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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Micky ScottBey Jones Wraps Up Faith and Culture Symposium

Contemplative activist Micky ScottBey Jones recently wrapped up the fourth annual Faith and Culture Symposium as the last speaker in a week-long series of faith-based discussions. In her talk, Jones brought up the idea of salvation as a process that is constantly unfolding and mentioned how that process has worked in her own life to evolve her faith. Some of her salvation moments have come through learning about nonviolence from Nashville civil rights leader James Lawson Jr. and through taking a class on African American studies at MTSU. She explained that moments of salvation don’t always look like they will offer a promise of revolution.

After Jones’s discussion, students had the opportunity to ask questions about the most influential non-violent tactics that can be used to create change in the current state of the world. Jones advised those wishing to speak out against injustice to understand where their talents best fit and commit themselves there. She told students to recognize their personal limits and know exactly why they are joining a movement. Jones ended by advising students that anger felt towards a situation or group is just a symbol that something they love is being threatened. The greatest success comes from focusing on that love instead of the anger that sometimes stems from it.

Carr Talks Music Business Strategies as Museum Panelist

Dr. Slay CarrCheryl Carr, associate dean in the College of Entertainment and Music Business, recently served as a panelist for the National Museum of African American Music’s “Turntables” event on networking and other music business strategies for aspiring artists and businesspersons. The session featured an array of topics including copyright law, network building, public relations, artist management and more.

Music Industry Healthcare Professionals Share Life Skills for Artists

On Monday, February 6, Belmont University hosted a curb seminar featuring guest speakers Tatum Allsep, founder and executive director of the Music Health Alliance, Deborah Deloach, vice president of Veva Sound, Elizabeth Porter LCP, MHSP of Entertainment Health Services and Nolan Neal, recording artist/musician. The event was moderated by Debbie Carroll, senior executive director of MusiCares. The panel focused on life skills for artists and creators and shared the purpose of their organizations, particularly MusiCares, which provides emergency financial assistance to those within the music industry.

Carroll started the conversation by discussing bumps along the way–the thing she said was never talked about enough. Porter said it is good to remember that you are not going to make a lot of money right away; therefore, it is important to maintain your hope and passions and develop relationships with the people around you.

Deloach advised students to work hard, stay positive and keep contacts through the years without burning bridges as they begin their careers. Allsep said that if you are breathing, there’s hope. She also assured students that the music industry is like a family–we’re all in this together.

Porter shared with students that by being true to who you are, people will buy into your brand. Carroll shared that it is okay to make mistakes and realize you can be successful. She also emphasized the importance of just “fakin’ it til you make it,” and that when you stumble, you must get back up and dust yourself off. Neal said that the trick is to stick and stay. Porter concluded by advising students there is a time for business and practicality but also a time to let go of the wheel and have faith.

 

 

 

Alumni, Faculty Find Favor at 59th Annual Grammy Awards

Belmont University was well represented at last night’s 59th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles with several alumni winning awards for their work while a number of faculty contributed to their own award-winning project.

Emily Weisband, a 2015 alumna of Belmont’s songwriting program, and Bernie Herms, a 1995 alumnus of the School of Music, both won their first-ever Grammy Award for a song they co-wrote with Hillary Scott titled, “Thy Will.” The song was recorded by Hillary Scott and the Scott Family and won the award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song. Weisband will be back on Belmont’s campus on February 24 to perform in the Homecoming Concert hosted by fellow Grammy Award winner and alumnus Gordon Kennedy.

Kate Lee Gurnow, also a 2014 graduate, took home a Grammy for her debut album with the O’Connor Band, titled, “Coming Home.” The album, on which Gurnow played fiddle, won Best Bluegrass Album. Gurnow studied Commercial Violin Performance during her time at Belmont and has performed behind a number of country stars, including Martina McBride, Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts and Vince Gill.

In addition, the Nashville Symphony’s recording of “Daugherty: Tales of Hemingway” won three Grammy Awards: Best Classical Instrumental Solo, Best Classical Compendium and Best Contemporary Classical Composition. Several School of Music faculty contributed to this recording, including Piano Instructor Robert Marler and Adjunct Instructors Alison Gooding, Daniel Lochrie, Radu Ruso and Xiao-Fan Zhang.

 

College of Law Alumna Presents at Lawyers Association for Women Luncheon

Michele Johnson, Tennessee Justice Center’s executive director and co-founder and Shelby Dodson, Belmont College of Law class of 2016 and the firm’s newest attorney, presented at the Lawyers Association for Women’s January Membership Luncheon. During the presentation, they introduced the audience to TJC’s past and present. 

TJC was made necessary after the 1996 congressional restrictions on Legal Services Corporation funding would have forced Middle Tennessee’s Legal Aid office to abandon clients who still needed help. Johnson and co-founder Gordon Bonnyman refused to quit advocacy for these clients and set out on their own. 

The LAW presentation tracked the 21-year history of TJC, continuing through today’s efforts. In 2017, TJC retains its client-centered character, serving nearly 1000 individual clients last year while sustaining systemic advocacy through federal class action and grassroots organizing.

