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

Home Blog Page 232

Physical Therapy Students Host Health Fair, Educate Elementary Students

Staff Writer
-
0
Physical Therapy Students Host Health Fair, Educate Elementary Students

three fourth graders, wrapped in toilet paper, standing with a professorBelmont’s physical therapy (PT) class of 2019 recently provided a health fair for 100 fourth grade students from East Cheatham Elementary School. The PT students in Dr. Pat Sells Health and Wellness Class prepared lesson plans and activities for a variety of health and wellness related topics.

The kids were exposed to topics such as bone health, lung health, stress management and physical activity. The PT students have been providing this health fair for numerous years, teaching lessons to over 1,000 elementary students.

Dean Emilie Townes Speaks at Belmont University

April Hefner
-
0
Dean Emilie Townes Speaks at Belmont University

The Rev. Dr. Emilie M. Townes visited Belmont last week for a faculty lunch event highlighting the value of diversity in Christian higher education. Townes currently serves as dean of Vanderbilt Divinity School and is the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Professor of Womanist Ethics and Society. The first African American dean of Vanderbilt Divinity School and first African American female president of the American Academy of Religion (2008), she is the author of numerous books—including, “Womanist Ethics and the Cultural Production of Evil” (Palgrave Macmillan Press, 2006). She is an ordained clergywoman in the American Baptist Churches USA.

Dean Emilie Townes speaks at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, April 3, 2018.

The lunch was the final event of the Diversity Lunch Series organized by the Faculty Inclusion, Diversity and Equity committee and co-sponsored by the College of Theology and Christian Ministry. After a word of welcome by Dr. Beth Ritter-Conn and introduction by Dr. David Dark, Townes spoke eloquently about diversity as a challenging, ongoing and multi-faceted conversation that can only flourish in an environment of trust among peers. Dr. Darrell Gwaltney, dean of the College of Theology and Christian Ministry, affirmed the importance of building mutual trust: “There’s nothing more sacred than sitting around a table together over a meal and learning from each other. It is a good thing how the Diversity Lunch Series brings us closer together.”

The Diversity Lunch Series is supported by a grant Dr. Gideon Park received from the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion, which is funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. and located at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana. The grant seeks to more fully express Belmont’s Christian identity by creating an inclusive culture for minority faculty, staff and students of color. The series is also made possible by funding from the Provost’s Office. After attending the lunch, Provost Dr. Thomas Burns commented: “I’m grateful to Dr. Park’s leadership in helping our faculty and staff engage with visiting scholars, allowing us to investigate various concepts of diversity within the academy and generating productive conversations and critical dialogue about diversity on our campus.”

The Diversity Lunch Series will continue next year under the guidance of the committee with generous support from the Provost’s Office.

O’More Students Compete in Eastman Design Challenge

April Hefner
-
0
O’More Students Compete in Eastman Design Challenge

O’More College of Design and Kingsport, Tennessee-based Eastman are partnering this spring to promote the application of an environmentally friendly fiber in original, ready-to-wear knit clothing.

O'More sophomore Breonna Walker (top) shares her preliminary sketches with Eastman's Market Development Manager Terry Lawler.
O’More sophomore Breonna Walker (top) shares her preliminary sketches with Eastman’s Market Development Manager Terry Lawler.

In the Eastman Naia™ Challenge, students in O’More’s Fashion program (the only program from Tennessee to be recognized among the Top 10 in the South by fashion-schools.org) will create fashion-forward garments using fabric composed of Naia™, a cellulosic yarn made from wood pulp and derived exclusively from sustainably managed and certified forests.

The Challenge began on Feb. 16 with students presenting their preliminary sketches to Eastman Market Development Manager Terry Lawler and Marketing Communications Representative Meghana Diwanji.

The collaborative effort led O’More sophomore Chloe Baur to propose designs inspired by royal court portraits of the widowed Queen Victoria. A portrait by Henrich Von Angeli caught her eye that emphasized the arms and neck.

“I want to focus on the upper body through a more progressive lens,” says Baur. “The sleeves in my design have rounded slits at the elbow to create a silhouette where the sleeve stays in the same shape no matter the arm’s position. I chose to focus on Queen Victoria’s post-widowed portraits for the color palette of my design’s sake, where all of her dresses worn are black with embellishments.”

Baur’s design proposal takes into consideration the breathability, wrinkle recovery and drapeability of fabric produced with the Naia™ fiber.

Another sophomore, Sarah Stevenson, conducts extensive research of historical fashions in an effort to understand why people would wear garments that, by today’s standards, would be ridiculous. Among the questions she asks are, “Would this be comfortable to wear? If not, is it worth the discomfort? How am I surprising my audience with this piece?”

Stevenson seeks to push-the-needle in the Challenge by exploiting the limitless opportunities afforded by fabric produced with Naia™ fiber.

Designs will be juried by Eastman representatives, O’More faculty and industry professionals, and showcased at the 2018 O’More College Fashion Show on May 10 at the Franklin Theatre in downtown Franklin. Students will be judged on versatility, comfort, innovative cuts, use of surprise elements with hardware, trims and functional embellishments.

