Current Middle Tennessee community college students interested in transferring to Belmont will receive guaranteed admittance to the University through their membership in the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.
Transfer students who are members in good standing of Phi Theta Kappa will receive $7,500 in scholarship, of which $5,000 is Belmont’s general transfer merit scholarship and an additional $2,500 is scholarship from PTK membership.
The applying transfer student must be a current member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society with a minimum of a 3.2 cumulative GPA. All majors are encouraged to apply, except nursing. Due to unprecedented demand, the School of Nursing has hit class and clinical capacity for Fall 2022.
“This is the first year Belmont has offered the $5,000 merit scholarship for transfer students and we are thrilled to provide the extra benefit in addition to the PTK scholarship,” said Renease Perkins, assistant director of transfer admissions. “With more than 125 majors and programs to choose from, we’ll help you find your perfect fit transferring to Belmont.”
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. For more information, contact Renease Perkins, assistant director of transfer admissions at renease.perkins@belmont.edu.
*The student must be in good standing with no disciplinary issues.
Belmont alumna Ashley Crawford has seen a lot of “full-circle moments” in her life.
When she was 10-years-old, “the flute chose her.”
She realized this as she was sitting in the movie theater to see the new film, “Pocahontas,” and the images of the dancing leaves across the native scenery captured her heart as the sounds of the flute filled the soundtrack.
The next week in her elementary school music class, she picked up the flute, gave it a try and described the noise that came out as “the purest tone” (after having the opposite experience with all the other available instruments).
That same day, her dad coincidentally came home and gifted her with her very own flute, knowing how much she loved hearing its melodies in “Pocahontas.” Full circle.
Fascinated with the instrument, she flew through an instructional book and quickly taught herself how to play. “It took on a life of its own,” Crawford beamed.
Naturally, she continued playing in the band through middle and high school and then attended Tennessee State University to play in the marching band and study music performance, with hopes of someday joining a symphony. After graduating and taking a gap year, Crawford started in Belmont’s Master of Music program.
Admittedly, Crawford said growing up in predominantly black spaces made coming to Belmont in 2012—a predominately white institution—a challenge. But she continued to show up, be her best self and focus on the task at hand.
Thankfully, she felt as though her Belmont professors were very hands-on with her. She mentioned Director of Orchestras Dr. Robert Gregg as one of her favorites, Instructor of Flute Dr. Carolyn Totaro for helping her “break through the glass ceiling” on the classical flute track, and others like Dr. Richard Hoffman, Dr. Richard Shadinger, Dr. Madeline Bridges, Dr. Terry Klefstad and Dr. Barry Kraus for loving her well and presenting her with opportunities both in the University and the community.
Getting to perform in Belmont’s Symphony Orchestra was a new experience for her. Although she was asked to play principal flute in Belmont’s Wind Ensemble, she decided she wanted to instead take on a new challenge and focus on the symphony. She described a rocky start, feeling uncomfortable in the new space but wanting to practice and prove to herself she could do it, all while meeting the demands of graduate-level coursework.
Today, those lessons learned are still being utilized as Crawford serves as the co-founder and president of the new Nashville African American Wind Symphony, a local wind ensemble composed of Black musicians. Many of the musicians in the ensemble studied music in college but put their instruments down after graduating. This group is a reason to pick them up again and restore their lifelong love for music.
Co-founder Bruce Ayers, a friend of Crawford’s from TSU, came to her about a year ago presenting his vision for the group and a proposal for her to come on board. Crawford said, “Of course. Let’s find a rehearsal space, find some instruments and drop the downbeat.”
The group began rehearsing each month and will hold their debut performance in celebration of Juneteenth on June 19 at 4 p.m. in Belmont’s McAfee Concert Hall. “Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom” will dive into the history of Juneteenth, feature works by African American composers and include selections from other local artists and groups.
Another full circle moment. The opportunity to see the Belmont stage filled with talented Black musicians has been extra meaningful to Crawford.
If one were to go to a classical symphony in Nashville or any other city, he or she would mostly see one type of player, a narrative NAAWS is hoping to change by shedding a light on how the Black community is able to perform classical music well.
“This concert is personal to me because sometimes when I’d come out on that stage, I felt like I had to do more to prove that I was good enough to belong there,” Crawford said. “This is showing the community that we can be part of these spaces, and we can play in harmony with other groups. That’s what music is about.”
