Dr. Pat Raines, dean of the College of Business Administration, joined NewsChannel 5’s Nick Beres for a conversation on the recently passed economic stimulus package. Click here to watch the interview. On the Open Line video line, click on the “More” tab and then “Morning Line.” Then choose “Morning Line: Economic Stimulus Plan.”
Smith Editorial Published in Tennessean
Dr. Bonnie Smith, associate professor of English, recently published an editorial in The Tennessean titled, “Cuts could have devastating effect on adult learners.” Click here to read the article.
Parry Named Liaison to Journalism Commission
Pam Parry, associate professor of journalism, has been named a national officer of the Small Programs Interest Group of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. In 2009-2010, she will be the liaison to the AEJMC Commission on the Status of Minorities. This is the second year she has served as an officer of the group. Last year, she was the SPIG research co-chair.
Belmont Celebrates National Fitness Day
On Wed., Feb. 25, the Beaman Student Life Center at Belmont University will celebrate National Recreational Sports and Fitness Day with a full slate of events throughout the day to promote health and wellness. This is the fourth consecutive year Belmont has participated in this national celebration of fitness. Most of the day’s activities are primarily intended for students, faculty, staff and alumni, and this year Fitness Day falls during Belmont’s celebration of Homecoming 2009. A few of the day’s highlights include:
6 a.m. Polar Bear 5K – Sponsored by Fleet Feet, participants will run or walk a 3.1 mile course that tours Belmont’s main campus. The event will occur rain or shine. (Race starts at fountain on Belmont Blvd.)
7 a.m. Yoga Group Fitness Class – (Beaman Fitness Center Dance Room)
10 a.m. Fitness Convocation – D1 Sports Training coach Carter Hays and special guest Shawn Hammonds talk about staying fit on tour. (Curb Event Center)
11 a.m. Healthy Snack Break and Free Massages – The Mind and Body Institute will be giving free massages, and participants can get their blood pressure checked while they wait. (Beaman Center Lobby)
12 p.m. Zumba Group Fitness – Check out one of the newest cardio classes, a fun twist on Latin street dancing. (Beaman Recreation Gym)
5 p.m. D1 Fitness Challenge – D1 fitness trainer Carter Hays will take participants through a real boot camp experience. (Beaman Recreation Gym)
8:30 p.m. Climbing Wall Twister – It’s a game of Twister that goes vertical. (Beaman Climbing Wall)
Speech and Debate Team Wins State Tournament
This past weekend Belmont University’s Speech and Debate team competed at the 2009 Tennessee Intercollegiate Forensics Association (TIFA) state tournament. The team was recognized as the first place overall debate team in the state and also landed third place in Individual Events and second place in the combined IE/Debate team category. Student winners included:
Novice Debate: First place team, Tyler Kimbro & Eric Schoen; first place overall debate speaker, Tyler Kimbro
Varsity Debate: Second place team, George Shifflett & Caroline Tenenbaum; second place overall debate speaker, George Shifflett
Extemporaneous Speaking: Second place and Top Novice, Sara Page; Third place, Melanie Bengtson; Fifth place, Tyler Kimbro; Sixth place, Wesley Rainer
After Dinner Speaking: Third place, Meredith Day; Seventh place, Scott Curry
Impromptu Speaking: Second place, Melanie Bengtson; Third place, Tyler Kimbro
Informative Speaking: Fourth place, Sara Page
Communication Analysis: Sixth place, Chris Taylor
Poetry Interpretation: Sixth place, Scott Curry
Prose Interpretation: First place and Top Novice, Eric Schoen
Dramatic Interpretation: Second place, Meredith Day
Programmed Oral Interpretation: Fifth place, Sara Page
Duo Interpretation: First place, Eric Schoen & Meredith Day; Sixth place, Scott Curry & Meredith Day
Pentathalon (Top Overall IE Competitor): Fourth place, Meredith Day
Voight Awarded Excellence in Education Award
Dr. Mike Voight, professor of physical therapy, was recently awarded the 2009 Excellence in Education Award from the Sports Physical Therapy Section (SPTS) of the American Physical Therapy Association. Voight was noted for his “lively, fun, and memorable” teaching style as well as his commitment to be “on the cutting edge of instructional technology and evidence.” Voight (left) is pictured with Dr. Tab Blackburn, past president of SPTS.
