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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Freshman Gracie Schram Interviewed on WKRN

Hope Buckner
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Freshman Gracie Schram Interviewed on WKRN

Gracie Schram, a freshman from Kansas City, was recently interviewed by WKRN’s Samantha Fisher for her creatively decorated dorm room and coordinating music career. A singer-songwriter and all around social media enthusiast, Schram has a youtube channel that promotes her music and after moving to Belmont, her stylish dorm room.

Prominently featured on the shelves above her wardrobe, Schram has many pairs of yellow shoes–a choice specifically made to link her style to her music. The first single from her premiere album is titled, “Yellow Shoes” and gives a nod to Schram’s colorful personality–the same style seen in her room.

Schram’s “humble abode,” as she calls it, is more than the place she sleeps each night. Looking towards the future, she hopes to continue building her career in that room as she takes classes at Belmont and furthers her education. Giving credit for her already found success as an artist to her social media involvement, Schram said her more than 30,000 viewers find her in a variety of ways and are always interested in following along.

“Anything helps, ” she said. “It’s just about exposure and having more people be able to see and be part of my journey whether it’s the fact that they love my dorm room, or they love my music, or they love my yellow shoes.”

For more information on Gracie Schram and her musical career, click here.

15th Annual Humanities Symposium Explores Technology and Humankind

Staff Writer
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15th Annual Humanities Symposium Explores Technology and Humankind

Belmont’s School of Humanities has been busy preparing for the 15th annual Humanities Symposium set to take place Sept. 19-Sept. 26. The event is structured around the central theme of technology and how it has impacted the meaning of humanity. Several topics that will be explored include artificial intelligence, virtual reality, technology’s effect on language, online classes and the digital impact hitting traditional libraries and writers across the globe.

humanities-symposium-program-coverThe symposium will begin with the Monteverde Plenary Address given by Professor and Director of the Asian Studies Program Dr. Ronnie Littlejohn. He will introduce the theme and discuss the history of technological fascination beginning with its emergence in ancient Chinese texts. The events will then continue throughout the week featuring student panels, writing workshops, faculty presentations and film screenings. Additionally, there will be a writing contest offered and a viewing of the first episode in the weekly “Star Trek” series.

This year’s symposium also incorporates a number of featured speakers, including poet Neil Aitken, linguist Dr. Carl Blyth, historian and author Dr. Michael Bess, podcast creator and Belmont graduate Dr. Eric Detweiler and Digital Humanities Professors Drs. Amy Earhart and Andrew Jewell.

Chair of the Department of English Dr. David E. Curtis, who has been involved with planning the symposium, discussed how this year’s theme coincides with several questions and concerns that have been explored in the humanities over the course of its evolution.

“The Humanities have traditionally raised questions about what constitutes progress for humans and societies, and many of these questions have arisen as the result of technological innovation,” said Curtis. “Questions about what is intrinsically and authentically human have evolved as not only our machines but whole human environments have been radically altered by new physical and intellectual ‘affordances’—from new media to biotechnological enhancements to the reshaping of human communities among more fluid electronic borders.”

The symposium will conclude on Sept. 26 with a reflection and discussion of the themes from the events led by the Symposium Committee.

For more information on individual events included in the symposium, click here.

Honors Program Offers Retreat to First-Year Students

April Hefner
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Honors Program Offers Retreat to First-Year Students

The Honors Program recently held its annual retreat for first-year students at Deer Run camp in Thompson’s Station, Tennessee. The Honors Program has done this event for five years, using it to help with community-building and retention within the Honors Program, according to Honors Director Dr. Jonathan Thorndike.

As one student noted in a reflection on the event, “I think that the Honors Retreat at Deer Run was a nice change of pace from how crazy classes have been. I was engaged and involved the entire time, which is very welcome as a new freshman. Seclusion was such a great aspect of the camp, as it is away from the hustle and bustle of the city… As far as Honors goes, I have a better understanding of what to expect in the future, and also see how close the members are.  I am leaning towards the LEAD pathway… I am very impressed with the Retreat team and believe it is a true passion and goal for them to make newcomers feel welcome. I love how their energy spreads throughout the entire team and how contagious the happiness is. Overall, I was very happy with my experience and am thankful for all that went into making it happen.”

