Ames is a highly accomplished conductor, accompanist and performer who has performed and guest conducted in more than half a dozen countries. He is nationally renowned for his distinguished reputation as a well-respected composer and arranger, and his music has been premiered by a vast array of associations and televised concerts and shows.
Requiem for Colour is a labor of love that developed from an idea more than a decade ago. This one-night only feature performance will revisit the conflicts and successes of the Black race through a requiem- a mass for the dead.
“What resulted is a musical, literary, and visual journey that begins in West Africa and ends in present-day North America,” Ames said. “Requiem for Colour will honor the lives and legacies of enslaved blacks from 1619 to 1865, and our contemporary Black martyrs who offered themselves as a sacrifice for equality and freedom.”
The logo of the requiem is inspired by the symbol for Sankofa, an African word from the Akan tribe in the West African country of Ghana. Sankofa means “to return and get it.” It depicts the importance of learning from the past. Ames’ work serves as a lesson and celebration of Black “colourfulness” by honoring the challenges and triumphs of the Black American journey and highlighting vibrant and varied musical styles from Spirituals to Rap and the genres that lie in between.
Joining Ames in the requiem’s debut is accomplished soprano recitalist and an opera performer NaGuanda Nobles who has performed with the Pittsburgh Opera, Atlanta Opera, Austin Lyric Opera, the London Symphony Orchestra and the Dayton Opera. Tenor Rodrick Dixon who has performed at the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall, among his many accomplishments, will also join Ames on the Fisher Center stage. Dixon has a talent for crossover genres performing in major opera houses throughout the world and on Broadway.
Seasoned performer Roshaunda Rosa-Orta who currently serves as the Director of Student Transitions and Community Engagement at Vanderbilt University will orate excerpts from slave biographies and select poems, speeches and scripture.
“In a time when history is being erased and rewritten, it is essential to share accurate information about the past,” Rosa-Orta said. “One of the best ways to share that information is through art. Art unites human beings and allows us to understand our experiences in beautiful ways. It is an honor to serve as the griot of this piece, using spoken words to elevate the stunning music.”
Ames will conduct the Belmont University Oratorio and orchestra which is comprised of over 450 students. A display of visual imagery and descriptive narration will coincide with the musical movements to create an immersive experience for the audience.
“This requiem will provide an aesthetic experience celebrating West African culture before traveling the perilous journey across the Atlantic, recounting slavery and sharecropping in the South, revisiting Civil Rights of the 60s, and reckoning with our current societal vices of racism and injustice,” Ames said.
Registration is required but Requiem for Colour is free to the public. To register for a ticket, visit the Requiem for Colour webpage.
Hope did indeed abound as Belmont University hosted its inaugural Hope Summit October 24-26. The three-day event focused on making hope real in participants’ lives, work and communities. The central theme of the week – unleashing creativity and innovation so that regions can thrive—was inspired by the University’s strategic visioning process for 2030.
The event offered the opportunity for the Belmont community to lean in and experience Pathway 2 of its Strategic Trajectory: Data-Informed Social Innovation to Help Regions Thrive.
“It’s easy to spend time learning about how best to nurture your community, but the Belmont community is interested in developing tangible hope,” said Dr. Josh Yates, executive director of the Belmont Innovation Labs and one of the main architects of this year’s Summit. “Social innovation means creative problem-solving and pursuing opportunities to generate social good. The Hope Summit helps us discover ways we can rethink some of these ideas for the betterment of our own region.”
Unleashing Creativity and Innovation
Monday’s opening session began with a discussion between University President Dr. Greg Jones and Dr. Kim Tan, co-founder of the Transformational Business Network (TBN). Tan’s approach to social impact seeks ways to design and build profitable, scalable business that addresses a wide array of social issues including conservation, human trafficking, housing and more.
President Greg Jones hosts a discussion with leading voices in the social innovation sphere with Kim Tan, Co-Founder of Transformational Business Network during the Hope Summit at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, October 24, 2022.
Photo by Sam Simpkins
This type of work provides a more dignifying experience to those in need by offering independence, the ability to provide for their families and the freedom to choose. His faith guides his business practices while welcoming people of all or no faiths. “We’re faith-based without being faith-biased,” he said. “The stronger your center, the more you can embrace the edges,” he said. “Being faith-based is important because it is the well from which we draw, but we should be interacting with people of other faiths and no faiths to provide the opportunity for others to see our faith in action and ask questions.”
