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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Johnston Appointed to NashvilleHealth Steering Committee

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Johnston Appointed to NashvilleHealth Steering Committee

Johnston's headshotDr. Phil Johnston, dean of Belmont University’s College of Pharmacy, was recently appointed to the NashvilleHealth Steering Committee, set up to guide and advise the organization in its efforts moving forward. The committee consists of 24 business, government and community leaders who carry diverse expertise in health and the factors that impact it. The group will work alongside NashvilleHealth’s Governing Board to align community attention and resources in an effort to address poor health outcomes and health equity issues.

Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader and NashvilleHealth Founder Bill Frist said, “These 24 local leaders are critical champions for NashvilleHealth and Nashville as a whole. We will rely on each of them to provide guidance on our overall community-developed strategic plan, help execute tactical implementation, advise on the development of pilot programs and monitor outcomes of our initiatives.”

NashvilleHealth is an organization dedicated to creating a culture of health and wellbeing in the Nashville area. It aims to open dialogue and build strategic partnerships to help close the gap in health disparities.

Former Mayor Dean Co-Authors Book on Nashville’s Growth

Hope Buckner
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Former Mayor Dean Co-Authors Book on Nashville’s Growth

Former Mayor and Distinguished Professor of History and Political Science at Belmont Karl Dean has co-written a book about Nashville’s 25-year run of success with reporter and writer Michael Cass. Dean led Nashville through a period of dynamic growth and change during his two terms as the city’s Mayor.

The book, Nashville: The South’s New Metropolis, explores the redevelopment of downtown, the arrival of major league sports in the 1990s, the city’s increasing diversity and its entrepreneurial spirit. The burgeoning restaurant scene and the transformation of the Gulch and SoBro into lively urban neighborhoods share the spotlight with the evolution of Nashville’s bedrock industries: health care, higher education, tourism and, of course, music.

Dean, who served as mayor for eight years, led the city through the Great Recession and the historic 2010 flood by continuing to bet on Nashville and invest in its future. The new book, full of photographs showcasing the city’s people and places, captures the advances made under the leadership of former mayors Phil Bredesen (1991-1999) and Bill Purcell (1999-2007).

“Nashville is an extremely appealing city because of its rich diversity, vibrant economy, musical foundation and forward-looking people,” Dean said. “It was a pleasure and a privilege to write about the city’s powerful energy and progress in this beautiful coffeetable book.”

Published by Memphis-based CityInk as the latest title in its Urban Renaissance Books series, the book includes interviews with and insights by musicians Jack White, Vince Gill and Ketch Secor, leader of the band Old Crow Medicine Show; author and Parnassus Books Co-Owner Ann Patchett; HCA Co-Founder Dr. Thomas Frist Jr.; businesswoman, philanthropist and arts champion Martha Ingram; Conexion Americas Co-Founder and Executive Director Renata Soto; Bishop Joseph Walker of Mt. Zion Baptist Church; restaurateurs Margot McCormack and Benjamin and Max Goldberg and many others.

Mayor Megan Barry, who succeeded Dean in 2015 and is building on her predecessors’ work while beginning to put her own stamp on the city, wrote the introduction.

Dean served as mayor from 2007 to 2015. He has lived in Nashville for more than 30 years since moving to the city for law school at Vanderbilt University. Cass worked as a reporter for The Tennessean for 15 years before joining Dean’s administration in its final year as speechwriter and communications adviser. He now holds the same position in Mayor Barry’s administration.

Six photographers, led by Memphis-based Stephanie Norwood, captured hundreds of beautiful images of Nashville to accompany and illustrate the text by Dean and Cass.

Nashville: The South’s New Metropolis is available for purchase at Parnassus Books, Barnes & Noble at Vanderbilt and Broadway Entertainment and online here. Journalists who need a copy of the book for review or reporting purposes should contact Michael Cass at michael_cass@hotmail.com.

 

Tough’s Song Featured in Current Holiday Film

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Tough’s Song Featured in Current Holiday Film

Tough's HeadshotAssociate Professor of Audio Engineering Technology Dr. David Tough recently had a song cut by the 2016 independent film, “Holiday Breakup.” The song, “By Your Side,” was produced, engineered and co-written by Tough along with songwriter and producer Justin Busch.

Tough has had a history of songs used in television shows and movies including “Nashville,” “Pretty Little Liars,” “Braindead” and “NCIS: Los Angeles.”

“Holiday Breakup” was released on Nov. 1 and is now available for purchase or rent on Amazon, iTunes, Comcast Xfinity and Direct TV. For more information, visit the film’s website.

DeBlasis Selected for Tennessee Bar Association’s Leadership Program

Hope Buckner
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DeBlasis Selected for Tennessee Bar Association’s Leadership Program
Headshot of Abbie DeBlasisAssistant Professor in the College of Law Abbie DeBlasis was recently selected to participate in the Tennessee Bar Association’s (TBA) 2017 Leadership Law program. One of twelve Nashville attorneys selected, DeBlasis will join a group of 35 other attorneys from across the state to participate in the program’s 14th year.
The class will meet for its first session in January and spend the next six months learning about leadership in the legal profession, issues in the courts, policymaking in state government and the importance of community service.
TBA is the largest professional association in Tennessee with more than 13,000 members. Founded in 1881, TBA provides opportunities for continuing legal education, professional development and public service. TBA’s dedication to serving the state’s legal community is evidenced by its membership roll, which represents the entire spectrum of legal practice: plaintiff and defense lawyers, corporate counsel, judges, prosecutors, public defenders, government lawyers and legal services attorneys.