Dodson’s role at TJC is as an Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Elder Justice Fellow. She provides general civil representation to seniors who have experienced or are at risk for abuse, neglect and financial exploitation.

To learn more about the Tennessee Justice Center, visit their website at tnjustice.org or stop by their new downtown office for an open house February 13 from 4:30-7:30 p.m. RSVP to dwhaley@tnjustice.org.

‘We Believe’ Campaign Surpasses $100 Million Mark

Comprehensive fundraising aims for $300 million goal by 2020 to boost endowment, scholarships, missions and more

Ten months into the “We Believe” comprehensive fundraising campaign, Belmont University announced today that donations recently surpassed $100 million, marking a major milestone toward a total $300 million goal by 2020.  The campaign focuses attention on five areas that are key to the University’s Vision 2020 strategic priorities, including scholarships, faculty support and missions. Total money raised to date for the campaign currently stands at $100,162,799.

Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher said, “This fundraising campaign will strengthen Belmont’s ability to offer a world class education by attracting top faculty, enhancing student experiences, creating mission opportunities, supporting athletics and expanding student research. Most importantly, this campaign will better position us to aid qualified students in achieving a Belmont education, regardless of their financial circumstances.”

To date, more than 10,000 donors have contributed to the campaign, and nearly 70 new endowed scholarships have been created. Highlights since last April’s public campaign launch include the largest single gift in University history ($15 million from the Ayers Foundation) along with gifts to create a $2 million endowment to support Belmont missions and a $4 million endowment for ‘Bridges to Belmont’ (the first made possible by Trustee Jim Wright and his wife Susan while the latter results from a gift from Trustees Joe and Anne Russell, respectively).

HCA Chairman and CEO and Belmont alumnus Milton Johnson is chairing the campaign in its inaugural year. He said, “I give to Belmont because I can personally attest to the transformative power of a Belmont education, and I believe such a world-class education can help individuals reach their greatest potential. I am encouraged to see how many new and long-time donors are stepping up to help make that happen for generations of students to come.”

The $300 million campaign will include total money raised through Dec. 31, 2020. Thanks to a long history of strong financial management and diligent cost control, Belmont is able to partner with its supporters to leverage their investments in the institution’s future. The University is matching contributions to campaign priority endowments between $25,000 and $1.5 million ‘dollar for dollar,’ doubling the impact of each donor’s commitment.

Specific campaign priorities include:

  • Endowed scholarships to ensure more qualified students can receive a Belmont education regardless of financial means
  • Faculty support through endowed chairs/professorships to attract and retain preeminent experts in their fields
  • Missions support to expand endowed funds to enhance Belmont’s undeniably Christian environment and further students’ ability to serve in the U.S. and abroad
  • Athletics funding for endowed scholarships to support high-caliber student athletes who embody Belmont values and represent the University around the world
  • Annual Giving to create a culture of philanthropy among Belmont constituent groups that encourages consistent, long-term giving

Belmont’s Vice President for Development and External Relations Dr. Perry Moulds added, “We are so grateful for the countless individuals who have already given to this campaign. I believe their generosity will take an already successful institution to the next level, catapulting us even further onto the national stage and empowering what I imagine to be an extraordinary future for this campus.”

Click here to view the “We Believe” campaign launch video.

For more information on the campaign, giving priorities and ways to give, visit Belmont’s We Believe website.

Belmont University to Host Asian Studies Symposium February 13 – 17

The seventh annual Asian Studies Symposium, sponsored by Belmont University’s Asian Studies program, will be held on campus February 13-17 in the Janet Ayers Academic Center. This year’s theme, Representations of Buddhism, will highlight divergent facets of Buddhism’s representation through art, literature, popular culture, social activism and personal journey.

The symposium is intentionally constructed to support the exhibition Secrets of Buddhist Art: Tibet, Japan, and Korea opening in the Ingram Gallery of the Frist Center for Visual Arts on February 10. The exhibition is on loan from the Newark Museum Arts of Asia collection, and the curator of those materials, Dr. Katherine Paul, will open the Belmont Asian Studies Symposium on Monday, February 13 at 10 a.m. on the topic “Living Hells and Heavens: the Art of Buddhist Rebirths.”

This year’s events also include an emphasis on the myriad forms Buddhism has taken in Asia and the world, bringing experts on Asia in fields of business, art, religion, philosophy and society to campus.  A special panel composed of regional practitioners will also share their personal journeys in the Buddhist way.

Speakers will include Dr. Paul Lavy, Southeast and South Asian Art History, University of Hawai’i at Manoa; Dr. Cathy Benton, Chair, Department of Religion, Lake Forest College; Dr. William Gorvine, Chair, Religious Studies, Hendrix College; Dr. Todd Munson, Director of Asian Studies, Randolph-Macon College; Dr. Qingjun Li, Asian Studies, Belmont University; Dr. Kimiyo Murata-Soraci, Asian Studies, Belmont University; Dr. Marty Bell, Religion, Belmont University; Dr. Andrew Davis, Philosophy, Belmont University; Dr. Cynthia Bisson, East Asian History, Belmont University.

The full schedule for the symposium and its convocation credit events on campus can be found here.

