Here’s a selection of recent stories mentioning Belmont University:
Our local scholar-athletes – editorial in The Tennessean, Nashville, Tenn., June 17
College athletic programs are too often seen through a narrow prism of only college football programs. They are too often measured only by wins and losses. But the huge majority of young people – men and women – who participate in college athletics have no inkling of pursuing a professional sports career. They play for the love of the games. They play for the physical and mental benefits. And they come away from the experience of college sports with stronger sense of self, a deeper appreciation of teamwork and a willingness to compete. In the case of Belmont, Lipscomb and Vanderbilt, they also come away with a excellent education and a degree. These universities are commended for the recognition they have received for excellence on the field and off.
Practice Makes Perfect – State Journal-Register, Springfield, Ill., June 17
And while he earned a music business degree at Belmont University in Nashville, internships with record labels helped him learn how to navigate the tumultuous country-music world. [Brad] Paisley’s 2003 album, “Mud on the Tires,” combines the different facets of his musical interests: the instrumental Western bebop of “Make A Mistake With Me” and “Spaghetti Western Swing”; the comedic country-pop of “Celebrity,” “The Cigar Song” and “That’s Love”; and the balladry of “Little Moments” and “Whiskey Lullaby,” the album’s two biggest singles.
Swimsuit tie opens pageant prelims – The Jackson (Tenn.) Sun, June 17
Miss Central Tennessee Emily Fitzpatrick won the talent competition while Miss Scenic City Ashley Brooks and Miss Spirit of Tennessee Cassie Stoffer tied in the swimsuit competition during Wednesday’s first night of preliminary competition at the Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant. Talent winner Fitzpatrick overcame a case of strep throat and an inflamed right tonsil to perform her solo. “I’ve been practicing everyday with my song,” said Fitzpatrick, who is a musical theater major at Belmont University in Nashville.
Julie Roberts moves from label secretary to label darling – Biloxi, Miss., Sun-Herald, June 17
She moved to Nashville in 1999, graduated from Belmont University and got the job at Mercury. Roberts’ Cinderella story was the subject of a Country Music Television special, in which cameras followed her around for months as she made the transformation from secretary to country star.
Belmont, Lipscomb make it academic – Nashville City Paper, June 16
Tuesday, Belmont University learned it is the first team in conference history to capture the Atlantic Sun Conference Academic Champion Trophy for three consecutive years. Just down the road, Lipscomb University placed second to Belmont in its first year in the A-Sun. More than 71 percent of Belmont student-athletes carry a 3.0 grade point average; Lipscomb boasts just over 63 percent of its athletes with a 3.0 or higher. Lipscomb and Belmont were the only two schools in the 11-school conference to have 60 percent or more of their athletes qualify.
Ocean View native sets sights on Nashville – DelmarvaNow!, June 16
In the competitive music industry of Nashville, Tenn., a young woman from Ocean View named Beth Cayhall is determined to become a well-known country singer. The 23-year-old Belmont University graduate, better known locally as Beth Ann Hocker, has signed a contract with a Nashville production company — an opportunity that could lead to a deal with a major record label.
Miss Wheat Capital is now Miss Kansas – Wellington (Kansas) Daily News, June 14
[Megan] Bushell, a 2004 honor graduate of Wichita State University, will begin preparations immediately for the Miss America Pageant. Bushell earned two degrees, majoring in entrepreneurship and music business, in four years and is considering a masters in music business at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., following her year of service as Miss Kansas.
Belmont In The News
Paper Recognizes News of Belmont Athletes’ Academic Success
The Nashville City Paper notes the accomplishment of Belmont University in winning the Atlantic Sun Conference’s All-Academic Trophy for an unprecedented third year in a row. The story notes that Belmont has, for the third year in a row, also set a new conference record for the percentage of student-athletes with a GPA of 3.0 or better. You can read the university press release here.
Winning the A-Sun’s All-Academic trophy is just the latest feather in the cap for Belmont’s athletic programs, which boasts the second-highest graduation rate of any Division 1 NCAA program in Tennessee.
Belmont Wins A-Sun Academic Trophy Third Straight Year
71.4% of Belmont student athletes earn 3.0 GPA or better – a record
Belmont University has won the Atlantic Sun Conference’s All-Academic Trophy for the third year in a row – a conference first – and set a new A-Sun record with 71.4 percent of its students athletes earning a GPA of 3.0 or better, the university and A-Sun Conference announced today.
