Belmont students Mackenzie Watson, Ashley Miller, Maren Richards, Hallie Cunningham, Emma Price, Jessica Porreca, Mikaela Sensley and Brittney Hampshire and Dr. Kimberlee Daus, professor of chemistry, recently participated in the Dickson County Drug Take-Back event. This event was held on National Prescription Drug Take Back Day and was coordinated by Vanderbilt University and the Dickson County Police Department. Working alongside faculty and students from Vanderbilt and Lipscomb universities, Belmont students and faculty cataloged and counted more than 60 pounds of medication. The National Drug Take-Back Day, set by the Drug Enforcement Agency, provides a service to community through safe and responsible disposal of unused medication. Additionally, these events help to educate the public about the potential of drug abuse associated with these medications.
Students Volunteer at Drug Take-Back Event
Niedzwiecki Lectures at MTSU Seminar
Dr. John Niedzwiecki, associate professor of biology, recently presented an invited Departmental Seminar at Middle Tennessee State University. His talk was titled “Comparative Landscape Genetics of Darwin’s Finches.” He also met with graduate students in MTSU’s Molecular Bio-Sciences doctoral program to discuss his and their research programs. (image – john_ niedzwiecki.jpg)
Tennessee Physiological Society Meeting Held at Belmont
The Fifth Annual Tennessee Physiological Society Meeting was held at Belmont University on Nov. 22 in Beaman A&B. This society, chartered in 2009 as a chapter of The American Physiological Society, seeks to “enhance and advance the field of physiology with all its molecular, cellular, organ and organismal basic and applied disciplines of research and education and unite the Physiologists for this purpose within the State of Tennessee.” Dr. Nick Ragsdale, associate professor of biology, serves as president.
The keynote speakers at the meeting included Dr. Edgar Diaz-Cruz, assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences at Belmont University, who presented “Tamoxifen or letrozole … Which drug will better treat my breast cancer?” There were also poster presentations by undergraduate and graduate students from the Middle Tennessee area. Justin Hughes and D’angeleau Newsome from Belmont University earned the best undergraduate presentation award and $100 cash prize.
There were four Belmont biology students that presented research posters. Justin Hughes presented “Study of Caffeine’s Neuroprotective effects on Caenorhabditis Elegans treated with 6-hydroxydopamine.” Taylor Brown presented “HPLC Measured Nucleotide Concentrations in Staphylococcus aureus Infected and Uninfected Caenorhabditis elegans.” Maria Martino presented “The Effect of the Tub-1 Gene on Mortality of Caenorhabditis elegans Infected with Staphylococcus aureus.” D’Angeleau Newsome presented “Affect of Hypoxia Inducible Factor on Mortality of Ceanorhabditis elegans Infected with Staphylococcus aureus.”
Faculty, Students Attend Tennessee Academy of Science Annual Meeting
Biology Department faculty members Bob Grammer, Steve Murphree, Darlene Panvini, Nick Ragsdale, Jennifer Thomas and Chris Barton attended the 123rd Tennessee Academy of Science Annual Meeting on Nov. 15 at Motlow State Community College in Tullahoma, Tenn.
Twenty-nine Belmont undergraduate research students presented posters at the meeting and attended presentations from graduate students and faculty from a wide variety of Tennessee schools.
Christian’s Works Published
School of Religion Adjunct Professor Mark A. Christian (’94) has published four entries in volume seven of the Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception, a projected 30-volume project. Two journal articles, “Permutations of Astarte: Introduction” and Phoenician Maritime Religion: Sailors, Goddess Worship, and the Grotta Regina” are published in print (Die Welt des Orients 43/2) and online. Another essay, “Mediterranean Grottos and Phoenician Maritime Expressions of Religion” for Mélanges Josette Elayi: Phéniciens d’Orient et d’Occident, Collège de France is in the proofs stage. Christian has been invited to contribute an essay “Phoenician Deities within a Persian Period Mercenary Naval Force,” for the volume Religion in the Persian Period: Emerging Judaisms and other Trends, Orientalische Religionen in der Antike series, Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen. A completed monograph “Torah beyond Sinai,” which treats personalities associated with biblical law, is under review.
Belmont Expands Fully-Funded Four-Year ‘Bridges’ Degree Program for Metro Students
‘Bridges to Belmont’ scholarship opportunities provide potential $10 million+ investment in educating Nashville students
With an application deadline set for Dec. 16, Belmont University announced today that it is expanding its Bridges to Belmont scholarship program from 26 Nashville students in the 2013-14 charter class to 30 current high school seniors for next fall’s freshman class. With the selection of the next 30 Bridges scholars, the program will provide the Davidson County students–many of whom are first generation college students—unprecedented opportunities for higher education and future careers.
Belmont University President Dr. Bob Fisher said, “At the heart of Belmont’s mission is our desire to provide a transformative education to our students in the hopes that they can then take their skills, passions and talents and make a difference in the world around them. I honestly can’t think of a better example of us living out that mission than what we are doing with the Bridges program. I’m thrilled to have these local students as part of the Belmont community.”