Tan shared countless stories illustrating creativity and social innovation that supports human flourishing. When looking for entrepreneurs to support, he seeks strong character above all. “Be teachable, have humility to learn and be confident enough to move aside as your business grows to bring in new people.”
Today, TBN is in six countries and mentors and funds hundreds of businesses.
Creativity and Storytelling
Monday’s afternoon session featured a conversation with Rick Rekedal, former DreamWorks executive and senior fellow for storytelling at Belmont, and Hall of Fame songwriter Tom Douglas.
A few years ago, Douglas delivered his induction speech to the Hall of Fame as a reply to a letter he received from a struggling songwriter. That letter—a story intended for a single person—went on to inspire the movie Love, Tom, a documentary on Douglas’ life. The session, which featured commentary from Rekedal—peppered between clips of the documentary and some of Douglas’s songs—focused on the importance of storytelling in all disciplines.
An imaginative conversation around creativity and storytelling featuring: Rick Rekedal, Former Chief Creative for DreamWorks Animation & CEO of StoryCrate and Tom Douglas, Hall of Fame Songwriter. during the Hope Summit at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, October 24, 2022.
Photo by Sam Simpkins
Rekedal shared that understanding the felt needs of an audience can make storytelling truly transformative. Whether it’s a 30-second YouTube clip or a $100 million television show, he asks all storytellers seeking to craft their message the same three questions: What do we stand for? How do we want to stand for it? Who is it for?
“Getting to the heart of what we stand for is fundamental when we start to become storytellers,” he said. “We must know what we’re about. As we consider massive social problems that require massive efforts to address, we start with reaching one other person. Our ‘pebble’ can be the avalanche of change.”
Between Rekedal’s words, Douglas’s heartfelt stories provided clarity of the duo’s narrative vector: Every person touched by Belmont is touched by story that is changing the world, which activates them to share their stories even further.
Champions of Hope
The evening concluded with the Champions of Hope Gala, an event celebrating individuals and organizations who are making hope real in our lives, work and communities. During the gala, Former Tennessee Governor and First Lady Bill and Crissy Haslam were presented with the inaugural Rick Byrd Character Award. Named in honor of retired legendary Belmont men’s basketball coach Rick Byrd, the award will be presented annually to community members who demonstrate a steadfast commitment to principled performance in their field.
The Importance of Leadership and Friendship
Friendship is a lynchpin to human flourishing, illustrated during Tuesday’s session by two pairs of unlikely friends: a politician and a doctor; a songwriter and a coach.
Former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and Frist College of Medicine Interim Dean Dr. Anderson Spickard became fast friends though a small group at church. Both in prominent leadership roles in their own sectors, they found common ground through their life experiences. “The downside to being in leadership — no matter what your role is — you don’t get the best feedback,” Haslam said. “Relationships like the one I share with Anderson matter because you are surrounded by people who can help you take a step back by calling out when you’re not your best self. When you have a history with people, you know things about them and can recognize things about them that others can’t.
Dr. Greg Jones speaks with Former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and Interim Dean of the Frist College of Medicine Dr. Anderson Spickard during Hope Summit at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, October 25, 2022.
Photo by Sam Simpkins
Humanity was created to be in relationship with others, and friendship is an integral part of human flourishing. A friend keeps the other’s mind intellectually curious and heart soft; friends call out the beautiful and the ugly; friends love through peaks and valleys.
Their friendship has woven together the personal and vocational. From victorious successes and unimaginable loss, the two have walked shoulder-to-shoulder through life’s profoundly human moments. After the Spickards lost their son Lucas to cancer last year, the Haslams provided sustaining friendship. “Our beloved friends had both character and capacity when we needed them,” said Spickard. “We never felt like we were overstressing them. The internal compass and resource of dear brothers in Christ make you feel as if they’ve gone through it before, and if not, at least they’re going through it with you.”
Dr. Greg Jones speaks with Coach Rick Byrd and Vince Gill during Hope Summit at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, October 25, 2022.
Photo by Sam Simpkins
Country music legend Vince Gill and former Belmont Men’s Basketball Coach Rick Byrd became friends on a golf course in the 1980s. Rick spotted Vince across the green and walked up to introduce himself. More than 35 years later, the two can finish each other’s sentences, with witty banter and uncountable memories.