Crawford talked about how representation matters, and the group is a great opportunity to create exposure for the Black community and invite them into those spaces where they do not always feel welcome.
“We created this organization to serve African American Nashvillians. It provides an environment where these types of players will feel safe, feel seen and feel heard in a space where that doesn’t often happen,” Crawford explained.
“We want the community to have access to see people who look like me play this music and see that they can play it well. We want to create this community where everyone feels welcome and comfortable coming. Our youth will see a group of musicians that looks like them and think, ‘hey, I can do that, too.’”
In addition to leading the NAAWS, Crawford teaches flute at TSU, offers private lessons and records original music under the name FluteBae, a name that stuck when a video of her free-styling for the “mask off challenge” went viral in 2017.
Since then, she has had continued success under that brand, receiving new opportunities both commercially and through private lessons. At the upcoming National Flute Association convention, she will be a guest clinician and teach about flute and hip hop.
“It’s been interesting to see how things are pivoting outside of traditional flute and classical music. When I found myself on the traditional road and in the audition circuit, I was in a low place feeling like I wasn’t good enough or feeling burnt out,” Crawford explained. “So, with FluteBae, I’ve been able to break out of this box of perfectionism found in classical music and branch out, using those classical elements I’ve been trained in for so long, but learning and implementing other elements of playing such as jazz, funk or hip hop, and it’s all in one sound now that is being recognized under the FluteBae name. It’s been instrumental in finding myself and my voice.”
FluteBae’s first EP will be released at the end of July.
To learn more about NAAWS, visit their website and be sure to attend their debut performance at Belmont on Sunday, June 19.
President Greg Jones’ inaugural year theme—Let Hope Abound—lends itself perfectly to one of Belmont’s greatest artistic expressions–songwriting, and alumnus Chad Cates was up for the challenge. “Dr. Jones teed us up with such a great title,” he said. “And alongside songwriter Tony Wood and vocalist Melinda Doolittle we were able to write for the moment and create a song that would transcend any single event and live on.”
Giving appreciation for the past and hope for the future, the trio wrote to pay homage to Belmont’s story. “We stand on the shoulders of the ones who came before,” Chad said. “In writing this song, we expressed gratitude to the Belmont story, the goodness of God and how the Lord led us here.”
But a great song is more than just words–it needs a great vocalist to perform it. Alumna and songstress Melinda Doolittle worked on the project as both a singer and a co-writer. “I was happy to be part of it, but I don’t do a lot of writing,” she explained.
There’s a big difference between writing a song and putting a song in front of an audience, Melinda said, and she was grateful to add her performance expertise to help bring the song to life. “The writing process was a gift I did not know I needed,” she said. “Writing with Tony was like a masterclass for me. Learning what the process is like from veteran writers who have these hit songs was such a great experience.”
Chad and Melinda’s legacy through this song carries on at Belmont as ‘Let Hope Abound’ is performed at many events across campus, further emphasizing this year’s theme and Belmont’s charge to serve the world. “I am just grateful to support what Dr. Jones is doing in some small capacity,” reflected Chad. The torch was passed to alumna and vocalist Piper Jones who has performed ‘Let Hope Abound’ at multiple events this year, from Dr. Jones’ Strategic Trajectory rollout to Spring 2022 commencement. Not only has Piper enjoyed singing her longtime friend Melinda’s song, she has been deeply encouraged by the song’s message. “Dr. Jones continues to talk about God-sized dreams, and I need to hear it just as much as the students,” said Piper. “The lyrics to Let Hope Abound affirm that we’ve seen incredible things done in the past, and we are hopeful that God will continue to do those things in the future.”
Belmont University hosted a Topping Out ceremony on June 14 that involved putting the last beam in place on a significant campus construction project—the Jack C. Massey Center— estimated to be complete by fall 2023. The building has been named in honor of one of the greatest entrepreneurs and businessmen in American history and is being made possible thanks to a $15 million gift from Mr. Massey’s daughter, Barbara Massey Rogers, and the Jack C. Massey Foundation.
The late Jack C. Massey (1904-1990) and his family have collectively been among one of Belmont’s biggest benefactors, supporting Belmont’s efforts for decades and providing incredible examples for students across campus.
Members of the Belmont community were invited to arrive early to sign their name on the final l-beam that was added to the project during the ceremony. Pictured here: Barbara Massey Rogers.