Launched in March 2013, Bridges to Belmont is a program designed to enroll high potential students from Metro Nashville Public Schools who may not have previously been able to consider Belmont as an option. As a participant in the “Bridges to Belmont” program, all of the students’ expenses—tuition, room, board, required fees and books—that are not covered by state or federal grant resources are provided via scholarships from Belmont for four consecutive academic years, translating to a potential investment by Belmont that could exceed $10 million in the first four years of the program. Fisher added, “I have been thrilled by the response of donors who have become enthusiastic givers to support these kids.”
Enrollment eligibility for Bridges scholars then follows the standard satisfactory academic progress expectations of all students.
“The Bridges to Belmont program is a life-changing opportunity for our students,” said Metro Schools’ Director Dr. Jesse Register. “They know with hard work, they can achieve their dream of a college education. It is an investment in their future and the community, and we appreciate everyone at Belmont who has worked to develop and expand this program.”
Pharmacy Hosts TennCare Officer for First Continuing Education Event
Dr. Vaughn Frigon, chief medical officer of Tennessee Health Care Finance and Administration, presented a lecture to Nashville area pharmacists for the College of Pharmacy’s first continuing education on Dec. 3 in the Massey Performing Arts Center.
“We are so glad to be able to offer continuing education credit to pharmacists in the community, especially our alumni, faculty and affiliate faculty. It is important to us to offer programs that are relevant and will make a difference in the everyday practice of our pharmacists who attend,” said College of Pharmacy Continuing Education Coordinator Virginia Walczak.
Frigon, who oversees TennCare, explained the state’s medical program and discussed opportunities and challenges for pharmacists who provide care under the program. In light of the Affordable Care Act, the event was helpful for pharmacists needing a greater understanding of how the state and federal medical laws and programs affect their patients as well as how to best serve them. Frigon supervises the medical, dental, and pharmacy programs for the state and is involved now with issues of healthcare expansion and payment reform that will significantly shape the way care is delivered in the future. TennCare is the State of Tennessee’s Medicaid program that currently provides health care for 1.2 million Tennesseans and operates with an annual $9 billion budget.
The College of Pharmacy plans to host another continuing education event on Feb. 8 to draw alumni pharmacist back to campus during Belmont’s homecoming week. The college is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.
Tough Songs Becomes Television Hits
Assistant Professor of Audio Engineering David Tough recently had a song featured on the ABC series “Nashville.” He produced, engineered and cowrote the song “Hillbilly Hollywood.” The ABC Family movie “Christmas Bounty” also featured Tough’s song “Pretty Mama” on Nov. 26. Click here to watch it.
Belmont, Lipscomb Entrepreneurs Face Off
The Bruins beat the Bisons both on the court and in the classroom during Battle of the Boulevard. Eight teams of undergraduate students from Belmont and Lipscomb universities competed in the Boulevard Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition on Nov. 18 in the Massey Boardroom. The students pitched their business ideas before judges during the event, which coincided with the Bruins and Bisons’ basketball game on Nov. 20.
“This first-ever business pitch competition between Belmont and Lipscomb provided a unique opportunity for students to refine their pitches and to network with young entrepreneurs from the challenging campus. Adding an academic event to the week of athletic focus provides an additional platform in which students can become involved. This competition was a great success, and I look forward to building this tradition,” said Belmont Center for Entrepreneurship Program Director Lisa Davis.
First Place and $500: Tyler Newkirk with ToCallitHome
Second Place and $300: Elizabeth Boutin with PureTrade
Third Place and $150: Makenzie Stokel with What’s Hubbin’
Physical Therapy Alumnus Recognized as Emerging Leader
Dr. Anson Rosenfeldt, a 2009 graduate of Belmont University School of Physical Therapy, has been named as one of 25 emerging leaders in physical therapy by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). Rosenfeldt is a staff physical therapist with the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio.
Each year the association recognizes therapists from across the country who have demonstrated extraordinary service early in their careers. The organization’s professional journal, PT in Motion, announced this year’s honorees in last month’s issue. In the announcement article, Pamela Dixon, an occupational therapist who nominated Rosenfeldt, comments about her involvement in elevating the use of evidence-based practice and increasing quality and education of all therapists.
“I am truly honored to receive this award,” said Rosenfeldt. “My passion for physical therapy drives me to do more for my profession. I have been fortunate to be surrounded by other motivated, passionate therapists during my DPT education and at the Cleveland Clinic who have been inspirational in my career. It is a pleasure to be part of such a great group of therapists, and I hope to continue to promote the profession of physical therapy.”
With the Cleveland Clinic, Rosenfeldt has coordinated several National Institutes of Health stroke studies, established the protocol and collected data for her own acute study and published two papers. She has served as a volunteer physical therapist with the Free Clinic of Greater Cleveland, a healthcare volunteer in Cambodia and Cameroon, and is on the Physical Therapist Assistant advisory board at South University in Cleveland. In addition, Rosenfeldt is a graduate faculty member at Cleveland State University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program, where she also completed her Master of Business Administration in 2013. She is an active member of APTA with whom she has gained credentials as a clinical instructor.
