Men’s basketball coach Rick Byrd was quoted this week in USA Today regarding Belmont’s dramatic comeback win against Campbell. The Bruins rallied from a 75-57 deficit with 3:27 to play and beat Campbell 87-84 on Feb. 6. Click here to read the story.
Human Resources to Introduce New Safety Training to Campus
DVD viewing to be accompanied by Q&A, discussion
Following a pilot program that was initiated last semester, the Office of Human Resources is rolling out a training program to prepare faculty and staff to respond in the instance of violence on campus, particularly an active shooter situation. A similar program will be launched in the fall for students.
Shots Fired: When Lightning Strikes is an instructional DVD and training program created by the Center for Personal Protection and Safety. The video and discussion is designed for faculty, staff and students to learn to take direct responsibility for their personal safety and security. Although there has been a dramatic increase in preventive measures, prevention systems can never be perfect. Research shows that the instinctive responses to gunfire are shock and fear. Through training, individuals can overcome these emotions and learn attitudes that can aid survival. Training workshops will be arranged by departments and/or buildings and will last one hour.
Workshops will be facilitated by Dr. Deborah Nunn Baruzzini, director of organizational development in the Office of Human Resources, and Dr. Jason Rogers, vice president for administration and university counsel. In addition, Belmont’s Campus Security and Office of Communications personnel will be on hand to answer questions and participate in discussion. Rogers said, “Communication and teamwork are vital in any crisis. This workshop allows coworkers to focus on the challenges posed by an active shooter situation and to discuss how they might respond to such a crisis to aid survival.”
Patsy Peach, administrative assistant in Social Work, participated in last fall’s pilot program. “The Shots Fired training video was very eye opening for me,” Peach said. “It made me aware of how important it is to be prepared and ready to react in case shots happen on our campus. I learned several things to do that I had never thought of before. I also learned that my gut reactions to that type of situation would be exactly what I should not do, and this was just as important to learn.”
To schedule a training workshop, contact Deborah Nunn Baruzzini at baruzzinid@mail.belmont.edu or x6172.
About the Center for Personal Protection and Safety:
The Center for Personal Protection and Safety is composed of former U.S. Department of Defense and FBI officials, responsible for much of the US Government’s current teaching and training on crisis negotiations, workplace violence, abduction prevention, and hostage survival situations. It is the parent organization of the Safe Travel Institute (http://www.safe-travels.com/) and National Hostage Survival Training Center. Program developers, Randy Spivey, Jim Sporleder, Eugene Rugala and Steve Romano, are recognized leaders in personal safety issues, are in demand as speakers, and appear regularly in media outlets including CNN, MSNBC, Fox News Live, New York Times, USA Today and Forbes Magazine.
Belmont Hosts Southeast Journalism Conference
Student journalists will descend on Belmont’s campus Feb. 12-14 as the school hosts the 23rd annual Southeast Journalism Conference (SEJC). The conference includes two days of workshops that will address important topics in today’s media landscape, including social media, advocacy journalism, photojournalism and copyright concerns for the newsroom.
There will also be on-site competitions for participants and a mock press conference. The conference will end on Saturday with a luncheon featuring keynote speaker Amy Webb, who is a strategic, digital product and business consultant for online media companies. Click here for more information on SEJC 2009.
District 18 Council Candidates to Meet in Feb. 22 Forum
Voters have the opportunity to meet the candidates running for the Metro Council District 18 seat and hear their ideas on wide-ranging community issues during a Feb. 22 forum.
The meeting, which is free and open to the public, will take place from 3-5 p.m. at Belmont United Methodist Church (2007 Acklen Ave). Megan Barry, an at-large councilwoman who is representing the district until the March 26 special election, and Keith Durbin, former representative for the 18th District, will moderate the discussion.
At this point four candidates have filed to run: John Ray Clemmons, an attorney; Stephenie Dodson, the after-school programs coordinator and summer camp director at Percy Priest Elementary School; David Glasgow, communications director for the Tennessee State Office of the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development; and Kristine LaLonde, a Belmont University professor. They have all confirmed their participation in the forum.
