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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Trowbridge and Buckner Present at PRSA Counselors to Higher Education Conference

Hope Buckner
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Trowbridge and Buckner Present at PRSA Counselors to Higher Education Conference

Dr. Kevin Trowbridge and Hope Buckner presented a session at the Counselors to Higher Education Senior Summit, held April 11-13 in Nashville, Tennessee. The conference was sponsored by the Public Relations Society of America.

The session, “Gatekeeping in a World of No Gates,” engaged more than a hundred higher education communication professionals with best practices for building collaborative partnerships to most effectively communicate the organization’s story to internal and external audiences.

Buckner is the assistant director of communications and an adjunct instructor at Belmont where she teaches Nonprofit Public Relations and Development. Trowbridge is an assistant professor of public relations. Prior to becoming an educator, Trowbridge practiced public relations primarily in higher education, including service as the vice president of communications at a higher education association in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Kevin Trowbridge
Hope Buckner

Associate Professor Mark Whatley Sings Belgian National Anthem at Davis Cup

Hope Buckner
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Associate Professor Mark Whatley Sings Belgian National Anthem at Davis Cup

Mark Whatley, associate professor of music and coordinator of vocal studies, performed the Belgian National Anthem last weekend during all three days of the Davis Cup. Hosted in Belmont University’s Curb Event Center, Whatley took the floor before the games began on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Given less than two weeks to learn the song, Whatley was asked to sing the piece in two languages–Dutch and French. Immediately interested (but admittedly a bit nervous), Whatley said he had never heard the song before receiving the invitation and doesn’t speak either language. Though he’s comfortable singing in French from many other performances, prior to learning the anthem, he had never even heard Dutch spoken before.

“Though the song was only a minute and fifteen seconds long, I wanted to be sure all the words were absolutely correct, since I knew there would be Belgians in the audience, on the team and watching at home,” Whatley said. “To be sure it was right, I worked with an expert on the Dutch version of the Belgian anthem who was willing to help me learn to pronounce the words over the phone.”

As a trained classical singer more familiar with singing in operas and recitals, Whatley said performing at a sporting event was a bit out of his comfort zone. “I was very surprised that the Belgium superfans sang and yelled the anthem along with me,” Whatley said. “It actually threw me off my game for a moment! It’s very different than singing in a concert hall, but in the end, that probably was my favorite part–the enthusiasm of the Belgium fans.” 

Though the experience was different than his typical performances, as a life-long tennis fan, Whatley said the opportunity to perform the Belgian National Anthem was incredibly meaningful. “Jim Courier, Team USA’s Captain, was a hero of mine as I watched him on the pro tour when I was in high school,” he said. “Just being on the court with those professional tennis players was a real thrill. Too bad they didn’t need an extra hitting partner before the match!” 

Kuryla Published in “Society”

Hope Buckner
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Dr. Pete Kuryla, associate professor of history, has published an article in the journal Society. His essay “Politics, Nostalgia and the Strange Estrangements of the American Political Tradition” is part of an issue commemorating the seventieth anniversary of the historian Richard Hofstadter’s landmark study, The American Political Tradition and the Men Who Made It.

A link to the abstract can be found here. If any interested parties would like to read the piece in its entirety, the author has rights to share a copy.

Belmont Celebrates Achievement with Scholarship and Awards Day

Staff Writer
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Belmont Celebrates Achievement with Scholarship and Awards Day

Students, faculty and staff gathered together on Wednesday to celebrate Belmont’s top students and faculty at this year’s Scholarship and Awards Day convocation. The finalists were honored for their commitment to the University’s mission and dedication to scholarship, service and leadership. Dr. Caresse John, associate professor of English and the 2016-2017 Chaney Distinguished Professor, gave the ceremony’s Honors Address, citing Roxanne Gay’s quote from her 2014 collection of essays, “Change requires intent and effort. It really is that simple.” She emphasized social change stems from changing the narrative, and professors have the direct ability in their classrooms to be agents of that narrative change. John noted that it was the intent and effort of the students and faculty members that earned them these awards and concluded her address with the simple but powerful, “may it continue to be so.”

Each year, the presentation of the John Williams Heat of Belmont Award is greatly anticipated. The award honors one third year or fourth year student who embodies Belmont’s values, including innovation, persistence, advocacy for change, community development and service. This year’s recipient, Hope Kramer, is a biochemistry and molecular biology major who will be attending medical school at the University of Iowa in the fall. Kramer has participated in study abroad trips to Glasgow as well as real-life learning opportunities with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Siloam Family Health Center. Outside of her classwork, internships, academic research and student organization involvement, Kramer has also been a member of the Reformed University Fellowship.  She chose Silmoam Family Health Center as the community partner recipient of the accompanying scholarship.

