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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Doug Howard, Dean of Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, Announces Retirement

April Hefner
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Doug Howard, Dean of Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, Announces Retirement

Doug Howard, a longtime music industry executive, recently announced his retirement as dean of Belmont University’s Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business, effective Aug. 31. Howard, who has held the role of dean since January 2015, is a proud Belmont alumnus and a shining example of the entertainment industry success the Curb College fosters. 

Belmont President Dr. Greg Jones said, “This news is certainly bittersweet. Doug Howard has always represented this University well as an alum, serving as a transformational leader during his decades in the music business. For the past seven years, he brought that same passion, energy and creativity to developing students who can forge their own paths in a variety of entertainment and media ventures. I’m grateful for his service and his leadership and wish him all the best in a well-deserved retirement.” 

The former senior vice president of A&R for Lyric Street Records/Walt Disney Company, Howard graduated from Belmont College in 1979 before receiving an MBA from Vanderbilt University and JD from the George Washington University School of Law in Washington, D.C. His history in the Nashville music scene began as a song plugger and studio manager for the Welk Music Group. Following law school, Howard served as vice president and general manager for PolyGram Music Publishing for five years before becoming the senior vice president of A&R for Disney owned Lyric Street Records. In addition, he served as senior vice president and general manager for Disney Music Publishing/Nashville.

His tenure as Curb College dean has been marked by the college’s significant growth, a deepening of industry connections, the opening of a state-of-the-art facility and consistent national acclaim. Through the generosity of Mike and Linda Curb and the Curb Family Foundation, the presence of the Curb College has continued to grow on Nashville’s famed Music Row through facilities like the Quonset Hut and Columbia Studio A (34 Music Square East). Thanks to an in kind Curb Family Foundation donation, these historic spaces—the birthplace of countless legendary hits from artists such Bob Dylan, Loretta Lynn, Brenda Lee, Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly and more—now serve as a resource and inspiration for a new generation of industry leaders. Music production and audio engineering students are able to gain hands-on experience in the classic recording studios, and the 34 Music Square East facility also houses Curb College’s renowned songwriter program, which is celebrating its 15th year. 

Consistently recognized by Billboard and Variety as one of the top schools in the country for music business and film studies, the Curb College has grown from just under 2,000 students to more than 2,500 during Howard’s tenure, while moving into the $87 million Milton & Denice Johnson Center. The building boasts $3.6 million in technology resources and specialized equipment to serve students majoring in Curb College fields: audio engineering technology, creative & entertainment industries, emerging media, film & TV writing, journalism, media production, music business, songwriting, motion pictures and publishing. Of particular note, the facility is equipped with Dolby Atmos Rendering Unit (Dolby RMU) that allows faculty to teach the process of creating and compiling movies in full Dolby Digital, 7.1 and the Atmos DCP formats. Belmont’s Motion Pictures program was the first university-based film program in the country capable of not only showing commercial films, but also teaching the process of developing and producing theater-ready films in the Atmos format. 

“Since I first walked across campus in the fall of 1975 to interview with music business program founder Bob Mulloy, I have loved Belmont, and I will always love Belmont,” Howard said. “While I’m excited and ready for this next phase of life, I must express how grateful I am for the support I received from Belmont’s senior leaders and share my sincere appreciation for the great work of our amazing faculty and staff. Their combined efforts have allowed the Curb College to provide world-class programs for our students and to build upon the strong foundation created by Mr. Mulloy and so many others across the university.” 

Howard will continue to maintain his Belmont ties by returning to serve as a member of the Curb College Advisory Board this fall.

Belmont Interim Provost Dr. David Gregory added, “As dean of the Curb College, Doug has continuously demonstrated his commitment to our students by providing them exceptional learning experiences in and out of the classroom. He achieved this through tireless support of his faculty and staff, while his deep connections and strong reputation in the industry opened doors to tremendous opportunities for the entire college. I’m thankful to call him a colleague and friend. The good news for us is this isn’t a goodbye—rather, we’re grateful his impact will still be felt through his contributions to the Curb College Advisory Board.” 

Dr. Sarita Stewart, associate professor of creative & entertainment industries, has agreed to serve as the interim dean for the Curb College as Belmont launches a national search this fall for Howard’s successor.

