Psychology alumna, Radha Carlson (2005), has been appointed as clinical assistant professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, as well as, a psychologist at Central Regional Hospital, a state psychiatric hospital. Carlson recently received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from University of Miami and specializes in schizophrenia and the treatment of severe mental illnesses. During her time at Belmont University, Carlson was a member of the honors program and was mentored by Dr. Lonnie Yandell. Her husband, Stephen Carlson, also a 2005 graduate of Belmont, received his Ph.D. in marine biology and is now a postdoctoral fellow at the Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies at the University of North Carolina, conducting neuroscience research with rats studying alcohol dependence and withdrawal.
Psychology Alumna Receives Prestigious Teaching Position at UNC
Phi Delta Theta Awarded Phoenix Trophy
Belmont’s Phi Delta Theta chapter was recently presented with the Phoenix Trophy at the organization’s General Headquarters annual Emerging Leaders Institute in Oxford, Ohio. The chapter has worked over the past eight months to focus more on being a values driven organization.
The award, named after the mythological bird that periodically recreates itself, is given to recognize a chapter that has shown dramatic improvement over the course of one academic year. According to Phi Delta Theta, the Belmont chapter “has truly risen from the ashes of a chapter plagued with apathy into a chapter full of dedication, brotherhood, and values.”
Since January, Phi Delt has raised nearly $25,000 for various philanthropies and this summer, became the second Iron Phi Chapter of the other 160 across the country. Moreover, they set a goal to log 1,848 service hours (a symbolic number reflecting the year Phi Delt was founded), and the chapter is already halfway to its goal.
President John Michael Criswell created a 360 degree service plan to encourage members to serve the surrounding community in as many avenues as possible. Within the new points system, Criswell says members have been held accountable and, as a result, participation has grown exponentially.
In April, Phi Delt won Belmont’s Greek Week for the second year in a row and at Greek Sing, Phi Delt was crowned champion.
Criswell said, “I feel beyond blessed that I have been able to surround myself with a group of men who all share the same fear for mediocrity. By being a member and the President of Phi Delta Theta, I have experienced, first hand, the powerful experience of what it feels like to be a champion.”
New Cafe, Bruin Grounds, Opens Its Doors in Bunch Library
New Belmont dining option Bruin Grounds opened its doors this week in the lobby of Bunch Library. Featuring a variety of gourmet coffee drinks, sandwiches and salad options, the new shop hosted a food showcase Tuesday to allow faculty and staff to sample the new menu.
Based on its location in the library, offerings are named in honor of famous books, allowing customers to try out items like The Catch 22 breakfast item, a Count of Monte Cristo sandwich or a Grapes of Wrath salad, among others. The shop will also sell a variety of desserts, juices, chips and fruit cups.
Bruin Grounds will be open this week from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. and will extend its hours until 10 p.m. on weekdays beginning Wed., Aug. 24, the first day of classes. In addition, the café will be open on Sat., Aug. 20 from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. for Move In Day. Bruin Grounds hours may be adjusted during the semester based on demand, and the cafe will be accepting dining points and Bruin Bucks in addition to cash and credit cards.
Kyle Grover, director of Belmont’s Dining Services through Sodexo, adds that his team is also looking at the possibility of adding a mobile app that would allow customers to place orders in advance, though that service will likely not be available this semester.
Made possible through conversations between SGA, Senior Leadership, the Bunch Library and Student Services, Bruin Grounds is one of several endeavors intended to transform Bunch Library into a learning commons, according to Dr. Ernest Heard, director of library services. The Bunch Library has also recently added tables to the first floor lobby and atriums on the second and third floors to provide additional seating for Bruin Grounds diners and to further encourage collaboration among students, faculty and staff using the library.
Belmont Partners With Avenue Bank for Course in Entertainment Industry Finance
This fall Belmont University’s Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business (CEMB) will partner with Avenue Bank to offer a unique course for entrepreneurs in the music and entertainment industries. Titled “A Study in Personal Finance & Banking in Relation to the Music Industry,” this course offers an elite group of junior and senior level students an introduction to banking and personal finance, including loan examples and case studies that are music industry specific.
In response to feedback during last year’s Curb College strategic planning process, this new course will address student concerns about managing their own finances as entrepreneurs in the music and entertainment industries. In line with Avenue’s mission to serve the local community and the entertainment industry, the Avenue Bank team developed a curriculum to teach students how to create a budget and understand the basics of managing personal finances, to identify and evaluate financial information necessary to make a loan decisions and to analyze a music industry loan, underwritten with royalties and publishing, among other topics.
Avenue Bank Chairman, President & CEO Ron Samuels said, “It is exciting for Avenue Bank to partner with Belmont University to educate students on personal finance and understanding the role of a bank in the music industry. This class will give students real job-ready knowledge that they will definitely be able to put to use as they embark on careers in music and entertainment.”
