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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Students, Alumni, Faculty Involved in Production at TPAC

Staff Writer
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Students, Alumni, Faculty Involved in Production at TPAC

Several current students and alumni performed alongside Broadway actors in Studio Tenn’s September production of “Evita” at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC). The show ran from September 9-18 and was the first-ever local production to hit TPAC’s “Broadway Series.”

Of the 23 current students who were involved in the production, 21 of them are musical theatre students and two are theatre students (listed below). Also involved were two musical theatre alumni and one theatre alumna. Full-time voice instructor in the Musical Theatre Program Emily Speck was the production’s choreographer.

Speck discussed the exposure students received through their involvement and its ability to give them an edge among other candidates when looking for future jobs. “These students were all awarded Equity Membership Candidate points (EMC), which furthers their path to becoming part of the Actors Equity Association,” said Speck.  “They also had the opportunity to perform in Jackson Hall, the largest theater venue at TPAC, seating around 15,000 people throughout [the] 12-performance run of the show.  This is incredible exposure and experience for Belmont’s young professionals who are aspiring to work on this level. They experienced what it is like to work on an Equity contract, on a ‘Broadway-level show,’ according to many… It’s incredible that our Belmont students are able to put this show on their resume for all to see. It immediately gives them clout not only to have worked on this production, but to work with this creative team and star lineup in this capacity.”

New York talents in “Evita” included Broadway performer Eden Espinosa and Tony-Award winner Anthony Crivello. The names of the students and alumni involved are listed below.

Current Musical Theatre students: Abby Docherty, Delaney Gold, Kyle Carress, Lexie McEntire, Quinton Craig, Dylan Davis, Gabe Hoyer, Anna Dewey, Mary Kate Hughes, Meredith Waggoner, Arden Taylor, Natalie Ragazzo, Imari Thompson, Julian Malone, Jake Perotti, Katelynn Fahrer, Dani List, Katie Grogg, Lizzy Hinton, Samantha Blake and Becky Flaherty.

Current Theatre Students: Robert Helvey (Assistant Technical Director) and McKenzie Wilkes (Production Assistant)

Musical Theatre Alumni: Neal Buckley and Arik Vega

Theatre Alumna: Rebekah Lecocq, Production Assistant

For more information on the production and to watch the trailer, visit Studio Tenn’s site. To see behind-the-scenes footage of the production, click here.

Above photo provided by MA2LA.

Alumna Trisha Yearwood Releases New Perfume

Staff Writer
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Belmont graduate (1987) and platinum-selling country artist Trisha Yearwood recently announced the release of her new fragrance. The perfume encompasses the scent of honeysuckle, white peach and lily of the valley and will be available only at Wal-Mart.

According to Yearwood’s official website, the fragrance is meant as “a celebration of modern femininity” and includes “a delicate and sophisticated blend of woods, musk, amber and vanilla notes [that] leave[s] a soothing trail that is irresistible.” The item is the newest addition to Yearwood’s line of “Lifestyle” products.

Yearwood has broken into several different industries aside from music by coming out with award-winning cookbooks and even a line of home furniture and accessories. She currently has her own show on the Food Network called “Trisha’s Southern Kitchen,” which has been airing for over eight years.

Belmont Named as a Sierra Club ‘Cool School’

Hope Buckner
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Belmont Named as a Sierra Club ‘Cool School’

Belmont University was recently included on the Sierra Club’s list of “Cool Schools,” a ranking released each year to recognize schools across the country who excel in areas of sustainability and conservation. Recognized with a “Gold” ranking, up last year from the institution’s Bronze status, Belmont received its highest scores in the ranking’s Co-Curricular, Energy and Waste categories.

Launched in 2015, Belmont’s Conservation Covenant challenges all members of the university to take care of God’s creation, a charge the institution takes very seriously. It’s why Belmont serves as an arboretum to preserve more than 100 species of trees and shrubs and carefully manages water usage for irrigation. It’s also why the university builds and maintains green roofs, constructs new buildings to LEED-certified standards and utilizes a geothermal energy system that uses the Earth’s core to heat and cool campus buildings.

Vice President for Spiritual Development and Chair of Belmont’s Sustainability Committee Dr. Todd Lake said the university’s commitment to take care of what it’s been given is a core belief seen among faculty, staff and students. “For us, it’s more than recycling or participating in a car sharing program or reducing our use of plastic. The opportunity to take care of the resources God has given us is a charge we’re deeply committed to–and we’re delighted to have our efforts recognized through the Sierra Club’s Cool School rankings,” Lake said. “We don’t want to stop here. We’re committed to furthering our work and seeing what’s next for Belmont as it relates to conversation and sustainability.”

Created to honor those schools that illustrate their commitment to sustainability, as well as their ability to make significant change across their campus, the 2016 rankings included more than 200 four-year schools from across the country. For the full ranking of 2016’s “Coolest Schools,” click here.

