Psychological Science Chair and Associate Professor Dr. Linda Jones and Psychological Science Professor Pete Giordano attended and presented at the annual meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association (SEPA) meeting on March 18-21.

Dr. Jones is the co-chair of the SEPA subcommittee for the Joint Committee on Equality of Professional Opportunity/Psi Chi undergraduate poster research program.  She facilitated the review and presentation of over 170 undergraduate research posters and was a co-presenter on two symposiums entitled “Leveraging Undergraduate Research Opportunities” and “Undergraduate Publishing Opportunities.”  Dr. Giordano gave the SEPA/Psi Chi Distinguished Lecture entitled “Identity Development in College Students:  Can Random Comments Change Lives?”

Founded in 1955, SEPA is the largest psychological organization in the southeast and one of largest in the U.S. The purpose of SEPA is to advance psychology as a science, a profession and a means of promoting human welfare. SEPA’s mission is to stimulate the exchange of scientific and professional ideas across the diverse areas of psychological inquiry and application.

Dean of the College of Health Sciences Cathy Taylor was part of the original design team of national experts, supported by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), who worked to develop and launch the MCH Navigator beginning in 2010.

The MCH Navigator is an online portal and clearinghouse for maternal and child health professionals, students and others working to improve the health of women, children, adolescents and families for training on key MCH and leadership topics. The project contains in-depth training portals on specific issues of importance to public health professionals and highlights learning opportunities focused on MCH topics.

The team worked on the project for several years, and after development and testing, the Navigator is housed and maintained at Georgetown University with permanent support by a grant from the MCH Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Click here to learn more about the project.

The team’s paper, “The MCH Navigator: Tools for MCH Workforce Development and Lifelong Learning,” describes the Navigator and the development process and was published last month in the MCH Journal. Click here for the abstract and full text. 

Financial Officer for the Massey College of Business Susan Hopfensperger researched and wrote the biographies of six women living in Tennessee on or before 1850 that were included in the two-volume set of books “Legacies of Our Great Grandmothers – Early Tennessee Women,” soon to be released for sale. The year 1850 was chosen because that census was the first to list all women by name. Earlier censuses had listed only the head of household and included tick marks to indicate the age ranges of males and females.

Hopfensperger researched, wrote and submitted proof documents to record the lives of Adelicia Hayes Franklin Acklen Cheatham, her mother, Sarah Hightower Hayes, Sarah Lewis Pine Hardin McNeil, Josephine Thompson Bryan Hardin and Catherine Wheatley Saunders and her sister, Mary Wheatley Saunders. All of these women are ancestors of the General Francis Nash chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) members. Hopfensperger is an associate member of the chapter and serves as Volunteer Genealogist and chapter chair of the State Regent’s book project.

The books, a fundraiser for the DAR State Regent’s project, are priced at $130 per set.  More than 260 women are featured in approximately 1,300 pages. Each biographical sketch was verified and all proof documents were cited in footnotes. Funds raised will be used for patriotic, historic preservation and educational purposes.

Hopfensperger and other writers are scheduled to sign copies at the Tennessee DAR State Conference in April.

The Office of Campus Security (OCS) is transitioning its fleet of patrol vehicles from Ford Crown Vics to more fuel efficient and economical Ford Fusion Hybrids as part of the department’s commitment to Vision 2020. The lower fuel costs, in conjunction with decreased maintenance costs and improved resale value, are expected to result in significant savings and double fuel efficiency.

The newly designed markings, created by OCS in conjunction with University Marketing, feature the new uniform patch displaying the Belmont bell tower and help project a more visible, professional image for the officers.

“We wanted our vehicles to be clearly marked and readily distinguishable as both Belmont University and Campus Security to promote security on campus and to aid in promoting our mission of community policing: being a professional campus security organization  dedicated to providing service, support and response to the Belmont community,” said Chief of Campus Security Pat Cunningham.

The mid-sized Ford Fusions are smaller, lighter, more fuel and energy efficient, easier to maneuver and better suited to the campus environment, while still offering comfortable transport when providing escorts or assisting citizens. The Fusions also feature new LED light bars which provide increased visibility, particularly in low lighting and inclement weather, to alert motorists when security is directing traffic around an accident or road hazard.