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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Tickets Now Available to Attend Jan. 23 SCORE Gubernatorial Forum

Tickets are now available for the first televised, statewide gubernatorial forum of the 2018 election, which will be held on Belmont University’s campus in the Curb Event Center on Jan. 23. Belmont , the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE), the USA TODAY NETWORK – Tennessee and NewsChannel 5 are partnering to host the forum.

General admission tickets for the public to attend the forum are available here, and tickets for Belmont students, faculty and staff are available here. Belmont students are eligible to receive Global Citizenship, Leadership, Diversity and the Professions convocation credit for attending the event. By reserving a ticket attendees agree to have their likeness videotaped. Disruptive behavior will be strictly prohibited and will result in being removed from the event.

The forum, which will air from 7-8 p.m. CT, will focus exclusively on education. All seven top-tier Republican and Democratic candidates are expected to attend.

 

Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame Opens Nominations for 2018 Class

With a mission to honor men and women who have made significant and lasting contributions to the health and health care industry, The Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame seeks to recognize and honor the pioneers and current leaders who have formed Tennessee’s health and health care community and encourage future generations of health care professionals. Created by Belmont University and the McWhorter Society, The Hall of Fame is supported by the Nashville Health Care Council, a Hall of Fame Founding Partner.

This year’s nomination process opened after the 2017 class was inducted at a ceremony held on Belmont University’s campus in October. The nominations process will remain open until February 15 and can be accessed at www.tnhealthcarehall.com. The 2018 inductee class will be announced at the McWhorter Society’s May luncheon.

Nominees can be practitioners, executives, entrepreneurs, mentors, teachers, scientists, researchers, innovators or any person with a connection to the health or health care field. Potential inductees must have:

  • Been born, lived or have worked in Tennessee
  • Made a significant impact and lasting contribution to health care at the local, state, national or international level
  • Exhibit the highest ethical and professional character
  • Serve as an outstanding role model in their community

To date, the Hall of Fame’s three inductee classes have included health care leaders from across the state including Jack Bovender, Dr. Dorothy Lavinia Brown, Dr. Stanley Cohen, Dr. Colleen Conway-Welch, Dr. Thomas Frist, Jr., Dr. Thomas Frist, Sr., Dr. William H. Frist, Dr. Henry Foster, Dr. Ernest Goodpasture, Joel Gordon, Dr. Frank Groner, Dr. Harry Jacobson, Jack C. Massey, R. Clayton McWhorter, Dr. Stanford Moore, Dr. Donald Pinkel, Dr. David Satcher, Dr. Mildred Stahlman, Dr. Paul Stanton and Danny Thomas.

A Selection Committee, comprised of health and health care leaders from across the state, will evaluate nominees for The Hall of Fame.

Spiritually-Focused ‘Writing for Your Life’ Conference Comes to Belmont Feb. 6-7

Belmont University’s College of Theology and Christian Ministry (CTCM) announced today that registration is now open for the “Writing for Your Life” conference on campus February 6-7, 2018. Partnering with the “Writing for Your Life” conference series, headline speakers for the Nashville event will be acclaimed authors Brian McLaren and Carol Howard Merritt.  Belmont’s professor of theology and Christian ministry, Dr. David Dark, will also be a featured speaker.

The conference will also include an optional post-conference retreat on Feb. 8. The DigDeeper Retreat offers a more in-depth seminar about the various aspects of successful writing taught by Ami McConnell and Brian Allain.

A member of the Association of Leaders in Lifelong Learning for Ministry, the Writing for Your Life conference at Belmont will offer 1.1. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for pastors in attendance. In addition, The DigDeeper Post-Conference Retreat will offer an additional .5 CEUs.