 

First BruinVote16 Debate Watch Party Puts Civil Discourse on Display

April Hefner
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First BruinVote16 Debate Watch Party Puts Civil Discourse on Display

As the candidates faced off in the first presidential debate of the fall campaign season, Belmont students gathered in the Beaman Student Life Center to watch the evening unfold as part of the University’s ongoing #BruinVote16 programming. A student-led initiative designed to encourage fellow students to educate themselves on the issues and make their voices heard through their vote on November 8, BruinVote16 is tied to #CollegeDebate16, a national, non-partisan initiative to empower young voters to identify issues and engage peers in the presidential election process.

SGA President Chris Dickerson kicked off the evening and was joined by Silas Deane and Jacob Sykes, presidents of Belmont College Democrats and College Republicans respectively, who all encouraged civil discourse among those in attendance. While the crowd audibly reacted at numerous points throughout the evening, the participants modeled respect for alternate opinions. Following the debate, Tennessean Opinion Engagement Editor David Plazas led an open and engaging 30-minute conversation among the more than 100 students on site to gauge students’ reactions to the debate itself while also analyzing campaign issues that are important to millennials.

NewsChannel5 and The Tennessean both were live on campus covering the event.

Massey College Partnership Program Listed as ‘Standard-Setting’ for U.S.

Hope Buckner
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Massey College Partnership Program Listed as ‘Standard-Setting’ for U.S.

In collaboration with the Tennessee branch of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), the Jack C. Massey College of Business has created a national curriculum for those interested in accelerating their careers in the IT health care industry. This program, called the “HIT Workforce Accelerator Program,” was recently researched by the Brookings Institution in Washington D.C., whose findings listed the program as a lead provider and standard-setting program in the IT health care industry in the U.S. The coverage spread knowledge of the program into several other publications, including The Economist.

The goals of the program include preparing IT analysts for the workforce, equipping graduates with the skills they need to meet industry expectations and requirements and preparing students to meet the demand for emerging positions. The program is mainly used by IT professionals looking to transfer their skill set into health care information technology.

Working with leadership of the local chapter of Tennessee HIMSS and Nashville health care IT professionals, the program curriculum design and development was led by Dr. Stan York, associate dean of the Jack C. Massey College of Business. Taking more than five months to complete, the curriculum was developed using best practice approaches of local healthcare IT companies.

Dean of the Jack C Massey College of Business Dr. Pat Raines said, “We are delighted to be recognized as a thought leader for providing high quality standard-setting education and training for Nashville’s IT healthcare industry.  Having a national policy expert such as the Brookings Institution recognize the HIT Workforce Accelerator as a jointly developed curriculum model, is an honor. The experience of developing strong ties with our partners and regional employers proved to be a success, and now a call to action at a national level. This type of work can only be accomplished with exceptional partners such as TN HIMMS, Nashville HealthCare Council, and Nashville Technology  Council.”

The HIT Workforce Accelerator Program is a product of collaboration between Belmont University, the Tennessee branch of HIMSS, the Nashville HealthCare Council and the Nashville Technology Council. For more information on the program and its goals, click here.

Barton Quoted in Aging and Anti-Aging Research Article

Hope Buckner
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chris-barton-3Dr. Chris Barton, assistant professor of biology, was interviewed and cited in an article on aging and anti-aging research by RedOrbit.com. Per the article, “With a Ph. D. in Biochemistry from Vanderbilt University and specializations in physiology, cell biology and molecular genetics, Dr. Barton was able to provide insight into one of the many areas of research currently being studied among those in the field of life extension and anti-aging. ‘Perhaps one of the most popular views behind the aging process is the ‘stem cell theory of aging,’ which states that as we age, our stem cells aren’t able to continue dividing to replenish the cells that are being lost in our tissues and organs,’ Dr. Barton explained, believing this to be an area of research holding great promise.”

RedOrbit.com, headquartered in Nashville, was founded in November 2002 and is “committed to providing stimulating, original content and presentation, with over 2,000,000 pages covering the vast ideological spectrums of space, science, health, and technology.”

The article can be accessed here.

Murphree Hosts Student Events

Hope Buckner
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Murphree Hosts Student Events

Dr. Steve Murphree, biology professor and entomologist, recently gave a presentation and led a field trip for the 2016-17 Tennessee Naturalist Program class of approximately 35 students. Murphree’s session was titled, “The World of Invertebrates:  Pollinators, Predators, Pests and Parasitoids.”

Shortly after, Murphree participated as a demonstrator at Heritage Days at the Historic Sam Davis Home and Plantation in Smyrna. Murphree had a table to display information related to Insects and Disease in the Civil War/Civil War Medicine. “These popular living history field trips play host to over 1,000 elementary students each day and feature more than 20 historical demonstrations,” Murphree said. “With hands-on activities and captivating reenactors, students learn about 19th century life.”

On Monday, September 26, Murphree will be giving a talk entitled, “Beetles, Bugs and Butterflies – Reflections on 25 years of bug camp” in the Entomology Around the World section at the International Congress of Entomology (ICE) in Orlando, Florida. ICE 2016 is expected to be the largest gathering of scientists and experts in the history of the entomological sciences, with an expected attendance of over 6,000 delegates. Beetles, Bugs and Butterflies is a summer day camp which has been led by Dr. Murphree since 1992. More information about Belmont’s Bug Camp can be found here.