Afternoon sessions followed the conversations with topics that included “Impact Investing: Measuring the ‘S” in ESG” featuring Kim Tan and Edward Bryan, and “Health Disparities: A Collective Approach to Hypertension in Nashville” sponsored by the Belmont Data Collaborative.
A Day To Dream
Wednesday was a culminating Day to Dream for the entire Belmont community, beginning with a showcase of social innovation projects, followed by an address from President Greg Jones recapping the week’s events. “I am grateful to all of you for the work you do day in and day out. Belmont provides a warm and welcoming environment for all who encounter our campus, and it’s all because of each of you,” he noted.
Session attendees exited The Fisher Center to find that Belmont campus had been transformed into a fall festival complete with a zip line, pumpkin patch, carnival rides, and activities for community members of all ages. Into the evening, trick-or-treaters lined up to collect candy from decorated tables from campus divisions, clubs, and organizations.
A Day to Dream: Fall Festival to finish up the Hope Summit at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, October 25, 2022. Photo by Sam Simpkins
A Day to Dream concluded with a Writers Round a night of songs and stories featuring some of Music City’s most creative songwriters–Allen Shamblin, Emily Falvey (’18), Cameron Bedell (’12) and Luke Laird, who have written for many artists including Carrie Underwood, Carly Pearce, Jimmie Allen, Tiera Kennedy, Steve Moakler, Boys Like Girls, Ingrid Michaelson, Keith Urban and more.
Songwriters Allen Shamblin, Emily Falvey (Belmont ’18), Cameron Bedell (Belmont ’12) and Luke Laird perform during a writers’s round
At the end of Hope Summit at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, October 26, 2022.
Photo by Sam Simpkins
God-Sized Dreams
“Our aspirations for the next decade are limited only by our imagination,” said President Greg Jones. “We want to be a university that aspires to big dreams–dreams that can transform lives.”
The Hope Summit aimed to inspire the Belmont community to be agents of hope and help cultivate the sense of well-being and flourishing for all people.
The Nashville Entrepreneur Center (EC) connects entrepreneurs to critical resources to start and grow businesses. Each year the EC’s NEXT Awards recognizes entrepreneurs in Nashville for their innovative and transformative work.
Seven Belmont alumni were finalists in their categories at this year’s NEXT Awards, and two were announced as winners at the event held at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center on Monday, October 24.
Four alumni were finalists in the Music, Sports and Entertainment category including:
Channing Moreland ’16 and Makenzie Stokel ‘16, founders of EVA
Trevor Hinesley ‘12, co-founder and CTO of Soundstripe
Hinesley took home the award for Soundstripe which provides a vast library of music “by creators, for creators”.
“We were humbled to be recognized with so many other amazing Nashville businesses this year,” Hinesley said. “I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to create a business here with my best friends. It means a lot to us that others recognize the work our amazing team is doing at Soundstripe.”
Two Belmont graduates were finalists in the Products, Services and Retail category:
Walker won the award for Walker Brothers, a specialty kombucha brewery that he started with his brother Luke.
Ryan Reisdorf ‘19, founder of Placemat, was a finalist in the Real Estate, Hospitality and Construction category. Reisdorf is one of Belmont’s 2022 Entrepreneurs-in- Residence.
“We are so thrilled to see how our alumni entrepreneurs are pursuing their passions, growing their ventures, and supporting the Nashville community in so many ways,” Executive Director of the Cone Center Elizabeth Gortmaker said.
Belmont College of Law produced top rankings on the July 2022 Uniform Bar Exam, based on bar passage results released by the Tennessee Board of Law Examiners. According to exam statistics, first-time takers passed at a rate of 86.60 percent.
“A sustained level of success requires hard work and dedication,” Belmont Law Dean Alberto Gonzales said. “I am proud of our graduates and the support they received from our faculty and staff, as well as from Belmont University and its leadership.”
97 Belmont Law graduates took the Tennessee bar exam, for the first time, in July, with 84 successfully passing. Despite the disruption caused by COVID, the law graduates demonstrated a strong bar passage rate by finishing among the top tier of law schools in the state of Tennessee. These graduates are now licensed and practicing in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, New York and Tennessee. With California being the final state to report results, the College of Law expects Belmont’s first-time pass rate to increase once scores are released in November.
Belmont College of Law held an investiture ceremony for Professor Jeffrey Usman on Tuesday, Oct. 18 in the Randall and Sadie Baskin Center. The ceremony honored Usman for his dedicated service and commitment as a professor.
