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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Faculty Present at National Conference of the Asian Studies Development Program

Hope Buckner
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Belmont was recently represented at the 25th anniversary meeting of the National Conference of the Asian Studies Development Program (ASDP) of the East-West Center in Washington, D.C.. The faculty directors from Belmont’s 2015 summer China Trip, which featured an embedded research team of undergraduate psychology students, made presentations of their own research in a panel entitled “Filiality, Social Dominance, and Gender.”

Dr. Qingjun Li, assistant professor of Asian studies and Chinese language, presented “Revival of Filial Piety in China’s Society and Mass Media.” Dr. Pete Giordano, professor of psychology, presented “Social Dominance and Traditional Gender Roles: Findings from China and the U.S.”  Dr. Ronnie Littlejohn, professor of philosophy and director of Asian studies, presented “Transmission of Teachings on Exemplary Filiality in Chinese Popular Culture.”

The Asian Studies Development Program works with faculty from over 600 colleges and universities in the U.S. and over 60 universities in Asia, Europe and Latin America. Belmont is one of 17 universities designated as an ASDP Regional Center in the U.S.

Beasley Blogs for HuffPost

Staff Writer
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Alex Beasley HuffPostSenior music business major Alex Beasley is a business student turned health and fitness professional who has recently blogged about her expertise on sleep for Huffington Post’s blog, HuffPost. Her two articles thus far are “How to Sleep Like a Caveman” and “You are What You Sleep.”

On April 22, Belmont will host a stop of Arianna Huffington’s “Sleep Revolution” college book tour. The book is about the dangers of sleep deprivation and strategies to counter them. Huffington knows how widespread sleep deprivation is on college campuses, and she wanted to hear from a student on every campus she was visiting about their experiences and what they observe about sleep among students. As Belmont’s Fitness & Recreation Department has worked closely with this event, Director Jaime Zeller asked students to write for HuffPost and Beasley responded. The organization’s director of college outreach felt Beasley was a good match for the content and style of the blog, and her profile was set up and published three days later.

Beasley also runs her own blog, “For the Love of Strength,” providing accessible fitness, lifestyle and nutrition ideas for readers. Beasley explained she began the blog as she realized her lack of a creative outlet for her love of writing and after she noticed the trend in the fitness industry influencing women to realize their capabilities and strength.

“That’s where my blog title comes from. I want to help women love their bodies because they love how strong they are, both physically and mentally – not because they are having to compare themselves to arbitrary societal standards,” she said. “Writing for my blog has not only awakened a creative spirit that I had turned away from, but it has highlighted the importance of human connection and understanding.”

Beasley is a nationally certified personal trainer and is currently continuing her education at level one of NASM Women’s Fitness Specialist and Precision Nutrition. “For the articles on HuffPost, I start with personal experience and then research other people or organizations who are living out those practices as well to cite and give just a little more validity to what I’m putting out there,” she said. “When I began working in the health & fitness field, I made it a point to ‘walk the talk.’ I never tell someone to do something that I hadn’t or wouldn’t if the situation were reversed. Of course there are some exceptions to that rule, but if I put it out there as advice to others, I’m most likely walking the talk.”

Dr. Jennifer Wiseman Speaks on the Harmony of Faith and Science

Hope Buckner
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Dr. Jennifer Wiseman Speaks on the Harmony of Faith and Science

Dr. Jennifer Wiseman, senior astrophysicist at NASA, spent Wednesday morning speaking to faculty, staff and students in Belmont’s Wedgewood Academic Center. During the standing room only Chapel presentation, Wiseman addressed the importance of incorporating both science and theology into understanding the universe.

As a child, Wiseman said she loved nature and was always curious about the world around her, but it wasn’t until she started college that she began to understand astronomy as a career. In graduate school, Wiseman studied the subject more in-depth leading to her career as a Johns Hopkins professor, NASA astrophysicist and director of the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Dialogue on Science, Ethics and Religion. Currently, Wiseman’s work at NASA includes her position as senior project scientist for the Hubble Space Telescope, a telescope currently traveling around the Earth collecting images of space for scientists.

Working among a team of other astrophysicists, Wiseman said she is passionate about her projects as she seeks to understand our vast universe and answer questions that continue to be posed. When it comes to the universe’s purpose and the place of human beings within it, Wiseman gave a nod to John Calvin’s belief that astronomy and theology are closely linked and quoted the theologian saying, “For astronomy is not only pleasant, but also very useful to be known: it cannot be denied that this art unfolds the admirable wisdom of God.”

