Dr. Leigh Ann Bynum, assistant professor of pharmaceutical, social and administrative sciences, recently published her manuscript “Limitations and Potential Misinterpretation of the National Disease and Therapeutic Index” in the International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing.
Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy Teresa Plummer recently traveled to Singapore where she was one of 11 presenters at the country’s inaugural Abilities Expo. The event attracted nearly 1,500 people including those with disabilities, their families and caregivers from countries throughout the Far East. The three-day event featured workshops, a sports carnival and exhibits dedicated to providing solutions to enhance quality of life for the disabled.
Plummer presented three scheduled workshops during the Expo, including a session on aging, another on the U.S. model of occupational therapy and a third on wheelchair seating assessment and prescription that was presented in collaboration with Singapore Association of Occupational Therapists. Plummer also was asked to conduct a workshop for occupational therapy professionals in attendance.
“Persons with disabilities in Far Eastern counties are isolated because of cultural norms, so for many this was their first opportunity to attend such a public gathering of the disabled community,” she said. “It was a privilege to be part an event which provided such new and unique experiences for those who participated.”
Plummer has over 35 years of occupational therapy experience. She practices at the Monroe Carrel Children’s Hospital of Vanderbilt Hospital and Vanderbilt Medical Center in the pediatric and adult wheelchair clinics. She has presented nationally and internationally and is a renowned presenter in assistive technology, vision and posture and rehabilitation. Plummer teaches in the School of Occupational Therapy’s doctoral and master’s programs.
Members of the Christian Pharmacists Fellowship International recently participated in a health fair at St. Luke’s where they provided blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol screening. This is an annual event held in late November at St. Luke’s Community House in West Nashville. In addition to this service project, the group collected boxes from faculty, students and staff in the College of Pharmacy to donate to Operation Christmas Child. 
Biology Professor Steve Murphree led the second and final Home School Science Discoveries session for fall semester at 9 a.m. Dec. 7 in Hitch Science Building room 309. It was entitled “Experiments in Animal Behavior” and used Betta fish. There were 14 students in grade levels fourth through eighth as well as parents in attendance. School of Science faculty have been offering laboratory experiences to home schooled children for several semesters.
The College of Health Sciences & Nursing celebrated the 40th anniversary of Belmont’s nursing program this fall. Since its inception, Belmont’s program has produced more than 2,000 skilled nurses who have served patients throughout the United States and around the world.
“This is an exciting time for nursing and especially for nursing at Belmont,” said College of Health Sciences & Nursing Dean Cathy R. Taylor. “Belmont nurses have always been known as leaders, highly respected for their skill and patient-centered focus. Today, they are increasingly recognized as innovators and change agents for improving health care quality, access and value. We are indeed honored to celebrate and build upon such a remarkable legacy of excellence to meet the health care challenges ahead.”
Associate Dean of Nursing Martha Buckner said, “We are so pleased to be celebrating this milestone in Belmont’s history. Our graduates have forged a tremendous reputation for this program. They are caring professional nurses whose practice is characterized by clinical excellence and compassion. We are proud of our heritage and excited about our future.”
The School of Nursing, Office of Alumni Relations and Omicron Phi Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, International Honor Society of Nursing held a program in November to commemorate the 40th anniversary with a panel discussion of nursing executives on The Future of Nursing in the Era of Health Care Reform. Panelists included Vanderbilt University Medical Center Executive Chief Nursing Officer Marilyn Dubree and Middle Tennessee Medical Center Chief Nursing Officer Kelly Miles.
Belmont University will hold its winter 2012 commencement ceremony for graduate and undergraduate students at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 14 in the Curb Event Center.
Belmont will celebrate the graduation of a total of 396 students. During the graduation ceremony, 283 bachelor’s degree, 112 master’s degrees and one doctoral degree will be conferred.
University President Robert C. Fisher will preside over the event. Professor of Media Studies and Chaney Distinguished Professor Rich Tiner will present the commencement address.
Watch the graduation ceremony live by visiting www.belmont.edu during the ceremony and clicking the watch live link.
The Teagle Foundation has awarded The New American Colleges and Universities (NAC&U), of which Belmont University is a member, a $150,000 grant for a project that will identify new approaches to build on the core values of a liberal education in a residential setting and prepare students for productive and successful careers. When the project–“Preparing 21st Century Students through New Visions for Faculty Evaluation, Campus Governance and Curriculum”–is completed, NAC&U hopes to have, among other outcomes, a curriculum development map that shows the integration of liberal and professional studies and emphasizes general education and disciplinary learning outcomes.
Sixteen members of the national consortium will participate in this project. In addition to Belmont, they are Arcadia University, Hamline University, Hampton University, John Carroll University, Nazareth College, Pacific Lutheran University, Samford University, The Sage Colleges, The University of Scranton, University of Evansville, University of Redlands, Valparaiso University, Wagner College, Westminster College and Widener University. This current project will implement goals outlined in NAC&U’s previous Teagle-funded project, “Preparing and Evaluating 21st Century Faculty: Aligning Expectations, Competencies, and Rewards.”