Freshman Invited to Student Poetry Celebration at the White House

Staff Writer
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Mukhopadhyay pictured with American rapper Q-Tip inside the White House
Mukhopadhyay, second from the right, pictured with rapper Q-Tip inside the White House.

Freshman communication studies major and Nashville’s first Youth Poet Laureate Lagnajita Mukhopadhyay was recently invited to the White House by First Lady Michelle Obama for a celebration of student poetry. The event took place on September 8 and was sponsored by the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.

Well known as a youth writer in the Nashville community, Mukhopadhyay is involved with the literary and performing arts organization Southern Word and is the author of a book published in 2015 titled, “This Is Our War.” The book contains a collection of Mukhopadhyay’s original poems, which she was invited to read during an author event night at Parnassus Books in Green Hills in April. She has also performed original works at various Nashville events, including Mayor Megan Barry’s inauguration last September.

Mukhopadhyay spoke about the honor being invited to such a special event was and the admiration she felt towards the people she has met. “Being invited to the White House to meet Michelle Obama and Congressman Jim Cooper and other industry greats like Q-Tip and Elizabeth Alexander was one of the greatest honors I could have hoped for,” said Mukhopadhyay. “To add to this, the words of the National Student Poets and alums, and of course, the other Spoken Word Ambassadors, left me feeling so inspired. I am so grateful for the title of Southeast Regional Youth Poet Laureate and all of the opportunities it has and will present me with. I can’t wait to share my words and ideas!”

Mukhopadhyay will be performing some of her poetry this Friday, September 23 in Belmont’s Curb Café as part of an event called “The Night Speaks: A Night of Live Music and Poetry.” The event will run from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. and will feature a poetry set by Mukhopadhyay, a spoken word set featuring local top college poets, an open mic set for Belmont poets and a music set with the band Skeleton at the Feast. The program is also being sponsored by Southern Word.

For more coverage of Mukhopadhyay’s trip, check out this Tennessean article. To learn more about Southern Word’s programs and events, click here.

Students Participate in Community Clean-Up Effort via Canoes

Staff Writer
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Students Participate in Community Clean-Up Effort via Canoes

Eight students and two staff members participated in a clean-up of the Harpeth River last Friday, September 16 through FitRec’s Outdoor Recreation Program. The trip involved participants gathering trash from surrounding areas while canoeing along the river. This service opportunity happens annually and has been going on for roughly ten years.

Despite low water levels making this year’s trip more difficult than previous ones, Jamie Zeller, director of fitness and recreation at Belmont, was surprised by the amount of trash collected and the students’ positive attitudes regarding their work. “I am always amazed with the amount of trash we collect each year and the passion in which students go about collecting it all. Some of it is in very hard-to-reach places, and they go in and get as much as they can without any complaints,” said Zeller.

Zeller also described how the experience is rewarding for him in ways beyond the service work. “The other fun part is sharing an outdoor experience with students because middle Tennessee really does have some beautiful recreational areas. It is great to share that with so many students that are not from the area.”

Alumnus Organizes Los Angeles Art Exhibit on Hate & Violence

Staff Writer
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Alumnus Organizes Los Angeles Art Exhibit on Hate & Violence
Painting by Williamson of weapons pointing towards each other in a circle
A representation of violence by Williamson

Visual artist and 1988 Belmont alumnus Todd Williamson has curated a powerful art exhibit that will occupy Illulian Gallery and several other locations in Los Angeles, California on November 5. The theme of the exhibit centers on hate and violence and how artists perceive the events of the world around them.

Aside from Williamson’s own work, the exhibit, titled “Hate & Violence: The Artist’s Perspective,” will include works from other top contemporary artists from around the world, including Retna, Andrew Saldago (London), Mei Xian Qiu (Java), Mark Stephen Greenfield (LA), Angela Larian (Iran) and Millie Brown (UK). Each of these artists have been personally affected by hate and violence in some way, ranging from dealing with genocide and gang violence to racism and hate crimes.

Williamson hopes the exhibit will portray how the violence that shows up in daily news outlets translates into the creative arts. “Throughout history, it has always been art that displayed the raw, unedited version of the hate, violence, bigotry, terrorism and apathy that at times runs amok in our society,” Williamson said. “Each artist’s work will exemplify how important the world of art is in referencing all of the issues that face society with the onslaught of terrorism, hate and apathy.”

The exhibit will also include lectures and the appearances of several performance artists in and around the West Hollywood area.

Williamson lives and works in Los Angeles and has received numerous honors throughout his career. Art & Living Magazine recognized him on their 2009 list of “Artists to Watch” and in 2010, he received The Pollock Krasner Foundation Award Grant. Williamson has traveled the world to exhibit and has worked alongside industry greats such as Ed Rusche, Jenny Holzer, Laddie John Dill, Ed Moses, Chuck Close and Robert Ryman.

For more information on Williamson and his recent work, visit his website.

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