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 420

Chapman Inducted into 2015 Grady Fellowship Class

Paul Chenoweth
-
0

Harry Chapman

Belmont Director of Special Projects and Major Gifts Harry Chapman was recently chosen as an inductee for the University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication’s 2015 Class of the Grady Fellowship. The fellowship, created in 2008, honors alumni whose influence, achievements and service have contributed greatly to media professions.

Chapman worked at NewsChannel5 in Nashville for many years where he served as an anchor, produced documentaries, covered Nashville’s country music scene as an entertainment reporter, hosted “Words and Music” and was co-host for “Talk of the Town.” Chapman is also the recipient of the Grady College’s 2004 John Holloman, Jr. Award for Lifetime Achievement.

As a chosen member of the centennial class, Chapman will attend and emcee the Centennial Gala in downtown Athens on April 18 for his induction ceremony. For more information on the 100 year celebration of Grady and the events happening that weekend, click here.

Occupational and Physical Therapy Students, Faculty and Alumni Present at International Seating Symposium

Paul Chenoweth
-
0
Cassie Swinehart (OTD alumna), Emily McLaerren (OT student), and faculty instruct Go Baby Go course participants in modifying a ride-on car.
Cassie Swinehart (OTD alumna), Emily McLaerren (OT student), and faculty instruct Go Baby Go course participants in modifying a ride-on car.

Six doctoral students from the School of Occupational Therapy recently joined with Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy Dr. Teresa Plummer, Professor of Physical Therapy Dr. Nancy Darr and several graduates of both programs to teach a Go Baby Go preconference workshop at the annual International Seating Symposium (ISS) held in Nashville this year.  The ISS is the lead educational and scientific conference in the field of wheelchair seating & mobility and related technologies.

The student presenters included Elizabeth Davis, Gabrielle LaGrace, Emily McClearran, Jayme Mills, Kelly Phipps and Betsy Philo, all second year Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) students.  OTD alumna Cassie Swinehart and Doctorate of Physical Therapy alumna Marna Jane Bevill assisted in the presentation, coordinated with Go Baby Go Music City and the Center for Independent Living.

Workshop participants were instructed in how to modify commercially available ride-on toys for young children with disabilities. Several children with physical disabilities participated in the workshop and received ride-on cars modified by participants with assistance from instructors and volunteers. Modified ride-on cars enable children with physical disabilities to interact and play with peers thus improving communication, vision, cognition and motivation to move.

Nursing, Part-Time MBA Included on U.S. News’ 2016 Graduate School Rankings

Paul Chenoweth
-
0

Belmont University’s Gordan E. Inman College of Health Sciences and Nursing and Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business were lauded this week when U.S. News and World Report released its 2016 rankings of Best Graduate Schools, a tool to help prospective graduate students better understand the graduate school landscape and identify potential programs. Belmont’s Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN) ranked at No. 115, up from No. 234 in the 2011 rankings, and Massey’s Part-Time MBA ranked at No. 182.

U.S. News’ part-time MBA ranking is based on average peer assessment score, the average GMAT score of students entering in fall 2014, average undergraduate GPA, work experience and the percentage of the school’s enrollment that is part time. The MSN ranking is based on similar data including average peer assessment score, average undergraduate GPA, acceptance rate, faculty resources, student-faculty ratio and research activities, among others.

In addition to its recent U.S. News ranking, Belmont’s MSN program has seen great success through the first time pass rate of graduates. For the 11th consecutive year, graduates of the MSN program for Family Nurse Practitioners have achieved a 100 percent first time pass rate on the nursing certification exam totaling 150 student graduates since 2004.

Byrd Presented with Metro Council Resolution Honoring 700th Career Win

Paul Chenoweth
-
0

Hoop Hour LuncheonBelmont’s Men’s Basketball Head Coach Rick Byrd was recognized at today’s Hoop Hour Luncheon with the presentation of a Resolution from Nashville’s Metropolitan Council in honor of his 700th win. Byrd is in his 29th season at Belmont and in January, he received his 700th career victory when the Belmont’s Men’s basketball team beat Austin Peay 89-83.

Since being at Belmont, Coach Byrd has led the men’s team to seven NCAA Division I Tournaments including the 2015 Tournament, scheduled to begin next week. Of his 700 wins, more than 600 have been at Belmont and Byrd is one of only 5 active NCAA coaches to have 500 wins at one school and one of only seven coaches with 700 career wins.

