Songwriting adjunct professor Tom Douglas recently reached the top of the Billboard Country Singles chart with the song “I Run to You,” which was co-written and recorded by Lady Antebellum.
Alumna Selected as Fulbright Teaching Assistant to Vienna
Roxanna Hajjafar, a May 2009 Belmont University graduate with a double major in German and political science, recently received the honor of a Fulbright scholarship to Vienna, Austria where she will serve as an English Teaching Assistant. A native Nashvillian, Hajjafar was raised in a Persian-American household which kindled her interest in foreign cultures.
While attending Belmont, Hajjafar studied abroad in Dresden, Germany and was involved in the Belmont Democrats, the German Club (president from 2006-08), the Max-Kade German House and the James Madison Society. She hopes to one day secure a position as a Foreign Service Officer.
“I am looking forward to being again immersed in the European way of life,” Hajjafar said, “where people enjoy and appreciate the small things and make time ‘to stop and smell the roses,’ as cliché as it might sound. I have a passion for and a deep interest in other cultures and enjoy traveling to foreign places. This experience will prepare me for a future position where I can serve my country by fostering an understanding between the U.S. and other countries.”
In addition to further developing her language skills, Hajjafar hopes to expand her knowledge of the various cultures of the German-speaking peoples. After attending a week-long training session in September, she will teach from Oct. 1, 2009 through May 31, 2010 at two different schools, one a secondary school specializing in business and the other a secondary school specializing in fashion and art.
Governor Bredesen Appointments Belmont Student to Commission
Current Belmont sophomore Joshua Conner was recently appointed by Governor Bredesen to serve a full term on the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth (TCCY). The TCCY is an independent state agency with a primary mission of advocacy for improving the quality of life for Tennessee children and families. Its 26 members represent Tennessee’s nine development districts. They review all federal grants to state agencies relating to juvenile justice in Tennessee and also advise the legislature on every introduced bill related to children and youth. For more information on the TCCY, click here.
Pharmacy Faculty Present at Annual Meeting
Several pharmacy faculty recently participated in the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) which met last week in Boston. AACP is the national organization representing pharmacy education in the United States. School of Pharmacy Professor and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Dr. Eric Hobson was a featured speaker for the Curriculum Special Interest Group’s program, “Novel or New: Curricular Design Decisions in New Pharmacy Programs.” In addition, Belmont Pharmacy faculty presented 10 posters at the event. Click the more button to see all 10 poster titles.
Student-Athletes Featured in NCAA Champion Magazine
Belmont University student-athletes are the subject of a feature story in the Summer 2009 edition of NCAA Champion magazine. On April 6, dozens of Belmont student-athletes from all 17 sports of competition took part in service project – Camp Bruin – at nearby Carter-Lawrence Elementary in Nashville. The student-athletes played games and interacted with the school children, providing inspirational stories and serving as role models. Click here to view the article.
Jacobs Offers ‘Good Idea’ to Campus Career Counselor
Director of Career Services Patricia Jacobs was recently quoted in the “Good Ideas” section of Campus Career Counselor, the only national publication geared specifically and exclusively to college and university career services professionals. The June 2009 issue of the publication highlighted Belmont’s Senior Capstone and the Belmont and Beyond program. Click here to read the article, which appears on the fourth page of the issue.
London Students Attend Presentation on Global Trends in Music Business
Belmont students are currently in London studying the “European Music Business” with Music Business Professor Don Cusic. The students are shown here at the office of the IFPI, the international trade organization for recording labels, where Director of Market Research Gabriella Lopes (fourth from left) delivered a presentation on global sales and trends in the music business.
Alumni Perform on Clarkson Tour, Good Morning America
Several alumni, all members of the band Denver & the Mile High Orchestra, are currently touring as the horn line backing up “American Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson. Denver Bierman (’99) on trumpet, Chris Gregg (’02) on saxophone and Justin Carpenter (’05) on trombone have been on the road with Clarkson since early July and were scheduled to appear with her on the July 31 edition of “Good Morning America.” For a sample of the horn players addition to the tour, click here.
Men’s Tennis Honored with ITA National Academic Awards
The academic achievements of the Belmont men’s tennis team were honored by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) as they announced their Academic Awards for the 2008-2009 school year. The Belmont’s men tennis team was named an ITA All-Academic team for the eighth straight year. The Bruins, who finished with a team GPA of 3.56, were one of 39 teams honored in Division I and one of three Atlantic Sun Conference squads among the list of schools. In addition, five Belmont tennis players earned the ITA’s Scholar-Athlete Award: Rodrigo Amaral, Renato Antun, Felipe Cirne Lima, Fausto Rocha and Javier Rodriguez.
Former Belmont Golfer Qualifies for 2009 U.S. Amateur
Capping off an incredible summer of golf, former Belmont men’s golfer Brenton Flynn, a Centreville, Virginia native, has qualified for the 2009 U.S. Amateur Championship to be held August 24-30 at the famed Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It marks the third United States Golf Association (USGA) Championship Brenton has competed in during the last three months.
Flynn, a four-year letter winner who graduated in 2006 and currently resides in Nashville, qualified for the country’s oldest national championship last Monday at Victoria National Golf Club in Evansville, Indiana. He posted a 36-hole score of 146 (70-76) to earn one of three spots available at that site.
