Bruce Dudley, associate professor of music, recently became an Steinway Concert Artist, an exclusive honor bestowed to pianists by Steinway & Sons – Americas. In a letter to Dudley from Vivian Chu, director of cultural partnerships and artist services, she wrote, “I am pleased to officially welcome you to the international family of Steinway Artists. In recognition of your contribution to the performing arts, academia, and your community, you are now formally included on the roster of the most accomplished and discriminating artists.”
Beyond this recognition, Dudley was also named the Top Teacher of the Year by Steinway Piano Gallery of Nashville for 2016.
Young team defeats veteran powerhouses in legal advocacy tournament
The Belmont University College of Law Mock Trial Team was just crowned second in the United States at the finals for the American Association for Justice National Student Trial Advocacy Competition this past weekend in Cleveland, Ohio. Belmont advanced to the national tournament after winning first place regionally, securing the regional trophy for the third time in four years. The American Association for Justice (AAJ) seeks to inspire excellence in trial advocacy through training and education for both law students and practicing attorneys. The annual nationwide mock trial competition provides opportunity for law students to develop and practice their trial advocacy skills before distinguished members of the bar and bench.
Belmont Professor of Law Amy L. Moore oversees the Belmont mock trial team as the director of the Board of Advocates for Belmont Law. She said, “After just five years of competition in total, this mock trial program has proven itself to be a national powerhouse. Of the five years that we have competed in the American Association for Justice tournament, we have gone to the regional finals four times and won the region three times, proving that we belong among the best in the nation. I could not be more proud of our students or our coaches.”
For the competition every school has a four-person team with two people serving as attorneys for the plaintiff and two serving as defense attorneys. During a round, the team members who aren’t competing play the roles of witnesses for their teammates. This year’s competition centered on a fictional premises liability case, one in which the owner of a business was being sued because someone was injured on the property.
Belmont’s mock trial team included current third year law student Kierstin Jodway and second year students Paul Fata, Marcerious Knox and Summer Melton, and the team was coached by both faculty and alumni over the past several months. The head coach of mock trial at Belmont University is Professor Andrew Caple-Shaw who helped start the program and continues to coach teams each year. At the national competition, Belmont had one of the toughest preliminary draws, facing and defeating three of the nation’s top teams in University of Akron, Loyola Marymount and Syracuse. They also eliminated University of Missouri-Kansas City and Chicago-Kent before falling to Wake Forest in a nail-biting final. The point margin of the loss was a mere four points on a scale of 180.
“Through mock trial, and with the help of my coach, Dayne Geyer, I was able to find my voice,” said Jodway, a Kingwood, Texas native who is interested in civil rights and employment litigation. “There are so many people who understandably don’t know how to navigate the complex legal system so that they can obtain the Justice they deserve. Mock trial has taught me how to use my voice to speak up for those people.”
Fata, who hopes to practice in the field of criminal prosecution, noted, “Mock trial has given me a chance to make some great lifelong friends, and it’s given me courtroom experience that would otherwise have taken years to gain in practice… I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities Belmont Law has provided me. I have excelled in my externships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Nashville District Attorney’s Office because of the exceptional training I’ve received at Belmont. Belmont Law professors do an incredible job of ensuring that Belmont students understand the complexities of legal theory, while also having the practical skills they need to succeed in day-to-day practice.”
Nashville native Knox, who is also focusing on criminal law, added, “We competed against the best teams in the nation and came in second out of hundreds of teams that competed in this tournament. That confirmed for me that I had the talent necessary to be a zealous advocate and made me more passionate about becoming a trial advocate after I graduate. Professionally, since this competition simulates real trials, it allowed me to gain more experience in the courtroom, so when I step out into the real world I will be more than ready to try cases on my own.”
Other regional winners that the Belmont team ultimately outranked in this national competition included Harvard University, Chicago-Kent College of Law, Baylor University, Stetson University, Fordham University, University of California Davis, Tulane University and the University of Maryland. At the regional level, the Belmont team edged out a number of strong competitors as well including Notre Dame, Vanderbilt and University of Tennessee.