Student Journalists Win Onsite Championship at SEJC
The 23rd Southeast Journalism Conference (SEJC) was held on Belmont’s campus Feb. 12-14, with 285 student journalists participating from seven states. The conference includes a competition in a number of categories for the Best in the South reporting from 2008 as well as an onsite journalism competition. The Belmont Onsite Team won the overall onsite championship with the highest number of points of all participating schools.
Belmont Associate Professor Linda Quigley, who served as co-president of SEJC 2008-09 with Thom Storey, said, “College journalists from around the Southeast demonstrated that the future of reporting, editing, photography, videography and Web design is in good hands. In both the work that students produced and the workshops they attended at SEJC at Belmont, students showed that they’re keeping pace with rapid changes in the field.”
Belmont’s winners in the onsite competition included:
Video Reporting: First place, Abby Selden and Jessica Walker
Multimedia Package: Third place, Lance Conzett, Erin Carson and Melody Drushal
First Amendment Writing: First place, Melanie Bengtson
Editorial Cartoon: Second place, Emily Buckner
In addition, several Belmont students and publications won awards in the 2008 competition:
Best College Newspaper: Honorable mention, Belmont Vision
Best College Magazine: Honorable mention, Connect
Best College Web Site: Second place, BelmontVision.com
Best News Reporter: Second place, Liz Hunton
Best Feature Writer: Second place, Adaeze Elechi
Best A&E Writer: Third place, Jason Hardy
Best Opinion Writer: Third place, Adaeze Elechi
Best Election Writer: Second place, Melanie Bengtson
Best Magazine Writer: Second place, Ryan Kraemer
Best Television Journalist: Third place, Abby Selden
Best Public Service Journalism: Honorable mention, Drew Dean and Liz Hunton
Men’s Basketball Team Featured on ABC
Belmont University men’s basketball will be the subject of a feature story for a series of ABC Sports college basketball programs titled “Race to March Madness.” The “Race to March Madness” series is comprised of three one-hour specials centered on some of the most compelling storylines in college basketball.
The Belmont Basketball feature – which will air Sat., Mar. 7 at 1:30 p.m. CT on ABC – will include contributions from seniors Henry Harris, Matthew Dotson and Andy Wicke, Belmont Head Coach Rick Byrd, as well as 19-time Grammy Award-winning artist and longtime program supporter, Vince Gill. Click here for more on this story.
TV Personality to Host 2009 Country Showcase
In support of the students and programs of the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, Great American Country’s Nan Kelley will host Belmont University’s 2009 Country Showcase live in the Curb Event Center on Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. Kelley is host of GAC’s “Opry Live” show and also interviews artists on GAC’s “Top 20 Countdown.”
“I’m so excited to be involved,” said Kelley. “As a member of the country music community, I’ve known for years the positive impact Belmont has had on students who long to have a career in the music business. The fact that Belmont is doing its part to ensure the future of country music is in good hands will be obvious to the audience that night, and I’m glad I get to take part in it.”
Erik Parker, producer of the 2009 Country Showcase said, “We are so honored to have Nan as our host. She’s the epitome of what the country music industry should be about—authenticity, humility and positive impact. It’s humbling to know she’s chosen to support our student production.”
Kelley said she understands how important education is, and appreciates programs like the ones Belmont has to offer. “I had the opportunity to receive a first class education in my field and it’s been an invaluable leg up to the career of my dreams,” Kelley said. “It’s important to me that students today are receiving those same opportunities.”
This year’s artists include Jenna Basso, Steven Darden, Cassidy Lynn, W.C. Marion and bluegrass act The Westbound Rangers. To hear a demo reel with selections from of all of this year’s artists, visit www.belmontshowcaseseries.com/country.
Alums Organize Nashville’s ‘Twestival’
Belmont alumnae Christy Frink (’08, Social Work) and Morgan Levy (’06, Music Business) organized the Nashville “Twestival,” which was held yesterday. Twestivals are face-to-face gatherings that allow online social network Twitter users to meet offline and in person. More than 175 cities globally hosted Twestivals yesterday to raise money for charity : water, a non-profit organization bringing clean, safe drinking water to people in developing nations. Frink and Levy also operate a blog about Nashville life and culture at www.nashvillest.com.
Click here for more on this story from The Tennessean.
