The Belmont and Beyond Kickoff event Monday offered an inspirational program and speaker, David Ssebulime, a native of Uganda and the ninth of 14 children. Ssebulime’s childhood was deeply shaped by Sunday school and playing drums in his father’s church. When his father passed away, he was taken to a village orphanage, and at the age of 9, he joined the African Children’s Choir and toured Europe and North America. Feeling called to service and Christian ministry, Ssebulime dedicated his life to the many African orphaned and at-risk children. He is the founder and development director of Raise the Roof, Inc., a non-profit organization whose goal is to establish, outfit and resource permanent village schools that will educate and nurture leaders to shape Africa and the world.
During Monday’s event, Ssebulime encouraged students to ask themselves three questions: Which path do I take and where is my heart?; Is this something I really care about, and I’m passionate about?; and Is it big enough that I can invite others to help me? A graduate of Vanderbilt University Divinity School, he currently serves as director of missions and outreach at Brentwood United Methodist Church. Monday’s program was sponsored by the Office of Career and Professional Development and the Belmont and Beyond Advisory Board in conjunction with the campus theme, “Living in a Global Community.”
“The Massey Machine,” a team comprised of Belmont Massey Graduate School of Business alumni and current students, raced on the Cumberland River this past Saturday as one of 44 boats in the 
Todd Williamson, class of 1988, will be doing a large installation at the Nashville Airport Ticketing Lobby that will remain up for the better part of a year. The project is part of a juried exhibition Williamson won. The opening artists’ reception will be September 23 at the airport, and the day before the reception, Sept. 22, Williamson will be speaking to Belmont art students about managing an arts business, developing contacts, creating public art and more. Samples of Williamson’s work can be seen at 
Senior mathematics major Annie Brunelle, Mathematics major was recently awarded a $1,500 scholarship for this year by the 
Belmont University has been recognized at No. 61 on Best College Review’s 
Belmont senior and musical theatre major, Alie B. Gorrie, was recently selected as one of 20 Women Who Make a Difference for 2014, an initiative of Birmingham magazine and Alabama Media Group to honor women who are making a difference in business, philanthropy, the arts and other areas. She will be recognized at a luncheon in Birmingham, Ala. on Oct. 22.
Co-founder of Big Idea Entertainment Mike Nawrocki spoke to students, faculty and staff about how his faith in God steered his career path during a convocation event on Wednesday in the Massey Performance Arts Center. Big Idea created the popular animated series “VeggieTales,” for which Nawrocki is the voice of Larry the Cucumber as well as writer and director of both short and feature-length films. The convocation was part of Belmont’s annual EMERGE, a spiritual emphasis week held near the beginning of the semester designed to encourage campus to reflect, refocus and renew. Other EMERGE speakers this week included author/Storyline founder Donald Miller and Porter’s Call founder Al Andrews.
Belmont University has recently made notable upgrades to campus Internet services for this term. The campus wireless network footprint has grown by 75 percent since fall 2013. Belmont has increased the number of wireless access points (APs) from roughly 250 to more than 430 APs. That’s more than 180 new APs spread across campus to support wireless services and improve connection and speed.