“Minnie Pearl: All the News from Grinder’s Switch,” a musical written by Professor of Music Business Don Cusic, is playing at the Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theater April 4-14. The musical is about the life of Sarah Ophelia Cannon, a graduate of Ward-Belmont, who became better known as “Minnie Pearl,” legendary Grand Ole Opry comedian. The musical was also performed at Chaffin’s Barn last fall.
Nursing Students, Faculty Provide Free Mobile Clinic
On the weekend of March 16-17, six Belmont graduate nursing students and two faculty members participated in a free mobile clinic held in Cookeville, Tennessee. The clinic was hosted by Remote Area Medical (RAM), a major nonprofit provider of free mobile clinics. Students and faculty provided triage, patient intake, primary care and even dental assisting. Overall, the clinic served 966 patients and provided $554,552 in services as calculated by RAM over the two days in Cookeville.
Associate Professor of Nursing Dr. Erin Shankel noted, “Working with RAM was a great place for our students to practice their clinical skills, but more than that, it opened their eyes to the healthcare needs in our own state. We were all humbled by the appreciation and warmth we felt from patients who had been waiting outside since 6 p.m. the night before just for the chance to be seen. You don’t have to go overseas to participate in medical missions!”
Alumnus Franklin Willis Empowers Students Through Music Education
Alumnus Franklin Willis leads the Andrew Jackson Elementary Eagle Honor Choir. As founder and director, Willis specializes in providing music instruction that will empower and engage all children to achieve their best.
The Eagle Honor Choir is an after school music club for advanced 3rd and 4th grade music students. In just three short years since its creation, the choir has made a musical imprint on the Nashville music scene.
The choir has performed in some of the most historic venues in Nashville, including Nissan Stadium, Opry Mills Mall, Vanderbilt University, Andrew Jackson’s The Hermitage, various churches and retirement homes.
“It’s my mission to give my students opportunities to share their gifts and talents with our community,” said Willis.
In his classroom, students explore a wealth of music from a variety of cultures and historical periods by singing, moving and playing instruments.
“I believe the study of music is a unique creative experience that provides opportunities to reinforce skills and concepts of other disciplines, while developing lifelong learning skills,” said Willis. “I am also passionate that the cultivation of musicianship begins at a young age and that every child has musical potential.”
Last year, Eagle Honor Choir recorded its first music video, “This is Me,” which received over 20,000 views on Facebook and YouTube. The choir received hundreds of messages from viewers inspired and touched by the children’s special performance.
Willis also provides students with opportunities to explore, connect and learn about different musical cultures.
“I believe through music we can build positive experiences that will assist our children in becoming global leaders,” said Willis. “Teaching students at a young age about world music is imperative because it will build an appreciation for other cultures and their musical heritage.”
Willis has featured students’ progress in student-wide performances including Hispanic Heritage Concerts, Winter Concerts, Black History Celebrations, Spring Art Festivals and singing for the elderly at retirement homes.
Because of his passion for teaching music to young people, Willis is a three-time recipient of the prestigious Music Teacher of Excellence Award by the Country Music Association Foundation, the 2015-2016 Madison Middle School Teacher of the Year Award, 2017 Tennessee Music Educators Association General Music Division first ever Teach Spotlight and 2016 Metro Nashville Public Schools and the Nashville Public Education Foundation Blue Ribbon Teacher Award.
His mission statement and teaching philosophy is “changing the world, one song at a time.”
Willis graduated from Belmont in 2012 with a Master of Education in Nonprofit Leadership.
Billboard Magazine Praises Belmont as a ‘2019 Top Music Business School’
One of the world’s premier music publications, Billboard magazine, recently recognized Belmont University’s Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business as one of the “2019 Top Music Business Schools” in the country.
The annual review of the nation’s top music and entertainment business schools focused on the wealth of opportunities today’s students are offered in the United States and abroad to learn the industry, making particular note of Belmont’s study away options at Bonnaroo and in Australia. The author wrote, “For those seeking music careers, in front of or behind the mixing board, the following schools are at the top of their class.”
Beyond the study away opportunities with leading festivals and music companies, Billboard also noted that Belmont students also “have the opportunity to work on a number of faculty-led research projects: Associate dean Cheryl S. Carr has received a grant to study the role of women on Nashville’s Music Row; and Doyuen Ko, associate professor of audio engineering, is collaborating on an initiative to digitally replicate the acoustics of historic structures, including the Columbia Records studio in Nashville where Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Simon & Garfunkel and others recorded.”
