Dr. Alison Moore, assistant professor in the Chemistry and Physics Department, was an invited speaker at the National Meeting of the ACS (American Chemical Society) that was held recently in Boston, Mass. Her presentation was about incorporating liberal arts into chemistry through the linked cohort course. Dr. Moore was also featured in an article in this week’s Chemical & Engineering News. The article summarizes the session in which Dr. Moore gave her presentation. The two photos that appear in the article are of Belmont students. To read the article, click here.
Curb College Partners with Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and Mike Curb Family Foundation to ‘Celebrate the Songwriter’
Three major Nashville organizations—Belmont University, the Mike Curb Family Foundation and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame—announced today an exciting new partnership focused on the foundation of the music industry: songwriting. Intended to create visibility and understanding of the songwriting craft, the partnership includes the establishment of a new songwriting major in Belmont’s Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business and a permanent location for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, both of which will be housed in historic 34 Music Square East on Music Row.
With a mantra to “Celebrate the Songwriter,” the event opened with Hall of Fame member Dolly Parton offering her thoughts. “When I first came to Nashville, all of us would just get in a huddle to try to write together, folks like me and Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson,” Parton said. “Most of us barely got through high school, much less college. Belmont has done a wonderful thing as a university and with the music program, and I think it’s great how they are embracing songwriting.”
The building at 34 Music Square East—which is the former home of the legendary Quonset Hut, Columbia Studio A, Columbia and Epic Records, and Sony Music Nashville—joins Ocean Way and RCA Studio B as yet another valuable Music Row extension of the Curb College. Mike Curb said, “Belmont students can now further enrich their education of this industry’s history in Nashville in the historic Columbia Records Building and the historic Quonset Hut Recording Studio, the first recording studio on Music Row where great artists such as Marty Robbins, Sonny James, Patsy Cline and Brenda Lee recorded numerous hit records.”
Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher, who tried to convince Parton to forego her “day job” to join the Curb College faculty, noted the immense opportunities the new partnership would offer. “It’s going to be a great learning environment for our students to come and learn and grow… [Though the students are young], like we saw with Josh Turner, they can turn their ideas into great songs.”
Deans’ Convo Focuses on Faith-Informed Academics
In a special convocation yesterday on Faith-Informed Academics, three Belmont Deans—Dr. Phil Johnston, Pharmacy; Dr. Kathy Baugher, Enrollment Services; and Dr. Jack Williams, Health Sciences and Nursing—shared a bit of their personal background and the lessons they learned as they approached their careers.
Speaking in a panel format to a full house at the Bunch Library Multimedia Hall, Dr. Johnston opened the session with his early memories of wanting to be a garbage man. Though he loved the sounds of the huge garbage trucks rumbling down his street, his career desires ultimately changed as a teenager when the longing for a car set him on an unexpected path. “At age 15, I decided to get a job, and at that time my choices were either working at a grocery store or the local drug store. That set my fate. I found out at the pharmacy what I needed to be—someone who would help people.”
Baugher, on the other hand, admits that her career only makes sense in hindsight. Growing up, she felt drawn to teaching and majored in elementary education before attending seminary, assuming her life would be spent in mission education. What she discovered, however, was that her personality was a better fit elsewhere. “What I didn’t know then was that I am a bossy girl, and we bossy girls like to take charge and get things done. I really didn’t need to be an elementary school teacher because I would kill somebody… Administration became interesting to me, though. I’ve learned a lot about pairing ministry and vocation. In admissions, I get to interact with young people and talk about God’s purpose in their life.”
Though Williams grew up in church, he discussed reaching a point in his 20s in which he struggled with what to think about Jesus. He acknowledged that he went into science to get something he could wrap his arms around, something that would offer answers he wasn’t finding in religion. But a significant turning point occurred for Williams following an accident in which he barely escaped death from a falling tree. “For the next three or four months after that, I had a connection with God that I still can’t explain. It opened up my eyes to the idea that not everything is rational. I started opening up my heart to other ways of listening besides just my head.”
Peer Audit Team to Assess Belmont’s ‘Green’ Status
As part of the ongoing Belmont Goes Green program, members of a peer-auditing committee will be on campus Sept. 25-27 to help assess and improve the university’s environmental efforts.
The Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA) launched an initiative with 30 of its member campuses to provide training and other resources to aid affiliated schools in their efforts to be good environmental stewards. An initial piece of the TICUA project was to create a formal relationship with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which led to the agreement for “peer-audits.” The peer-audit environmental component allows participating universities to voluntarily collaborate and help one another in assessing and improving their campuses. The two main objectives of this program are to identify non-compliant practices and to develop a culture to keep potential violations from re-occurring.
Belmont Goes Green was implemented at Belmont earlier this spring to encourage our community to create a more environmentally sustainable campus
Center for Entrepreneurship Brings Ephren Taylor to Campus
Ephren W. Taylor II, founder of Amoro Corporation, spoke Tuesday in the Maddox Grand Atrium as part of the Center for Entrepreneurship’s 2007 Moench Entrepreneurship Lecture Series.
