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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School of Music Opens 16 New Practice Rooms in McAfee Annex

Paul Chenoweth
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Dean Curtis and music students at ribbon cutting event.
Dean Curtis and music students at ribbon cutting event.

On March 17, the School of Music opened 16 new practice rooms in the annex located behind McAfee Concert Hall. These new rooms provide additional practice spaces for over 600 music majors. The rooms have been optimized for sound isolation and sound panels in the rooms lower the decibel levels to meet health and safety expectations.

Previously, all practice rooms were located in the Wilson Music Building or Massey Performing Arts Center. The new location adds variety to practice location options and will be convenient for students with lessons or ensemble rehearsals in McAfee. Later this spring, lockers will be installed and available for rent for student instrument storage.

“Practice is a vital part of any musician’s education, so we are delighted to have these additional new practice rooms on campus.  To illustrate the impact of this new space, fully utilized this facility provides almost 1,800 hours of practice time per week for our students,” said Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts Dr. Cynthia Curtis.

The spaces are available for practice at the following times:
Monday – Friday  7 a.m. – 12:30 a.m.
Saturday                 9 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Sunday                    1 p.m. – 12:30 a.m.

For security, a building monitor will be on duty weekdays, beginning at 4 p.m., and on weekend hours as stated above.

Belmont Welcomes National Sports Columnist, Music City Girls Lead! for Celebratory Luncheon

Paul Chenoweth
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NCAA Final Four Luncheon-156-LChristine 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.

“I decided to be the role model I never had,” she said. Brennan has covered 16 Olympic Games, written a best-selling book and serves as a television and radio sports commentator.

During the luncheon on Tuesday in the Maddox Grand Atrium, she shared advice with 57 female high school students who completed the Music City Girls Lead! leadership academy as part of the activities leading up to the NCAA Women’s Final Four Tournament in Nashville, Tenn. this weekend.

“Whatever she is going to do, she will have the opportunity to be better at it because she played sports,” Brennan said, adding that through Title IX, women have developed team work, sportsmanship and health benefits, all of which translate well into essential knowledge and necessary life skills.

“Stand up straight. Shoulders back. It’s OK to be taller than boys,” Brennan said. She also encouraged the students to work hard, be dedicated and write thank you notes. “Find something you love and go for it with all your heart.”

Belmont University hosted the luncheon, a celebration of women’s empowerment through education, communities, sports, arts and business. The Champions4Women Committee of the Nashville Local Organizing Committee created the Music City Girls Lead! leadership academy in partnership with Lipscomb University’s Nelson and Sue Andrews Institute for Civic Leadership as a way to promote women as leaders. The students hailed from 37 public and private schools from around Tennessee and as far as Jackson and Chattanooga, and their mentors included a former Federal Communications Commission commissioner, corporate chief executive officers, University administrators and other professional women.

NCAA Final Four Luncheon-139-LTennessee 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.”

State Sen. Thelma Harper and dozens of Girl Scouts from the Girls Advisory Committee also were among special guests.

“A strong female leadership community already exists here, and this luncheon was an opportunity to talk to young people about following their dream and passions,” said Ohio Valley Conference Commissioner Beth DeBauchen. “Belmont and Lipscomb played such as wonderful role in getting together this legacy program and giving back to young people.”

The impact of the 2014 NCAA Women’s Final Four on the Middle Tennessee community will last for years after the final game is played, thanks to the many Legacy Programs created to bring women’s sports into focus, to address issues of disparity between men’s and women’s sports funding and coverage and to empower young female athletes by enabling them to become leaders within their own teams and communities.

Belmont Students Place Fourth at National Entrepreneurship Competition

Paul Chenoweth
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Enactus2014After making it past 240 other teams from across the nation to land in the finals, the Belmont University Enactus team came in fourth Thursday at the Enactus USA National Exposition competition, which was held this week in Cincinnati.

