Brain Dissection Demonstration with Dr. Lori McGrew
  • Good Will Hunting Movie Night with Dr. Giordano: Dr. Giordano discussed how psychology and brain biochemistry affect each other, and how these concepts are related to the movie Good Will Hunting
  • “Alzheimer’s Research” talk with Dr. Kate Gifford, Vanderbilt University
  • “Sex/Gender and Sexual Identity in Relation to Biopsychosocial Stress” with Dr. Robert-Paul Juster, Columbia University
  • Relax Your Brain Social Event: Students were invited to socialize while playing with board games, play-doh and much more!
  • Brain Blast Science Fair at Martin Professional Development Center: Belmont students traveled off-campus to meet with kids and to teach them about science of the brain!

Students Present Research at Eastern Psychological Association National Conference

Hope Buckner
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Students Present Research at Eastern Psychological Association National Conference

Twenty-five Belmont students recently presented their psychological research at the Eastern Psychological Association’s National Conference held in in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Drs. Jones, Yandell and Schoenfeld from the Psychological Science department also attended the conference. In addition to attending the conference activities, several students journeyed to the Mütter Museum to see slices of Albert Einstein’s brain and with a short walk past China Town, students toured both the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. There were plenty of cheesesteak adventures to the famous Jim’s. The conference was directly across the street from the historic Reading Terminal Market, boasting a large assortment of foods ranging from Amish danishes to German chocolate.

The student poster presentations covered many disciplines within psychology and was the culmination of these students’ researcy. The students who attended this conference and presented their research posters were Anna Wingo, Aubry Lovell, Bailee Ficzere, Benya Paueksakon, Callie Burns, Daisha Cane, Dallas Mattern, Deja Shaikhutdinov, Eason Taylor, Hannah Johnson, Hope Fenton, John Longnecker, Jordan Hoffman, Kara Garrett, Keli Alden, Libby Day, Lily Tashie, Maddy Clarke Williams, Puti Wen, Rachel Holloway, Ragan Wilson, Reed Priest, Ryan Jensen, Seema Patel and Sielo Coleman.  Presented posters included:

“A validation study of the Belmont altruism measure,” Ryan Jensen, Daisha Cane & John Longnecker

“Dyadic meta-accuracy and perceived motivational accuracy in academic work groups,” Reed Priest

“The impact of trait and state anxiety on emotional interpretation,” Ragan Wilson

“Olfactory cues and spatial navigation in rats,” Aubry Lovell, Kelli Alden & Krista Tice

“Stress response in rats when presented with conflicting versus novel sensory stimuli,” Kara Garrett, Sielo Coleman, Scott Dietz, Benya Paueksakon & Lily Tashie

“Effects of social isolation on behavioral confidence in rats,” Savannah Meech, Hope Fenton, Kaitlin Bayus, Gabby Gonzalez, Marilyn Lauterbach & Cille Taylor

“Effects of environmental enrichment on frustrative-nonreward and subsequent anxiety-like behavior,” Eason Taylor, Bailee Ficzere, Puti Wen, Alejandra Coto, Seema Patel & Jasmine Niazi

“Validation of a new measure of social media fear of missing out,” Madison Williams, Kelli Alden, Libby Day & Callie Burns

“Effect of relaxation techniques on public speaking anxiety,” Jordan Hoffman

“Measuring college student stress response in relation to group dynamics and personality,” Kelli Alden & Madison Williams

“Assessment of physical fitness and physical self-esteem,” Seema Patel, Jasmine Niazi, Hunter Foltz & Austin Townsend

“Walking with tunes: Synchronization of pace to music tempo,” Deja Shaikhutdinov, Cassandra Canaday, Denisha Morris & Janai Todd

“Impression management in assortative mating,” Ryan Jensen

“Personality judgement accuracy on Instagram and Twitter,” Rachel Holloway, Daisha Cane, Ragan Wilson, & Rose Prophete

“Obedience to authority scale: A new self-report measure of obedience,” Hannah Johnson, Daniel Mata, Puti Wen, Dallas Mattern & David Tronsrue

“Criticism instructions and social desirability on grammatical edits,” Anna Wingo, Reed Priest, & Aubry Lovell

Belmont Alumnus, Stoneman Douglas Teacher Speaks to Students on Campus

Hope Buckner
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Belmont Alumnus, Stoneman Douglas Teacher Speaks to Students on Campus

Ray Posada, a 2013 Belmont alumnus and teacher at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (MSD), visited Belmont’s campus this week to share his experiences and insights with students. Initially planning to encourage education majors with a message about remaining in their chosen career path, Posada found himself sharing his story with students from across campus, reminding them to support teachers across the company in their classroom endeavors.

Having been at MSD for 3 years, Posada teaches both world history and sociology to sophomores, juniors and seniors. On Valentine’s Day of this year, when MSD became the sight of a mass shooting, Posada was sitting alone in a copy room located in a separate part of campus. In the dark, waiting for information, Posada said he began texting the 4 members of his family who also spend their days on the high school’s campus. His wife, aunt and cousin are teachers – his younger sister is a junior at MSD. “To say Stoneman Douglas is my home is so true,” Posada said. “Half of my family was there.”