Beth Poe, Barbara Massey Rogers’ daughter and Massey’s granddaughter, spoke at the ceremony on behalf of her family. “My grandfather loved his family, community, city, nation and Belmont. He would be very excited about the prospect of this great, new building and the future opportunities it will bring to Belmont,” she said. “The word of God states the importance of building a foundation on the Lord, with Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone. Belmont has laid this sure foundation. The Massey family prays that all who walk through this building continue to be living stones, pointing others to the grace of Jesus.”
The six-story building on 15th Avenue will house a variety of University teams—including the Belmont Data Collaborative, the Transformational Innovation Hub and the Cone Center for Entrepreneurship—all highlighting key aspects of Mr. Massey’s approach to business. The building will also incorporate technology to help share the Jack C. Massey story to inspire students, guests and future leaders across every potential field of study.
State-of-the-art collaboration workshops will provide spaces for students, faculty and staff to come together with the goal of using their business skills and expertise to solve complex problems. The Center will also be home to a new Welcome Center for the University and house its Admissions Team, becoming the University’s new front door.
In 1968, Massey challenged the community to build a business school at Belmont “that served Nashville.” Dean of Belmont’s College of Business Dr. Sarah Gardial said the new building is the quintessential piece of his influence on Belmont’s campus.
The Massey family.
“This building is going to be the intersection between our campus, our programs, our students and faculty, and the community around us. We will be working on projects for and with community nonprofits, for profits and government organizations, and in fact, those projects are already underway,” said Gardial. “When I look at the building, I see not only the front door to the campus for our students and parents, but for the community to come in and partner with the Belmont community at the business school, and more broadly, to make this a more flourishing community. That’s what’s going to happen in this building, and I think Jack would be so proud of that.”
Gifts from Mr. Massey and his family over the years have helped Belmont establish its undergraduate and graduate business programs and built both the Massey Business Center–which houses the Jack C. Massey College of Business–and the Massey Performing Arts Center. In light of the new facility being built and named in his honor, the previously named Jack C. Massey Business Center, facing Wedgewood Avenue, will be renamed the Barbara Massey Rogers Center.
This summer marks 10 years since the first graduating class of Belmont’s College of Pharmacy walked across the stage in 2012. The college celebrated its 15th anniversary by holding an alumni reunion on June 11.
“We were thrilled to gather with Pharmacy alumni from across the country at the reunion to celebrate this important milestone in our college’s history. It was an opportunity to reconnect with each other as well as faculty and staff, meet their families and celebrate their professional achievements as we commemorated 15 great years,” said Dr. Kelley Kiningham, professor and associate dean of student affairs. “Our best days are ahead as we continue to champion health and well-being for our communities.”
During its 15-year tenure, the Belmont College of Pharmacy has seen growing program outcomes, with the most recent class boasting a 70.5 percent match rate for PGY1 residencies at the end of Phase II and an 89 percent match rate for PGY2 programs. 31 percent of the Class of 2022 is working in a community pharmacy, 45 percent are beginning residencies and 12 percent are employed in other settings.
The college launched the dual PharmD/MBA degree in 2015, the first of its kind to be available in Middle Tennessee, and this program is still leading the way in preparing its graduates for success and advancement in their field. The college also started the Early Assurance program, allowing incoming freshmen to complete both the undergrad and PharmD program in just six years. Additionally, Belmont’s College of Pharmacy began offering Post-Doctoral Fellowships in 2015, two-year post-doctoral training programs focused in drug information, evidence-based practice, teaching and research, in which Belmont works with corporate healthcare partners to give fellows real-world experience in specific fields.
Dr. Anderson Spickard—special assistant to the president for health, associate dean for spiritual growth and development and professor of internal medicine and clinical educator—has been named Interim Dean of the Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine at Belmont University, effective today. Spickard assumes this new role as Founding Dean Dr. Bill Bates steps down due to recent health issues.
“Our prayers and best wishes are with Dr. Bates as he attends to his health and recovery. We are grateful for his leadership in launching the Frist College of Medicine,” said Dr. Greg Jones, Belmont University president. “I am also thankful for Dr. Spickard and his willingness to lead the Frist College for the next year. In his time so far on this campus, Anderson has demonstrated a keen understanding of, and commitment to, Belmont’s aspiration to champion an integrative approach to health and well-being for all. With Anderson’s leadership, the Frist College will play a vital role in achieving that aim, while also pursuing a fresh approach to medical education.”
