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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Fowler Shares Tips for ‘Fun’ Cities in WalletHub

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Fowler Shares Tips for ‘Fun’ Cities in WalletHub

Dr. Jennifer Fowler HeadshotDr. Jennifer Fowler, Associate Professor or Economics and Music Business and Chair of Economics and Finance, recently shared her tips for making a city fun in an article published on WalletHub. She advised that having fun on a budget can be easy if you take advantage of local spots that have affordable entry fees, such as the Ryman Auditorium. Her advice to cities: maintain well-lit areas and have ample signage to make getting around easier and offer some form of accessible public transportation.

Fowler earned her Ph.D. in economics from Middle Tennessee State University and has earned numerous awards for her work in the field, including the Academy of Economics & Economic Education Distinguished Research Award  and the Academy of Entrepreneurship Distinguished Research Award.

Check out the full story here.

Nursing Faculty Find Academic Success

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Several faculty within the School of Nursing have recently been recognized for their contributions to the field. Below is a list of their accomplishments.

Dr. Angela Lane (Assistant Professor of Nursing) and Dr. Ruby Dunlap (Associate Professor of Nursing) will present a poster entitled “Start with What They Know: Student Perception of Self-efficacy in Community Health Nursing” at the Sigma Theta Tau International Research Conference in Washington, DC in April 2018.

Dr. Mona Ivey Soto (Assistant Professor of Education), Dr. Sabrina Sullenberger (Associate Professor in Social Work) and Dr. Angela Lane will give a podium presentation entitled “Empowering Trauma-Informed Undergraduates: Educating and Equipping the Next Cadre of Leaders from Diverse Helping Professions” at the Southeastern Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) conference in Asheville, NC in October 2017.

Ms. Jennifer Hicks, Dr. Robin Cobb (Assistant Professor of Nursing) and Dr. Betsy Kennedy had a poster entitled “A Narrative Approach to the Delivery of Perinatal Loss Care Course Content in an Undergraduate Obstetric Nursing Course” presented at the International Stillbirth Alliance conference at University College Cork, Cork Ireland in September 2017.

Dr. Erin Shankel (Assistant Professor of Nursing) gave a podium presentation at the 2017 TNA conference entitled Preventing Your own Compassion Fatigue: An Ethical Imperative.

Dr. Ruby Dunlap and Ms. Emily Morse have a newly published chapter in the edited text Culturally engaging service-learning with diverse communities (2017) published by IGI Global. Their chapter is entitled “Refugee Families and Undergraduate Nursing Service-Learning: Thinking Globally, Acting Locally.”

Dr. Ashley Scism and Dr. Robin Cobb have a manuscript entitled “Integrative Review of Factors and Interventions that Influence Early Father-Infant Bonding” in the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing.

Dr. Angela Lane completed Trust Based Relational Intervention Practitioner Training in Fort Worth, Texas last month.

Dr. Donna Copenhaver (Assistant Professor of Nursing) was re-elected as Tennessee Nurses Association (TNA) Secretary and Dr. Loretta Bond (Assistant Professor of Nursing) was elected as TNA Director, Government Affairs.

Holt Discusses Relevance of Billboard

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Holt Discusses Relevance of Billboard

Eric Holt HeadshotAssistant Professor of Music Business Dr. Eric Holt was recently quoted in Forbes magazine as an expert in the music industry.

Holt told Forbes that Billboard’s relevance may be on the decline. “Billboard has been an industry measuring tool for a very long time. I think the Billboard is relevant, but here’s the news: maybe not for long,” he said. “Possible stream manipulation aside, when you look at artists like Chance the Rapper achieving top industry success bypassing all traditional road maps and innovations like Jay Z mixing partnership pre-purchases, it only makes sense to me that in order to remain relevant Billboard has to create better-measuring tools to fit the current and future music industry realities rather than running to keep up with them after the fact.”

