On Tuesday, Sept. 6, a Diverse Faculty Luncheon was held to celebrate two new doctoral degrees, Dr. Tracy Wilson (School of Nursing) and Dr. Mary Clark (Bridges to Belmont). Dr. Clark also shared at the event about her new role as the director of the Office of Multicultural Learning and Experience, and attendees were invited to contribute ideas to build upon and enhance the Belmont community through this new office.
Tough’s Song Featured in Hallmark Movie
Associate Professor of Audio Engineering Technology Dr. Dave Tough’s song “Gonna Find My Way to You” was recently featured as the opening title music for the Hallmark movie “Summer Love.”
The film originally aired on August 20.
Alumnus Named Best Leading Actor
Belmont alumnus Nathan McHenry was recently named Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his work in “Playhouse on the Square” by the Memphis Flyer.
Tennessee’s Veterans Services Commissioner Dedicates Belmont’s Bruin Vets Center
Belmont University dedicated the newly created Bruin Vets Center (BVC) at a ceremony yesterday afternoon. Located in Fidelity Hall, the BVC is a result of Belmont’s recent space reallocation process, a campus-wide initiative that encouraged all members of the Belmont community to request the use of available space across campus.
Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher said, “The Bruin Vets Center represents our deep appreciation for student veterans’ service to our country and our commitment to creating an environment in which they can study and commune with one another. This dedicated veterans space resulted from a collaborative decision making process we began last fall, through which we invited the campus community to submit proposals on how to best use vacant spaces on campus. Driven by student leadership, more than 50 thoughtful ideas were submitted and shared online, each of which was discussed in depth by our senior leadership team and also reviewed by our Student Government Association. We are grateful to all who participated in this process and excited about the ways Belmont student veterans will benefit from this space.”
The opening ceremony included remarks from Belmont’s Provost Dr. Thomas Burns, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Veterans Services Many-Bears Grinder and Belmont student veteran Jonathan League. The event concluded with an original performance by Jason Earley, a Belmont songwriting major. Earley recently participated in Operation Song, a songwriting retreat where veterans and songwriters collaborate to create songs that feature veterans’ stories.
League spoke on behalf of Bruin Vets, Belmont’s student veteran organization and the entirety of the institution’s student veteran population saying, “We are grateful for the opportunity to have a place set aside for us. It’s a place of study, of community and meeting for Bruin Vets. We love Belmont as an institution and also because of the nurturing we experience at this special place.”
Belmont’s Veteran Success initiative, led by Associate Provost of Interdisciplinary Studies and Global Education Dr. Mimi Barnard, facilitates veteran support services and is also housed in Fidelity Hall. Veteran Success initiative staff work with Belmont offices from across the institution to provide opportunities for community building, academic success and career preparation. Additionally, staff assist by coordinating programming opportunities for student veterans with community partners.
“The Bruin Vets Center provides space for student veterans to study, enjoy time together and meet with community partners. We’re thrilled to be able to bring together the good will and good work of Belmont staff and faculty to support student veterans and also to have a special place provided by the institution for student veterans,” Barnard said. “We’re excited to see their development and success and also see how our student veteran enrollment continues to grow.”
The initiative has contributed to significant growth at the university among students using veteran education benefits. Last year, Belmont had 217 veterans and dependents, 103 of which were student veterans. This fall, Belmont welcomed 265 veteran and dependents, 130 of which are student veterans.
Brown Moderates Town Hall Debate
Professor of Media Studies Dr. Sybril Brown recently moderated a College Debate 2016 Town Hall Debate at Dominican University in California. Dominican created the College Debate 2016 initiative, a first-of-its-kind national initiative created to provide a platform to discuss and debate the issues facing our country for college students.
At the Town Hall, College Debate 2016 delegates from across the United States discussed their top issues and selected five questions to be presented to the moderators of the U.S. Presidential Debates this fall.
To watch the Town Hall, click here.
Tennessee Secretary of State Encourages BruinVote16 Efforts with Campus Appearance
Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett visited Belmont Wednesday, offering his perspective to Belmont students on the importance of voting as well as a thoughtful assessment on what Tennessee is doing well.
“If you don’t do politics,” Hargett said, “politics will be done to you,” drawing chuckles from the students gathered in Beaman A for the “Global Citizenship, Leadership, Diversity and the Professions” convocation event. The appearance was one of many scheduled as part of Belmont’s #BruinVote16 fall series that’s intended to drive voter education and registration while also encouraging civil discourse.
“Your generation doesn’t turn out to vote. You might say the candidates don’t speak to your issues. But they don’t speak to your issues because you don’t show up to vote!”
Hargett then combated the notion that many individuals have that their vote simply doesn’t count in the grand scheme of an election. He noted State House races that were decided by less than five votes as well as school board elections that ended in ties.
“It’s important that you vote so that people who mirror your values get elected to office.”
Hargett also mentioned that his office works to ensure fair elections, noting problems in West Tennessee elections years ago when dead people were somehow registered to vote along with individuals who gave false addresses.
“We want to make it easy to vote but hard to cheat. We want to protect the integrity of your vote.”
Before he concluded, Hargett also advocated for all that Tennessee has to offer, including low taxes, low debt and low regulatory burdens, a boon for budding entrepreneurs. “In Tennessee you get to keep more of what you earn.”
After the talk, Hargett joined members of Belmont SGA at a table in the Beaman lobby set up to assist students who wanted to register to vote, regardless of whether they live in Tennessee or another state. Tennessee’s voter registration deadline is Oct. 11.
