For the seventh consecutive year, Belmont University Office of Student Affairs and Office of Communications’ graphic design team were recognized by the National Orientation Directors Association for three outstanding publication awards: Outstanding General Handbook for the Summer Orientation Schedule Booklet; Outstanding Publication for Family Members for the Parent & Family Calendar; and Outstanding Welcome Week Publicity for the Guide to Welcome Week, the New Student Involvement Poster, the New Student Programs Brochure and Lanyards. The award and the publications will be on display at NODAC’s annual conference in Dallas next weekend
Peacemakers Peggy and Art Gish Discuss Alternatives to War
While many people hope they would have the courage to die for what they believed, few individuals ever have that theory tested. But Peggy and Art Gish, leaders of Christian Peacemaker Teams who spoke on campus Wednesday morning, know exactly how it feels to put their lives on the line for the cause of peace.
Arising from a call in 1984 for Christians to devote the same discipline and self-sacrifice to nonviolent peacemaking that armies devote to war, Christian Peacemaker Teams today work alongside the oppressed in hotspots all over the world. Peggy, who has served multiple missions in Iraq since 2002, survived being kidnapped earlier this year and hopes to return to minister in Northern Iraq in the next few weeks. She is the author of Iraq: A Journey of Hope and Peace. Art, who works in Israel/Palestine, has written several books, including Hebron Journal: Stories of Nonviolent Peacemaking, which tells of the turmoil and suffering of the Palestinian people, the agony experienced by Israelis, and a vision of hope and new possibilities of reconciliation between Jews, Muslims and Christians.
During the morning convocation in Neely, both Art and Peggy Gish directed their comments to the Christian response to evil and violence. “We’re supposed to be glad and rejoice because so many of our enemies were killed,” said Art. “As a Christian, I find that repulsive… Over one million Iraqi people have died in response to 3,000 being killed in 9/11. Isn’t there a better way? Yes. The way of Jesus.” Peggy added, “The way of Jesus means being open and vulnerable, not assuming that anyone is our enemy.”
The Gishes noted that part of CPT’s most powerful impact comes from what they term as the “Grandmother effect,” the idea that their teams take on the role of a loving relative for the community and their presence alone tends to prevent fighting and injustice. Art said, “In a situation where they know they’re being watched and that what we see will be reported, it reduces violence.”
CPT embraces the vision of unarmed intervention waged by committed peacemakers who attempt to transform lethal conflict through the nonviolent power of God’s truth and love. Initiated by Mennonites, Brethren and Quakers with broad ecumenical participation, CPT’s ministry of Biblically-based and spiritually-centered peacemaking emphasizes creative public witness, nonviolent direct action and protection of human rights.
Alumni to Appear on ‘Next Great American Band’
Denver and the Mile High Orchestra (DMHO), a local band comprised of numerous Belmont graduates, traveled to Los Angeles this week for the debut airing of new series “Next Great American Band.” A sister show from the producers of “American Idol,” “Next Great American Band” premieres this Friday night at 7 p.m. Central on Fox.
The first episode, a two-hour program showing auditions and action behind the scenes, is expected to feature DMHO. Singer/songwriter John Rzeznik (The Goo Goo Dolls), percussionist and performer Sheila E. and Australian TV personality Ian Dickson will serve as judges for “Next Great American Band” while Dominic Bowden (“New Zealand Idol”) hosts the series. The actual viewer-voted competition will begin Oct. 26 after the judges announce the 10 semi-finalists.
Belmont alumni in DMHO include Denver Bierman (leader/singer/trumpet); Jared Ribble (drums); Chris Gregg (alto and soprano sax); Mike Kemp (tenor and bari sax); Jeff Pardo (keys); Justin Carpenter (trombone); Paul Shearer (guitar) and Tony Marvelli (bass). Gregg is the son of Belmont School of Music’s Graduate Studies Director Rob Gregg and Admissions Director Sharon Gregg.
Formed at Belmont in 1999, DMHO consists of three trumpet players, three saxophone players, two trombone players and a rhythm section. In the eight years since its inception, the group has traveled around the globe, performing at churches, conferences, festivals—even at the Olympics—taking their electrifying horn-driven sound to the masses.
Former Bruin Signs With Pro Team in Japan
Former men’s basketball player Andrew Preston (Winchester, Ky.) has signed a professional contract with Niigata Albirex of Basketball Japan League. Preston, who just three weeks ago was selected by the expansion East Kentucky Miners of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) in its college draft, generated significant interest late in the summer from teams in Portugal, China and Germany, among others.
Preston, a three-year starter and integral cog on Bruin NCAA Tournament teams in 2006 and 2007, developed into one of the most dependable post players of Belmont’s NCAA era. Named to the 2007 Atlantic Sun All-Tournament team behind his 18 point-10 rebound performance in the championship game victory at ETSU, Preston is the program’s NCAA era career leader in blocked shots (123) and ranks fourth in career field goal percentage (.534). Preston earned Academic All-Conference honors in 2006, and graduated this past May with a degree in accounting.
Bird Wins 2007 President’s Award for Collegiate Journalism
Chansin Bird, a junior biblical studies major and journalism minor, was given the 2007 President’s Award for Collegiate Journalism Oct.13 at the Baptist Press Collegiate Journalism Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. The annual award included a $1,000 scholarship.
The president of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee gives the national award to the person who demonstrates “sustained excellence as a student journalist,” according to the Baptist Press Web site. To enter the competition, Bird submitted a portfolio of 10 articles, including work she had published in The Washington Post, USA Today and the Fort Worth Star Telegram, as well as the Belmont student newspaper. Bird (pictured above with Terry Mattingly, director of the Washington Journalism Center in D.C. and Scripps-Howard religion columnist) was able to write such high-profile clips because she attended one semester at the Washington Journalism Center, where she was an intern for Religion News Services, a national wire service that covers religion news.