Prior to his confirmation as a Tennessee Court of Appeals judge, Usman served as one of the founding faculty members in the Belmont College of Law. He is now the 95th judge to serve since the Court of Appeals was created with a broad range of jurisdiction in 1925.
Among the list of the distinguished guests to leave remarks were State of Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and presiding Judge of the Middle Division of the Tennessee Court of Appeals Frank G. Clement, Jr.
“The people of Tennessee and those who avail themselves to the courts of Tennessee are very dependent upon the jurisdiction of the Court of Appeals,” Judge Clement said. “I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Jefferey for more than 15 years. I know that he is a man of great integrity, intelligence, has great experience and a wealth of legal knowledge. All of which will serve him well as he faces the challenges that are presented to a judge on the Court of Appeals.”
Although it is an intermediate appellate court, decisions made by the Court of Appeals constitute as the final decision and authority over cases about ninety-four percent of the time.
Additional remarks came from a list of Belmont affiliates including Belmont College of Law professors Amy Moore and Elizabeth Usman, Dean of the Belmont College of Law Alberto R. Gonzales and General Sessions Court Judge of the 20th Judicial District Marcus Floyd.
“I personally cannot think of a better person to serve as an appellate court judge here in Tennessee,” Judge Floyd, who is a former student of Usman, said. “Judge Usman has been so generous with his time in guiding us not only as aspiring lawyers but as young lawyers, and myself as a young judge now.”
The opportunity to declare his oath of office in a space where he can recall holding classes for aspiring lawyers was expressed with overwhelming gratitude as Usman addressed the colleagues, students and family that were in attendance.
Judge Jeffrey Usman speaks at his investiture ceremony with colleagues of past and future, students and family present.
As the son of a coal miner’s daughter and a physician who immigrated to the United States, Usman gave special mention to the values he learned from his parents. “They taught me so many things,” he said. “Hardwork, courage, fairness and a commitment to patriotism. I could not have had better examples. I could not have better teachers than my parents.” Usman was a career law clerk to William C. Koch, Dean of the Nashville School of Law, who also said remarks during the ceremony. Judge Usman expressed deep appreciation for the lessons the former Tennessee Supreme Court justice taught him.
“There are a lot of cynics about the law,” Usman said. “There are people who don’t think it’s possible for a judge to put aside ideology or politics in making decisions. It’s not just possible, I’ve seen it done. The bar has been set very high by Justice Koch. It is something that I will strive for throughout my career on the bench.”
Usman is an avid and knowledgeable legal writer. His published works have been relied upon by other scholars in books, treatises, and law review articles and referenced by a diverse array of persons including the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India and the Tennessee Attorney General. While a professor at Belmont, he served as a faculty advisor to Belmont’s Law Review and Legal Aid and Criminal Law Societies. A beloved educator, he was a four-time recipient of the Best Professor Award, which is bestowed by Belmont’s law students.
Usman received a framed watercolor print of the Baskin law building that was signed by each member of the faculty as a parting gift.
Members of the public who have made watching “Christmas at Belmont”a longstanding part of the holiday tradition now have the chance to experience the joy of this beloved event live and in-person.
This annual winter performanceis a cherished festivity at Belmont thatfeatures the musical diversity and rich talents of the Belmont School of Music.
Traditionally a televised event, this year tickets are open to the public and go on sale on Friday, October 21 at 10 a.m. CT.The concert will be hosted in the Fisher Center for Performing Arts at Belmont University.
“We are excited to offer ‘Christmas at Belmont’tickets to the public for the first time this year,” Dean of the College of Music and Performing Arts Dr. Stephen Eaves said. “Past productions were presented in campus venues half the size of the Fisher Center, which limited our ability to offer tickets to the public. We are thrilled to offer two live performances of this special Christmas tradition to the people of Nashville in the amazing Fisher Center for the Performing Arts on the Belmont University campus.”
Nearly 600 student musicians will join the School of Music faculty to execute performances that feature traditional carols, classical masterworks, festive Christmas songs and holiday favorites like “Do You Hear What I Hear.” Thirteen student ensembles will perform traditional music as well as a variety of musical genres to include vocal jazz, pop, and bluegrass.
The recorded 2021 “Christmas at Belmont”performance will be broadcasted on Nashville Public Television for those who choose to enjoy the merriment from the comfort of their homes. Check local listings for broadcast times.
