Dr. Cathy Turner and Dr. Julie Rafferty, assistant professors of Pharmacy, attended the American College of Clinical Pharmacy’s Spring Practice and Research Forum in Phoenix, Ariz. (April 5-9) as part of their preparation to achieve Board Certified Pharmacy Specialist (BCPS) status. They will sit for the BCPS exam in October 2008. In addition, Dr. Eric Hobson, professor of Pharmacy Practice, was a featured speaker at the forum where he served as lead faculty in the ACCP Academy Teaching and Learning Certificate Program. He presented two workshops: “Implementing Teaching and Learning Strategies” and “Classroom/Clerkship Assessment Techniques: Monitoring the Pulse of Student Learning.”
Hare Receives National Academic Honor
Belmont University senior Justin Hare (Cleveland, Tenn.) received yet another prestigious national honor recently, as he was named 2008 Scholar Athlete of the Year by the Division I-AAA Athletic Directors Association. This is the latest award in a long and distinguished career for Hare. Last week, the 6-2 guard was named Mid-Major Most Valuable Player by CollegeInsider.com. A month prior, Hare was named First Team Academic All-American – becoming the third Bruin to earn multiple Academic All-America honors.
Hare is a two-time Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament MVP, a two-time First Team All-Atlantic Sun Conference player and led Belmont to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Hare is one of just 12 student-athletes in NCAA Division-I men’s basketball to be recognized. Moreover, Hare is one of just two honorees to have played in this year’s NCAA Tournament, joining Travis Lay of American University. The Cleveland, Tenn. native sports a 3.87 GPA in his major of exercise science and health promotion. He plans to attend medical school upon graduation.
Beckmann Encourages Students to Connect Faith to Business
A Lutheran minister with a master’s degree from the London School of Economics, Rev. David Beckmann spoke on campus twice this past week, offering perspective on business and the poor as well as his life as a “missionary economist.” Beckmann will appear Fri., April 11 as a guest on “Bill Moyers Journal,” a weekly PBS program, to discuss how the 2002 U.S. Farm Bill impacts low-income families and poor farmers.
Rev. Beckmann, whose visit to Belmont was sponsored by the Office of Spiritual Development and the Center for Business Ethics, served for several years on the board of Bread for the World before becoming president of the organization in 1991. Bread for the World is a grass-roots, Christian citizens’ movement against hunger. Its 56,000 members and member churches urge the U.S. government to take actions to reduce hunger, both domestic and international. Rev. Beckmann is also president of Bread for the World Institute, which does research and education on hunger.
In Wednesday’s convocation lecture for students, Beckmann encouraged them to connect their faith and ethics to their future professions, whatever they might be. “You can go into business with a purpose, a moral purpose… If we think God is concerned about justice and poverty, then we need to weigh in on those issues.”
Jones Provides Keynote for ‘Belmont and Beyond’ Finale
Patrick Jones, MBA, and executive vice president and executive producer of Journey Productions, gave an inspirational talk to students in MPAC Thursday. Jones shared his personal journey with students and talked about how he found the “heart ” of his career when he produced the award-winning film, The Journey. The film follows four young adults as they search for the meaning of life.
Jones also reflected on his meetings with Mrs. Coretta Scott King and other famous political figures. He encouraged students to listen to themselves, make inspired choices and go where their hearts lead them. The “Belmont and Beyond” series, sponsored by Career Services, is offered as co-curricular programming that is designed specifically to assist students transitioning to life after Belmont.
Lind Awarded Research Grant
Dr. Joan Lind, an assistant professor of mathematics, has been teaching a topics course this semester devoted to an undergraduate research project in mathematics. Seven students have participated in this experience, and they presented their research at the regional Mathematical Association of America conference last month. Dr. Lind was recently awarded a grant from the Center for Undergraduate Research in Mathematics (CURM) at Brigham Young University (BYU). CURM is funded by BYU and a grant from the National Science Foundation. This grant will enable Dr. Lind to continue the undergraduate research project with her students. The CURM mini-grant awards the faculty member $5,000 for a course release. Also, two students, Sarah Claiborne and Cat Simpson, will each receive $2,000 for their year’s work.
