Psychological Science faculty and students attended the annual meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association in Boston, Mass. on March 13 through 16. Eastern Psychological Association (EPA) was founded in 1896 and is the oldest of the regional Psychological Associations in the United States. Its sole purpose is to advance the science and profession of psychology through the dissemination of professional information about the field. Those attending were, pictured left to right, Dr. Lonnie Yandell, Savannah Ladage, Antario Jones, Caroline Baumgartner, Breanna Wood, Monica Roufael, Savannah Johnson, Jasmine Jarupat, Jade Tucker, Stephanie Seeley, Shelby Wall, Melanie Chinsoon, Dr. Pete Giordano and Dr. Linda Jones.
For the second year in a row, a Belmont student won a research award for research presented at the conference. Jasmine Jarupat’s psychology senior capstone study titled “Prosocial Behavior and Just World Belief Predicted by Mortality Salience and Religiosity,” supervised by Shen-Miller and Giordano, received the sixth place award out of 100 competitors. The award was given in a graduate student competition, and Jarupat’s poster was inadvertently considered even though she is an undergraduate. The award citation indicated to her that “you have been recognized for your excellence in presentation, research methodology and research idea,” she said.
Dr. Sybril Bennett, professor of journalism, was one of two recipients of the 2014 National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Achiever Award at the Region Three conference held in Charleston, S.C. She was recognized with Don Griffin, retired consumer reporter from Action 9 in Charlotte, N.C. She has been a member of NABJ as long as she has been a journalist, celebrating 25 years this year.
Belmont seniors Andrew Trask and David Gilmore had their papers accepted independently to the 
For the second year in a row, Belmont University has been recognized as the most innovative in the Involved category of the Mayor’s Workplace Challenge. The aim of the mayor’s program is to recognize Nashville businesses and nonprofit organizations in the areas that most contribute to a high quality of life and healthy living including being green, involved in the community and being healthy.
Christine Brennan grew up during a time when girls weren’t encouraged or allowed to play sports. Yet, her father taught her how to throw a baseball and gave her a mitt for her eighth birthday. Soon, the boys began picking her first to be on their teams, and she grew up to become a national sports columnist.
Tennessee First Lady Crissy Haslam called the mentoring program and luncheon “another opportunity to develop young ladies in our community and leave a lasting legacy” as well to develop “strong character and leadership skills important to success.”