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 Plants Black Tupelo Tree in Honor of Arbor Day

Haley Charlton
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Belmont Plants Black Tupelo Tree in Honor of Arbor Day

Belmont University for the seventh year has been honored with the Tree Campus USA recognition for 2020 by the Arbor Day Foundation for its commitment to effective urban forest management. Tree Campus USA is a national Arbor Day Foundation program dedicated to honoring colleges and universities, as well as their leaders, for promoting healthy trees and engaging students and staff in the spirit of conservation.

Belmont’s application for a 2021 recognition will highlight the new Black Tupelo Tree planted in front of the Lila D. Bunch Library in time for this year’s April 30 Arbor Day observation. Also known as the black gum tree, the Black Tupelo’s foliage can range from bright yellow and orange to deep red and even purple all on one tree.

The planting of this new tree symbolizes Belmont’s dedication to sustainability and preserving nature for generations to come as reflected in the University’s Conservation Covenant. Additionally, Belmont recently announced two endowed funds for environmental science currently standing at more than $3.5 million that will support student scholarships and a new environmental science faculty chair as well as research and experiential learning opportunities. These funds were made possible by retiring Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher and his wife Judy Fisher as they seek to honor their late son Rob, a nature and conservancy advocate who passed away five years ago. 

Dr. Fisher said, “We established our Conservation Covenant in 2015 to model for Belmont students and the broader community the imperative to care for God’s creation. I am so proud to see that message coming to fruition as we are recognized year after year with this honor. It’s our hope that the Belmont community continues in the pursuit of creating solutions to the environmental issues facing our planet today.”

Belmont staff hold Tree Campus USA banner

Belmont maintains campus-wide sustainability efforts and has a number of green initiates that contribute to campus conservation including LEED certified buildings, educational and sustainable green roofs, geothermal heating and cooling systems and its Tennessee arboretum designation. Belmont students will also continue to work on tree-related projects this summer.

The National Arbor Foundation, which was founded in 1972, has helped plant more than 20 million trees since 1990. In order to achieve the Tree Campus title, Belmont met the program’s five standards which include observing Arbor Day, maintaining a tree advisory committee and campus tree-care plan, dedicating annual expenditures for a campus tree program and hosting student service-learning projects. This work also directly supports the Foundation’s Time for Trees initiative — an unprecedented effort to plant 100 million trees in forests and communities and inspire 5 million tree planters by 2022, the 150th anniversary of Arbor Day.

Belmont Confers Honorary Doctorates to Marty and Betty Dickens, Bob and Judy Fisher

Haley Charlton
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Belmont Confers Honorary Doctorates to Marty and Betty Dickens, Bob and Judy Fisher

Belmont University held a series of four spring 2021 commencement ceremonies for graduate and undergraduate students on Thursday, April 22 and Friday, April 23. The events celebrated the graduation of 1,328 students with 999 bachelors, 106 masters and 223 doctoral degrees conferred. In addition, special honorary Doctor of University degrees were awarded to two couples who have greatly impacted both Belmont and the Nashville community: Marty and Betty Dickens and Bob and Judy Fisher.

Milton Johnson, chair-elect of the Board of Trust for Belmont, presented the degrees to these individuals. “Honorary degrees have been presented by American colleges and universities since 1962 in recognition of scholarly and creative attainments, as well as for meritorious humanitarian service. Belmont has rarely and selectively bestowed this award as the highest honor conferred by the University,” he said at Friday’s morning ceremony. “Today it is my privilege to represent the entire Belmont community as we award Doctor of the University degrees to these individuals who have fully exemplified these characteristics in their devotion and service to the betterment of Belmont University.”

Marty Dickens has served as chair of the Board of Trustees since 2005 and has overseen remarkable growth in campus facilities, enrollment and national profile. Both Marty and Betty are highly active in the community, serving on the boards of several charitable and community organizations. Betty Dickens is a founder and current Board member of the Next Door, a Nashville nonprofit dedicated to serving women in crisis, while Marty Dickens is a 2013 Nashvillian of the Year who serves as chair of the Convention Center Authority as well as on the Boards of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and Nashville Symphony among others. Belmont previously recognized the couple in 2012 with the naming of a 300-bed residence hall in their honor: Dickens Hall.