About the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business
In 1971, Belmont first established a music business program designed to prepare students for operational, administrative, creative and technical careers in the music industry. The program grew in both size and reputation, leading to the advent of the full Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business in 2003. Currently home to more than 2,500 undergraduates with majors in music business, audio engineering technology, entertainment industry studies, songwriting, media studies and motion pictures, Curb College boasts an impressive faculty of academic scholars and authors, entrepreneurs, songwriters, producers, journalists, filmmakers and sound and recording engineers. The college serves as a world leader in music business and entertainment industry education and is the only freestanding college of its kind.
Alumnae Seek to Raise Awareness About Actors With Disabilities Through Video Series
Belmont alumnae Kallen Blair and Alie B. Gorrie live in New York City and are pursuing a new project that raises awareness about actors with disabilities. The pair have created a video series to highlight these actors and start conversations around disability in the entertainment world. They were recently featured by Style Blueprint as new “FACES of the South.”
Blair hails from Memphis, Tennessee and studied theater at Belmont, while Gorrie is from Mountain Brook, Alabama and studied musical theater. The pair are the co-producers of the web series titled “ABLE: A Series,” that is directed by Cassidy Cole of Nashville. The series will consist of interviews with people in varying industries of entertainment to discuss their experiences with disability in the industry. According to their website, they aim to “fill a gap of missing conversations within the entertainment world.”
Guests interviewed in the series include actor Danny Woodburn, comedian Maysoon Zayid, actress Ali Stroker and several notable others. The goal is to discuss how people in entertainment can create more inclusive and representative stories surrounding those with disabilities.
In their interview with Style Blueprint, Gorrie said, “through ‘ABLE,’ I want our viewers to see that inclusion enhances everything. I hope ‘ABLE’ breaks down stigmas and stereotypes.”
A passion project that stems from personal experiences, both women hope that people take away from “ABLE” the importance of inclusion and that “telling real stories requires real people.”
The pair have been working on the concept since last summer and will be releasing the episodes online in the coming months.
Alumna and Press Secretary to Governor Bill Lee Encourages Students to ‘Take a Non-Linear Path’
Transferring to Belmont in 2011 after making what she calls the “best decision I ever made,” Laine Arnold went on to discover her passion for politics and public relations as a student. After graduating in 2013, Arnold worked in the communications sphere before getting involved in politics. At a recent convocation event on campus, Arnold shared not only her career history and how it led to her becoming Governor Bill Lee’s press secretary but she also shared some advice with students.
As press secretary to Governor Lee, Arnold deals with a variety of things in her day-to-day work. Her responsibilities include working on Governor Lee’s travel schedule, interacting with the press as well as working with members of his Cabinet. Being involved in all of these different aspects and more has given Arnold the opportunity to “interact with Tennesseans… and to get them to where they want to be.”
One important thing she has learned from her work as press secretary is the benefit of being aware of what you say and how conversations may be used. Her advice to students included being disciplined in what they say, adding that it’s often not necessary to say everything that comes to mind. Being mindful of what you do and say will only be beneficial, especially in the “big small town” of politics, she noted.
When reflecting on her time at Belmont and her career, Arnold noted the importance of having practical knowledge and certain strong transferable skills. For Arnold, her most transferable skill is her writing ability. She noted how this has helped her in all of her positions.
Another point Arnold made to students was to test out different fields and certain career options while in school. “Figure out what you don’t want to do,” she said, adding the benefits of taking a “non-linear path” to a career by trying out different things. Along with this, she also told students that it can be helpful to be realistic about your job and knowing that there are going to be things they may not like about it. “There are going to be a lot of things about your career you won’t like,” Arnold added. “But finding what are the points of joy in your career is important.”
Some of her final advice to students included encouraging them to approach their career being protective of who they are. “Don’t think you have to give your soul over to your career… you are multidimensional,” Arnold said. “Don’t lose sight of remembering ‘how would I be seen outside of work?’ See things for what they are.”
Belmont Mansion Named Grandest Historic Mansion in Tennessee
The Belmont Mansion, located at the heart of Belmont University’s campus, was recently named to a list of the grandest historic mansions in the U.S. The list was featured by USA Today and includes historic mansions from all 50 states in the country.
“We are very excited to be named the grandest historic mansion for Tennessee given the vast architectural heritage of Tennessee,” said Mark Brown, executive director of the Belmont Mansion.
Historic mansions were selected for the list after a review of historical societies, museums and media sources. The Belmont Mansion was built in 1853 by Adelicia Acklen and is open for tours daily.
Occupational Therapy Faculty, Alumni, Students Present at International Symposium
Belmont Doctorate of Occupational Therapy (OTD) faculty, alumni and students presented at the 35th annual International Seating Symposium (ISS) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 18-22.