When the door to the copy room was opened by an armed SWAT team and Posada was able to leave the building, he walked nearly a mile to the staging area where he found his wife. Immediately, Posada said he began wondering whether he should go back to the classroom given the threat he was feeling. “I didn’t get into teaching to be shot at,” he said. “I didn’t get into teaching so that I could come back to the class and see an empty desk.” But after attending MSD’s vigil the next day and seeing one of his students, he realized he didn’t have a choice.

“I looked in his eyes, and I could see that behind the tears and the pain, there was so much he didn’t understand,” Posada said. ‘I had no choice, I had to go back to school. I had to be there. He needed me. My life was incomplete without my students.”

Though he doesn’t see himself as an activist, Posada said he is so proud of the students who have moved into that role. He’s happy to support them as they use their voices for change. “They’re passionate,” he said. “We know that when they have a goal in mind, when they have a mission, they go head-long. It makes me proud to see such a dedicated, responsive group.”

Speaking to a room full of more than 100 students, Posada emphasized the importance of good teachers. “Teach. We need you,” he said. “The solution to these problems is teachers. We need you to not be afraid to step into a classroom, because it’s totally worth it.”

Team Hosts Inter-Professional Event Focused on Faith & Healthcare

Hope Buckner
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Team Hosts Inter-Professional Event Focused on Faith & Healthcare

In Fall 2017, an inter-professional team consisting of faculty from Pharmacy, Occupational Therapy, Nursing, Social work, Physical Therapy, Public Health and a staff member from University Ministries designed and delivered an event addressing how personal spirituality can influence interactions with patients. Student feedback from the event was positive overall, with suggestions to provide additional events addressing spirituality, add perspectives from other health professions and lengthen the event to allow for more questions and discussion. Faculty added that including an alumni panel might be of additional interest to students and placing students at tables rather than rows of seats might further facilitate group discussions.

In response to student feedback, a second inter-professional faith event was designed and delivered in February 2018. The event, “Faith and Healthcare: A Panel Discussion and Conversation on Moral Dilemmas,” was offered in the evening and allowed time for group discussion. The panel consisted of a registered nurse, physical therapist and pharmacist–all Belmont University alumni. Panel discussions included conversations surrounding religious ethics, diversity and inclusion and faith expression in professional environments.

More than 40 students attended the event representing a variety of majors including pharmacy, OT, PT, nursing, social work, music business, film and psychology. Participant feedback indicated that the event enhanced professional knowledge/skill and allowed them to feel more comfortable expressing their faith while at work.

Belmont Students Participate in Project Information Literacy Research

Staff Writer
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Belmont Students Participate in Project Information Literacy Research

Bunch Library’s Jenny Mills and the Office of Assessment and Institutional Research are facilitating Belmont’s participation in a national study of how students interact with and consume news and gather information. Project Information Literacy (PIL), a nonprofit research institute, will survey students at 15 universities and high schools across the country, focusing on two of the most pressing issues of what has been called our “post-truth” era: currency and authority. Recently, an email was sent to all full time Belmont undergraduates, and the survey was completed by 900 students.

The report will look to break new ground as an empirical and quantitative study of many issues, such as “fake news” and misinformation, to help better ground public discourse and potential policy solutions. It will also formulate a set of recommendations for professionals directly implicated in addressing relevant problems, offering insights to three groups in particular working with young adults on the front lines: librarians, journalists and educators.

“This study investigates how students find news, and, more importantly, how the news finds them through social media and other channels they might use,” said Dr. Alison J. Head, the director of the new study and an information scientist and a senior researcher at the metaLAB (at) Harvard. “Our research is unique in that it tackles some of the deeper questions about the cognitive habits of young people in this digital-first environment.”

Belmont will receive a research packet of students responses to the survey this summer and results will be shared with campus.

Cusic Publishes ‘Winston Churchill’s Love of Music,’ Presents at Regional Conference

Staff Writer
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Cusic Publishes ‘Winston Churchill’s Love of Music,’ Presents at Regional Conference

book cover, picture of Winston Churchill wearing headphonesDon Cusic, professor of music industry history, recently published a new book titled, Winston Churchill’s Love of Music. Cusic will also be speaking about the book and Churchill at the upcoming Churchill Conference.

This two-day conference, hosted by the Churchill Society of Tennessee, will feature Randolph Churchill as keynote speaker. Randolph is the great-great-grandson of Sir Winston Churchill.

 

Hobson to Restore Historic Film with Princeton University

Staff Writer
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Hobson to Restore Historic Film with Princeton University

Eric Hobson headshotEnglish Professor Dr. Eric Hobson has accepted an invitation from Princeton University’s Department of Art and Archaeology’s Library to identify and document rolls of film recently discovered in their storage facility that date from 1930-31. The film canisters document Captain Vladimir Perfilieff’s scientific expeditions (1923-31).

Due to their highly flammable characteristics, these nitrate films require expert restoration processing. After restoring the film and linking each canister to its specific expedition, he and Princeton staff will write accounts of Perfilieff’s adventures and the resulting film records.