Physical Therapy Faculty, Students, Alumni Raise Future Service Dog for Someone in Need

Julia Couch
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Physical Therapy Faculty, Students, Alumni Raise Future Service Dog for Someone in Need

This summer, a team of Belmont physical therapists helped raise a yellow Labrador retriever puppy for a local service dog organization. The team of puppy raisers began working with the future service dog at eight weeks old. Throughout the summer, they trained the puppy on basic commands and house training and introduced her to as many new people and places as possible.

The team of physical therapists included Belmont alumna Dr. Amanda Stephens (‘20), Associate Professor Dr. Christi Williams, alumna Dr. Ashley O’Brien (‘20) and current student Emily Haddox. They were joined by local physical therapists Holly Cauthen from Vanderbilt Pi Beta Phi and Susan Rohleder.

Williams includes service animals in her physical therapy curriculum at Belmont and hopes to increase that material in the future. “Service dogs are something that all health care providers need to learn more about. It’s becoming very common now and understanding rights of access is so important,” said Williams. “From a physical therapy standpoint, we work with patients all the time who have disabilities. Knowing more about service dogs can help us as providers teach patients about how dogs can assist them in managing their disability and gaining more independence.”

After the puppy reached four months old, she transitioned to a prison training program and is being trained throughout the week by inmates. On the weekends, the puppy goes out into the community with other volunteers to further develop skills in various environments and with various people. The puppy training program lasts nearly two years. In the final stages of training–between 14 and 20 months–the puppy will be trained to assist with greater mobility and medical alert tasks, such as retrieving medications, operating a public restroom and household tasks.

Working with a team of students and health care providers offered an even greater benefit to the puppy, as she was exposed to so many more people and places, said Williams. “It’s incredibly rewarding and also an unbelievable amount of work. The dog has to be with someone around the clock and you can’t leave them home in a crate. It takes a team of people,” she explained.

Once the puppy is matched, she will be trained for scent and behavior responses for the person she’s matched with. Specialized training continues for four to six months with the dog graduating around 20 months old.

For more information about how you can get involved with a service dog organization, contact Dr. Williams at christi.williams@belmont.edu.

Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame Announces 2022 Inductee Class

Julia Couch
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Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame Announces 2022 Inductee Class

Belmont University announced today its 2022 class of Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame inductees. Honorees will be recognized at a celebration and reception at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, October 18.

With a mission to honor those who have made significant and lasting contributions to the health and health care industries, the Hall of Fame was created in 2015 by Belmont University, the McWhorter Society and the Nashville Health Care Council, a founding partner.

The nomination process began in January and was open to practitioners, executives, entrepreneurs, mentors, teachers, scientists, researchers, innovators or any person with a connection to the health or health care field who:

  • Was born, lived or worked in Tennessee
  • Made a significant impact and lasting contribution to health care at the local, state, national or international level
  • Exhibits the highest ethical and professional character
  • Serves as an outstanding role model in their community

Among the accomplished nominees, inductees were chosen by a selection committee made up of health care leaders in various sectors from across the state. Selected inductees represent some of Tennessee’s greatest health and health care pioneers, leaders and innovators.

“It is a great honor to celebrate the significant work of our five inductees this year. As we work to establish Belmont’s Thomas F. Frist Jr. College of Medicine and building on our Colleges of Health Sciences & Nursing and Pharmacy, we are inspired by their meaningful contributions to healthcare,” said Belmont President Dr. Greg Jones. “These physicians and leaders have paved the way for the future of health care, providing inspiration to our students who will one day emulate their efforts. Each honoree has championed health and well-being for all through their work in health care access, research and education to help our Tennessee communities flourish.”

The 2022 Health Care Hall of Fame inductees are:

• Reginald Coopwood, M.D.: President and Chief Executive Officer of Regional One Health; Former Chief Executive Officer of Metropolitan Nashville Hospital Authority; Former Chief Medical Officer of Nashville General Hospital at Meharry Medical College

• David W. Gregory, M.D.: Professor Emeritus at Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Founder, Medical Director and Chairman of the board at Siloam Health; Oscar E. Edwards National Award for Volunteerism and Community Service recipient; American College of Physicians member, 2006; 40+ year career in internal medicine and infectious disease.

• Ned Ray McWherter: 46th Governor of Tennessee (1987-1995); Former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives; Former member of the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service; Led the Tennessee General Assembly to pass legislation to create a medical school at East Tennessee State University and replace the state’s Medicaid program with TennCare.

