The Tennessean ran a story in Saturday’s paper about Belmont and other area colleges and universities making efforts to decrease the nursing shortage in Tennessee. Click here to read the article.
Belmont’s Business Schools Boasts Four Top Honors
This fall, Belmont University’s College of Business Administration has earned four major honors, establishing the school as a definitive leader among academic business programs. In September, Belmont’s Dr. Jane Finley was one of only two women in the Southeast, and one of 40 nationally, to be named Deloitte & Touche’s Professor in Accounting. In October, Belmont’s Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business was selected as one of the best in the world by the Princeton Review, (in its 2007 edition of the Best 282 Business Schools); while Belmont undergraduate finance students the same month swept a stock-trading double-header at Fifth Third Bank’s Stock Market Challenge. To top it off, Belmont’s MBA program was also voted best in Nashville in 2006 over Vanderbilt University and others by Nashville Scene readers.
“The school has a commitment not only to the development of business knowledge but also to the development of a business mentality and the nonacademic skills required for career success,” quotes a Belmont student in the Princeton Review, a New York-based education services company known for its college rankings based on how students rate their schools. That commitment is evidenced by the fact that Belmont professors, both in the graduate and undergraduate programs, go beyond the classroom in their efforts to create an ideal learning environment for their students, says Dr. Pat Raines, dean of Belmont’s College of Business Administration.
Deloitte & Touche Funds Professorship in Accounting – Finley Honored
“Case in point is Dr. Jane Finley,” Raines says. “As the inaugural Deloitte & Touche Professor in Accounting at Belmont University, she has been instrumental in two significant areas: increasing the value of our graduates’ diplomas and leading our master’s of accountancy (MACC) program to becoming the second largest in the state, right behind the University of Tennessee. She brings extraordinary strengths to our accounting program through her extensive professional experience and achievement in the field.”
Finley led the efforts at Belmont to gain accreditation for the university’s MACC program through The Association to Accredit Collegiate School’s of Business (AACSB International), the highest standard of achievement for business schools, worldwide.
Princeton Review Names Belmont “One of the Best”
Another recent achievement for Belmont’s school of business includes its ranking in the Princeton Review’s 2007 edition of the Best 282 Business Schools. Princeton Review editors described Belmont’s MBA program as providing “practical curriculum [that] places a strong emphasis on learning through practical applications, case studies and teamwork.” In a two-page profile on Belmont, the publication lists “the school’s greatest strength [being] the faculty” while one student notes, “the overall academic experience at Belmont is challenging, although not so challenging that it’s intimidating. Everyone wants to succeed, but [here] I have never encountered the cutthroats that you hear about when MBA programs are mentioned.”
The Princeton Review compiled the ranking lists based on its surveys of 18,000 students attending the 282 business schools profiled in the book, and on institutional data from the schools. The survey asked students 80 questions about themselves, their career plans and their school’s academics, student body and campus life.
“It is extremely gratifying to have our students praise our programs for their challenging academic experience and the emphasis on teamwork and developing a business mentality,” Raines says. “The growing enrollments in our MBA and MACC programs affirm that we are responding to the needs of the . . . business community.”
According to Robert Franek, vice president of publishing at Princeton Review, being recognized among the 282 “best” is quite significant. “We choose schools for this book based on our high regard for their academic programs and offerings, institutional data we collect from the schools and the candid opinions of students attending them who rate and report on their campus experiences at the schools,” Franek says. “We are pleased to recommend Belmont University . . . as one of the best institutions they could attend to earn an MBA.”
Belmont’s Business School Blows Away Competition in Stock Market Challenge
Belmont University’s undergraduate business school also scored on top in a recent mock competition to build the largest stock portfolio over a simulated 60-day trading period. A team of finance students from Belmont claimed victory twice at the stock-trading doubleheader during Fifth Third Bank’s second annual Stock Market Challenge in Nashville.
Sponsored by Junior Achievement of Middle Tennessee, the event entailed two competitions— morning and afternoon—during which Belmont students invested a $500,000 fictitious portfolio of stocks over a period of 60 trading sessions (“days”) that lasted 60 seconds each. Belmont’s winning team increased the value of their portfolio to $4.2 million in the morning contest for a return of over 700 percent, earning them a sponsorship for the evening competition against local professional firms.