College of Law Moot Court Team Named Regional Champion, Advances to Nationals in ABA’s National Appellate Advocacy Competition

Staff Writer
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College of Law Moot Court Team Named Regional Champion, Advances to Nationals in ABA’s National Appellate Advocacy Competition

Belmont’s College of Law sent two teams to the regional competition of the American Bar Association’s National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC) earlier this month. Law students Jake Beggin, Emmie Futrell, Sarah Sims, Ben Riggs, Paul Madden and Richard Swor represented the College of Law.

Belmont prevailed as Regional Champion and will attend the national competition in Washington, D.C.  April 5-7. Additionally, Futrell and Madden were named nos. 4 and 5 for Best Advocate in the Region.

Center for Entrepreneurship Hosts Business Plan Competition

Staff Writer
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Center for Entrepreneurship Hosts Business Plan Competition

The Center for Entrepreneurship hosted its annual Business Plan Competition last week, allowing nine student businesses to compete for cash prizes in front of a panel of judges.

Ryan Reisdorf took home first place with his business PlaceMat, a wholesome, farm-to-table catering service. The second and third place prizes went to Suzanna Stapler’s Squillustrate and Sarah Beth Perry’s With the Band. Additionally, Karyme Meixueiro Cravioto and Emily Knapp won the People’s Choice Award with their business, Alate.

The competing businesses included:

  • Suzanna Stapler: Squillustrate
  • Jordon Washington: College in Color
  • Emily Knapp and Karyme Meixueiro Cravioto: Alate
  • Ryan Reisdorf: PlaceMat
  • Bailey Jackson: Felicity and Bliss
  • Ernest Walter: Turning Leaves
  • Austin Sellinger and Andrew Cranny: Style 12
  • Tally Bevis: Octo Music Group
  • Sarah Beth Perry: With the Band

Competition judges included Kevin Roddey, senior vice president of Pinnacle Financial, Scott Rouse, entrepreneur and body language expert, Victoria Kopyar, CEO and founder of VK Sport and Belmont Entrepreneur in Residence, Shawn Glinter, CEO and founder of Pendant Biosciences, Inc. and Belmont entrepreneur in residence, Grant Ellis, CEO of Nut Butter Nation and Mark Brooks, Senior Vice President of First Advantage Bank.

Elizabeth Gortmaker, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship, said, “The 2018 Business Plan Competition showed the creativity, drive, and passion of our student entrepreneurs. Pitching to a panel of expert judges is no easy task, but these students came prepared to present the businesses they’ve worked so hard to build. The top three prizes (awarded to a dining experience, a branding company, and an app) show the wide variety of ventures our entrepreneurs create during their time at Belmont.”

Belmont Graduate Programs Ranked Among U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate Schools

Hope Buckner
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Belmont Graduate Programs Ranked Among U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate Schools

Jack C. Massey College of Business’s part-time MBA lands higher than ever before, and College of Law is included among those ranked for the first time

Two of Belmont University’s graduate programs, the Jack C. Massey College of Business’s Part-Time MBA and the College of Law, were lauded today when U.S. News and World Report released its 2019 rankings of Best Graduate Schools, a tool to help prospective graduate students better understand the graduate school landscape and identify potential programs.

Belmont’s Part-Time MBA program was ranked No. 141, higher than its 2018 No. 151 ranking. The University’s College of Law was ranked for the first time this year and came in at No. 139 on the 2019 list.

The Best Graduate Schools ranking in both business and law are based on expert opinions about program excellence and statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school’s faculty, research and students. The rankings’ data comes from surveys of more than 2,012 programs and from reputation surveys sent to more than 20,500 academics and professionals, conducted in fall 2017 and early 2018.

Dean of the College of Law Alberto Gonzales said, “We are pleased that Belmont College of Law was recognized on this year’s Best Graduate Schools rankings in only our second year of eligibility. As Dean of the College, I am grateful for the work of our faculty and the quality of our students. I look forward to an upward climb in future rankings as we build upon our current achievements.”

Dean of the College of Business Dr. Pat Raines said, “After moving ahead of 46 other programs last year in the U.S News Part-Time MBA rankings, I am thrilled for our faculty, students and alumni to advance another 10 places in the 2019 rankings. To be ranked ahead of many of our long-time peers and competition is rewarding, but to be listed ahead of several of our aspirant programs is a meaningful accomplishment. Our alumni should see that the value of their degree is increasing and our faculty should be proud of the outstanding work that they are doing both in the classroom and in their professional careers.

Belmont’s College of Law opened in 2012 and provides challenging academics, a service minded approach, real-world experiences and community leadership in a student-centered Christian environment. The College offers specialties in areas that complement the university’s nationally-known undergraduate programs including healthcare and entertainment and music business. Graduates will be practice-ready attorneys, empowered by their education and co-curricular experiences to provide legal counsel in a variety of settings with a commitment to high standards of expertise and ethics.

The Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business began offering its part-time MBA program in 1986 and has continued to add high-quality graduate business programming as market needs have evolved through the years. The School added an innovative part-time healthcare MBA program in 2012 to complement Nashville’s growing reputation as the healthcare capital of the U.S. and a joint PharmD/MBA program in 2016.

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