Introduced at the Interfilière Paris fair in January 2017, Naia™ is a poised, new reflection of a long-standing fiber that enables luxurious, comfortable and easy-to-care-for fabrics and garments.

This marks the second year that O’More has collaborated with Eastman, a Fortune 500 company, to promote the versatile and environmentally friendly fiber. Last year’s Naia™ Design Challenge featured evening and formal wear.

More information as well as updates on the Eastman Naia™ Design Challenge are available online at OMoreCollege.edu.

 

Former Dollar General CEO Discusses Business Ethics, Faith in Corporations with Students

Staff Writer
-
0
Former Dollar General CEO Discusses Business Ethics, Faith in Corporations with Students

Cal Turner talking to room full of students“Figuring out how an enterprise can serve the greater good is one of the greatest joys in life,” Cal Turner Jr., former CEO of Dollar General, said to students. Turner was delivering an address to a packed room of students, faculty and staff to introduce his new book, “My Father’s Business: The Small-Town Values That Built Dollar General into a Billion-Dollar Company.”

The book details the origins of Dollar General and the history of the family that built it. The company first began in 1939 as a family-owned business called J.L. Turner and Son, run by James Luther Turner and Cal Turner Sr., Turner Jr.’s father and grandfather. Turner worked in the company for most of his life, serving in a variety of roles ranging from sweeping floors to cashiering. He later served the company as CEO for 25 years before retiring.

Turner discussed his journey as CEO with the students, emphasizing the influence of his faith in his business decisions. He said that writing this book allowed him to reflect on his life-long relationship with God. “I found that when I go back to things that happened, I discern the hand of God.” This, in fact, influenced the title of the book, “My Father’s Business,” which refers both to his “earthly father” as well as to his “father in Heaven.”

Cal Turner speaking, pointing to himselfTurner noted that, from the perspective of a CEO of a major corporation, the most important contribution that higher education can give a student is the desire to be a life-long learner. Turner’s experience transitioning into the CEO position influenced that advice. He said that when he took over the business, it was in “entrepreneurial chaos.” His father had pushed for the company to go public before a public infrastructure was in place. Turner was then left to promote Dollar General, the first company of its kind, to Wall Street, which did not understand the concept of the company. He said through that experience, he was in charge of exploring the uniqueness of Dollar General. He told students, “I hope you and God spend the rest of your time exploring your own uniqueness.”

When he became CEO, Dollar General consisted of 150 stores worth $40 million . Now, the company has more than 14,600 stores worth $23.5 billion. Over 75 percent of the population in the continental United States lives within five miles of a Dollar General, and the company prides itself on its distribution of affordable, consumable basic goods, particularly to those in need. Turner remarked that he is proud that his company helps hardworking people who may be struggling financially, and that his faith is what made the company what it is today. To students, he said, “I hope you have a sense of awe about what your relationship with God can come to. That’s your father’s business.”

Fyke and Webb Present at Central States Communication Association

Hope Buckner
-
0
Fyke and Webb Present at Central States Communication Association

Drs. Jeremy Fyke and Nathan Webb, faculty in Corporate Communication and Communication Studies, recently presented at the Central States Communication Association Annual Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Fyke gave a presentation titled, “Seeing Difference Differently: Using Images to Unpack Perspectives.” Webb gave a presentation titled, “Teaching Intercultural Communication with TED Talks.”

Nathan Webb
Dr. Nathan Webb
Dr. Jeremy Fyke Head Shot
Dr. Jeremy Fyke

Belmont Students Compete in National Appellate Advocacy Competition

Hope Buckner
-
0
Belmont Students Compete in National Appellate Advocacy Competition

Law students in Washington DCLaw students Paul Madden, Ben Riggs, Richard Swor, Jake Beggin, Emmie Futrell and Sarah Sims represented Belmont College of Law in Washington, D.C. at the American Bar Association’s National Appellate Advocacy Competition April 5-7. Belmont’s team beat or out-ranked teams from Syracuse, Mercer, Brooklyn, Liberty, Barry, Capital, Case Western and Northwestern universities.

Belmont Law placed 19th out of 182 teams from 108 ABA approved law schools throughout the nation.

Alumnus Installs Interactive Musical Exhibit on Downtown Bridge

Staff Writer
-
0
Alumnus Installs Interactive Musical Exhibit on Downtown Bridge

Aaron Hoke Doenges Masters of Music Composition alumnus Aaron Hoke Doenges (’09) has an interactive music installment called “Wade [Music for River and People]” on exhibition on the Pedestrian Bridge downtown. The exhibit is composed from live data about the Cumberland, Harpeth and Richland rivers from the United States Geological Survey website that has been translated into music.

As people move across the bridge, the musical elements are altered to reflect the impact pedestrians have on local waterways. The larger the audience, the greater the changes in the music will be.

Wade [Music for River and People] will be installed until April 29 on the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge in downtown Nashville and is free and open to the public. The project is funded in part by the Metro Arts: Nashville Office of Art & Culture.