The ISS is the world’s leading educational conference and exhibition on the topic of Wheelchair Seating, Mobility and Associated Technologies. Clinicians, consumers, advocates, researchers, providers, manufacturers and policymakers from more than 30 nations attended the event.
Associate Professor Teresa Plummer, Assistant Professor and OTD Academic Fieldwork Coordinator Missy Bryan, OTD class of 2017 and alumnus Joe Straatmann along with faculty from Vanderbilt, University of Texas and University of Pittsburgh presented a pre-conference on GoBabyGo: Moving, Learning and Socializing.
In this pre-conference, attendees from five different countries learned to adapt to and ride on toys for children with disabilities to allow them to access and explore their environment.
In a poster presentation, OTD students Michaela Isenberg, Abigail Harris and Autumn Triggs presented a poster titled “Transporting children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A scoping review.”
Plummer and Bryan along with researcher consultant Ana Allegretti, assistant professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, presented a session on the Importance of Self-Initiated Mobility.
Bryan and Vanderbilt Physical Therapist Heidi Kessler presented a session on Specialized Transportation Clinic Current Practice.
Brad Paisley, Kimberly Williams-Paisley Break Ground for The Store on Belmont’s Campus
The highly anticipated groundbreaking for The Store, nonprofit free-referral based grocery store, happened this morning. On hand for the ceremony were co-founders Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams-Paisley along with Belmont University President Dr. Bob Fisher, The Store Board of Trustees Chair Megan Zarling and The Store Trustee member and architect David Minnigan.
In addition to outlining the vision for The Store, today’s event included unique surprises, including a commissioned artist’s print depicting Brad, Kimberly and Dr. Fisher in front of a rendering of The Store. The highlight of the event came when Brad personally jumped onto the backhoe on site to officially break ground on The Store’s location.
“I’m so excited to be here and see this dream come to fruition. In Nashville there are 1 in 7 people and 1 in 5 children that have food insecurity. That means they don’t know where they are going to get their next meal. The Store will be another resource to help families and individuals going through a hard time but working toward self-sufficiency.” says Kimberly Williams-Paisley.
Brad Paisley adds, “Our goal is to give dignity to parents. They can go to The Store and shop in a completely normal way, from choosing the food to checking out, but with no money exchanging hands. The kids can even ride a mechanical pony out in front of The Store – no charge. Kids do not need the stress of wondering how their parents are going to feed them. In Nashville we have the power of the benevolence of the residents to support The Store.”
Belmont University President Dr. Bob Fisher said, “Belmont’s mission is to challenge students with an education that empowers them to use their talents and skills to engage and transform the world. As an alum, Brad Paisley has certainly achieved that mission and more throughout his career, and today’s groundbreaking for The Store marks another milestone in the work he and Kimberly are doing to impact lives for the better. I am especially grateful that Belmont University has been invited to partner with them in this effort, and our current students and faculty are already laying the groundwork to serve Store patrons through legal aid and health care clinics. This is just the beginning—we anticipate The Store being a significant part of the Belmont community for years to come.”
The Paisleys have partnered with Brad’s alma mater, Belmont University, on the location of The Store at 2005 12th Ave. South, next to the University’s Ministry Center. Belmont University has begun offering Legal Aid Clinics at the center and plan to also offer healthcare services. Both groups will work closely together to serve the broader community in a range of ways. The location is convenient to bus routes and in the heart of Nashville’s ever-growing 12 South district.
The building has been designed by Nashville-based architectural firm ESa (Earl Swensson Associates) which donated their services. Construction will be done by J&S Construction Company, Inc. The construction is projected to be completed by the end of 2019.
Founder’s Circle supporters include Belmont University, ESa, Sysco Corporation and Amerigroup Corporation. Sysco Corporation is providing a financial donation, equipment and food. Amerigroup Corporation is providing financial support and health and food expertise. Much of The Store’s food will come from Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee and will include perishable and nonperishable offerings. All food in The Store will follow guidelines set by dieticians from Second Harvest Food Bank. Individuals and families will be referred by nonprofit and government agencies.
The estimated cost of the building is $1.5 million for 4,000 square feet. To complete raising funds for The Store’s construction, the “Brick Campaign” has been launched. With a donation of $500 or more, donors will receive a personalized 4×8 brick that will create the sidewalk in front of The Store. There are a limited number of bricks. Donations are accepted via the website.
The Board of Directors for The Store include Brad Paisley, President; Megan Zarling, Chair; Pete Fisher, Vice-Chair; Doug Paisley, Secretary and Elaine Bryan, Treasurer. Other board members include Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Sarah Cates, Jaynee Day, Hope Fisher, David Minnigan, John Zarling, John Schario, Scott Scovill, Michael Stagg, Becca Stevens and Dawana Wade. Executive Director is Gina Hancock.
