A team of Belmont mathematics students earned an Honorable Mention in this year’s Mathematical Contest in Modeling. This year’s contest ran from Feb. 14-18. During that time, teams of up to three undergraduate or high school students researched, modeled and submitted a solution to one of two modeling problems. In this international competition, mathematics majors Nikki Finuf, Matt Perry and Amy Valentine had three days to model the effects on the Florida coastline of the melting of the polar ice cap and to evaluate various prevention and remediation measures. Their Honorable Mention designation places them in the top 55 percent of the 1,162 competing teams representing institutions from 14 countries. The students will be presenting their model and results at BURS this year.
Belmont to Hold Seventh Annual Nashville Arthritis Walk
The Tennessee Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation will for the first time this year hold its annual Nashville Arthritis Walk on the Belmont University campus. The event, which supports public awareness and raises funds to fight the nation’s leading cause of disability, is May 4 at 2 p.m., rain or shine. Check in for the event begins at 1 p.m.
The Arthritis Walk is the nationwide signature event of the Arthritis Foundation. Currently held in 14 communities in Tennessee and 400 across the country, the Arthritis Walk is the fastest growing walk event in the nation. In Tennessee alone, 1.3 million adults suffer from arthritis and approximately 6,000 Tennessee children are affected. Arthritis is the third leading cause of work limitation in the nation and is a more frequent cause of activity limitation than heart disease, cancer or diabetes.
“Belmont is excited to welcome the Arthritis Walk to our campus,” said Dr. Jack Williams, Dean of the Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences and Nursing. “We are glad our students will have the opportunity to learn from this notable health organization that does so much to educate and raise awareness of this widespread and debilitating disease.”
Len Smith, president/CEO for the Tennessee Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation, said, “We are thrilled to be teaming with Belmont University for our 7th annual Nashville Arthritis Walk. They have been very supportive in all efforts surrounding the event and offer an outstanding campus as site for the Walk.”
CEMB to Host Fourth Annual Leadership Music Digital Summit
The Nashville Chamber of Commerce has joined forces with Leadership Music this year to present the fourth annual Digital Summit, hosted by the Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business, on Tues., April 22 in Belmont’s Curb Event Center. In just three years, LDMS has proven to be a valuable event for both the entertainment community and city of Nashville by becoming one of Tennessee’s largest music-related summits. With an increase from 400 attendees in 2005 to more than 600 in 2007, the growth of the conference has challenged the volunteer and staff resources of Leadership Music. A partnership with the Chamber will allow for its continued improvement and reach and help strengthen relationships within the technology sector. Leadership Music alumni and industry volunteers with expertise in music technology create the programming, with the Chamber focusing on marketing, logistics and accommodating the event’s technology industry speakers and sponsors.
Pharmacy Faculty Participate in Practice and Research Forum
Dr. Cathy Turner and Dr. Julie Rafferty, assistant professors of Pharmacy, attended the American College of Clinical Pharmacy’s Spring Practice and Research Forum in Phoenix, Ariz. (April 5-9) as part of their preparation to achieve Board Certified Pharmacy Specialist (BCPS) status. They will sit for the BCPS exam in October 2008. In addition, Dr. Eric Hobson, professor of Pharmacy Practice, was a featured speaker at the forum where he served as lead faculty in the ACCP Academy Teaching and Learning Certificate Program. He presented two workshops: “Implementing Teaching and Learning Strategies” and “Classroom/Clerkship Assessment Techniques: Monitoring the Pulse of Student Learning.”
Hare Receives National Academic Honor
Belmont University senior Justin Hare (Cleveland, Tenn.) received yet another prestigious national honor recently, as he was named 2008 Scholar Athlete of the Year by the Division I-AAA Athletic Directors Association. This is the latest award in a long and distinguished career for Hare. Last week, the 6-2 guard was named Mid-Major Most Valuable Player by CollegeInsider.com. A month prior, Hare was named First Team Academic All-American – becoming the third Bruin to earn multiple Academic All-America honors.
Hare is a two-time Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament MVP, a two-time First Team All-Atlantic Sun Conference player and led Belmont to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Hare is one of just 12 student-athletes in NCAA Division-I men’s basketball to be recognized. Moreover, Hare is one of just two honorees to have played in this year’s NCAA Tournament, joining Travis Lay of American University. The Cleveland, Tenn. native sports a 3.87 GPA in his major of exercise science and health promotion. He plans to attend medical school upon graduation.