Doenges will also be speaking at the River Talk, hosted by the Cumberland River Compact, on April 26 from noon to 1 p.m. at the Bridge Building.

 

 

Bridges to Belmont Hosts ‘Empowher’ Networking Dinner

Staff Writer
-
0
Bridges to Belmont Hosts ‘Empowher’ Networking Dinner

Bridges to Belmont recently hosted the Empowher Networking Dinner for women in the Univeristy’s program. A play on the words “empower” and “her,” the Empowher dinner provided college women the opportunity to network with educators, leaders and professionals from the surrounding area as they plan for their futures. The event’s keynote speaker was Taj George.

group photo of studentsEmpowher was hosted by Director of the Bridges to Belmont program Dr. Mary Clark who said, “I decided to host this event because I believe it is important for young women and men to have the opportunity to meet professionals in their chosen career fields.”

This dinner was the sister to the “Men About Business” mentoring and networking dinner hosted in February. Clark noted, “Separating the collegiate participants by gender is important, because it creates a safe space for each to be themselves. There is something to be said about being in a room of your peers that allows college students to find comfort and camaraderie, which only breeds more confidence when it comes to making life decisions. Each dinner was profound in how it engaged the audience, and I firmly believe that the separation by gender was important and impactful on multiple levels.”

At the event, participants were introduced to students from both Belmont and other local institutions. Importantly, they were connected to peers and professionals with similar career aspirations. “The conversations that were had at each table and with our keynote speaker were authentic as it relates to trials, tribulations and triumphs that women often encounter, and I think that was essential for the collegiate women to hear,” Clark said.

Belmont President Bob Fisher Selected for Martha Rivers Ingram Arts Visionary Award

April Hefner
-
0
Belmont President Bob Fisher Selected for Martha Rivers Ingram Arts Visionary Award

Each year, the Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville celebrates a Nashville resident for their inspiring leadership and patronage of the arts with its Martha Rivers Ingram Arts Visionary Award. This year, the deserving honoree is Belmont University President Dr. Bob Fisher, a long-time Nashville business leader and arts supporter.

Bob FisherFisher’s friends, family, and colleagues from his many business endeavors as well as his community and arts leadership activities will gather at Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center on Wed., May 2, at 5:30 p.m. to honor his significant volunteer and community support work.

“Given that Nashville has one of the most vibrant creative arts communities in the world, this recognition is especially sweet and humbling,” said Fisher.  “My wife Judy and my colleagues at Belmont University have inspired my activities over the past two decades, and they are really the ones who have earned this award. We are sincerely grateful.”

“We couldn’t be more pleased to honor Dr. Fisher with this prestigious award,” said Jill McMillan, executive director of the Arts & Business Council. “He has had a transformative impact on cultural landscape of Greater Nashville, and is the perfect choice for this year’s Ingram Arts Visionary Award.”

Previous Ingram Arts Visionary Award winners include: Earl Swensson, Denny Bottorf, Walter Knestrick, Steve & Jay Turner, and Shirley Zeitlin.

Attendees and supporters are invited to make a donation in honor of Bob Fisher to the Arts & Business Council, which works to cultivate Nashville’s creative community. For more information about the event, call (615) 460-8274. Corporate sponsors of this event include Earl Swensson Associates and Cumberland Trust.

Alumnus Brad Paisley Invites Curb College Students to Sound Check, Q&A Session

April Hefner
-
0
Alumnus Brad Paisley Invites Curb College Students to Sound Check, Q&A Session

Brad Paisley Social PostOn Fri., April 6, Belmont alumnus and Grammy Award-winner Brad Paisley prepped for the hometown show of his current Weekend Warrior World Tour with a special pre-show sound check with approximately 200 students from the Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business. The students were invited to Bridgestone Arena where Paisley hosted them for a few songs during sound check and then offered career advice and conducted a Q&A session. The students were also able to attend the evening’s performance.

Freshman music business major Jacklyn Figueiredo noted what an amazing opportunity it was for her and her peers to get such a behind-the-scenes tour as well as remarked how much she enjoyed hearing about Paisley’s own time on Belmont’s campus. “His experience was very relatable to everyone’s current Belmont experience. It was awesome to see how he utilized all the tools he learned at Belmont. He said he invited Belmont students to Bridgestone because he wanted to see the new faces of the music industry, and I think that really motivated a lot of students.”

Junior music business and accounting double major Becca Cress added, “Immediately likable, he sat down on the steps of the stage and started telling us stories of his time at Belmont and how it shaped his life. He was very engaging with his audience and continuously asked the students questions about their impressions of Belmont and how it operates today compared to when he attended it. Before starting his actual soundcheck he declared he wanted to construct ‘Paisley Hall’ – where there were no practice hours and everyone could play music whenever they wanted. The soundcheck itself was awesome!! He is such an incredible guitarist and the band worked really well together. You could tell he’s an experienced artist and has performed in front of large crowds many times.”

1...231232233...860Page 232 of 860
Belmont University Logo | News & Media

CONTACT US

University Marketing and Communications
615-460-6650
communication@belmont.edu

FOLLOW US