During the forum, candidates can make a two-minute opening statement and three-minute closing statement. In addition, an issues committee, consisting of a cross section of community and business leaders, including representatives of Belmont and Vanderbilt universities, will craft questions for the candidates. The audience is invited to e-mail suggested questions to 18thdistrictforum@vanderbilt.edu.
The forum is sponsored by Belmont Hillsboro Neighbors, Hillsboro West End Neighbors, Hillsboro Village Merchants Association, West End businesses, and Belmont and Vanderbilt Universities. For more information, call 322-8337. The special election will take place on March 26. If a candidate does not receive more than 50 percent of the votes, a run-off election [date to be determined] will be held between the top two vote-getters.
Songwriting Faculty Land New Cuts
Songwriting adjunct (and Grammy Award winner) Drew Ramsey has two songs on the new album from India.Arie on Universal Republic Records titled Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics. The songs Ramsey co-wrote and co-produced, “Ghetto” and “Yellow,” can be heard here. Ramsey also had four cuts on India.Arie’s last album. James I. Elliott, assistant professor and songwriting program coordinator, co-wrote the current single by Gold City (New Haven/Provident/Sony) titled “What Children Believe.”
In addition, songwriting adjunct Thom Schuyler is currently doing national promotion for his new album, Prayer of a Desperate Man, and recently appeared on the nationally syndicated radio program “The Bob & Tom Show.” Also, adjunct Tom Douglas recently celebrated the hit single “Let It Go” by Tim McGraw and co-wrote the current singles “I Run to You” by Lady Antebellum and “Prayer of a Common Man” by Phil Vassar.
The Strangers Win Rock Showcase
On Sat., Jan. 31, Belmont University welcomed to the Curb Event Center stage a talented group of students. This year’s Rock Showcase—produced by students in the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business—featured performances by Sons of People We Know, Kristen Jaudon, The Strangers and The Delta Saints. Of the four participating groups/artists, The Strangers were declared winners by a panel of industry pros.
Showcase Producer David Venus said, “Overall, I feel that this show had a really strong band line-up. This was obvious by watching the reaction of the audience throughout the entire show. While the decision was difficult, there was no doubt that The Strangers lyrical content and intense vocal arrangements pushed them over the top.”
As winners of the Rock Showcase, The Strangers have been invited to perform at Belmont’s Best of the Best Showcase on April 25 in the Curb Event Center. Click here to learn more about The Strangers.
Wynonna Launches New CD with Mentoring Event at Belmont
Music Business students responsible for oversight of event activities
On Mon., Feb. 9, country music superstar Wynonna held a concert and CD release party at Belmont University around her seventh studio album Sing. This event was the first of its kind for the university. The festivities began with a taping of the “Insider’s View,” Belmont’s Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business signature interview series, and concluded with a performance of Wynonna’s new album material.
Harry Chapman, Belmont’s director of Development & Major Gifts, hosts each of the sessions of “Insider’s View” held throughout the academic year. “The thing that really stood out in the ‘Insider’s View’ Interview in my mind was how Wynonna really reached out to the students. Sometimes humorous, sometimes serious, she was very open about her life and career, not afraid to share her insecurities and how she has been able to overcome those insecurities to become a superstar in the music world… comfortable with her own voice.”
Wynonna tore through many of the songs on her new CD in the hour-long performance with a full band that followed the interview. Recorded in Nashville and released Feb. 3 (Curb Records), Sing captures a multitude of sounds: country, soul, blues and rock. Throughout the concert, Wynonna showed off her vocal prowess and entertained the crowd with a captivating combination of humor, sass and hard-earned wisdom.