Dr. John Gonas, associate professor of finance and Sam M. Walton Enactus Fellow, said, “I am overwhelmed with the passion, innovation and creativity of our relatively young team. They have already conceived and developed some very impactful and sustainable social enterprises, and I am honored that the Enactus sponsor companies graded us as a top-4 team out of 240 that attended the USA Exhibition. Without the tireless efforts of [fellow Belmont faculty members] Cate Loes, Jason Stahl and Nathan Adam we could never have been so well prepared and successful.”

Enactus is an international non-profit organization that brings together student, academic and business leaders who are committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to improve the quality of life and standard of living for people in need. Guided by academic advisors and business experts, the student leaders of Enactus create and implement community empowerment projects around the globe.

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Hahn Published in Pharmacy Education Journal

Paul Chenoweth
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HahnMediumDr. Lindsay Hahn, assistant professor of pharmacy, recently had a manuscript published in the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education (AJPE).  The article reviewed the development and implementation of a solid organ transplant elective course for second- and third-year pharmacy students, assessing the course’s impact on their knowledge in the management of medications, adverse effects and complications in organ transplantation patients.  Hahn concluded that course participants  significantly improved their confidence and knowledge regarding solid organ transplantation and became open to exploring careers or residencies in this area.  The full manuscript can be found on the AJPE website.

Treybig Presents at Mid-South Flute Festival

Paul Chenoweth
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Ash Wright Photography
Ash Wright Photography

On March 29, Dr. Carolyn Treybig, of the Belmont University School of Music, and Dr. Deanna Little, of Middle Tennessee State University School of Music, presented a clinic session titled “Just + Equal = Intonation; A Lecture Demonstration of Trevor Wye’s Publications on the Chord of Nature, Just Intonation, and Difference Tones” at the 2014 Mid-South Flute Festival. The lecture/performance delved into sympathetic vibrations, harmonics, the history and development of tuning temperaments, discussion of pitch tendencies on the flute, vibrato, and tuning considerations for flutists when performing with differing ensembles and families of instruments. The Mid-South Flute Festival is an annual festival that brings together hundreds of flutists. Both Treybig and Little are Altus Flutes performing artists.

Social Work Students, Professors Present at National Conference

Paul Chenoweth
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matt-poster-BPDSocial Work senior Matt Thompson recently presented a poster at the Baccalaureate Program Director’s (BPD) national conference on social work education.  His poster, which was selected to be a part of the student conference within the larger BPD conference, was entitled “Welcome Home: Current Military Pre and Post Separation and Transition Protocol.”  This poster provided an overview of current practices that are followed as men and women leave the armed services. As Thompson discussed the poster with conference attendees, he noted areas where policies should be reviewed as well as areas where social work expertise could be utilized to provide more effective services to new veterans.   Thompson, drawing on his social work education as well as his experience in the military, summed it up this way:  “Compassion and caring are not substitutes for action and advocacy.”

Assistant Professor of Social Work Julie Hunt and Associate Professor of Social Work Sabrina Sullenberger also presented at the BPD conference.  Sullenberger co-presented a workshop entitled “High-impact Educational Practices in Teaching Social Work Research” with colleagues from Indiana University.   Hunt’s roundtable presentation was entitled ““Integrating Spiritual Sensitivity into Cultural Competence Education for our Changing World.”

Reflecting on her work at the conference, Hunt said, “It was an honor to lead a roundtable discussion with a diverse group of colleagues from universities around the country on ways to integrate spiritually sensitive content in their social work curriculum. We had a productive and meaningful sharing of ideas, and their interest in this conversation has continued as we have been corresponding since the meeting, sharing syllabi, and ideas for readings and course assignments.”

Social Work Classes Visits State Capitol

Paul Chenoweth
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day-on-the-hill-winners-2014Social work juniors in Dr. Jennifer Crowell’s Policy II class recently participated in Social Work Day on the Hill at the Tennessee Legislative Plaza.  They met with legislators, observed committee meetings and participated in a policy presentation and poster competition. Prior to the Day on the Hill, students worked in class to identify bills under consideration at the state level, and analyze the bills in the context of social work values, ethics and populations served, and then made recommendations on how to improve the bills they had studied.  This collective work led the class to identify one topic to focus on for the policy presentation, the issue of Human Trafficking in Tennessee.  At Day on the Hill, junior Christi Sidwell was selected as Belmont’s representative to speak in front of a crowd of students, faculty and social workers from across the state about Senate Bill 1655 and House Bill 1870. Christi spoke passionately about the issue in Tennessee and also about how the bills as proposed could be strengthened to ultimately provide better services and seek justice for people in Tennessee who have been trafficked.  The hard work of all the students was recognized when Belmont University was announced the winner of the undergraduate competition.

