Dr. Sybril Bennett, director of Belmont’s New Century Journalism program, has recently published a children’s book through lightningsource.com. The Color-Full Alphabet Book is dedicated to the 44th President of the United States of America, Barack Obama. Each letter shares a positive word from: Amazing to Zippy with a Believe, Change, President and a Winner between. Bennett notes that all children need to learn how to read and all deserve to hear positive words to inspire them to realize their dreams. The book is available now at Amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.
In support of her new book, Bennett will be appearing on WTVF’s midday show, “Talk of the Town,” on Mon., Feb. 2. The show airs at 11 a.m. on NewsChannel 5.
Bennett Publishes New Children’s Book, Appears on ‘Talk of the Town’
Renfroe Named A-Sun Player of the Week, Featured on WSMV
Men’s basketball senior Alex Renfroe (Hermitage, Tenn.) has been named Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Week, the league announced Tuesday. Renfroe continued his stretch of remarkable all-around play, averaging 19 points, 11.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.5 blocks per game as Belmont defeated Kennesaw State and Mercer this past week.
The 6-2 point guard scored a team-high 24 points, had a career-high 18 rebounds and five assists in Belmont’s emotional 86-82 overtime victory over Mercer. Not only was Renfroe’s 18 rebound performance the most rebounds ever by a Belmont player at the Curb Event Center, but it tied the NCAA single-game high for rebounds by a guard this season. Click here to read more on this story.
Renfroe was also profiled this week in a feature story by sportscaster Rudy Kalis on local NBC affiliate WSMV-4 . Click here to watch the interview.
NPT’s Broadcast of ‘Christmas at Belmont’ Wins Emmy
The “Christmas at Belmont 2007” broadcast, Nashville Public Television’s (NPT) capturing of Belmont University’s annual Christmas concert, won a Midsouth Regional Emmy award for editing in the Special Event category. The 23rd Annual Midsouth Regional Emmy Awards ceremony and banquet was held Sat., Jan. 24 at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center.
Three Students Featured in Shakespeare Production at Troutt
Three Belmont students are featured in the Nashville Shakespeare Festival’s current production of “Richard the Third” at Troutt Theater. Christy White, Liz Young and Nathan Lee are all part of the cast of the Denice Hicks-directed production, and Paul Gatrell, assistant professor and chair of Belmont’s Theatre and Dance Department, designed the set.
“Richard the Third” has recently received rave reviews from The Tennessean, the City Paper and the Nashville Scene. In addition, White is blogging about her experiences with the Nashville Shakes here. The show runs Thursdays-Sundays through Feb. 1. Click here to purchase tickets.
The mission of the Nashville Shakespeare Festival is to educate and entertain the Mid-South community through professional Shakespearean experiences. This is the second consecutive year that the Shakes Winter performance has been held in Troutt Theater.
School of Pharmacy Hosts Inaugural White Coat Ceremony
The Maddux Grand Atrium was abuzz Sunday evening, Jan. 18, as the Belmont University School of Pharmacy hosted approximately 400 family and friends at its inaugural White Coat Ceremony. The 73 members of the Doctor of Pharmacy Class of 2012 participated in this rite of passage ceremony at which they received their white coat symbolizing their entry into professional practice. The students also took the “Oath of the Pharmacist” as a public commitment to patient-centered care.
Dr. J. Richard Brown, professor at the University of Tennessee Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy, delivered the keynote address. Belmont School of Pharmacy Dean Dr. Phil Johnston recognized Clayton McWhorter and Chris Coates as inaugural recipients of the Friend of the School Award. Dr. Cathy Turner recognized Rodney Deal (Nashville) and Bob Phillips (Lewisburg), pharmacists from middle Tennessee, as the inaugural recipients of the Professional Stewardship Award.
The program was supported by a gift from Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Student white coats were sponsored by 21 members of the Belmont and Nashville communities.
Leatherwood Named A-Sun Player of the Week
Women’s tennis player Abby Leatherwood, a sophomore math major and a 2008 Atlantic Sun Conference All-Freshman Team selection, opened the spring season with a singles victory against Chattanooga Saturday evening. Her performance earned her the first Player of the Week award of her career, the conference office announced on Wednesday. Leatherwood becomes the first Bruin to earn the weekly honor since Elizabeth Conyer in the 2007 season.
Faculty, Student Published in Physics Journal
Dr. Robert Magruder, professor, and Dr. Steve Robinson, assistant professor, in the Chemistry & Physics Department, and Caitlin Smith, Belmont Physics student, recently had a paper accepted for publication. The paper is titled “Dichroism in Ag nanoparticle composites with bimodal size distribution” and was published in the Jan. 21 issue of the Journal of Applied Physics. Click here to download the article.
Music Alumnae Participate in Inaugural Celebrations
Sarah Wiley Tietsort, who earned a 2008 master’s degree in vocal performance from Belmont, performed with the United States Navy Band’s Sea Chanters chorus at the Jan. 20 Inauguration of President Barack Obama. The 21-member Sea Chanters group performed the National Anthem just after the presidential inaugural address.
In addition, 2006 School of Music alumna Tiffany Wharton is featured on the Johns Hopkins University Web site as a performer for a Web feature on the Presidential Inauguration. Hopkins’ Peabody Conservatory, where Wharton is a first-year Master of Music candidate in Voice, marked the inauguration of Barack Obama by offering videotaped performances of two quintessentially American songs. Click here to watch Wharton’s performance of “At the River.”
Curb College to Honor Donna Hilley with First Mulloy Award
Continuing a tradition of recognizing music industry greats who are also dedicated to the educational process, Belmont’s Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business will name Donna Hilley as the first recipient of the Robert E. Mulloy Award of Excellence at the 2009 Best of the Best Showcase at the Curb Event Center on April 25 at 7 p.m. Last spring, the Curb College established the Award of Excellence in memory of program founder Bob Mulloy to annually recognize an individual who has achieved a level of excellence in the music business and entertainment industries with notable service to Belmont University and the Nashville community.
Born in Birmingham, Ala., Donna Hilley came to Nashville with little knowledge of the music or publishing industries. Under the leadership of Jack Stapp and Buddy Killen of Tree International, Hilley learned the business and through persistence and tenacity established herself as one of the top female executives in Music City. After transitions in leadership and the sale of Tree International to CBS, Sony purchased the company in 1994. Shortly after, Hilley was named president and CEO of Sony/ATV Nashville.
Alumni’s Company Featured in Tennessean
John Price and Sam Dryden, alumni of Belmont, were featured in the Jan. 16 issue of The Tennessean for the work they do as Lifetime Reel, a video production company that focuses on documenting important stories, memories and more for families and individuals. Click here to read the full story.
