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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Belmont Students Inducted into National History Honor Society

Paul Chenoweth
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Phi-Alpha-Theta

On Oct. 9, Belmont students Paul Raccio, Levis Padron, Erin Weber, Kaytlyn Lowhorn and Rita Brown were inducted into Belmont’s Xi Alpha Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta (the National History Honor Society).  The ceremony, held in the Belmont Mansion, was attended by faculty from the History Department, including the chapter’s faculty advisor, Dr. Cynthia Bisson, along with family and friends of the inductees.

Following the ceremony was the annual Phi Alpha Theta lecture.  This year’s lecture, by Dr. T.R. C. Hutton (University of Tennessee, Knoxville) was entitled “ Interrogating Honor and Violence in the Southern Past”.

Belmont Alumna Named TBA’s Harris Gilbert Pro Bono Volunteer of the Year

Paul Chenoweth
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Rebecca McKelveyBelmont 2003 graduate and Nashville attorney Rebecca McKelvey Castañeda of Stites & Harbison will be presented with the Tennessee Bar Association’s (TBA) Harris Gilbert Pro Bono Volunteer of the Year Award at a ceremony in Nashville on Jan. 10. She is being recognized for her commitment to serving vulnerable clients in need through direct legal representation and community organization leadership. Over the past year, she has handled a number of time-intensive pro bono cases and served on the board of the Tennessee Justice Center.

Immediate past TBA Access to Justice Committee Chair Alex MacKay nominated McKelvey Castañeda for the award and said, “Rebecca has handled numerous pro bono cases [that] required a commitment of time over the course of many months and knowledge of niche areas of the law… Rebecca’s clients [were] members of an underserved population that does not qualify for services from LSC-funded organizations. Additionally… Rebecca worked to overcome a language barrier in communicating with her clients.”

The Harris Gilbert Pro Bono Volunteer Award is named for Nashville attorney Harris A. Gilbert, who served as president of the TBA from 1994-1995, and whose dedication to legal services for the poor set a high standard for all Tennessee attorneys. The award is given annually to a private sector attorney who demonstrates dedication to legal services for the poor and performs significant pro bono work.

Enactus Students Partner with Innovative Math Program to Teach STEM Skills to Children

Paul Chenoweth
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hammer-build-115What if a 10-year-old built your house? On Monday, Belmont University student organization Enactus—a group dedicated to using entrepreneurial actions to transform lives and build a better, sustainable world—partnered with If I Had a Hammer to host a build on Belmont’s campus with school-age children serving as the construction crew. And it’s all for a great cause—promoting STEM education.

Hammer, as the program is known, emboldens and teaches children the value of math and other STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) through the fun, real-life experience of building a house. Though careers in STEM fields are increasing, studies show that children are becoming less interested and more intimidated by these areas.

“We are grateful that Belmont University is partnering with us to give a 5th grade class an educational day they won’t soon forget,” said Perry Wilson, founder of If I Had A Hammer. “The Hammer House Build is a fun and engaging experience that helps students connect what they are learning in the classroom to how they will use it in the real world. That’s why the foundation of the Hammer Math program is built on fractions and measurement. After working with over half a million children for the past 20 years, we realize that if children can master fractions, it can unlock their potential to do higher-level mathematics. It gives children the opportunity to master the skills needed for a career in the STEM fields.”

hammer-build-130Approximately, 20 local children from Rose Park Math & Science Magnet Middle School participated in Monday’s build in Beaman A&B. Representatives from Belmont’s Department of Education also attended the event to see the project in action as they anticipate partnering with the Hammer program in the future.

Dr. Mark Hogan, chair of Belmont’s Department of Education, said, “The Teacher Education Program at Belmont University is excited to partner with ‘If I Had a Hammer’ as part of the STEM-Mathematics initiatives that we will be rolling out over the next few months. As Pre-K-12 students continue to struggle with mathematics in schools, programs like If I Had A Hammer provide opportunities for educators, both teachers and administrators, to see first-hand how the achievement gap can be turned around when students are taught direct application of foundational mathematics skills.”

If I Had a Hammer is an applied mathematics program that shows elementary and middle school kids the real-life relevance of what they’re learning. By integrating fractions and measurements, students develop a new appreciation for what they’re learning. At the University of Memphis, the program resulted in a 64.4 percent increase in math scores for city schools. Additionally, 60 percent of kids reported feeling more confident in their learning abilities, 85 percent better understood math’s importance, and 65 percent said understanding math was easier and that they’d like to take more math courses because of their Hammer experience.