Wiseman doesn’t see the many unanswered questions of space or the enormous nature of our universe as a reason to doubt her faith–instead, she sees it as a reason to strengthen it. “We will likely never visit other planets,” Wiseman said. “But through science, we can have the ability to understand our universe. It’s a sign of God’s love and in turn, we’ll turn that back into praise for our God.”

In closing, Wiseman encouraged attendees to look to God with their love for science and find the natural harmony between astronomy, or any form of science, and theology. “Our own planet is precious,” Wiseman said. “Let us praise God for the Universe and let us praise God for the gift of science that lets us explore and understand our Universe.”

Honors Students Partner With The Next Door for Hymns Record

April Hefner
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Honors Students Partner With The Next Door for Hymns Record

Senior Honors students Skyler Schmanski, Alessandra Alegre, Kelly Lenahan and Sammi Potts partnered this semester with The Next Door, a community nonprofit dedicated to rehabilitating the lives of women in crisis, to deliver a professionally produced and marketed hymns album. Through this five-song EP with tracks sung by the women of The Next Door, the team aims to give the women a renewed voice in their community. The project seeks to raise awareness for the organization in Nashville and beyond. After recording at the world-renowned Ocean Way Nashville Studios, their ambition nears fruition. The album will be released on iTunes and various streaming services in the coming months.

Schmanski said, “This is more than an album. It is a culmination of all that we have learned throughout our collegiate careers, united by a common desire to serve the community that has shaped us these past four years. We could not be more proud of our team, our product, and especially the women of The Next Door.”

Alumna Publishes ‘Hey God? Yes Charles’ On Life, Loss, Love

Staff Writer
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Alumna Publishes ‘Hey God? Yes Charles’ On Life, Loss, Love

Rebecca CooperAlumna Becky Cooper published her book, “Hey God? Yes Charles”  in November 2015, writing about conversations between God and her late husband Charles. Cooper graduated cum laude in 1971 with a B.A. in elementary education.

The book is being celebrated for its real depiction of grief and dealing with the death of a loved one. Cooper wrote the book as part of the healing process, and through it, rediscovered joy in her life. Read more about Cooper’s book on her website.

Belmont Honors ‘Bun Lady’ Cordia Harrington with Dining Hall Naming

April Hefner
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Belmont Honors ‘Bun Lady’ Cordia Harrington with Dining Hall Naming

University Trustee celebrated at unveiling of Harrington Place Dining

In a ceremony held today, Belmont University unveiled a plaque honoring Nashville business executive and Belmont Trustee Cordia Harrington in the newly named Harrington Place Dining, a 950-seat cafeteria that fills the second floor in the new R. Milton and Denice Johnson Center that opened last fall. Harrington is being honored for her longtime support for, and generosity to, the University.

“Cordia and her husband, Tom, built a thriving, multi-million dollar manufacturing empire—following an entrepreneurial career in food service and real estate—founded on the $587 she had in her pocket as a 28-year-old launching her first business,” said Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher. “She has been locally and nationally recognized for her business acumen and community involvement, but what makes her story great is how her resourceful spirit led her from one stepping stone of success to the next, overcoming every obstacle in her path. She’s a tremendous friend to Belmont, and I believe a true inspiration for our students.”

Harrington said, “The success of our family’s businesses over the years is a testament to the power of unwavering optimism, a tireless work ethic and perseverance that just doesn’t accept ‘no’ for an answer. I believe these values are central to any entrepreneurial effort, and these are also attributes I’ve long witnessed in how Belmont University approaches its students’ education. What’s more, this University instills those qualities on a firm foundation of faith. I am honored that Belmont has chosen to name Harrington Place Dining in my honor, reflecting all we have in common, and I hope my story can be an encouragement to young men and women starting their own career journeys.”

Harrington’s dedication to Belmont and its students is apparent through her role on the Belmont University Board of Trustees Executive Committee and her establishment several years ago of “The Bun Lady Scholarship,” which is awarded annually to entrepreneurship students who are participating in Belmont’s study abroad programs. More recently, she added the “Harrington Scholarship for International Studies and Student Missions,” which provides need-based scholarship support for students incurring expenses related to international studies or Belmont-sanctioned mission trips. Additionally, Harrington is a frequent guest speaker in both graduate and undergraduate business classes, and two of her and husband Tom’s five children—Hunter and Tyler Wilkinson—are graduates of Belmont.