Dr. Bob Fisher has served as president of Belmont University for 21 years and will retire in May. Under his leadership, Belmont’s enrollment has more than doubled from 2,970 to more than 8,400. During his tenure, countless new majors and programs have been added, and it was Fisher’s vision that brought the world’s spotlight to campus in both 2008 and 2020 by hosting two presidential debates. Additionally, Fisher has been named both “Tennessean of the Year” and “Nashvillian of the Year” due to his numerous roles serving in the community.

Judy Fisher has taken on the coordinator role for Belmont’s interior construction and exterior landscaping over the years and has been heavily involved in campus sustainability efforts. Belmont’s green roofs, designation by the Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree Campus USA, and numerous other recognitions for sustainability and environmental stewardship can be credited to her efforts.

Dr. Bob Fisher presided over the ceremonies and presented his final commencement addresses at each of the events. Each graduation ceremony can be viewed on the Belmont University website.

Garrett, Science Students Judge Local School Science Fair

Haley Charlton
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Garrett, Science Students Judge Local School Science Fair

For the fourth year in a row, Danielle Garrett, associate professor of chemistry education, was invited to judge the Donelson Christian Academy (DCA) science fair. 

Belmont undergraduate students Matt McGowin (biochemistry and molecular biology major), Nya Sabye (biochemistry and molecular biology major, business administration minor), Anna Trinh (biology major, chemistry minor), Luke Cline (biology major, physical science minor), Caroline Haynes (neuroscience major, Spanish minor), Ginnie Berry (neuroscience major, chemistry minor), Yosef Mehio (neuroscience major), Jillian Graham (neuroscience major) and Molly Kelly (nursing major) were invited by Garrett to help judge the 7th and 8th grade projects. 

Science projects, covering topics ranging from the physical sciences, to the biological sciences, to the psychological sciences, were virtually on display via Google Site. “While there were some challenges with the virtual platform, overall, I thought it was a great experience,” Garrett said. “This year, we were able to see students present their projects via video – which we’ve never been able to do before. Seeing and hearing many of the students present their work really brought the projects to life!”

Individual judging took place throughout the week of April 5. After all the judging was complete, Garrett and Belmont undergraduate judges gathered together via Zoom on Saturday, April 10. They split the judging responsibilities, with five people in charge of determining which projects placed for each grade, and they all worked together to pick the award for best in show.

“I love participating as a judge in this annual event, but there is no way I could do it without the help of our wonderful Belmont undergraduate students,” Garrett said. “These students volunteered hours of their time the week before finals – helping to make the first virtual science fair at DCA a success. Our Belmont students not only have a heart for giving back to their community, but they also have a heart for sharing their passion and enthusiasm for science!” 

Syed Presents Research at National American Chemical Society Conference

Haley Charlton
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Syed Presents Research at National American Chemical Society Conference

Belmont chemistry major Nisa Syed recently presented her research “Determining the kinetic order of the degradation of L-ascorbic acid through spectroscopic analysis” at this year’s National American Chemical Society (ACS) conference. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, all poster presentations were given virtually this year.

Syed’s research was conducted under the advisement of Dr. Danielle Garrett, associate professor of chemistry education at Belmont, and involved a kinetic study using UV-Vis spectrometry to analyze vitamin C concentration changes over time to analyze the degradation of vitamin C in canned fruits and fruit juices. The hope is that Syed’s study can be used by future researchers to find a way to slow down this degradation so that there is more vitamin C left in products in order for the consumer to get more vitamin C in their diet.

Belmont Biology Students Continue Partnership with Nashville Zoo through Pandemic

Haley Charlton
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Belmont Biology Students Continue Partnership with Nashville Zoo through Pandemic

Belmont biology students in the animal behavior course were able to keep the joint venture with the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere going this year, despite the pandemic, and recently presented their major projects in a virtual poster session with one another and the zookeepers and zoo staff.

The zoo project has been a centerpiece of the class for more than a decade, and Biology Professor Dr. John Niedzwiecki worked with the Nashville Zoo to make sure students could do meaningful projects safely and within their comfort levels. Over six weeks, some students observed while masked and distanced live at the zoo, other students took advantage of working fully remotely through access granted to Zoo Webcams in key areas and finally, some students developed live projects based on feeders in their yards or cows in their fields.

