The Belmont University Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA) team raised $1,500 for the 2012 Nashville AIDS 5K walk, sponsored by the nonprofit organization Nashville Cares earlier this month. The 23-person Belmont team included deans, faculty and pharmacy students who joined hundreds of community participants to benefit thousands of individuals and families affected by HIV/AIDS in Davidson County and 17 surrounding counties of northern Middle Tennessee.
Belmont University Students Raise $1,500 for Nashville AIDS Walk
Diaz-Cruz Showcases College of Pharmacy, Hillsboro High School Partnership
Edgar Diaz-Cruz, assistant professor of Pharmaceutical, Social and Administrative Sciences at Belmont College of Pharmacy, participated in the First Choice Festival at McGavock High School. The festival was an opportunity for parents and students to learn about elementary, middle and high school academies and options in the Nashville area.
Diaz-Cruz’ role was to showcase the Belmont College of Pharmacy partnership with Hillsboro High School in the Global Health and Science Academy. He also participated in the Hillsboro High School teacher externship that took place at Vanderbilt University. He talked to teachers about preparing students who have interest in pharmacy as their career. Jacqueline Woods was in charge of this program.
Pharmacy Students Conduct Health Fair for Fun Walk
Belmont Pharmacy students conducted a health fair in conjunction with the First Annual Matthew Walker Family Fun Walk hosted by the Matthew Walker Comprehensive Healthcare Center (MWCHC) on Oct. 6. The Family Fun Walk is a one-mile walk in Bicentennial Mall State Park supporting the MWCHC’s “Dial Down Diabetes” program, which is sponsored by AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation. It is an effort to reduce and prevent cardiovascular disease by “dialing down” on the impact of undiagnosed diabetes, pre-diabetes and diabetes in low-income adults.
After the event, Pharmacy Assistant Professor Rachel Franks, in the Department of Pharmacy Practice, and 10 Belmont University College of Pharmacy students conducted a health fair. Franks and students provided participants with their weight, height and body mass index as well as blood pressure, blood glucose and bone mineral density screenings.
Biles, Actuarial Students Attend Casualty Actuaries of the Southeast Annual Meeting
Mathematics Professor Danny Biles and five of Belmont’s actuarial students attended the Casualty Actuaries of the Southeast (CASE) annual fall meeting in Atlanta, Ga. on Oct. 3. The attendees heard about the latest news and advances in actuarial science and made a number of new contacts. Students who attended the conference were Mary Yang, Zach O’Brien, Alice Curtis, Whit Whitson and Angela Gaetano.
In addition, mathematics major Li (Mary) Yang was recognized at the conference as one of two scholarship recipients from CASE for this academic year. Yang was awarded two actuarial scholarships for the 2012-2013 academic year: The Southeastern Actuaries Conference (SEAC) Scholarship and The Casualty Actuaries of the Southeast (CASE) Scholarship. These are both competitive scholarships awarded to students at southeastern U.S. universities who plan to pursue a career as an actuary. Typically only five SEAC scholarships and only two CASE scholarships are awarded per year. Yang is completing the Mathematics Actuarial Career Track in preparation for becoming a certified actuary. Students completing the Actuarial Track will earn a minor in Business Administration. The actuarial profession is usually ranked in the top five of career choices. Actuaries work in the insurance and financial sectors and specialize in analyzing the financial impact of risk and uncertainty.
Belmont Partners with STARS for Mid-South PeaceJam
Iranian-born Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi to participate in January event
In an extraordinary joint initiative, Iranian-born Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi was announced Tuesday as the partner for Nashville’s first ever PeaceJam, to be held at Belmont University in January 2013. PeaceJam is an international education program that seeks to create young leaders committed to positive change in themselves, their communities and the world. Belmont recently partnered with locally-based nonprofit Students Taking A Right Stand (STARS) to become the PeaceJam Mid-South affiliate. The January PeaceJam will explore issues of peace, violence, social justice and oppression with a community service component.
The announcement of Ebadi, the first ever Iranian and first Muslim woman to earn the Nobel Peace Prize, was made by Belmont University President Bob Fisher with STARS CEO Rodger Dinwiddie in a kick-off rally Tuesday, the PeaceSlam, on Belmont’s campus with students from 23 area middle and high schools attending.
