IMPORTANT NOTE: These are the archived stories for Belmont News & Achievements prior to June 26, 2023. To see current stories, click here.

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Mock Trial Teams Compete in American Association of Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition

Belmont University’s College of Law Mock Trial Teams participated in the American Association of Justice Student Trial Advocacy Competition regionals this past weekend February 28 – March 3 in Louisville, Kentucky.

The team of Jessica Butler, Whitney Culbreath, John Ross Glover and Katie Redpath were named the regional champions and are advancing to participate in the national competition in Philadelphia this April.

Belmont Forms Two Colleges to Increase Focus on Architecture/Design and Music/Performing Arts

Belmont University announced today that its current College of Visual and Performing Arts will be separated into two distinct colleges with defined areas of focus: the College of Music and Performing Arts will include all music, theatre and dance programs while the O’More College of Architecture, Art and Design will house architecture, art, fashion, interior design and design communications.

The structural change, which will be effective August 1, comes on the heels of the O’More College of Design’s merger with Belmont in 2018 and last month’s announcement that Belmont is launching Middle Tennessee’s first Bachelor of Architecture degree.

Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher said, “The time is right for Belmont to grow its stable of colleges from nine to 10, allowing us to increase our attention on serving students’ educational needs in these creative fields. By moving our new architecture program—along with our established design majors—into their own college, we can more clearly define goals and develop a world-renowned brand for these exciting new areas on our campus. Furthermore, this move enables the newly named College of Music and Performing Arts to cement its reputation as one of the nation’s leading educational homes for students passionate about music, music education, theatre, dance, music therapy, music performance and so much more.”

In February, Belmont announced plans to launch the first Bachelor of Architecture program in Middle Tennessee and only the second in the state. The five-year degree, which will begin classes in Fall 2020, will provide graduates a direct path to pursue licensure in their field while also filling a significant gap for architectural education in Nashville and the surrounding area. Moreover, following Belmont’s 2018 acquisition of the O’More College of Design, the University has the foundation in place to form a world-class program.

Christmas at Belmont at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, December 2, 2018.Belmont Provost Dr. Thomas Burns noted, “Belmont’s acquisition of O’More is allowing us to become more fully engaged in Nashville’s design community, and we have received an overwhelmingly positive response to our plans to start the area’s only architecture program. Building on the foundation we already have in design and the visual arts, the addition of architecture opens the door for opportunities to emphasize these programs in a new way within our already creative community. Having two distinct colleges, deans, faculty and staff will allow all of the associated programs to flourish like never before.”

Dr. Stephen Eaves, who has served as dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts since 2016, will transition to become the Dean of the College of Music and Performing Arts.  Belmont will immediately begin a national search for the inaugural Dean of the O’More College of Architecture, Art and Design with the intention of having the new dean in place before the start of the Fall 2019 semester.

Belmont University Masters of Science in Nursing Graduates Earn 100 Percent Pass Rate

For the 15th year in a row, all graduates pass certification exam on first attempt

All 30 December graduates of Belmont’s Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN) program for Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs) passed the national certification exam on their first attempt. The most recent class of 30 graduates, which is the College’s largest-to-date, passed the exam this spring, making this the 15th consecutive year of 100 percent first-attempt success and earning a spot well above the national average passing rate of 80 percent.

The School of Nursing began offering its MSN degree more than 20 years ago and with the addition of the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in 2012, Belmont’s health sciences graduate programs continue to grow. Prepared to practice in a variety of settings, FNPs provide primary health care to families and individuals across the lifespan. Belmont graduate nursing alumni practice in a wide range of settings including primary care, pediatrics, genetics, urology and public health.

Certification for FNPs is achieved through either the American Nurses Credentialing Center or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board. Both certifying agencies offer rigorous examinations that validate nurse practitioner skills, knowledge and abilities.

“I am certainly proud of our graduates’ accomplishment,” said Graduate Nursing Director Linda Wofford. “However, I am even prouder when I compare Belmont graduates with national test-takers and against the national first-time pass rate. The Belmont program is strong and our students work hard.”

Alumna Honored as One of MusicRow’s ‘2019 Rising Women on the Row’

Belmont alumna Janine Ebach was recently announced among MusicRow’s 2019 Rising Women on the Row. Ebach graduated from Belmont in 2007 and since then has been working in the music industry. Her career began after graduation with THiS Music and then led her to Word Publishing, where she has been since.

Ebach launched the country publishing division for Word Publishing in 2013, allowing her to go on and work with artists like Brett Young, Dustin Lynch and several others. She has also had several No. 1 songs and platinum selling singles throughout her career. Since 2018, when Curb Records and Word Entertainment merged, Ebach has been serving as the vice president for the entertainment company.

Belmont Students Awarded Addy Awards for Design Work

Judges Choice WinnerThe American Advertising Federation has recognized creative excellence in the art of advertising by awarding four silver Addy Awards and a Judges Choice Award to Belmont students Abraham Mast and Dominick Grande. Mast was recognized by the Judges Choice Award and a Silver Addy Award for his book design, “7 Principles of design,” and won two additional Silver Addy Awards for his “Happy Frogs” and “Exploring Bird” animations.

Grande was awarded a Silver Addy for his Album Package design, “Loma Prieta.”

Conducted annually by the American Advertising Federation (AAF) and sponsored by National Ad2, the Nashville Student American Advertising Awards competition is the first stage in a three-tier contest. Nashville Gold and Silver winners will compete at the District level against winners from Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. Winners from 15 AAF Districts advance to compete at the national level for National Student American Advertising Awards and a chance to win $1000 for the Student Best of Show.