There will be two chances to see the performance on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 4 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets go on sale Friday, October 21 at 10 a.m. CT.Visit the Fisher Center for Performing Arts event page to purchase tickets.
Belmont Women’s Basketball pioneer Betty Wiseman is being celebrated twofold. Recognized for her work as a champion for collegiate athletics, Wiseman was recently inducted into the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association’s (TICUA) third Hall of Fame Class for her contributions to women’s athletics and missions, both locally and globally. Additionally, she received the second annual “An Honorable Life” award, co-sponsored by Belmont’s Global Honors Program and Belmont Athletics.
The 2022 class of TICUA Hall of Fame inductees include 25 civil rights activists; veterans; civic and faith leaders; medical pioneers; sports and business professionals; and passionate philanthropic and humanitarian leaders, all hailing from Tennessee private non-profit institutions.
“Her contributions to college women’s sports are legendary, in Tennessee and beyond, and even more compelling are her insightful discernment, purpose-driven leadership and unmatched enthusiasm to support current and former Belmont students,” said Belmont President Dr. Greg Jones.
Betty Wiseman with current Women’s Basketball head coach Bart Brooks.
In addition to her Hall of Fame induction, Wisman was the 2022 recipient of the “An Honorable Life” award from Belmont’s Honors Program. The dinner and awards ceremony, held Oct. 10 at Belmont, stems from a course with the same name, an interdisciplinary seminar for first-year Honors Program students. The course looks at the question, “What does it mean to live an honorable life?”
Last year, the Honors Program began the new tradition with this dinner and award to celebrate a member of the community and spotlight the “honorable life” he or she has led. Honors Program director and professor of English Dr. Bonnie Smith Whitehouse said, “Belmont’s Honors Program is unique because it embraces a ‘dual nature.’ We know that our gifts are also our responsibilities and seek to not just ‘be honored,’ but to also honor others. Not just to tell stories about goodness, wisdom and beauty, but to listen to them too. Not just to lead our own extraordinary lives, but to empower and nurture others.”
As only the second recipient of the award, Wiseman was recognized for her leadership, courage and lifelong contributions to athletics and service to Belmont’s community. The 1965 alumna’s nearly 50-year tenure at Belmont as professor, coach, then athletics administrator is one for the history books. She pioneered the Women’s Basketball program at Belmont four years before Title IX, served as coach and player in the early years, and built the program from the ground up. She fiercely advocated for all women on her team, especially in the height of the civil rights movement. In the 1990s, she assumed the role of senior woman administrator and assistant athletics director, where she guided Belmont’s transition to NCAA Division I and established six additional women’s teams: volleyball, softball, soccer, track and field, cross country, and golf.
‘Belmont Betty’ t-shirts, created in response to NCAA’s tweet about Betty Wiseman at the Belmont Tennessee Game on March 21, 2022.
Wiseman reflected on receiving the honor. “My heart has been beating for students all these years. The biggest thank you goes to Belmont. Period. It’s my happy place. It’s my home,” she said. “Behind each award are the blessings of people in my life. It’s all about people. I think this award about an honorable life is the culmination of it all. This is what it’s all about. Letting go and letting God orchestrate.”
Dr. Mary Ellen Pethel, assistant professor of Global Leadership Studies and Honors, presented the award to Wiseman. “With a viral video to prove it, Belmont Betty has—without a doubt—answered the question “Why not Belmont?” As we journey to live honorably and faithfully, may her life serve as a guiding light,” said Pethel. “It is with great pleasure, and with a great big silver bell, that I present Betty Wiseman with the Honors’ Program Annual Award for ‘An Honorable Life.’”
The Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame inducted its 2022 class—made up of five Tennessee health care leaders— on Oct. 18 at a ceremony held in Belmont’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts.
“As an institution of higher learning, with many programs in the health care sector including pharmacy, nursing, public health, social work, physical and occupational therapy, we are keenly aware of the impact and importance of health care and health care education,” said Belmont President Dr. Greg Jones. “In fact, our understanding and respect of this incredible discipline is also reflected in our newly released Strategic Trajectory to 2030—where one of our Pathways is entirely focused on championing integrative health and well-being, which we all understand to be a key component in people’s ability to thrive.”
In addition to recognizing Tennessee’s most influential health and health care leaders, the Hall of Fame serves as an ongoing educational resource to document the rich history that has contributed to Tennessee’s position as the nation’s health care capital.
