Dr. Cheryl Slay Carr, associate professor of music business, was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Jazz and Blues Society. The society is a nonprofit organization promoting and supporting the jazz and blues industry throughout the state.
Slay Carr Elected to Tennessee Jazz and Blues Society Board of Directors
Alumna Kulick Wins Trip to India for Travel Blog
Class of 2008 alumna Brittany Kulick will represent the United States in India as part of a travel bloggers’ competition. In its third year, the Kerala Blog Express is a road trip through Kerala, a southern state in India, put on by Kerala Tourism. More than 1,000 travel bloggers applied for the trip, and winners were chosen by number of votes, social media reach, quality of their blog and how their blog ranks in search engines. From her blog, The Sweet Wanderlust, Kulick was chosen to join 29 other bloggers from 24 other countries.
“I’m still in shock that I was chosen to represent the U.S. on this trip of a lifetime. I hope that my experience here will encourage other Americans to visit so they can experience the beauty, hospitality, tranquility and unique culture of Kerala,” she said.
On this 15-day, all expenses paid road trip, the group covered 1,400 miles, including many of the highlights of the state. The bloggers began the journey at beach resorts on the Arabian Sea and then moved to the backwaters of Kerala, where they spent the night on a houseboat. “We’ve stayed in one resort where Price Charles spent his 65th birthday and another where the director of Life of Pi stayed while filming the movie,” said Kulick.
After the Kerala trip, Kulick will head to Queenstown, New Zealand where she has been working in a cupcake shop as a barista and partnering with the owner to grow the shop’s social media presence. It’s what Kulick describes as “the perfect mix of travel, desserts and helping a small business grow through social media… my three passions!”
Kulick said she has always had a great desire to travel and has jumped at every opportunity to experience new places and cultures. From mission trips in Kenya with her church to a study abroad in London her senior year at Belmont, Kulick had traveled to 38 countries as of January 2015, while working a full-time job as Director of Communications at a ministry in Dallas, Texas. When she realized that working holiday visas in New Zealand and Australia ended at age 30, Kulick made a plan to quit her job and travel full-time, working and volunteering her way around the world.
“Because I love to write and have a background in marketing and social media, I built a website and began to blog as a way to record my travels and help others by giving advice on what to do, what to pack and (my personal favorite), what desserts to try. The week of my 29th birthday, in August 2015, I boarded a one-way flight to Spain, and have been traveling ever since,” said Kulick. “So far, I’ve been to Spain, Italy, Portugal, Germany, Abu Dhabi, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand– working or volunteering in several of the countries and traveling while solely focusing on my blog in others. India is my 45th country visited.”
Kulick studied marketing at Belmont, and she said the skills learned while earning her degree were a foundation to embark on this new adventure. “A partnership project with Chevrolet in a class taught by Dr. Cate Loes was the thing that changed my future in marketing from an office job to something that can be hands-on and ever-evolving,” she said.
To keep up with Kulick’s journey through Kerala, subscribe to her blog at thesweetwanderlust.com.
Tarr Published in Mechanical Engineering Research
Dr. Eric Tarr, assistant professor of audio engineering technology, co-authored an article recently published in Mechanical Engineering Research titled, “Towards a Cybernetic Model of Human Movement.”
This research developed a computational model for robotic motion based on capturing sound with a microphone. As part of this research, Tarr developed a method of signal analysis and synthesis for a robot to dance to the rhythm of music.
Shure Donates Sound Equipment to Audio Engineering Classes for Students
Shure Microphones has donated a two channel ULXD wireless mic receiver and two handheld microphone transmitters to the advanced sound reinforcement class at Belmont for use as an instructional tool in the classroom. The presentation took place just before the 2016 Country Music Showcase held in the Curb Event Center, a show entirely produced and staffed by students.
Shure also donated microphones used in both the video production and on-stage performances during the showcase. Michael Moore, Shure Product Specialist and Belmont alumnus, was on hand during preproduction and run-throughs to assist Lecturer Scott Munsell’s students in prepping the wireless mics used during the show. Hailey Cirovski, a Belmont AET senior and the showcase’s producer, approached Moore early on to make arrangements for Shure’s involvement in the showcase.