The Frist College of Medicine has been established in alliance with HCA Healthcare, one of the nation’s leading providers of healthcare services and one of the College of Medicine’s major clinical affiliates. The Frist College recently earned “Candidate Status” from its accrediting body, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). This is the next step in the College’s accreditation process and comes with a fall site visit from the LCME to tour facilities, review submitted materials, receive updates on building progress and meet with various participants regarding planning, curriculum and the readiness of the admissions process and all student support services.
Milton Johnson, retired Chairman/CEO of HCA Healthcare and chair of Belmont University’s Board of Trustees, added, “The immense medical expertise Dr. Spickard brings to the Frist College of Medicine as well as the deep respect he possesses within the healthcare community will further fortify Belmont’s efforts in pursuing accreditation and looking ahead to the first class. Anderson has my full confidence and support in leading the College through this next key phase of development.”
Dr. Spickard will serve as Interim Dean for the next year, working closely with the College’s established leadership team: Dr. Stephanie McClure, associate dean for faculty and academic affairs and professor of internal/geriatric medicine; Dr. Reuben Bueno, Jr., associate dean for clinical education and professor of surgery; Dr. Karen Lewis, associate dean for student affairs and diversity; and Dr. Marilyn Odom, chair of the department of medical education.
“At the Frist College, we are focused on training diverse physician leaders who embrace and value a whole-person approach to healing,” said Dr. Spickard. “Through both my professional and personal experience, I know the significant need for all persons to thrive, and I am both honored and excited to partner with my colleagues in the Frist College as we create a curriculum that is rigorous, imaginative and grounded in seeing our students, our colleagues and future patients as fully-formed individuals.”
The Frist College of Medicine will be housed in a nearly 200,000-square-foot building, which is current under construction near the corner of Wedgewood and 15th Avenues. The facility will be located within a block of Belmont’s Gordan E. Inman Center and McWhorter Hall, home to the University’s well-known health, health sciences and pharmacy programs. The building has been designed to create a fully interdisciplinary educational experience, allowing students in existing programs to work alongside aspiring MDs, emulating modern clinical settings.
Belmont will launch a national search this fall with the intent to have a long-term dean for the Frist College of Medicine appointed and on board by next summer.
Belmont Professor of English Annette Sisson recently published her first full-length book of poetry, “Small Fish in High Branches.” The book follows the 2019 publication of her chapbook, “A Casting Off,” and several awards including 2021 Mark Strand Poetry Scholar for the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, winner of The Porch Writers’ Collective’s 2019 Poetry Prize, as well as 2020 BOAAT Writing Fellow.
We spoke with Sisson following her reading at Belmont’s Bunch Library about inspiration, perseverance, and her lifelong love of poetry. She provided a selection from her latest book below, which can be purchased locally at Parnassus Books and Barnes & Noble, Vanderbilt—and online at Amazon Books and Glass Lyre Press.
In your bio, there’s a quote from George Eliot: “It’s never too late to be what you might have been.” Can you talk about how these words have been an inspiration to you?
I always was inclined to write, and I loved poetry. When I was an undergraduate student, I was an English lit major, but a creative writing minor. Later, when I went to graduate school, I wanted to be a literature professor but still hoped to keep practicing creative writing. I applied for my first graduate poetry seminar in creative writing, which was part of Indiana University’s new MFA program, and wasn’t admitted to the workshop. You had to submit poetry, and the professor who rejected me said, “You know, we hope you’ll try again, but we have so many new MFA students who are here for writing, some of whom already have books published. We just don’t have a space for you right now.” Well, I interpreted that as “you don’t make the cut” and never tried again.
What kept you writing then?
I worked on the staff of the “Indiana Review” and hung out with a lot of writers. My best friend was a Medievalist whose father was a fairly famous poet, and she also wrote poetry. And my first husband, whom I met in grad school, was a poet.
Consequently, I was admitted into poetry circles with my friends. They would show me their work, and I would offer feedback. When they had poetry groups, sometimes I would tag along, and so I felt like I was always learning, but I was busy trying to get my PhD in Victorian literature and wasn’t writing poetry myself. I did attend many poetry readings during that time and read poetry of all types.
Over the years, I found that at times when a lot was going on in my life personally, I would return to writing. So when we moved to Nashville and I left behind my community from graduate school, I started writing even though I had an unfinished dissertation to deal with and got pregnant immediately with my son. In all that transition I started writing again, and I published a few poems—like, two.
Sisson reads from her book at Bunch Library.
