Sam Davidson and Stephen Moseley (Belmont class of 1998) met working in the nonprofit sector in Nashville. Seeing first-hand how community needs were changing and being affected by technology, the two joined forces to launch philanthropic Web site CoolPeopleCare.org.
“We wanted to provide a place where individuals wanting to make a difference could meet the organizations actively doing so,” says Moseley. “We also wanted to show people that it was easier than they thought to make a difference. We wanted to prove that it is possible to change the world in less than five minutes a day.”
The key concept behind the site is a daily, 99-word article titled, “5 Minutes of Caring.” These motivational and informative articles provide concrete steps and suggestions on how to make an impact in a small amount of time. Supplementing the content is CoolPeopleCare’s very own “Act Locally” events calendar that lists any event that makes the world a better place. Since its launch less than 18 months ago, the site now offers listings for 43 cities across the U.S. Malinda Moseley (Belmont class of 1997) oversees management of the calendar listings. She says, “It’s both inspiring and overwhelming to see just how many opportunities are available for anyone to change their local community.”
In November, Davidson and Moseley teamed up with Xyzzy Press to release their first book, New Day Revolution: How to Save the World in 24 Hours. The books offers more than 100 ideas on how to make a big impact in a little amount of time, all as a part of one’s daily routine.
The site has also recently launched its first spin-off, CoolMomsCare.org, managed by Michelle Wright Andrade (Belmont class of 2003). CoolMomsCare mirrors the format of CoolPeopleCare, but the “5 Minutes of Caring” content is modified to offer ideas and suggestions for ways parents can teach their children to make a difference. Says Andrade, “As a new mom, I’ve immediately seen the need to know how to begin to instill values of caring and giving in my daughter. I want to help other parents do the same.”
For more information, visit www.CoolPeopleCare.org or www.CoolMomsCare.org.
Belmont Grads Gain Momentum for Philanthropic Web Site
Sturgis Interviewed on Work on Tolkien
Dr. Amy H. Sturgis, a Belmont Interdisciplinary Studies adjunct faculty member, was interviewed on Woodland Star Net Radio on Jan. 6 on “An afternoon of wandering with Frodo and Dr. Amy Sturgis through Mirkwood Forest,” a conversation regarding Sturgis’ work on Tolkien. Sturgis is an author, speaker and scholar of Native American Studies and Science Fiction/Fantasy Studies. Her newest book, Tecumseh: A Biography, will be available from Greenwood Press in Spring 2008. Sturgis lives in Granite Falls, N.C. with her husband, Dr. Larry M. Hall, who is Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College at Lenoir-Rhyne College and the former Dean of Belmont’s College of Arts and Sciences.
Austin Named to Top Three of National Video Contest
Freshman finance major Landon Austin has been selected as one of three finalists from 352 video entries for the MySpace/Doritos “Crash the Super Bowl” Music Video contest.
All three finalists will receive a trip to a Super Bowl XLII viewing party in Phoenix, Ariz., as well as a $10,000 cash prize and a limited distribution deal with Interscope Records. The Grand Prize winner will have 60 seconds of their music video aired as part of a Doritos commercial during the Feb. 3 Super Bowl XLII live telecast as well as receive a $5,000 advance pursuant to the terms of a recording contract with Interscope.
The contest’s Grand Prize winner will be chosen from the three finalists via fans who are allowed to vote once per day from Jan. 7-27 at www.myspace.com/doritoscrashthesuperbowl. Fans must be a MySpace member to vote, but registration takes less than a minute. For more information, visit http://landonaustin.com.
Austin’s original performance video for his song “Waitin’” was filmed in his Pembroke dorm room, but he will be in Los Angeles this week filming a new music video for the song. Last Friday, a camera crew joined Austin at Belmont to film footage of the freshman in Pembroke, the Curb Cafe and around campus.
Hobson Speaks at Faculty Retreat in Texas
Dr. Eric H. Hobson, associate dean for Academic Affairs in the School of Pharmacy, was the featured speaker at the Jan. 3 Winter Faculty Retreat for the University of the Incarnate Word School of Pharmacy in San Antonio, Texas. He led three multi-hour workshops: “Active learning in large classes,” “Classroom Assessment Techniques: Monitoring the Pulse of Student Learning” and “Summative assessment: crafting higher-level tests.”
Paisley Credits Belmont in New Magazine Feature
In a recent article in ASCAP’s Playback magazine, country artist and Belmont alumnus Brad Paisley credits Belmont for helping him establish connections in the music business that led to his current success. To read the full article, click here.
Alumni Finish Strong on ‘Next Great American Band’
Two bands with Belmont connections finished in the Top 3 on FOX TV’s “Next Great American Band” reality competition. Most of the members of Denver & the Mile High Orchestra, which came in third place, are Belmont School of Music alumni, and sax player Chris Gregg is the son of School of Music’s Robert and Sharon Gregg. Also, Robb Houston, frontman for Nashville-based band Sixwire, which won second place in the competition, is a 1985 Music Business grad. Congratulations to both bands! For more information, visit http://www.denvermho.com and www.sixwire.com.
Cornwall Quoted in US News and World Report
Jeff Cornwall, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship, was recently quoted in the December issue of Entrepreneur magazine in an article titled “Breaking the Fall: Is your industry in big trouble? Don’t despair—just look for new ways to grow.” The article was also picked up by US News and World Report. Click here to read the full story.
Thompson Honored by Sabian
Sabian Ltd., a manufacturer of cymbals and percussion instruments, recently honored Belmont School of Music adjunct instructor Chester Thompson with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 32nd Annual Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC). In a ceremony held in Columbus, Ohio, Thompson, along with fellow recipients Gary Cook and Ian Wright, was presented with his award and commemorated with a speech from Sabian personnel. One of the world’s most successful drummers, Thompson made his initial mark with counterculture icon Frank Zappa and fusion pioneers Weather Report before enjoying his lengthy tenure with Phil Collins and Genesis. In addition to teaching at Belmont, Thompson is also a busy session player for many major recording artists. For more information, visit www.sabian.com.
Magruder Published in Science Journal
Dr. Robert Magruder, chair of the Chemistry and Physics department, recently had two papers published in the Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids. They were titled “Review of some experiments in the 50 year saga of the E’ center and suggestions for future research” and “The effect of Ti and O on the optical properties and microstructure of Ag nanocrystals formed in silica by sequential ion implantation.”
Vorndick, Students Engineer Session for BBC Documentary
Last spring Music Business Adjunct Instructor and Belmont alumnus Bil Vorndick served as the recording engineer for a session at RCA Studio B for Phil Cunningham, a Scottish singer/songwriter. The session was filmed for inclusion in a BBC documentary that featured Cunningham as he toured the U.S. recording songs in several cities. Four Belmont students assisted on the session: Brenton Stanley, Jacob Murry, Nicholas Spezia and Wes Langlois.