“Our 2017 spiritual writers’ conference at Belmont was so well-liked,” said Brian Allain, Producer of Writing for Your Life, “that we received a rating of 4.71 out of 5. We are excited to welcome another set of top speakers for 2018.”

brian mclaren headshotBrian D. McLaren is an author, speaker, activist and public theologian. In 2004, he was awarded a Doctor of Divinity Degree (honoris causa) from Carey Theological Seminary in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and in 2010, he received a second honorary doctorate from Virginia Theological Seminary (Episcopal). His first work of teaching fiction (or creative-nonfiction), “A New Kind of Christian” (Jossey-Bass, 2001), won Christianity Today’s “Award of Merit” in 2002. His work has also been covered in Time, New York Times, Christianity Today, Christian Century, the Washington Post, Huffington Post, CNN.com and many other print and online media.

Carol Howard Merritt headshotRev. Carol Howard Merritt is a minister whose writing, speaking and teaching is anchored in theological wisdom and sociological insight. She’s a sought-after keynote speaker, especially on the topic of ministering in a new generation. The award-winning author of “Tribal Church: Ministering to the Missing Generation,” “Reframing Hope: Vital Ministry in a New Generation” and “Healing Spiritual Wounds: Reconnecting with a Loving God After Experiencing a Hurtful Church,” Howard Merritt is a frequent contributor to books, websites, magazines and journals. She is a regular writer at the Christian Century where her blog is hosted.

In addition to the headliners, other speakers for the event include: Andrew Peterson (author and musician), Patricia Raybon (author and consultant), Jennifer Grant (author and consultant), Mihee Kim-Kort (author). David Dark (author and professor), River Jordan (author), Ami McConnell (editor and consultant), Daisy Hutton (HarperCollins), Joe Iovino (United Methodist Communications) and Sharon Wilharm (screenwriter).

Tuition for the main conference is $349 and includes all General Sessions and Breakout Seminars, lunches, snacks and beverages during the breaks, one-on-one meetings, and an open-mic evening session.

About Writing for Your Life

Writing for Your Life is committed to offering many useful resources and services to support spiritual writers. We offer in-person writing conferences and online webinars featuring leading spiritual writers and publishing industry experts. Authors discuss and teach about various aspects of spiritual writing. Industry experts offer advice on how to get published and how to market. In addition, we offer several types of writer support services, online video training presentations, and other resources. Learn more at www.writingforyourlife.com.

Faculty and Students Attend Tennessee Academy of Sciences Meeting, Present Research

Belmont Biology department faculty members Drs. Chris Barton, Roger Jackson and Nick Ragsdale and 26 Belmont students attended the 127th Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Sciences held at the University of Tennessee Martin at the end of the fall semester. Senior students majoring in biology, biochemistry & molecular biology, neuroscience and environmental science presented their undergraduate research projects in various poster sessions ranging from ecology & environmental science to cell & molecular biology.

Ten Belmont students received recognition for their excellent work:

  • Caroline Glover received first place in the Botany section
  • Christien Jackson received first place in the Ecology and Environmental Science section
  • Bailey Bergmann and Sargoel Rezanejad tied for first place in the Health and Medical Science section
  • Brandi Duke received first place and Priyanka Kumar and AC Dowd tied for second place in the Cell and Molecular Biology section
  • McKenzie Roberts received second place in the Health and Medical Science section
  • Cody Rasner received second place and Haley Hatfield received third place in the Microbiology section

Additionally, Barton and Ragsdale served as section chairs in Microbiology and Health and Medical Science sections, respectively. Jackson served as a judge in the Cell & Molecular Biology section.

The following research projects were presented at the conference:

  • “Variations in Arthropod Diversity Across Green Roofs Differing in Age and Types of Plant Coverage,” Taryn G. Anderson, Faculty Advisor: Darlene Panvini, Ph.D.
  • “The Effect of Urban Green Roof Size on the Diversity and Abundance of Arthropods and Mollusks,” Courtney L. Ankrapp, Faculty Advisor: Darlene Panvini, Ph.D.
  • “Amodiaquine, an anti-malarial compound, inhibits the growth of epithelial cancer cells in culture,” Bailey Bergmann, Faculty Advisor: Chris Barton, Ph.D.
  • “The role of alpha-1- adrenergic receptor antagonists in the treatment of colorectal cancer,” Colin Cardwell, Faculty Advisor: Chris Barton, Ph.D.
  • “Kinetics of Progression of Pathogenicity of Caenorhabditis elegans in Response to Bacillus thuringiensi,” Dana L. Cornwell, Faculty Advisor: Dr. Robert Grammer, Ph.D.
  • “Effect of Inorganic vs. Organic Selenium Compounds as a Pre-treatment to Oxidative Stress Caused by 6-Hydroxydopamine Treatment in elegans,AC Dowd, Faculty Advisor: Nick Ragsdale, Ph.D.
  • “Insight on aversive learning in Caenorhabditis elegans when introduced to Bacillus thuringiensis during reproduction and growth,” Brandi Duke, Faculty Advisor: Robert Grammer, Ph.D.
  • “Examining the presence of Escherichia coli and fecal coliforms at Percy Priest Lake in Nashville, Tennessee,” Hannah Forgani, Faculty Advisor: Chris Barton, Ph.D. and Matt Heard, Ph.D.
  • “Isolation of Lysosomes in Caenorhabditis elegans,” Ryan T. Fox, Faculty Advisor: Robert T. Grammer, Ph.D.
  • “A Quantitative Analysis of a Kale Hybrid, Tronchuda Beira, Grown on an Extensive Green Roof, Garden and Earthboxâ,Caroline Glover, Faculty Advisor: Darlene Panvini, Ph.D.
  • “Synchronization of the life cycle of Caenorhabditis elegans and the correlation of worm age and worm death from the pathogen Bacillus thuringiensis,” Haley Hatfield, Faculty Advisor: Robert Grammar, Ph.D.
  • “In Search of a Simple Microfluidic Method for the Chemotaxis Assay,” Sherif S. Helmey, Faculty Advisors: Robert Grammer, Ph.D. and Krista McBride, Ph.D.
  • “Investigating the Potential Role of nsy-1 in Response to an Oxidative Stressor,” Taylor Hodges, Faculty Advisor: Nick Ragsdale, Ph.D.
  • “The Effects of Exotic Plant Species on Insect Biodiversity within an Urban Temperate Deciduous Forest,” Christien Jackson, Faculty Advisor: Darlene Panvini, Ph.D.
  • “Decomposition of Leaf Litter on Urban Green Roofs of Different Ages Compared To Decomposition in a Community Garden,” La’Tiara Jarvis, Faculty Advisor: Darlene Panvini, Ph.D.
  • “Stable inheritance of olfactory imprinting in Caenorhabditis elegans,Hope Kramer, Faculty Advisor: Robert Grammer, Ph.D.
  • “Novel etoposide drugs inhibit the growth of cancer cells in culture,” Priyanka Kumar, Amber Bradley and Joe Deweese, Ph.D., Faculty Advisor: Chris Barton, Ph.D.
  • “The Effects of Exotic Invasive Plant Species on Pollinator Diversity in a Deciduous Temperate Forest,” Kylie Lawrence, Faculty Advisor: Darlene Panvini, Ph.D.
  • “Investigating the use of quorum sensing molecules in the pathogenic pathway of Bacillus thuringiensis in Caenorhabditis elegans,” Brooke Pugsley, Faculty Advisor: Robert Grammer, Ph.D.
  • Abiotic Factors Affecting the Migration Rate of Cyanobacterial Cells Through Sediment Columns,” Cody Rasner, Faculty Advisors: Darlene Panvini, Ph.D., J.S. Metcalf, Rasner (Institute for Ethnomedicine, Jackson, Wyoming (JSM)), and R. Richer (University of Wisconsin Marinette, Marinette, Wisconsin (KR, RR))
  • “The effects of an antidepressant, Bupropion, on the chemotaxis of nicotine-treated Caenorhabditis elegans towards an attractant,” Sargoel Rezanejad, Faculty Advisor: Robert Grammer, D.
  • “Lycorine hydrochlorine induces a proliferative arrest in colorectal cancer cells,” McKenzie Roberts, Faculty Advisor: Chris Barton, Ph.D.
  • “The Diversity of Microbial Communities on Urban Campus Green Roofs and Community Garden,” Lex Roberts, Faculty Advisor: Darlene Panvini, Ph.D.
  • “Fertilization of Green Sea Urchin, Lytechinus Variegatus, Negatively Impacted by Increasing Temperature and Acidity,” Cady L. Sliger, Faculty Advisor: Darlene Panvini, Ph.D., Virginia Fleer, and James Wetzel (Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, Ocean Springs, Mississippi (VF, JW))
  • “Investigating the Effect of the NMDA-type Neurotransmitter Glutamate on Habituation in Caenorhabditis elegans,Yasmine Telwar, Faculty Advisor: Nick Ragsdale, Ph.D.
  • “The Effects of Bromocriptine on the Mobility of Caenorhabditis elegans Induced With Parkinson’s-like Disease,” Midya Yarwis, Faculty Advisor: Nick Ragsdale, Ph.D.