My first husband and I ended up divorcing, and I eventually married Jimmy Davis, who is a Communications professor here at Belmont. When we had our daughter, I was off with her for six months and did some writing. Then I got very involved with Belmont again—I was the Director of General Education for eight years, the Faculty Senate President, and held other roles in leadership and administration. And I had three children to raise—so many things to juggle. For that reason, I continued to repress the fact that I wanted to be writing. This changed in 2017 when my mother got her third cancer diagnosis.
About halfway through that year, I went to a workshop led by Judy Skeen in the College of Theology & Christian Ministry. One of the activities she engaged us in to help us decompress from the semester was to write, and I found myself working on a poem. I came home and kept messing with the poem. And then I thought, “Wait a minute. My mom finally let herself start painting when she was 50. I wrote my dissertation on a woman named Mary Ann Evans, who wrote under the name George Eliot (author of the quote above). She didn’t start writing novels until she was 42, which was old for a Victorian woman, and she’s very famous for the seven novels that she wrote.” I told my husband, “Somehow, I have to keep writing. I’m really tired of repressing this urge.” And he was like, “Well, let’s see if we can try to arrange your life so we can make space for it.” To be honest, it’s still a struggle. As an English professor I constantly face millions of papers to be graded. I find that I can find time to write in the summers and sometimes over the breaks and at the beginning of the semester before the papers pile on. After that, all I can do is edit and submit poems now and then.
When did you first take an interest in poetry?
My mother read poetry to me, and I started playing piano when I was 5. People have told me that my poems are musical—lyrical—and I think that’s true. I memorized poetry when I was a little girl, and then in the third grade, we had a poetry project. I was super-excited about it because I was assigned to write poetry myself. I wrote a poem for that project that my mother thought was very good. She entered it in a local newspaper contest, and it won honorable mention. All the others who won were much older than I was, and a reading was held for the winners. I read my poem of course, but what I remember most was being wowed by the older students and their modern-sounding poems that didn’t even rhyme. I was so intrigued—I hadn’t known free verse poetry existed.
We hear that one of your favorite places to write is in the passenger seat of a car, can you talk about that?
Yeah, also on trains in England. When I get in a car or on a train, my mind just goes everywhere. We often take trips back and forth to Indiana to see my family, and my husband has family down south. I get in the passenger seat, take out my notebook, and start writing down what’s floating through my mind. My husband says I’ll be doodling and kind of writing and so forth, and then “all of a sudden you’re gone.” Eventually I’ll come back and ask him, “Do you want to hear a really crappy draft?” It’s rare that a poem comes out even close to the form in which it ends up.
Would you be willing to share one of your poems from the latest collection?
I wrote this poem about my parents, who had many challenges and struggles throughout the 64 years of their marriage. My father had not been a very involved parent to his four children, and so it was with great surprise that we watched him help my mother decide, when she received her terminal cancer diagnosis, that she would die at home and that he would care for her as her health declined. While she still could, she taught him how to do laundry and clean the house and helped him expand his cooking skills—and then when she could no longer perform these duties, he not only took them over, but also applied himself to the task of tending to her medical needs and daily care.
Her Cosmos
They built a cottage
from the forest’s growth,
consecrated it
through rituals of morning,
routines of seasons, leaves
dropping, budding, greening—
sealed by the thick mud
of their life’s steep slog.
Now at dark he lifts
her from chair to bed,
sees the last of her
tomorrows emerge from the trees,
the deer gathered, grazing
in the front yard, nipping
the tips of the fig trees.
And he knows
when they come again
from the undergrowth,
rising from their wild
nests, come to taste
whatever new has grown,
she too will rise
carrying a loose bouquet
of cosmos, like those
she planted beside the porch,
some dropping silent
on grass, as she retreats
into mist and branches,
a veil of darkening shimmer.
Nursing student Kelsey Wolfe at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, February 11, 2022.
Kelsey Wolfe, a 2022 graduate of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, will begin a prestigious fellowship for nurse practitioners and oncology this fall at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. She is one of just four applicants across the country chosen for the role.
“I essentially decided last summer after doing a rotation at Tennessee Oncology that I was interested in pursuing a career in oncology as a nurse practitioner,” Wolfe said. She searched for options and found MD Anderson’s 12-month fellowship to be a good fit. The fellowship also led the way in 2006 as the first in the field for nurse practitioners.