Highly visible retail outlet represents unique business/service model partnership
Belmont students and staff were joined by community members today to celebrate the grand opening of The UPS Store at Belmont University, a new retail outlet in the hot 12 South district. The store represents a unique partnership in that The UPS Store, in addition to supporting its retail customers, also serves as the central mail center for the University, handling all incoming mail and packages for more than 8,800 students and employees.
This hybrid store partnership is a first-of-its-kind for The UPS Store. In addition to the professionally-managed central mail center, The UPS Store at Belmont University is the first location nationwide to provide a 24-hour package locker system that gives students the option of retrieving packages at the time that fits best with their schedules.
“Opening The UPS Store location on campus allowed us to add convenience for our students, faculty and staff and increase the breadth of services while providing a cost savings to the university” said Belmont University President Dr. Bob Fisher. “The UPS Store provides an integral service for our university with the mail services as well as added benefits like the lockers and shipping during campus move in. It’s been a win-win to have them on campus.”
Business owners Les Jackson and Jim Thien are Nashville entrepreneurs who own four other local The UPS Store locations. The UPS Store at Belmont University was able to revamp the software program for tracking mail and packages, cutting down time for retrieving campus packages by 60- 80 percent compared to the previous system.
Jackson said, “The UPS Store at Belmont University is the first location nationwide that combines services not only for Belmont University, but also for the local community. Service to the community is very important to Belmont, and the University encouraged us to provide services to the growing neighborhood around the school (including the vibrant 12 South community), an area that was not previously served by The UPS Store. We are very excited about this new, unique location on the Belmont University campus.”
The store’s hours are 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday thru Friday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturdays. In addition to its Belmont partnership, this location also offers the printing, packing, mailbox, shipping and small business services for which The UPS Store is known nationally.
Assistant Professor in Belmont’s School of Nursing and Director of College and Health Sciences Simulation Dr. Beth Hallmark was recently elected to the Nominations and Elections Committee for the International Association of Clinical Simulation Learning (INACSL). The INACSL is a portal for nurses and educators dedicated to advancing the science of health care simulation by developing standards for its practice. Hallmark will join four other committee members for a two-year term of service, beginning in 2017 and continuing through 2019.
In addition to her recent achievement, Hallmark has been serving as an invited contributor for the National League of Nursing’s (NLN) TEQ blog. Sponsored by the NLN Center for Innovation in Simulation and Technology, the blog works to keep nurse educators up-to-date with the latest innovations in simulation, e-learning, telehealth and informatics. Hallmark is on the blog’s editorial advisory board, which oversees content and contributes articles while also interacting with followers. The team is comprised of nurse educators who have been actively involved with the NLN’s technology-related professional development programs and are experts in the field.
Drew Ramsey, instructor of songwriting, co-wrote the song ‘Lovesick’ for the Robert Randolph & The Family Band album ‘Got Soul.’ The album was released on February 17 on Dare/Sony Records.
Dr. Doyuen Ko, assistant professor of audio engineering technology, won a 2017 Juno Award for his engineering work on “Brahms: String Quartets, Op. 51 NOS. 1 & 2, New Orford String Quartet (Bridge Records).” The album won in the Classical Album of the Year: Solo or Chamber Ensemble category. Ko was responsible for both recording and mixing the complete album.
This is Ko’s first Juno award, though he has received five nominations previously. A recent review of the album from a prestigious classical music magazine “Gramophone” is here.
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music. New members of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame are also inducted as part of the awards ceremonies. The complete list of award winners is found here.
Dr. Nathan Webb, assistant professor of communication studies, was published in the most recent issue of the Journal on Excellence in College Teaching. His article, “GTA Self-Disclosure: Motivations for Sharing Private Information with Students,” examines why instructors choose to share private information with their students in the classroom.
The study revealed that instructors choose to self-disclose for reasons such as building interpersonal relationships, enhancing their credibility and creating an environment of reciprocity. The Journal on Excellence in CollegeTeaching is published by the Center for Teaching Excellence at Miami University.
The Association of American Colleges and Universities has welcomed Dr. Sybril Brown to the Peer Review Journal editorial advisory board. Her appointment to the advisory board is for two years, with the possibility of re-appointment.
