Belmont University will hold its Winter 2009 Commencement ceremony on Fri., Dec. 18 at 7:30 p.m. in the Curb Event Center. The university will award 356 bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Dr. Robert C. Fisher, president of the University, will preside over the event and present the graduates with their degrees as well as provide commencement remarks. Bachelor of Arts candidate Brandon Maxwell, a double major in management and Christian leadership, will offer the Student Reflection for the ceremony. Bachelor of Arts candidate Heather Pierce, a political science major, will read Scripture. President and Mrs. Fisher will host a reception for the graduates and their guests at the conclusion of commencement in Belmont’s Beaman Student Life Center.
Belmont to Hold Winter Commencement Friday
Biology professors, Students Study Local Wetlands
Belmont biology professors Drs. Steve Murphree, Darlene Panvini and John Niedzwiecki enjoy being outdoors and slogging around in mud so the trio jumped at the chance to study a wetland on the Nissan North America campus in Franklin, Tennessee. David Withers, staff zoologist with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s Division of Natural Heritage, had suggested the Belmont field biologists to Chris Fleming, a senior project scientist with BDY Environmental who had overseen work to develop the wetland.
After visiting the wetland in July 2009, the professors submitted a grant proposal to Nissan for equipment to work with Belmont biology students to monitor the flora and fauna for the next few years and create lists of the species observed. Rob Traynham, Nissan’s director of corporate services, has funded the grant and assisted in arranging access to the wetland for Belmont faculty and students. An ecology class led by Panvini visited the wetland in October to learn plant sampling protocols and explore concepts related to biodiversity assessment. Future visits will involve Belmont students and faculty inventorying vertebrate and macroinvertebrate animals, photographing flora and fauna for educational use, and raising awareness of the ecological importance of wetlands.
In addition to class visits, biology and environmental science majors will find the wetland to be a valuable resource for undergraduate research projects. Belmont students often explore local wooded areas, cedar glades, and streams during labs; the Biology professors expect that exposing students to another habitat type in the Nashville area will also increase students’ appreciation and awe of the natural world. Nissan’s employees will also benefit from this partnership through a planned educational kiosk and boardwalk in the area.
Madison Academy Retires Kerron Johnson Jersey
Belmont freshman guard Kerron Johnson (Huntsville, Ala.) had his No. 3 jersey retired by Madison Academy. Johnson, who delivered clutch plays down the stretch in wins over Mercer and Middle Tennessee as part of Belmont’s six-game winning streak, was on hand for the jersey retirement ceremony Monday night.
Diverse Learners Class Participates in Invention Convention
Dr. Michele Farmer, assistant professor of education, and students from her Diverse Learners class were involved in judging K-6 entries for the Invention Convention at Rose Park Middle School on Dec. 4. The convention is held once every four years for Nashville Public School students who submitted an invention and are enrolled in the ENCORE program. The program is designed to extend academic learning, expand problem-solving skills and create opportunities for interpersonal communication for children who are intellectually gifted and academically talented. Finalists from each grade level were honored at the Invention Convention award ceremony.
Pinter Speaks at Nashville Women’s Book Association
Dr. Robbie Pinter, professor of English, was the guest speaker at the Nashville Women’s Book Association in November. She spoke on “The Balancing Act: Writing, Teaching and Community.”
Murray Receives Grant for The Way We Ate
Dr. Douglas Murray, professor of English, received a grant from the Belmont Center for Social Entrepreneuriship and Service-Learning to cover the cost of publishing The Way We Ate, a compilation of food reminiscences of residents of two local residences for senior citizens: the I.W. Gernert Homes and Morningside at Belmont. These food oral histories were compiled by students in two sections of Belmont’s First-Year Seminar.
Alexander Presents at Writing and Literary Arts Conference
Dr. Danielle Alexander, assistant professor of English, recently presented a fiction reading at &Now: A Conference of Innovative Writing and Literary Arts in Buffalo, New York. Her prose poem “Magic Carpet” was included in the limited-edition letterpress chapbook Transport (2009). She has also been named a contributing editor for the literary journal Marginalia, in which her short story “The Thorn-Apple” appears (vol. 4, 2009).
Senior Business Students Achieve Top Ranking on National Exam
Belmont’s College of Business Administration announced today that many of its graduating seniors scored at or above the top 10 percent level on the Major Field Test in Business, an exam produced by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) of Princeton, N.J. The ETS exam has been administered to almost 85,000 students at 564 undergraduate business programs and almost 16,000 MBA students at 199 graduate business schools across the U.S.
“Many of our students are now demonstrating that they can score very well when compared to their peers at other U.S. business schools” said Susan Taylor, associate dean of the School of Business Administration. “Their performance is a direct reflection of our focus on delivering a high-quality program and the individual attention our students receive from our highly-qualified faculty.”
Undergraduate students from the Fall 2009 cohort who scored in the Top 10 percent or higher nationally include: Sheridan Hare (Smithfield, VA); Christopher Heltzel (Cleveland, OH); James Jacques (Nashville, TN); Kevin Lane (Spartanburg, SC); Phillip Lester (St. Joseph, MI); Scott O’Brien (Brookings, SD); James Pierce (Spring Hill, TN); Bryn Rocke (Durban, South Africa); Andrew Roebuck (Franklin, TN); Ryan Schultz (San Antonio, TX); William Shipp (Brentwood, TN); Chris Small (Atlanta, GA); and Elizabeth Thames (Dalton, GA).
Elliott Has Songs Cut by NewSong
Assistant Professor of Music Business James Isaac Elliott has two songs, “God Hears” and “Beauty of Our God,” on the recently released NewSong album Give Yourself Away, which was produced by Charlie Peacock (distributed by EMI). Elliott also co-wrote “The Song Of Christmas” on the Newsong album The Christmas Hope.
Songwriting Faculty Receive Grammy Nominations
Songwriting faculty member Tom Douglas recently received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Country Song for “I Run to You,” which was co-written with the group Lady Antebellum. The song was recently awarded the Country Music Association “Single of the Year.”
In addition, faculty member Drew Ramsey had a hand in multiple projects nominated for Grammys: Best Gospel Performance “I Believe” Jonny Lang With Fisk Jubilee Singers (Ramsey produced the song); Best Traditional Gospel Album “Oh Happy Day” Various Artists (includes the “I Believe” performance); Best R&B Album Testimony Vol. 2, Love & Politics by India.Arie (Ramsey wrote and produced two songs on the album).
