Professor of Entrepreneurship Jeff Cornwall was recently featured in a Q&A style article for MoneyGeek.com. The article entitled “Funding Your Startup” focused on different crowdfunding sources and everything else needed for small businesses owners. Cornwall served as an expert commenter and answered several questions regarding how entrepreneurs can fund their startup and differentiate themselves.
Read Cornwall’s contribution to the article here.
The Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business started the spring semester off strong with three conversational events with industry professionals. All of the events focused on exposing students to different career opportunities in the music industry and highlighting alumni success.
The first event, “A Conversation with Belmont Alumna Kayla Becker,” featured former mass communications major and class of 2013 alumna Kayla Becker. During her time as a Bruin, she created her own, original online content to highlight Belmont teachers, staff and athletes before expanding to highlight Nashville talent and small businesses. Once Becker graduated, WESH 2 News, a local TV station in Orlando, hired her to launch and host a local entertainment show, “Orlando My Way.” During her run on the show, Becker highlighted local restaurants and tourism hot-spots, hidden gems and Central Florida night-life.
From there, Becker accepted a position at WWE. Initially she was hired as a ring announcer and backstage interviewer for the developmental brand “NXT,” but in recent years has been elevated to a backstage correspondent for Friday Night Smackdown on FOX, the host for Pay-Per-View kickoff shows and the company’s morning show, “WWE’s The Bump.”
The second event, “Life on the Road,” featured Zito, Andria Goodrow and Nick Weir. All of the guests hold touring positions with acts such as: Ariana Grande, Sia, Green Day, Justin Timberlake, Justin Bieber, Motley Crue, Lauren Daigle and many more. The guests discussed life on the road and what it takes to work in touring.
The final event, “In The Q with Belmont Alum Cameron Bedell,” was a Q&A style event with Country/Soul and R&B singer/songwriter and producer, Belmont alumnus Cameron Bedell. Bedell has written and produced for numerous acts such as Hunter Hayes, Tiera, Dylan Scott, Seaforth, Lauren Alaina, Jimmie Allen and many more. Bedell currently writes for Liz Rose and Warner Chappell. At the event, Bedell discussed his career thus far and gave advice to future music industry professionals.
The Curb College already started the spring semester off on a great note and has much more in store. To see all upcoming Curb events, visit their Bruin Link page.
Professor of Biology Dr. C. Steven Murphree recently spoke to 125 Smyrna Elementary School second grader students. Invited by Smyrna Elementary School’s STEM Instructional Coach Lichelle Leonard, Murphree spoke to the second graders about pollination to help kick off their nine-week STEM Challenge unit on pollination.
Dr. Roland Achenjang, PharmD, MBA, a 2015 alumnus of Belmont’s MBA in Healthcare Management, is the founder and CEO of C2 Keep. C2Keep is Achenjang’s solution for a better and less painstaking way to manage a pharmacy’s Controlled Substances Inventory, primarily, Schedule II drugs.
To reduce the potential for diversion, the Controlled Substance Act (CSA) requires DEA registrants like pharmacies to maintain accurate and current counts of each schedule II drug bought, received, dispensed, disposed of or stolen from the pharmacy. Today, most independent retail and long-term care pharmacies keep track of this information manually in a logbook. This process is inefficient, time-consuming to manage, leads to errors and unnecessarily exposes pharmacies to DEA fines.
C2Keep replaces the logbook with a digital solution and includes additional safety features to make pharmacy employees’ lives easier. Features include barcode scanning; built-in calculators to improve transaction record accuracy; preventing the deletion of any transaction data to reduce drug diversion; and integration with pharmacy software and drug wholesalers to streamline the filling process.
Beta customers using the application have left great reviews. Cory Smith, owner and pharmacist at Knox Professional Pharmacy in Barbourville, KY said, “C2Keep saves a lot of additional steps and energy, scanning the stock bottle is great for accuracy, and the application ensures the math is correct. It is a win-win for everybody.”
C2Keep is scheduled for a full public rollout by the end of Q1 2022.
To learn more about the application, visit https://c2keep.com
To support its vision of being a University that helps solve the world’s most complex problems, Belmont University today announced the appointment of Dr. Josh Yates, a leading cultural and community sociologist, nonprofit executive and social innovator, who most recently served as Executive Director of the Ormond Center at Duke Divinity School. Beginning June 1, 2022, Dr. Yates will serve as the Founding Executive Director of the Belmont University Transformational Innovation Hub, a new University initiative focused on developing a generation of Christ-animated innovators who collaboratively design and implement creative solutions to complex societal problems.
“We are delighted to welcome Josh Yates to our campus and are very excited about the creation of our new Transformational Innovation Hub,” said Belmont President Dr. L. Gregory Jones. “Over the course of his career, Dr. Yates has devoted his work in both research and practice to better understand how communities and their people thrive. In his new role, he will lead teams across Belmont and in partnership with communities and organizations to search for creative solutions to complex problems to radically champion the pursuit of life abundant for all people.”
