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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Belmont Celebrates Grand Opening of Crockett Center for Athletic Excellence

Haley Charlton
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Belmont Celebrates Grand Opening of Crockett Center for Athletic Excellence

Belmont University Athletics officially opened the Crockett Center for Athletic Excellence on May 27 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebration.

Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher, Director of Athletics Scott Corley and Board of Trustees Chairman Marty Dickens welcomed and addressed a gathering of Belmont student-athletes, alumni and guests.

The Crockett Center for Athletic Excellence will serve as the primary training home for Belmont’s nationally-regarded men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball programs, and complement the existing game day facility at the Curb Event Center. In addition to housing two full courts for basketball and volleyball, the two-story, 45,000 square-foot facility features athletic training and strength and conditioning space, a video room with theatre-style seating, locker rooms, coaches’ offices, conference rooms, equipment rooms and team lounge areas.

The Center, named for local businessman and former owner of Franklin American Mortgage Dan Crockett, connects to the University’s recently-opened tennis facility and serves as the latest example of Belmont’s meteoric rise within NCAA Division I athletics.

“This is a historic day for our University and athletic program,” Fisher said. “The Crockett Center for Athletic Excellence serves as a magnificent centerpiece to bridge the proud history and exciting future of Belmont Athletics. Dan is a visionary who understands and values how college athletics can shape a young person’s character and empower them with the drive, persistence and discipline needed to succeed in any chosen career. I am so honored and grateful for Dan’s continued generosity to Belmont, this being the latest example in providing student-athletes resources to thrive academically, athletically and spiritually.”

“Belmont is a visionary place in its mission to reach young people from all walks of life, not only in the United States but abroad as well,” Crockett said. “The University has grown into a larger institution but still connects on a personal level with its students, and athletics is a means to that end. Athletics teach so much to young people – tenacity, resilience, teamwork, leadership, accountability, respect, patience, and discipline, to name a few. Inspiring our youth with the powerful opportunity of athletics is among one of the many things for which I am passionate, and I truly believe the qualities learned help prepare these young men and women for the opportunities that life will bring post-education.”

After being a successful two-sport athlete (football and baseball) at Lambuth University, Crockett graduated and began a business career at a small, struggling mortgage broker in Brentwood, Tennessee. In 1994, the firm’s owners wanted out of the business and offered Crockett the opportunity to purchase the company. At 26, he became a business owner, immediately changing the name to Franklin American Mortgage and establishing a vision to become a Top 20 lender. In 2018, Franklin American sold to Citizens Financial Group. A former member of Belmont’s Board of Trustees, one of Crockett’s daughters is a rising sophomore at Belmont.

“This is an incredibly special day for me since Dan has been a good friend since we were 13 years old playing baseball on the same Little League team,” Corley said. “Whether in sports or business, he developed a culture that promoted a team-first mentality while pursuing excellence in every detail, which I’m proud to say are also hallmarks of Belmont’s Athletics programs. Having his name on the Crockett Center for Athletic Excellence will remind our student-athletes on a daily basis of our continued commitments to these tenets.”

Belmont women’s basketball celebrated a historic 2020-21 season, securing the program’s first NCAA tournament win beating fifth-seeded and No. 13 ranked Gonzaga on March 22. The Bruins’ 21-6 season marked their sixth consecutive year with 20+ victories, and their March 6 OVC Tournament Championship win represented their fifth tournament championship in six years. Head Coach Bart Brooks became the third-fastest to 100 career victories among all active NCAA Division I women’s basketball head coaches. Demonstrating their drive off the court as well, the Bruins have earned an Academic Top 25 ranking from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association in five of the last six years and tallied their second-highest ranking in program history last fall after finishing the 2019-20 season with an unprecedented team 3.709 grade point average.