In the evening contest, during an intense two hours of trading, Belmont’s team pulled ahead of 23 local firms by increasing the value of their $500,000 portfolio to more than $10.9 million—enough to gain the victory—with the total return for the Belmont team exceeding 2,000 percent. “The students were armed with the skills they have acquired in our state-of-the-art financial information center located on Belmont’s campus,” Raines said.
Massey Graduate School of Business Beats Out Vanderbilt and MTSU as Top MBA Program in Area
Topping off the accolades was the Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business’ recent designation as the best MBA program in the area in 2006 by a prominent Nashville publication—the Nashville Scene—with Belmont beating out Vanderbilt University and Middle Tennessee State University.
“The Best MBA category was new this year,” Chris Ferrell, publisher of the Scene, says. “Winning the ‘Best of Nashville’ vote from our readers the first year of the category is certainly a feather in your cap.”
The “Best of Nashville” annual edition of the Nashville Scene is in its 20th year of polling thousands of readers from eight counties in a variety of categories, including colleges and universities, food, entertainment, media, goods and services, arts and music, people and places to name a few. Readers are required to “write in” their ballot either online or by mail to vote as opposed to a multiple choice survey format.
Top employers of Massey MBA’s include: Bridgestone/Firestone, Caterpillar Financial, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Ernst & Young and Hospital Corporation of America.
Fisher Quoted in USA Today
Belmont University President Dr. Robert Fisher was quoted in USA Today in a story concerning the NCAA allowing Canadian college and universities to become members. Fisher is heading the NCAA panel examining the issue.
Click here to read the article.
Belmont Receives Grant From Christy-Houston Foundation
Belmont University recently received a grant of $194,555 from the Christy-Houston Foundation for Physical Therapy (PT) and Occupational Therapy (OT) equipment. The equipment will have positive impacts on all students in the PT and OT programs at Belmont as well as patients, both in clinical education and after graduation for practice in health care.
Belmont University has the only private doctorate level physical therapy degree and the only doctorate level occupational therapy degree in Tennessee. In the past year, approximately 4,654 Rutherford County residents were served by Belmont PT and OT students. Well over 1,000 Middle Tennessee residents are served daily by Belmont University PT and OT students and alumni.
One piece of equipment that will be purchased through the grant for physical therapy is the SMART Equitest, by Neurocom International, Inc. The Equitest provides objective assessment of balance control and postural stability under dynamic test conditions to reflect the challenges of daily life. The system provides assessment and retraining capabilities with visual biofeedback on either a stable or unstable support surface and in a stable or dynamic visual environment. It is an evaluative tool for patients with balance problems and is also being used to evaluate Parkinson’s patients’ appropriateness for the cutting edge technology of deep brain stimulation. While the deep brain stimulation is performed by the Neurological Surgery Team at Vanderbilt University, an evaluation done before and after the surgery can be a key component to assessing clinical effectiveness. The Vanderbilt regional center of excellence for deep brain stimulation is working to educate physicians in out-lying areas on which patients are most appropriate for this surgical approach. It is hoped that over time, and with additional research, that this service will be provided to more patients and physicians in Middle Tennessee.
The equipment grant will also be used to purchase other items for physical therapy and occupational therapy, including a driving simulator that is instrumental for research pertaining to driving needs for an aging population. In addition, low vision equipment will be used for classroom training. Sewing machines will enable students to learn how to fabricate orthotics, slings and other adaptive equipment to restore function. With an impending shortage of physical therapists and occupational therapists, Belmont University is actively recruiting more students interested in allied health. The new equipment will provide essential tools for educating highly-competent, doctoral prepared PTs and master or doctoral prepared OTs.
MORE
“Belmont receives grant for therapy” – The Daily News Journal, October 28, 2006
Physical Therapy Student Attends National Conference
Megan Stinson, Doctorate of Physical Therapy student, attended the American Physical Therapy Association National Government Affairs Forum September 17-19 in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota. She attended because of an interest in the advancement and future of the Physical Therapy profession through the legislative process, political strategy and government affairs.