College of Pharmacy Partners with Nashville Zoo for Research Project

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Over the past two years, Belmont University’s College of Pharmacy has been working closely with the Nashville Zoo’s Veterinary Services to provide an answer to a research question that could help zoos across the globe provide better care for their lorikeets. Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Dr. Steven Stodghill and several  students have been working with the zoo’s flock of over 80 lorikeets to conduct their research and come up with a reliable conclusion.

The goal of the study is to discover how large a dosage of the drug ponazuril lorikeets need to protect them from Sarcocystosis, a seasonal parasitic disease, without overdosing them. The drug is given to the lorikeets regularly and up until this point, few studies have been conducted to determine the actual amount needed. Once the results are in, findings will be shared in the Exotic Animal Drug Formulary for use by other zoos that keep their lorikeets in an outdoor aviary environment.

“Accuracy of dosing is critical for accurate treatment,” Director of the Nashville Zoo’s Veterinary Services Dr. Heather Robertson said in a post on the Zoo’s blog. “If you overdose, you could cause other unintended health concerns. If you under dose, you are not treating appropriately which isn’t helping the animal improve. The results derived from this research will positively impact institutions housing parrots and lorikeets around the world.”

For more information on this research project, visit the Nashville Zoo’s blog.

Melby Hosts Roundtable Event for Students at FlyteVe

Hope Buckner
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flytevue-eventCaroline Melby, career development specialist for the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, recently hosted a Roundtable event for students at FlyteVu, a full-service marketing agency located in the Gulch. All seven employees, including the organization’s two founding partners, were in attendance and spent time with the student participants.

Held in FlyteVu’s conference room, the event included several case studies where students watched the work in action as brands were matched to artists and marketing plans were implemented. Following the presentation and Q&A, the team assigned a sample project to the students where they were broken up into two groups and tasked with creating a marketing plan that involved bringing Cracker Barrel to the CMAs.

After a 15-minute working session, both teams presented their plans to the group which included unique drawings and a question and answer session.

 

 

 

Crace Featured in Audio Engineering Society Student Blog

Hope Buckner
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Belmont student Kerrick Crace was recently featured in an interview published on the Audio Engineering Society’s (AES) Student Blog highlighting his participation in the recent Student Recording Competition.

Originally from Atlanta, Crace moved to Nashville six years ago and enrolled in Belmont after taking a break to do “the artist thing.” Crace said he grew up playing and writing his own piano music since he was 4 years old, skills he picked up purely by ear. He went on to play guitar, bass and drums before seeing Intersteller and developing what he calls his purpose. “My goal in life is to learn how to work this way,” Crace said. “To cut through to the heart of a film to its most central and human element. I believe it’s the one thing I can do well while also helping someone else to enhance and develop their vision, which to me is everything. To me, it’s my purpose.”

Crace goes on to describe his entry for the Student Recording Competition, the last five minutes of the film “My Indian Rhapsody” of which Crace composed an original score. Working alongside his high school friend and Emerson graduate film student Abijeet Achar, Crace said the film was the “most creatively open film [he] had worked on to date.”

To read the rest of Crace’s interview, click here.

Christmas at Belmont Spectacular to Air on PBS

Hope Buckner
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Christmas at Belmont Spectacular to Air on PBS

The 2015 showing of “Christmas at Belmont,” the Christmas spectacular that features 700 students, faculty and staff musicians from the School of Music, will be shown in Middle Tennessee by Nashville Public Television (NPT-Channel 8) on Thursday, December 22 at 8 p.m. (CST). The performance was hosted by award-winning country recording artist Kathy Mattea and held in Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center.

Check local listing for additional air times in other parts of the country.

Miller Presents at Society of Biblical Literature Meeting

Hope Buckner
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amanda-miller2Dr. Amanda Miller, College of Theology and Christian Ministry, recently presented a paper called “Cut from the Same (Purple) Cloth: Women as Patrons and Prophets in Luke-Acts” at the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature in San Antonio.

Music Industry Pros and Belmont Alumnae Discuss “Starting Your Business”

Hope Buckner
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Belmont recently hosted a curb seminar, “Starting Your Business and Building a Team,” in the Johnson Theater featuring Stephanie Haymes, ’06 alumna and A&R coordinator for Warner Music Group, Callie Cunningham, artist manager for Red Light Management and Meredith Jones, ’07 alumna and agent at Creative Artists Agency. Haymes, Cunningham and Jones shared with students the importance of networking, what makes great artistry and experiences with team-building in the industry.

Cunningham shared that the strategy as a label is to have amazing relationships with different entities, from booking to publishing. She emphasized that this is the modern-day artist development. Jones said that networking gets started by students staying in contact with people they make connections with, even after their internships end. Cunningham shared that across the board, internships are about relationships. Students should understand the importance of these relationships and make ‘friends’ everywhere they go.

When asked how to best promote yourself when starting in the industry, Haymes said she likes to see someone’s personality “through the screen.” She advised students to present themselves in a light they’d like to be seen in on social media platforms. Haymes also advised students to be eager.

Cunningham said that social media is very important, but that the music should always come first. She also said that she is looking for great artists in any form with great songs that can interact with a room and sell themselves well. Since the artist sets the tone for the whole team, Cunningham said that everyone works harder when the artist tries to out-pace his or her teammates.

Haymes shared that her idea of the perfect package for an artist would be having an awesome personality, the ability to relate to fans and a willingness to receive help in finding the right songs. Cunningham concluded by advising students to be likable and nice. Jones said to have a great show, but not have a show that outshines the music, and to dream big.

This event was moderated by Chelsey Kent, Belmont 2012 alumna and creative director for Still Working Music Group.

 

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