The new facility will also contribute to the continued excellence of Belmont’s men’s basketball team, which won the OVC Regular Season Championship and DC Paradise Jam with a 26-4 record. The Bruins earned national Top 25 poll votes eight consecutive weeks (Jan. 11-March 1) this past season and have been ranked among the national “first-look” Top 25 for 2021-22 by ESPN.com, The Athletic and Stadium. Belmont and Gonzaga are the only two programs in the nation to claim at least 12 conference regular season titles and 12 conference tournament championship games the last 16 years. The Bruins are also one of only six programs in America to win 50 or more games the last two seasons. Belmont men’s basketball boasts an NCAA-leading 17 CoSIDA Academic All-America selections since 2001 and is the only NCAA Division I program in the country to make the NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) Honor Roll every year of existence. Belmont recently earned its sixth OVC Team Sportsmanship Award in nine years of OVC membership.

Belmont’s volleyball team is a five-time conference champion, appearing in the NCAA Tournament in 2006, 2008, 2012 and most recently in 2015. Volleyball also earned the 2019-20 United States Marine Corps (UMSC)/ American Volleyball Coaches’ Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award, an honor the team has received 14 times since 2001.

Belmont tennis, led by program director and two-time OVC Coach of the Year Mauricio Antun, is showing tremendous growth and promise; the men’s team is coming off a dramatic OVC Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament match at Ole Miss, while the women’s team boasts 11 all-conference selections.

Kern Family Foundation Provides $2 Million Grant to Support Frist College of Medicine

April Hefner
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Kern Family Foundation Provides $2 Million Grant to Support Frist College of Medicine

Future Belmont University students, particularly those in the recently named Thomas F. Frist Jr. College of Medicine, will benefit from a curriculum informed by a newly secured $2.15 million grant from the Kern Family Foundation. The “Kern Initiative on Character, Entrepreneurial Mindset and Purpose at Belmont University” will provide the foundation for creating a transformational framework to embed the aforementioned traits into medical education and programming across all of the University’s health care-related majors as well as through Belmont’s other colleges and schools. 

Belmont President Dr. Greg Jones said, “Thanks to the vision and generosity of the Kern Family Foundation through this grant, we can dream big as we begin to envision and implement a distinctive and holistic approach to medical education. This initiative will help to ensure that Belmont places excellent practitioners of medicine into our communities who have a commitment to character, competence and caring that is crucial for holistic care of patients as well as the intellectual abilities and skills to be creative entrepreneurs with a clear sense of purpose. In addition, the grant will support our efforts to break down silos across colleges to engage in collaborative research, teaching and projects that will integrate these ideals in all of our graduate and undergraduate programs.” 

Kern Family Foundation President Jim Rahn said, “The Kern Family Foundation is pleased to support the transformational vision for Belmont University that has been articulated by President Jones and embraced by the board as well as administrative and academic leaders. It is a rare opportunity to invest in a cross-disciplinary initiative that will impact all existing Belmont colleges while also laying a firm foundation for the new College of Medicine. We are confident that Belmont will serve as a model and inspiration for other universities.”

The initiatives supported by the Kern Family Foundation grant align with Belmont’s mission as well as with the original vision Dr. Thomas Frist, Jr., his father Dr. Thomas Frist, Sr. and Jack C. Massey brought to their founding of HCA Healthcare. HCA Healthcare will provide residencies and clinical rotations for Frist College of Medicine students through its Nashville-based TriStar Health division.

The implementation of the Kern Initiative at Belmont will be co-led by the newly named Vice President for Transformative Innovation, Character and Purpose, Dr. Amy Crook, along with a to-be-selected faculty leader within the Frist College of Medicine. Together, these administrators will focus on the integration of character, entrepreneurial mindset and purpose in curricular and co-curricular programs across the University, particularly within the Frist College of Medicine. Their efforts will include cultivating connections with a variety of graduate medical education consultants, partners and colleagues to glean insights and influence program development. In addition, they will establish roundtable symposia with both senior, influential health care leaders and younger professionals to garner perspectives on how they were—and were not—formed for their current vocations.

