Peter Giordano, chair of Psychological Science, has published an edited book titled Your Graduate Training in Psychology: Effective Strategies for Success with Sage Publications. With co-editors Stephen Davis of Morningside College and Carolyn Licht of Fordham University, the book takes a developmental approach to establishing a variety of professional skills from the first year of graduate training until degree completion. Chapter authors include Belmont psychology faculty Seraphine Shen-Miller and Lonnie Yandell. In addition, three other chapters are written by alumni of the Belmont Department of Psychological Science who later obtained PhDs in psychology: Christy Spears Brown is associate professor of Psychology at the University of Kentucky, Dan Corts is professor of Psychology at Augustana College, and Radha (Dunham) Carlson is a clinical assistant professor at UNC-Chapel Hill.
Psychology Professors and Alumni Collaborate on Book Project
Scholar/Author Thomas Lippman Presents Forum on Saudi Arabia
Belmont University welcomed scholar, author and journalist Thomas Lippman to campus for two forums on the developments and current affairs in Saudi Arabia. The World Affairs Council, the United Nations Association- Nashville Cordell Hull Chapter and Belmont’s Center for International Business sponsored an event on campus Monday night that was open to the community, and Lippman spoke again in a student convocation session Wednesday morning.
Lippman began his convo by describing his background of reporting for The Washington Post in Saudi Arabia and how he finds information. “I am not an academic; I go there, I look around, I ask questions,” Lippman said.
After stating basic Saudi facts, Lippman dove into discussing the culture, commenting on the state of the government and the religious requirements Saudis respect to keep public dissension and dialogue separate from public demonstrations. This led him to his discussion of Iranian tensions among Saudi Arabians and how American issues come into play.
Saudis feel threatened by Iranian rebels and other surrounding countries causing upheaval. They see them as the “ones that make all the trouble.” Above all, they are not interested in any involvement towards reconstruction efforts.
When speaking on the rights of women throughout the country, Lippman said, “I’m not worried about the status of women, only the pace of change.” He went on to say that he knows women will ultimately be given more rights, including the right to drive, he just isn’t sure when.
As Lippman concluded his lecture he welcomed comments from the crowd answering questions that inquired about Saudi selling oil to Eastern countries and the internal religious debate between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Lippman is currently a senior scholar at the Council on Foreign Relations. He is author of numerous books on U.S. foreign policy, understanding Islam and Saudi Arabia, including the forthcoming book, Saudi Arabia on the Edge: The Uncertain Future of an American Ally. International media outlets and Washington think tanks regularly contact him to participate in discussions about Middle East affairs and provide assessments of Arab World developments especially in Saudi Arabia.
PT Students Assist with Komen’s Race for the Cure
On Sat., Oct. 29, Belmont’s School of Physical Therapy brought more than 100 student volunteers to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure at the Maryland Farms YMCA. With 14,000 racers and more than 10,000 spectators, the volunteers were needed to assist with course setup and takedown, serve as course marshals at the start and finish line, hand out water at course stations and help manage the crowd.
Megan Tisdale, a third-year physical therapy student and student organizer of the volunteer efforts, had a special connection with the event and the people it serves. “Since my mother has breast cancer, I think it’s very important to present people with great opportunities to come together to celebrate life and give to support a cause that is near and dear to millions of hearts… The reward is seeing people come together with passion they have for a loved one.”
The Komen affiliate members, as well as the event management group, were thankful for the dedicated volunteers who participated in the event. “The Belmont team of volunteers from the School of PT made a huge difference to this year’s race,” said Komen Executive Director Patty Harman. “The Race wouldn’t have been so successful without them. We had more people participating this year than ever before, and Belmont jumped in to do whatever was needed to make it a wonderful experience for each person. We can’t thank them enough for all they did.”
Marc Overlock, chairman of the board for the Komen Affiliate, added , “Thank you so much for your every effort, through planning efforts, logistical team packing and mailing and hand-outs, and last but not least Race Village clean up. The Board, Komen Staff and I owe you everything. Please know we today honor your gift of time.”
PT Students Volunteer for Bentley’s ‘Miles & Music for Kids’
During the October celebration of National Physical Therapy Month, approximately 100 Belmont University Physical Therapy students and faculty volunteered for the sixth annual “Dierks Bentley Miles & Music for Kids” event. On Oct. 16, Bentley and more than 1,700 people gathered for his annual charity motorcycle ride to benefit Vanderbilt’s Children Hospital and the Children’s Miracle Network. The ride began at the Columbia Springs Harley Davidson and ended at Riverfront Park in downtown Nashville.
The event ended with a concert by Bentley and some friends (Eli Young Band, Charles Kelley from Lady Antebellum, Colt Ford and Josh Thompson entertaining thousands of fans at Riverfront Park. Event Coordinator Mandy McClister said, “It was definitely another great year, and again we could not have done it without the students from the Belmont University School of PT! The students worked harder this year than ever before to make this a success. The leadership should be proud of the way they have represented the University.”