Harrington is founder and CEO of the The Bakery Cos. which laterally integrated business units include transportation and cold storage companies and grew sales from $4.8 million to more than $100 million. In addition to Cordia and Tom, sons Hunter, Brad and Tyler Wilkinson along with daughter Beth Westjohn are all involved in the family business. Active in the community, Harrington serves on several boards including Bank of Nashville, American Bakers Association, Nashville Entrepreneur Center and Zoës Kitchen, and also supports 17 Ronald McDonald House Charities. Harrington’s vast achievements have brought significant recognition, including receiving McDonald’s Corp. Leadership Award (2014), Nashville Business Journal’s Most Admired CEO (2015) and Beta Gamma Sigma Entrepreneur of the Year (2012), among numerous other awards.

Harrington Place Dining nearly triples the seating capacity of the former dining hall with seating space that is segmented into three distinctively themed areas to provide student diners a variety of experiences—formal, BBQ/casual and urban contemporary—each with their own décor, furniture and lighting. The space features numerous options and stations, including:

  • Vegan/vegetarian serving line
  • Brick oven pizza bar with in-house, fresh made dough
  • Weekly homemade pasta bar
  • 360 degree grill in the international station
  • Two salad bars
  • Deli station offering custom-made sandwiches as well as Grab ‘N Go sandwich selections
  • Simple Servings allergy free station with individualized cooking to order to ensure against cross-contamination
  • Full bakery
  • Waffle bar
  • Simply to Go meals
  • Traditional entrée and vegetable serving line
  • Grill station
  • The Granary with a large selection of self-service breads and cereals
  • The Kaye and Ron Knox Balcony providing outdoor seating for up to 45 that overlooks the expansive campus Lawn

Johnson Center Awarded Outstanding Project from Learning by Design

Staff Writer
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Johnson Center Awarded Outstanding Project from Learning by Design

The newly constructed R. Milton and Denice Johnson Center won a 2016 Outstanding Project Award in the magazine, Learning By Design. The building was blindly judged by a nationally appointed panel of architects and educational facility specialists. Earl Swensson Associates of Nashville, Tennessee was the primary architectural firm for the building.

Award submissions are judged on six criteria including innovation, community need, interior design, sustainability, functional design and 21st century learning. Projects that exemplify contemporary standards and contain design attributes one might emulate in a new space design are recognized as Outstanding. Comments from the judges for the Johnson Center included, “Varied use of high-quality materials and significant depth of structure makes this building look substantial. Good research, like the use of the facade to block the south sun, good natural lighting and transparency.”

Learning by Design is published biannually and recognizes the nation’s preeminent architectural firms by featuring outstanding pre-K to 12 and college or university projects. The magazine circulates to more than 50,000 leaders in all levels of education across the country.

Belmont History Students Present at Regional Conference, Heykoop wins First Prize

Hope Buckner
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Belmont History Students Present at Regional Conference, Heykoop wins First Prize

Members of Belmont’s Xi-Alpha Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta (History Honor Society) presented papers at the society’s 2016 Tennessee Regional Conference held at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee on April 2.  Participating students, including Jordan Heykoop, Rita Brown and Storm Sloan, presented their original historical research on topics in American and European History.

At the conference luncheon, Heykoop was presented with first prize in the competition for best paper in U.S. History. His topic was “Freedom’s Cause: Early Jazz and the White Critic (1917-1920).” The team was accompanied by the Xi-Alpha Chapter faculty advisor, Dr. Cynthia Bisson and Dr. Douglas Bisson.

Murray Presents Papers at American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies Meeting

Hope Buckner
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Murray Presents Papers at American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies Meeting

Murray_DouglasDr. Douglas Murray, professor of English, recently attended the American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies Meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he presented papers on three roundtables.

In a session on “Becoming Generalists at the Teaching-Centered College,” Murray spoke on “Jane Austen in the Composition Classroom.” In a roundtable on “Austen’s Scale,” his paper was entitled “Austen and Global Displacement.” In a session on Enlightenment Pedestrianism, Murray presented “‘Nothing to Recommend Her but Being an Excellent Walker:  The Case of Pride and Prejudice.”

Baldridge Celebrates Second No. 1

Hope Buckner
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baldridge.joe1Lecturer of Audio Engineering Technology Joe Baldridge recently enjoyed his second No. 1 with Keith Urban’s “Break on Me” from the album, “ripCORD,” set to release May 6.

“Break On Me” was produced by Nathan Chapman and Keith Urban, written by Ross Copperman and Jon Nite and recorded at Sound Emporium B in August. This is the second single “ripCORD.”

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