“Belmont University is committed to providing the highest level of academic instruction and to engendering a set of core commitments in our students that makes them excellent citizens and leaders of character,” said Crook. “We have been intentional in shaping our students in and outside the classroom, and partnering with the Kern Family Foundation will allow us to focus and amplify our efforts around character development, entrepreneurial mindset and purpose across all aspects of our educational model. It’s especially exciting to be starting our medical curriculum with these elements fully embedded from its genesis. We want Belmont students to be known as much for their strong character as their academic acumen.” 

Dr. Bill Bates, dean of the Thomas F. Frist Jr. College of Medicine, added, “Our vision for this medical school extends beyond producing excellent physicians and health care leaders. We want every aspiring doctor who enters the Frist College of Medicine to be immediately impacted by a curriculum designed to promote character, competency, care and compassion in their practice upon graduation. With the Kern Family grant, we will set that standard on our first day of classes.” 

The three-year grant runs through May 2024 and will be enhanced by institutional investment in the proposed initiatives to create programs that are measurable, replicable and sustainable for the long term.

Timing on the opening for the Frist College of Medicine is determined by the accreditation process with the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the accreditor for MD programs in the U.S. and Canada. Currently, the administration’s focus is on hiring faculty, creating the curriculum and designing the building that will house the college. Additional information will be announced at a future date.

About The Kern Family Foundation
The Kern Family Foundation’s mission is to empower the rising generation of Americans to build flourishing lives anchored in strong character, inspired by quality education, driven by an entrepreneurial mindset, and guided by the desire to create value for others. We focus on initiatives that have long-term, systemic impact. The Foundation was established in 1998 by Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern, founders of Generac Power Systems.

Belmont University Receives IIE Seal of Excellence for Meeting Generation Study Abroad Goals

Haley Charlton
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Belmont University Receives IIE Seal of Excellence for Meeting Generation Study Abroad Goals

Belmont University has been recognized by the Institute of International Education (IIE) for meeting their Generation Study Abroad commitment goals. IIE launched Generation Study Abroad (GSA) in 2014, a five-year initiative to provide a space for the international education community to mobilize resources and make a commitment to increasing and diversifying the number of U.S. students studying abroad by the end of the decade.

Belmont received the IIE Seal of Excellence for its strategic commitment to the Generation Study Abroad initiative and achieving its institutional goal of increasing the number of U.S. students studying abroad from campus by 2020. Belmont’s goal was for 1000 students to study abroad each year by 2020, and the University reached this goal in 2019.

GSA Commitment Partners joined the initiative by committing to bold, ambitious actions in support of study abroad on their campuses or at their organizations. The campaign became a global movement, forming the 800+ strong GSA Commitment Partner network representing a variety of U.S.-based and international partners, including national governments, higher education institutions (HEIs), study abroad organizations, education associations and more. More than 800 institutions submitted goal commitments.

With the IIE Seal of Excellence, IIE annually has recognized the U.S. institutions that have met their GSA pledge goals helping to make study abroad more accessible and inclusive for all students. During IIE’s final evaluation of the initiative conducted in 2020, Belmont was one of only 19 U.S. institutions that identified as having achieved their pledged goals – joining a total of over 100 institutions that have received the IIE Seal of Excellence.

In the recently published report, A Commitment to Building a Global Generation: The Five-Year Impact of IIE’s Generation Study Abroad Initiative, IIE highlights key programmatic efforts and partner achievements, including these outstanding institutions, framed by an analysis of data collected over the life of the initiative. In addition to evaluating the impact of this initiative, it offers an opportunity to continue building on the momentum of study abroad growth from 2019. 

Belmont joins 18 other U.S. colleges and universities recognized by IIE for meeting their Generation Study Abroad commitments in 2020, including Central Michigan University; Christopher Newport University; Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; Fairleigh Dickinson University – Metropolitan; Heidelberg University; Hobart and William Smith Colleges; Howard University; Millersville University of Pennsylvania; Ohio Northern University; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Stevenson University; University of Findlay; University of Kansas; University of Texas at Austin; University of Tulsa; University of Wisconsin-Madison; Wake Forest University; and William & Mary.

