Each year, Belmont’s Honors Program, co-sponsored by the Office of Spiritual Development, selects two outstanding students to present essays at the Christian Scholars’ Conference (CSC). Belmont honors students Sarah Ellis, senior political science major, and Samantha Potts, senior music business major, were recently selected to represent Belmont.
The mission of the CSC is to create and nurture an intellectual and Christian community that joins individuals and institutions to stimulate networks of scholarly dialogue and collaboration. The conference calls together scholars from a wide variety of disciplines in the liberal arts, sciences, business, law, education and medicine to develop their own academic research and reflect on the integration of scholarship and faith. Hosted by Abilene Christian University in Texas, this year’s session was titled, “Honors Students at Faith-Based College and Universities: How Do We Respond to Injustice?”
Participants presented an original essay on faith, social justice and public policy before an audience of fellow students and professors. Ellis discussed her essay, “Social Justice, Faith and Serving Community Needs” and Potts presented “Education, Faith and Public Policy in Disadvantaged Communities.” Ellis and Potts also attended lectures and met with Christian educators from across the country.
According to Dr. J. Warren Casey, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Harding University, the Belmont presenters “were poised and professional and their thoughts were well-received by those in attendance. After the session, the Honors students pulled together and spent two days telling stories and going to sessions together. [They] are a delightful pair and, most importantly, they represented Belmont Honors in an outstanding way.”