Students were paired and assigned to a zookeeper that oriented them to the animals they observed and pointed out areas of interest to the zoo. Each group developed a testable hypothesis and took data over at least four weeks of observation.

student observes rhino exhibit

Niedzwiecki said, “The students’ presentations exceeded all expectations, and students showed great adaptability to this new format. Belmont and The Nashville Zoo look forward to continuing this joint venture for years to come.”

Belmont’s Speech and Debate Team Fares Well at National Competitions

Haley Charlton
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Belmont’s Speech and Debate Team Fares Well at National Competitions

Belmont’s Speech and Debate team recently competed in the National Christian College Tournament, finishing with various student winners that moved onto the next competition. The team walked away from the competition with four overall awards, a duo award and multiple individual awards. 

Within the Novice IPDA debate, Max Caskie was named the National Champion and the National Champion Novice Debate Speaker. Carly Crotty was recognized as a semi-finalist within the Junior Varsity IPDA Debate. Luke Litz was named the National Champion and the National Champion Varsity Debate Speaker within the Varsity IPDA Debate. 

Alex Jordan and Aaron Kleinschmidt were recognized as National Champions in the Duo Interpretation and also individually, with Kleinschmidt placing third within the Prose Interpretation category and Jordan placing third within the Faith Literature category. Kleinschmidt also placed third in the Impromptu Speaking category where DJ Needs placed second. In the Extemporaneous Speaking category, Litz was awarded second place. 

For the overall awards, Jordan placed seventh and Kleinschmidt placed third in the competition for the individual events competitor. The University as a whole won National Champions in Division III Individual Events and also placed third overall for Debate and Individual Events.  

The team also sent three debaters to the IPDA National Debate Tournament to compete with 62 other universities. All of the Belmont students advanced past the preliminary rounds to the outround tournament bracket, where only competitors with winning records of 5-3 or better advance.

  • Novice Debate:  Lauren Stanfill – Double-Octa Finalist
  • Varsity Debate:  Luke Litz – Quarter-Finalist
  • Varsity Debate:  Tyler Redmon – Quarter-Finalist

Redmon won 7th place overall in Debate Tournament Speaker.

Jason Stahl, instructor in the Communications Department, has coached the team for the past 15 years and expressed how unique this experience was compared to previous years. “I know that the students in my classes have had to show incredible resilience just to end the semester strong. To add speech and debate work on top of that has taken extreme persistence,” he shared.

Garrett Presents on Belmont’s Science Partnership with DCA at Gulf-South Summit Conference

Haley Charlton
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Garrett Presents on Belmont’s Science Partnership with DCA at Gulf-South Summit Conference

Danielle Garrett, associate professor of chemistry education, recently presented on The Building of a University and Elementary School Science Partnership: An Exploration of Light, Color and the Relationship among Energy, Wavelength and Frequency – A Fourth-Grade Challenge at the 2021 virtual Gulf-South Summit conference. Not only did Garrett’s presentation describe her ongoing work with 4th grade students at Donelson Christian Academy (DCA) through the American Chemical Society (ACS) Science Coaches Program, it also detailed the growth of a long-lasting symbiotic relationship and support network between Belmont University and DCA – beyond the Science Coaches Program.

Towards the end of the presentation, Garrett discussed her personal goals for participating in this program – which she pointed out did not involve chemistry. “What I am aiming to produce is students who have curiosity, students who want to question, students who don’t go forward saying ‘I can’t do science – I’m not a science person.’ They may not like science; they may not want to be a scientist, but there’s no such thing as a science person and a non-science person,” she explained. “If we are critical thinkers, if we can analyze, if we can communicate, we are all scientists.” 

Garrett later went on to say, “I want them to be informed. I want them – as they go into their middle school science, as they go into high school, as they go into college – to be informed active members of their community in their society, and if it’s in science – wonderful! But even if they’re not in science, we should still all be able to think and question and reasonably discuss scientific ideas and things that are impacting us as a local community, as a national community and as a global community – and that is what I want out of this program.”

The full presentation can be accessed via YouTube.

Alumna Jordan Chouanard Founds Nonprofit Fair Havens

Haley Charlton
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Alumna Jordan Chouanard Founds Nonprofit Fair Havens

2009 Belmont alumna Jordan Chouanard knows what it is like to feel shipwrecked. After contracting Lyme disease following her graduation, Chouanard relied heavily on her family to get her through such a difficult time. Despite the hardship of her illness, the diagnosis allowed Chouanard to find her calling in life – helping women in hopeless situations like the one she experienced herself.

