The School of Nursing at Belmont University recently honored recipients of the New Careers in Nursing (NCIN) Scholarship with a dinner to promote leadership and professionalism. The scholarships are funded by the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation to support underrepresented students in Belmont’s accelerated second degree nursing program. The event was organized by Dr. Anita Chesney and Dr. Carrie Harvey, who coordinate the scholarship program at Belmont. To date, the School of Nursing has received $200,000 in scholarship funds.
The event was attended by the NCIN grantees, as well as several community nurse leaders from the Nashville area. The distinguished guests shared their experiences and offered advice and opportunities to the scholarship recipients. Community nursing leaders from Tennessee Nurses Association (District 3), Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Honor Society and Chi Eta Phi Nursing Sorority challenged the students to succeed and become involved in professional nursing organizations. Featured speakers included Richard Phidd, RN, BSN, and Laura Kelley, RN, MSN, who serve as nurse managers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Also recognized at the dinner were Angelle Richardson, RN, and Lori Kelso, RN, for their participation and contribution to the School of Nursing’s Alumni E-mentoring program.
The School of Nursing is part of the Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences & Nursing.
School of Nursing Hosts Dinner for Scholarship Recipients
Robinson Has Article Published
Steve Robinson, assistant professor of physics, recently had an article published in the International Journal of Sports Science and Engineering. The title of the article is “A Simple and Effective Method to Predict Seeded Tournament Outcomes.”
Sociology Class Celebrates Fall Graduation at Correctional Complex
Andi Stepnick’s restorative justice class recently celebrated their fall graduation at the Charles Bass Correctional Complex. The course created a unique partnership between prisoners, prison officials, college students, local congregations and community groups. Students performed sociological analyses of the criminal justice system and explored the system’s impact on communities, particularly the African American community. They examined issues of crime and justice, corrections and imprisonment, restorative justice, harm reduction, victimization, parole, probation and re-entry.
The course sought to create an environment that would facilitate the honest exchange of ideas through dialogue between people on the inside and outside, and to develop an experiential setting for learning from and listening to each other in order to more effectively define reentry support. The key is the mutual partnership, a gathered community, meeting regularly over the course of a semester, in order to challenge stereotypes and assumptions and increase the effectiveness of the course work and ministry.
Students created projects in keeping with the course focus on restorative justice. The projects were not just theoretical: they were designed to be sustainable and to create meaningful social change. Project titles included, “Workforce Development,” “TRIONashville.com,” and “Where’s the Justice.”
Event Planning Holds Date Auction Fundraiser
Susan Barnes’ event planning class raised $400 for Kids on the Block with their final class project: a Holiday Date Auction on November 30. Twelve men were auctioned off for dates with Belmont women. Each young man had a donated gift card to take his date to dinner.
The Kids on the Block group, is a non-profit organization that brings programs about responsibility and acceptance of differences to elementary and middle schools in the area through puppetry. Their puppets provided a brief lesson on safe dating before the auction began. Kids on the Block is part of STARS (Students Taking a Right Stand) Nashville, which helps students overcome social and emotional barriers to academic success.
Curtis Presents at National Council of Teachers of English
In November, David Curtis, Associate Dean of Humanities, attended the 100th annual Convention of the National Council of Teachers of English in Orlando, Fla., and led two presentations. Curtis delivered the keynote address to the Assembly on American Literature, titled “Why is Literature Important?” His second presentation was called “Teaching Wallace Stevens” for a session on great American poets.
School of Pharmacy Sends Christmas Presents to Children in Need
The school of Pharmacy recently collected 42 boxes for Operation Christmas Child. The boxes will be sent all over the world to children that do not receive Christmas presents.
The boxes contained a variety of presents for children between the ages of 2 and 14. Pharmacy students sent toys, race cars and dolls for the younger children and hygiene and beauty products for the older children.
“I think that this is a great project that will touch many children’s lives all over the world and show them the real reason that we celebrate Christmas,” said Christina Sudeen, a pharmacy student and participant in Operation Christmas Child. “I am glad that Belmont School of Pharmacy has participated in this project for the past two years, and I hope that it will be a tradition that the school will keep participating in for many years to come.”