To learn more about study abroad opportunities at Belmont, visit the University’s study abroad webpage.

Cannonier Interviews Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis

Haley Charlton
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Cannonier Interviews Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis

Associate Professor of Economics in the Jack C. Massey College of Business Dr. Colin Cannonier recently interviewed the Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. The Honourable Timothy Harris, about the country’s success story in the COVID-19 pandemic. The interview for the Global Labor Organization, “Challenges to the Nation,” was on the occasion of the currently global challenges.

Below are some core messages of the interview: 

  • Due to sound fiscal prudence in the past, St. Kitts and Nevis was able to act quickly and decisively in stimulating the economy.
  • As an educated society with a 97 percent literacy rate, St. Kitts and Nevis adapted well to the ‘new norm’ with respect to social and physical distancing, hand sanitizing and wearing masks in a joint effort to reduce the spread of the virus.
  • As a result of the suspension of international and regional air and cruise travel, and precautionary border closures locally to contain and prevent the spread of the virus, economic activity within the local Tourism Sector contracted by some 35 percent in 2020.
  • Agriculture, the (medical) Cannabis industry and I.T. will all play pivotal roles in the economic revival of St. Kitts and Nevis.
  • The hotel, airline and cruise industries all play an important part in the economic revival of St. Kitts and Nevis.
  • There is light at the end of the tunnel!

The full interview can be found on the Global Labor Organization (GLO) network where Cannonier serves as a Fellow and Country Lead for St. Kitts and Nevis. The GLO Country Lead is the national representative of the GLO, initiates GLO activities in the respective country and acts as the national anchor and contact person for the GLO Network. 

Belmont Appoints Dr. Amy Crook, Sarah Cates as New VPs for Innovation, Strategic Partnerships

April Hefner
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Belmont Appoints Dr. Amy Crook, Sarah Cates as New VPs for Innovation, Strategic Partnerships

On his second day in office, new Belmont University President Dr. L. Gregory Jones announced two additions to his Senior Leadership team with the appointments of Dr. Amy Crook and Sarah Cates as vice presidents. Crook, an associate professor of management in Belmont’s Massey College of Business, will assume the role of Vice President for Transformative Innovation, Character and Purpose. Cates, a Belmont alumna who previously served as director of development and industry relations as well as in a variety of roles within Belmont’s Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, will serve as Vice President for Special Projects and Strategic Partnerships.

Belmont President Dr. L. Gregory Jones said, “For Belmont University to fulfill its vision to ‘Let Hope Abound’ with students and in our community, we need to expand our leadership team so that more intentional focus on innovation, collaboration and strategic partnerships is possible. Amy and Sarah each bring a significant depth of experience, connectedness and entrepreneurial thinking that will elevate our efforts as we prioritize strategies aimed at providing education, experiences and initiatives that can transform lives across our campus and throughout Middle Tennessee and beyond.” 

As Vice President for Transformative Innovation, Character and Purpose, Dr. Amy Crook will work closely with the President while collaborating with other Senior Leaders, college Deans and faculty/staff. In this position, she will focus on internal relationship building and transformative interdisciplinary collaborations while fostering an entrepreneurial mindset across the campus to integrate student learning, scholarship and opportunities for social innovation. Responsibilities will include facilitating curricular and co-curricular efforts to enhance students’ sense of purpose and character formation and removing barriers that tend to stifle worthy but nontraditional projects/partnerships within academic institutions. Additionally, she will continue to teach one course per year to stay connected to the faculty and student experiences in the classroom.

Crook said, “I am delighted to step into this key role that President Greg Jones has established to help us live out our unique institutional purpose. Our Belmont faculty, staff and students have amazingly creative ways they want to engage and transform the world, and I’m excited to bring together people across disciplines who are passionate about meeting a particular need, but might never have otherwise collided and created something spectacular. I want Belmont to be known as the place that hones your character and academic acumen, and then provides you unparalleled support to unleash these strengths to tackle complex problems in our local and global community. I can’t wait to see what God will do in this next chapter of Belmont University.”