Metro’s Resolution highlights Coach Byrd accomplishments both on and off the court saying, “Coach Byrd is a man of true character and commitment, he exemplifies dedication and leadership, is respected for his tireless efforts to excel and is always guided by solid principles and high standards…”

Council Members Burkley Allen, District 18, and Erica Gilmore, District 19, were present to award Byrd with this honor.

Coach Byrd has been the recipient of many awards including his induction into the Belmont Hall of Fame in 1996, 2013 OVC Coach of the Year, Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame induction in 2013 and his membership in the NAIA Hall of Fame, among others.

Alumnus Tyler Morris Featured on CBS Houston

Paul Chenoweth
-
0

Alumnus Tyler Morris was recently featured in an article on CBS Houston about his digital marketing career, working as SEO Specialist at TopSpot Internet Marketing in Houston, Texas. Morris graduated from Belmont in 2014, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration in both marketing and entrepreneurship.

In the article, Morris comments on how his education prepared him for his current position saying, “[Belmont’s] program helped me to look at the full picture. My job title infers all I should care about is increased traffic. But it’s not just about increased traffic. It’s about increasing leads and bringing in new business… it helps to take a holistic marketing approach.”

Morris advises anyone interested in pursuing a similar career to start reading everything and to never stop learning.

To read the full article, click here.

Butera’s INSTRUMENT 1 Kickstarter Makes $80K in Six Hours

Paul Chenoweth
-
0

Mike ButeraDr. Mike Butera, a Belmont alumnus and adjunct instructor of sociology, invented INSTRUMENT 1, an iPhone musical technology that can become any instrument the user desires. Butera is founder and CEO of the Nashville-based company Artiphon, which launched a Kickstarter campaign earlier this year that far surpassed its goal of $75,000 in a matter of six hours, and the support for the campaign is continually growing. To see the current progress and learn about the campaign, click here.

The device, to be released January 2016, comes in white, black or a special Nashville hardwood edition. Depending on the instument of choice, INSTRUMENT 1 can be strummed, picked or tapped and is compatible its iPhone application, as well as hundreds of programs, such as GarageBand and ProTools. INSTRUMENT 1 is designed for the well-seasoned musician and first-time player, alike.

Click here to read a write up on Music.Mic.

Arbor Day Foundation Honors Belmont University with 2014 Tree Campus USA® Recognition

Paul Chenoweth
-
0

Arbor-Day-102Belmont University was recently honored with the 2014 Tree Campus USA® recognition by the Arbor Day Foundation for its commitment to effective urban forest management.

Tree Campus USA, a national program created in 2008 by the Arbor Day Foundation and sponsored by Toyota, honors colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and staff and student engagement in conservation goals. Belmont University achieved the title by meeting Tree Campus USA’s five standards including maintaining a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance and student service-learning projects.

“Students are eager to volunteer in their communities and become better stewards of the environment,” said Matt Harris, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Participating in Tree Campus USA sets a fine example for other colleges and universities, while helping to create a healthier planet for us all.”

“Toyota is so proud to support a program that we believe has a great impact on both reducing the environmental footprint of a college campus and inspiring college students to become conservation leaders,” said Latrondra Newton, chief corporate social responsibility officer for Toyota Motor North America, Inc.

Belmont is committed to its sustainability efforts and has a number of green initiates that contribute to campus conservation including LEED certified buildings, educational and sustainable green roofs, geothermal heating and cooling systems and campus’s recent designation as a Tennessee arboretum. Additionally, in the past three years, the University’s physical footprint has grown by 27 percent, while its energy consumption has been reduced at the same rate.

Arbor-Day-108In honor of Arbor Day and Belmont’s recent designation as a 2014 Tree Campus, the University hosted a tree planting celebration on Friday, March 6. Belmont’s Tree Advisory Committee and the student led Environment and Conservation Organization (ECO) Club was present to celebrate with the University and planted a Colorado Blue Spruce. In addition to the Blue Spruce, five other trees were planted on-campus. ECO provides interaction with students across campus who are interested in environmental issues and sponsors students activities including river clean-ups, exotic plant removals, Earth Day awareness events, nature hikes and environmental guest speaker series.

Vice President of the ECO Club Lindsay Millward said, “I think it is important that Belmont is recognizing these trees so students walking by can appreciate them, and an award like this definitely furthers the sustainability efforts on campus.”