Belmont Enactus is helping If I Had a Hammer establish a strong base in Nashville by organizing Monday’s event and creating proposals to encourage additional partnerships between the University and the Hammer project. Enactus members also hope to expand their work with the program to include teaching students financial literacy as part of the build. In addition, Enactus hopes to assist the program in extending its reach, potentially to new cities including New York and Cleveland, Ohio.

Katelyn Jones, a Belmont senior management major and Enactus member working on the Hammer project, said, “The Hammer program and its presence on college campuses encourages kids to plan and set goals, like going to college, which is why Belmont Enactus is ecstatic to support the program and this build. Together, Hammer and Belmont Enactus anticipate incorporating a new financial literacy program, overseen by Belmont’s Department of Education, which will teach kids how to plan and pay for the house as well as build it.”

Bridges to Belmont Scholars Council Partners with Metro Agencies to Host Neighborhood Halloween Celebration

Paul Chenoweth
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rose-park-halloween-2014-117The Bridges to Belmont Scholars Council partnered with Metro Parks and Recreation, Edgehill Family Resource Center and MDHA’s Resident Association at Edgehill Apartments to host the fourth annual Halloween Bash on Oct. 31.

With a focus on safety and fun, the event featured activities including corn hole, human tic-tac-toe, pumpkin bowling, witch races and plenty of candy. Scholar Council Event Chair and Coordinator Anthony Buchanan said, “My main goals for this event were simple – just provide a safe place for kids to have a good time, have fun and eat as much candy as they can.”

The Halloween Bash started in 2011, when Belmont University Greek Life and Athletics pioneered the inaugural event with great success. Based on the response from the Belmont and Edgehill communities, the annual event has continued to garner more and more attention and participation.

This year’s event did not disappoint. Although temperatures were frigidly low and forced activities to be moved inside the community center, energy and excitement ran high as children from the Edgehill community participated in Halloween games, trick or treated for candy and proudly touted their costumes. With approximately 300 neighbors in attendance, the event continues to remain a staple in the Edgehill community and allows children an alternative, safe way to celebrate the holiday.

The Scholars Council was happy to take on the annual event, as community service and selflessness is a key component in the Bridges to Belmont program. Program Director Mary Clark said, “Events like this are always a great way to reach out to the local community and for Belmont faculty, staff and students to be a blessing to someone else.”

Department Chairman Published in Bloomsbury Academic

Paul Chenoweth
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teacherBelmont Philosophy Department Chairman Mark Anderson recently published his new book “Plato and Nietzsche: Their Philosophical Art” in Bloomsbury Academic. To accompany the publication, Bloomsbury placed a number of Anderson’s Plato and Nietzsche- related photographs to their website. They may be viewed here.

English Professors Serve as Panel at Rhetoric Conference

Paul Chenoweth
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3-teachBelmont Department of English professors  Drs Linda Holt, Jason Lovvorn and Charmion Gustke recently presented as a panel at the Thomas R. Watson Conference on Rhetoric and Composition, held Oct. 16-18 at the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky.

This year’s conference explored what it means for teachers and scholars of rhetoric and composition to be responsive to communities within and beyond the academy. The panel, entitled “Rhetorics of Service: Expanding Partnership, Engagement, and Citizenship Through Service-Learning,” considered how service-learning practice can benefit the composition classroom as well as the wider university community.

Holt delivered a speech entitled “Literacy as Liberatory: Responsivity and Community Partnerships.” Lovvorn addressed “Service-Learning and the Rhetoric of Engagement,” and Gustke spoke about “Writing Citizenry: Service-Learning and Socially Responsive Knowledge.”

Entrepreneurship Student Advances to National Competition

Paul Chenoweth
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Belmont entrepreneurship major Ben McIntyre has been to chosen to compete in the National Entrepreneurship Organization’s (EO) Global Student Entrepreneur Award competition.

McIntyre competed in the Regional EO’s Global Student Entrepreneur Award competition last week in Miami, Florida. As a result, his business, Internpreneur, advanced to the national competition that will be held in Chicago, Illinois in November.

This event is supported and sponsored by EO Nashville with special assistance from Julie May (Nashville CEO, bytesofknowledge) and Belmont’s Jack C. Massey College of Business.

