On Wednesday, the Gospel Music Association (GMA) announced the nominees for the 43rd Annual Dove Awards in Atlanta, and a number of Belmont alumni received nominations. Alumni Bernie Herms (Song of the Year, Producer of the Year, Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song, Special Event Album), Steven Curtis Chapman (Male Vocalist), MikesChair (Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song), Travis Cottrell (Worship Song, Choral Collection), Dan Muckala (Pop/Contemporary Recorded Album, Praise & Worship Album), John Andrade (Children’s Musical Album), Denver Bierman (Children’s Musical Album) and Molly Skaggs (Christmas Album, Long Form Video) all received nods this year. Produced by the GMA, the 43rd Annual GMA Dove Awards will take place on April 19 at the Fox Theater in Atlanta.
Belmont Freshman Sinks Shot for Tuition
Monday night’s men’s basketball game was unlike any other game freshman J.T. Faircloth previously attended. With one swish, he earned one semester of Belmont tuition.
Faircloth said he had been practicing for the shot the day of, but was not successful.
“Most of the day I had been missing from the area we were supposed to be shooting from. I’m gonna say it was a miracle. I’m not that good,” Faircloth said. After the last participant missed the final 3-point shot, and Faircloth realized he had won, he took the now familiar prayerful pose made popular by Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow. “I didn’t just do that for show. I really did pray,” he said.
Faircloth said his favorite part of the evening was the Athletics Department’s determination to give away the tuition. Since no one made the half-court tuition shot during the basketball season, Faircloth and the other students who’d attempted it were invited back to try again at the final home game. When no one succeeded in making a basket from half court, the group was moved into the 3-point area. After three rounds of shooting from there, Faircloth was named winner.
“I was worried that if no one made the shot, no one would get tuition. They were determined to give it away, and I really appreciate that,” Faircloth said.
Bishop of Nashville Hosts Belmont’s Ash Wednesday Service
The Most Reverend David R. Choby Bishop of Nashville 
joined Father John Sims Baker, the priest who serves Belmont’s Catholic community, and the Office of Spiritual Development on Ash Wednesday to host a service for faculty, staff and students.
Held in honor of the Catholic tradition of Lent, Ash Wednesday celebrates a 40-day fasting period observed in preparation for the Easter season.
Bishop Choby spoke about the human need for physical manifestations of religious reality and the way human nature reflects a need of the recession of ashes. This season reminds Christians of what has come before and what will come after. It is an invitation for each person to reflect on his or her relationship with God.
He told the story of both creation and the prodigal son.
“I pray that God will bless us with a deep love for him and a deeper understanding of his love for us,” he said.
Faculty Serve as Spelling Bee Judges
The New Centry Journalism Program and the Baker Donelson law firm are co-sponsoring this year’s annual Scripps Regional Spelling Bee at 9 a.m. March 2 in the Troutt Theatre. Middle school students from across Middle Tennessee will compete in this single-elimination competition. The winner gets an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Journalism faculty Dorren Robinson and Sybril Bennett will join English instructor Sue Trout as judges. Public relations assistant professor Kevin Trowbridge is taking on the pronouncer duties.
Ficzere Published in Annals of Pharmacotherapy
Dr. Cathy Ficzere of the Department of Pharmaceutical, Social and Administrative Sciences had her manuscript Curriculum and Instructional Methods for Drug Information, Literature Evaluation, and Biostatistics: Survey of Pharmacy Schools accepted for publication in the journal Annals of Pharmacotherapy. An electronic survey was developed and administered to assess pharmacy school curricula and characterize faculty qualifications, educational methods, and recent changes in drug information. The overall outcome of the study shows an increased focus on evidence-based medicine, medication safety, and informatics.
Professor Writes New Reading
Steve Leslie, an adjunct songwriting professor for Belmont’s Curb College, has collaborated with Len Cohan to write Umbrella: A Love Story with Songs. The Nashville Metro Parks Theatre Department New Reading Series production was Feb. 13 at Nashville’s Looby Theatre.
Belmont Student Named Miss Black Tennessee
Belmont student Natalie Newbill was recently chosen as Miss Black Tennessee through an interview process done by the chief executive officer of the Miss Black USA organization.