“God changed my heart,” Chouanard said. “I began researching how to set up at charitable organization—I absolutely had to do it.”

Today she helps women in need through her nonprofit Fair Havens, which was founded in 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Inspired by Acts 27, the namesake and mission of the nonprofit came to be. This chapter tells the story of Apostle Paul being shipwrecked in a place called Fair Havens after God calls him to rest. Like Paul, “God wanted me to rest, and it was hard,” Chouanard said.

Fair Havens brings hope and healing to women suffering from abuse, trauma, addiction, disease, depression, eating disorders and other difficult situations. The women receive teaching, counseling and prayer during an all-expenses-paid weekend retreat, leading to hope, healing and transformation in their lives.

“It is incredible to see what God can do in 48 hours—we watch Him perform miracles,” Chouanard proclaimed.

After the weekend retreat, the women are held accountable by volunteers, who strive to keep them growing despite whatever circumstances they return to in their lives. 

Chouanard credits her time at Belmont in part to her success with Fair Havens. She said, “I am thankful for all of my time at Belmont. The connections and experiences I gained in my time there have been so valuable to the work I do today.”

Fair Havens hopes to expand its reach with the inaugural Fair Havens Hustle 5K on May 1, 2021, in Columbia, Tennessee. The nonprofit is also working to create and provide materials for women to take home, aiding them on their healing journeys. Donations to Fair Havens can be made here.

Alumnus Blake Swafford Named Directing IT, Innovation Officer At SimplyBank

Haley Charlton
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Alumnus Blake Swafford Named Directing IT, Innovation Officer At SimplyBank

SimplyBank creates directing officer corps, promotes Swafford and others to inaugural director class.

Growth SimplyBank has organization leaders poised to make significant leaps into new markets and services this year. To help facilitate those expansions, SimplyBank’s executive leadership elevated five existing senior officers to a newly-created directing officer corps this spring, including Belmont alumnus Blake Swafford, class of 2010.

“Strong leadership is a must to get where we’re going,” said John Owen, president and chief executive officer at SimplyBank. “We know community banks have to work harder than ever to compete in today’s market for today’s customers, and this team is unafraid to roll up their sleeves and get the job done.”

The new directing officer level reports up to the bank’s C-Suite, working hand-in-hand to build strategy and execute tactical specifics to continue building one of the area’s leading community banks. Accountable to those at the highest level of the organization, the new officer corps is currently enrolled in a months-long leadership program built and led by Owen. From self-awareness to conflict resolution, the course – based on experience gained over Owen’s 20-year career in financial institutions – covers leadership and training topics for rising executives.

“Our executive team is excited about this talented group of leaders. But the training and development are key, because we aren’t interested in keeping a senior officer in that role for 10 years,” said Owen. “We want to grow our people, and I’ve had a lot of selfless mentors in my life who poured into me, and now I’m looking forward to paying that forward with this group and others in the future.”

Zhang Awarded Grant Toward New Data Science Course, Student Participation in MAA MathFest

Haley Charlton
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Zhang Awarded Grant Toward New Data Science Course, Student Participation in MAA MathFest

Dr. Dana Zhang, assistant professor of data science in Belmont’s Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, has been awarded a grant that will allow her to develop a new course at Belmont. During the duration of this project, Zhang will develop a semester-long, credit-bearing research course in Data Science for Spring 2022 focusing on solving real-world problems.

The course will provide enrolled students with opportunities to collaborate with industrial mentors from business, industry or government (“BIG”) partners to analyze and extract insights from either open datasets (such as community health and wellbeing data) or proprietary data. The awarded grant will also allow students to present their project results in person at the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) MathFest summer showcase in Washington D.C. in the summer of 2022.

The grant is made possible through the MAA Preparation for Industrial Careers in Mathematical Sciences Program (PIC Math) and the National Security Agency (NSA). Learn more at www.maa.org/picmath.

Zhang also recently contributed a chapter to a Springer book titled “Blockchain Technology and Innovations in Business Processes.” The book has now been published in electronic and print format. Zhang was the primary author on this work, and her collaborator Dr. Kuo is from the University of California San Diego. Their book chapter is titled “The Feasibility and Significance of Employing Blockchain-Based Identity Solutions in Health Care,” with a preview available at here.

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