After almost four months away from team competition, Belmont’s Lorrie Warren stepped back onto the course and entered the winner’s circle at the Jacksonville Spring Invitational, dominating the event in winning by 14 shots. In honor of her outstanding play, the conference office announced that she won the Golfer of the Month award for February, her second award of the 2007-08 season and third of her career. Warren, a junior business major from Hendersonville, Tenn., won the Jacksonville Spring Invitational individual title contested on February 25-26 after posting a 36-hole score of 141. Her score broke her own school record of 143 set at the Great Smokies Collegiate in October. For the 2007-08 season, she leads Belmont in scoring with a 74.4 average and owns five top-10 finishes.
Warren Named A-Sun Golfer of the Month
Sophomore Akin Takes Third Place in Guitar Competition
Sophomore Mark Akin recently won third place in the Beethoven Guitar Competition which was held in Memphis. This competition is open to all age groups through college-level. Akin will be invited to perform on the winner’s concert on March 16 and awarded a cash prize for his third place win. He is the first student guitarist at Belmont to enter and win a prize at this state competition. He also recently won a place in the Belmont classical performers competition and will perform the second movement from Rodrigo’s “Concerto de Aranjuez” in April with the Belmont University Orchestra.
Business Students Inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma
The College of Business Administration and the Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business recently inducted 64 students into the Belmont University Chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma. Only business students who earn the distinction of “the Best in Business” during their academic careers qualify for membership. Beta Gamma Sigma is the business school equivalent of Phi Beta Kappa in liberal arts education.
These students join an expanding worldwide network of more than 560,000 outstanding business professionals who have earned recognition through lifetime membership in Beta Gamma Sigma. Students ranking in the top 10 percent of the baccalaureate and top 20 percent of graduate programs at schools accredited by AACSB International (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) are eligible for this invitation. Beta Gamma Sigma membership is truly an international honor, and these outstanding Belmont students have received the highest recognition a business student anywhere in the world can receive.
The following students were inducted at a ceremony and reception on Thurs., Feb. 28: Jacqueline Marie Allinder, Erik W. Anderson, Jennifer M. Bischoff, Jonathan L. Bradberry, Connie L. Brais, Kelsey E. Breault, Sierra M. Briggs, Ephraim T. Brown, IV, Lindsay E. Browning, Evelyn (Betsy) E. Bruington, Adam S. Bryan, Karisa N. Butler-Hurst, Charles M. Canon, IV, Allison P. Champagne, Beth A. Clayton, Nicholas A. Connell, Lauren E. Cooper, Joshua C. Curd, Katherine Nicole Curtis, Maurissa G. Davis, Elizabeth L. Dawson, Rachel M. Dooley, Matthew P. Durdel, James I. Elliott, J. Seth Estep, Jennifer H. Foster, Kenneth N. Gaines, Thomas J. Gephart, Mara B. Greenberg, Christopher Chase Hamby, Keena C. Harris, Clinton D. Hill, Joseph V. Hofflinger, Adam J. Hogan, Sarah C. Irby, Benjamin S. Kann, Nathan J. Klages, Stephanie W. Lambring, Kristen M. LaScola, Kari E. Lennon, Christine M. Lewis, Danara D. Lowery, Ryan T. Malloy, Andrew E. Mills, Matthew P. Nicholson, Ryan H. O’Hern, Allison M. Pellicciotti, Dain C. Penzhorn, Merrick M. Pickens, Laura A. Rathgeber, Libby A. Reed, Matthew J. Robinson, James M. Rosano, Tanner A. Scott, Amber M. Slifer, Matthew R. Spiess, Tessa B. Stratton, Blake M. Tidwell, Mary Lauren Walden, Katherine N. Williams, Lauren A. Williams, Laura E. Wright, Julie E. Zaloba and Adam C. Zinke.
Men’s Basketball Receives A-Sun Postseason Awards
On the heels of the program’s first-ever outright Atlantic Sun Conference regular season championship, Belmont University men’s basketball was well represented on the list of Atlantic Sun postseason awards released Tuesday. Senior Justin Hare (Cleveland, Tenn.) was named First Team All-Atlantic Sun, junior Shane Dansby (Pegram, Tenn.) was named Second Team All-Atlantic Sun, freshman Jordan Campbell (Indianapolis, Ind.) was named to the Atlantic Sun All-Freshman Team, and head coach Rick Byrd was named Atlantic Sun Conference Coach of the Year.
Magruder to Be Published in Science Journal
Dr. Robert Magruder, chair of the Chemistry and Physics department, has had his paper on “The Effect of Implanting Nitrogen on the Optical Absorption and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectra of Silica” accepted for publication in the Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids.
School of Nursing Recognized as Laerdal Center of Educational Excellence
Belmont University’s School of Nursing was recently recognized by Laerdal Medical Corporation, a leading provider of healthcare solutions and products, as a Center of Educational Excellence. The designation will apply for three years and is awarded to centers that have consistently demonstrated excellence in educational philosophy and programs for the purpose of “helping save lives,” Laerdal’s mission.
Centers selected for the award reflected consistent performance, a quality program and a commitment to continual improvement. In addition, centers were required to demonstrate basic skills excellence, simulation methodology, community outreach, curriculum development and integration and educational research progress. In addition to Belmont’s School of Nursing, other centers recognized by Laerdal this year include Simms Medical Center (Harvard), University of Miami Gordon Center for Simulation, Texas A&M Temple Center for Simulation, University of Texas Arlington School of Nursing, University of Maryland Medical Simulation Laboratory, University of Pittsburg Wiser Institute of Simulation, Oregon Health and Science University and Hartford Hospital Simulation Center.
