Several Belmont alumnae were recently featured in Nashville Lifestyles magazine’s cover story on the area’s “25 Most Beautiful People.” The October issue highlighted singer/songwriter Ashlyne Huff (’07), Monarch Publicity Owner Cindy Heath (’06, Massey), EMI Music Publishing A&R Manager Laura Wright (’09) and actress/writer/producer Janet Ivey-Duensing (’90). In addition, current Belmont student and Miss Tennessee USA 2010 Tucker Nichol Perry was also featured in the issue. Click here to see the entire list.
Clark Featured in Nashville City Paper
Belmont men’s basketball sophomore Ian Clark (Memphis, Tenn.) is the subject of a feature story in the Nashville City Paper. The 2010 CollegeInsider.com Freshman Mid Major All-American and Atlantic Sun Freshman of the Year was profiled by NCP college basketball writer Jerome Boettcher. Click here to read the article
Clark and the Bruins opened practice this past Friday. Belmont opens the season Nov. 9, hosting Northern State in the Don Meyer Classic on ESPNU. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. CT.
Belmont PRSSA Recognized At National Conference
The Belmont Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America received a national chapter award and two national student awards Monday night at the 2010 PRSSA National Conference in Washington, D.C. Belmont’s chapter was one of seven chapters nationally to receive a Star Chapter Award, which recognizes chapter performance in 10 categories including ethics advocacy and community service. This is only the second time this award has been given, and the second time Belmont has received it.
“I was extremely proud of our chapter to be recognized for these prestigious awards during the national conference,” said Katie Siklosi, a sophomore and the vice president of the chapter. “We are continually looking for ways to better our chapter and being here to learn and being commended for our achievements was a great experience.”
Sarah Norton, immediate past president of the Belmont Chapter of PRSSA, received the National President’s Citation and the PRSSA Gold Key award. The National President’s Citation recognizes Norton for her leadership and service to the PRSSA organization at the local and national level. The Gold Key is the highest individual honor given to PRSSA members and recognizes those students who display outstanding academic excellence in public relations and leadership qualities in PRSSA. Belmont graduate Sara Pecchia also received a Gold Key award.
“Belmont students and faculty are leaders in public relations and are gaining national recognition for the program here,” added Dr. Bonnie Riechert, director of the Belmont’s public relations program.
Representing Belmont at the conference were chapter officers Norton, Siklosi and Joseph Norris, as well as junior Allison Durfee, Riechert and instructor Susan Barnes. During the conference, Riechert and Barnes attended the induction dinner for the Public Relations Society of America College of Fellows, where Barnes was recognized for financial sponsorship and professional mentoring.
One of 299 chapters nationally, the Belmont Chapter of PRSSA was chartered in 2005 and has received previous national awards for Ethics Advocacy, Chapter Development and Outstanding Relationship with its sponsoring professional chapter, Nashville PRSA.
Murphy, Reno Achieve Certified Collegiate Retailer Designation
Catherine Murphy, Manager of the Belmont Bookstore, and Matt Reno, Assistant Store Manager and Textbook Buyer, have become Certified Collegiate Retailers.
According to the National Association of College Stores, “achieving the Certified Collegiate Retailer designation demonstrates to your colleagues, your campus community and yourself that you possess the necessary knowledge to successfully manage a college store and effectively provide expertise on collegiate retailing issues. It shows that you are among the leaders setting the tone and direction for the college store industry.”
To obtain certification, retailers must take a 200-question exam covering all areas of collegiate retail. Catherine and Matt had to read 17 books to prepare. Only 97 people worldwide are Certified Collegiate Retailers. There are only 2 others in Tennessee.
In addition to her CCR designation, Murphy was named Tennessee Association of College Stores’ Store Person of the Year for the second year in a row. Murphy was chosen among all bookstore employees across the state.
Slay Appears on Panel, Publishes Articles
Cheryl L. Slay (CEMB) appeared as a panelist Sept. 30 for the International Black Film Festival of Nashville addressing the topic: “Avoiding the Legal Pitfalls of the Film Industry.” She also authored “Meet the New Internet: Cause for Concern or Celebration for the Entertainment Industry?” an article about net neutrality, which was published in the September MEIEA e-zine. Additionally, The Hawaii International Conference on Arts & Humanities has accepted Cheryl L. Slay’s research proposal titled “The Music Business Professional as Artist.” The submission underwent peer review and was selected for presentation during the January conference.
Jairo Prado Community Mural Unveiled
On October 11, the community mural led by artist Jario Prado was unveiled to an audience of eager onlookers. Many of those in attendance had worked on the project either by painting, sketching or supporting the project. The mural will serve as a backdrop for the 2010 School of Humanities Symposium. The 8’ by 16’ collective mural represents the theme of the symposium: Giving Shape to Airy Nothings: Inventing Communities, Creating Identities. The Prado art exhibit and mural project would not be possible without the financial support of the Tennessee Arts Commission and the College of Arts & Sciences at Belmont University. Click here to see more photos from the unveiling.