Holt is CEO of Chiminus Enterprises and Managing Partner of subsidiary concert promotion company The Lovenoise Group. He also offers consulting-based advice for individuals and business leaders. He has served as a board member on Mayor Karl Dean’s’ Music Business Council and on the Nashville NARAS (Grammy’s) Board of Trustees as Advisor and chair of the Diversity Committee.

 

Pioneering Songwriting Major at Belmont University Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary

April Hefner
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Pioneering Songwriting Major at Belmont University Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary

Ten years after launching one of the nation’s first undergraduate songwriting majors, Belmont University’s Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business celebrated the pioneering program’s phenomenal success last night with a gathering on Music Row at the acclaimed Ocean Way Nashville studios, which the University owns. One of five programs in the Curb College, songwriting is a highly competitive major that requires a portfolio of original songs as part of the application process. Completed applications are reviewed by faculty and music industry partners. Currently, 260 students on Belmont’s campus are majoring in songwriting.

Students sing in the celebration of songwriting's ten years.Curb College Dean Doug Howard, the former senior VP of A&R for Lyric Street/Disney, said, “Every segment of the music industry can trace its success back to songwriters and their amazing songs without which we would have nothing. We are proud to celebrate our unique program and faculty that support, encourage, and educate aspiring student songwriters through direct interaction with the world’s finest professional songwriters and music publishers.”

James Isaac Elliott, chair of Belmont’s songwriting department, added, “What makes this program successful are three key elements: the caliber of award-winning songwriters who teach our students, the challenging and innovative curriculum we offer and the industry partners who come alongside us in developing the next generation of great writers. Nashville has always been a songwriters’ town, and I believe Belmont is helping to both foster and bolster that reputation.”

Last night’s Music Row celebration featured comments from Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame members Pat Alger and Tom Douglas as well as performances from rising talents Devin Dawson, Anna Vaus and Jake Rogers. In addition, Curb College Dean Doug Howard presented Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher with a custom Martin 000-15M acoustic solid mahogany guitar to commemorate the songwriting program’s first 10 years. The one-of-a-kind Bob Fisher signature model includes the Belmont University logo in the headstock.

Dawson receives the scholarship, recently created in his name.
Dawson is presented with the scholarship, recently created in his name.

Additionally, the celebration featured a special presentation to Dawson, a recent Belmont songwriting graduate and Warner Music Nashville artist. 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.”

Warner Music Nashville Chief Operating Officer Matt Signore said, “We are blessed to have Devin Dawson as an artist in our Warner Music Nashville family. The Belmont songwriting program was not only critical in getting him to this point in his musical career, but also in defining his life purpose and mission. In that spirit, we are thrilled to contribute to the success of future students who have the same kind of talent, drive and passion that Devin has shown.”

In just the first decade, the program has made a significant impact with the support of many in the industry. Belmont Songwriting highlights to date, along with a sampling of alumni accomplishments, include the following:

  • Faculty members are all award-winning professional songwriters/executives, including Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame members Pat Alger and Tom Douglas, Dove Award winner James Isaac Elliott, Grammy winner Drew Ramsey, hit songwriter James Thiele (Tealy), Grammy nominee and film soundtrack contributor Cindy Morgan, ASCAP Pop Award winner Justin Weaver, 2017 IBMA Songwriter of the Year nominee Thomm Jutz, Latin Grammy winner Jodi Marr and former SVP Warner Chappell Music Judy Stakee
  • Business has changed and publishers don’t have the resources to develop writers—this songwriting major is helping to fill that gap
  • Program’s curriculum is thorough, challenging and requires a minor
  • Due to its location in Nashville, many assume Belmont Songwriting is merely helpful for aspiring country writers. Instead, the program’s graduates are finding success in a wide variety of fields and genres. Alumni include:
    • 2017 Grammy Award winner Emily Weisband, staff writer for This Music/Warner Chappell. Songs recorded by Hillary Scott, Keith Urban, Thomas Rhett, Lady Antebellum, and more
    • Warner Music Nashville artist Devin Dawson (opening act for Maren Morris’ Hero Tour and Tim & Faith’s Soul2Soul World Tour; song placement on “The Shack” movie soundtrack; debut single “All on Me”)
    • Columbia Music/Startime pop band COIN’s lead singer Chase Lawrence
    • Universal Music Group country artist Clare Dunn (has opened for Florida Georgia Line, Miranda Lambert and Keith Urban, among others; radio singles “Tuxedo,” “Move On,” “Cowboy Side of You”)
    • Acoustic pop singer/songwriter Megan Davies (nearly 1.2 million YouTube subscribers; Over 2 million listeners a month on Spotify)
    • Southern rock artist J. Solar, publishing and record deal with Sea Gayle
    • Multi-genre writer/producer Alysa Vanderheym, Major Bob Music
    • Critically acclaimed alt rock artist Torres (Mackenzie Scott)
    • Christopher Wild, TV show “Shameless” and “Kingdom” song placements
    • MadeInNetwork Founder and CEO Kevin Grosch and COO Keith Johnson
    • Adara, already dubbed “EDM’s next leading lady”
    • Worship leader Taylor Agan, Centricity Music Publishing
    • Channing Moreland, CEO and co-founder of EVAmore, the automated platform for booking live entertainment (Events, Venues, Artists and more)
    • Current student Anna Vaus, winner of inaugural Miranda Lambert scholarship, publishing deal with Black River
    • Current student and pop artist/writer Jake Rogers, Sony/ATV Music Publishing
  • Program also houses Bear House Writer Management, a student-run organization designed to serve up and coming Belmont student singer/songwriters. Their team of managers accepts applications and then chooses artist/writers that they feel they can assist with building a career. They guide and empower their clients by setting up industry meetings, co-writes, demo recordings and songwriter rounds.
  • NMPA S.O.N.G.S. Foundation recently created a $50,000 endowment to support Belmont songwriting majors with scholarships
  • In addition to opportunities to study at Belmont East (New York) and Belmont West (Los Angeles), songwriting students can also improve their craft through established study abroad experiences in Ireland, Scotland, London, Uganda and Zimbabwe
  • Program has partnered with a number of external orgs for student enrichment opportunities including ASCAP, SESAC, BMI, Communion Music Publishing, Make Music Nashville, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Sony Records Nashville, Warner Brothers Records Los Angeles, Universal Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Big Machine Records, Curb Music, Disney Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music Publishing, TV Show “Nashville,” Capitol Christian Music Group, Word Music Publishing, Centricity Music, Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival, Operation Song, and more.

 

 

Ruta Sepetys Speaks at Belmont Auxiliary Partners Fall Luncheon

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Ruta Sepetys Speaks at Belmont Auxiliary Partners Fall Luncheon

Ruta Sepetys was featured as the guest speaker at the Belmont Auxiliary Partners Fall Luncheon on Tuesday, September 26. Sepetys is an internationally acclaimed author of historical fiction whose works have been featured on the New York Times Best Seller List. She joined the Curb College Board of Advisers in 2004, taught within the college for a few semesters and now serves on the Motion Picture Advisory Board.

Ruta Sepetys, half-length headshot, arms crossed

As the daughter of a Lithuanian refugee, Sepetys comes from a line of interesting pasts–stories she calls “hidden history.” These stories, and more, have influenced the writing career she never expected to launch–but is grateful to have found. As a young girl, Sepetys said she dreamed of being an author, but after being chided when her teacher read her first book in 3rd grade, she turned her attention to other things. Now, she is celebrating the chance to tell the stories she believes the world needs to hear. “I’m a believer that often history isn’t really lost, it’s just hiding,” Sepetys said. “That applies to personal and family history as well. I’m passionate about bringing underrepresented stories out of the dark.”