Bentley was also impressed with the volunteers. “We could not have taken this event to the level it now is without the help of my friend Mike Voight and his students at Belmont University School of Physical Therapy. The Belmont students have been integral to the success of this event from the inaugural ride six years ago to its current size. I look forward to working with them again in the future,” Bentley said.
Since the inception of this annual event, $2 million has been raised to benefit the Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital and the Children’s Miracle Network.
Riechert Elected to PRSA District Post
Bonnie Riechert, associate professor and director of the public relations program in the College of Arts & Sciences, has been elected to serve as web/e-newsletter officer for the Southeast District Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) for 2012. A board member in the Nashville Chapter of PRSA, she is serving as secretary for the Southeast District PRSA during 2011. With membership of 21,000, PRSA is the world’s largest and foremost organization of public relations professionals, providing professional development, setting standards of excellence and upholding principles of ethics for its members and the global public relations profession. Other SE District officers for 2012 are Chuck Norman, North Carolina Chapter, chair; Mitch Edwards, Alabama Chapter, chair-elect; Natalia Flores, Charlotte Chapter, treasurer; Kelly Davis, South Carolina Chapter, secretary; Melanie Davis, Alabama Chapter, immediate past chair; Kevin Lusk, Lookout Chapter, director-at-large; Penny Cothran, South Carolina Chapter, director-at-large; Stephen Loudermilk, Georgia Chapter, director-at-large; and Vickye Hester, Memphis Chapter, director at-large.
Debaters Qualify for Elimination Round at Berry College Tournament
The Speech and Debate team took their strongest debaters to Berry College in Rome, Ga. on Oct. 29. With just three students in attendance, all of them qualified for elimination rounds in their brackets. The results were as follows: Chris Carlevato and Jenni Gustafson, Overall Champions; Novice NPDA Debate, Bryan Meehan (partnering with Michael Lugo form Carson-Newman College); Semi-Finalists, Open NPDA debate; Jenni Gustafson, sixth place novice debate speaker award. Congratulations to these debaters for their success!
Vision Editor Selected for 2012 Campus Coverage Project
Brian Wilson, a junior journalism major and Belmont Vision editor, is one of 75 students chosen to participate in the 2012 Campus Coverage Project. The project is Jan. 5-8 at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University in Phoenix.
This is the third year of the highly competitive program in which working journalists and professors help college students investigate and report more effectively on their universities through teaching skills, providing resources and building awareness. The sponsor of the program is The Lumina Foundation, which provides scholarships that pay for travel, tuition and all other costs for participants. The program is presented by the Investigative Reporters and Editors in partnership with Education Writers Association and the Student Press Law Center. Investigative Reporters and Editors is an international professional organization that supports and trains investigative journalists.
Niedzwiecki Presents at Herpetological Society Meeting
John Niedzwiecki (Biology) presented research at the 2011 Meeting of the Tennessee Herpetological Society. The meeting was held on Sept. 29-30 at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tenn. Niedzwiecki’s research was done in collaboration with recent Belmont students, Lauren Oeser (2009) and Sara Bentley (2010). The talk was titled “The specificity of the anti-predator response in the streamside salamander, Ambystoma barbouri”. Dr. Niedzwiecki had previously presented this research as a poster at Behavior 2011, the Joint Meeting of the Animal Behavior Society and the International Ethological Conference, held July 25-30th in Bloomington, Ind.
Biology Students Present at SEPEEG Meeting
John Niedzwiecki (Biology) and three of his undergraduate research students attended the 2011 Southeast Population Ecology and 
Evolutionary Genetics Meeting held Oct. 21-23 in Reidsville, N.C. The meeting was hosted by UNC-Chapel Hill. The Belmont students presented posters at the meeting and were among 70 presentations and over 100 participants in this year’s meeting. In addition to the poster session the students attended oral presentations from graduate students and faculty from a wide variety of southeastern schools including, UNC Chapel Hill, UNC Greenville, NC State, UGA, Emory, UVA, ECU, UF and UT. The students enjoyed and learned from the keynote speaker about cooperative breeding birds as “superorganisms” to a final talk summarizing parthenogenesis across snakes.
The Belmont student posters were:
Abader Almowasi’s poster was titled Habitat perception and the anti-predator response of Physid snail; Kelsey Grant’s poster was titled Distance perception of a predator though a chemical cue in a Physid snail; Nicholas Kirk’s poster was titled The effect of development on bird diversity along a stream corridor.
Chemistry Students Volunteer at Drug Take Back Event
On Oct. 8, students from Kim Daus’ (Chemistry) CEM 1050 class (Freshman Chemistry Seminar for Pharmaceutical Studies majors) participated in a Drug Take Back event in Dickson, Tenn., sponsored by the Dickson County Police Department. People were able to dispose of their prescription and over-the-counter medications that they no longer needed. The students catalogued and counted thousands of medications.
The Belmont students Vanessa Antonio, Huner Aradini, Katrina Barnett, Sarah Curasco, Brielle Davis, Turner Gerbig, Tiumy Giao, Luke Johnson, Katelyn Jones, Kiki Liss, Katie Lockhart, Mendy Lovelady, Ashley Nemenez, Gerald Offei-Nkansah and Anna Whitwell who participated in the event.