In addition to his most recent role with the Ormond Center, Dr. Yates is the Founder and CEO of the Thriving Cities Group, a national nonprofit that combines research, training, community organizing and technology to help communities across the country thrive. Prior to his role at Duke, Dr. Yates served as an Assistant Professor of Sociology and as the Director of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture at the University of Virginia. As a scholar, Dr. Yates has pursued research on human thriving as well as understanding the realities that make it more or less possible in the contemporary world. As a practitioner, he works to translate this learning into practical frameworks and tools that equip leaders and organizations to take action and cultivate thriving ecosystems.
“The opportunity to come to Belmont to establish and lead the University’s new Hub is the perfect culmination of my professional efforts thus far,” said Dr. Yates. ”I am energized by the work Belmont is already doing to solve the problems that keep communities from flourishing, and I look forward to leading the Hub to help further those efforts.”
Dr. Yates’ expertise will serve as the foundation for the Hub’s work, which will be organized by a series of Studios that align with many of Belmont’s key priorities including the future of cities & regions, health, education, impact investing, reducing poverty and more. The Hub will serve as an innovation laboratory and incubator where a variety of stakeholders—including members of the Belmont community, other professionals and community experts—will come together to learn, experience and engage through real world application.
In his new role, Dr. Yates will collaborate with other key leaders and teams across campus to further Belmont’s university-wide efforts to impact the community through entrepreneurial problem solving. These partners include the Thomas Cone Center for Entrepreneurship, the University’s recently announced Belmont Accelerator for Social Innovation Collaboration (BASIC) and the Belmont Data Collaborative, among others.
Lecturer of Songwriting and Grammy nominee Thomas Jutz recently released a joint album with Grammy winner and member of TheSteelDrivers Tammy Rogers and published an article on the American Songwriter website.
The bluegrass inspired album Surely Will Be Singing contains just 12 of the 140 songs Jutz and Rogers co-wrote together over the years. “We’d always talked about making a duo record,” Jutz said in a press release for the album. “We’re both very serious about what we do but we’re also very easygoing in the way we approach things. That’s at the heart of how we write. We’re both willing to see where things naturally go. I love that because at the end of the day, we usually wind up with something I wouldn’t have come up with on my own,” Rogers added.
Surely Will Be Singing is available on all streaming services now.
For those wanting more background on Jutz’s songwriting process, his article “Where Do Songs Come From?” recently published in American Songwriter Magazine, draws on his personal experiences as a songwriter and his sources of inspiration. Throughout the article, Jutz reminisces on the moments in his life, both past and present, that inspire and motivate him to write.
Read Jutz’s full article here.
Music Therapy Professor Nicole Richard recently had a paper she co-authored with Canadian and Brazilian colleagues Drs. Yuko Koshimori, Thenille Braun Janzen and Michael Thaut published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.
The article, “Rhythm and Music-Based Interventions in Motor Rehabilitation: Current Evidence and Future Perspectives,” reviews current literature on music-based therapeutic techniques for motor rehabilitation for stroke recovery, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease and other clinical populations.
The full article can be read here: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2021.789467
During his first year of teaching at Belmont in 2017, Assistant Professor of Motion Pictures Jeff Phillips and his writing partner Lauren Conn were hired to write the voiceover narration for Julie Andrews for the theatrical feature “The King’s Daughter.” “The King’s Daughter,” an adaptation of the 1997 novel The Moon and the Sun by Vonda N. McIntyre starring Pierce Brosnan and Kaya Scodelario, opened in theatres on January 21.
The historical fantasy romance is about King Louis XIV’s quest for immortality, which leads him to capture and steal a mermaid’s life force, a move that is further complicated by his daughter’s discovery of the creature. It was directed by Sean McNamara, who previously directed “Soul Surfer,” with whom Phillips has collaborated on several film and television projects in the past.
“The King’s Daughter” is now showing in all theatres.
Professor of Education Dr. Sally Barton-Arwood was recently named one of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce’s 2022 Cohort of Leadership Public Education.
The program is a 6-month public education leadership development program empowering individuals with the knowledge and skills to serve in elected, appointed and volunteer leadership roles supporting Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS). Elected, appointed and volunteer leaders impact the structures, policies and resources for student achievement and workforce readiness. The preparation of these leaders is key to the mission of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce: To create economic prosperity by facilitating community leadership.
Barton-Arwood has an extensive history working with MNPS prior to working for Belmont. Although her time as an employee with MNPS is in the past, she continues to work closely with many schools and educators across MNPS as we partner to prepare high quality teachers. “Supporting MNPS and public education in Nashville is important to me. I knew it was time to take this next important leadership step. I look forward to working with the other fellows to strengthen public education in Nashville,” said Arwood.
Arwood will be the third Belmont professor to join the cohort in recent years. Previous members from Belmont include Mary Claire Dismukes, director of career and professional development, and Amy Hodge, graduate admissions coordinator. Read more about the cohort on the Nashville Chamber of Commerce website.