Riechert Selected as Secretary of PRSA
Belmont faculty member Bonnie Riechert has been selected to serve as secretary in 2011 for the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Southeast District. She will succeed Teresa Corlew, vice president of customer care for Nashville Electric Service. Riechert has served on the boards of directors of the Volunteer Chapter (Knoxville) and the Nashville Chapter of PRSA. In the Nashville chapter she currently is accreditation co-chair and national assembly delegate. At Belmont she holds joint faculty appointments in the departments of media studies and communication studies; she is director of the public relations program and faculty advisor to the Belmont chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA).
Murphree Displays Exhibit at Insect Festival
Steve Murphree (Biology) recently attended the annual meeting of the Tennessee Entomological Society in Knoxville. Most years before this meeting begins, some of the entomologists set up an Insect Festival and this year 26 entomologists participated. The 2010 Insect Festival was held on Thursday, October 14, at the Hollingsworth Auditorium of the University of Tennessee Plant Sciences Building. They had 126 home schooled children and parents from Blount County attend the Insect Festival. Dr. Murphree’s interactive exhibit was titled “Termite Trails.”
Parry Appointed to PR Committee
Pam Parry, associate professor of communication studies, recently was appointed to the Public Relations Committee of the American Journalism Historians Association at the organization’s annual meeting in Tucson, Arizona.
College of Law Breaks Ground on Randall and Sadie Baskin Center
Baskins provide $7 million gift in support of new law building, which will feature law library, trial courtroom, five-level parking garage
Belmont University celebrated today the official groundbreaking for the Randall and Sadie Baskin Center, a 71,000 square foot facility which will serve as the home for the new College of Law and state-of-the-art law library. Randall Baskin, the owner of the Randall Baskin Co. and the founder/ former owner of Brentwood-based Continental Life Insurance Co., has served on Belmont University’s Board of Trustees for 19 years.
Known throughout Middle Tennessee for their significant philanthropy and generosity, the Baskins are providing a $7 million leadership gift for the College of Law’s new building. The Baskins already endow a major scholarship fund at Belmont which currently supports five students based on financial need, commitment to work and motivation to succeed. To date more than 100 students have benefited from the scholarship since it was established in 1983. (Click here to see more photos from the groundbreaking.)
Belmont University President Dr. Bob Fisher said, “Randall Baskin built his company the old-fashioned way, through remarkable hard work and dedication. Now, he and Sadie are investing their resources in the people and projects that will shape the future and impact our world, providing an exceptional example of what it means to give back. Opening this College of Law represents a tremendous step for Belmont University, and I’m so proud this building will bear the name of such extraordinary people. The lawyers educated here will one day be community leaders and change agents in Middle Tennessee and around the world, fulfilling the Belmont mission of ‘engaging and transforming the world’ through their efforts on behalf of justice.”
Click here to see comments from Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher and Mr. Baskin.
Click here to view Mayor Karl Dean’s comments at the groundbreaking.
Click here to view Congressman Cooper’s comments at the groundbreaking.
Click here to view comments from College of Law Dean Jeff Kinsler.
Randall Baskin said, “I’ve been a part of the Belmont family for a long time, watching this university grow and change at an exponential rate. Throughout my time on the Board, the university’s focus on its Christian mission has remained paramount. Sadie and I take great joy in supporting those efforts. We believe this law school can provide many dedicated students a chance to not only build better lives for themselves, but to also impact their community for years to come.”
The Randall and Sadie Baskin Center will be located on the southwest corner of the intersection of Acklen and 15th Avenues and will include a five-level underground parking garage accommodating more than 500 parking spaces. Total cost for the project is estimated at $32 million once the building is completely outfitted. Slated to open in fall 2012, the Baskin Center is being designed and built by locally-owned companies—Earl Swensson Associates and R.C. Mathews—and will create jobs for hundreds in Middle Tennessee.
The Baskin Center will contain more than a dozen classrooms, a 21st Century trial courtroom, an appellate courtroom, a two-story law library, and more than 20 faculty offices. The building is being designed with the needs of law students in mind and will feature numerous amenities including a student commons, wireless Internet access, offices for student organizations, a locker room and food service.
Jeff Kinsler, the founding dean of Belmont’s College of Law, said, “This state-of-the-art building will be the perfect venue for our first-rate students, faculty and staff. We designed the building for student-centered instruction; it is ideal for preparing professional, practice-ready attorneys for today’s global legal market.”