Sponsors of this year’s Induction Ceremony contribute to the long-term viability of the Hall of Fame and the McWhorter Society Scholarship Program, which benefits students pursuing careers in the health sciences. Since the inception of the McWhorter Society and the Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame, more than $3.6 million has been raised to support McWhorter Society Endowed Scholarships, with more than 176 scholarship recipients since 2014.
Jones added, “This understanding further informs our efforts as we train our nation’s next generation of health care leaders. Though we are dedicated to spending time in the classroom ensuring our students learn the technical skills that will be required of them in their careers, we are dedicated to embedding whole-person development within our curriculum—working to ensure our students also embody the integrity, ingenuity and selflessness of the individuals we recognize through the Hall of Fame.”
The 2022 Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame inductees are:
Reginald Coopwood, M.D.: President and Chief Executive Officer of Regional One Health; Former Chief Executive Officer of Metropolitan Nashville Hospital Authority; Former Chief Medical Officer of Nashville General Hospital at Meharry Medical College.
David W. Gregory, M.D.: Professor Emeritus at Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Founder, Medical Director and Chairman of the board at Siloam Health; Oscar E. Edwards National Award for Volunteerism and Community Service recipient; American College of Physicians member, 2006; 40+ year career in internal medicine and infectious disease.
Ned Ray McWherter: 46th Governor of Tennessee (1987-1995); Former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives; Former member of the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service; Led the Tennessee General Assembly to pass legislation to create a medical school at East Tennessee State University and replace the state’s Medicaid program with TennCare.
Ching-Hon Pui, M.D.: Chair of the Department of Oncology and the Fahad Nassar Al-Rashid Chair of Leukemia at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Co-Director of the Hematological Malignancies Program for St. Jude Comprehensive Cancer Center; Director of the St. Jude China Program; American Cancer Society Professor.
Randy Wykoff, M.D., M.P.H.&T.M.: Founding Dean of East Tennessee State University’s College of Public Health; Former Senior Vice President for International Operations at Project HOPE; Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Former Associate Commissioner for Operations for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Board-certified pediatrics and preventive medicine physician with certification in tropical medicine.
More information and a complete list of the more than 30 individuals inducted since 2015 can be found on the Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame website.
In acknowledgement of Indigenous Peoples Day on Oct. 10, Belmont University dedicated its new Indigenous Garden—located next to the Foutch Alumni House— to celebrate and honor the ancestors, heirs, descendants and living members of the Cherokee, Shawnee, Chickasaw and Yuchi peoples who once occupied this very land.
Charles Robinson gives a Prayer during the Dedication Ceremony for the new Indigenous Garden on Belmont’s campus at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, October 10, 2022.
Photo by Sam Simpkins
The area surrounding the garden was filled with faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members who hastened to honor this new sacred space, as birds chorused nearby, as if to provide an intentional and melodical score for the afternoon’s event. Charles Robinson, founder of The Red Road and a member of the Choctaw tribe who spoke at a Chapel earlier in the day, opened with a beautiful prayer in Cherokee, that set the tone fitting for such a reposeful, commemorative event.
Research indicates that the land where Belmont now sits was once a hunting ground for these tribes, who also may have cultivated parts of it. By recognizing their first history on the land, Belmont’s Faculty Senate Memorial Committee sought to honor these people and acknowledge the losses they have suffered and the injustices they continue to endure. The garden is the result of more than two years of efforts from faculty, staff, students, alumni and community partners.
Dr. Beth Ritter-Conn, assistant professor of religion in the College of Theology and Christian Ministry, spoke at the event and said, “This project was initially called a memorial garden, but it quickly became clear to the members of the committee that it needed to be so much more than that. Cherokee, Chickasaw, Shawnee and Yuchi Peoples are not just characters and stories from the past. They are living, breathing people. Our friends, neighbors, colleagues, students, classmates, part of vibrant communities.”
In July 2020, Belmont’s Faculty Senate issued a charge to the Faculty Memorial Committee to sponsor the development of a monument memorial or marker to address “the relationship between the land on which Belmont sits — along with all the institutions that have been on it — to the practices of slavery, white supremacy and racism.” This required that the committee be both tenaciously honest and courageous in their thoughts and actions, including the recognition of the Native American inhabitants, enslaved people who lived and worked on the property, the various forms of racially segregated education, and the continuing efforts to take account of these parts of our heritage.