Former VUMC leader to lend expertise to Belmont’s new healthcare MBA program
Belmont University’s Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Harry Jacobson as its Distinguished Healthcare Executive-in-Residence for 2013. The former Vanderbilt University Medical Center CEO and vice chancellor for health affairs will be lending his expertise and instructional talents to students enrolled in Belmont’s new Healthcare MBA (HCMBA) program for working professionals. The HCMBA program was officially launched earlier this fall and has already enrolled its first cohort of students.
According to Dr. Pat Raines, dean of Belmont’s College of Business Administration, “As we worked closely with Nashville area healthcare leaders in designing our healthcare MBA, the one executive’s name that repeatedly came up in meetings was that of Harry Jacobson. We are delighted to have someone of his stature and professional experience available for working with our students and continuing to help us advance this innovative new program for healthcare professionals.”
Jacobson’s appointment becomes effective January 1, 2013. Dr. Jacobson served as VUMC’s chief executive for more than a decade, during which time he was responsible for the addition of the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital, as well as the development of the 100 Oaks complex. Since his departure from Vanderbilt in 2009, he has founded or co-founded a number of early-stage healthcare organizations, including Epiphany Health Ventures, LLC, and TriStar Technology Ventures, among others. Of particular interest to Belmont is his expertise in medical informatics, including his experience in having co-founded Informatics Corporation of America.
“I am pleased and honored to be engaged with the Massey School of Business as it launches its new Healthcare MBA,” said Jacobson. “While I never had the opportunity to interact with Jack Massey, I was mentored by Sam Brooks, one of Jack Massey’s many protégés. The appointment offers me a chance to give something back in return.”
Dr. Richard Treadway, co-founder and former chairman of Psychiatric Solutions, Inc. had this to say about his long-time friend and business partner and the significance of this appointment: “As a Massey MBA alum, I recognize the value to Belmont of having someone like Harry as an advocate. But as someone who has observed first-hand the wisdom and insights with which he has been equipped over the years, he is the perfect executive in residence for a program that values experience in both the classroom and boardroom. Dr. Jacobson lends support to Belmont’s goal of becoming a national leader in healthcare technology and management.”
About the Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business
The Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business offers high-quality graduate business programs designed for working and aspiring professionals looking to advance their careers. The curriculum is designed to provide challenging, yet practical content in a flexible format. Programs are designed to stimulate critical thinking and creative problem solving while encouraging strong communication skills and a solid framework for ethical business decision-making. In addition to core coverage in business administration and accounting, the curriculum is uniquely structured around the themes of entrepreneurship and ethical decision-making across the global economy. All students complete a brief international study-abroad experience as part of their studies. The Massey School’s part-time MBA program has been ranked in the Top 50 in the U.S. by Bloomberg BusinessWeek since 2009. For more information, visit www.belmont.edu/business/graduatebusiness.
Singer/songwriter Ginny Owens, a 1997 Belmont alumna, returned to campus Nov. 30 to share songs and stories with current students. The event was part of the “Alumni on Mission” series, which is sponsored by the Belmont Ambassadors and the Office of Alumni Relations. “Alumni on Mission” is an ongoing speaker series featuring Belmont alumni who incorporate mission and ministry in their everyday lives.
Born and raised in Jackson, Miss., Owens began playing piano and writing songs at a young age even while a degenerative eye condition caused her to completely lose her sight. Fiercely independent, Owens didn’t let her physical challenge slow her down upon arriving at Belmont in the 1990s, though her guide dog found the new campus a bit distracting. “I had a guide dog, a yellow lab named Lindy, and she loved to clean the floors in the cafeteria. I was also late to class many days because there was a squirrel that she would have to chase up a tree.”
Owens’ fondest Belmont memories, though, revolved around the friends she made and the opportunities she was given with her music, including participating in a songwriter showcase with fellow classmate Brad Paisley. Now a three-time Dove Award winner, including the Gospel Music Association’s 2000 New Artist of the Year recipient, Owens has sold nearly one million albums.
During her talk with students Friday, she sang a song from her new project, Get In, I’m Driving, as well as several of her chart-topping hits, including “Free” and “If You Want Me To.” “There is power and purpose in your song, whether you write songs or not. There is power and purpose in your story,” she said, challenging her audience to ponder, “If my life is indeed a story, then how does it read?”
The University Staff Advisory Council awarded Assistant Athletic Director and Senior Women’s Administrator Betty Wiseman with the Gabhart Award for Staff Excellence and Service during the Annual Staff Christmas Breakfast on Dec. 5.
Wiseman was a pioneer in women’s basketball and was recognized by receiving the Josten-Berenson Service Award by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association in 1999. In 2003, she was honored by being named part of the university’s new athletic facility, and the following year was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.
While her achievements in and contributions to women’s basketball alone are enough to receive this award, it has been Wiseman’s contributions to the university in general, her devotion to her church and her ability to develop friendships with faculty and staff across our campus that made her especially deserving. Each year Wiseman conducts missions trips with our athletes to other countries where she has been able to introduce Christ to numerous under-privileged children, through the sport she loves.