Admonishing students to “pick one thing and do it well,” she went on to explain her thoughts behind her latest CD release. “When you reach my age, you get to a place where you’re not worried as much anymore about proving yourself as you are about enjoying yourself. When I was in my 20s, I wasted a lot of time worrying about what everyone thought. In my 30s, I tried really hard to beat out all the expectations and win all the awards… [Now] this album is me saying, ‘Good morning, God. I know I’m loved, and I know I am somebody so I’m just going to decide to enjoy myself today and not try so dang hard to make everybody happy.’”
Curb College Professor Sarita Stewart worked closely with Wynonna’s manager Kerry Hansen to provide her Record Company Operations class with an opportunity to oversee, promote and execute the concert and CD release party.
Williams Named 2009 Ned R. McWherter Leadership Award Winner
Dr. Susan G. Williams, professor of management in Belmont University’s Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business, was named today the 2009 Ned R. McWherter Leadership Award Winner by the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence (TNCPE).
The Ned R. McWherter Leadership Award annually recognizes an individual who exemplifies outstanding leadership in the pursuit of performance excellence. Winners are dedicated to the principles of the Criteria for Performance Excellence, have furthered performance improvement beyond the boundaries of their organizations and are committed to the core values of the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence program.
Dr. Williams was instrumental in the creation of the Center for Quality at Belmont University, which extended the adoption of the Criteria for Performance Excellence into the Nashville community through classes and consulting.
She has brought her expertise to the TNCPE as a volunteer examiner, judge, conference presenter and program advocate for many years. She has also served as an examiner and judge for the Baldrige National Quality Program, and encourages participation in Baldrige-related programs at every opportunity.
“Susan has been an incredible resource to TNCPE, but even more significant is the impact she has had on Belmont University and companies throughout the state of Tennessee,” said TNCPE President Katie Rawls. “Through her efforts, countless organizations have learned to apply principles that improve processes and results. She is a talented educator who can deliver high-level information in a user-friendly manner, and her passion for continuous improvement is contagious.”
Belmont Recognized on President’s Higher Ed Community Service Honor Roll
The Corporation for National and Community Service honored Belmont University today with a place on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for exemplary service efforts and service to America’s communities. The honor was announced at the 91st Annual Meeting of the American Council on Education in Washington, D.C.
Tim Stewart, director of Service-Learning for the Center for Social Entrepreneurship and Service-Learning, said, “I am very proud of the Belmont students, faculty and staff who have contributed to making this recognition possible. We are grateful, too, to our community partners who provide these wonderful learning opportunities for our students. Most of all, I am glad that by working with the community, we are helping to make Nashville a better place for all of us as we help Belmont students ‘engage and transform’ the world, both now and in the future.”
Belmont students and faculty are serving the community in many different capacities. Recent examples include students chronicling the stories of senior citizens at Morningside retirement home and helping children at Carter Lawrence Elementary School with their reading and writing.
“In this time of economic distress, we need volunteers more than ever. College students represent an enormous pool of idealism and energy to help tackle some of our toughest challenges,” said Stephen Goldsmith, vice chair of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which oversees the Honor Roll. “We salute Belmont University for making community service a campus priority, and thank the millions of college students who are helping to renew America through service to others.”
The President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll was created in 2006, and recognizes colleges and universities nationwide that support innovative and effective community service and service-learning programs.
Bennett Secures Interview, Book Signings for Children’s Book
Dr. Sybril Bennett, executive director of Belmont’s New Century Journalism program, will be participating in a number of local media appearances over the next few weeks as part of the publicity push for her new children’s book, The Color-Full Alphabet Book. On Wed., Feb. 11, Bennett will have a book signing at 11 a.m. at the Conference on African American History and Culture at Tennessee State University. On Sun., Feb. 15, she will be interviewed between 7-9 a.m. on Fisk Radio 88.1 FM. On Sun., Feb. 22 and Sat., Feb. 28, she will participate in book signings at the Hendersonville Barnes and Noble (2:30-4:30 p.m.) and the Alkebu-Lan Bookstore on 28th and Jefferson Streets (11 a.m.-1 p.m.) respectively.