 

Treybig and Risinger Featured on American Public Media’s Pipedreams

Treybig and RisingerBelmont School of Music faculty members Joel Treybig, trumpet, and Andrew Risinger, organ, were recently featured on American Public Media’s nationally syndicated broadcast of “Pipedreams.” Treybig and Risinger were featured on a broadcast titled “Holiday Seasonings” which is focused on Christmas music.

The show’s host, Michael Barone, selected Treybig’s and Risinger’s recording of Charles Ives unique 1897 setting of Adeste Fideles to be broadcast as a part of the program, which can be heard online here.

Belmont Talent Featured in First Night’s 2018 Top Ten List

First Night’s Top Ten for 2018 was recently announced in Nashville and Belmont was included in many of critic Jeffrey Ellis’s annual rankings of the best in Tennessee theater. This year’s finalists were announced via a Facebook live stream with the hosts of Midwinter’s First Night. Winners will be announced at an event held on Sunday, January 28 at Music Valley Event Center in Nashville.

Mentions from Belmont’s College of Visual and Performing Arts are as follows:

  • Top Ten Outstanding Plays for 2017The Amish Project, Actors’ Bridge Ensemble and Belmont University Theatre
  • Top Ten Outstanding Musicals for 2017: Fiddler on the Roof, Belmont University Musical Theatre
  • Top Ten Outstanding Directors of a Play for 2017: Jaclynn Jutting, The Amish Project, Actors Bridge Ensemble and Belmont University Theatre & Jaclynn Jutting, The Whale, Verge Theater Company (Jutting is an Assistant Professor for the Department of Theatre & Dance and head of Belmont’s B.F.A. Directing program)
  • Top Ten (plus one) Outstanding Directors of a Musical for 2017: David Shamburger, Fiddler on the Roof, Belmont University Musical Theatre
  • Top Ten Outstanding Musical Directors for 2017: Jo Lynn Burks, Fiddler on the Roof, Belmont University Musical Theatre
  • First Night’s Top Ten Outstanding Choreographers for 2017: Anna Perry, Fiddler on the Roof, Belmont University Musical Theatre; Emily Tello Speck, 9 to 5: The Musical, Belmont University Musical Theatre & Emily Tello Speck, Spamalot, Studio Tenn (Tello Speck is a 2003 musical theatre alumna, a 2013 vocal pedagogy master’s alumna and was a member of the musical theatre faculty before moving to Houston over the summer.
  • Top Ten Outstanding Actors in a Play for 2017: Brent Maddox, The Elephant Man, Studio Tenn (Maddox is an Assistant Professor of Theatre in the Department of Theatre and Dance) and Shawn Knight, The Whale, Verge Theater Company (Knight is a long time Lecturer in the Theatre & Dance Department)
  • Top Ten Outstanding Actresses in a Play for 2017: Amanda Bell, The Amish Project, Actors Bridge Ensemble and Belmont University Theatre (Bell graduated from Belmont in May 2017 and was a senior in while in this production last April)
  • Top Ten Outstanding Actors in a Musical for 2017: Gabe Hoyer, Fiddler on the Roof, Belmont University Musical Theatre (Hoyer is a current Belmont student)
  • Top Ten Outstanding Ensemble for a Play in 2017The Amish Project, Actors Bridge Ensemble and Belmont University Theatre