Mathematics Professor Featured In The Nashville Ledger

Professor in the Mathematics and Computer Science Department Dr. Glenn Acree was recently featured in the Nashville Ledger March 1 issue.

The story features examples of how Nashville is becoming an up-and-coming tech city with Amazon’s impending arrival and other tech-enabled companies calling Nashville home, as well as tech education in Music City.

Acree shared with the Ledger, “As an academic, I’ve spent the past 10-12 years working to connect our academic and industry communities. What I’ve found and love about the local tech community is that it is open, engaging and eager to mentor our students. In fact, it is open to engaging anyone with genuine interest in strengthening the tech/development/data community.”

He also shared that although automotive, music and health care may not be the typical tech shops, they are definitely dependent and driven by technology.

He concluded by sharing there is an opportunity, and even perhaps an obligation, in this region for academic and industry technology to work together.

Photo published in The Nashville Ledger’s March 1 issue, taken by Michelle Morrow

Belmont Auxiliary Partners Board Announces 2019 Spring Speaker

Anne Byrn, The Cake Mix Doctor, to serve as event’s keynote speaker

A New York Times best-selling food writer and author based in Nashville, Anne Byrn will serve as this year’s Auxiliary Partners Spring Luncheon keynote speaker. The event, scheduled for Tuesday, April 23 at 11:30 a.m., will be held in Belmont’s Curb Event Center.

Belmont’s Auxiliary Partners has provided scholarships for many deserving students throughout the years. Each year, the Auxiliary hosts two luncheons that support its fund, one in the spring and one in the fall. Ticket costs go towards off-setting the price of the event and directly supporting Auxiliary Partners scholarships. Tickets can be purchased here for $40.

Byrn served as the event’s keynote speaker about a decade ago where she discussed her most recent book at the time, American Cake. Now, years later, she’s returning to the Partners event and will be speaking about her latest book, American Cookie, a project she says has found a special place in her heart.

A baker from way back, Byrn remembers the positive feedback she received as a child when she created delicious assortments of treats for those around her. It was that joy that fueled her love for baking and established the foundation of the career she enjoys today.

Detailing the history of the cookie, Bryn’s newest book overviews all types – the snaps, drops, jumbles, tea cakes, bars & brownies that Americans have loved for generations. For Byrn, its these stories that make baking as special as it has become for her. “You unlock your family’s, and our country’s, history through looking at recipes,” she said. “It’s these stories, this history, that makes recipes more meaningful. It’s another added dimension of baking.”

So what’s her favorite? Well…that’s one tough question.

Immediately she goes to what she’s dubbed “The School Lunch Peanut Butter Cookie,” a treat created during hard times in America when public schools were filled with lunch ladies who needed to go back to work to support their families. Finding themselves in a totally new kitchen, the cafeteria, these ladies began cooking for school children as though they were their own. With access to practically endless amounts of peanut butter and vegetable shortening – and just enough sugar and butter to count – the school lunch peanut butter cookie was born.

Bryn’s book is full of stories just like this one – including the history of the original Girl Scout cookie, the first Tollhouse cookie, gluten free cookies in times when wheat was saved for the troops and rice flour was all that was available, Emily Dickinson’s beloved rice cakes and more.

Though the stories of cookies have become some of her favorites, Bryn isn’t stopping there. Her next book, scheduled to be released in just a few months, details the history of the cast iron skillet and features countless recipes that can be made with just that tool.

For more information on Bryn and her work, click here.

Rhone Awarded for Community Service and Leadership

Kenisha Rhone, Belmont Athletics director of digital media and social strategy, was recently awarded the Bob Kenworthy Community Service Award from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

CoSIDA is a national organization comprised of over 3,000 sports public relations, media relations and communications/information professionals throughout all levels of collegiate athletics in the United States and Canada.

Rhone’s work at Belmont, volunteer work, civic leadership and mentoring of young women were highlighted in CoSIDA’s recent announcement of the 2019 Special Awards, along with her leadership in the National Association of Black Journalists and NABJ-Nashville.

The Bob Kenworthy Community Service Award is presented annually to a member of civic involvement, community service and accomplishments outside of the sports information office.

Rhone and more Special Awards recipients will be honored at CoSIDA’s annual convention in Orlando, Florida in June.

Littlejohn to Publish Introduction to Confucianism Textbook

Professor of Philosophy Dr. Ronnie Littlejohn’s Introduction to Confucianism (1st edition, I.B. Tauris, forthcoming 2nd edition, Bloomsbury Publishing) is being published in Chinese translation as 《儒学导论》by the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press of China (FLTR).

The translation was done by a three person team and in two stages. An initial version, done by Wang Lina 王丽娜 and Zhang Ruirui 张瑞瑞, established the accuracy of word choice and the clarity of the structure of the arguments. The final polished composition was done by Littlejohn’s former student Xiao Ya 肖雅.

The book is in press and will be released in China in March 2019.

Faculty Explore the City’s Best Burger for Edible Magazine, Examine Culture and the Humanities Along the Way

Faculty from Belmont’s English and Foreign Languages Departments are featured this month in Nashville’s Edible Magazine. In the spring semester of 2015, Drs. Joel Overall, Jason Lovvorn, Susan Finch, Jayme Yeo, Mitch McCoy, Natalia Pelaz and Robbie Pinter began visiting Nashville burger joints as a group in search of the best burger in town. The group, dubbed “The Burguerillas,” got their start with Overall moved to Nashville and immediately began a quest to learn more about this new city.

Along the way, they explored the meaning of food, culture and the humanities through a presentation at the 2015 Belmont Humanities Symposium. Belmont English alumnus Lisa Bergmanis wrote the article for Edible Magazine, which you can read here.

Image provided by Lauren Daugherty.