The Arbor Day Foundation and Toyota have helped campuses throughout the country plant thousands of trees, and Tree Campus USA colleges and universities invested more than $29 million in campus forest management last year. More information about the program is available here.

Students, Faculty, Alumni Participate in Weed Wrangle 2015

Paul Chenoweth
-
0

WeedWrangleTwo dozen students, faculty and alumni participated last week in Weed Wrangle 2015, a new event of Invasive Species Awareness Week. Inspired by national and international efforts now underway, Weed Wrangle Nashville represents a new push to stem the tide of biological pollution in local communities. The goal is two-fold: restoration and preservation. Organizers seek to raise awareness of the “green scourge” before more native plants lose the fight for the light and nutrients they require to survive. The Feb. 28 Weed Wrangle event was a one-day, citywide, volunteer effort to help rescue public parks and green spaces from invasive species through hands-on removal of especially harmful trees, vines and flowering plants.

Dr. Darlene Panvini, professor of biology/environmental science, said, “Getting students outside and engaged in exotic plant removal makes the problem more real and less abstract. Students also had a chance to meet the staff at the park while visiting one of Nashville’s treasures – Shelby Bottoms Park and Greenway.  Since many of the students who participated in the plant removal were not science majors, this experience was a way to educate more people about the impact of non-native invasive species on native ecosystems.”

Student Katelyn Keast said, “It was rewarding to see the difference we made in such a short amount of time. The participants now know how to stop the problem of invasive species, and I hope they all enjoyed being outdoors and helping the environment.”

Weed Wrangle was the conclusion of a week-long series that included a convo on campus that served as the kick-off event to Invasive Species Awareness Week. The presentation by Steve Manning of Invasive Plant Control Inc. focused on the topic, “Introduction to Invasive Species in Tennessee: Forming a Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area to Combat Invasive in Tennessee.”

Students Define ‘Feminist’ to Open Women’s History Month Celebration

Paul Chenoweth
-
0

womens-histories-115Among a packed classroom in the Wedgewood Academic Center, a panel of seven Belmont students offered unique and profound interpretations on “This Is What a Feminist Looks Like,” the opening convocation in the University’s celebration of Women’s History Month.

Associate Professor of English Dr. Amy Hodges-Hamilton, who is co-chairing the 2015 celebration with Sociology Professor Dr. Andi Stepnick, noted that the national theme for this year’s Women’s History Month is “Weaving Women’s Stories.” As part of her introduction for Monday’s panel, she shared how 2011 Humanities Symposium keynote speaker Maya Angelou inspired her own story and helped her reclaim her voice during her daughter Grace’s cancer battle. Hodges-Hamilton explained to Angelou her stress over caring for Grace while also juggling her career and remaining strong for herself and her family. “[Angelou] stopped me and with her God-like voice spoke these words: ‘All you have to pray every morning is this: God give me Grace.’ And that he has.”

Continue

Third Annual World Culture Fest Reflects Diverse Heritages

Paul Chenoweth
-
0

culture-fest-124On Feb. 27, Belmont students held the third annual World Culture Fest in the Beaman Student Life Center to celebrate diversity on campus through dance, music, fashion and more. Individual students and student organizations focused on cultural identities had booths representing different world cultures for students to sample food, learn interesting facts, ask questions and participate in cultural activities such as henna tattoo art and calligraphy. The Rumi Club, Chinese Cultural Club and Black Student Association co-sponsored the festival in partnership with the Student Government Association.

Among the performances were Bollywood, Haitian and K-pop dance performances as well as musical performances of Scottish fiddling, hip hop and karaoke in nine languages. The booths represented cultures from South Korea, Laos, Egypt, India, Japan, Africa, China and Haiti.

The purpose of Culture Fest is to bring together students from all backgrounds to celebrate cultural art expressions from around the world. Some students and faculty were representing their own culture, while others were engaging in and representing a culture they were not familiar with prior to the event. Faculty sponsor for the event, Assistant Professor Dr. Amy Crook, said, “The support that students show to each other at the event during performances and at the booths is really amazing. People are asking for the recipes for exotic foods they’re having for the first time, falling in love with new musical genres and sharing experiences from their study abroad trips. It’s so encouraging to see the students put on such a quality event that really brings the community together.”

1...419420421...860Page 420 of 860
Belmont University Logo | News & Media

CONTACT US

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

FOLLOW US