 

Nagy Ibrahim Receives Inaugural ‘It’s All Belmont to Me’ Award

The newly created It’s All Belmont to Me Award, a designation created to honor a member of the Belmont community who exhibits the University’s longstanding “It’s All Belmont to Me” mantra, was recently presented to Housekeeping Staff Member Nagy Ibrahim. The phrase, created as part of Belmont’s Vision 2010 initiative, represents a customer-focused mindset. The award was created to recognize staff members who work to connect their gifts with the needs of others, consistently demonstrating the initiative’s five guiding principles of showing care, taking responsibility and following through, doing it right, making it seamless and walking the talk.

Ibrahim has been a dedicated member of the Belmont community for nearly 12 years. When he’s not working in his assigned residence halls, he can be found tending to Belmont’s many plants and flowers. His nominator said, “He shows enthusiasm and a commitment to Belmont for all the principles this University stands for. Though he is so busy, he takes time to speak and ask how we are doing. His work ethic, as well as his demeanor while doing his work, exemplifies each of the behaviors of caring, respect, responsibility and commitment. He truly respects this University.”

Understanding the significance of this newly created award, Ibrahim said he was honored to be recognized, but quickly noted that he doesn’t believe he deserves the designation. He’s just happy to be part of the Belmont community. With two daughters currently attending Belmont, Ibrahim said he’s so grateful to the university for all it does for its employees–including his wife, a fellow member of the Housekeeping staff.

“I want to say thank you to Belmont, to everyone, for helping me,” he said. “Belmont has been so good to my daughters. I also want to thank my wife because she’s the reason I’ve continued at Belmont. We come to work together everyday, and it’s wonderful.”

The inaugural award was presented at this year’s Staff Christmas Breakfast.

Belmont Ranked as a Top Prestigious Southern Christian University

Belmont was recently named as one of the Top 25 Most Prestigious Southern Christian Universities, according to an annual list released by Faith on View. Additionally, the university was ranked No. 5 nationally among large Christian universities. The complete list includes 200 institutions.

Faith on View’s ranking of Christian institutions is the original and most complete rankings of its kind. The listing primarily looks at those schools designated as what the Council of Christian College and Universities calls “Christ-centered higher education.”

 

Belmont Named a 2018 Best Value University by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

Belmont University was recently named to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance’s 300 Best College Values for 2018 annual ranking. Introduced in 1998, the rankings now combine public schools, private universities and private liberal arts colleges into a single, comprehensive list. The analysis is based on objective measurements of academic quality and affordability.

“Our rankings, which weigh affordability alongside academic quality, are a great resource for students and their parents when sorting through college choices,” said Mark Solheim, editor of Kiplinger’s magazine. “We start with a universe of nearly 1,200 schools and trim the list using measures of academic quality. We then rank the schools based on cost and financial aid data. All 300 schools on our list are worth a look.”

The full rankings are available online at kiplinger.com/links/colleges and will appear in print in the February 2018 issue of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, on newsstands January 9.

 

Hendrickson Receives 2017 ASCAP Foundation Bart Howard Songwriters Scholarship

Chloe Hendrickson has been named the 2017 recipient of The ASCAP Foundation Bart Howard Songwriters Scholarship at Belmont University. Hendrickson’s award-winning song “Lightening” was selected as the best entry based on its compositional elements, artistry and professionalism.

Hendrickson was awarded a $2,000 scholarship from the ASCAP Foundation, made possible by The ASCAP Foundation Bart Howard Fund. Bart Howard (1915-2004) was a prolific composer who wrote over 200 songs, most notably, “Fly Me to The Moon,” which has been performed by hundreds of singers including Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerals, Peggy Lee and Diana Krall.

Hendrickson is a junior songwriting major who is a current member of the band Richlove which just released its first single, “Something in the Water.”