Participants complete both clinical and didactic training in more than 20 different specialties within oncology. “You rotate through with advanced practice providers as your preceptors,” she said. “Then at the end, you choose two areas of specialty you’re interested in and you can focus on those.”
The fellowship also includes a lecture series as well as participation in national conferences. “It’s a very comprehensive program to serve as a foundation, essentially, to a career in oncology nursing.”
Wolfe says she previously imagined a career in primary care but began to appreciate the opportunity to provide stable care for patients in oncology during a stressful time in their lives. The rigorous research in oncology and ever-changing treatment modalities also felt inspiring to her. “It gives me a lot of hope seeing all the ways oncology has changed over the years,” she said. “As research is conducted, there are more ways to treat cancer, which is awesome.”
Wolfe came to Belmont for the DNP program in 2019 after working at Seattle Children’s Hospital.
“It’s been a great experience,” she said. “The main thing that has been wonderful about Belmont is just the personal touch with getting to know professors and feeling like they know me and support me. They know my career goals, they know my strengths, and they have just encouraged me along the way.”
Wolfe said she chose the Belmont DNP program because of its in-person instruction at a time when many nurse practitioner programs are offered virtually instead. “I knew in-person is how I best learn,” she said. “Especially with the clinical program, I wanted to have that hands-on experience in the classroom and lab. That was important to me, and I think the value of that has really come through in how I’ve gotten to know my professors and classmates. I think the accountability you have when you see your classmates and professors in-person— it inspires me to do even better and try harder to do my best.”
Belmont recently announced four new appointments to its leadership team, effective June 1, as part of an organizational and leadership restructure at the University. Belmont President Dr. Jones announced the changes, calling them “intentional and designed to help us realize our vision of being known as the Leading Christ-Centered University in the World.”
“To achieve such a grand vision, we must be people who are equipped and empowered to lead, and who embrace a spirit of creativity, collaboration and trust,” he said. “This realignment is being built to orient our people and resources toward five areas of strategic emphasis, allowing for focused, collaborative leadership for each: Operational Excellence, Academic Excellence, Athletics Excellence, Partnerships Excellence and Aspirational Excellence.”
Dr. Jason Rogers (pictured far left) will serve as Executive Vice President for External Engagement. Dr. Susan West (pictured middle left) will serve as Executive Vice President of Administration and Chief of Staff. Both are newly-created roles on the University’s new Executive Leadership Team.
Dr. Tamika Williams (pictured middle right) was appointed Vice President of Student Formation and Dean of Students, and Dr. Chris Gage (pictured far right) was appointed Vice President for Enrollment Services.
In his new position as Executive Vice President for External Engagement, Rogers will coordinate the work of the Belmont External Engagement Team, which is comprised of the leaders of Belmont’s operational units responsible for Advancement and Alumni Relations, Marketing and Communications, Community Relations, and Faith-Based Engagement and Church Relations. Rogers will also continue guiding the work of the Offices of University Counsel, Risk Management and Compliance, Title IX Compliance and Prevention Programs and Campus Security. Rogers began working at Belmont in 1998 after ten years of practicing law in Nashville. While in private practice, he advised and represented nonprofit corporations including numerous colleges and universities.
A 37-year resident of Nashville, Rogers is committed to the local community. His current and past service includes serving as member and chair of the board of directors of The Sycamore Institute, an independent, nonpartisan public policy research center for Tennessee; the treasurer of The Healing Trust, a private foundation making grants to support improved health care in Middle Tennessee; chair of the board of directors of The Next Door, Inc., a nonprofit providing substance abuse treatment and counseling services to women in crisis; program committee co-chair of Leadership Nashville; and as a representative to the Parent Advisory Council of Metro Nashville Public Schools.
Rogers earned his bachelor’s degree from Baylor University, his J.D. from Vanderbilt University and Ed.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. At the University of Pennsylvania, his dissertation research focused on the impact of religious mission on the civic engagement initiatives of urban universities in the northeastern United States. He and his wife Elizabeth enjoy spending time with their four children, two sons-in-law and three grandchildren.
Dr. Susan West
Dr. West has been at Belmont for more than 33 years, serving in a variety of leadership roles including in Admissions, Special Academic Programs and the University College. Most recently she served as Vice President and Chief of Staff, a role she has held since 2011. In her new position, West will oversee all University operations and administrative offices including the Offices of Human Resources, Library and Informational Technology Services, Finance and Operations, Institutional Effectiveness and Educational Innovation and the Division of Student Formation.