Dr. Mimi Barnard, Belmont’s assistant provost for interdisciplinary studies & global education, has been heavily involved in bringing PeaceJam to Middle Tennessee. “In announcing PeaceJam, it’s fitting that this year’s Campus Theme is E Pluribus Unum—out of many, one. We live in an increasingly complex geopolitical context, yet we are called to love our neighbor. To that end, Belmont is thrilled to partner with Students Taking a Right Stand (STARS) to become the PeaceJam Mid-South Affiliate, which includes Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas and Kentucky. PeaceJam exists to create young leaders committed to positive change in themselves, their communities, and the world through the inspiration of Nobel Peace Laureates who pass on the spirit, skill and wisdom they embody. Our collaboration will enable leadership training for hundreds, if not thousands, of youth throughout the Mid-South,” Barnard said.
Belmont PRSSA Receives National Awards
One of more than 300 chapters nationally, the Belmont Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America received two national awards at the 2012 PRSSA National Conference, held Oct. 12-16 in San Francisco. Belmont students brought home four national student awards.
Belmont PRSSA received the Outstanding Regional Conference Award for the PRSSA Region 5 Conference held on campus March 30 and 31, attracting 125 students from 14 chapters in several states. The award specifically recognizes the overall benefit the conference gives to PRSSA members. The Chapter was commended for planning and executing a conference with speakers including public relations professionals from the Dallas Cowboys, HGTV, Cracker Barrel, Cision, IBM and Bonnaroo.
The Chapter also received a fourth PRSSA Star Chapter Award, presented annually since 2009 to recognize a handful of chapters meeting 10 criteria of excellence including ethics advocacy, chapter development and community service.
Alumna Crowned Miss Tennessee USA
Alumna Brenna Mader was named Miss Tennessee USA on Oct 6. She represented Davidson County in the competition. The pageant, which was held at Austin Peay State University’s Music and Mass Communications Theater, opened with a choreographed dance number featuring all the contestants. Over the course of the evening, the contestants were narrowed down to 15 semi finalists, and then to five for the final competition. In the final round, the women were scored on their swimwear and evening wear. Each category made up 50 percent of their score.
Mader graduated with her Bachelors of Science in journalism in the spring of 2009. Having won the Miss Tennessee USA competition, she will represent the state of Tennessee in the Miss USA pageant.
Belmont Trumpeters to Perform at Gaylord Tree Lighting Ceremony
Coordinator of Instrumental Studies Joel Treybig and trumpet students Anthony Baird, Kevin Griffin, and Elias Salazar will be a part of the Gaylord Opryland Tree Lighting Ceremony on Nov. 15. This is the 30th year for the event. Their performance will be in collaboration with Vanderbilt trumpeters.
Occupational Therapy faculty and students present safe transportation workshop
Faculty and students from the Belmont University School of Occupational Therapy recently presented a workshop for community volunteers on providing safe transportation and door-through-door support to elder citizens. Working in collaboration with the Greater Nashville Council on Aging, Debra Gibbs, Teresa Plummer and six second-year students in the Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program conducted the workshop at the North Nashville Police Precinct. About 25 local volunteers attended. Student presenters included Brittni Thompson, Carrie Beth Henson, LaRae Murray, Danielle Paulsen, Rebecca Lynn and Kelly Dennison.
Students Show ‘Unity Through Service’ with Week of Events
Belmont held a “Unity Through Service Week” coordinating with the campus theme, E Pluribus Unum, to offer convocations and volunteer opportunities to students. Tim Stewart, director of service learning, and student Gabrielle Hampton were the driving forces behind the week.
The week began with an opening convocation on Sept. 17 featuring Caroline Blackwell, executive director of the Metro Human Relations Commission. Later in the day, students and faculty had a “mix-it-up” luncheon in the cafeteria. As they entered the cafeteria, they each drew a colored card from the bowl, and sat at tables coordinating with their color. At each event, the first 40 students to arrive received a single ticket, which could be exchanged for a single free meal from one of the food trucks on during the Unity Rally on Sept. 23.
“The crowds started small, and grew as the week went on. Some of the later events were very heavily attended,” he said. One of the most well attended events of the entire week was the one concerning homelessness. “There were about 80 students that came to homelessness program and that was great to see.”
Another one of the most successful events of the week was a field day held for adults with disabilities. Several Belmont athletes came to volunteer for the event.
