More than 100 students packed the Lila D. Bunch Library Multimedia Hall to listen to veteran broadcaster, Rudy Kalis, the sports director at WSMV, the NBC affiliate in Nashville.
When Kalis was 5 years old, he and his family emigrated with his family from Germany. He couldn’t speak any English when they moved to Wisconsin. He didn’t do well in high school, ranking in the lower fourth of his class. He fared even worse in college, earning a 0.94 grade point average. In his own words, up until that point, he spent most of his life “trying to beat the system.”
It took a stint in the US military to change his life.
“When bullets are flying, you don’t find an atheist in a foxhole, ” Kalis said.
After serving four years, he was admitted to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Kalis told the students, “sit in the front of the class, you’ll hear more. Take notes, you will actually remember more.” He was so driven, he finished four years of college in three years. He majored in broadcast production and landed his first job in Green Bay,Wis., working as an associate producer for television news. That was in 1973 and his salary was $8,000. When the sports reporter quit, Kalis went on air. Consultants for the station told Kalis that he would never make it in sports.
In July of 1974, WSMV in Nashville hired him as a sports reporter. Early on in his career, he was passed over when the sports director position was available. During that same period, he met a man at a restaurant who encouraged Kalis to give his life to Christ. Kalis followed the man’s advice.
In the end, Kalis wanted the students to know that his steps were ordered. He believes God has a plan for everyone and that his life is an example of a greater power at work. With age comes wisdom and Kalis, who will turn 60 this year, seems to have blended his time and experience well.
“Who you are, you bring wherever you are,” said Kalis.
Rudy Kalis Speaks to Belmont Students About Faith in the Workplace
Speech & Debate Team Results At National Christian College Forensics Invitational
The Belmont University Speech & Debate Team competed March 2-4 in the National Christian College Forensics Inivitational (NCCFI) tournament in Riverside, Calif.
Belmont’s results included:
Parliamentary Debate Awards:
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Meghan Gwaltney & Melissa Gradel: JV Debate Semi-finalists
Renee Reyle (with partner from California Baptist): JV Quarter-
finalists
Meghan Gwaltney: 7th place overall JV debater
Renee Reyle: 1st place overall JV debater
Melanie Bengtson: 6th place overall varsity debater
Team: 1st place in Division II.
Individual Event Awards:
Novice Informative: Meghan Gwaltney-1st
Varsity Informative: Melanie Bengtson-6th
Novice Impromptu: Meghan Gwaltney-4th
Varsity Impromptu: Tabitha Metcalf-Semi-finalist, Cortni Woodard-6th
Novice Duo: Brock Parman/Anwesa Chakrabarti-3rd, Brock Parman/Meghan
Gwaltney-5th
Novice Persuasion: Melissa Gradel-3rd
Novice Poetry: Anwesa Chakrabarti-2nd
Novice ADS: Brock Parman-6th
Novice Extemporaneous Speaking: Melanie Bengtson-6th
Novice Communication Analysis: Melissa Gradel-5th, Anwesa Chakrabarti-
4th,
Meghan Gwaltney-1st
Varsity Communication Analysis: Meghan Gwaltney-3rd
Novice Programmed Oral Interpretation: Brock Parman-1st
Reader’s Theater: Brock Parman/Cory Carter/Tabitha Metcalf/Anwesa
Chakrabarti-1st
Individual Sweepstakes Awards:
– Novice: Anwesa Chakrabarti-3rd
– Novice: Brock Parman-2nd
– Novice: Meghan Gwaltney-1st
– Open: Tabitha Metcalf-9th
Team: 2nd place overall
Team Debate & Individual Events Combined: 3rd place overall
Student Takes First Place in SEA Conference
Music Business major Bryan Vaughan recently attended the 2007 Self-Employment in the Arts Conference in Naperville, Ill., after being selected as one of the three finalists in the scholarship competition. Bryan gave a five minute “elevator pitch” of his business, Paper Garden Records, to a number of judges and fellow students, resulting in a first place finish and a $1,000 prize.
Cornwall, Entrepreneurship In the News
Dr. Jeff Cornwall, director of Belmont University’s Center for Entrepreneurship and author of the popular weblog “The Entrepreneurial Mind”, has begun writing a regular column for The Tennessean, Nashville’s daily newspaper. Cornwall’s column focuses on issues facing new buisness owners and would-be owners. Click here to read Cornwall’s inaugural column that ran Sunday.
The Center For Entrepreneurship was recently featured in an article in the Wall Street Journal. The article addressed the growing number of entrepreneurship programs in colleges and universities nationwide. Cornwall was quoted in the story and Belmont’s “hatchery” program was highlighted for its innovative approach to teaching and supporting young entrepreneurs. Click here to read the article.
Tennessee First Lady Delivers Women’s History Month Keynote Address
Andrea Conte, First Lady of Tennessee, spoke at Belmont University this morning, delivering the keynote address of Belmont’s Women’s History Month activities. Wife of Tennessee governor Phil Bredesen, Conte spoke on her work restoring and preserving the Tennesee Residence.