Belmont University named today longtime music industry executive Chaz Corzine as the founding executive director of the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts. Located on Belmont Boulevard on the University’s campus and completed last fall, the 1,700 seat multi-functional performance hall most recently hosted the nationally televised “Christmas at Belmont” concert featuring more than 600 student musicians. Through the leadership of Corzine and his staff, the Fisher Center will serve as another diamond in Music City’s ring of performance venues, catering to diverse audiences with major concerts, plays, operas, dance, musical theatre and other performances. In addition to showcasing the exceptional talents and stories of Belmont students, faculty and alumni, the Fisher Center will also be home to one-of-a-kind appearances from the world’s premiere experts, artists and performers and the site of unique collaborations.
A 35-plus-year music industry veteran, Corzine most recently served as a partner at The MWS Group, a creative content company he co-founded in 2009, which has served to manage the career and ancillary businesses of Michael W. Smith, CeCe Winans, Olympic Gold Medalist and commentator Scott Hamilton, author Frank Peretti and others. Corzine will begin his new position at Belmont on Feb. 14.
Belmont President Dr. Greg Jones said, “I first met Chaz several months ago when CeCe Winans so graciously and beautifully sang as part of my Inauguration festivities. In the months since, I’ve discovered what extraordinary experience Chaz possesses from his time in the pop, Christian and gospel music worlds, along with a deep network of entertainment industry colleagues and an ambitious vision that’s visible in every endeavor he undertakes. Most importantly, Chaz shares the God-sized dreams we have for the Fisher Center to draw the world’s finest artists, performers and storytellers to enrich and inspire our campus and community. The Fisher Center provides Belmont an extraordinary opportunity for something new to happen both at this University and in Nashville, and Chaz’s experience and character is exactly what we need to get there.”
Corzine added, “I could not be more grateful for the opportunity and experiences I’ve had working with artists like Michael W. Smith, CeCe Winans, Amy Grant and others. I’ve had the good fortune to work with legendary artists, and I now get to take those years of experiences and turn my focus to what will become a legendary venue. The Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Belmont University is a world-class facility with unlimited potential. What a gift I’ve received to have had the career I’ve had and to now focus all I’ve learned on helping introduce the Fisher Center to the world.”
As Executive Director for the Fisher Center, Corzine will lead the Fisher Center’s artistic vision, help shape the strategic program direction and assist in building a brand that communicates the center as a place of hope-inspiring community engagement through art and storytelling.
Michael W. Smith said, “Working with Chaz over the past almost 38 years has been a blessing indeed. Not too many people can say they’ve had the same manager for that long. He will be greatly missed but I wish him nothing but happiness and prosperity in his new role. Belmont is fortunate to have him on their team!”
Amy Grant added, “Everything about Chaz’s personality and character are perfect for this job. As an artist manager for over 30 years, Chaz has brought clients into every size arena and theater across the country. He is a natural networker and has friends in every area of entertainment – music, sports, racing. He is kind-hearted and compassionate and has worked tirelessly on behalf of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for decades. He has a great sense of humor and has never met a stranger. He will give the same respect and consideration to the middle aged usher as he will the artist standing center stage. Belmont is lucky to have him.”
A graduate of Greenville University, Corzine learned the business by working in many different roles over the years, including in artist management, tour promotion and as an event producer. Corzine has negotiated some of the largest and most effective endorsement and sponsorship agreements in the music industry; implemented and led some of the largest ticket selling and grossing concert tours; sold film rights and seen his projects gain theatrical release; and represented dozens of recording and book deals. He has also seen his artists garner Grammys, American Music Awards, Dove Awards, Gold Medallion Awards and numerous other achievement and humanitarian awards. In addition to his career achievements, Corzine has remained an active contributor in the local community, serving on several nonprofit boards including The Nashville Symphony, Hope Clinic for Women, Rocketown of Middle Tennessee, The Gospel Music Association, The Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation and the PAB Board of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
In his new role, Corzine will contribute to the development, implementation and management of all of the center’s artistic programs. This includes a robust and diverse annual schedule of music, dance, theater, original content, television tapings, etc.; as well as programs produced and/or presented cooperatively with other organizations; and programs associated with educational and community goals.
Partnerships with local arts organizations will be an integral aspect of the facility’s identity, as Belmont seeks for the Fisher Center to be shared with Nashville and the surrounding region as a center for artistic storytelling, inspiration and celebration. The May 2022 Nashville Opera collaboration on Richard Wagner’s epic “Das Rheingold” is anticipated to draw talent and audiences from around the country, while a June 2022 Nashville Ballet residency will bring three spectacular debut performances to the venue. Conversations are underway for the Nashville Symphony to perform in the space in 2022 as well.
Located between Belmont’s Massey Performing Arts Center, Curb Event Center, Troutt Theater and McAfee Concert Hall, the Fisher Center completes a performing arts district along Belmont Boulevard. Moreover, the horseshoe-shaped hall promises ultimate adaptability with design features that make it a perfect fit for a wide variety of functions, from both acoustic and amplified music concerts to theater and dance performances and broadcast events. The entire facility has been acoustically designed to provide an optimal listening experience to all audiences.
