The Belmont University School of Pharmacy (BUSOP) announced recently the launch of the school’s first research study, a project to investigate the stability of liquid forms of several drugs previously only available in solid dosage forms (tablets, capsules). The study contract grant of $157,000 is with Galipot, which manufactures SyrSpend SF™, the sugar-free syrup suspension agent for the drug’s active ingredients. The research project will involve numerous Belmont pharmacy faculty members in evaluating 71 different drugs over the next two years. Liquid forms of drugs are vital to the treatment of infants, children and patients whose illnesses prevent swallowing.
Dr. Phil Johnston, dean of the School of Pharmacy, added, “I’m excited that our first research project as a school will serve patients who are often most in need: young children and patients with cancer, stroke or other devastating conditions who have lost their ability to swallow. BUSOP’s vision involves training competent, compassionate practitioners and serving our profession and patients. This first drug study project incorporates every aspect of our mission.”
School of Pharmacy Lands First Drug Study
Belmont Hosts Computers 4 Kids Event
On Fri., Aug.8 Belmont hosted Computers 4 Kids, an event sponsored by Connected Tennessee. High school foster children from 13 counties in middle Tennessee were given brand new Dell laptop computers valuing more than $100,000.
The event was held in the Gordon E. Inman Center and featured remarks concerning Internet security and safety by Deborah Tate, commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission.
Gov. Phil Bredesen was also in attendance and praised the initiative. “Connected Tennessee’s Computers 4 Kids program is impacting the lives of Tennessee children by placing technology in the hands of deserving young people who would not otherwise have this access,” said Bredesen.
According to its Web site, Connected Tennessee is a non-profit organization that develops and implements effective strategies for technology deployment, use and literacy in Tennessee. For more information, visit www.connectedtennessee.org.
Massey Launches Health Care Management Alliance
The Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business recently entered a national partnership with Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative (PRHI) and Nashville-based Healthcare Performance Partners (HPP) to offer a certificate program in Toyota Production System (TPS)/Lean-based healthcare process improvement. Courses will be offered on the Belmont University campus four times per year, and participants in the five-day course will utilize new facilities within Belmont’s College of Health Sciences. The first course is set for Nov. 10-14, 2008.
Lean Healthcare for Quality, Safety and Efficiency Certificate Program will include instruction by national health care management experts including Dr. David Munch, chief clinical and quality officer for Lutheran Exempla Medical Center and Charles Hagood, CEO of Healthcare Performance Partners. Each course is limited to 30 registrants, allowing for a decidedly hands-on learning approach within Belmont’s state-of-the-art health care training facilities. A portion of the training will involve use of health science simulation labs designed to mirror the realities of acute care “step down” units, as well as maternity and pediatric nursing units.
Arthritis Foundation Presents Plaque to Pharmacy, PT
On Thursday, members of the Nashville Arthritis Foundation visited Belmont to show their appreciation for the University’s support in the annual Arthritis Walk, which was held on campus in May. The School of Pharmacy and the School of Physical Therapy both had teams that participated in the walk, together raising more than $3,200. The Schools were presented with a plaque and two picture frames to display as a sign of a successful and growing partnership.
Pictured are (r-l) School of Pharmacy Dean Phil Johnston, 2008 Nashville Walk Honoree Ken Brisbane, Associate Professor in Physical Therapy Gail Bursch (Team Captain), Arthritis Foundation President and CEO Len Smith, College of Health Sciences Dean Jack Williams and Assistant Professor in Pharmacy Practice Julie Rafferty (Team Captain).
August Commencement to Be Held Friday
Belmont University will award a total of 203 degrees at its summer commencement Fri., Aug. 8 at 7:30 p.m. in the campus’ Curb Event Center. Eighty-five undergraduate, 86 master’s and 32 doctoral degrees will be conferred.
Janice Swann Hellman, a Belmont alumna and trustee, will give the invocation and welcome. Student Nathan Smith will offer his reflections on his experience at Belmont, and Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher will give the commencement address.
Belmont Named to Princeton Review’s 2009 List of Best Southeastern Colleges
Belmont University was recently selected as one of the best schools in the southeast, according to The Princeton Review’s 2009 Best Colleges: Region by Region section on its Web site. Belmont is among 139 schools in the region selected for this honor.
Nationally, 630 schools in different regions received this designation. “We commend these institutions for their excellent academics and we believe our choices offer applicants and their parents a wide range of fine schools to consider applying to,” said Robert Franek, publisher and editorial director at The Princeton Review.
For more information, visit www.princetonreview.com.
Jellisen Published in The Tennessean
Dr. Susan M. Jellissen, professor of political science, published an editorial in The Tennessean this week titled “Afghan distrust, Pakistan acts negate troop benefits.” Click here to read the full article.