• Ching-Hon Pui, M.D.: Chair of the Department of Oncology and the Fahad Nassar Al-Rashid Chair of Leukemia at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Co-Director of the Hematological Malignancies Program for St. Jude Comprehensive Cancer Center; Director of the St. Jude China Program; American Cancer Society Professor

• Randy Wykoff, M.D., M.P.H.&T.M.: Founding Dean of East Tennessee State University’s College of Public Health; Former Senior Vice President for International Operations at Project HOPE; Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Former Associate Commissioner for Operations for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Board-certified pediatrics and preventive medicine physician with certification in tropical medicine

In addition to recognizing Tennessee’s most influential health and health care leaders, the Hall of Fame serves as an ongoing educational resource to document the rich history that has contributed to Tennessee’s position as the nation’s health care capital.

Sponsors of this year’s Induction Ceremony contribute to the long-term viability of the Hall of Fame and the McWhorter Society Scholarship Program, which benefits students pursuing careers in the health sciences. Since the inception of the McWhorter Society and the Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame, more than $3.6 million has been raised to support McWhorter Society Endowed Scholarships, with more than 176 scholarship recipients since 2014.

A comprehensive list of Hall of Fame inductees since 2015—along with information on sponsorship opportunities for the October 18 induction event—can be found on the Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame website.

Local High School Students Visit Belmont for Week-Long Lab Experience on Making Invisible Microbes Visible

Hope Buckner
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Local High School Students Visit Belmont for Week-Long Lab Experience on Making Invisible Microbes Visible

We are surrounded by billions of microscopic organisms: bacteria, viruses, fungi and protists. This summer, local MNPS high school students spent a week in Belmont labs making these invisible microbes visible.

Dr. Becky Adams, assistant professor of biology, and Dr. Beth Bowman, director of undergraduate research, hosted eight students from local high schools—Overton, Hillwood and Hillsboro—for a week-long summer camp. The program, Visualizing our Invisible Surroundings Immersion at Belmont Labs (VISIBL), which launched its inaugural year this summer, was focused on environmental microbiology. During their research experience, students performed experiments to learn about these organisms that are normally too small to see.

Participants were nominated by their science teachers to participate in this experience—performing biological experiments that allowed them “see” the bacteria and viruses found in the environment, including in soil and on skin. Students grew microbes on petri dishes, used microscopy to zoom in on bacteria and other microbes, and observed the viruses that kill bacteria by analyzing bacterial death. Over the course of their experiments, students worked together to reinforce the concepts they learned and concluded the week by developing posters that showcased their research to bring back to their local schools.

“My biggest goal was to show students that doing science helps us to our world better, by peering into the parts of life that they don’t normally get to see,” Adams said.

Dr. Adams and Dr. Bowman, who are twin sisters, started VISIBL to give back to the community. When they were high school students in Nashville themselves, they participated in a similar hands-on science program at Nashville’s St. Thomas West hospital. “Conducting science at this level can be a transformative experience that many high school students may not be able to experience,” Bowman said. “We want to use Belmont’s resources to spark scientific curiosity in young people, the way our interests were sparked when we were younger.”

The program was supported through the help of Nya Sabye, a junior biochemistry and molecular biology major at Belmont. Nya served as a peer mentor to both help students do the experiments at the bench and as a role model college student.

“I am truly honored that I got to participate in a program that gave me an opportunity to get insight perspective of how I want my future to look in college. Also, taking part in this program really built up my interest in Microbiology. Learning more in-depth about specific bacteria and viruses has me more observant of everything around me. Definitely an experience I will never forget!” said Dia Abdullah, a student participant from Hillsboro High School.

In the program’s inaugural year, students participated free of charge thanks to funding by the Rob Fisher Endowed Fund for Environmental Science. Moving forward, Drs. Adam and Bowman hope to make VISIBL annual and expand to more local high schools across Nashville.

Belmont Names Jill Robinson Assistant Dean of External Relations and Strategic Partnerships

Emma Johansson
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Belmont Names Jill Robinson Assistant Dean of External Relations and Strategic Partnerships

Belmont University recently named Jill Robinson as the new Assistant Dean of External Relations and Strategic Partnerships for The Jack C. Massey College of Business, effective July 1. In this new role, Robinson will expand on her previous role as the director of external relations and executive learning networks for MCB as the primary liaison for creating, developing and maintaining successful external partnerships.