The full schedule for the exhibition Secrets of Buddhist Art: Tibet, Japan, and Korea opening in the Ingram Gallery of the Frist Center for Visual Arts, including construction of a sand mandala by monks from Drepung Loseling Monastery, can be found here.

Belmont Welcomes Dr. Clayton-Pedersen as Scholar-In-Residence

Dr. Alma Clayton-Pedersen, chief executive officer of Emeritus Consulting Group, spent the week at Belmont as part of the University’s Scholar-In-Residence Program, a program created to celebrate diversity within higher education and encourage students to explore the field as a career option. An initiative of Belmont’s Welcome Home Team, the University’s cross-functional diversity and inclusion committee, the Scholar-in-Residence Program invites each of Belmont’s nine colleges to host a diverse scholar in a field related to their disciplines. Clayton-Pedersen was invited to Belmont by Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Dr. Bryce Sullivan.

While on campus, Clayton-Pedersen spent time with faculty, staff and students as she hosted convocation events, participated in luncheons and co-facilitated “My Mentor and Me,” a session held with Dr. Sybril Brown, professor of media studies and Clayton-Pedersen’s mentee. Additionally, Clayton-Pedersen spent time with the Welcome Home Team, led by Vice President and Chief of Staff Dr. Susan West.

(L to R) Drs. Clayton-Pederson, Lauren Lunsford, CLASS associate dean, Bryce Sullivan, CLASS dean and Sybril Brown, professor of media studies.

West said, “The Welcome Home Team is honored to host Dr. Clayton-Pedersen through our Scholar-in-Residence Program. Highlighting the importance of diversity across our campus, this program allows students, faculty and staff to learn from experts in a variety of fields, while emphasizing careers in higher education. We are excited to see how the programs impacts our campus as each College hosts scholars from their disciplines.”

Sullivan said the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences was honored to host Clayton-Pedersen, knowing the impact she would have on students, faculty and staff across campus. “We are very excited to have had Dr. Clayton-Pedersen as a Scholar-in-Residence. We hope that one outcome of the residency is that underrepresented students deeply consider pursuing higher education as a career. We really hit a home-run with the selection of Dr. Clayton-Pedersen. Her work with the American Association of Colleges and Universities, among others, demonstrates her role as a leader in higher education. I am confident she will be an inspiration to both our students and our faculty.”

For more information on Clayton-Pedersen, click here.

Students and Faculty Participate in Joint Mathematical Meetings in Atlanta

A student presents at MAA, a mathematics conference. Several Belmont mathematics faculty members and one student recently attended and participated in the Joint Mathematical Meetings  (JMM) in Atlanta, Georgia. JMM, the largest mathematics meeting in the world, combines the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) and the American Mathematical Society (AMS). This year’s event was the 100th annual winter meeting of MAA and the 123rd annual meeting of AMS.

Brad Schleben, assistant professor of mathematics, gave a talk at a MAA special session titled, “Strengthening the Narrative of an Abstract Algebra course.” Michelle Guinn, assistant professor of mathematics, worked with the National Association of Mathematicians at the conference and also judged the Undergraduate Student Poster Session. Sarah Ann Fleming, associate professor of mathematics, worked with MAA’s Early Mentoring Program at the conference and also organized a session for the Career Mentoring Network for Women in the Mathematical Sciences, of which she serves as assistant director.

Andy Miller, professor of mathematics, co-organized and moderated an invited paper session on “New Directions in Quantitative Literacy.” The session was given in honor of quantitative literacy pioneer Lynn Arthur Steen who died in 2015. Mike Pinter, professor of mathematics, presented “Mathematics Intersecting with Other Modern World Ideas: 1850-1950” as part of the Contributed Papers Session on Humanistic Mathematics during the JMM. In the presentation, Pinter described ideas, people and topics from mathematics in the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century that he incorporates into his Analytics: Math Models course, and to a lesser extent, his Introduction to Mathematical Reasoning course.  Topics addressed from that 100-year time period include symbolic logic, basics of set theory and social choice theory, with particular emphasis on logic. Danny Biles and Mary Goodloe, mathematics, also attended the conference.

Tucker Dowell, a senior mathematics and philosophy double major, presented two research projects at the conference including “Stochastic Social Network Model for the Dissemination of Ideas,” (Tucker L. Dowell, Daniel Biles and Glenn Acree) and “Counting Elements of Particular Orders in the Symmetric Group” (Tucker L. Dowell and Brad Schleben).

Nursing Students Featured in ‘Day in the Life of an Intern’ Story

Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA) wanted to send a message to college students about how their internship program works, so they summoned three of their recent Belmont University interns to help tell the story. Chelsea Carter, Samantha Perkowski and Rachel Sutherland all served as Dialysis Clinic Interns in 2016 as a part of their studies in nursing.

The internship provided hands-on experience in the care of dialysis patients, an area where students don’t often have an opportunity for clinical practice. The FMCNA interviewed the students about some of the rewarding aspects of their internship experiences and had them describe a typical day of work, broken down into morning, mid-day and end-of-day routines. The students touched on the relationships they built with full-time employees and how their experiences at FMCNA contributed to their learning.

Check out the full feature here.