The Tennessee Residence was built in 1931 and became the third governor’s mansion in 1949. Eight former governors have called the mansion home. Guests to the mansion include Billy Graham, Elvis Presley, Minnie Pearl, Johnny and June Carter Cash and presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.
The Restoration and Preservation of Tennessee’s Residence project was spearheaded by First Lady Conte in 2003 and is the first restoration project since the home was built more than 70 years ago. It is her goal to restore the Tennessee Residence’s architectural features and provide contemporary updates while preserving the historic integrity of the house and property.
Upcoming events in conjunction with Women’s History Month include:
Patricia Yancey Martin, “Social Justice and Rape Work: Has Feminism Failed Rape Victims?” – Monday, March 6, 10 a.m., Multimedia Hall, Lila D. Bunch Library
Reverend Gloria White-Hammond, National Chair, Million Voices for Darfur – Wednesday, March 28, 10 a.m., Boardroom, Jack C. Massey Business Center
Belmont Upperclassmen Lead Sessions and Present Research at Alpha Chi National Convention in San Antonio
Pictured at right: Stephen Valenta, Catherine Johnson, Michelle Anderson, Mary Hooker and Joshua Ingram at the Alamo in San Antonio
Last weekend six students from Belmont University (Lindsey Winger, Mary Hooker, Stephen Valenta, Joshua Ingram, Michelle Anderson and Catherine Johnson) presented their research at the Alpha Chi National Honor Scholarship Society in San Antonio. Membership in Alpha Chi is the highest academic honor awarded by Belmont University. Its members are invited based on their academic standing in the top 10 percent of the junior and senior classes within any academic major. Belmont has had an active chapter of Alpha Chi for over 25 years. Dr. Bonnie Smith (English) is the current Sponsor, and Dr. Jonathan Thorndike (Honors) is the assistant sponsor and Region III Secretary-Treasurer.
At the conference, Winger moderated a session on performing arts. Winger recently finished a two-year term as Region III student representative. Region III includes Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi and Washington, D.C. Winger was responsible for presenting awards at the banquet, communicating with other students in the region and attending meetings of the National Council.
Hooker made a musical presentation titled “Life of a Dreamer,” and Stephen Valenta discussed his research in a session titled “International Music Business.” In the Communication Session, Michelle Anderson discussed “Acing the Interview” and Catherine Johnson talked about her graphic design experience in “The Importance of Design in Communication.” In the Performing Arts session, Joshua Ingram made a presentation on the challenges of “Creating Music in Nashville.”
“We felt honored and blessed to be in San Antonio at the Alpha Chi convention representing Belmont University,” Hooker said. “It was so much fun to be surrounded by other students who were so interested in learning. When I attended a workshop regarding academic integrity, I was surprised and delighted to see fellow students so truly adamant about integrity and creating a lively discussion.”
Stephen Valenta added that “attending the convention allowed me to see how students from colleges and universities around the nation were getting involved on campus through Alpha Chi. This convention inspired me to help make Belmont’s chapter more active.”
At the convention, Dr. Thorndike received the Distinguished Service Award based on “outstanding contributions to the goals of Alpha Chi: promoting scholarship and service at the local, regional and national levels” for the past nine years.
Second Fiddle Emerges As ‘Idol’ Contender
The Tennessean reported Tuesday on Melinda Doolittle (’99), an early favorite on the current season of the No. 1 television show, “American Idol”. The Tennessean article states:
Doolittle, who lives in Brentwood, is one of the strongest contestants on this season’s Idol, and many believe she will make the Top 3 along with Lakisha Jones and Jordin Sparks, the Arizona teen who sang with Michael W. Smith on two Christmas tours. She has worked as a background singer in Nashville since graduating from Belmont University in 1999, performing with the likes of Anointed and Martha Munizzi.
After years of being in the background, she appears ready to take center stage.
Click here to read the article in its entirety.
Doolittle will perform with the top 11 finalists tonight at 7 p.m. on FOX (Channel 6 locally). Voting will begin immediately following the show at 9 p.m. tonight. If you would like to vote for Melinda, visit http://alumni.belmont.edu or call (615) 460-6723 for her voting numbers.
Bruins Fall To Georgetown In NCAA Tournament
Belmont Basketball had a Cinderella slipper fit and ready for wear at the ‘Big Dance.’ But after riding a sizzling, three-point bonanza to its second consecutive Atlantic Sun Championship, the Bruins’ clock struck midnight. Icy long range shooting and a talented, disciplined foe spelled an 80-55 defeat at the hands of second-seeded Georgetown in the first round of the 2007 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Belmont got off to an encouraging start, as sophomore point guard Henry Harris (Nashville, Tenn.) flew in for a tip-in basket off a missed three-pointer from sophomore Andy Wicke (Hendersonville, Tenn.) for the game’s first points one minute in.