Robinson will continue to oversee the strategic efforts to advance the communication and coordination of initiatives and programs while also enhancing collaboration between faculty, students, staff and members of the community at large between The Jack C. Massey College of Business and educational, business, government and community organizations, for the purpose of cultivating long-term relationships that support MCB’s strategic priorities.

Robinson said she is thankful to continue her work in community outreach in this new role. “My 27-year history of creating partnerships in Middle Tennessee has afforded me a wonderful career connecting with like-minded business executives, associations, non-profit and corporate entities to create impact in the broader Nashville community and beyond,” she said. “Being able to bring together the skills, talent, and opportunities within the Massey College family and align them with our partners’ priorities is a privilege and great joy. I’m excited to see what we can create in long-lasting relationships that impact students, professors and Middle Tennessee for years to come.”

Beginning her Belmont career in 2005, Robinson served as the senior event planner for Belmont’s Office of the President and University Advancement teams, moving to the role of director of executive learning and marketing for the Center for Executive Education in 2007. Robinson then served as the director of external relations and executive learning networks for the Massey College for eight years. She has also taught as an adjunct professor in the School of Business Administration and Belmont’s Public Relations Department since 2010, focusing on event planning and event management. Robinson holds a Master of Business Administration and Master of Arts in Organizational Management from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Plummer Presents at the European Seating Symposium in Dublin

Haley Charlton
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Plummer Presents at the European Seating Symposium in Dublin
attendees get hands-on with ride on toys

Associate Professor Dr. Teresa Plummer, PhD, OTR/L, ATP, CEAS, CAPS recently presented several sessions at the European Seating Symposium in Dublin. She was one of the invited pre-conference presenters where she taught European therapists to modify ride-on toys for infants with mobility impairments.

Plummer was one of three plenary address speakers for the conference. These sessions set the tone and provided the most current evidence of a specific topic of interest. In this case, Plummer presented the current and emerging importance of on-time mobility for infants 12-36 months.

Additionally, Plummer presented three other workshops to the audience of more than 500 from more than 26 countries.

Pharmacy Student Lands Prestigious Internship with AMCP/Pfizer at Independent Health

Staff Writer
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Pharmacy Student Lands Prestigious Internship with AMCP/Pfizer at Independent Health

Article written by Jack Poe.

Nadia Al Dahiri

For some people, the start of summer was set aside to plan for vacations and spend time with friends, but not for Belmont student Nadia Al Dahiri. Instead, she was preparing for her prestigious AMCP/Pfizer Managed Care Summer Internship at Independent Health.

Many were considered for this internship but only a few were selected.

Al Dahiri knew this summer was a golden opportunity to invest a substantial amount of time in a field in which she had significant interest. Wanting to pursue a non-traditional path, she searched far and wide and eventually found this incredible opportunity through the Industry Pharmacists Organization (IPhO). Her interest in this internship began when she saw an opportunity to build connections and grow as a person.

The 10-week program exposes future leaders to managed care pharmacy principles, medication therapy management and much more. With an enthusiastic passion for managed care pharmacy and the pharmaceutical industry, Al Dahiri said the AMCP/Pfizer and IH summer internship has taught her more than she could have imagined about nuanced concepts in managed care that she would have not been able to learn elsewhere.

Her journey at Belmont started because of the beautiful campus, the faculty and the excellent program. As time went on, her love for Belmont grew even larger, and if she had to do the college experience over again, she said, “I would choose Belmont time and time again.” 

Belmont was not only a place that was close to her heart but also a pivotal factor that set her up for success in her internship. Many helped her throughout the journey, but she gave special thanks to Assistant Professor Dr. Genevieve Ness Engle, who taught her P1 Drug Information Class, which equipped her with the most beneficial skillset throughout this internship.

Al Dahiri said Belmont exposed her to a wide variety of pharmacy topics and assignments that mirrored her projects in the internship. Due to her Belmont education, she noticed she was able to engage more when attending Pfizer educational sessions in comparison to some of her peers. She credited Belmont for preparing for this internship, saying, “I would not have been this prepared if I was not a student at Belmont.”

Al Dahiri hopes to broaden her professional network at a national level with this internship. She would like to be exposed to all different pharmacy-related departments within IH, Pfizer and AMCP. She would love to represent Belmont University at a national level in the world of managed care and hopes this internship allows her to do so.