“Shure and Michael’s involvement and support for the 2016 Country Showcase was a huge help. We were so happy to have them be a part of our production!”, Cirovski said in a phone interview.
Pictured above is Munsell, lecturer of audio engineering technology and instructor for the advanced sound reinforcement classes, Benjamin Poff, lecturer of audio engineering technology and instructor for the introduction to sound reinforcement classes, Dan Wujcik, chair of the Audio Engineering Technology Department, Moore, Shure product specialist and Belmont alumnus with advanced sound reinforcement students.
The upgrade recently received attention from ProSoundWeb.com for its contribution to audio students’ learning. The article published on their site highlights the newly-integrated technology for being a hands-on and up-to-date teaching tool for use in classrooms, showcases and other student-led concert productions. This technology will enable students to have more control over live performances and teach them how to utilize more advanced audio operations.
Blash Featured on HIMSS Website
Belmont University College of Pharmacy Assistant Professor Dr. Anthony Blash was quoted and featured on the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) website. Blash spoke about the need for Doctor of Pharmacy students to have a pathway to Healthcare Information Technology careers through quality education as well as the benefits of being a HIMSS Approved Education Partner.
HIMSS is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving healthcare quality, safety, cost-effectiveness and access through the best use of information technology and management systems with 52,000 individual members, 570 corporate members and 225 not-for-profit association members.
As a result of Dr. Blash’s Healthcare Informatics classes meeting the HIMSS rigorous standards for quality health informational technology or healthcare education, Belmont’s College of Pharmacy was named as a HIMSS Approved Education Partner (AEP) in August of 2015.
Physical Therapy Students Present at American Physical Therapy Association
Three doctoral students in the School of Physical Therapy, Casie House, Kelly Weaver Richardson and Lisa Farrar, recently presented a research poster at the Combined Sections meeting of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) in Anaheim, California.
Their study was entitled ”The Impact of Kinesiotaping on Gait Parameters and Pain in Individuals with Charcot Marie Tooth” and was conducted under the supervision of Dr. Renee Brown, professor of physical therapy at Belmont and Penny J Powers, PT, MS, APT from Vanderbilt Adult Seating and Mobility clinic.
Cusic Interviewed on Country Music and Politics for NPR’s ‘Here and Now’
Professor of Music Business Dr. Don Cusic was interviewed by Jeremy Hobson for NPR’s “Here and Now” on “Politics and Country Music” last Friday in his office on Music Row. The story aired on March 1 as part of the network’s Super Tuesday presidential primary coverage. “Here and Now” airs on more than 420 stations with almost four million listeners.
In addition, Cusic gave a talk on “James Weldon Johnson at Fisk” during the African-American Conference at Tennessee State University on Feb. 12.
Tennessee World Affairs Council Hosts Town Hall
The Tennessee World Affairs Council (TNWAC) hosted a conversation with Japan’s Consul-General Masami Kinefuchi, resident in Nashville, and Dr. James Auer, a distinguished scholar who heads the Nashville-based Auer U.S.-Japan Center, regarding “U.S.-Japan Relations: An Enduring Security Partnership Faces New Challenges.” The Feb. 23 town hall was hosted by Belmont University Interdisciplinary Studies and Global Education, represented by Professor Joan Li, in association with the Japan-America Society of Tennessee (JAST), represented by its director Leigh Wieland.
Kinefuchi opened the briefing with a comprehensive review of Japan-US relations in the past, Japanese constitutional constraints, changes on defense policymaking, the structure of the bilateral security treaty, the footprint of U.S. forces in Japan and how the alliance is being strengthened. He said, “During the Cold War, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the Taiwan Crisis, the location of Japan was always of strategic importance to U.S. forces and its importance has become no less essential if you think about the peace and stability of the region today.”