‘Flash Boys’ Subject, Brad Katsuyama, Tells of His Revolt Against Wall Street

Paul Chenoweth
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President and CEO of IEX and former Head of Electronic Sales and Trading at The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), Brad Katsuyama spent Wednesday presenting to students and area executives at events sponsored by Belmont’s Center for Executive Education and Edward C. Kennedy Center for Business Ethics.
brad katsyuama

The subject of Michael Lewis’s international best-seller “Flash Boys,” Katsuyama is most known for his refusal to adopt Wall Street’s practices of high frequency trading and dark pools, and instead, create his own transparent market to conduct trading in the way he believes the stock market was originally intended.

Although leaving his job at RBC was a challenge, Katsuyama knew he was in a position of power and if he saw things he didn’t agree with, it was time to make a change. “I felt this compelling purpose to say, ‘I’m probably in this position for a reason, and I have to do something about it,’” he said. For Katsuyama that meant quitting his job and structuring a team to create a new exchange built around innovation, transparency and fairness.

Since IEX launched in October 2013, the organization has seen rapid growth, but it wasn’t immediate. It took the team many months to raise the required funds and because of that, employees, including Katsuyama, weren’t paid what they were making in previous positions.

With a family and young children, this posed a challenge for Katsuyama, who says he learned that money isn’t as important as he initially thought. “Money becomes so much less meaningful, but it’s only until you don’t have it that you realize how unimportant it really is,” he said.

Now that Katsuyama is finding himself at the heart of the high frequency trading controversy, he continues to be committed to his belief in what the stock market was created to be – a transparent, open exchange for consumers. IEX utilizes technology to ensure they are able to access information at the same speed as high frequency trading firms. Although some organizations have used technology to create an information sharing asymmetry, giving an advantage to one party over another, IEX and Katsuyama are committed to utilizing technology for the advantages it provides all parties.

“Technology is a great amplifier,” Kaysyama said. “We are using [it] to create fairness, as opposed to skirting around it or even distorting it.”

When asked about values that contribute to his commitment to best practices and information transparency, Katsuyama said, “I view myself as someone lucky enough to have found the right people and make some good choices.” At the end of the day, Katsuyama believes the market should operate on fairness, and he is willing to fight for it – even if it means going up against some of Wall Street’s biggest players.

Environmental Science Students Adopt Richland Creek Cleanup

Paul Chenoweth
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RichlandOn Sat., Oct. 25, a group of environmental science students, along with Belmont Biology Professor Dr. Darlene Panvini hosted a Richland Creek cleanup for their service learning project.

The cleanup day was part of a project started by environmental science students last year. Five students adopted a section of Richland Creek through Nashville Metro Water Service’s Adopt-A-Stream program. It requires a two-year commitment and at least one stream cleanup per year and the stenciling of storm drains leading to the adopted stream segment. Metro Water Services provides a sign acknowledging the adopting group and stream. Belmont’s official sign is posted at England Park between the walking trail and Richland Creek.

Belmont Hosts Foreign Ambassadors for ‘Entrepreneurial Spirit of Nashville’ Discussion

Paul Chenoweth
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Fowler shares insights on state of music business in Music City

Mirpuri
Mirpuri

This week 22 foreign ambassadors representing countries spanning six continents were welcomed to Nashville on a tour sponsored by the State Department. Intended toengage the ambassadors with prominent business and community leaders as well as local entrepreneurs, the group of dignitaries paid a visit to Belmont University Thursday morning as part of an event organized by the Nashville Chamber of Commerce, the Nashville Health Care Council and Belmont.

Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher welcomed the special guests to campus, noting, “It’s exciting for us to have you here. You’ve come to a campus of 7,300 students representing every state in the U.S. and 38 countries, including some of yours… During your time in Nashville, you’ll hear that we’re Music City and that we’re a healthcare capital, but you’re also hearing from me that we’re a higher education city. We are approaching 100,000 higher education students here in Middle Tennessee at the various colleges and universities in this region.”

Following a welcome by Nashville Mayor Karl Dean—who jokingly encouraged the ambassadors to “feel free to spend all you want. You need those cowboy boots!”— His Excellency Ashok Mirpuri, Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore, took the podium to express his gratitude on behalf of the visitors. “Thank you to the city of Nashville for such a warm welcome. You have been gracious hosts, and thank you for being so open with the world. You are truly a globalized city.”

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