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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More Than 2,000 Students Head into Nashville During Orientation to ‘Serve’

Hope Buckner
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More Than 2,000 Students Head into Nashville During Orientation to ‘Serve’

As students across the state are moving into residence halls, learning new procedures and having photos taken for campus IDs at orientation, more than 2,000 freshman and transfer students at Belmont University spent Monday afternoon participating in community service as part of the university’s annual SERVE.

A tradition that’s marked Belmont’s orientation process for more than a decade, the event allows Nashville’s newest Bruins to spend time in their new home with their orientation groups. This year, students were spread out among 32 sites including Rocketown, Cumberland River Compact, SaddleUp! and Cottage Cove Urban Ministries.

Before their dismissal into the city, participating students were welcomed by Director of Nashville’s Mayor’s Office of Diversity and Community Engagement Lonnell Matthews. Belmont’s President Dr. Bob Fisher also spent time speaking to the group prior to their send-off.

New motion picture major and Nashville native Madison Eby served at Rocketown, a local concert venue and skate park that hosts events for youth. While there, Eby and her team completed a variety of tasks including painting and cleaning offices and the venue and organizing event flyers. As a native, Eby said she often overlooks opportunities to serve in her hometown, and the opportunity to participate in SERVE with her fellow Bruins was inspiring.

0822-SERVE“People are changing the world here in my backyard, and I’m so glad I got to experience that with my new Belmont family,” Eby said. “Participating in SERVE gave me an opportunity to give back to my community while also engaging with peers and learning their own stories. The fact that Belmont gives its students the opportunity to give back in their new home blows my mind. It allows us to understand the true mission of our university and how important it is to put others above ourselves.”

Director of New Student Orientation Programs Ryan Holt said the choice to include a service component into students’ first week on campus is intentional. “Students are not just joining the Belmont community–they are joining the Nashville community. As we strive to be ‘Nashville’s University,’ we want students walking away from their college experience with a better understanding of what it means to be an upright citizen of both Belmont and Nashville,” he said.

Beyond the charge to become better citizens, Holt and his team believe each member of the Belmont community is called to be a servant. SERVE is an exciting opportunity to keep that calling in mind during orientation. “Here at Belmont, we believe that all students have been given gifts. From talents, to resources, to opportunities-each new student has received much,” Holt said. “But we also know these gifts aren’t for us, but have been given so we may give. SERVE stands as a reminder for new students that this life is about giving. It is about utilizing what we have been given in order to bless another.”

Belmont Law Welcomes 104 Students for Fall 2016

April Hefner
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Belmont Law Welcomes 104 Students for Fall 2016

Belmont University College of Law recently welcomed the Class of 2019, which is comprised of 104 students hailing from 19 states and 51 undergraduate institutions. The number of students enrolling increased by 17 percent compared to the previous year. The College of Law’s applicant pool also experienced a strong increase of 25 percent.

“We attribute these increases primarily to our achieving full accreditation by the American Bar Association, our 94 percent bar pass rate for first-time takers, and our 87.5 percent employment rate,” said Belmont Law Dean Alberto Gonzales.

With the increase in quantity also came an increase in quality. The College of Law’s median LSAT and GPA markers increased with the recent entering class, 155 and 3.42 respectively. The quality credentials place Belmont well into the top-half of all ABA-approved law schools based on aggregate LSAT and GPA percentiles. This continuing trend is expected to yield additional high bar passage rates for the law school.

 

Belmont Tops 7,770 Students for Fall 2016

April Hefner
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Belmont Tops 7,770 Students for Fall 2016

Record-breaking enrollment draws more than 2,000 new undergraduates to campus

Belmont’s fall 2016 semester kicked off today with a record-breaking enrollment number for the 16th consecutive year as the University welcomed 7,771 students to the first day of classes. This enrollment number is 260 percent of its fall 2000 enrollment of 2,976 students. Belmont’s sustained and incremental growth is being accomplished through traditional, residential education.

Applications for freshman admissions for Fall 2016 saw a significant increase of 18 percent and resulted in the University’s largest freshman class to date with 1,613 students, eclipsing the previous freshman class record from last year of 1,392. Belmont also continues to be among the top destinations for transfer students as 465 transfers joined the campus this fall. Graduate program applications attracted 633 new students to the University’s master and doctoral programs, also an all-time record.

Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher said, “After celebrating our 125th anniversary last year, I can’t help but wonder what the Belmont College founders would think were they to witness the more than 7,700 students walking through this beautiful campus today to attend their first fall classes. The growth this University has experienced, particularly in the past decade, is astonishing, but what makes me most proud is that our faculty and staff continue to put students first. No one at Belmont is a number. Here, every student’s success is our priority, and I believe that emphasis is what continues to attract so many to make Belmont their collegiate home.”

This year’s incoming freshman class hails from 48 states and represents 8 foreign countries, with 79 percent of the class originating from outside of Tennessee. As a group, Belmont’s Class of 2020 scored an average of 26 on the ACT and held an average high school GPA of 3.6. Of those submitting a class ranking, 28 percent were in the top 10 percent of their graduating class, with 59 percent in the top quarter. Belmont’s student body currently consists of 6,347 undergraduate students and 1,424 pursuing graduate/professional paths.

Associate Provost and Dean of Enrollment David Mee added, “The story of Belmont continues to be one of national and international significance. In addition to the tremendous enrollment growth, this University has set a wonderful example of how a mission-focused institution can be counted among the nation’s finest collegiate options while remaining true to what sets it apart from the more than 3,000 options prospective students have when beginning their search for the right university.”

Beyond enrollment growth, Belmont begins the fall with multiple new academic programs as well, including undergraduate majors in Public Health, Global Leadership Studies and Sport Administration, bringing the total undergraduate areas of study to more than 90 programs. Additionally, new graduate programs in Audio Engineering and Mental Health Counseling enrolled their inaugural classes this semester.

Schreiber Presents Paper at EGOS in Naples, Italy

Hope Buckner
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Schreiber Presents Paper at EGOS in Naples, Italy

david-schreiberDavid Schreiber, assistant professor and chair of the Entertainment Industry Studies Program, recently presented a paper at the European Group of Organization Studies annual colloquium in Naples, Italy.  His paper entitled “The Role of Symbolic Capital in Music Industry Decision-Making” contributed to a lively discussion on strategic decision-making practices within the music industry.

As part of a larger track in the creative and cultural industries stream, academics from across the globe shared their research on management and organization practices within the cultural sector.

Faculty Members Participate in Effective Teaching Conference

Hope Buckner
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Faculty Members Participate in Effective Teaching Conference

A group of Belmont faculty members recently participated in the August 2016 Lilly Conference on Designing Effective Teaching in Asheville, North Carolina. Drs. Jenny Crowell, social work, Cynthia Curtis, religion, Mike Pinter, mathematics and the Teaching Center, Robbie Pinter, English and Jennifer Thomas, biology and Teaching Center joined professors from around the country in workshop sessions on the conference’s theme, “Creating Innovative Learning Experiences in Higher Education.”

Curtis and Robbie Pinter presented a session entitled “Memoir: Reading and Writing Life in a Learning Community” where they offered details of their experience teaching in a Learning Community during the spring 2016 semester including goals and outcomes. Mike Pinter and Thomas presented a session entitled “BeATLe Readers: A New Spin on Book Groups” that described the Teaching Center’s 2015-16 initiative with in-semester applied teaching and learning reading groups and included outcomes.

Student Pharmacists Travel to Institute on Alcoholism and Drug Dependencies

Hope Buckner
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Belmont University College of Pharmacy third year student pharmacists Morgan Medley, Becca Moore and Kera Sumner recently attended the 2nd annual American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Institute on Alcoholism & Drug Dependencies in Salt Lake City, Utah. Student pharmacists from all over the nation attend this institute to learn more about addiction, and students can receive 2 hours of college credit.

The students spent four days with their fellow student pharmacists learning more about addiction as a disease and how pharmacists can make an impact. Attendees heard from experts in the field of addiction, attended Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings, and received hands on naloxone administration training. After their trainings were complete, the students were able to take a trip up Salt Lake’s infamous Living Room Trail.