The All-Academic Trophy is an annual award given to the conference school with the greatest percentage of student-athletes receiving a 3.0 or higher at the end of the academic year. Last year, Belmont set a conference record with 69 percent of its student-athletes achieving or surpassing the 3.0 GPA mark.
“At Belmont, we are committed to having our student-athletes be students first – therefore, it is a tremendous honor for them to be recognized for their work in the classroom,” said university President Dr. Robert Fisher. “While other schools across the country are working to achieve academic success with their athletes, I’m thrilled it has always been the case with student-athletes at Belmont.”
Belmont’s success in the classroom was highlighted this season by three Academic All-American selections and the program’s third consecutive A-Sun Male Student-Athlete of the Year honor. Senior basketball standout Adam Mark won the conference’s top individual honor for a student-athlete for the second straight year while Wes Burtner, currently an account executive for the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies, earned the award in 2001-02. Additionally, Candice Mitchell was also the recipient of the award for the 2001-02 year.
Belmont to Host Six A-Sun Championship Tourneys in 2004-05
Belmont University’s Curb Event Center was selected to host the 2005 Atlantic Sun Men
BelmontOlympic Preview At The Curb
American gymnast Marlee Shape, photographed by Belmont University staff photographer Michael Krouskop during Olympics preview events Thursday at the Curb Entertainment Center on the Belmont campus.
The Curb is host a portion of the 2004 U.S. Gymnastics Championships 2004 U.S. Gymnastics Championships June 2-5, 2004, an event that will determine national champions and U.S. national team members, and help choose the athletes who will compete at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials later that month. The Olympic trials determine the make-up of the U.S. Olympic Team that will compete later this year in Athens, Greece.
The Curb Event Center is hosting the trampoline, tumbling and rhythmic gymnastics events, while the artistic gymnastics events are at the Gaylord Entertainment Center.
CMT, AP Cover Julie Roberts’ Album Debut
The Associated Press is featuring Belmont alum and rising country music star Julie Roberts in a story carried in several papers nationwide this week.
She moved to Nashville in 1999, graduated from Belmont University and got the job at Mercury. Roberts’ Cinderella story was the subject of a Country Music Television special in which cameras followed her around for months as she made the transformation from secretary to country star.
She moved to Nashville in 1999, graduated from Belmont University and got the job at Mercury. Roberts’ Cinderella story was the subject of a Country Music Television special in which cameras followed her around for months as she made the transformation from secretary to country star.The Hartford (Conn.) Courant also recently profiled Roberts.
London Sunday Times Covers Belmont’s 21st annual International Country Music Conference
The Sunday, May 30, edition of the London Times reports from the 21st annual International Country Music Conference on the strange tale of a long-dead fisherman from the Shetland Islands whose recordings are being called “some of the greatest recordings of American music you will hear.” Thomas Fraser’s Grandson Karl Simpson presented a paper on The Legend of Thomas Fraser at the conference last week. The annual conference at Belmont is attended by worldwide authorities on country music.
Brenda Lee Presents Belmont Book Award
Singer Brenda Lee, a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame, presented the 2004 Belmont Book Award to author Alanna Nash, for her book The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley, a biography Elvis’ famed and controversial manager. The Belmont Book Award is presented annually to the best book about country music.
Thw award was presented Friday at the 21st Annual International Country Music Conference at Belmont. Also honored: Nashville music journalist Craig Havighurst and Australian music journalist Bob Howe, co-winners of the Charlie Lamb Excellence in Country Music Journalism Award for 2004.
Center for Professional Development Offers “Mini MBA”
Belmont University’s Center for Professional Development will launch a new “Mini MBA” program this fall for mid-career professionals seeking to broaden their business skills and expand their knowledge in functional business areas.
The Belmont Mini-MBA program is intended to provide participants with skills and information they need to keep themselves and their organizations competitive. One night per week, students will be immersed for three hours in a “module” focusing on a single critical business discipline that will provide participants an overview and broad survey of subject areas normally found in a business school degree program.
“This is for business and technical professionals aspiring to improve their business skills and business acumen, mid-career professionals who want to update their knowledge and gain fresh insights to management,” Raines said.