As an advisory board member, Brown will help guide Peer Review’s editorial calendar and provide feedback on higher education issues. Peer Review, now in its 19th year of publication, provides a quarterly briefing on emerging trends and key debates in undergraduate education. Each issue focuses on a specific topic, provides comprehensive analysis and features campus perspectives.
On March 20-24, Belmont’s annual World Culture Week engaged students, faculty and staff in celebrating and exploring diverse cultural backgrounds through open dialogue and a variety of fun activities. World Culture Week, sponsored by Belmont’s newest chartered student organization HOPE Council, is an idea that grew out of the University’s annual World Culture Fest which began as a collaborative effort among a few dedicated students who wanted more programming on that celebrated their diverse backgrounds. The HOPE Council has aided the effort by helping to expand the event into a week-long celebration instead of a single festival.
This year’s events were aimed at making cultural exploration fun and comfortable for all. The week started with an evening of spoken word poetry by Emily Joy, a professional poet who focuses on issues of social justice. Tuesday evening was International Movie Night in the Johnson Center Theater where students gathered to see the Korean blockbuster film, “Train to Busan.” On Wednesday, six faculty members led discussions with students on current issues in world politics in Syria, China, Israel and North Korea. Additionally, international food trucks were on campus, allowing students to enjoy international cuisine by the lawn.
On Wednesday evening, HOPE Council teamed up with campus residential facility Patton Hall and Belmont’s Board Game Society to present “Around the World + International Game Night” where students learned about different countries and study abroad while experiencing leisure games that originated overseas. The week concluded with the original World Culture Fest event on Friday evening in the Beaman Lobby. Students from all backgrounds came together to showcase Belmont’s diversity through music, dance, martial arts, spoken word and booths that served international food and led interactive activities such as henna tattoo art.
Senior music business and management student Rylee Sutherlin led the planning process for this year’s World Culture Week, which she says began last fall. Sutherlin believes it’s important to celebrate diversity not only throughout the world, but also on Belmont’s own campus. “I think one major takeaway from this week is to realize that we have people right here in our very own community who have different backgrounds,” Sutherlin said. “Celebrating culture and diversity offers the opportunity for everyone to learn and for others a chance to embrace their heritage. This is especially important on a college campus, which is naturally a place that fosters growth. As a student, I believe that there should be space for students to not only develop academically but to empower one another. The beauty of being human is that none of us are the same. This is why I think having an annual event like World Culture Festival is important, and this is why I’m happy that Belmont has recognized the need for a student council that promotes diversity and inclusion on campus.”
“We’re going back to 1979, when a gallon of gas ran you about 0.85. Shag rugs, pet rocks and disco were the hottest thing around and it seemed like your whole life existed between the hours of 9 to 5.”
“10 to places!” – “Thank you, 10!”
Brooks Bennett, a Nashville native and Belmont musical theatre freshman grabs the microphone and booms through the Troutt Theatre’s sound system—“10 to places!” (In everyday speak, this means that actors, dancers and stage hands should take their places in 10 minutes…dress rehearsal is about to begin.) The student sitting a few rows back in the audience shouts, “Thank you, 10!”—a designation given to acknowledge the time stamp was heard.
Backstage Preparation
Back stage, energy is high. The principal actors arrived hours before call and have spent the last 90 minutes curling every hair on their head, applying just the right amount of blue eye shadow (after all, Doralee Rhodes has a reputation to uphold), getting fitted for microphones, making last minute costume adjustments with the show’s professional costumer and slipping into the green room’s bathroom for one last vocal warm-up. Between mascara application, costume stitching and sips of vocal coat tea (a trick one of the lead actresses swears by), conversation flows.
“I got in bed at 12:30 last night and didn’t go to sleep until 2 because all I could think about was this wig.”
“Were you putting your eyelashes on with a bobby pin?”
“I’m sure everyone is always saying OMG! Her hair is amazing!”
“I just wanted to see your face because you make me so happy!”
“Thank God for throat coat.”
MT students Mary Kate Hughes, Cassie Donegan and Lizzie Hinton (L to R) play Violet Newstead, Doralee Rhodes and Judy Bernly.