Bryan Griffith, a junior social work major at Belmont, said, “Social Work Day on the Hill gave me great insight into how our state’s policies are influenced by social workers by people who see and experience social issues firsthand. I got to sit in on a committee hearing and see how research based on the reports of people who work directly with (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) families can be presented to the representatives who write laws about (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) eligibility. It was an exciting experience for me because I really got to see how legislature works. Only so much can be understood about how our government functions through reading from a textbook. If more people were to take a trip to legislative plaza, meet their representative, and observe their representative’s interactions with other members of the general assembly and organizations, we might have a better understanding of our legislature’s behavior.”

Law Students Attend Annual Bar Association Conference

Paul Chenoweth
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Franklin-Graves-and-Phillip-TurnerThe American Bar Association (ABA) selected two Belmont University College of Law students to attend the 29th Annual Intellectual Property Law Conference in Washington, D.C. from April 2 through 4.

Phillip Turner, class of 2016, was one of 12 law students selected from ABA-accredited schools to manage all of the social media and blog coverage for the three-day conference.  The ABA’s Law Student Reporters Program allows law students to attend over 30 continuing legal education (CLE) and keynote events in order to live tweet, blog and engage with attorneys.  The 29th Annual conference featured high-profile speakers and panels covering a wide-variety of intellectual property law topics, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and international law.

Franklin Graves, class of 2014, attended the conference last year as a law student reporter and returned to the conference as the newly appointed chairman of the Communications Subcommittee for the ABA’s Section of Intellectual Property Law.

Graves and Turner are members of the Law Student Action Group, which is designed to connect law students with attorneys from around the world to work on ABA projects, writing and drafting assignments and online CLEs. Read more at the Law Student Reporters Program blog.

 

Belmont Adds New Majors in Music Therapy, Publishing for Fall 2014

Paul Chenoweth
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With priority registration starting next week, returning students may see some unexpected courses cropping up on the Fall 2014 Classfinder schedule. Next semester Belmont expands its program options with the addition of two new majors that are a perfect fit for future career opportunities in Middle Tennessee: music therapy and publishing.

Current School of Music students provided relief from classroom stress during a fall concert outdoors.
Current School of Music students provided relief from classroom stress during a fall concert outdoors.

“A major in music therapy has been a dream for our School of Music faculty for a decade, particularly with our focus on education and nurturing through the arts,” said Associate Dean for Academic Studies Dr. Madeline Bridges. “Add in the healthcare opportunities present in Nashville and the region, and this new program is a perfect fit for Belmont and the broader community.”

The only one of its kind in the state, Belmont’s music therapy program will be rigorous. Students will need a total of 136 hours including the required 41 BELL Core general education hours, 79 music hours, 20 hours of music therapy courses and an additional 13 clinical foundations courses. In addition, the program will require a six-month internship, often outside of Nashville. Once complete, the degree will qualify graduates to sit for the board certification exam.

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Judge Alberto Gonzales Appointed New Dean of Belmont University College of Law

Paul Chenoweth
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Founding Dean Jeff Kinsler announces return to full-time faculty

Alberto GonzalesBelmont University announced today the appointment of Judge Alberto Gonzales, former U.S. Attorney General, to the position of dean for the College of Law, effective June 1. The news comes on the heels of Founding Dean Jeff Kinsler’s announcement that he has decided to become a full-time faculty member.

