The academic achievements of the Belmont’s tennis teams were honored by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) as they announced their Academic Awards for the 2009-2010 school year.
Both of Belmont’s tennis teams were named an ITA All-Academic team. To be chosen for this honor, a squad must have a cumulative team grade point average (GPA) of 3.20 or above (on a 4.00 scale) and all team members must have competed during the 2009-2010 season. The men’s team, who finished with a team GPA of 3.35, was one of 29 teams honored in Division I and one of three Atlantic Sun Conference squads among the list of schools. It marked the ninth straight year they have been honored with this award. The women’s team finished the year with a team GPA of 3.253. They were among 57 teams honored in Division I and one of just two Atlantic Sun schools to earn the award. In addition, it marks the fifth time since 2003 that the women’s program has been honored by the ITA. Click here for more on this story.
Tennis Teams Honored with ITA National Academic Awards
Hamann Named Most Valuable Pitcher of Wilson Tobs
Belmont junior Matt Hamann earned Most Valuable Pitcher honors for the Wilson Tobs after leading the team with 10 saves en route to a 37-19 summer league team record. Hamann recorded a 2.72 ERA and a record of 3-1 in 24 appearances out of the bullpen. Click here for more on this story.
Titans Cheerleader Focuses on Nursing Preparation at Belmont
Kristin Singh is one of Belmont’s many nursing students, but she boasts an extra special extracurricular–for the past two years she has shared the sidelines with the Tennessee Titans as a Titans cheerleader.
She began her academic career as a marine biology major at the College of Charleston but through a series of major changes found herself in the neuroscience department. She moved to Belmont “because it was one of the only schools in the Nashville area that had a neuroscience major” and soon “started thinking about nursing after hearing how great Belmont’s program was.” Once in the nursing program she quickly formed a bond with Mrs. Keary Dryden, her clinical instructor her first semester. Kristin recalls, “I was so nervous for my first clinical, and she made it easy for me to relax and learn as much as I could. She still challenged me, but she did it in a way that made me comfortable.”
Despite finding nursing a highly rewarding career, she sought to fulfill another desire: her passion for dance. She began her dance career at only four years old and eventually danced her way onto her high school dance team. After graduation she started to miss dancing so when she moved to Nashville her sophomore year she decided to try out for the Titans.
When asked about the connection between her work as a Titans cheerleader and her nursing preparation, Kristen had an interesting story to tell. “We do many charity events that involve the healthcare community. I had the opportunity to go to an appearance at the V.A. hospital about a month ago. I did my clinical there last year and was able to visit patients on the floor that I worked [on]. It was very neat to go back and see everyone that I worked with during my clinical rotation. However, it was different being there in my cheerleading uniform. I never told anyone that I was a cheerleader, so the other nurses that recognized me were a little surprised that I had this other life. It made me so happy that I was able to relate my nursing experiences to cheerleading. It also pleased me to help the patients in a different way by visiting them as a Titans cheerleader rather than a student nurse.”
Kristin loved being a cheerleader and positive role model for the community, but her upper-level nursing classes were making it “more difficult to juggle both school and cheerleading.” She says that her “education is by far more important than cheerleading” which is why you won’t see her again this year on the Titans sidelines. Soon she will graduate with her nursing degree and is excited to start her new career.
School of Nursing Re-Awarded Scholarships
Scholarships funded through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and American Association of Colleges of Nursing
Belmont University School of Nursing announced today that for the second year in a row, it has received funding to award scholarships from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) through the RWJF New Careers in Nursing Scholarship Program (NCIN). Grants provided through this competitive program will be given to students traditionally underrepresented in the field of nursing and strives to prepare culturally competent leaders in Belmont’s accelerated Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing program. NCIN was launched in 2008 to address the national nursing shortage and fuel the pipeline of diverse nurse faculty.
“Through the NCIN program, we are challenging the nation’s nursing schools to be innovative and resourceful in how they grow their nursing programs, diversify student populations and contribute to the nursing leadership of tomorrow, said Denise A. Davis, Dr. P.H, RWJF program officer for NCIN. “We are very pleased to support this unique approach, particularly at a time when growing numbers of Americans are gaining insurance and entering our health care system.”
Dr. Chris Algren, Belmont’s associate dean of nursing, said, “We are so pleased that we have once again received funding for the New Career in Nursing scholarships. This program has increased enrollment in the accelerated program for second degree students who are underrepresented in nursing. Since little funding is usually available for second degree students, we are very appreciative to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for assisting us to meet the needs of these highly motivated students.”
Belmont Celebrates August Commencement
Belmont University held its August 2010 commencement for graduate and undergraduate students on Fri., Aug. 13 at 7:30 p.m. in the Curb Event Center. Belmont celebrated the graduation of a total of 209 students, with 79 undergraduate, 99 master’s and 31 doctoral degrees being conferred.
Dr. Robert C. Fisher, president of the university, provided the commencement address and presented the graduates with their degrees. Jennifer Hermansen, who earned her M.A. in Education, offered the student reflection. To read her reflection, click here.
To view more photos from the August Commencement ceremony, click here.
Parry Re-Elected as Teaching Co-Chair
Pam Parry, associate professor of communication studies, was recently re-elected to a second term as Teaching Co-Chair of the Small Programs Interest Group of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. She served her first term last year after receiving the organization’s 2009 Teacher of the Year award.
Belmont Completes ‘Green Roof’ Installation on New Academic Building
In anticipation of an August 21 grand opening, Belmont University recently completed the installation of a green roof on its new 90,000-square-foot academic building. The building will serve as the home for Belmont’s School of Pharmacy, a program which welcomes its third class this fall, and will also house the School of Physical Therapy and the Psychology program.