Belmont Praised in Multiple Categories in Annual U.S. News College Rankings

April Hefner
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Belmont Praised in Multiple Categories in Annual U.S. News College Rankings

At No. 6, University lands in South region’s Top 10 for eighth consecutive year

Prospective students and other readers of U.S. News & World Report’s 2017 edition of America’s Best Colleges may think they’re seeing double, triple or more when they scan the latest college rankings as Belmont University lands high across multiple categories in the site’s recent publication. Landing at No. 6 in the Best Regional Universities—South field, Belmont now marks eight consecutive years maintaining a Top 10 regional ranking and remains the highest ranked university in Tennessee in this category.

In the publication Belmont is also lauded for the ninth year in a row for its commitment to “making the most innovative improvements in terms of curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology or facilities,” landing second on the “Most Innovative Schools” in the South list. And the accolades just keep coming. Belmont is praised in the following categories as well, lending more proof to the outstanding nature of the University’s academic programs and the dedication Belmont has to student success:

  • Strong Commitment to Undergraduate Teaching (No. 2 in the South): The strong commitment to undergraduate teaching ranking is determined via a survey of peer institutions, who cite their fellow institutions who best reflect that quality.
  • Best Colleges for Veterans (No. 6 in the South): To be included, institutions must be ranked in the top half of their category, be certified for the GI Bill and participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program with 20 or more students using GI Bill benefits to fund their tuition and fees.
  • Internships/Co-ops (one of only 22 institutions recognized in the nation): Schools in this category encourage students to apply what they’re learning in the classroom to work in the real world through closely supervised internships or practicums.
  • Learning Communities (one of only 18 institutions recognized in the nation): In these communities, students typically take two or more linked courses as a group and get to know one another and their professors well.
  • Service-Learning (one of only 27 institutions recognized in the nation): Required volunteer work in the community is an instructional strategy in these programs—what’s learned in the field bolsters what happens in class and vice versa.

Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher said, “This is great news. I’m so privileged to be associated with faculty and staff who give their best every day to create extraordinary learning experiences for our students. The categories where we have been recognized are a direct result of our goal to be student-centered, and these areas are central to providing an education that equips our students for lives and careers filled with meaning and purpose.”

The U.S. News analysis places Belmont in a premier position among the 139 public and private institutions included in the South region, an area that covers Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi and Louisiana.

At the start of the semester Belmont reached a record-breaking enrollment number for the 16th consecutive year with a total of 7,771 students on campus.

Amy Grant Performs, Speaks About Stillness at Chapel

Staff Writer
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Amy Grant Performs, Speaks About Stillness at Chapel

Gospel Music Hall of Fame singer Amy Grant spoke to students and faculty about her faith journey in the Massey Performing Arts Center on Sept. 9. She centered her message on the idea of stillness and how hard it can be to find time for solitude in today’s busy world.

Grant began the event by performing her original song “If I Could See (What the Angels See)” on acoustic guitar. She then changed gears by telling a story of when she took her daughters to the family’s farm to spend a day in nature– only to be left alone with the campfire when her daughters ran off to play. Grant discussed how solitude was something she wasn’t used to and how she didn’t know what to do with all of the time she’d spend by herself that night. She eventually turned her attention to the night sky and ended up spending hours thinking about its vastness and various layers.  She also considered her relationship with the God who created every part of her view.

“We’ve taken our relationship with God and made it like a school project. We have Sunday school and Bible study,” Grant said in her talk. “But we can’t contain any of our relationships, much less our relationship with the one who spun all of this.”

Grant discussed the importance of having time for stillness in our lives so we can pay attention to the miracles around us. “When you give something your full attention, there’s a better chance it will open itself up to you,” Grant said.

The event ended with a meditation exercise led by Grant that involved the audience identifying the constant “chatter” that clouds their minds and trying to block it out by telling themselves that they are “yielded and loved.” Grant says the point of this practice is to slow one’s mind and only focus on remembering that we are loved before we are anything else that we feel like we need to be.

Grant made it clear that she is still trying to figure out her own relationship with God and that she continues to grow in her faith over time. “I have sung so many songs, I’ve given so many talks, and I feel like I’m still figuring out my journey with faith,” said Grant.

Grant has given faith-based talks at Belmont for several years. She was introduced by the Vice President for Spiritual Development Dr. Todd Lake.

Ferrells Speak as Part of Belmont Scholars in Action Series

April Hefner
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Ferrells Speak as Part of Belmont Scholars in Action Series

Dr. O.C. Ferrell and Dr. Linda Ferrell recently led a “Belmont Scholars in Action” convocation conversation about ethics, integrity and leadership in business. With Associate Provost for Academic Affairs Dr. Beverly Schneller moderating, the couple discussed two of their recent publications, one on gender and pricing and another on the role of the senior financial officer and firm behavior relative to Sarbanes-Oxley Section 406 Code of Ethics.  They also spoke to their careers as scholar-teachers and their roles as educators and consultants to national and multinational corporations.