West is a member of the Peer Learning Network of Belmont University and Women in Higher Education of Tennessee (WHET). She was a member of the 2006 Leadership Middle Tennessee class and the 2014-15 Leadership Nashville class. Currently, she serves on the board of Habitat for Humanity, St. Thomas Health and the Middle Tennessee State University Friends of the College of Liberal Arts.
She is the recipient of the 2006 Outstanding African American Alumni Award from Middle Tennessee State University, an Athena Award nominee and a member of the Nashville Post All Star Board. She received her Doctor of Education from the George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University and is a graduate of the Harvard Institute for Educational Management.
Dr. Tamika Williams
Dr. Williams first came to Belmont in July 2021 to serve as Dean of Students after an extensive nationwide search for the role. Prior to joining Belmont, Williams was at Rhode Island College where she served as the Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students.
In her role as Vice President, Williams will continue to serve as Belmont’s chief student affairs officer, overseeing a team of more than 50 professionals in all areas of Student Formation including Community Living & Housing (Residence Life, Community Accountability and Fitness Recreation Services), Leadership & Engagement (Leadership Development, Student Engagement and New Student Orientation), Student Well-Being (Student Care and Support, Health Services, Accessibility Services and Counseling Services) and Identity & Belonging (University Ministries and Multicultural Learning & Experiences).
As a student affairs practitioner, Williams has an extensive background in student life including supervision in residence life and housing, student conduct, counseling, health services, student activities and Greek life. Additionally, she has served on the Directorate of the National ACPA Student Conduct and Legal Issues Commission. She is dedicated to inclusive excellence in higher education and centers her work on the development and mentorship of students. Her areas of interest include women’s leadership, student conduct, hazing, student wellness and mental health. As a first-generation college student, Williams received her bachelor’s in political science from Fisk University, a master’s in public administration from the University of Arkansas and her doctorate in educational leadership from East Carolina University.
Dr. Chris Gage
Gage first came to Belmont in 2020 to serve as Dean of Enrollment, leading all aspects of Belmont’s Enrollment Services Division including University Admissions, Student Financial Services and Belmont Central. This expanded role now includes Student Success & Flourishing, Growth and Purpose for Students, Career and Professional Development and the Bell Tower Scholars program, among others. In his role as Vice President, Gage will continue to oversee Admissions and focus on developing a longer-term, strategic approach to enrollment. He will continue to serve on the Provost’s Executive Council and work collaboratively with college deans in making decisions related to university operations, strategic growth, retention practices and student success.
Prior to joining Belmont, Gage served at Hanover College for 15 years, most recently as the Vice President for Strategy and Enrollment. Gage has served the National Association for College Admission Counseling as president of the Indiana affiliate (INACAC) and has also participated as an enrollment management conference presenter at INACAC, College Board and ACT. Gage received his bachelor’s in marketing from the IU Kelley School of Business, his MBA from Xavier University and his doctorate in educational leadership and higher education from the University of Nebraska. Gage and his wife of 22 years, Rhonda, have two daughters, Lauren and Claire.
Belmont Law student Emily Borbon has been selected for the prestigious 2022 Rural Summer Legal Corps Fellowship. She is one of 40 law students selected from 333 applications to serve in the program.
Each summer, Equal Justice Works partners with Legal Services Corporation (LSC) to support law students who want to give back to rural communities. Program participants spend eight to 10 weeks during the summer exploring a career in civil legal aid, by providing direct legal services and building capacity at the organizations where they serve.
Hosted by Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, Borbon will provide direct legal services and outreach and community education to underserved populations in the Wichita Falls, Texas area.
“This summer I am working on some housing issues including evictions,” she said via email, “but my focus is on a holistic approach to economic stability. This will likely include evictions, property disputes, wills and estates, benefits, and bankruptcy law.”
Borbon says this fellowship was at the top of her list. She is eager to learn more about how Legal Aid ensures that low-income clients have equal access to justice. “Wichita Falls was my top choice of placement because I grew up in a similar rural community in Texas,” she said.
Brooke Meckler, director of law school engagement and advocacy at Equal Justice Works, says housing instability can have long-lasting and devastating effects. “We are honored to have Emily join our Rural Summer Legal Corps where she will have the opportunity to work alongside attorneys at Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas to address barriers to stable housing.”
Following the completion of 300 hours of service in the program, participants earn a $5,000 stipend. You can find additional information about the program here.
