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Belmont to Host 2018 Gubernatorial Debates

April Hefner
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Belmont to Host 2018 Gubernatorial Debates

Well-established as a community leader for hosting important civic conversations, Belmont University will once again step to the forefront in 2018 as the site for a Tennessee gubernatorial forum and several debates. The campus previously hosted the 2015 and 2011 Nashville mayoral debates, the 2010 gubernatorial debates and, most memorably, the 2008 Town Hall Presidential Debate between then Senators Barack Obama and John McCain. Belmont also served as the alternate site for last year’s presidential debate series from the Commission on Presidential Debates. All of the 2018 gubernatorial events at Belmont will be co-sponsored with The Tennessean.

The series at Belmont will begin in January with a candidate forum focused on education in partnership with the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE). Primary debates will be held on Belmont’s campus next June as the Republican and Democratic party candidates gather separately to discuss topics relevant to the state. Once final candidates have been selected in next August’s primaries, Belmont will host one of three general election debates in the fall. While Belmont will host the Nashville/middle Tennessee debate, University of Tennessee-Knoxville will host an east Tennessee debate while University of Memphis will host one for the western portion of the state.

Belmont University President Dr. Bob Fisher said, “As an institution of higher education, promoting civic involvement and community responsibility are central tenets of Belmont’s mission to ‘empower students to engage and transform the world.’ This University has shown that commitment through the hosting of numerous political debates and forums on a local, state and national level, including a 2008 Presidential debate, and we are honored to once again be a gathering space for critical conversations that impact the future of every Tennessean. I am excited to welcome the gubernatorial candidates to our campus, and I look forward to joining with our colleagues at University of Tennessee–Knoxville and the University of Memphis to host insightful discussions on the issues affecting our state.”

In announcing the debates, Tennessean Editor/VP of News for the USA Today Network-Tennessee Michael Anastasi wrote, “The coming 12 months will be among the most important in this state’s long and storied political history… Through all of these [events], we will be encouraging rigorous discussion and debate while insisting on civil discourse, which we believe to be the truest test of leadership.”

The election to select Tennessee’s next governor will occur on November 6, 2018.

Alumna Katie Pruitt Signs Publishing Deal

April Hefner
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Alumna Katie Pruitt Signs Publishing Deal

Katie Pruitt live show shotBelmont songwriting alumna Katie Pruitt (2016) recently signed a co-publishing deal with creative music company Round Hill Music, which has offices in Nashville, New York and Los Angeles. The singer-songwriter won the BMI Foundation’s inaugural Nashville Songwriting Scholarship last year, and she was also recognized by the Songwriters Hall of Fame earlier this year with the Holly Prize, which honors “a new ‘all-in-one songwriter’— an exceptionally talented and inspired young musician/singer/songwriter whose work exhibits the qualities of [Buddy] Holly’s music: true, great and original.”

According to her website, Pruitt’s music is “best described by the interaction of human relationships with a musical focus on simple but evocative melodies and sung in a voice that reflects the mysteries of life. Influenced by Joni Mitchell, Bonnie Raitt and Amy Winehouse, her music is a combination of all the elements that make music great.”

PRSSA Sweeps Awards at National Conference

Staff Writer
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PRSSA Sweeps Awards at National Conference

Belmont’s chapter of Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) recently received the national PRSSA Teahan Award for Outstanding PRSA/PRSSA Relationship, as well as a Star Chapter Award, recognizing 10 criteria of excellence. Belmont PRSSA is one of only two chapters to receive this award every year since it was established in 2009. The students also received six national awards for their individual contributions to the chapter and the public relations profession.

These students received the awards at the PRSSA National Conference in Boston this month. The conference is the largest gathering of public relations students in the country and offered these students the opportunity to network and learn while exploring different sections of the public relations industry.

Alumnus Featured in ‘People’ and ‘Taste of Country’

Staff Writer
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Alumnus Featured in ‘People’ and ‘Taste of Country’

'Yours' album cover - Russel Dickerson in front of blue screen with the word 'Yours' written across the image.Alumnus Russell Dickerson (’11) is attracting media attention as his rise to fame continues. He was recently featured on People.com/country and ‘Taste of Country,’ discussing his marriage and his musical success. He told People, “Once I stopped caring what people thought, it was like people were attracted to that. It took me a while to learn that.”

Dickerson has opened for acts like Thomas Rhett and fellow alumni Florida Georgia Line, and his recently-released debut album, “Yours,” hit No. 16 on iTunes this week. The project is a reflection of his relationship, focusing on happy songs like “Billions,” and the album’s namesake, “Yours.” He and his wife Kailey both graduated from Belmont in 2011 with degrees in Commercial Music.

 

Alumnae Entrepreneurs Featured in ‘Lashville’

Staff Writer
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Alumnae Entrepreneurs Featured in ‘Lashville’

Makenzie Stokel and Channing Moreland standing side by side, looking at each otherAlumnae Channing Moreland (’16) and Makenzie Stokel (’16), founders of EVAmore, sat down with blogger Carly Peterson of Lashville this week to discuss their success in the entrepreneurial industry. The women started EVAmore through the Entrepreneur Center’s Project Music in 2015 and have since been featured in Forbes, highlighting their platform, strategy and model.

“We made it so that the website can do it all for you,” said Stokel. “But we also wanted it to be a customized experience.”

Evamore is an online booking platform that matches artists and performers with event planners and venues. It is designed to take the stress out of the booking process by streamlining the negotiation and contract process. The dream of EVAmore was born when Moreland and Stokel met at New Student Orientation at the beginning of their first year at Belmont. Moreland studied songwriting and entrepreneurship, while Stokel majored in music business and entrepreneurship.