Hargett was elected by the Tennessee General Assembly to serve as Tennessee’s 37th secretary of state in 2009 and reelected in 2013. Secretary Hargett is the chief executive officer of the Department of State with oversight of more than 300 employees. He also serves on 15 boards and commissions, two of which he is the presiding member. The services and oversight found in the Secretary of State’s office reaches every department and agency in state government.
Belmont Honors Program’s E-Newsletter Nationally Recognized
Belmont’s Honors Program recently placed 3rd in a competition run by the National Collegiate Honors Counsel (NCHC) to recognize the best student newsletters released by college honors programs. The official awards ceremony is set to take place on October 14.
The program’s electronic newsletter, “BU Honors Newsletter,” was started 2 years ago by the Honors Program Student Council in an effort to foster a sense of community among honors students. The publication is sent out three times per semester and is entirely student-written and developed.
Honors students Sarah Everett and Jacquie Skokna contributed to the newsletter’s honor. Skokna is a junior publishing major and the main student member in charge of the publication’s content and design. She is also the editor.
Honors Program Director Dr. Jonathan Thorndike expressed his pride in his students and their hard work on the newsletter’s accomplishment. “We have the greatest students who are enthusiastic and passionate about opportunities and building a great community of learning and service,” said Thorndike. “The Honors newsletter is a great way to document the fantastic research, leadership and artistic projects undertaken by our students.”
Thorndike also discussed the ways the newsletter builds community within the Honors Program. The publication includes many of the social gatherings created by students and heavily advertises the freshman honors retreat, held at the beginning of each school year, to ensure new students feel welcomed into the program right away.
To learn more about the Honors Program, click here.
Junior Anna Vaus Receives First-Ever Miranda Lambert ‘Women Creators’ Scholarship
Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business student Anna Vaus was recently selected as the first-ever recipient of the ‘Women Creators’ scholarship, established in 2015 by reigning Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year Miranda Lambert. The scholarship was created to honor a female Belmont student who is majoring in music business, songwriting or entertainment industry studies and is actively working towards pursuing her dream of working in the music industry. The scholarship will provide Vaus with more than $40,000 in scholarship funds beginning in the 2016-2017 academic year.
Originally from San Diego, California, Vaus was inspired toward music early on from her father, Grammy-winning artist, Steve Vaus. She has opened for country artists Hunter Hayes, Lonestar, Billy Ray Cyrus, LeAnn Womack and Phil Vassar among others and made her Bluebird Cafe debut in February 2016. Vaus is currently a junior at Belmont, majoring in songwriting with a minor in music business.
“I am so thankful and honored to have been chosen as the first recipient of the Miranda Lambert Women Creators Fund,” Vaus said. “Not just because of what a crazy opportunity it is for myself, but because the tide is changing for all of the young women in this industry. I have so much hope for women in country music because of the path that Miranda and so many awesome people are currently fighting to pave for us!”
Lambert established the Women Creators scholarship in an effort to encourage outstanding women to follow their passions and pursue careers in the music industry. In July of 2015, Lambert raised funds for the scholarship by headlining a songwriter round at 3rd and Lindsley in Nashville. Lambert was joined by her tour mates at the time Raelynn, Clare Dunn and Courtney Cole and female songwriters Natalie Hemby and Jessi Alexander. Hemby, Dunn and Cole are all Belmont graduates.
Candidates for the scholarship were asked to complete an online application and submit an original song. The Curb College then had a small selection committee review the 80 applications received for the scholarship, and the top six finalists were sent for Lambert’s review.
Doug Howard, dean of the Curb College, noted, “We are so grateful to Miranda Lambert for her fantastic commitment to the women songwriters and artists that comprise a major part of the creative community at the Curb College. And, I want to congratulate Anna Vaus and the many women creators at Belmont University who participated in this year’s award process. Thank you Miranda!”
Belmont Recognized on The Princeton Review’s List of ‘Best Regional Colleges’
The Princeton Review recently listed Belmont as one of the ‘Best Regional Colleges’ in the southeast for 2017 for the second year in a row. The rankings recognized Belmont as one of 139 exceptional colleges in the region.
The list aims to honor universities that stand out academically in comparison to other popular choices in the area. The Princeton Review wants to point out to prospective students that the universities listed are “well worth consideration” when they are looking into schools.
Aside from academic achievements, The Princeton Review also considers ratings from current and former students and the results from surveys sent out to college administrators. The universities listed must also have a high rate of satisfaction from students currently enrolled.
About The Princeton Review
The Princeton Review is a leading tutoring, test prep and college admission services company. Every year, it helps millions of college- and graduate school-bound students achieve their education and career goals through online and in person courses delivered by a network of more than 4,000 teachers and tutors, online resources, and its more than 150 print and digital books published by Penguin Random House. The Princeton Review is headquartered in Natick, MA and is an operating business of IAC (NASDAQ: IACI). For more information, visit www.princetonreview.com. Follow the company on Twitter @theprincetonrev.
Belmont Named to MONEY Best College List
Belmont was recently named as a MONEY Best College, among more than 700 (out of 2,000) four-year U.S. colleges and universities who deliver the best value. For MONEY, that means providing a great education at an affordable price while preparing students for fulfilling and successful careers.
For its methodology, MONEY eliminated schools with graduation rates below the median, poor financial performance and fewer than 500 undergraduate students. Schools were ranked on 24 factors in three categories including educational quality, affordability and alumni success. Beyond these characteristics, MONEY measured comparative value by assessing student success at each school.