Passionate about her platform entitled “Be At (R)espect.(I)ntegrity.(S)elf-esteem.(K)knowledge” Newbill says her favorite part about being Miss Black Tennessee is the ability to make a difference in the lives of teenagers.
“I get to take my platform across the state of Tennessee and make an impact. It is so easy for us to get caught up in making appearances, but an appearance is nothing without an impact,” she said. Newbill hopes to use this platform to raise self-esteem in adolescents to dream big and believe in their abilities.
Newbill recently traveled to Washington, D.C. to participate in a red dress photo shoot for the Heart Truth campaign, a national sponsor for Miss Black USA. Through that trip Newbill was then selected to be one of five models in a “I love the brown skin I’m in” shoot.
Newbill hopes to continue her Be At Risk programming with a state-wide rally.
Belmont Student Performs at First Lady’s Rally
Belmont junior music business major Katelyn Epperly recently sang at First Lady Michelle Obama’s three-day national tour kick-off event. Held in Des Moines, Iowa the event was to celebrate the second birthday of the “Let’s Move” campaign.
An Iowa native and finalist on American Idol in 2010, Epperly said she has made many connections through events and charity work that lead to recommendations for valuable opportunities to perform, such as for the “Lets Move” campaign.
“I’m always appreciative of opportunities like this and everything that the people at HyVee continue to do for me. It’s opened so many doors for me, and I hope more to come,” Epperly said.
Click here to view the rally and Epperly’s performance.
Sport Science Homecoming Dinner and Speaker Panel
The Department of Sport Science sponsored an event Feb. 17 with Alumni Relations for current undergraduate majors as well as 
Master of Sport Administration students and alumni. The event included a dinner and panel discussion hosted by Belmont’s own, Harry Chapman, with sport industry professionals. The impressive line-up of panelist this year included Beth DeBauche, OVC commissioner; Debbie Williamson, secretary-editor for the NCAA’s Women’s Basketball Rules Committee; Casey Carter, assistant athletic trainer for the Tennessee Titans; and Gregg Williams, defensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams.
Each of the panelist brought a different perspective to the discussion and offered advice on how to succeed in the sport industry.
Coach Williams explained we should “treat each day like it’s an interview, always doing the best we can in our lives.”
Commissioner DeBauche told the audience to go for it with future career decisions, often times we are our own worst enemy by not even applying for a job opportunity.
Speech and Debate Team Clinch State Championship
The Belmont University Speech and Debate team was crowned the state champion team at the Tennessee Intercollegiate Forensics Association (TIFA) state tournament, held Feb. 18-19 at Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, Tenn. Overall, the team won first place in individual events, second place in debate, as well as being the top combined team in the state. Below is the list of awards Belmont students received:
Debate:
Eric Schoen – 2nd place varsity debater
Nicole Bright – 6th place varsity debater
Lisa Sekscinski & Matthew Roberts – tied for 7th place varsity debater
Nicole Bright & Lisa Sekscinski – 2nd place debate team
Matthew Roberts & Jenni Gustafson – Semi-finalist debate team
Individual Events:
Extemporaneous Speaking:
Eric Schoen – 1st place
Jenni Gustafson – 3rd place
Matthew Roberts – 4th place
Nicole Bright – 6th place
Persuasive Speaking:
Jenni Gustafson – 1st place
Matthew Roberts – 2nd place
Prose Interpretation:
Eric Schoen – 2nd place
After Dinner Speaking:
Nicole Bright – 1st place
Eric Schoen – 2nd place
Impromptu Speaking:
Eric Schoen – 2nd place
Nicole Bright – 3rd place
Bryan Meehan – 4th place
Jenni Gustafson – 5th place
Informative Speaking:
Eric Schoen – 1st place
Matthew Roberts – 3rd place
Programmed Oral Interpretation:
Eric Schoen – 1st place
Nicole Bright – 5th place
Communication Analysis:
Matthew Roberts – 3rd place
Jenni Gustafson – 4th place
Duo Interpretation:
Eric Schoen/Katie Callaway – 1st place
Nicole Bright/Katie Callaway – 3rd place
Pentathalon – Top Speakers:
Eric Schoen – 1st place
Nicole Bright – 2nd place
Jenni Gustafson – 3rd place
Kallie Callaway – 5th place
Matthew Roberts – 6th place
Final Results:
Debate Team: 2nd place
IE Team: 1st place
Overall Team: 1st place