Belmont Provost Dr. Thomas Burns said, “Belmont University is incredibly grateful for the vision and commitment Dean Kinsler has shown these past five years to open and establish our College of Law as well as to lead us through the accreditation process. With his decision to transition to full-time teaching, I join the College of Law students, staff and faculty in welcoming Judge Gonzales to his new role as dean. His valuable expertise and classroom approach have been applauded repeatedly by our students, and everyone in the College is excited about the leadership he will bring as dean.”

Judge Gonzales joined Belmont Law in 2012 as the then-newly established Doyle Rogers Distinguished Chair of Law and has taught courses in Constitutional Law, Separation of Powers, National Security Law and First Amendment Law. His appointment to dean was approved by the College of Law faculty prior to the announcement. As dean Gonzales will serve as the chief academic and executive officer for Belmont’s College of Law and will be responsible for the programmatic leadership, financial management, personnel administration and planning and development for the College.

Gonzales said, “I am honored by this opportunity and grateful for the support of President Fisher and Dr. Burns. I look forward to working with the outstanding faculty, staff and students at Belmont College of Law.”

After attending the United States Air Force Academy, Alberto Gonzales graduated from Rice University (B.A.) and Harvard University (J.D.). Gonzales was nominated by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the United States Senate as the 80th Attorney General of the United States on February 3, 2005 and served in that capacity until September 2007. Previously, he served as a partner at a major Houston law firm (Vinson & Elkins) and held positions as Justice on the Supreme Court of Texas, Secretary of State (Texas) and Counsel to the President of the United States (2001-2005) in addition to his consulting and mediation practice.

During his time in Nashville, Judge Gonzales has also served as counsel at Waller, a position he will resign to focus full-time on the College of Law. “It has been an honor to work with Alberto Gonzales at Waller for the past few years. His experience and insight have been tremendous assets to the firm,” said Waller Chairman John Tishler. “He has made a significant impact both at Waller and at the Belmont University College of Law since he arrived in Middle Tennessee, and we’re confident of success as he transitions to his new full-time role as dean. We look forward to Judge Gonzales being a member of the Nashville legal community for years to come.”

Judge Gonzales is a member of the current Leadership Nashville class and was appointed last fall by Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam to the Governor’s Commission for Judicial Appointments and the Governor’s Management Fellows Executive Committee. He also presently serves on the board of directors of the United Way of Metropolitan Nashville, the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and the Jason Foundation.

Among his many professional associations, Gonzales has served as a member of the American Law Institute, the leading independent organization in the United States producing scholarly work to clarify, modernize and otherwise improve the law. For his many accomplishments and years of public service, Gonzales has been recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus of Rice University and received the Harvard Law School Association Award as well as the Central Intelligence Agency’s Director’s Award and the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service. His work in the Hispanic community and his achievements as a role model have also earned him recognition as Hispanic American of the Year by HISPANIC Magazine and one of The 25 Most Influential Hispanics in America by TIME Magazine.

Founding Dean Kinsler, who graduated first in his class from Valparaiso University School of Law (’89) and obtained a master of laws degree (LL.M., ‘96) from Yale Law School, came to Belmont in 2009 to lead Belmont in the process of establishing the first new law school in Tennessee in 100 years. The College of Law received provisional accreditation from the American Bar Association on June 8, 2013. With the College of Law’s first class set to graduate May 10, Kinsler desires to return full-time to the classroom. Kinsler said, “This is the right time for me to step down, as we have just completed our third successful accreditation site visit. My time as Founding Dean has been the most important, rewarding and challenging experience of my professional career. I feel honored to have been afforded this opportunity and grateful for the support of President Fisher and Dr. Burns, as well as the law faculty, staff and students.”

About Belmont College of Law
Belmont’s College of Law provides a natural extension of the university’s mission and vision, which emphasize challenging academics, a service-minded approach, real-world experience and community leadership. Belmont law graduates will be practice-ready attorneys, empowered by their education and co-curricular experiences to provide legal counsel in a variety of settings, with commitment to high standards of expertise and ethics. The College of Law is housed on campus in the Randall and Sadie Baskin Center, which includes a state-of-the-art law library. For more information on the College of Law, visit www.belmont.edu/law.

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