 

 

Students Attend Pharmacy Leadership Institute

Hope Buckner
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Students Attend Pharmacy Leadership Institute

Belmont Student Pharmacists Alliance (BSPA) President Bekki Burch and American Pharmacists Association – Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) President Becca Moore recently attended the APhA-ASP Student Leadership Institute in Washington, D.C. While at the Institute, they participated in Capitol Hill visits where they spoke with Senator Bob Corker, Representative Stephen Fincher and Representative Steve Cohen about provider status which allows pharmacists to be reimbursed under Medicare Part B.

While in D.C., Burch and Moore were invited to tour the APhA headquarters before exploring the National Mall with student pharmacists from across their region and raising money for the upcoming Region 3 Midyear Regional Meeting in Orlando, Florida.

 

 

 

 

Finchum Signs Deal with Razor & Tie Music Publishing

April Hefner
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Finchum Signs Deal with Razor & Tie Music Publishing

Razor & Tie Music Publishing (RTMP) recently announced the signing of singer songwriter Thomas Finchum. The Indianapolis native is currently a senior in Belmont’s music business program.

“Thomas is one of those rare, gifted humans that writes songs that cut straight through the surface and put hurt in your heart, while delivering them with a flawless and convincing voice. He’s a deep well of talent. I’m honored that he’d share his career with us at Razor and Tie,” says Brad Kennard, Razor & Tie Music Publishing’s VP of Creative.

Finchum says, “I’m so excited and grateful to join the team at Razor and Tie! From the very first time I met with Brad, I knew I found someone that not only believed in the music I was making, but someone that would challenge and push me to be better every single day. I can’t wait to see what this next chapter will hold.”

Finchum was a platform diver on the U.S. 2008 Olympic Team before pursuing a career in country music. After spending much of his life pursuing sports, an injury sidelined those efforts, and Thomas picked up the guitar later than most, at the age of 21. As soon as he learned a few chords, Thomas began writing songs and soon recognized that he had a well of emotions to draw from. The energy and focus that he had previously directed towards sports proved valuable as he began the path of playing, writing and eventually performing music.

Littlejohn Awarded ‘International Talent Cooperation Project’ Grant

April Hefner
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0
Littlejohn Awarded ‘International Talent Cooperation Project’ Grant

Ronnie Littlejohn

Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Asian Studies Program Dr. Ronnie Littlejohn recently received notice that he is being awarded a grant from the Foreign Experts Bureau of Henan Province in China to participate in their “International Talent Cooperation Project.”  This is a 50,000 RMB grant (somewhat less than $10,000), and it will fund a speaking tour of major universities in that province during October. In addition to meeting with meet with two Ph.D. students whose dissertations he is helping with at Zhengzhou University’s Center for Asia-Pacific Research, Littlejohn will speak on these topics: “Education, Transmission and Influence of American Core Values on U.S. Society,” “Change and Stability in the Ethical Culture of Contemporary China” and “Cultivating the Core Values Necessary for the Construction of a Civilized and Harmonious Society based on a Comparison of China and America.”

Belmont Recognized as a Superuser at Tk20 Annual Conference

April Hefner
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Belmont Recognized as a Superuser at Tk20 Annual Conference

Belmont was recently recognized at the 11th annual Tk20 User’s Conference as a superuser due to the University’s wide use of the system. Tk20 was founded by experts in enterprise management in collaboration with senior university administrators and professors to create an integrated, assessment, planning and reporting system. Assessment Coordinator Carol Smith Walter said, “As the use of Tk20 spreads, we will have more and more ways that we can learn from the result of our students’ work. I appreciate everyone’s participation so much.”

Belmont currently uses a variety of different modules in the Tk20 platform, including the following:

Faculty Qualifications: Faculty store their CV info as well as track their accomplishments and contributions.

Planning: each Major, General Education component, and Administrative Unit enters outcomes and results in this module. This functions both to keep Belmont moving forward in continuous improvement and provides evidence to accreditors that key processes are in place.

Portfolios: Student work can now be collected through Tk20 by simple uploads from the students. This is building a foundation by which Belmont can examine progress toward University Learning Goals (Rhetoric, Content, Critical Thinking, Nature of the World). At the same time, academic programs are beginning to use Portfolios to collect student work for review and for accreditation within their units.

Juried Assessments: While we used to gather in rooms to grade hard copy papers, we can now set up Assessments can now be set up so that faculty can score a paper (or a sample from a group of papers) from whatever computer they use. They can use a common rubric built into the system and then can print an aggregate of those scores.

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