Crook, who recently completed a term as president of Belmont’s Faculty Senate, has been a faculty member in the Massey College of Business since 2012 teaching courses in Management and Organization Behavior as well as in Study Abroad programs. She is believed to be the first Asian American to join Belmont’s Senior Leadership team. She is a frequent author, speaker and consultant on organizational culture and behavior, team dynamics and student learning. The faculty advisor for the campus’ Asian American Association, HOPE Council and Korean Music Business Society, Crook is highly regarded among peers and students, receiving the Most Inspirational Professor Award three times (Massey Graduate School of Business, 2013, 2015 and 2019) and Student Organization Advisor of the Year award (2021) as well as being a finalist for the 2021 Presidential Faculty Achievement Award. After receiving her A.B. in Psychology at Duke University, Crook obtained both her Master’s and Ph.D. in Psychology from Rice University.

In her new role as Vice President for Special Projects and Strategic Partnerships, Sarah Cates will also work closely with the President and Senior Leadership team to identify high-impact opportunities that will set the university apart and serve students in unique ways while bringing the institution local, national and global brand attention. In this role she will articulate Belmont’s vision, mission and values with internal and external stakeholders; proactively identify growth areas and partnerships; and serve as an external representative of the President as needed locally and beyond, among other responsibilities. Cates will draw on her extensive relationships in the music industry and the arts to cultivate relationships that can help highlight Belmont’s commitment to beauty as well as goodness and truth.

Cates noted, “I am honored and humbled to serve in this new role to help cultivate a sense of imagination for what could be for Belmont’s future. It’s inspiring to join a life-giving vision to ‘Let Hope Abound’ and pursue ‘life abundant’ not only with those on our campus each day, but also with our external partners. Our connection to the community, entrepreneurial spirit and Christ-centered mission have always been a north star for our work, and we will continue to build on these values with both internal and external partners as we seek an even bolder future ahead.” 

In her previous roles at Belmont, Cates’ impact was felt in a number of areas as highlighted accomplishments included playing a key role in the We Believe campaign raising philanthropic support for the University and delivering high impact events that connected Belmont more deeply to the community, particularly the music industry. Prior to her work in Development, Cates worked within the Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business since its inception in 2003, most recently as senior director overseeing all elements of external relationships, student enrichment, extension programs and partnerships. Beyond her work on campus, Cates is an active volunteer in Nashville, giving her time to numerous nonprofit organizations. She currently serves as chair of the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame Board and is a Board member of The Store. A Leadership Music graduate, she was recognized three-times in the Nashville Business Journal’s Women in Music City coverage and is a winner of Belmont’s Herbert C. Gabhart Award, the highest campus recognition of staff excellence. Cates received a B.B.A in Music Business and a Master’s in Organizational Leadership and Communication, both from Belmont.

Dr. L. Gregory Jones Casts Vision for Belmont University to ‘Let Hope Abound’ in First Day as New President

April Hefner
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Dr. L. Gregory Jones Casts Vision for Belmont University to ‘Let Hope Abound’ in First Day as New President

New Belmont University President Dr. L. Gregory Jones isn’t easing into his new position. Rather, Dr. Jones—along with his wife, the Rev. Susan Pendleton Jones—is using his first day in office to make an immediate impact with campus and community leaders through a full day of meetings and conversations across the city, all introducing his theme for his inaugural year, “Let Hope Abound.” Scheduled meetings for the day include in person visits with Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Nashville Mayor John Cooper, Metro Nashville Public Schools Director Adrienne Battle, CMA CEO Sarah Trahern, Organized Neighbors of Edgehill Director Brenda Morrow, Vanderbilt University Chancellor Dr. Daniel Diermeier, HCA Healthcare executives Sam Hazen, Mike Cuffe and Cathryn Rolfe, staff at nonprofit partner The Store and a number of local church and other faith leaders.