With what is already a successful start to her pharmacy career, Al Dahiri hopes to pursue post-graduate training. This internship is not the pinnacle of her career, it is only the beginning.

Recent Neuroscience Graduates Published in Frontiers Journal

Haley Charlton
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Recent Neuroscience Graduates Published in Frontiers Journal
Natalie Johnson
Natalie Johnson

Recent Belmont neuroscience graduates Rachelle Larivee and Natalie Johnson published their independent research in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, with the article entitled, “Inhibition of Hippocampal Neurogenesis Starting in Adolescence Increases Anxiodepressive Behaviors Amid Stress.” 

Larivee majored in neuroscience with a minor in biology. She is currently working in a neuroscience lab at Vanderbilt. Johnson majored in neuroscience and double minored in painting and chemistry. She plans to attend medical school.

Rachelle Larivee
Rachelle Larivee

The May graduates did this research in Belmont’s Summer Scholars program during the summer of 2021 as a collaboration with the National Institute of Mental Health. They halted the production of newly born brain cells during the adolescence period in rats and found this developmental delay increased the rats’ anxiety and depression in adulthood.

This research provides understanding on how adverse childhood experiences, like stress, can make individuals at risk for anxiety and mood disorders later in life. The article is available here.

Belmont Pharmacy Student Accepted to Harvard Pharmacy Clinical Informatics Internship

Haley Charlton
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Belmont Pharmacy Student Accepted to Harvard Pharmacy Clinical Informatics Internship
Sara saif

Sara Saif, a third-year student at Belmont University’s College of Pharmacy, was one of two students nationwide to be accepted into an internship designed by Harvard Medical School faculty members at the Division of Clinical Informatics (DCI) at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and Pfizer Clinical Informatics, Medical Outcomes & Analytics Group.

Through this program, Saif will work directly with pharmacists and clinical leaders to gain exposure on clinical informatics principles through concepts such as data model design, clinical workflows and interoperability. Furthermore, she will be able to learn and apply how these principles can be used to maximize health care resources and patient care outcomes.

As a current student in the Belmont University College of Pharmacy, Saif not only receives a strong clinical foundation, but also valuable training on healthcare information technology and its use in the practice of pharmacy. This training in informatics has proven to be useful in the application process and will continue to be a valuable resource throughout her internship.

Belmont Law Student Wins ABA Journal’s Ross Writing Contest for Second Year in a Row

Haley Charlton
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Belmont Law Student Wins ABA Journal’s Ross Writing Contest for Second Year in a Row
Frank Toub

For the second year in a row, a Belmont law student won the ABA Journal/Ross Writing Contest for Legal Short Fiction. Frank Toub, entering his third year at Belmont, won the contest for 2022 with his short story “Dope Fiend.”

The story is Toub’s first stab at fiction writing. A former project engineer and Army veteran, Toub is entering his third career with his transition to law school on the GI Bill. In the ABA’s release on the contest, Toub said, “I always viewed attorneys as people who help others with really important problems in their life.” And he wants to do the same.

The ABA Journal Board of Editors selected the winner from finalists picked by ABA Journal editors and writers. The contest sought original fictional stories of no more than 5,000 words that illuminate the role of the law or lawyers in modern society. Entries were judged on creativity, plot exposition, legal insight and character development.

A mentor of Toub’s wife Alexandria told her, “If you can do something for another that means a lot to that person, but it costs you little, you should do it every time.”

One of the characters in Toub’s story acted on that same advice when she helped an alcoholic lawyer who was quick to label his client a dope fiend. Toub said he wanted to explore addiction “through the lens of an attorney who could clearly see his client’s issues but not see the issues in himself.”

Toub says many important people in his life have struggled with addiction, which left him with the notion that it’s easier to help others with their problems than it is to identify your own.

Although Toub hasn’t previously tried any other fiction writing, he hopes to find time for it in the future. “It’s a creative outlet that you don’t necessarily have—at least in law school. It felt very cathartic and good to get those ideas out of me for once,” he said.

Toub is working in a six-week internship for U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson, and he will serve as submissions and transcripts editor at the Belmont Law Review during his 3L year. After graduation, Toub plans to work at the Baker Donelson law firm where he worked as a summer associate this year.

“Dope Fiend” will be available to read on the ABA Journal website beginning the week of Thanksgiving.

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