At 24, Taylor is already recognized as one of America’s top young entrepreneurs and is the youngest African-American CEO of any publicly traded company. According to press materials, Taylor, who was described as “walking black history” by popular radio show host Tom Joyner, started his first business venture at age 12, when he began making videogames. By age 17, he built a multi-million dollar technology company: GoFerretGo.com.
Now at City Capital Corporation, Taylor oversees over $150 million in assets, serving a diverse client list ranging from Wall Street investors, top executives, professional athletes and even entertainment icons. He has an extensive background in startup firms and has helped start and fund seven companies, raising millions in investment capital.
Prior to his lecture last night, Belmont Vision interviewed Taylor. To read the full story, click here.
Webster Published in Pharmaceutical Journal
Dr. Andrew A. Webster, professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, started his first day in Belmont’s new School of Pharmacy with great news. His article “Isoniazid Release from Suppositories Compounded with Selected Bases” appeared in the Sept/Oct issue of International Journal of Pharmaceutical Compounding, which arrived Monday, Dr. Webster’s first day on campus. Written with collaborators from Samford University, the purpose of the study was to optimize the formulation of Isoniazid suppositories for use in the prevention of tuberculosis infections in infants.
Senior Participates in Chemical Sensor Research
Senior Chris Bowman participated this summer in “Research Experience for Undergraduates” (REU), a program supported through a National Science Foundation grant that takes place at over 50 different universities around the nation. Bowman, a senior majoring in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, worked for 10 weeks at the University of Cincinnati performing research on a way to improve chemical sensors, which are vital to detecting harmful agents in water. He will present the findings of his research at the National American Chemical Society Conference in New Orleans this spring before starting medical school in the fall.
Belmont Athletics Announces 2007 Hall of Fame Class
Belmont University Athletics announced Friday the names of its 2007 Belmont Athletic Hall of Fame induction class.
Al Allen (’96) was one of the most imposing and productive interior players in Belmont men’s basketball history. Despite playing just three seasons, Allen is one of only eight players in program history to score over 2,000 career points (2,030). Belmont went an astounding 95-20 during Allen’s career, including 37-2 in 1994-95. That season, Allen was named Second Team NAIA All-American and TCAC Co-Player of the Year as Belmont earned its first-ever No. 1 national ranking and a trip to the NAIA Final Four. His career field goal percentage of .669 is the highest in Bruin history, a mark that will likely stand the test of time.
Jaymie Moore Rankhorn (’98) will go down as one of the greatest volleyball players in Belmont history. An explosive yet versatile performer, Moore Rankhorn ranks first all-time in kills (1,622), hitting percentage (.325), aces (229) and digs (1,222). Her single season marks–562 kills in 1995 and .421 hitting percentage in 1994–have not been threatened since. Behind Moore Rankhorn’s play, Belmont won the TCAC regular season and tournament titles in 1995 before transitioning into NCAA Division-I play.
Daree Pilkinton Merritt (’91) was a four-time All-TCAC selection in women’s basketball. A multi-faceted player, Pilkinton Merritt’s name floods the Belmont record book. She ranks first in career steals (404), second in career assists (574) and third in career three-point field goals (222). Pilkinton Merritt also set the single season standard for steals with 135 in 1990. Moreover, she is one of just five Bruins ever to score over 1,500 career points, ranking fifth all-time (1,645). Belmont went 105-26 over her four-year career.
The three honorees will be formally inducted as part of a banquet on Thurs., Oct. 4 at 6:30 pm 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.
This story was also featured in Sunday’s Tennessean.
Steven Curtis Chapman Appears at Curb College/ASCAP Writers’ Night
Belmont University played host to Sparrow Records recording artist, Steven Curtis Chapman on Tuesday evening. Chapman was the guest writer at the Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business ASCAP Writers’ Night Series, a year-long series that gives singer/songwriters at Belmont an opportunity to perform original material in front of a live audience and professionals from the industry.
Steven Curtis Chapman attended Belmont and was part of the Belmont Reasons during his collegiate experience. From the stage, Chapman shared how fellow alumnus Phil Naish heard him perform during his tenure at Belmont, recognized his talent and subsequently produced his first four projects. Chapman was signed to Sparrow Records in the 1980s, after the success of his song “Built to Last.” He has since sold more than nine million records worldwide and has won more Gospel Music Association Dove awards than any artist in history, as well as five Grammy awards.
Parry Appointed Co-Chair of Interest Group
Pam Parry, associate professor of journalism and Public Relations Program Director, was elected in August as the Research Co-Chair of the Small Programs Interest Group within the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. As co- chair, she will help direct the scholarly paper competition and develop panels for the organization’s annual conference in 2008.
