Belmont University held its August 2009 commencement for graduate and undergraduate students on Fri., August 14 in the Curb Event Center.
Belmont celebrated the graduation of a total of 209 students, with 99 undergraduate, 75 master’s and 35 doctoral degrees being conferred. Dr. Robert C. Fisher, president of the university, provided the commencement address and presented the graduates with their degrees.
Click here to view a photo gallery from commencement.
Belmont Holds August 2009 Commencement
Tradeline Publishes Extensive Feature on Inman Center
Tradeline, an organization that provides resources for facilities planning and management, recently published an extensive article on the Gordon E. Inman Center. The 1,900 word article is titled “Belmont University Facility Provides Real-World Training: Inman Center Increases Nursing School Enrollment while Becoming a Community Resource” and was based upon a presentation made by Nursing Professor Dr. Debra Wollaber and Earl Swensson Associates’ Wendell Brown at a conference in October. Click here to read the full article.
Public Relations Class Conducts Service Project for READing Paws
Students in Dr. Bonnie Riechert’s Public Relations Campaigns class (MDS 4190) conducted a service learning public relations campaign over the summer for the local READing Paws organization. Katie Feldhaus, Julie Kenny, Michelle Lorge and Lauren Summerford gave a presentation on their campaign Aug. 10 in 312 Wheeler. Attendees included Helen Wahl of READing Paws, who reported recruitment of new teams has already increased as a result of the students’ promotional efforts. READing Paws is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting literacy skills of children through the assistance of nationally-registered therapy dogs who, with their owner/handler volunteer, go to schools and libraries as reading companions for children. Students in the class provided informational material to area veterinarians, who might help identify potential new dog volunteers for the program. The students also focused on social media promotion and planned an annual membership event.
Cusic Publishes Article in Phi Kappa Phi Forum
“O’er the Land of the Free and the Home of Country Music” by Professor of Music Business Don Cusic is published in the recent issue of the Phi Kappa Phi Forum. The Forum’s issue is dedicated to “American Pride,” and Cusic’s article uses the differences between liberals and conservatives to show how and why country music has had continuing themes of patriotism in its songs throughout its history.
Maslyn Named Outstanding Reviewer
Dr. John Maslyn, associate professor of management, recently won a 2009 Outstanding Reviewer Award from the Organizational Behavior Division of the Academy of Management. Of the 1,334 people who volunteered to review for this division this year, only 89 were selected to receive this honor. The Academy of Management is the top management association in the world.
Belmont’s Beta Alpha Psi Chapter Receives Recognition
Belmont University’s chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, an international honorary organization for all undergraduate and graduate accounting, finance and information systems majors, was recognized as a “Distinguished Chapter” at the 2009 Annual Conference for Beta Alpha Psi in Brooklyn, N.Y. last week. According to the Board of Directors of Beta Alpha Psi, the chapter has “far exceeded the minimum requirements of Beta Alpha Psi and has excelled in the areas of academics, professionalism and leadership.”
To achieve this recognition, student membership increased from nine to 39 members, and the chapter accumulated more than 900 hours of professional and service activities. President Alexa Karpinski (pictured above, a May 2009 graduate who is currently a student in the Masters of Accountancy program) and faculty advisor Dr. Del DeVries represented Belmont’s chapter at the conference. The event included professional workshops and best practices presentations, but the highlight, according to Dr. DeVries, was participating in an entire afternoon dedicated to a community service project. Almost 1,000 students and faculty advisors picked up paint brushes, rakes and shovels to clean-up Red Hook Park in Brooklyn.
English Student Graduates, Starts Book Tour
Senior Jordan Christy, who graduates this evening with a B.A. in English from Belmont, will board a plane soon after for a New York media tour celebrating the release of her new book, How to be a Hepburn in a Hilton World, published by Hatchette Press. According to the press release about the book, “Christy helps women channel their inner Kate or Audrey, dusting off old-fashioned virtues and giving them a whole new spin in today’s sexed-up culture.” While in New York, Christy will tour television, radio and magazine venues, including a Monday morning appearance on “The Today Show” with co-hosts Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb. On Aug. 27, Christy will do a book signing in Nashville at Davis Kidd, and on Sept. 11, she’ll be back on Belmont’s campus for a convocation event in Beaman A&B.
Men’s and Women’s Basketball Release 2009-10 Schedules
Belmont University’s acclaimed men’s and women’s basketball programs recently announced their schedules for the 2009-10 season. 2008 National Champion Kansas and defending Pac-10 Champion Washington highlight the men’s basketball schedule, head coach Rick Byrd released Thursday. The Bruins – fresh off their fifth 20-plus win campaign and fifth postseason appearance in the last six years – have earned a reputation for playing among the nation’s toughest non-conference schedules. This year is no exception. Click here for more on this story and a complete schedule.
In addition, the Belmont women’s basketball team enters its 2009-10 campaign with the mission of returning to the Big Dance for only the second time in program history. Head Coach Tony Cross has lined up a rigorous slate with non-conference opponents from seven different leagues which will prepare the Bruins in their quest to return to the NCAA Tournament. Click here for more on this story and a complete schedule.
Belmont’s Growth Featured on NewsChannel5 Story
Local CBS affiliate NewsChannel5 did a story this week on Belmont University’s growth and how that growth has been affected this year by the 2008 Town Hall Presidential Debate. Click here to view the video.
Nursing Graduates Attain 100 Percent Pass Rate on National Licensure Exam
One-hundred percent of May 2009 graduates from the Belmont University School of Nursing have passed the national licensure examination for Registered Nurses, once again demonstrating the high quality of nursing education provided at Belmont.
Thirty-seven Belmont students were among the 66,531 U.S.-educated candidates who have taken the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) for the first time to date in 2009. The NCLEX-RN examination assesses the competencies of RNs upon entry into practice. The 100 percent pass rate for Belmont graduates compares to this year’s national pass rate of 89.5 percent for this group.
Over the years, School of Nursing graduates from Belmont have been able to consistently achieve a higher pass rate than the national rate for this examination. During the past four years, 96.3 percent of Belmont graduates have passed the exam on their first attempt compared to the average national rate of 87.5 percent during that time.
Dr. Martha Buckner, director of undergraduate nursing studies at Belmont, sees the 100 percent pass rate as a positive reflection of the student learning experience in the School of Nursing. She said, “Our clinical faculty members get excellent reviews in student interviews conducted by a national benchmarking service, and our students believe the quality and effectiveness of their Belmont nursing experiences to be superior. Our graduates are highly sought by employers, and many of our alumni pursue graduate education.”