Beckmann Encourages Students to Connect Faith to Business
A Lutheran minister with a master’s degree from the London School of Economics, Rev. David Beckmann spoke on campus twice this past week, offering perspective on business and the poor as well as his life as a “missionary economist.” Beckmann will appear Fri., April 11 as a guest on “Bill Moyers Journal,” a weekly PBS program, to discuss how the 2002 U.S. Farm Bill impacts low-income families and poor farmers.
Rev. Beckmann, whose visit to Belmont was sponsored by the Office of Spiritual Development and the Center for Business Ethics, served for several years on the board of Bread for the World before becoming president of the organization in 1991. Bread for the World is a grass-roots, Christian citizens’ movement against hunger. Its 56,000 members and member churches urge the U.S. government to take actions to reduce hunger, both domestic and international. Rev. Beckmann is also president of Bread for the World Institute, which does research and education on hunger.
In Wednesday’s convocation lecture for students, Beckmann encouraged them to connect their faith and ethics to their future professions, whatever they might be. “You can go into business with a purpose, a moral purpose… If we think God is concerned about justice and poverty, then we need to weigh in on those issues.”
Jones Provides Keynote for ‘Belmont and Beyond’ Finale
Patrick Jones, MBA, and executive vice president and executive producer of Journey Productions, gave an inspirational talk to students in MPAC Thursday. Jones shared his personal journey with students and talked about how he found the “heart ” of his career when he produced the award-winning film, The Journey. The film follows four young adults as they search for the meaning of life.
Jones also reflected on his meetings with Mrs. Coretta Scott King and other famous political figures. He encouraged students to listen to themselves, make inspired choices and go where their hearts lead them. The “Belmont and Beyond” series, sponsored by Career Services, is offered as co-curricular programming that is designed specifically to assist students transitioning to life after Belmont.
Lind Awarded Research Grant
Dr. Joan Lind, an assistant professor of mathematics, has been teaching a topics course this semester devoted to an undergraduate research project in mathematics. Seven students have participated in this experience, and they presented their research at the regional Mathematical Association of America conference last month. Dr. Lind was recently awarded a grant from the Center for Undergraduate Research in Mathematics (CURM) at Brigham Young University (BYU). CURM is funded by BYU and a grant from the National Science Foundation. This grant will enable Dr. Lind to continue the undergraduate research project with her students. The CURM mini-grant awards the faculty member $5,000 for a course release. Also, two students, Sarah Claiborne and Cat Simpson, will each receive $2,000 for their year’s work.
Physics Students Celebrate Pi Day
Pi Day (π) was celebrated on March 14 by the Society of Physics Students (SPS) club with a fundraiser “πi a Professor.” SPS has a new chapter on the Belmont campus, and the students are helping raise money for this club. In the photo, Dr. Scott Hawley, the club’s faculty advisor, is in the center of the photo surrounded by Physics students.
Debate Team Hauls in Numerous Awards
The Belmont Debate team has nearly finished its 2007-2008 season, and with one national tournament left to attend, the season has been filled with awards. Most recently, the debate program was ranked 36th in the nation out of the 245 ranked teams, and in early March Belmont hosted the National Christian College Forensics Invitational (the national speech/debate tournament for Christian colleges). Specific awards from this tournament included:
DEBATE
George Shifflett/Renee Reyle: 2nd place overall debate team
Sarah Friederich: 6th place overall open debate speaker
Price Rainer: 14th overall open debate speaker
Wesley Rainer: 1st place overall speaker JV debate division
Caroline Tenenbaum: 11th place overall speaker JV debate division
INDIVIDUAL EVENTS
Impromptu Speaking: Tabitha Metcalf (semi-finalist), Melanie Bengtson (4th place)
Faith Literature: Tabitha Metcalf (5th place)
Novice Faith Literature: Kelli Mehlhaf (5th place)
Extemporaneous Speaking: Price Rainer (2nd place), Melanie Bengtson (1st place)
Novice Extemporaneous Speaking: Wesley Rainer (5th place), Caroline Tenenbaum (4th place)
Persuasive Speaking: George Shifflett (2nd place)
Dramatic Interpretation: George Shifflett (3rd place)
