Sarah O’Hanlon was recently awarded a scholarship from Smart Choice Sitters. Smart Choice Sitters connects families to babysitters through an online database. All of their sitters are college students who are recent graduates who have earned at least a 3.0 GPA. This scholarship is awarded each semester to one student who, according to CEO Kyle Willkom, “goes above and beyond, and gets a 5-star review from a [participating] parent.” O’Hanlon was the first-ever recipient of this scholarship, and Willkom said, “We’re hoping to give…to more Belmont students in future semesters!”
Student Awarded Scholarship from Smart Choice Sitters
Clapper Honored with Stones River Access
The Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association is building an access on the Stones River early next month, which will be dedicated to the late Jim Clapper, former dean of the Jack C. Massey College of Business. Clapper served as dean of the college from 1997-2003, where he led the accreditation process for the school and promoted the growth of the Center for Business Ethics. He passed away July 31.
The access will allow paddlers and fishermen to stop at the Metro Nashville Stones River Bend Farm Park for picnicking, hiking or overnight camping. It will also help prevent erosion and provide bank stabilization.
Volunteers will be working to construct the access on Friday, Nov. 3, Saturday, Nov. 4, and Sunday, Nov. 5.
Alumnus Speaks at Security Conference
Belmont audio engineering technology and computer science alumnus Tyler Welton recently spoke at the DEFCON Security Conference. While on campus, Welton worked in Belmont’s Office of Campus Security. Now, Welton works as a Senior Information Security Engineer for LeanKit Inc. in Franklin. For a full video of his address, click here.
PRSSA Featured in Progressions
Belmont’s chapter of Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) was recently featured on the National PRSSA blog, Progressions, for their Dr. F.H. Teahan Award. These awards honor outstanding performance in various categories, and this year, Belmont’s chapter won the award for PRSA/PRSSA Relationship demonstrating a strong partnership with the Public Relations Society of America Nashville chapter.
According to the article, Belmont’s chapter has “excelled in their efforts with their PRSA sponsor Chapter…They took advantage of this relationship to the fullest and they can be seen as an example to all.”
Alumna Creates International Pen Pal Project
Alumna Samantha Hubner (’16), a political science major, Honors student, Lumos Scholar and creator of last year’s international book drive, has begun another project to engage students internationally. The Pen Pal Project is an online communication program that connects English-speakers of all ages to Hubner’s high school students in China.
So far, more than 500 people from 30 English-speaking countries are participating. To avoid postal confusion, the process is streamlined through one email account, and notes can be submitted here. The project runs through the month of November, but communication is welcome to continue further if the participants wish. According to Hubner, the projects aims to connect Chinese students with communities overseas through “bonding over a common passion for reading and English.”
Korea Sports Safety Foundation Meets with Belmont Athletics Department
Staff members from Korea Sports Safety Foundation (KSSF) recently visited Belmont’s campus for a meeting with Associate Athletic Director Steve Barrick and Assistant Athletic Director for Sport Operations Colette Keyser. At the meeting, written safety and risk management protocol was shared and discussed including concussion management protocol, severe weather emergency plan, weather-related policies for extreme heat and cold and emergency action plans for the E.S. Rose Park facility.
Team leader Sung-Ick Chae in Safety Business Department, KSSF said, “I really appreciate Mr. Barrick and Ms. Keyser allowing us to visit Belmont Athletics on such short notice given before visiting. We had meaningful time learning about Belmont Athletics safety and risk management protocol which will be a practical benchmark to evaluate collegiate programs in South Korea. I am also very impressed by beautiful Belmont campus as well as athletic facilities.”
COIN Advises Students on Musical Success
When Chase Lawrence (’14), a songwriting major, and Joe Memmel met in their music theory class, they didn’t know that fame was just around the corner. Now joined by drummer Ryan Winnen and bassist Zachary Dyke (’14), an audio engineering major, their band COIN has sold out arenas and broken onto the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. The band recently returned to Belmont to share their success story and advice to aspiring Belmont artists.
After releasing a few singles on Noise Trade and playing small gigs, Lawrence said, “one show kept leading to another.” Their third performance as COIN was Belmont’s Rock Showcase, where the group was discovered by Columbia Records.
COIN then released its single, “Run,” in 2015 and was hailed by Billboard as “new wave crash-course survivors” destined to “break the Nashville mold.”
The group had this advice for aspiring Belmont artists:
- “No one is ever going to care as much as you care,” said Lawrence. A record label might want you to succeed, and your fans care about your music, but you have to put the heart, soul and hard work into the band if you want it to succeed. Winnen added, “Treat your business like you’re always running a start-up.”
- Record labels will only “magnify what we bring to the table,” according to Lawrence. They will help you, but you have to put in the up-front work.
- Winnen emphasized that there is “strength in identity.” Your music has to be a reflection of the culture of your band, and you must be authentic to that culture.
- As students, Memmel highlighted the future value of your current education. He said, “Take what you learn in school and put it to use outside of school.” Lawrence agreed, noting how invaluable his copyright law class has been in his career. Additionally, Memmel encourage students to take advantage of the “sprawling network of people you meet here [at Belmont].”
- Most importantly, the group attributes most of its success to “just showing up and trying,” said Memmel. He pointed out that you can’t be too shy to share your music.
The band has just kicked off an international tour, which began in Nashville and includes four sold-out shows in Europe. Their most recent album, “How Will You Know if You Never Try,” released in April and features their hit single, “Talk Too Much.” The song has since become their first to chart on a Billboard playlist. As COIN continues to grow their outreach, Memmel encouraged students to take risks and “be confident in what you’re doing.”
Gilbert Published in Psychology in the Schools Journal
Dr. Lauren Gilbert, assistant professor of psychology, recently had an article accepted for publication in the Psychology in the Schools Journal. The article is entitled, “Latino immigrant parents’ financial stress, depression, and academic involvement predicting child academic success.” The current study examines Mexican-heritage immigrant parents’ financial stress, English language fluency and depressive symptoms as risk factors for parental academic involvement and child academic outcomes. Participants were 68 Latino immigrant (from Mexico) third and fourth graders and their parents.
The second author on the article is Christia Spears Brown, a psychology faculty member at the University of Kentucky, who received her undergraduate degree in psychology at Belmont.
The Psychology in the Schools journal, published ten times per year, welcomes theoretical and applied manuscripts, focusing on the issues confronting school psychologists, teachers, counselors, administrators and other personnel workers in schools and colleges, public and private organizations.
Graduate Piano Student Earns Second Place at Fine Arts Festival
Graduate piano performance student James Matthews recently took second place in the American Fine Arts Festival Golden Era of Romantic Music Competition, College Level. Matthews and the rest of the event’s winners will perform in Carnegie Hall in New York City on December 9.
Matthews studies with Associate Professor in the School of Music Dr. Kristian Klefstad.