Her latest novel, Salt to the Sea, revolves around the largest maritime tragedy in history, the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff, a story Sepetys said all people should be familiar with, but unfortunately are not. During her research, she had the opportunity to speak with a group of divers who were tasked with exploring the sunken ship’s treasures. One of those treasures included a message in a bottle from a refugee who had lost her daughter and husband in the chaos. She wrote, “I don’t know if anyone will ever know what has happened to us…”

This is the reason for Sepetys’s life’s work. “This woman was so desperate for someone, anyone, to know her story that she wrote it down and threw it into the sea,” she said. “You are that person. As readers, we can give voice to people who think the worlds has forgotten them. These are stories of loss and pain, but also hope and change. By reading hidden history, you are saying to human beings, ‘I know your story. The world has not forgotten you.'”

Ruta Sepetys talking to students

Known as a “crossover” novelist, Sepetys’s books are read by both students and adults worldwide. Prior to publishing her first novel, she spent twenty years in the music industry helping artists and songwriters distill story through song. Sepetys is the first American crossover novelist to address both European Parliament and Library of Congress. She was awarded The Rockefeller Foundation’s prestigious Bellagio Resident Fellowship for Salt to the Sea. Ruta was recently bestowed the Cross of the Knight of the Order by the President of Lithuania for her contributions to education and memory preservation.

Belmont Auxiliary Partners has provided scholarships for many deserving students who otherwise might not have had an opportunity for a Christian education. Anyone interested in the mission of Belmont University is welcome to be a part of the Belmont Auxiliary Partners, including Board of Trustee members, alumni, faculty and staff (and their spouses/family members) and community members. The Belmont Auxiliary Partners group meets twice annually, in the spring and the fall, with a luncheon meeting featuring a guest speaker.

College of Pharmacy Hosts Psychiatric Pharmacotherapy Update

Hope Buckner
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College of Pharmacy Hosts Psychiatric Pharmacotherapy Update

On Saturday September 23, Belmont’s College of Pharmacy hosted a Psychiatric Pharmacotherapy Update. The purpose of this Continuing Education event was to educate pharmacists on important topics related to psychiatric pharmacy. Dr. Marshall Cates, professor of pharmacy practice at Samford University, spoke on the pharmacists role in suicide prevention. Dr. Wes Geminn from the TN Department of Mental Health spoke on the opioid pandemic currently affecting Tennessee, as well as nearly every corner of the United States. Dr. Katie Liveoak, clinical pharmacy specialist in psychiatry at Centennial Parthenon Pavilion, spoke on “Me-Too” drugs in psychiatry and Dr. Michael McGuire, assistant professor of pharmacy practice at spoke on the effects of marijuana in psychiatric conditions.

The event welcomed 30 attendees including 8 current College of Pharmacy students. Participants came from community pharmacies as well as health systems. The College of Pharmacy Continuing Education program hopes to make this an annual event.

Belmont University College of Pharmacy is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. For more information on upcoming Continuing Education opportunities, visit the Continuing Education website: http://belmont.edu/pharmacy/alumni/ce/index.html

Kisakye and Green Present at the Annual Meeting for the Tennessee Association for Professional Interpreters and Translators

Hope Buckner
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Kisakye and Green present at the conference.On Sunday, September 24, 4th year student pharmacist Eva Kisakye presented at the Annual Meeting for the Tennessee Association for Professional Interpreters and Translators (TAPIT) on “Home Remedies and Medications from Home” along with Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice Elisa Greene, PharmD, BCACP.

Greene has a longstanding collaborative relationship with TAPIT due to her work with non-English speaking patient populations at her practice site, Siloam Health and their mutual desire to provide quality care and communication to people of diverse language abilities.

Stewart Presents Paper at Vienna Music Business Research Conference

April Hefner
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Stewart Presents Paper at Vienna Music Business Research Conference

Sarita StewartAssistant Professor of Entertainment Industry Studies Dr. Sarita Stewart presented her paper, “The Use of the Artist-Fan Engagement Model,” at the recent Vienna Music Business Research Days conference.  The conference took place at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, Austria from Tuesday, September 12 to Thursday, September 14, 2017.