About The Store
Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams-Paisley have partnered with Belmont University to spearhead The Store, a year-round free grocery store allowing people to shop with dignity for their basic needs. Individuals and families will be referred by nonprofit and government agencies for a term of one year. There is no charge to those referred or to the people and agencies that send them. They may shop for food to supplement their income during times of crisis and as they work toward self-sufficiency.
A philosophy of community empowerment means The Store aims to solve hunger issues in its community by developing programs to meet the needs of the community, including partnering with other organizations on issues of food security. The Store believes in cooperation and collaboration between organizations to better serve the population. Over time, the organization plans to develop additional supplemental services beyond the grocery store, such as job training, cooking and nutrition classes.
Belmont University Announced Among Six Sites Competing for 2020 Presidential Debate
| The bids are in. Today Belmont University discovered its competition to host a 2020 presidential date, as the Commission on Presidential Debates officially announced the six sites that applied for the honor this year. Of note, only Hartford (’96) and Belmont (’08) have served as previous host sites, and Belmont/Nashville is the only site in the South to apply. Belmont previously hosted the 2008 Town Hall Presidential Debate between then candidates Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama, and the University served as the official alternate host site in 2016. In addition, the University has partnered with media outlets and other nonprofits multiple times to host past mayoral and gubernatorial debates. Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher said, “Any time you enter the race to host a presidential debate, you know you’re facing tough competition as sites must be committed to pull off an event of this magnitude. However, I am confident in Belmont University’s ability—with the support of the Nashville community—to execute an extraordinary event for the Commission on Presidential Debates, the candidates and all of the accompanying media and visitors. Belmont has earned a reputation for a consummate service mentality, friendly atmosphere and commitment to excellence. Most importantly, this University has earned the trust of citizens and candidates alike to put on well-organized debates that give individuals from any party, and of any ilk, equal right to be heard.” All debate applicants must be equipped to provide tens of thousands of square feet of dedicated space for the candidates, their staff, working media and other debate officials as well as ample parking, significant IT and communications infrastructure and access to as many as 3,000 hotel rooms, among other requirements. Belmont’s application for a 2020 debate includes letters of support from numerous state and local officials, including Senators Marsha Blackburn and Lamar Alexander, Congressman Jim Cooper, Gov. Bill Lee and Mayor David Briley, among others. Following the 2008 Town Hall Presidential Debate, a writer for USA Today noted, “Belmont University in Nashville proved that small places with big ambitions could be world-class stages.” Now a decade later, the explosive growth of both Belmont and Nashville has made the “small places” phrase obsolete, and each has repeatedly proven its ability to provide “world-class stages” for an array of large events. Since 2008, Belmont University has continued to demonstrate its expertise hosting major broadcast events, including the internationally televised Davis Cup tennis competition and, most recently, the television taping of “CMA Country Christmas” featuring artists Reba McEntire, Brad Paisley, Michael W. Smith,Tony Bennett and Diana Krall, among others. Moreover, Nashville has drawn an increasing number of significant opportunities that bring thousands to a city whose reputation continues to expand beyond its Music City moniker. By the time of the 2020 debate, Nashville will have hosted annual CMA Fest events drawing capacity crowds, the 2016 NHL All Star weekend, annual July 4th “Let Freedom Ring” celebrations exceeding 250,000 attendees and the 2019 NFL Draft, not to mention a variety of conventions, festivals and award shows. The city will also be in the national spotlight all year with this fall’s release of Ken Burns’s newest documentary, “Country Music,” a series sponsored in part by Belmont. With more than 41,000 hotel rooms in the metro area, a robust tourism industry and an inclusive hospitality mindset, the city is well prepared to host the political dignitaries, guests and media that would accompany a presidential debate. In fact, more than 5,000 new hotel rooms have opened in Nashville in the past five years alone with another 5,400 under construction in Davidson Country, a strong indication of the area’s ongoing popularity as a must-see destination. Many of these spaces come in a dozen new full-service and boutique hotel brands located in the heart of downtown. The 2008 Town Hall Presidential Debate, the first to be held in Tennessee, scored a ratings coup nationwide. According to Nielsen Media Ratings, more than 63.2 million homes nationwide tuned in to view the 2008 Town Hall Presidential Debate, the largest television audience of the three presidential debates held that fall. In addition, the event attracted thousands of media and other visitors to Nashville and resulted in both an economic boost and more than 5,200 media hits in the days leading up to and following the debate. |