The only large extensive green roof on an educational facility in Nashville, the green roof serves several purposes including a reduction in the “heat island effect,” which refers to the trend of generally higher temperatures in urban areas as opposed to more suburban areas. The green roof lowers air temperatures which helps reduce that effect. Green roofs also provide natural habitats for wildlife (birds, insects, etc.) and reduce pollution by holding pollutants rather than washing into groundwater, sewer or drainage systems. In addition, the green roof can retain some rainwater for irrigation and can reduce the heating/cooling costs by providing lower temperatures around air intake systems.
Judy Fisher, Belmont’s campus-wide coordinator of interior construction and exterior landscaping/lighting, oversaw the project and selected the plants that would be installed. “This green roof represents another significant step in Belmont University’s commitment to environmentally sustainable practices. I’m so proud that Belmont’s innovations extend from classroom practices all the way to the very materials we use to construct our campus.”
Local firm Hodgson & Douglas provided the landscape architectural design for the green roof. Landscape architect Joe Hodgson said, “The green roof was developed using planting that might commonly be found in a middle Tennessee cedar glade. All the plants are native and easily adaptive to the type of soil found on an extensive green roof.”
Riechert Presents at Education Conference
Dr. Bonnie Riechert, associate professor of both media studies and communication at Belmont, was a presenter at the 93rd annual conference for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications held Aug. 3-7 in Denver. Riechert, a former chair of the AEJMC division on communicating science, health, environment and risk, was an invited panelist in a session on Best Public Relations Practices, where she spoke on starting a chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America.
Bell Tower Undergoes Restoration
To fight the effects of age and weather, Belmont’s historic Bell Tower is undergoing a restoration. Specifically, window frames, tuck pointing and mortar must be replaced before they rot and fall away. The Bell Tower restoration is scheduled to be completed before students arrive on campus in the fall.
The project costs roughly $400,000, received entirely from gifts made to the Bell Tower campaign. In addition to the $400,000 restoration costs, another $100,000 is being raised as an endowment fund to support any future maintenance needed.
As of Aug. 3, the University has received 974 gifts totaling $361,285. The gifts range in size from $1 to $50,000. Helen Kennedy, a member of Belmont’s first graduating class and member of the Board of Trustees, has pledged a $100,000 challenge gift, matching every donation dollar for dollar up to $100,000. All donors will be honored with their names on a plaque in the Bell Tower’s first floor chapel. The plaque will be unveiled at the celebration of completion of the restorations on Saturday, Oct. 2 at 2 p.m. All donors, faculty, staff and students are invited to attend.
Vicky Tarleton, Office of Development, said, “A lot of people have memories associated with the Tower that are really very good memories. It’s one of several true Nashville landmarks.”
The renovations are being done by Republic Construction, which specializes in historical preservation. Republic Construction has also worked on the Ryman Auditorium, the Hermitage, the Tennessee State Capitol and the Belmont Mansion. The work to be done includes replacing windows and window frames, ironwork, stabilization and tuck pointing.
The Belmont Mansion and Bell Tower were built from 1850-1853 as a summer residence for Joseph A. S. Acklen and his wife Adelicia Hayes Franklin. The Bell Tower originally served as a water tower for the gardens and household needs and was converted to a bell tower in the early 20th century. During the Civil War, the tower was used as a signal tower for the Union Army who was encamped on the estate.
If you would like to donate to the Bell Tower fund, contact Vicky Tarleton at 615-460-6001 or Vicky.Tarleton@belmont.edu. The deadline to donate to the Bell Tower campaign is Aug. 31.
Belmont Opens New Health Services and Pharmacy Care Center
Starting August 9, the new Belmont University Health Services and Pharmacy Care Center will open their doors in the nearly-completed academic building on the northeast corner of campus, adjacent to the Inman Center. The collaborative initiative between Belmont’s expanded Health Services Center and the new Pharmacy Care Center will create a unique interdisciplinary approach to servicing the needs of Belmont University while also providing a working classroom for Belmont’s student pharmacists.
In addition to traditional prescription filling and or compounding services, the pharmacy will offer many healthcare items found in retail pharmacies (over-the-counter products, vitamins, first-aid items, etc.). The Pharmacy Care Center will also provide various pharmacist consultation, education and wellness programs such as smoking cessation, diabetic counseling and Medication Therapy Management (MTM).
The pharmacy will share a waiting room with Health Services, which will move into the new building from its current location in the Gabhart Student Center. The new Health Services location allows for a significant expansion in space, from two exam rooms to five, and expanded hours to 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. throughout the year.
Dr. Ronda Bryant, Pharmacy Care Center manager and assistant professor of pharmacy practice, said, “Our Pharmacy and Health Services partnership offers collaborative care and convenience. Belmont University is offering this benefit to greatly enhance the quality of campus living and simplify the demands on Belmont employees and their dependents. This unique endeavor enables us to tailor services to the specific needs of the Belmont University community. As our Center evolves, there will be many opportunities to develop new programs to provide enhanced patient care and wellness resources.”
Katy Wilson, Health Services director, added, “Over the past four years, Belmont’s Health Services has grown dramatically and has served the Belmont University community with continuous improvement in access and quality. The pairing of pharmacy and clinic services will enable excellent and convenient care to faculty, staff and students. It also represents an exciting opportunity to further engage health science students in mentored clinical rotations with an emphasis on professionalism. Health Services offers comprehensive travel consultations and administration of the necessary vaccines, and as the medical advisor to Belmont Study Abroad, is committed to establishing a variety of learning opportunities for students, both in the community and abroad.”