Phase one of this charge was executed in January 2021 with the dedication of Freedom Plaza which commemorates the lives of the people who were enslaved on this property. The fulfillment of the second phase was carried out through the dedication of the Indigenous Garden.
The Committee worked alongside Belmont’s landscaping and grounds crew to begin to understand how to fill the garden with plant life, prioritizing historical connections to key species. With more than two dozen types of plants thriving in the space, the Garden is home to Blue cohosh, blue wild indigo, butterfly, milkweed and goldenseal—all of which would have been used by the indigenous peoples to treat everything from toothaches to cancer.
Melissa Finan-Demalon, Belmont manager of landscaping and grounds, explained the process for selecting the plants and the boulders that surround them, along with her passion for the project. “The indigenous peoples believe in a connectedness and oneness with the natural world. They won’t end up as medicine, but perhaps these plants will serve another purpose for all that visit here in years to come,” she shared. “I hope that this garden will be a place where visitors might spend some time in the beauty of these plants and feel that connectedness and in that way, perhaps find a few moments of peace and grace that might provide a different kind of healing.”
Alumni Savannah McNabb speaks at the Dedication Ceremony for the new Indigenous Garden on Belmont’s campus at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, October 10, 2022.
Photo by Sam Simpkins
Savannah McNabb—a Belmont alum, registered member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Self-Determination Specialist with the Bureau of Indian Affairs—spoke of her time at Belmont as a Native American student navigating the world of college at a predominantly white institution.
“I joined the Chinese Cultural Association and that really taught me to look beyond the lens of our differences,” she said. “Although my culture is quite different from that of the Chinese culture, I also found similarities. Through my classes in global leadership and other student organizations, I was able to find my place at Belmont.” Through beautiful storytelling and sharing her experiences, she highlighted that the garden could provide the same for the Belmont community – an opportunity to understand our differences, come together and recognize our lives as a broader part of a community.
Belmont President Dr. Greg Jones speaks during the Dedication Ceremony for the new Indigenous Garden on Belmont’s campus at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, October 10, 2022.
Photo by Sam Simpkins
Following a beautiful rendition of Amazing Grace, sang in the Cherokee language by Gary White, Faculty Fellow in Watkins College of Art and member of the Cherokee Tribe of Northeast Alabama, Belmont President Dr. Greg Jones closed the ceremony with a declaration of hope. Noting the power of peacefulness that comes with opportunity to simply reflect he said, “My hope is that this garden will be a place where repentance meets healing and hope and mutual understanding for a brighter future for all of us.”
Plans are in the works for how this garden may be further developed over time, including a series of invited speakers and art installations from indigenous artists, an informational website and other thoughts. The first addition to the garden is a plaque that reads:
“This garden acknowledges the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Shawnee and Yuchi peoples who once flourished on the land where Belmont University stands. The use of native plants and natural materials honors these indigenous communities’ reverence for the natural world and their resilience in the face of loss and injustice. Here, repentance meets gratitude and hope around the sacred waters of life.”
The dedication was followed by a reception at the Bell Tower Plaza.
Amazon’s Alexa is one of the most recognizable computer-generated personal assistants in the world. While most people know that an Alexa-enabled device can respond to simple requests, such as giving a weather forecast or setting reminders, the devices are evolving to perform more complex commands. Belmont University College of Pharmacy students are using the platform to aid in current health-related issues. Students in the course Introduction to Healthcare Informatics I—the first class in a series of elective courses offered within the healthcare informatics concentration—each developed a unique Alexa skill addressing contemporary healthcare topics.
In recent years, it has become increasingly critical to be able to reach the public through virtual platforms. The Alexa skills created by students provide access to meaningful health information without leaving the comfort of the users’ homes. Skill topics devised in the course ranged from information on drug interactions and adverse effects to physical activity options for geriatric patients to cognitive function tests. All skills developed were constructed using a combination of coding skills and Amazon functions to make the students’ designs come to life. Each student within the course had their skill published to Amazon’s comprehensive list of Alexa skills for general public use. The students’ skills can reach patients around the globe and make an impact on their medical journey.
The informatics concentration at Belmont is collaborating with interested organizations to provide competent student and graduate healthcare informaticians with clinical expertise and hopes to expand their program to include residents and/or fellows. Collaborating would be of no cost to the partnering organization and could help to advance Healthcare Informatics initiatives currently underway or in the planning phase. To find out more about partnering with the healthcare informatics team at the College of Pharmacy, please contact Dr. Anthony Blash.