The constraints of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution are a fundamental determinant of Japan’s defense force’s roles. Kinefuchi said, “The article stipulates our renunciation of war and military force.” He noted that new legislation in the area of peace and security allows Japan to participate in a wider range of UN peacekeeping operations and other international coordinated efforts, provide necessary support when a situation ‘has an important influence upon Japan’s peace and security or threatens international peace and security’ and exercise the right to collective self-defense when specific conditions are met.
Kinefuchi further pointed out that, “The real foundation of our alliance rests in the hearts and minds of both our peoples. Without strong trust and confidence, a mere treaty on paper will not work. In defense, having common strategic goals and interests and sharing values are so important.”
Auer opened a conversation with Kinefuchi following the briefing where they addressed the questions of collective self defense, the Okinawa basing issue, the origins and changes in the Japanese Constitution, threats from North Korea and concerns about China’s expansion and intentions.
The town hall provided understanding for the strategic alliance between the U.S. and Japan and perspectives on the challenges confronting them. Kinefuchi said that, “I am determined to make every effort and provide whatever support possible to further strengthen our friendship and mutual trust. Let me end by thanking you for your interest in and support of the Japan-US alliance. President Obama described this partnership as the ‘unshakeable alliance’ while Prime Minister Abe calls it an ‘alliance of hope.’ I am proud and pleased to be one part of the stewards of this historic bilateral friendship.”
The event was organized by TNWAC, a nonpartisan, educational, nonprofit group that works to educate and inspire a greater understanding of global issues among members of the community. In addition to a regular speaker program, TNWAC organizes local discussion groups, student international affairs awareness programs and teacher training. Upcoming programs can be found here.
The Japan-America Society of Tennessee is a nonprofit organization that works to create mutual economic benefit through a prosperous relationship between Tennessee and Japan. The annual Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival is one of its many community events that can be found here.
Entertainment Law Society Holds Intellectual Property Panel
The Entertainment Law Society held a successful panel discussion Thursday night with four entertainment and sports law attorneys discussing the role intellectual property plays in the business. The speakers included music and entertainment attorneys Norman Gillis (Norman Gillis & Associates, Inc.) and Tim Warnock (Riley Warnock & Jacobson, PLC) as well as sports attorneys Che Mock (ESQ Sports and Entertainment Agency) and Sean Marshall (Nashville Predators).
The discussion covered topics ranging from how intellectual property affects a sports and entertainment attorney’s day-to-day life to how emerging technology and the Internet can impact the business in the future. Each panelist brought a unique perspective to the discussion, such as how licensing and contracts can be affected on the sporting side or how copyrights vary based on the music side. The attorneys also shared ideas for staying updated on current news happening in the intellectual property industry and encouraged law students to keep open minds and learn as much as possible about this ever-changing practice.
Doctoral Health Science Students Honored for Thesis Abstracts
Graduate students from two programs in the Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences & Nursing were recently honored by the Tennessee Conference of Graduate Schools with the 2015-16 Outstanding Thesis Award.
Six students in the Occupational Therapy Doctoral program were recognized for their abstract titled, “Prevalent Concerns Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Middle Tennessee.” The students–Samantha Grishaber, Abby Hawkins, Evan Pendygraft, Chelsea Skaggs, Mary Beth Thiel and Nicole Wright–were mentored by Dr. Debra Gibbs, assistant professor of occupational therapy. The study identified health as the primary concern of community-dwelling adults that contribute to their ability to sustain independent living, followed by finances, memory, transportation and safety.
Kathryn D. Mitchell, a student in Belmont’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, was also recognized for her study, “Public Access to Naloxone: Provider Awareness and Prescribing Attitudes.” Her project examined knowledge, attitudes, subjective norms and prescribing intentions among nurse practitioners (NPs) working in adult primary care, family practice, pain management and emergency department practice settings in response to state naloxone distribution laws. Her study revealed that NPs are critical to successful implementation of this innovative approach to combat overdose deaths in Tennessee.
The abstracts were presented at the Graduate Education Day on the Hill for the Tennessee Legislature earlier this week.