Stewart also served both as a mentor and judge of the Young Scholars Conference. She also participated in a panel titled “New Gatekeeping Processes in the Digital Music Business.” Other panelists included Sally Gross from Westminster University, United Kingdom; Scott Cohen of The Orchard, London/NYC;  Stefan Baumschlager of the Record Bird music company, Vienna, Austria; and was moderated by Daniel Nordgård of the University of Adger, Norway.

Stewart had also presented her paper on this same topic at the recent Music Industry Research Association (MIRA) as part of the International Music Business Research Association panel in Los Angeles on Friday, August 11, 2017.

Theme of ‘Making It Home’ Challenges Humanities Symposium Attendees

April Hefner
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Theme of ‘Making It Home’ Challenges Humanities Symposium Attendees

The 16th annual Humanities Symposium wrapped up an insightful week of exploring the theme “Making It Home” with more than 30 speakers examining the topic through a variety of disciplines and perspectives. One of the week’s first events featured a panel of three international students–senior audio engineering technology and computer science major Sebastián Alegre (Peru), senior accounting and finance major Caio Niel (Brazil) and junior finance major King Ching Sit (Hong Kong)–and one international faculty member–Associate Professor of German Dr. Regine Schwarzmeier–to discuss their interpretations of the word “home” and how they found a home at Belmont.

Each of the participants agreed that “home” refers to a feeling more than a place.  According to Sit, “Home is a place where you feel loved and you feel like a part of a group,” and Alegre added that “home is a feeling of comfort.”

The panel also emphasized the importance of the language barrier. Alegre asserted that “we [international students] feel at home when we speak our language,” and even added that communicating in a foreign language changes his personality. Schwarzmeier explained that there are “certain things that come naturally to us in our culture that does not translate” and “no matter how well you know a foreign language, there will always be a little barrier” introduced by cultural differences.

In order to combat homesickness, Niel emphasized the importance of his surrogate family. “You want to make yourself at home where ever you are,” he said. “Here, I have a team, and they are my family at Belmont.”  Sit added, “If I want to feel at home on campus, I must immerse myself in the culture… I missed [his family] in my heart, so I tried to call everyday… but I immersed myself at the same time.” Schwarzmeier, who has lived in the United States for four decades, had a different perspective on homesickness: “In Germany, we have a word for homesickness, but we also have a word for the longing to go into the world, so, for me, the longing to explore takes over my homesickness.”

David Plazas of The Tennessean speaks during Humanities Symposium at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. September 19, 2017.
David Plazas of The Tennessean speaks during Humanities Symposium at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. September 19, 2017.

To conclude the discussion, the panelists reflected on their feeling of home at Belmont. Niel said, “The culture we have at Belmont makes my life easier and makes me feel at home.” The panelists also agreed that the typical friendly nature of Nashville helped to make them feel at home. Schwarzmeier closed the discussion with a recommendation to all Belmont students to spend time abroad immersing themselves in the culture and the language. “If more of us would be willing to plunge into another culture,” then she predicts that students will accrue a much greater awareness and patience.

Another Humanities Symposium session invited Tennessean Opinion Engagement Editor David Plazas to share his thoughts on “The cost of growth and change in Nashville.” His convo examined how quickly the growth boom has occurred in the city as well as the lack of infrastructure to deal with that growth. Lack of efficient transit and affordable housing are two key problems the city must deal with, and quickly. “If this is the city we want to be, then that’s one thing,” he noted. “But we are going to leave two-third of our citizens behind.”

He then opened the conversation to the audience and invited students to share their thoughts. Many expressed concerns that as graduates they will be unable to afford to stay in Nashville due to rising rents across the city and the inability to leave outside the cit core without effective transit systems in place.