Jones began his first day in office with a stop at popular neighborhood coffeehouse Bongo Java before joining Belmont faculty and staff for a morning prayer service at the campus’ iconic Bell Tower. The event set the tone for his administration and cast a compelling vision for the kind of University he wants Belmont to be. 

Jones said, “Susan and I feel incredibly honored and grateful to be joining the Belmont and Nashville communities, and I’m looking forward to our conversations today and in the coming weeks as we find avenues to more deeply connect Belmont throughout our city and region. As we all begin to emerge from COVID-19, we recognize our nation has actually been facing multiple pandemics, including coronavirus, racial injustice, mental health struggles and economic uncertainties. With our Christian faith as our animating purpose, I believe Belmont University is well-positioned to bring hope to these times. We can do so by educating and forming students to become leaders of character and purpose, equipping them with an entrepreneurial mindset to tackle today’s issues and tomorrow’s challenges; by embracing Nashville and middle Tennessee, partnering with neighbors to meet needs and help our hometown and region thrive; by finding creative solutions to endemic problems that exacerbate brokenness, suffering and injustice. And by being a leader in reweaving the social fabric, we can work against those forces that fracture our society and instead choose to love all our neighbors as ourselves. Through these efforts, Belmont will be a place known to ‘Let Hope Abound’ among its students, staff and faculty, and everyone this University impacts.” 

Known for his entrepreneurial leadership and fundraising ability, Jones is focusing his initial efforts on strengthening his leadership team, pursuing development opportunities with Belmont’s newly announced Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine and fostering a culture of interdisciplinary collaboration at Belmont that will lead to innovative and transformative initiatives for the campus and community. Additional announcements on all of these efforts are expected in the days and months ahead.

Dr. Jones was unanimously recommended for the position by the Presidential Succession Committee, which consisted of representatives from Belmont’s Board of Trustees, faculty, staff and alumni. The Succession Committee was guided in their selection by input from more than 775 campus stakeholders—students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, Board and community members—who participated in a survey on the qualities and experience most needed by Belmont’s next president.

To learn more about Dr. Jones and the “Let Hope Abound” inaugural theme, visit president.belmont.edu. 

About Dr. L. Gregory Jones & Rev. Susan Pendleton Jones
Dr. Greg Jones served as the dean of Duke Divinity School from 1997-2010 and again from 2018 until last month. Between 2010 and 2018, he served in a variety of roles, including vice president and vice provost for global strategy at Duke University and also as provost and executive vice president of Baylor University. In addition, he has served in advisory and strategic roles with several foundations and educational institutions in the United States as well as in Armenia. 

Dr. and Rev Jones on campus at Belmont University

During his time at Duke Divinity, Jones strengthened the School’s financial trajectory, diversified the faculty and staff and led a strategic planning process that garnered great enthusiasm for the school’s future, all while setting new records for gifts to the Annual Fund and to the Divinity School overall. In addition, he currently serves as a senior fellow at Leadership Education, which he founded, and senior fellow at the Fuqua-Coach K Center on Leadership and Ethics, both at Duke University. He is passionate about re-shaping cultures within and across organizations and has coined the term “traditioned innovation” to capture how he re-frames complex challenges to seize significant opportunities.

A gifted speaker, Jones is the author or editor of 19 books, including the recently released Navigating the Future: Traditioned Innovation for Wilder Seas (with Andrew P. Hogue) which outlines his perspective on traditioned innovation as “a habit of being and living that cultivates a certain kind of moral imagination shaped by storytelling and expressed in creative, transformational action.” Other works include Christian Social Innovation, the co-authored Forgiving as We’ve Been Forgiven: Community Practices for Making Peace (with Celestin Musekura), the co-authored Resurrecting Excellence (with Kevin R. Armstrong), and the widely acclaimed Embodying Forgiveness. An ordained United Methodist minister, he has published more than 200 articles in a variety of publications. 

Dr. Jones received his bachelor’s in speech communication and a masters of public administration from the University of Denver, and his masters of divinity and Ph.D. in theology from Duke University. He is also the recipient of honorary doctorates from Lycoming College (Williamsport, PA) and North Carolina Wesleyan. He currently serves on the boards of the John Templeton Foundation, the McDonald Agape Foundation, the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University and the India Collective.