Other students honored in Wednesday’s ceremony included:

The Williams-Murray First Year Writing Awards: Carly Bins and Laura Lopez

The Alfred Leland Crabb Award: Sheyanne Meadows (first place) and Macey Howell (Second Place)

The Alfred Leland Crabb Award for Collaborative Work: Olivia Adams and Meredith McNair

The Stacy Awalt Writing Award: Robert Kessler

The Annette Sisson First Year Seminar Award: Amanda Overbye

The Lumos Travel Award: Heather Ferrari, Olivia Hosey, Erin Sansilo and Haley Smith

winner of the fannie may award receiving her awardThe First Year Award, Leadership: Joshua Archer

The Second Year Award, Leadership: Jacob Hukill

The Third Year Award, Leadership: Jordan Dunn

The Fourth Year Award, Leadership: Khadija Ali Amghaiab

Dr. Fannie Hewlett Undergraduate Award: Sierra Jones

Dr. Fannie Hewlett Graduate Award: Yulonda Warren

In addition to student award winners, a number of awards were given to faculty members. The Christian Scholarship Award honors faculty scholarship that engages the Christian intellectual tradition and advances the scholarly conversation between Christian faith and learning. This year’s recipients were Dr. Elena Wong Espiritu, School of Occupational Therapy and Dr. Beverley Alleyne, College of Business.

The Leadership in Christian Service Award honors faculty who provide leadership to a new initiative or an established Christian organization that serves those in need. This year’s recipients were Dr. Qingjun (Joan) Li, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences and Dr. Martha Minardi, Interdisciplinary & Global Studies.

The Faculty Award for Scholarship recognizes a faculty member for outstanding intellectual and creative contributions of discovery, integration, application or teaching. This year’s recipient was Dr. Ronnie Littlejohn, College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences.

Dr. Vaugn May, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, was named the 2017-18 Chaney Distinguished Professor. The Chaney Distinguished Professor Award, determined on the basis of superior teaching, is presented each year to a faculty member who best represents the vision of the university to be a “premier teaching institution.”

Dr. Edgar Diaz-Cruz, smiling in his regaliaDr. Edgar Diaz-Cruz, College of Pharmacy, was awarded the 2017-18 Presidential Faculty Achievement Award. The Presidential Faculty Achievement Award is presented each year to a faculty member who has made outstanding contributions to student life outside the classroom. The award honors and recognizes excellence in faculty-student relationships, special abilities in meeting student needs – academic, personal and professional – and symbolizes Belmont University’s commitment to being a student-centered institution. A former student described Diaz-Cruz’s influence on his studies and career as such: “There are endless positive things one can say about Dr. D-C, not the least of which is, ‘He was present.'”

 

Gallegos Chosen as Nashville Sister Cities Ambassador

Hope Buckner
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Gallegos Chosen as Nashville Sister Cities Ambassador

Belmont student Rachel Gallegos has been chosen as the ambassador for Sister Cities of Nashville and will spend part of the summer in Caen, France working in the Office of the Mayor of Caen. Gallegos is a second year nursing major and French minor.

She said she is honored to have been chosen for this internship and is looking forward to representing Nashville while working with French professionals and other international students and learning more about the French language and culture through this immersive experience.

Student Bar Association Hosts Annual Barrister’s Ball

April Hefner
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Student Bar Association Hosts Annual Barrister’s Ball

The Belmont Law Student Bar Association hosted the 2018 Barrister’s Ball at Cabana on Thurs., April 12. Law students, faculty and staff were in attendance. SBA presented both students and faculty with superlatives. Ball attendees topped off the evening with dancing.

Faculty Present at Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages

Hope Buckner
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Faculty Present at Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages

Professor of French Dr. Cheryl Brown, Associate Professor of Italitan Dr. Francesca Muccini and Associate Professor of German Dr. Regine Schwarzmeier traveled to the Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on March 10 to give a presentation. The presentation was entitled “The Limits of My Language Mean the Limits of My World: Expanding the World through Language Learning and Study Abroad.”

Co-Chairs of Women’s History Month Celebration Present at Nashville Housing and Urban Development Office

Staff Writer
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Co-Chairs of Women’s History Month Celebration Present at Nashville Housing and Urban Development Office

Professors of English Amy Hodges Hamilton and Sarah Blomeley recently spoke at a special event coordinated by the Nashville Housing a Urban Development (HUD) Office to celebrate Women’s History Month. Using HUD’s overall goals as their touchstone, the presentation considered their mission to “increase home ownership and community empowerment,” through the analysis of 20th century African-American women writers on the power of home and our mother’s voices.