Bruin Online Store Announces Holiday Specials
Belmont University Athletics announced Monday special holiday savings at the Bruin Online Store. Put a little jingle back in your pocket and save 15-40 percent on all sweatshirts, jackets and fleece.
The official online shop for Belmont Athletics is powered by TeamFanShop and provides the largest selection of Bruin apparel and gear found anywhere. Bruin fans will get a world-class shopping experience, low cost flat rate shipping, 365-day hassle free returns and unconditional satisfaction guarantee. Plus, a dedicated team of customer service professionals are on hand to help with any questions.
The official online store of Belmont Athletics is powered by TeamFanShop, and this sale is available exclusively online.
BELMONT EXAMS TO BEGIN LATER MONDAY, DECEMBER 13
Due to weather and road conditions, exams scheduled for 8 a.m. will be given at 11 a.m. in two locations on campus: all College of Business and Curb College exams will be given in the Massey Business Center and all others will be taken in the Maddox Grand Atrium. Business students should report to the MBC lobby for their exam room assignment. Students scheduled to take both 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. exams on Monday should contact their professors directly to arrange plans to take the final exam.
Because weather conditions can vary greatly within our region, students, faculty and staff are urged to use individual discretion when making the decision to travel to campus in snow or icy weather. Students unable to get to campus are responsible for notifying their professors and arranging a mutually agreeable plan to take the final exam.
Dr. Fisher’s Statement to Media, Dec. 8, 2010
Click here to view Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher’s press conference with media. Below is a complete transcript of the event.
Belmont University has been the subject of much media and community scrutiny in the past week. In retrospect, I realize that we have not done a good job in communicating. I am sorry for that and I take full responsibility.
My job as president is to lead in a manner that brings people together—even if it involves difficult issues. In this case I would give myself very low marks. And it is not just a matter of grading myself – the real issue is the pain, hurt and fear that some are feeling.
The triggering event for this attention was a personnel action. Belmont, like any other responsible organization, has strict policies regarding the discussion of personnel matters and I will not be addressing any issues regarding this specific case or any “hypothetical case” that might be comparable.
The purpose of my statement is to address the much broader issue of sexual orientation and Belmont.
Last spring, as an alternative to creating a student led organization, a university conversation about gay and lesbian issues and the Christian faith issues was initiated. This group has met twice monthly since then with an average attendance of about twenty. That group discussion is on-going and met as recently as last week.
More recent events have focused attention on Belmont’s employment practices. Because of Belmont’s aspirations to demonstrate Christian character it is a safe and welcoming place for all.
The Belmont family, like any large family, comprises a rich and diverse mix of people. Within our student community there are many gay and lesbian students as well as gay and lesbian faculty and staff.
In the ten years that I have served as Belmont’s president, sexual orientation has not been considered in making hiring, promotion, salary, or dismissal decisions.
I need for you to hear that clearly—sexual orientation is not considered in making hiring, promotion, salary, or dismissal decisions at Belmont.
Neither is it considered in student admissions.
We are committed to working with our faculty, students, alumni, board, and community-at-large to dialogue about our policies and practices to ensure that our actions are consistent with the values stated above.
I have received about 400 communications regarding these issues and while it will take several days to get back to everyone, I will continue to make personal responses to each individual.
I end this statement with a story about our students.
Last year I was attending a Belmont sporting event when I was approached by the parent of one of the players and asked, “Which member of the team is your daughter?”
After a brief reflection I said, “All of them!” To which he replied, “Oh, you must be the president.”
And yes, I am the president of Belmont and that is the way I feel about every single student at our university!
Pharmacy Students Collect Food for Second Harvest
Students in the School of Pharmacy recent held a three-class competition to collect canned food items for Second Harvest Food Bank. The food drive took place Nov. 8- 19, and the students collected approximately 2,200 food items. The food drive was run as a competition between the first, second and third year classes in the School of Pharmacy with each cohort aiming to collect 300 non-perishable food items. The P3 class raised just over 300 items, the P1 class raised over 600 items, and the P2 class won the contest with just over 1,000 items.
The items collected by the students were donated to Second Harvest Food Bank. The students also incorporated a “Faculty Challenge” in the contest, and the faculty donations were donated to St. Luke’s Community House.