Belmont Tops Out New ‘Tall Hall’ Residence

April Hefner
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Belmont Tops Out New ‘Tall Hall’ Residence

Building to house more than 600 students when completed

Dr. Fisher and Marty Dickens celebrate "topping out" of the new Hall Hall dorm at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. October 20, 2017.
The gable for “Tall Hall” is lifted into place.

Ten months after breaking ground, today Belmont University contractors lifted the north gable in place on a new residence, “Tall Hall,” that sits between 12 South and 15th Avenue. The topped-out structure’s top floor, based on overall elevation, represents one of the highest points in Nashville, offering tremendous birds-eye views of downtown.

Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher said, “As part of our commitment to student-centeredness, we want to offer on campus living spaces for more of our students in order to enhance their learning opportunities in and out of the classroom. This new hall will further the robust Residence Life experience Belmont can offer while also helping more members of our community stay in a safe and affordable location near the center of our dynamic and rapidly expanding city.”

At more than 243,000 square feet, Tall Hall will be the institution’s largest residential building to date and is scheduled to open in phases with about half of the facility welcoming students in August 2018, with the remaining space finished by January 2019. The $80 million complex will house 611 upperclassmen in total and will include a fitness studio on the ground level to provide workout opportunities close to students’ homes. In addition, a large park-like green space is being added beside Tall Hall between Dickens, Horrell, Russell and Thrailkill Halls. The area will feature a flowing stream, a small pond, seating spots and a green recreational space.

Dr. Fisher speaks during the celebration "topping out" of the new Hall Hall dorm at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. October 20, 2017.
Dr. Fisher speaks during the celebration “topping out” of the new Tall Hall dorm at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. October 20, 2017.

Approximately 55 percent of Belmont’s undergraduate population currently lives on campus, and the new hall will increase residential spaces from approximately 3,500 currently to more than 4,100 spots. The new facility will feature both suite and apartment-style room options and will be located in the southeast quadrant of campus. Nashville-based R.C. Mathews is the contractor and ESa the architect for the project.

Belmont continues its commitment to sustainable buildings with this project, as this is expected to be the fourth campus building to achieve LEED certification. Occupancy sensors, nearby material sourcing, variable refrigerant flow (VRF) HVAC system and low VOC paints all contribute to ensuring less impact on the environment from this new construction.

Belmont’s continued campus growth—with investments exceeding $600 million in construction, renovation and property acquisitions since 2000—is matched by an enrollment surge that finds the University topping 8,000 students for the first time this fall.

Starnes Becomes College’s First Epidemiologist

Staff Writer
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Starnes Becomes College’s First Epidemiologist

Catherine Starnes headshotAssistant Professor of Mathematics Catherine Starnes recently joined the College of Sciences and Mathematics as the faculty’s first-ever Epidemiologist. Her teaching and research interests focus on applied statistics, particularly in the areas of women’s health, minority health outcomes and maternal/child outcomes.

Starnes received her B.S. in Mathematics from Belmont and her PhD in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the University of Kentucky.

Belmont President Recognized as Nashville ‘Trendsetter’

April Hefner
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Belmont President Recognized as Nashville ‘Trendsetter’

Bob FisherBelmont President Dr. Bob Fisher was recognized this week by the Nashville Business Journal (NBJ) in the publication’s annual Power 100 list. This year the list of the city’s “most powerful business leaders” was divided into five categories: Heavy Hitters, Industry Giants, Connectors, Dealmakers and Trendsetters. Dr. Fisher was recognized among the Trendsetters, which NBJ Editor Lori Becker described as “…among the city’s most creative, leading the business community with new ideas. They’re big-picture thinkers with the 30,000-foot view of Nashville’s business community.”

In addition to noting the significant enrollment and endowment growth during his 17-year tenure, the magazine remarked, “Fisher has worked to elevate Belmont’s status locally by tailoring programs to specifically address the needs of the city’s business community, especially the city’s arts and music industries. As a result, Belmont is positioning itself as a school of choice for companies looking to fill their talent pipeline.”

 

Garrett Presents Research at VCAR Science Day

Hope Buckner
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Garrett Presents Research at VCAR Science Day

Dr. Lori McGrew, professor of biology, and senior neuroscience major Kara Garrett, one of McGrew’s research students, attended Vanderbilt University’s Center for Addiction Research (VCAR) first annual Science Day on October 17. The symposium included presentations by Dr. Stephen Loyd, Tennessee’s medical director of the division of substance abuse, Nashville Mayor Megan Barry and the neuroscientist who first cloned opioid receptors Dr. Brigitte Kieffer.

The talks were followed by a poster session where Garrett presented research she conducted as part of Dr. McGrew’s 2017 Summer Scholars group. Her presentation, “The effects of various pathogens on cortisol levels of Danio rerio measured from holding water compared to full body collection” was well received and the pair was invited to return next year.

Business Students Earn Top Marks at CIBER International Business Case Competition

Hope Buckner
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Business Students Earn Top Marks at CIBER International Business Case Competition

A team of Belmont University business students earned top marks at this year’s CIBER International Business case competition, held recently at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut. Belmont’s participants included Rachel Masterson, Heta Patel, Leviere Carrillo and Joshua Dahlberg. These students competed among 10 teams made up of students from Florida State University, Purdue University, San Diego State University, Bowie State University, University of Connecticut, University of Maryland, Università di Trento (Italy), Bryant University and University of Vermont.

This year’s case, “Goonj: Essence of Sustainability and Scalability of a Social Venture,” challenged the students to create a sustainable strategy for Goonj.

Dahlberg’s team won its preliminary round and advanced into the final round. Additionally, Patel won an individual award for best presenter in her preliminary round.  After the final round and judging, Dahlberg’s team placed first overall in this year’s competition.

 

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