Dr. Jeff Cornwall, director of Belmont’s Center for Entrepreneurship and professor of management, was recently invited to participate in a roundtable dinner in Washington, D.C. hosted by Elizabeth Baker Keffer, president of AtlanticLIVE and vice president of The Atlantic. The Dec. 7 dinner discussion centered on the role the financial community will play in encouraging the growth of small and mid-size businesses. In addition to Dr. Cornwall, attendees included leaders in business, media and higher education including executives from Merrill Lynch, reporters from The Washington Post and New York Times and leaders from the Center for Economic and Policy Research, the Small Business Majority, the Brookings Institution, the NAACP and the National Bankers Association, among others.
Belmont University Winter Commencement Ceremony on Dec. 16
Belmont University will hold its winter 2011 commencement ceremony for graduate and undergraduate students at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 16 in the Curb Event Center.
The University will celebrate the graduation of a total of 364 students. During the graduation ceremony, 275 undergraduate and 89 master’s degrees will be conferred.
Dr. Todd Lake, vice president for spiritual development, will present the commencement address.
The ceremony can be viewed live by webcast from the Belmont homepage at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 16.
Dr. Cathy Taylor Appointed Dean of College of Health Sciences & Nursing
TN Department of Health assistant commissioner to begin new position Feb. 1, 2012
Dr. Cathy Taylor, DrPH, MSN, RN, has been named as the new dean of the Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences & Nursing at Belmont University. Taylor currently serves as the assistant commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Health’s Bureau of Health Services Administration where she oversees delivery of traditional public health and primary care services in 89 rural counties and contracted services with Tennessee’s six metropolitan health departments. Dr. Taylor will begin her new position at Belmont on Feb. 1, 2012.
“Belmont’s outstanding reputation for excellence and commitment to teaching and service makes this the perfect fit for me and the logical choice for students, faculty and partners dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of our beautiful city and beyond,” said Taylor. “I am grateful for the opportunity to have served Tennesseans and the Department of Health, and I am honored to join the Belmont team at this time of extraordinary growth and potential to produce the next generation of exceptionally talented health care professionals.”
Qualley Selected as Miss Golden Globe 2012
Former Belmont student Rainey Qualley was recently selected by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) as Miss Golden Globe 2012 for The 69th Annual Golden Globe® Awards. Chosen by the HFPA, Miss Golden Globe is traditionally the child of a well-known celebrity and assists during the Golden Globe Awards ceremony.
The daughter of Golden Globe nominated actress Andie MacDowell and Paul Qualley, Rainey Qualley attended Belmont in 2007-08, and performed in campus productions of “Thoroughly Modern Millie” and “Swing!” The 69th Annual Golden Globe® Awards will air live on Sun., Jan. 15, 2012 on NBC from 7-10 p.m. (CST).
Alumna Featured in Local News Story
Jennifer Walkup, a 2005 graduate of the Belmont University Doctor of Physical Therapy program, was recently featured in an article she wrote for The Oak Ridger in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. In the article, Walkup provides suggestions on how to minimize injuries in young athletes.
Walkup is a senior physical therapist on the staff of Methodist Therapy, a service of Methodist Medical Center. Walkup has specialized in pediatrics since 2007 and has experience treating children with Torticollis, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, coordination disorders and various developmental disorders. Her certifications include Clinical Instructor Certification and Interactive Metronome Certification.
The full story is linked here.
Giving Holiday Spirit Puts Student in News
Belmont senior Chad Hoover is featured in The Tennessean for his Christmas light display and its role in collecting donations for GraceWorks Ministries.
Hoover has decorated his parents’ Franklin house with an animated, musical light display for six years. He and his father began putting up the 65,000 lights just before Halloween so that they could light up their home on Thanksgiving. Outside their home is a donation box for passers-by to leave canned goods for GraceWorks Ministries as they watch the lights flicker to contemporary versions of Christmas carols.
“I grew up knowing about them and what they do in Williamson County and that what they do is local,” Hoover, who is studying accounting, told The Tennessean. He volunteers at the ministry’s Christmas giveaway and food pantry.
Click here to read The Tennessean article in its entirety.
Belmont Alumnus Named President of Commercial Bank
Belmont alumnus Adam Robertson has been promoted to the president of Commercial Bank.
Moving from the position of vice president, Robertson has worked for Commercial Bank of over 14 years, formally serving as a teller, then a loan officer, branch manager and executive officer.
“I appreciate the chance to lead the bank to future success and follow in the footsteps of my grandfather and Commercial Bank founder, E. Oscar Robertson,” Robertson said. “We will go forward with our tradition of banking excellence as well as service to our customers and the community.”
Terry Lee has served as president and chief executive officer since 2004 and is proud to be handing over the duties of president.
“Adam is one of the brightest and best young men I have ever known, and he is very deserving of this promotion,” said Lee. “As the Bank’s CEO, I am looking forward to working more closely with Adam and mentoring him in this new role.”
Robertson’s community involvement includes leadership roles in the Bell County Chamber of Commerce, Pine Mountain Community Development Corporation, Harrogate Little League and Outdoor Truths Ministries. Robertson graduated from Belmont University and the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University. He and his wife, Cindi, have two children, Olivia and Noah, and they reside in Speedwell, Tenn. They are members of Pump Springs Baptist Church.
Based in Harrogate, Tenn., Commercial Bank has 20 offices in Tennessee and Kentucky.
Stamper Honored with Distinguished SACS Award
The president and board of trustees of the College Commission of SACS presented the Distinguished Service Award to Jim Stamper (Education) at the annual meeting on Dec. 5 in Orlando, Fla. Dr. Stamper was recognized for being a member of a record 40 committee visits to all the 13 southern states and for chairing 28 of those visiting committees. Further, his SACS committee service on the Criteria and Reports Committee and on the Principles Revision Committee was recognized. Some 4,200 delegates were present at the annual meeting.
Giordano Publishes Book Chapter
Pete Giordano (Psychological Science) has published a book chapter with colleague Elizabeth Yost Hammer at Xavier University in New Orleans. The book chapter is titled “Making the Case for Active Learning” and appears in the edited book (William Buskist & Victor Benassi, Eds.) Effective College and University Teaching: Strategies and Tactics for the New Professoriate (Sage Publications).
Curb College, Student Activities, Program Board Debut Christmas Concert
Matt Wertz and Ben Rector brought the Christmas spirit to Belmont University on Dec. 7 by performing an assortment of holiday jingles and popular originals.
Wertz played tunes featured on his freshly released holiday album entitled “Snow Globe.” Rector revealed a never heard, yet to be demoed, intimate acoustic song to the sold out crowd in the Massey Performing Arts Center. Dave Barnes made a surprise appearance during the evening, joining Wertz and Rector in Christmas Carols. Andrew Ripp also jumped on stage, accompanying Rector in a groovy rendition of “Silent Night.”
The show was a success, a proper introduction to the holiday season and quite possibly the first of an ongoing holiday concert tradition brought to us by the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, Student Activities, and Student Activities Program Board.
