Assistant 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 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.”
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.
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.
For images from this year’s event, click here.
The Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame inducted six health care legends from across the state at a luncheon and ceremony held in Belmont University’s Curb Event Center today, Tuesday, October 17. Hosted by Senior Counsel at Finn Partners John Seigenthaler, the Hall of Fame’s Ceremony recognizes and honors the pioneers and current leaders who have formed Tennessee’s health and health care community and encourage future generations of health care professionals.
Created by Belmont University and Belmont’s McWhorter Society with the support of the Nashville Health Care Council, a Founding Partner, the Hall of Fame’s 2017 class includes:
This year’s Hall of Fame inductees join an impressive list of health care legends honored in the last two years. These include Jack O. Bovender, Jr., Stanley Cohen, Dr. Henry W. Foster, Dr. Thomas Frist, Jr., Dr. Thomas Frist Sr., Dr. Ernest William Goodpasture, Frank S. Groner, Jack C. Massey, Clayton McWhorter, Dr. David Satcher, Dr. Mildred Stahlman, Dr. Paul Stanton, Danny Thomas and Dr. Colleen Conway Welch.
For more information on the Hall of Fame, click here.
New York City received a quadruple threat of Belmont alumni musicians this week as four surging acts played shows in the Big Apple. Many of the alumni are graduates of Belmont’s Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business.
Moon Taxi, which recently signed a label deal with RCA Records, played a sold out show Tuesday night at Bowery Ballroom. The quintet was founded in 2006 at Belmont, where they had originally practiced together in the residence halls. The members include vocalist/guitarist Trevor Terndrup (’07), bassist Tommy Putnam (’06), lead guitarist Spencer Thomson (’06), percussionist Tyler Ritter (’08) and keyboardist Wes Bailey (’09).
Meanwhile, recent graduate Devin Dawson performed at a showcase Wednesday night for executives for Atlantic Records, a performance that comes just weeks following a special presentation in his honor during the Belmont songwriting program’s 10th anniversary celebration event. In honor of his success, Warner Music Nashville Chief Operating Officer Matt Signore and Senior Vice President A&R Cris Lacy presented an endowed $25,000 scholarship in Dawson’s name, and the university matched the contribution, creating a $50,000 endowed scholarship.
Dawson said, “The Belmont songwriting program has always been at the center of my heart. I don’t know if I would be in Nashville if I hadn’t heard about and been accepted into the degree program, and I certainly wouldn’t be the same artist had it not been for the informative years I spent honing my identity alongside my peers and the remarkable faculty. I was completely caught off guard when my Warner Music Nashville family teamed up with Dr. Fisher to announce a new scholarship in my name. My father was only able to go to college as a result of his academics and the scholarships he was awarded, so to now have a scholarship endowed in my name is a full circle moment for me. My family and I are beside ourselves. Thank you to Warner Music & Belmont University for creating an opportunity for young songwriters to pursue their musical dreams outside the stress of financial burdens. This is an honor that will live on for a long time.”
Also on Wednesday night, Judah & The Lion played a sold out show at Irving Plaza Wednesday night as well. Made up of Belmont alumni, the band released its second studio album, Folk Hop n’ Roll last year and followed it up in early 2017 with a deluxe edition that includes four new tracks. The band’s single “Take It All Back” reached the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s alternative chart, and the members are wrapping up their 2017 U.S. dates this month before heading overseas for 16 European shows.
Finally, on Saturday night, Atlantic Records’ band and Belmont alums Wilder will be wrapping up its fall tour with Kaleo in a performance at the Hammerstein Ballroom. The band recently recorded its first EP with Grammy-winning producer Jacquire King (Kings of Leon, Buddy Guy, James Bay).
All four artists are being booked by Creative Artists Agency (CAA), which also employs a number of Belmont alumni.
Belmont University’s Jack C. Massey College of Business recently sponsored the Young Leaders Council’s (YLC) Fall Leadership Luncheon, held in the Music City Center’s Davidson Ballroom. A sold-out crowd of nearly 400 YLC alumni, current class participants and community leaders filled the room for the annual event.
While attendees filled out name tags in the hallway outside the ballroom, MBA students from the College of Business handed out complimentary Massey business card holders.
YLC Executive Director Diane Hayes, who has led the organization through substantial growth over the past 22 years, welcomed attendees and emphasized the importance of YLC alumni. Board Chair Santi Tefel (Class 54) highlighted the importance of this year and its partnerships, including the Massey Graduate School Alumni Class which met for the first time this spring.
Tefel then presented YLC’s inaugural Hero of the Year award to Beth Torres, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee, for increasing the operational budget from $1.3 million to $3 million and granting 140 wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions in 2017, the most wishes the organization has granted in one year. Tim Bewley (Class 53), 2016 Young Leader of the Year recipient, then presented YLC’s highest honor of the year to Justin D. Crosslin, Jr., CPA, MBA (Class 53), co-managing principal of Crosslin.
Dean of College of Business Dr. Pat Raines then spoke about Belmont’s commitment as a luncheon speaker sponsor for the past 10 years before introducing Belmont’s Bruins Men’s Head Basketball Coach Rick Byrd and Associate Athletic Director of Marketing George Plaster, the event’s speakers. Plaster opened the conversation with accolades and stories before Coach Byrd shared his philosophy behind teaching his players more than just on-the-court strategy. Looking beyond a player’s talent, Coach evaluates his team’s character. With this in mind, he said he strives to have a locker room full of young men who respect each other, a team aspect he believes equates to more wins.
For more information on YLC, click here.
Mary Somerville, a Masters of Arts in English student at Belmont, recently read a selection of her poems at the South Central Modern Language Association in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her poem “A Chat with Grandfather,” inspired by Robert Lowell’s 1954 collection Life Studies, elevates family history to the level of myth and implicates the speaker in past wrongs.
“Approaching M” ties together stories from Dante and the Old Testament to create a meditation on prayer and the stages of grief. Finally, “Incarnation” and “Deposition,” which are part of a longer poem inspired by the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius, place the speaker’s life side-by-side with Christ’s in order to bring the speaker to an understanding of her faith.
Songwriting Chair James Isaac Elliott was interviewed Friday morning by South Dakota Public Broadcasting (SDPB) show “In the Moment” regarding his appearance at this weekend’s Wild West Songwriters Festival. In addition to promoting his performances in writers’ rounds at the festival and sharing his own process for songwriting, Elliott discussed the Belmont songwriting program, now celebrating its 10-year anniversary.
The interview can be heard in its entirety on the SDPB website.
Elliott’s compositions have sold more than 10 million copies and been recorded by Steven Curtis Chapman, The Oak Ridge Boys, Newsong, Shenandoah, and others. Elliott’s songs have been included on 5 Grammy Award-winning albums.
More than 20 students and alumni from the Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business competed in the 11th Annual Dragon Boat Festival on Cumberland River. The team placed fifth overall, setting the fastest single race time of the day. Chris Tompkins, an MBA alum, said about the team, “We all know the power of teamwork and choose to play our roles in the boat. I’m always proud of how we place.”
The race is sponsored by the Cumberland River Compact which exists to improve the quality of water in the Cumberland River Basin, thereby improving the quality of life for the Cumberland River communities. This year marks the ninth year that Massey has participated in the race.