Dr. Chris L. Algren, professor and associate dean of the School of Nursing as well as executive director of Partners in Nursing, said, “The Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences and Nursing is honored to receive this new designation and have this continuing partnership with Laerdal. We will continue to share in the company’s mission while teaching faculty, nursing students and other healthcare workers in an environment which provides outstanding products and simulation resources. By integrating simulation learning throughout the nursing curriculum, this partnership will assist us in providing current and future healthcare providers with the critical thinking skills needed to meet the demands of complex and changing health care settings.”
Students Win Multiple Awards at Southeast Journalism Conference
Belmont journalism and public relations students recently attended the Southeast Journalism Conference (SEJC) in Oxford, Miss., where they finished second overall in on-site competition and landed four first place awards. The SEJC includes more than 40 member institutions from Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Arkansas and Alabama.
Linda Quigley, associate professor and faculty adviser for the Belmont Vision, and Thom Storey, associate dean for the School of Social Sciences, accompanied the Belmont contingent. Quigley and Storey are co-presidents-elect of SEJC, and Belmont will host the 2009 conference Feb. 12-14. Storey said, “I was so proud to accompany the Belmont Media Studies students and faculty member Linda Quigley to this year’s Southeast Journalism Conference. Competing against dozens of schools double or triple our size, and coming away as the second place program overall in the championship competition is a tribute to not only our students, but to the faculty who train them to be top notch practitioners who will have an impact on journalism in the years ahead.”
Belmont won the following awards at this year’s conference in the on-site and “Best of the South” competitions, which awards entries previously submitted from colleges and universities:
On-Site Competition:
– Feature Writing, Adaeze Elechi, First Place
– First Amendment Writing, Melanie Bengtson, First Place
– News Writing, Abby Selden, First Place
– Page Design-Magazine, Sarah Mitchell, First Place
– Entertainment Writing, Lance Conzett, Second Place
– Photography, Chris Speed, Third place
– Public Relations, Anne Roberts and Cheryl Bak, Third Place
“Best of the South” Competition:
– Best Journalism Research Paper, Henry Nichols (’07), Second Place
– Best Magazine Writer, Cody Badaracca, Fifth Place
– Best News Paper Page Design, Nathan Baker, Fifth Place
– Best Special Events Reporter, Abby Selden, Third Place
– Best Opinion/Editorial Writer, Adaeze Elechi, Third Place
– Best Sports Writer, Jordan Drake, Eighth Place
Alumna Receives the Champions In Health Volunteer Award
The Community Health Charities of Tennessee recently awarded Music Business alumna Laura McLeod (’96) the Volunteer of the Year award during a dinner and awards ceremony at The Factory in Franklin. McLeod represents the American Liver Foundation Middle TN chapter with her countless contributions including serving as Secretary to the organization and raising close to $20,000 for Flavors, ALF’s annual fundraising event. McLeod (left) is pictured with Channel 4’s Nancy Van Kamp, the evening’s host.
Undergraduate Business Program Nationally Ranked by Businessweek
Belmont University announced today that its undergraduate School of Business has achieved a Top 100 national ranking in BusinessWeek’s third annual report on “The Best Undergrad B-Schools” in the U.S. Belmont ranked No. 89 in the U.S., placed between the University of Arkansas (No. 88) and Louisiana State University (No. 90). Belmont and the University of Tennessee-Knoxville (No. 93) were the only two Tennessee programs to make the list, and Belmont was one of only six private schools in the South to be included. For the second straight year, the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School was recognized as best in the U.S.
Belmont’s College of Business Administration (COBA) Dean J. Patrick Raines said, “This national recognition offers continuing evidence that our COBA faculty and staff are doing a phenomenal job in delivering a high-quality undergraduate business education to our students. And given our continuing partnership with Belmont’s Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, it also demonstrates what is possible when two academic programs share the same passion for excellence.”
Susan Taylor, COBA associate dean of undergraduate business, added, “Our students and their families will be very pleased with this recognition. It’s also rewarding to know that what we have been telling students when we recruit them is now being validated on such a highly visible national platform.”
Jordan-Lake to Release First Novel in March
Dr. Joy Jordan-Lake, a part-time professor at Belmont and wife of Vice President of Spiritual Development Todd Lake, is releasing her first novel next week. Inspired by a true story, Blue Hole Back Home is a beautiful and poetic story that exposes that just how deep ignorance—and hatred—can burn. Author and lecturer Phyllis Tickle noted, “Reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird, Blue Hole Back Home is a haunting story, lyrically told, about the death of innocence under a southern sun.”
Jordan-Lake earned a masters degree from a theological seminary before completing a masters and Ph.D. at Tufts University, where she specialized in race, gender and theology as seen in 19th-century American novels. This summer, she will be teaching a course at Belmont based on one of her previous books, Working Families: Navigating the Demands and Delights of Marriage, Parenting and Career. She is also the author of Grit & Grace: Portraits of a Woman’s Life, Whitewashing Uncle Tom’s Cabin and Why Jesus Makes Me Nervous: Ten Alarming Words of Faith.
