Belmont University Athletics announced Thursday the names of its 2008 Belmont Athletic Hall of Fame induction class.
Temp Sparkman (’55) was one of the founding fathers of Belmont Basketball. A starter and key contributor on Belmont’s first team in 1952-53, Sparkman was named all conference on the 1955 Volunteer State Athletic Conference (VSAC) Championship team that advanced to the program’s first NAIA District Tournament. Nearly a career double figure scorer from the guard position, Sparkman was a team captain and regular set-up man for All-American post player, Robert Barnes. But Sparkman’s accomplishments and contributions extend far beyond the hardwood, and in large order serve as a microcosm of the spirit of the university itself. After graduating from Belmont with honors, Sparkman became minister and professor of theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. From there, he served as graduate professor within the University of Kansas’s School of Education. Author of numerous renowned publications on faith and discipleship, Sparkman is currently penning a book on Belmont’s inaugural basketball team.
Sherry Tegarden Flecksteiner (’99) stands among the greatest softball players in Belmont history. Both a distinguished hitter and pitcher, Tegarden Flecksteiner virtually rewrote the Bruin record book. She ranks first in career runs scored (128) and NCAA Division-I era pitching victories (11), and she ranks second in career hits (166), triples (15) and stolen bases (49). Also the standard bearer for a myriad of single-season records, Tegarden Flecksteiner ranks in the Top 4 all-time at Belmont in a staggering 13 categories. But perhaps most noteworthy, this versatile performer was the steadying force in transitioning the Bruin program from NAIA to NCAA Division-I play.
The two honorees will be formally inducted as part of a banquet on Fri., Feb. 27 at 6:30 p.m. in the Maddox Grand Atrium of the Curb Event Center.
Tickets are $25 per person. For reservations, contact Debbie Chenoweth at (615) 460-6854.
The Belmont University Athletic Hall of Fame was established in 1980 by Belmont University Athletics. The Athletic Hall of Fame recognizes and honors those individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the achievements and prestige of Belmont University and its intercollegiate athletic program. To be nominated, an individual must have completed his or her athletic eligibility at least seven years prior.
Athletics Announces Hall of Fame Inductees
‘Dead Day’ Gives Life to Children Overseas
On Wed., Dec. 10, Belmont University students, faculty and staff teamed with EMI Christian Music Group, Provident Music Group, Word Entertainment and non-profit hunger-relief organization Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) to package meals for needy children in Thailand. The “Dead Day” event took place in the Curb Event Center Arena with volunteers participating in two-hour shifts. In just one day, more than 1,500 volunteers packed 426,816 meals, enough to feed 1,169 children for one year, breaking all previous one-day totals for FMSC. Click here for more on this story.
Snellen Wins First-Place in Boulevard Bolt
Ryan Snellen, a 2007 Belmont graduate, finished first among 7,900 participants at this year’s Boulevard Bolt, the annual five-mile Thanksgiving Day race down Belle Meade Boulevard. The Entrepreneurship major, who was a member of Belmont’s Cross Country and Track teams, completed the 15th annual race in 24 minutes 41 seconds. Twenty-four local, non-profit organizations who serve Nashville’s homeless will benefit from the proceeds of this year’s event.
Alumna Speaks at Curb College/ASCAP Event
On Wed., Dec. 3, ASCAP & the Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business hosted Beka Callaway Tischker, Belmont alumna and vice president of A&R/music publishing at Razor and Tie, for an evening with more than 30 Belmont alumni and 40 students. Belmont’s Office of Alumni Relations and ASCAP recognized Tischker for her contributions to the music industry. In addition to working full time, she gives back to Belmont by teaching and mentoring students in the Curb College’s Belmont East program in New York City. During the evening ASCAP also recognized Clare Dunn and Stephen Duncan as the recipients of 2008-2009 ASCAP Foundation Scholarships. Each received $2,500 from the Foundation to offset tuition expenses. The ASCAP Foundation Scholarship was created to reward selected full-time Belmont Songwriting majors.
Scarlett Event Leads to Charity Donation
The Scarlett Leadership Institute recently presented the American Heart Association with a $12,000 donation thanks to 13 local senior executives and the generosity of internationally-renowned executive coach Marshall Goldsmith. Goldsmith, who is the author of the best-selling business book What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, works primarily with high profile organizations and individuals. On Oct. 16, Belmont welcomed Goldsmith to campus for a special presentation on the topic of leadership and coaching. Goldsmith donated his time to work with the executives and CEOs, who each paid $1,000 to attend. All of the proceeds were donated to local charities – $12,000 to the American Heart Association and more than $1,000 to Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee.
