Dr. Teresa Plummer, assistant professor of occupational therapy, was a presenter this spring at the Interdisciplinary Seating and Mobility Conference in Nottwil, Switzerland. The conference was held at the Switzerland Paraplegic Center, a 150 bed facility dedicated to spinal cord injury rehab and research. Plummer’s presentation was on the Relationship of Vision, Posture and Mobility.
Plummer Presents at Swiss Conference
Cruz Presents on the Absence of God
Dr. Manuel A. Cruz, an assistant professor in the School of Religion, explored the spiritual implications of divine absence in “The Trace of God: Difference, Time, and the Absence of God,” a paper delivered at the Annual Convention of the Catholic Theological Society of America, which took place June 5 through 8 in San Diego, California.
Belmont Students Showcase Talents in Miss Tennessee Pageant
Several Belmont students competed at the Miss Tennessee pageant this past weekend, where senior Hayley Lewis earned the highest score in the talent category on the night of the pageant and was crowned Miss Tennessee. Lewis will compete in the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Sept. 14, which will be televised on ABC. She will defer from the University for one year to travel the state as Gov. Bill Haslam’s spokesperson for Character Education as well as the goodwill ambassador for Children’s Miracle Network before returning to campus in August 2015 to complete her studies in music business and classical vocal performance. While at Belmont, Lewis provided gameday support for basketball and baseball teams.
Kalleigh Bullard, Miss Nashville, was second runner up and talent and earned the highest score in swimsuit during preliminaries. Jaclyn Torrento, Miss Chattanooga, was fourth runner up and earned the Miss Tennessee Community Service Award. Other Belmont students who competed in the pageant were Brooke Hudgins, Miss Fall Fest; Racheal Turner, Miss Rocky Top, who tied in talent during preliminaries with Aria Stiles, Miss Queen City.
Murray Plays at American Organists Convention
Dr. Douglas Murray, of the Department of English, performed twice at the biennial convention of the American Guild of Organists held in Boston, Massachusetts on June 22 through 27. He was named a semi-finalist in the National Competition for Organ Improvisation (NCOI), competed in the semi-final round on June 23 and won $2,000. He has also been invited to play in a public improvisation masterclass to be conducted by Thierry Escaich, professor of composition and improvisation at the Paris Conservatoire and and successor (at St. Etienne-du-Mont) of Maurice Durufle.
Students ‘Cultivate’ Produce for Belmont Community
When Associate Dean for Performance Studies Jeff Kirk left campus Thursday afternoon, he drove by Compton Avenue where students handed him a crate of spinach, squash and lettuce, which his wife used to make lettuce wraps for dinner.
“I am sure happy I did. I am happy to know we can get fresh, organic vegetables once a week, and the price is much cheaper than the grocery store,” Kirk said. “This is another way Belmont is taking care of us and the community as well.”
This summer junior Brett Wisse and senior Johnathan West revived Belmont’s garden through Enactus, an organization that brings together student, academic and business leaders committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to improve the quality of life and standard of living for people in need. Wisse and West have invested $2,000 building eight raised beds and an aqua pond to start new crops in the garden, which they have named Cultivate.
Although the garden has been on Belmont’s campus for several years, it hasn’t consistently produced a harvest as students graduate and leave campus for the summer. The garden was born in 2008 when Chemistry Professor Kimberlee Daus’ honors analytics class did chemistry tests on soil in a vacant lot and researched what types of plants would grow there. A first-year seminar class built rock beds and did initial planting in 2009. Two years later, the University formed a partnership with the Dismas House, and students in Adjunct Instructor Charmion Gustke’s first-year service learning and English 1010 classes used their harvests to supplement the meals of former prisoners transitioning back into society.
GRAMMY Camp Nashville Held at Belmont University
GRAMMY Camp® Nashville was held last week at Belmont’s 34 Music Square East facility, home to historic Columbia Studio A and the Quonset Hut, with 39 high school students from 25 cities and 12 states. Celebrating its 10th year, GRAMMY Camp is the GRAMMY Foundation’s signature music industry camp for U.S. high school students and is an interactive non-residential summer music experience focusing on all aspects of commercial music.
Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business faculty members Drew Ramsey (songwriting), Nathan Adam (audio engineering technology) and Dave Tough (music business) taught classes and mentored students involved in the camp throughout the week. In addition, Luke Gilfeather, facility manager at 34 Music Square East, assisted with the camp’s studio and classroom needs. The program culminated on June 13 with an Open House event where guests received a behind-the-scenes look into what the students learned throughout the week, including the music and media they created. President and Chief Executive Officer or the Journeys Group Jim Estepa,GRAMMY Foundation® Vice President Scott Goldman and leadership from The Recording Academy® were on hand to speak with students.
GRAMMY Camp provides instruction by industry professionals in an immersive creative environment with cutting-edge technology in professional facilities. GRAMMY Camp Nashville offered four music career tracks: audio engineering, songwriting, vocal performance and instrumental performance. This GRAMMY in the Schools® program is supported by Converse and Journeys, among others.
Communications, Marketing Earn State Public Relations Awards
Belmont University’s Office of Communications and Office of University Marketing and Public Relations earned two 2014 Tennessee College Public Relations Association Awards during the association’s June meeting in Nashville, Tennessee. The University earned a gold award in the low-budget publication category for the Community Engagement brochure produced for the Office of Community Relations to share with elected officials, neighborhood associations and nonprofit organizations. In the printed magazine category, Belmont was given a silver award for Circle, a biannual magazine distributed to parents, alumni and donors. Click here to read back issues of the magazine.
Wikle Publishes Article on New State Legislation
Erin L. Wikle, assistant to the dean in the College of Pharmacy, has published an article on new Tennessee legislation impacting women who use narcotic drugs while pregnant. The law, effective July 1, states that a woman can be prosecuted for assault if she takes a narcotic drug while pregnant and the baby is born addicted, is harmed or dies as a result. Wikle discusses services offered by The Salvation Army in Tennessee to support both the mother and effected family members. She also proposes key questions that result from the controversy of the legislation. Click here to read the article.
As an active member of The Salvation Army, Wikle has served as an opinions columnist for New Frontier Publications since 2004. Usually offering articles addressing controversial faith-related matters impacting the Evangelical church. New Frontier Chronicle is the source of news and networking for The Salvation Army. With a circulation of more than 21,000 worldwide, it has set the standard among the organization’s publications for more than 30 years with a goal to empower readers to communicate the organization’s mission through actionable and applicable content.
Anderson Presents at Conference in Italy
Dr. Mark Anderson, a philosophy professor, presented the paper “Melville and Nietzsche: Nihilism on the Mediterranean” to the First International Conference, entitled “Mediterranean Visions: Journeys, Itineraries, and Cultural Migrations,” hosted by the Sant’ Anna Institute in Sorrento, Italy on June 13 and 14.
Susan West Selected for Leadership Nashville
Dr. Susan West, vice president and chief of staff, was recently selected to be a member of Leadership Nashville’s Class of 2015. The 44 members of the coming year’s class were selected from more than 215 applicants. The Leadership Nashville Foundation was founded in 1976 as an independent, executive leadership program to give community leaders a three-dimensional view of the city. The goals of Leadership Nashville are to build channels of communication between established leaders, connect leaders to community issues and equip participants with insights.
Each person elected to participate in Leadership Nashville makes an extensive time commitment. Attendance is mandatory for the nine-month program that begins in September. The Opening Retreat is in early October and the Closing Retreat is early June. Between these retreats are seven monthly meetings that average 13 hours each on the first Thursdays of November through May. Participants also work in study groups and present a report at the closing retreat.
In addition to considering Nashville’s strengths that have put it on national lists of outstanding places to live and work, the program also looks at issues that face this city, indeed all municipalities: problems such as crime, affordable housing, school finances, racial tensions, transportation and arts funding. Throughout the year the class will hear approximately 125 speakers and makes on-site visits to all parts of the city.