Dr. Jere Suber, Dr. Melissa Snarr and Dr. Robert Barsky speak during Humanities Symposium at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. September 20, 2017.

The symposium also featured a few key speakers from other institutions including University of Denver’s Dr. Jere Surber (The Dark Side of Home – Or How a Famous 20th Century Philosopher Became a Nazi), Vanderbilt Divinity School’s Dr. Melissa Snarr (The Migrants’ God: Christianity, “Home,” and Just Hospitality), Vanderbilt’s Dr. Robert Barsky (Are We Home Yet? The Uncertainties of Vulnerable Migrants’ First Encounters with the Host Country) and Indiana University’s Dr. Scott Sanders (Making a Home in a Restless World).

Sanders also led a conversation after the viewing of “Look & See: A Portrait of Wendell Berry.” The documentary revolves around the divergent stories of several residents of Henry County, Kentucky who each face difficult choices that will dramatically reshape their relationship with the land and their community.

Dr. Natalia Pelaz, professor in the Foreign Languages Department, who coordinated this year’s symposium, discussed the importance of studying the evolution and fluidity of the concept of “home.” “In an increasing mobile human experience, the notion of home has become a flexible, fluid concept. In arguing about its meanings and implications, we must problematize discourses of inclusivity and exclusivity; belonging and displacement; individual and collective identity formation; localism and globalism.”

Belmont Releases Diversity Week 2017 Schedule

Hope Buckner
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Belmont Releases Diversity Week 2017 Schedule

Belmont University recently released its 2017 Diversity Week schedule, a week-long celebration of the university’s campus-wide diversity and inclusion efforts. Led by the Welcome Home Diversity Council, a senior leadership advisory council devoted to diversity and inclusive excellence across Belmont’s campus, this third annual event series features events for students, faculty and staff to celebrate their own diversity, as well as the diversity that makes up Belmont’s campus.

Led by Vice President and Chief of Staff Dr. Susan West, the week features more than 20 events including:

  • The Belmont State of Mind on Monday, October 2 at 10 a.m. in the Frist Lecture Hall: This convocation will overview Belmont’s newest diversity and inclusion initiative, The Belmont State of Mind, and provide an overview of the steps Belmont has taken to further diversity and inclusion across campus.
  • REAL Talks for Faculty, Staff and Students on Tuesday, October 3 at 11:30 in Janet Ayers, Room G104 and Thursday, October 5 at 5 p.m. in Johnson, Room 326: These events provide an opportunity for participants to engage in a ‘real talk’ regarding diversity and inclusion efforts on Belmont’s campus and offers the chance to discuss important issues honestly and authentically.
  • Privilege Walk on Tuesday, October 3 at 7 p.m. in the Curb Event Center: The campus-wide event invites all members of the Belmont community to experience their privilege in a physical way and will be facilitated by community partners from Open Table Nashville. **Due to the location in the Curb Event Center, soft-soled shoes are required for participation.*
  • Chinese Moon Festival on Wednesday, October 4 at 7 p.m: Hosted by the Chinese Cultural Club, this celebration will honor the Moon Festival and will provide participants with the opportunity to take part in a culturally rich experience.
  • Catholic Charities Convocation on Friday, October 6 at 10 a.m. in the Janet Ayers Center, Room 1034: This convocation will feature a panel who will discuss the intersectionality between faith and hospitality.
  • Side by Side Service Initiative facilitated all week long: Members of the Belmont community will have the opportunity to serve alongside local nonprofits that work within marginalized communities in the Nashville area all week long. Participants can sign up via Belmont’s Get Connected portal.

Diversity Week was created in 2015 to provide an opportunity for faculty, staff and students to celebrate the diversity represented on Belmont’s campus and facilitate important conversations surrounding existing and upcoming initiatives. The full schedule for the week’s events can be found here. can For more information on Belmont’s diversity initiatives, click here.

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