Making the check presentation to the American Heart Association on Dec. 4 were Jimmy Batten, CEO of Batten & Shaw and the attendee who recommended the money be donated to the American Heart Association; Joe Scarlett, founder of the Scarlett Leadership Institute; and Jerry Brase, executive director of the Scarlett Leadership Institute. Michelle Moschel, vice president of the Greater Nashville American Heart Association, accepted the donation on behalf of the Nashville chapter.
Fisher Nominated for Tennessean of the Year
Belmont University President Dr. Bob Fisher was nominated this week for 2008 Tennessean of the Year by The Tennessean.
The newspaper pointed to the 2008 Town Hall Presidential Debate and how the event brought a national spotlight to Nashville as part of the reasoning behind his nomination. In addition, the article noted, “Fisher has raised Belmont’s profile since his arrival in 2000, increasing enrollment from 3,000 to 5,000 students, launching nursing and pharmacy programs, and working with recording-industry mogul Mike Curb to build the state-of-the-art Curb Event Center, site of the debate.”
Other nominees include the Fisk Jubilee Singers, which was awarded a National Medal of Arts this year; Dr. James Hildreth, a Meharry faculty member who announced a potential breakthrough in the battle against AIDS; Jennifer A. Pietenpol, the director of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center who was recently appointed to a six-year term on the National Cancer Advisory Board; and Pat Summit, head coach of the University of Tennessee women’s basketball team who led the Lady Vols to a second consecutive national championship in the 2007-08 season.
Click here to read the article. To support a nominee, readers are encouraged to email their selection and reasons why to letters@tennessean.com. The winner will be announced in the paper’s Issues section on Dec. 28.
Barnes Receives PRSA Award
Susan Barnes, instructor in Media Studies, recently received an award from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). The Phoenix Award was bestowed from the Georgia Chapter of PRSA for a story Susan wrote for the Tennessee Alumnus Magazine about a former star football player at UT who was severely disabled in a car accident. The story focused on how his life turned around through connections with another football player and other UT alumni. Click here to read the story.
Julseth Named Simmons Distinguished Lecturer
Dr. David Julseth, chair of the Department of Foreign Languages and the director of Belmont’s Engaged Scholars program, was recently named the Robert E. Simmons Distinguished Faculty Lecturer by selection of the College of Arts and Sciences Leadership Council. The annual lecture, begun by and now named in memory of Robert Simmons (dean of the School of Humanities and Education until his death in 1994), provides faculty members in the College of Arts & Sciences an opportunity to share significant research with colleagues. Julseth’s lecture will be on the Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage in Northern Spain with a focus on the idea of community. Not only is this topic of wide interest, it also honors Dean Simmons who worked tirelessly to promote international experiences for academic, professional and personal development. The 2009 Simmons Lecture will be on Feb. 27 at 10 a.m. in LCVA 117.
Belmont East Student to Sing Anthem at Madison Square Garden
On Jan. 23, Belmont senior Shea Raye Fowler will be performing the national anthem at Madison Square Garden for a New York Knicks game. Adjuncts professor Anthony Caruso secured the audition for Fowler. In addition to participating in many Belmont showcases, she was also one of the featured student artists on the Debate08 Electronic Press Kit.
Student Pharmacists Decorate Tree for Fundraiser
“With each tone of the Belmont Bell Tower…Another Student Spreads their Wings” is the theme of the Belmont University School of Pharmacy’s sponsored Christmas tree at Gaylord Opryland’s Hall of Trees. Five pharmacy students recently gathered at Gaylord’s Opryland Resort to decorate the tree as a fundraiser for Belmont’s Academy of Student Pharmacists. This is the second year that Gaylord has donated space and artificial, lighted Christmas trees to individuals and groups supporting charitable causes.
The tree and gifts under the tree—including signed CDs, Belmont University mementoes, a Debate08 poster and Media Bag and a Christmas ornament containing soil from the recent groundbreaking of the new School of Health Sciences—are all part of the package being auctioned at www. halloftrees.com. The Belmont Chapter of the Academy of Student Pharmacists is raising funds to help underwrite leadership development programs and to defray costs for students to attend leadership development conferences and to compete in the National Patient Counseling Competition, a skills completion focusing on how to talk with patients about safely using prescribed medications.