They talked collectively about the concept of home through the lens of women’s history, using authors like Alice Walker, Bell Hooks and Maya Angelou as inspiration. This speaking engagement was one of a series of community experts on various social and historical celebrations, and Hamilton and Blomeley were there as co-chairs for Belmont’s 2018 celebration of Women’s History Month.

Murphree Serves as Judge at RCS STEM Expo Night

Hope Buckner
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Dr. Steve Murphree Head ShotDr. Steve Murphree, biology professor, again served as a judge for the 2nd Annual Rutherford County Schools (RCS) STEM Expo Night held at Stewarts Creek High School in Smyrna. The countywide event included nearly 100 student projects representing grades 6-12. Students presented original research developed from a complex question, problem or challenge.

In addition to judging three projects, Murphree also chose the recipient of the “Belmont University Award of Excellence,” a special award. This year’s recipient was “No Oil in the Ocean” by McKenna Smith and Andrew Johnson of Stewarts Creek Middle School.

Students, Faculty Present Research at the Association of Southeastern Biologists Annual Meeting

Hope Buckner
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Students, Faculty Present Research at the Association of Southeastern Biologists Annual Meeting

Three biology faculty and 17 students in biology, biochemistry & molecular biology, environmental science and neuroscience presented their research at the 79th Annual Meeting of the Association of Southeastern Biologists (ASB) in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina March 28-31.  The presentations were:

Faculty Presenters

Dr. Chris Barton, “Integrating an inquiry-driven cell culture experience in an upper-level cell biology course”

Dr. Matthew Heard, “Using life history data to examine trade-offs in body size and reproductive ability”

Dr. Darlene Panvini, “Why Science Matters: Personalizing Biology through Citizen Science”

Student Presenters (Faculty Advisors)

Sherif Helmey (Robert Grammer), “Towards an enhanced chemotaxis assay of Caenorhabditis elegans with microfluidics”

Hope Kramer (Robert Grammer), “Stable inheritance of olfactory imprinting in Caenorhabditis elegans”

Midya Yarwais (Nick Ragsdale), “The Effects of Bromocriptine on the Mobility of Caenorhabditis elegans with Parkinson’s-like Disease”

Yasmin Telwar (Nick Ragsdale), “Investigating the Effect of the NMDA-type Neurotransmitter Glutamate on Habituation in Caenorhabditis elegans”

Taylor Hodge (Nick Ragsdale), “Investigating the Potential Role of nsy-1 in Response to an Oxidative Stressor”

Ryan Fox (Robert Grammer), “Isolation of Lysosomes in Caenorhabditis elegans”

Kylie Lawrence (Darlene Panvini), “The Effects of Exotic Invasive Plant Species on Pollinator Biodiversity in a Deciduous Temperate Forest”

Caroline Glover (Darlene Panvini), “A Quantitative Analysis of a Kale Hybrid, Tronchuda beira Grown on an Extensive Green Roof, Garden and EarthBox”

Christien Jackson (Darlene Panvini), “The effect of exotic plant species on arthropod diversity within an urban temperate deciduous forest”

McKenzie Roberts (Chris Barton), “Lycorine hydrochlorine induces a proliferative arrest in colorectal cancer cell”

Bailey Bergmann (Chris Barton), “Amodiaquine, an anti-malarial compound, inhibits the growth of epithelial cancer cells in culture”

Kara Garrett (Lori McGrew), “The effects of various pathogens on cortisol levels of Danio rerio measured from holding water compared to full body collection”

Dylan Adler (John Niedzwiecki), “The Effect of PH on a Freshwater snail’s (Elimia laqueta) ability to detect predator and alarm cues”

Priyanka Kumar (Amber Bradley, Joe Deweese, Chris Barton), “Novel etoposide analogs inhibit the growth of cancer cells in culture”

Brooke Pugsley (Robert Grammer), “Investigating the use of quorum sensing molecules in the pathogenic pathway of Bacillus thuringiensis in Caenorhabditis elegans”

Cady Sliger (Virginia Fleer, James Wetzel, Darlene Panvini), “Fertilization of green sea urchin, Lytechinus variegatus, negatively impacted by increasing temperature and acidity”

Hannah Forgani (Chris Barton, Matthew Heard), “Examining the presence of Escherichia coli and fecal coliforms at Percy Priest Lake in Nashville, Tennessee”

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