With dancers running between floors and hairspray so strong you can taste it, Belmont’s musical theatre department is in their final preparations for “9 to 5,” their 2017 spring musical. Set in 1979, the storyline follows the lives of three women who work together at Consolidated, Inc. Overworked, underpaid and fed up with workplace inequality, Violet Newstead partners with co-workers DoraLee Rhodes and Judy Bernly—and they get even. In what Director and Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre David Shamburger calls a redemptive story, the trio ultimately learns that what they’ve been looking for was inside them all along—even the strength to fight their “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical, bigot” of a boss.
The Process
The show was cast before the semester ended in December for the holiday break, and students are expected to return to campus with their lines and lyrics memorized. Jumping straight into daily rehearsal, the process is underway. Run like the ‘real world,’ students who enter the musical theatre program are preparing for careers as professional performers from day 1. Coordinator of Musical Theatre and Professor Nancy Allen said the department prides itself on the way students are conditioned for professional theatre. From behavior to preparation to the routines of each rehearsal, students who graduate from Belmont understand what to expect in a professional troupe.
In the last 10 years, Broadway has seen 10 Belmont musical theatre alumni on its stages and another 30 have performed in national tours. Allen credits much of this, in addition to students’ raw talent, to the professional education they receive at Belmont. “We are creating professional performers,” Allen said. “We want them to leave Belmont and know that they could walk into any professional theatre company and be successful. We intentionally create an environment that is run like what you would see in the ‘real world.’ We’re a family, but we’re also preparing professionals.”
List on stage as Roz during “Heart to Hart,” a musical number during the show.
And it’s not just Allen who describes the department as a family, despite the rigorous nature of their schedules. Ask any musical theatre student, “MT” for short, about their experience within the program and they would use the same word. “We’re a family,” said Dani List, MT junior and Roz Keith in “9 to 5.” “We love like family, fight like family, work together like family. We’re so proud of each other and the work that we do. We’re a family.”
List also points to the ‘process’ of developing as a musical theatre professional, emphasizing the importance of trusting the ways each faculty member develops student talent. “We’re told from the very beginning that we have to trust the process, and we’ll see the results,” she said. “I wasn’t sure at first, but it’s true. There are so many pivotal moments each year and we become better and better. We have to trust the process.”
A Different Perspective
Sitting in the audience during dress rehearsal, Shamburger (“Sham” for short) echoes this feeling. His voice can be heard through each act as he gives notes to the rest of his technical team—that reaction should be larger, she should enter just a bit sooner, someone forgot Judy’s desk…who is assigned to Judy’s desk? Don’t get in the way of the Skrim! His notes may sound expected as he comments on the delivery of each line ensuring the right inflection, timing and diction, but his motivation is what makes his style unique.
Looking back on his 10 years at Belmont, Sham can easily point to the one thing that has kept him on campus—the opportunity to weave his faith into everything he does, both on and off the stage. “God has called me here,” he said. “I can profess my faith and integrate it into my teaching. That is the number 1 reason I’m here.”
He sees theatre as an opportunity to illustrate the redemptive story of Christ through each and every show. Whether it’s the chance to tell of justice and love in “Les Miserables,” illustrate a woman’s ability to engage with the unfamiliar and ultimately eliminate her fear in “Grease” or empower all who are oppressed in “9 to 5,” Sham prides himself in his ability to find redemption in all shows, regardless of their theme. “My purpose in telling a story as director is to bring everything together to bring out the human condition,” he said. “My truth is that the human condition is granted to us by God.”
Students walk into Sham’s studio and immediately know the lens he uses to view theatre. When describing the focuses of shows, he illustrates the human condition for students, allowing them the opportunity to experience life through someone else’s perspective. “Every show teaches us something,” Sham said. “They teach us what it is to engage the world for Christ, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to do that each and every day.”
Talent On and Off the Stage
Doralee (Donegan) takes notes from her boss, Franklin Hart.
When sophomore, MT student and principle actress Cassie Donegan takes the stage as DoraleeRhodes, Dolly Parton’s classic character from the 1980 film, it’s the opportunity to perform for her family that fuels her. With seven family members traveling from Virginia—even her great grandmother who she likens to Dolly—Donegan said she’s eager to take the stage and make her family proud. “She’s one of the strongest willed women I’ve ever seen,” Donegan said, describing her great grandmother. “For her to see me in a show like this means a lot.”