Entsminger to Judge MTA Jingle Contest
Dr. Deen Entsminger, professor in the School of Music, will be serving as a judge the Music City Central jingle contest along with The Tennessean’s Beverly Keel, jazz musician Kirk Whalum, radio DJs Woody and Jim, and several others.The Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority’s brand-new Music City Central Transit Center will open its doors downtown in late October, and MTA wants to introduce it Nashville style, by putting it to music. Contest participants can enter an original, 60-second jingle in any genre about all of the reasons to choose public transportation. The winner will win a $1,500 cash prize courtesy of Balfour Beatty Construction as well as have the option of performing the jingle at the Grand Opening of Music City Central.
Tom Brokaw Announced as Moderator for 2008 Town Hall Presidential Debate
The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) announced today that Tom Brokaw, current host of “Meet the Press” and a special correspondent for NBC News, will moderate the 2008 Town Hall Presidential Debate at Belmont University on Tues., Oct. 7, 2008. The town hall format differs from the traditional debate format by allowing the invited participants to pose questions to the candidates. In addition, for the first time in the history of general election debates, the moderator can choose to use questions submitted via the Internet.
Belmont University President Dr. Bob Fisher said, “We are thrilled to host Tom Brokaw at Belmont University. His professionalism and political expertise are a hallmark of each presidential election season, and we are excited to have a journalist of his caliber on our campus for this historic event.”
The Gallup Organization will choose the audience participants in the town hall meeting from undecided voters from the Nashville, Tenn., standard metropolitan statistical area. While the participants will pose the questions, Brokaw will facilitate the discussion between the audience and the candidates.
The other moderators announced today for the 2008 general election presidential and vice presidential debates are PBS’s Jim Lehrer for the Sept. 26 debate at Ole Miss, PBS’s Gwen Ifill for the Oct. 2 vice presidential debate at Washington University in St. Louis, and CBS’s Bob Schieffer for the final presidential debate on Oct. 15 at Hofstra University in New York. Each debate will begin at 9 p.m. Eastern/8 p.m. Central and last for 90 minutes. The CPD 2008 Candidate Selection Criteria, announced on Nov. 21, 2007, will be the exclusive means of determining the candidates to be invited to participate in the debates.
Brokaw’s political coverage has been widespread throughout his 42-year career with NBC. He has interviewed every president since Lyndon Baines Johnson and has covered every presidential election since 1968. He was NBC’s White House correspondent from 1973-1976 in the midst of the Watergate scandal and anchored all of NBC’s political coverage from 1984-2004, including primaries, national conventions and election nights.
Brokaw stepped into the role as interim moderator of “Meet the Press” in June after the untimely death of his close friend, NBC News Washington Bureau Chief and long-time “Meet the Press” moderator Tim Russert. Brokaw will hold the position through the 2008 presidential election. In 2004, he stepped down after 21 years as the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News. He has produced 25 documentaries on subjects ranging from race, AIDS, the war on terror, Los Angeles gangs, Bill Gates, literacy, immigration and the evangelical movement. Brokaw has also written five bestselling books: The Greatest Generation, The Greatest Generation Speaks, An Album of Memories, A Long Way Home and Boom! Voices of the Sixties.
For more information about the 2008 Town Hall Presidential Debate at Belmont, please visit www.belmontdebate08.com.
About the 2008 Town Hall Presidential Debate
The 2008 Town Hall Presidential Debate at Belmont University is made possible through the generosity of our lead sponsors, Hospital Corporation of America, Jack C. Massey Foundation, The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County and the State of Tennessee. Additional support is provided by AT&T; Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell and Berkowitz; Bank of America; Bridgestone Americas; Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc.; Pat and George Bullard; Dell, Inc.; Dollar General Corporation; Earl Swensson Associates, Inc.; Enterprise Electric, LLC; Fifth Third Bank; First Tennessee Bank; The Frist Foundation; Gaylord Entertainment; Interior Design Services, Inc.; Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce; Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau; Nissan North America; Partnership for Chronic Disease; Purity Dairies, Inc.; Reliant Bank; Sherrard & Roe; The Tennessean; Walker, Tipps & Malone; Waller, Landsden, Dortch & Davis; and Zycron, Inc.
Volleyball Team Earns National Academic Honor
Belmont Volleyball has received the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the 2007-08 season. The award, which was initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors collegiate and high school volleyball teams that displayed excellence in the classroom during the school year by maintaining a minimum 3.3 cumulative grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale. Nine Belmont Volleyball team members earned Atlantic Sun Conference All-Academic honors this past year, largely contributing to the Bruin Athletic Department’s highest fall GPA since becoming an NCAA Division-I institution in 1996-97. Belmont’s overall team GPA ranked 23rd nationally. Click here for more on this story.