Bird also took first place honors for news writing in the individual newspaper awards competition for an article published in the Belmont Vision.
Junior Chosen Miss Hamilton County 2008
Junior public relations and music business major Kaley Schwab was chosen Miss Hamilton County 2008 in a competition this past weekend. Schwab also won the overall interview award. She will represent the area at the 2008 Miss Tennessee Pageant to be held in Jackson next June. For more on this story, click here.
Officially Licensed Belmont Gear Now Available
The first installment in a new line of officially licensed Belmont Bruins athletic gear is now available in local stores. The official Belmont sideline hat–‘The Z Hat’ from leading headwear manufacturer Zephyr–is in stock at Lids within Opry Mills shopping center. Opry Mills is located at 391 Opry Mills Drive in Nashville.
“This product launch is an exciting beginning to our new line of officially licensed Belmont Bruins’ merchandise,” Belmont Director of Athletics Mike Strickland said. “On the heels of two consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances in men’s basketball, and continued success across the board for Belmont Athletics, this venture is another step forward to meet growing interest and demand in our program.”
Future product lines are expected in coming weeks at Lids and Champs Sports stores, among others, in middle Tennessee. Belmont is client of Strategic Marketing Affiliates (SMA), an Indianapolis, Ind. based company which represents dozens of NCAA member institutions in licensing initiatives.
For more information, visit www.belmont.edu/athletics.
Governor Appoints Voight to Serve on Licensing Board
Governor Phil Bredesen appointed Dr. Michael Voight, Professor in the School of Physical Therapy, to a three-year term on the Tennessee Board of Physical Therapy, the physical therapy licensing board for the state of Tennessee. Voight was also a guest lecturer at the 2nd Annual University of Colorado Sports Medicine Conference held in Boulder, Colo., on Sept. 14. More than 300 doctors, physical therapists and athletic trainers attended the event. Voight was the only physical therapist on the faculty and spoke on various rehabilitation topics following surgical presentations.
Melinda Doolittle to Host 2007 ‘Christmas at Belmont’
In a media gathering Thursday morning on the fourth floor of Belmont’s Inman Center, College of Visual and Performing Arts Dean Cynthia Curtis and alumna Melinda Doolittle (’99) jointly announced that Melinda will host the 2007 “Christmas at Belmont” concert, which will be taped live next month. The special will air nationally on PBS Mon., Dec. 24, at 10 p.m. EST after its local premiere on Nashville Public Television (NPT) Thurs., Dec. 20, at 8 p.m. CST. Doolittle was a top finalist on the sixth season of “American Idol,” where she won the hearts and votes of millions of Americans and gathered legions of devoted fans.
Reflecting on her time as a Belmont student, Doolittle said, “I have a lot of wonderful memories from performing at Belmont. I was a part of Belmont Pops, University Chorus, Jazzmin, and Chadasha so I’ve been performing here for the longest time, even at the Commercial Music showcase. I’m really, really excited to be coming back for ‘Christmas at Belmont,’ to be given another chance to perform and also to host.”
Belmont President Bob Fisher said, “We have a world-class School of Music, and we are delighted that we can bring our students and faculty to national prominence. We are thrilled to welcome Melinda Doolittle back home to Belmont and are grateful to her for hosting ‘Christmas at Belmont’ and providing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our School of Music students to perform with such a talented singer and inspiration. We’re pleased to be partnering again with NPT to produce this signature holiday event for a national and local audience.”
“Christmas at Belmont,” a production of NPT with funding from the Beaman Family Foundation and the Jack C. Massey Foundation, will be broadcast this year for the first time from the illustrious Schermerhorn Symphony Center, adding to the grandeur of the signature holiday event in Music City. The concert features a collage of familiar carols, classical masterworks, world music and light-hearted seasonal favorites. More than 400 student voices join with School of Music faculty and the Nashville Children’s Choir to present the annual holiday production.
Dean Curtis noted, “We are just incredibly pleased and excited to have Melinda hosting our ‘Christmas at Belmont’ this year. For those of us around Belmont who’ve known Melinda since she was a freshman, she has always been a complete pleasure to work with. What we saw as she participated in the ‘American Idol’ process is really who she is: she’s very humble and yet very talented as a musician and performer.”
Princeton Review Honors Massey in Best Business Schools Book
The Princeton Review—known for its college rankings based on how students rate their schools—recently released its 2008 edition of the annual business school guidebook, with Belmont University’s Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business being listed as one of the “Best 290 Business Schools” among AACSB-accredited MBA programs world-wide.
Dr. Pat Raines, Dean and Professor of Economics in the Massey Graduate School of Business, said, “It is an honor for the Massey School to be selected for the third consecutive year to the Best Business Schools edition of the Princeton Review. The Princeton Review is a leading reference for students considering graduate business programs. Comments in the student surveys indicate that we are true to our mission of delivering an evening graduate business program that is rigorous and practical and is meeting the needs of working students. I am particularly proud of the students comments about the Massey faculty whom students say are accessible, challenging and bring their real world experience to the classroom.”
Belmont students also noted that all of the business professors “were top executives at one point in their careers” and are “good, knowledgeable people who have a desire to teach.”
The Princeton Review compiled the lists based on its surveys of 19,000 students attending the 290 business schools and on school-reported data. Said Robert Franek, VP / Publisher, Princeton Review, “We compile our ranking lists in multiple categories based on what students report to us about their schools to help applicants decide which of these academically outstanding schools is best for them.”
To view the Princeton Review profile of the Massey school, click here.