The Rev. Dr. Susan Pendleton Jones is the new First Lady of Belmont University. Prior to moving to Nashville, she served for several years as associate dean of ministerial formation at Duke Divinity School. She also has served as director of field education. Her teaching responsibilities at Duke have included courses on leadership, forgiveness and reconciliation, and the pastor’s vocation, team-taught with her husband. She and Greg have co-authored essays and articles as well as two books in the “Living the Good Life Together” series. Additionally, she was the project coordinator for Duke Divinity School’s award-winning 2005 building addition, which includes Goodson Chapel and the Westbrook Building. 

Susan has been involved in leadership and board roles with a variety of community organizations and foundations, and cares deeply about children and families as well as the importance of innovative approaches to challenging problems. A retired elder in the Western North Carolina (WNC) Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, Susan has served pastorates in North Carolina and Maryland and as the former United Methodist campus minister at Duke. 

Susan and Greg are the parents of Nate (and Amy), Ben (and Allison) and Sarah (and Joey Fala), and the grandparents of Clara Susan Jones, Audrey Katherine Jones, and Sophie Elizabeth Jones. 

Vanden Noven, Hudson and Clark Present at Lilly Conference on Impact of COVID, How to Overcome Difficulties

Haley Charlton
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Vanden Noven, Hudson and Clark Present at Lilly Conference on Impact of COVID, How to Overcome Difficulties

Drs. Marnie Vanden Noven, Michael Hudson and Mary Clark were selected to present at the 2021 ITLC Lilly Online Conference. Their presentation, titled “The Struggle is REAL!” highlights unprecedented issues rising sophomores and entering freshmen will face and strategies for faculty and student care, support and training to overcome these difficulties.

As the light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel becomes brighter, the inclination of many in higher education may be to race back to the “normal” that has been missing. However, the success of students and institutions will depend on the thoughtful consideration of the impact of the pandemic, particularly on rising sophomores and entering freshmen, prior to their return to campus. The session highlighted the unprecedented issues this population of students will face and provided participants with a three-prong approach (faculty training, student care and support, and classroom management) to overcoming these difficulties.

For 40 years, Lilly Conferences have provided opportunities for the presentation of the scholarship of teaching and learning. Conference participants are made up of faculty and administrators at various stages in their academic careers that come from across the world representing nearly every discipline found in higher education. 

Book of Poems by Sisson Selected for Publication by Glass Lyre Press

Haley Charlton
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Book of Poems by Sisson Selected for Publication by Glass Lyre Press

“Small Fish in High Branches,” a full-length book of poems by Dr. Annette Sisson, Belmont English professor, has been selected for publication by Glass Lyre Press, located in Glenview, Illinois. The book will likely be available in 2022.

Glass Lyre is an independent literary press that publishes poetry collections, chapbooks, select short and flash fiction and the occasional anthology, offering fine literature “to rejuvenate the spirit, fuel inspiration and nourish the soul.” The Glass Lyre vision is to connect the world through language and art and publish collections that one returns to time and time again, rather than stashing them away after reading.

According to the company, their hope is “to expand the scope of poetry and short fiction for the general reader through exceptionally well-written books which call forth our deepest emotions and thoughts, delight our senses, challenge our minds and provide clarity, resonance and insight.”

Dr. Bob Fisher Wraps Up 21 Years as Belmont University President

Haley Charlton
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Dr. Bob Fisher Wraps Up 21 Years as Belmont University President

After 21 years at the helm, Dr. Bob Fisher is wrapping up his last week as president of Belmont University. His more than two decades of service to the University are marked with phenomenal growth, dramatic rise in national prominence, dedication to student success and a legacy of serving others.