Josh Turner In the News
Belmont University alumnus and MCA recording artist Josh Turner, was interviewed in the American Chronicle. Turner speaks of his time at Belmont in the interview. Click here to read the article.
Annual Ingram Scholars Reception Held at Belmont
The annual Ingram Scholars reception was held at Belmont University on October 16 in the Gordon E. Inman Center. The Ingram Scholars program is supported by Orin Ingram and the Ingram family. Students named Ingram Scholars receive a scholarship to attend Belmont; in return, each student must perform a set number of volunteer hours at the Boys and Girls Club each month, although many spend much more time than required.
Business Ethics Guest Speaks About White Collar Crime
The Belmont University Center for Business Ethics hosted Walt Pavlo, president of Etika, LLC, Monday to give his presentation titled “Anatomy of a White Collar Crime.” Pavlo was convicted of multi-million dollar fraud, and after serving time in prison, founded Etika to enable him to share his message with others about how to avoid the mistakes he made in his work for MCI.
A standing-room-only crowd packed Neely Hall to hear Pavlo discuss how his bad choices and “a company culture that avoided ethics” led him to commit fraud. Pavlo and an editor who wrote a story about him in Forbes Magazine have just completed a book entitled Ring of Thieves, which will be published in early 2007. It will tell Pavlo’s story and provide insights he gained in his journey into and out of white collar crime.
National Gathering of United Methodist Men To Be Held at Belmont University
The 2009 10th national gathering of United Methodist Men will be held at Belmont University in Nashville.
The decision to hold the quadrennial event in Nashville will end a 56-year tradition of meeting at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. The first Methodist conference was held at Purdue in 1953. Four thousand men attended that event. By 1957 the event was called the Men’s Congress and 5,000 men were present.
The Rev. David Adams, top staff executive of the General Commission on United Methodist Men, the agency that plans the event, is a graduate of Belmont.
“It is an honor and privilege to partner with Belmont University for our 10th National Gathering of UMM” said Adams. “The beauty of the campus and close proximity of the facilities are ideal for this event.”
Belmont University’s Curb Event Center is a 90,000-square-foot sports and entertainment complex that provides facilities for athletics, concerts, speakers, conferences, dinners and receptions. The Curb Event Center is maintained and operated by fully digital, computerized systems and represents state-of-the-art production capabilities.
“We are excited to welcome the United Methodist Men to the Belmont campus,” Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher said. “Their rich tradition of faith, fellowship and community fits perfectly at Belmont, which has been the site of higher education since 1890. Anytime we can welcome esteemed groups to campus with values similar to Belmont’s, we are honored to do so.”
The 20-member Commission on United Methodist Men voted to move the gathering following Belmont’s construction of an event center capable of hosting the 5,000 men expected to attend the July 9-12, 2009, event.
“It’s a new day with a new opportunity for us to provide this meeting,” said Gil Hanke, president of the commission. “The transportation to Nashville is much easier than our previous location, and we felt that it was a time to move this event closer to the center of the population center of the UMC.” He emphasized that Purdue has “done an excellent job,” but he said Nashville offers better logistics, a more family-oriented type of atmosphere and “comparable facilities that can provide an event that will be an exciting and spiritually dynamic encounter with God.”
Butch Spyridon, president of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau, is pleased this annual meeting of United Methodist Men is making its new home in Nashville.
“ This announcement is great news for our city. It further solidifies the great reputation that both Nashville and Belmont have developed over the last decade,” Spyridon said. “When a group chooses to move after 56 years you are humbled and honored to be the new destination of choice. Congrats and ‘thanks’ to Belmont and ‘welcome’ to the United Methodist Men.”
MORE
“Belmont University to host men’s four-year gathering” – Worldwide Faith News, October 18, 2006
Belmont’s MBA Program Named Best of Nashville
In the 2006 “Best of Nashville” edition of the Nashville Scene, Belmont University was recognized twice in the annual reader’s poll. Belmont was named the third best college or university in the city for continuing education and the Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business was named the best MBA program in Nashville, above Vanderbilt and Middle Tennessee State universities.
To learn more about the Massey School, click here.