Senior Director of Curb College Initiatives Sarah Cates added, “The Curb College values addressing student feedback and is excited to partner with Avenue to help prepare our students for unique challenges and opportunities they’ll face as they maneuver the financial side of the industry.”
Students Start Online Grocery Store
Belmont students Jonathan Murrell and Bruno Silva are delivering groceries to students’ dorm rooms through their online care package business that aims to save students time and money.
The friends, both juniors on Belmont’s tennis team, joined Murrell’s brother James to begin MyDormFood.com last fall. The company delivered some 60 packages in the winter, before pulling its website to revamp it. Now back online this fall, MyDormFood.com hopes parents will use its services to send custom-made care packages to their children and students choose the door-step deliveries over off-campus trips and expensive convenience stores.
Jonathan said he pitched several ideas for new businesses to Dr. Jeff Cornwall, director of Belmont’s Center for Entrepreneurship, but had trouble narrowing his focus until an epiphany with friends.
“One of my friends was getting in the car and eating a PowerBar. She said she paid $3 for it, and I knew it cost half as much at the grocery store. I realized college students were paying super high prices just because of the convenience of having stores on or near campus,” said Jonathan. “MyDormFood is identical to grocery store prices. You will break even using us, but you will save time because you don’t have to leave your dorm room.”
Parry Elected Group Secretary for Journalism Association
Pam Parry, chair of the Communication Studies Department, was elected Aug. 11 as secretary of the Small Programs Interest Group of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication at the organization’s annual meeting in St. Louis. She is the immediate past Teaching Co-Chair of the organization, which focuses on the special needs of teaching communications in the context of small programs, such as Belmont’s Corporate Communications Program. Parry became the director of the Corporate Communications Program in fall 2010.
Center for Executive Education Announces Guy Kawasaki as Fall Leadership Breakfast Speaker
The Center for Executive Education at Belmont University will host venture capitalist and entrepreneur Guy Kawasaki as the keynote speaker during its Fall Leadership Breakfast on Nov. 17 at the Curb Event Center Arena.
Kawasaki, former Apple “chief evangelist,” is the co-founder of Alltop.com, an “online magazine rack” of popular topics on the web, and a founding partner at Garage Technology Ventures. He has authored 10 books, including The Art of the Start, Rules for Revolutionaries and Reality Check.
Kawasaki said, “When I’m in Nashville, I’m planning to speak on ‘Entrepreneurship,’ illustrating the benefits of treating every company as a startup. Hopefully, we can inspire managers to unleash entrepreneurial thinking and help foster the pluck and creativity companies need to stay ahead of the pack.”
Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student Receives $10,000 Scholarship
Amber Alverson, an occupational therapy doctoral student (class of 2012), was chosen as a Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities 2011 Long Term Trainee recipient and will be awarded a $10,000 scholarship. Each Long Term Trainee must serve a minimum of 300 hours in activities to promote advocacy, leadership, and development of culturally competent care.
Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities focuses on preparing health professionals to assume leadership roles and develop interdisciplinary team skills, advanced clinical skills and research skills, in order to meet the complex needs of children with neuro-developmental related disabilities. The program is federally funded by the Department of Health and Human Services through the Maternal and Child Health Bureau LEND Grant. It is administered through Vanderbilt University’s Kennedy Center which collaborates with Belmont University (faculty advisor Lorry Liotta-Kleinfeld), Meharry Medical College, Tennessee State University, Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities, Tennessee Disabilities Coalition and the University of Tennessee, Nashville campus.
New Students ‘Become Belmont’ Through Welcome Week
Campus has sprung back into action with incoming freshmen and transfer students beginning their Welcome Week.
New students moved into residence halls Aug. 19. During the five days before classes begin, incoming freshmen and transfer students worked in Tower Teams with upperclassmen guidance to learn “to explore, embrace and engage all that Belmont has to offer.”
“It is that idea of exploring, engaging and embracing the University,” said Director of New Student and Parent Programs Ben Lion. “Hey, now you are a Bruin and you are really part of this community. The charge going out of Welcome Week is how can they engage in their community and make the most of their Belmont experience.”
Belmont University began Welcome Week in the 1990s to acclimate new students to their collegiate experiences. This year’s incoming class of approximately 1,185 freshmen is the largest class in Belmont’s history. Some 136 upperclassmen have dedicated a semester to help freshmen and transfers transition into the university through their roles as Tower Team leaders.
Alumna Receives ‘Vocalist of the Year’ Honors in Europe
Belmont alumna Ashley Robertson (’06) has been named European Country Music Association’s Female Vocalist of the Year for the second time. Robertson, a Canada native, resides in Nashville but tours internationally, performing most recently in Australia.
Robertson’s first award was won in 2005 when she was still an undergraduate at Belmont. She is working on her third album to follow up the success of her previous release Woman in the White Dress. For more information about Ashley and her music, click here.