Fisher’s last weeks as president were spent offering interviews with numerous local media outlets, attending his final ribbon cutting for the brand new Crockett Center for Athletic Excellence, securing significant scholarships for students in the Watkins College of Art, offering a preview of the soon-to-open Belmont University Performing Arts Center and its partnership with the Nashville Opera and announcing that the University surpassed its “We Believe Campaign” Fundraising goal, exceeding $326 million for student scholarships, faculty support, missions, athletics and more, to name a few.

Affectionately nicknamed “Bob the Builder” among students, faculty and staff, Fisher has shaped Belmont University into a nationally recognized, premier institution, leading the campus through extraordinary development since his tenure began in 2000 with more than $1 billion invested in new construction, renovations and property acquisitions. The expansion has been needed to serve a rapidly growing enrollment that has nearly tripled under his leadership.

Dr. Fisher walking near Bell tower
Dr. Fisher walks away after completing his final commencement ceremony before retiring.

Beyond the campus and population expansions, Fisher’s fingerprints can be seen on nearly every accolade Belmont University has accomplished since he took office in 2000, and it is an extensive and impressive list. View some of these highlights in the announcement of Fisher’s retirement on Belmont News.

Belmont faculty and staff came together to thank both Bob and Judy Fisher for their longstanding commitment to the University in a special event on May 20. The event offered the chance for several speakers to chronicle fond memories of the Fishers and to present the couple with several gifts, including 21 roses, custom Belmont chocolate bars, a handmade wooden memory box filled with hundreds of thank you cards and a custom leather-bound photo book showcasing highlights from their 21-year tenure. Photos from the event can be viewed here.

Dr. Wayne Lewis Named President of Houghton College

Haley Charlton
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Dr. Wayne Lewis Named President of Houghton College

Dr. Wayne Lewis, inaugural dean and professor in Belmont’s School of Education, will assume a new appointment as president of Houghton College on June 15. Houghton College is a nationally ranked Christian college of the liberal arts and sciences in New York.

An announcement on Houghton College’s website says the Board of Trustees was looking for a leader “who would embrace and build upon the College’s clear mission and history, strong institutional reputation and sound financial position to propel the institution to its next level of excellence.” The announcement cites that Lewis’ approach to his role at Belmont can “best be summarized as being a champion for students and focusing on improving educational access, opportunities and experiences for students, including those who have historically been underserved.”

Under his leadership, Belmont’s School of Education saw increased enrollment in undergraduate and graduate teacher education programs, launched new undergraduate and graduate degree programs, and increased engagement with partners through new and expanded advisory councils for current students, alumni and schools and school district partners.

Dr. Lewis came to Belmont from the Kentucky Department of Education where he served as the state’s chief state school officer. His experience as a classroom teacher, teacher educator, postsecondary faculty member, program administrator at the undergraduate and graduate levels and an executive in state government has been the ideal background for his work at Belmont. Dr. Lewis has provided a clear vision, consistent leadership and a collegial atmosphere in the School of Education during his tenure. In his brief period at Belmont, he and his faculty and staff have established a new foundation for the School.

As the commissioner of education for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Lewis oversaw an agency with more than 1,100 employees and a $5 billion annual budget while also working as a faculty member at the University of Kentucky. Through these experiences, Lewis led the expansion of early postsecondary opportunities for high school students, launched Go Teach KY to increase and diversify the public school teacher workforce, led doctoral programs delivered through hybrid and fully online formats, supervised more than 10 successful doctoral dissertations and more than 15 successful master’s and education specialist degree projects, and served as the founding faculty director of the University of Kentucky’s Black and Latino Male Student Success Initiative. Prior to that, Lewis taught in K-12 public schools of Louisiana and North Carolina.

A native of New Orleans, Lewis is a graduate of St. Augustine High School, completed undergraduate study at Loyola University New Orleans, earned a master’s degree at The University of Akron’s Buchtel College of Arts & Sciences, completed post-baccalaureate teacher certification at The University of New Orleans, and earned a Ph.D. at North Carolina State University’s College of Education.

Dr. Lewis’ last day at Belmont will be June 6. Belmont has initiated a national search for the College of Education’s next dean. Find more information on the University’s job posting.

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