After two free throws from Georgetown’s 7-2 center Roy Hibbert, the Bruins answered with two free throws from senior Andrew Preston (Winchester, Ky.) and a gorgeous hesitation dribble drive basket in transition from Harris for a 6-2 lead two and a half minutes in.
A backdoor slam from Dajuan Summers cut the lead in half, but a banked three-pointer from sophomore Matthew Dotson (Centerville, Tenn.) extended the Bruin edge to five, 9-4, with 16:26 in the half. Belmont, after playing almost exclusively halfcourt man-to-man defense this season, threw a wrinkle at the Big East Champion Hoyas with a variety of zone defenses.
Georgetown struggled early to find an offensive rhythm against the Bruin defense, and after a bank shot from senior Boomer Herndon (Nashville, Tenn.) dropped, Belmont had an 11-4 lead less than five minutes in. The stout Belmont following, as well as the vast majority of Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum fans were cheering on the Atlantic Sun Champions.
But the Hoya defense stiffened and Georgetown went on a systematic 11-0 run over the next five plus minutes to take the lead. Big East Player of the Year Jeff Green scored eight of the points as Georgetown went ahead 15-11. A free throw from sophomore Will Peeples (Little Rock, Ark.) ended the scoring drought, before Jessie Sapp and reserve Tyler Crawford knocked down two straight three-pointers to give the Hoyas a 21-12 advantage.
Junior Justin Hare (Cleveland, Tenn.) got on the board moments later with a triple off a nice feed from Preston, but three more Georgetown treys – five straight Hoya baskets were from long distance at one juncture late in the half – followed as the lead swelled to 12, 30-18.
Preston’s diligence down low did draw a second foul on Hibbert, who had been controlling the paint. A baseline three-pointer from Harris and consecutive putbacks from Dotson and sophomore Shane Dansby (Pegram, Tenn.) sliced the margin to seven, 32-25, with 3:14 in the half. The Bruins proceeded to have four possessions to cut further into the deficit, but were unable to do so.
Georgetown scored the final six points of the half – a Summers three-point play and a Jonathan Wallace three-pointer – to go to the locker room up 13, 38-25.
Belmont had its chances in the opening 20 minutes – but 4-for-9 free throw shooting and a 21-10 rebounding hole inhibited the cause.
Preston opened the second half in fine fashion with a baseline reverse past Hibbert to cut the margin to 11, 38-27. But the BU center picked up his third foul moments later and was forced to the Belmont bench. Georgetown proceeded to score the next eight points, four each from its two frontcourt stars Hibbert and Green to push the score to 46-27, with 17:30 left.
Preston was reinserted, and he scored again on a nice post move, but another Jessie Sapp three-pointer upped the Hoya lead to 20, 49-29, nearly five minutes into the second half. Sapp – who was 2-for-27 from three-point range in Georgetown’s previous seven games – found his touch, making four of his six long range attempts.
Hibbert, whose immense size kept possessions alive and clogged the Belmont lane, scored twice more in close to make it 53-30 with under 12 minutes to go.
After torching the nets in the Atlantic Sun Championship to the tune of 12 first half three-point field goals, BU was simply unable to order an encore performance. Wicke, in particular, so integral to Belmont’s success and the Atlantic Sun leader in three-point shooting at 46 percent, had an usually rough shooting night. The gutsy sophomore missed his first eight three-point attempts before sinking a long triple in front of the Bruin bench to make the score 64-41 with just over four minutes remaining.
Hare followed with a left wing three-pointer and Preston added a lefty hook to trim the margin to 20, 66-46, with 3:27 remaining. The Bruins fought hard irrespective of the score, getting several second and third shot opportunities. Belmont earned the respect of its opposition and the knowledgeable basketball fans of North Carolina.
But the overall size and versatility of Georgetown was the difference. Bruin fan favorite Andrew House (Nashville, Tenn.) scored in the final minute as every active player on the two teams saw action.
Belmont shot 36 percent from the floor – including 6-for-26 from three-point territory. Preston acquitted himself well in his final collegiate game, scoring a team-high 14 points on 5-for-8 shooting. Hare added 10 points.
The Bruins also outrebounded Georgetown in the second half, 20-18.
Sapp scored a career-high 20 points for the Hoyas. Green scored 15, and Hibbert chipped in 10 points and 13 rebounds.
Belmont finishes the season 23-10.
Pi Day Celebration
The Department of Mathematics and Computer Science celebrated Pi Day (3.14) on March 14 with a potluck assortment of dessert pies, quiches, huge cookies and a large edible MAACM logo, made from two pizzas. MAACM is the combined student organization for mathematics (MAA) and computer science (ACM).
Belmont, Beaman Student Life Center Featured on NIRSA Web Site
The Beaman Student Life Center at Belmont University celebrated National Recreational Sports and Fitness Day on February 21 with a full slate of events throughout the day for students, faculty and staff to promote health and wellness. The event is featured on the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association Web site here.