Physics Students Celebrate Pi Day
Pi Day (π) was celebrated on March 14 by the Society of Physics Students (SPS) club with a fundraiser “πi a Professor.” SPS has a new chapter on the Belmont campus, and the students are helping raise money for this club. In the photo, Dr. Scott Hawley, the club’s faculty advisor, is in the center of the photo surrounded by Physics students.
Debate Team Hauls in Numerous Awards
The Belmont Debate team has nearly finished its 2007-2008 season, and with one national tournament left to attend, the season has been filled with awards. Most recently, the debate program was ranked 36th in the nation out of the 245 ranked teams, and in early March Belmont hosted the National Christian College Forensics Invitational (the national speech/debate tournament for Christian colleges). Specific awards from this tournament included:
DEBATE
George Shifflett/Renee Reyle: 2nd place overall debate team
Sarah Friederich: 6th place overall open debate speaker
Price Rainer: 14th overall open debate speaker
Wesley Rainer: 1st place overall speaker JV debate division
Caroline Tenenbaum: 11th place overall speaker JV debate division
INDIVIDUAL EVENTS
Impromptu Speaking: Tabitha Metcalf (semi-finalist), Melanie Bengtson (4th place)
Faith Literature: Tabitha Metcalf (5th place)
Novice Faith Literature: Kelli Mehlhaf (5th place)
Extemporaneous Speaking: Price Rainer (2nd place), Melanie Bengtson (1st place)
Novice Extemporaneous Speaking: Wesley Rainer (5th place), Caroline Tenenbaum (4th place)
Persuasive Speaking: George Shifflett (2nd place)
Dramatic Interpretation: George Shifflett (3rd place)
O’Brien Scores Medal at MSU Spring Invitational
Sophomore Scott O’Brien (Brookings, S.D.) delivered the highlight of the spring golf season Tuesday, earning individual medalist honors as Belmont University men’s golf placed fifth at the MSU Spring Invitational. O’Brien entered Tuesday’s final round three strokes off the pace after carding rounds of 69 and 71 Monday. But the 6,858 yard Par 72 Greystone Golf Course layout was a much sterner test Tuesday with winds gusting to 25 miles per hour. As the overnight leaders fell back, O’Brien remained sharp and steady. His final round of one under par 71 proved good enough for first place at 211 (-5).
Students Join First Res Life Alternative Spring Break Trip
Over Spring Break six students participated in the first annual Residence Life-sponsored Alternative Spring Break trip. Instead of basking in the warm Florida sun or going snow skiing in Colorado, they traveled to Statesville, N.C. to help Habitat for Humanity build a three bedroom, two bath home for a deserving family. The new homeowner will move in with her daughter and use the home to provide foster care. Among the Belmont students on the trip were Annalise Emerick, Britney Monroe, Brittany Hodges, Lindsay Barnes, Nicole Pearce and Wes Burkhart, who all spent the week swinging hammers, installing drywall, attaching exterior siding and adding a wooden deck.
Hare, Peeples to Play in Music City All-Star Classic
Belmont Basketball senior Justin Hare (Cleveland, Tenn.) and junior Will Peeples (Little Rock, Ark.) have been selected to play in the inaugural Music City All-Star Classic hosted by Tennessee State University. The game is scheduled to be played Sat., April 19 at 5 p.m. Central in TSU’s Gentry Center. Belmont University head athletic trainer Paul Malloy will also be participating.
The Music City All-Star Classic will feature the top college basketball seniors in the state of Tennessee, welcoming players from Belmont, the University of Tennessee, Memphis, Vanderbilt, Austin Peay, Tennessee State, Lipscomb, Tennessee-Martin, Trevecca and Cumberland. Festivities will kick-off with a three-point contest and a slam-dunk contest, followed by the game. Events are scheduled to begin at 5 p.m., doors open at 4 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance and discounted with a student I.D. Contact Tennessee State Athletics for more information.