And it’s those same family members who have fueled her musical theatre journey thus far. Though her dreams after college are filled with bright lights and big cities, Donegan said she sees her passions going beyond the traditional route. She dreams of one day opening her own performing arts school—one that has a special focus on special education as she’s seen her younger sister’s life be changed by “the universal language. My sister has seen me be on stage so many times and now she wants to do it because ‘sissy does it,’” Donegan said. “She lights up on the stage—it has changed her life.”
Rehearsal Over…It’s Go Time
The final note rings out and cries of applause fill the theatre, despite the small crowd that’s watching (primarily made up of the other cast—students who will take the stage tomorrow night). The cast completes a full curtain call as they practice taking their bows, motioning towards the orchestra and acknowledging their tech team before Sham calls from the back of the theatre and asks the group to be seated.
He goes through a few final reminders and allows students to share their own feedback with each other. Hands raise and comments are made about the importance of knowing your cues, staying quiet backstage and moving quickly through scene changes. With opening coming in just two days, the dress rehearsal ends with Allen’s final comments. Though they relate to the show, she takes this last opportunity to close with a life lesson. “There are times when we won’t communicate well,” she says. “But we have to learn how to handle stress, apologize and get better next time.”
She closes in prayer—thanking God for her students, her colleagues and the ability to tell the “9 to 5” story. “See you tomorrow,” she says.
The cast begins to trickle from the stage, wipe off their make-up and remove their wigs. They’re out of costume and back to their own lives as students—at least until class tomorrow. With two days left until the show’s opening night, it’s go time…especially between the hours of 9 to 5.
Belmont’s production of “9 to 5” can be seen in the Troutt Theatre on Thursday, March 30 at 7:30 p.m., Friday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 1 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here.
Bruce Dudley, associate professor of music, recently became an Steinway Concert Artist, an exclusive honor bestowed to pianists by Steinway & Sons – Americas. In a letter to Dudley from Vivian Chu, director of cultural partnerships and artist services, she wrote, “I am pleased to officially welcome you to the international family of Steinway Artists. In recognition of your contribution to the performing arts, academia, and your community, you are now formally included on the roster of the most accomplished and discriminating artists.”
Dr. Doyuen Ko, assistant professor of audio engineering technology, won a 2017 Juno Award for his engineering work on “Brahms: String Quartets, Op. 51 NOS. 1 & 2, New Orford String Quartet (Bridge Records).” The album won in the Classical Album of the Year: Solo or Chamber Ensemble category. Ko was responsible for both recording and mixing the complete album.
Dr. Nathan Webb, assistant professor of communication studies, was published in the most recent 
On Wednesday evening, HOPE Council teamed up with campus residential facility Patton Hall and Belmont’s Board Game Society to present “Around the World + International Game Night” where students learned about different countries and study abroad while experiencing leisure games that originated overseas. The week concluded with the original World Culture Fest event on Friday evening in the Beaman Lobby. Students from all backgrounds came together to showcase Belmont’s diversity through music, dance, martial arts, spoken word and booths that served international food and led interactive activities such as henna tattoo art.
Back stage, energy is high. The principal actors arrived hours before call and have spent the last 90 minutes curling every hair on their head, applying just the right amount of blue eye shadow (after all, Doralee Rhodes has a reputation to uphold), getting fitted for microphones, making last minute costume adjustments with the show’s professional costumer and slipping into the green room’s bathroom for one last vocal warm-up. Between mascara application, costume stitching and sips of vocal coat tea (a trick one of the lead actresses swears by), conversation flows.
Looking back on his 10 years at Belmont, Sham can easily point to the one thing that has kept him on campus—the opportunity to weave his faith into everything he does, both on and off the stage. “God has called me here,” he said. “I can profess my faith and integrate it into my teaching. That is the number 1 reason I’m here.”
The final note rings out and cries of applause fill the theatre, despite the small crowd that’s watching (primarily made up of the other cast—students who will take the stage tomorrow night). The cast completes a full curtain call as they practice taking their bows, motioning towards the orchestra and acknowledging their tech team before Sham calls from the back of the theatre and asks the group to be seated.