The Ferrells, both Distinguished Chairs of Business Ethics, came to Belmont in 2015. Dr. O.C. Ferrell is the co-author of four noted books and numerous articles in marketing, management and ethical decision-making. Dr. Linda Ferrell has co-authored five books in business leadership and numerous articles in marketing science, particularly in the use of case studies as decision-based learning strategies.

Diverse Faculty Luncheon Celebrates Two New Doctoral Degrees

April Hefner
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Diverse Faculty Luncheon Celebrates Two New Doctoral Degrees

On Tuesday, Sept. 6, a Diverse Faculty Luncheon was held to celebrate two new doctoral degrees, Dr. Tracy Wilson (School of Nursing) and Dr. Mary Clark (Bridges to Belmont). Dr. Clark also shared at the event about her new role as the director of the Office of Multicultural Learning and Experience, and attendees were invited to contribute ideas to build upon and enhance the Belmont community through this new office.

Tough’s Song Featured in Hallmark Movie

Hope Buckner
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Tough’s Song Featured in Hallmark Movie

tough-davidAssociate Professor of Audio Engineering Technology Dr. Dave Tough’s song “Gonna Find My Way to You” was recently featured as the opening title music for the Hallmark movie “Summer Love.”

The film originally aired on August 20.

 

Alumnus Named Best Leading Actor

Hope Buckner
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Alumnus Named Best Leading Actor

nathan-mchenryBelmont alumnus Nathan McHenry was recently named Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his work in “Playhouse on the Square” by the Memphis Flyer.

 

Tennessee’s Veterans Services Commissioner Dedicates Belmont’s Bruin Vets Center

Hope Buckner
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Tennessee’s Veterans Services Commissioner Dedicates Belmont’s Bruin Vets Center

Belmont University dedicated the newly created Bruin Vets Center (BVC) at a ceremony yesterday afternoon. Located in Fidelity Hall, the BVC is a result of Belmont’s recent space reallocation process, a campus-wide initiative that encouraged all members of the Belmont community to request the use of available space across campus.

Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher said, “The Bruin Vets Center represents our deep appreciation for student veterans’ service to our country and our commitment to creating an environment in which they can study and commune with one another. This dedicated veterans space resulted from a collaborative decision making process we began last fall, through which we invited the campus community to submit proposals on how to best use vacant spaces on campus. Driven by student leadership, more than 50 thoughtful ideas were submitted and shared online, each of which was discussed in depth by our senior leadership team and also reviewed by our Student Government Association.  We are grateful to all who participated in this process and excited about the ways Belmont student veterans will benefit from this space.”

0907-Bruin Vets CenterThe opening ceremony included remarks from Belmont’s Provost Dr. Thomas Burns, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Veterans Services Many-Bears Grinder and Belmont student veteran Jonathan League. The event concluded with an original performance by Jason Earley, a Belmont songwriting major. Earley recently participated in Operation Song, a songwriting retreat where veterans and songwriters collaborate to create songs that feature veterans’ stories.

League spoke on behalf of Bruin Vets, Belmont’s student veteran organization and the entirety of the institution’s student veteran population saying, “We are grateful for the opportunity to have a place set aside for us. It’s a place of study, of community and meeting for Bruin Vets. We love Belmont as an institution and also because of the nurturing we experience at this special place.”

Belmont’s Veteran Success initiative, led by Associate Provost of Interdisciplinary Studies and Global Education Dr. Mimi Barnard, facilitates veteran support services and is also housed in Fidelity Hall. Veteran Success initiative staff work with Belmont offices from across the institution to provide opportunities for community building, academic success and career preparation. Additionally, staff assist by coordinating programming opportunities for student veterans with community partners.

The Bruin Veterans Center opens in Fidelity Hall on the Belmont University campus in Nashville, Tenn. September 7, 2016.

“The Bruin Vets Center provides space for student veterans to study, enjoy time together and meet with community partners. We’re thrilled to be able to bring together the good will and good work of Belmont staff and faculty to support student veterans and also to have a special place provided by the institution for student veterans,” Barnard said. “We’re excited to see their development and success and also see how our student veteran enrollment continues to grow.”

The initiative has contributed to significant growth at the university among students using veteran education benefits. Last year, Belmont had 217 veterans and dependents, 103 of which were student veterans. This fall, Belmont welcomed 265 veteran and dependents, 130 of which are student veterans.

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