Principles in Action
PROGRESS TOWARDS ACCOMPLISHING VISION 2020
College of Law’s Mock Trial Team Second in the Nation After AAJ Victory
The Belmont University College of Law Mock Trial Team was crowned second in the United States at the finals for the American Association for Justice National Student Trial Advocacy Competition in Cleveland, Ohio. Belmont advanced to the national tournament after winning first place regionally, securing the regional trophy for the third time in four years. The American Association for Justice (AAJ) seeks to inspire excellence in trial advocacy through training and education for both law students and practicing attorneys. The annual nationwide mock trial competition provides opportunity for law students to develop and practice their trial advocacy skills before distinguished members of the bar and bench.
For the competition every school has a four-person team with two people serving as attorneys for the plaintiff and two serving as defense attorneys. During a round, the team members who aren’t competing play the roles of witnesses for their teammates. This year’s competition centered on a fictional premises liability case, one in which the owner of a business was being sued because someone was injured on the property.
Belmont’s mock trial team included current third year law student Kierstin Jodway and second year students Paul Fata, Marcerious Knox and Summer Melton, and the team was coached by both faculty and alumni over the past several months. The head coach of mock trial at Belmont University is Professor Andrew Caple-Shaw who helped start the program and continues to coach teams each year. At the national competition, Belmont had one of the toughest preliminary draws, facing and defeating three of the nation’s top teams in University of Akron, Loyola Marymount and Syracuse. They also eliminated University of Missouri-Kansas City and Chicago-Kent before falling to Wake Forest in a nail-biting final. The point margin of the loss was a mere four points on a scale of 180.
Other regional winners that the Belmont team ultimately outranked in this national competition included Harvard University, Chicago-Kent College of Law, Baylor University, Stetson University, Fordham University, University of California Davis, Tulane University and the University of Maryland. At the regional level, the Belmont team edged out a number of strong competitors as well including Notre Dame, Vanderbilt and University of Tennessee.
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College of Law’s Mock Trial Team Second in the Nation After AAJ Victory
RELATED PRINCIPLES
02. Highest quality academic programs and excellence in teaching will be treasured.
06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
Delight Ministries: From Bell Tower to Beyond
One Friday morning, three Belmont sophomores with a passion for chasing God met in Belmont’s iconic Bell Tower with 20 other women who were interested in starting a campus-wide Bible study. The group named the study “Delight” and made it a regular occurrence throughout the rest of the semester. They established a mission of building community that fosters vulnerability and transforms stories, and they worked hard to create an environment that allowed for honest and transparent discussion. The study expanded beyond the Bible and soon, the women began cooking dinner together, serving hot chocolate to the homeless together and learning to live more like Christ together. By the end of their sophomore year, the group of three women grew to nearly 100 who shared the same passion for Christ.
Fast-forward to 2017, and Delight Ministries is now the only nationwide college ministry for women. There are chapters of the organization on over 80 different college campuses across the U.S., built of more than 400 campus leaders and 4,000 members. Delight Ministries co-founders and 2015 Belmont University graduates Mackenzie Wilson and Mackenzie Baker, who were among the original group of three women, now run an office on Blair Blvd as the organization’s headquarters. They handle their own content creation, marketing and even host interns that plan leadership conferences and events for all chapters.
“There’s something about the atmosphere at Belmont that I think inspires students to think outside of the box, to notice gaps and to think creatively on how to fill them,” Wilson said. “From the beginning of Delight, we had so much support from the University Ministries department. They truly came alongside of us and helped us to grow and walk forward in where God was calling Delight at Belmont as well as where God was calling Kenzie and I individually.”
For more information on Delight Ministries, its purpose and its current chapters, visit its website.
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Delight Ministries: From Bell Tower to Beyond
RELATED PRINCIPLES
03. Strong Christian character will be embedded in all that we do.
05. A strong people-first culture of openness and mutual respect will guide our relationships.
10. We will cherish the privilege of service to others and the importance of our work.
‘We Believe’ Campaign Surpasses $100 Million Mark
Ten months into the “We Believe” comprehensive fundraising campaign, Belmont University announced that donations recently surpassed $100 million, marking a major milestone toward a total $300 million goal by 2020. The campaign focuses attention on five areas that are key to the University’s Vision 2020 strategic priorities, including scholarships, faculty support and missions. Total money raised to date for the campaign currently stands at $100,162,799.
To date, more than 10,000 donors have contributed to the campaign, and nearly 70 new endowed scholarships have been created. Highlights since last April’s public campaign launch include the largest single gift in University history ($15 million from the Ayers Foundation) along with gifts to create a $2 million endowment to support Belmont missions and a $4 million endowment for ‘Bridges to Belmont’ (the first made possible by Trustee Jim Wright and his wife Susan while the latter results from a gift from Trustees Joe and Anne Russell, respectively).
HCA Chairman and CEO and Belmont alumnus Milton Johnson is chairing the campaign in its inaugural year. He said, “I give to Belmont because I can personally attest to the transformative power of a Belmont education, and I believe such a world-class education can help individuals reach their greatest potential. I am encouraged to see how many new and long-time donors are stepping up to help make that happen for generations of students to come.”
The $300 million campaign will include total money raised through Dec. 31, 2020. Thanks to a long history of strong financial management and diligent cost control, Belmont is able to partner with its supporters to leverage their investments in the institution’s future. The University is matching contributions to campaign priority endowments between $25,000 and $1.5 million ‘dollar for dollar,’ doubling the impact of each donor’s commitment.
Click here to view the “We Believe” campaign launch video.
For more information on the campaign, giving priorities and ways to give, visit Belmont’s We Believe website.
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‘We Believe’ Campaign Surpasses $100 Million Mark
RELATED PRINCIPLES
01. Students will be at the center of all that we do.
03. Strong Christian character will be embedded in all that we do.
08. University resources will be applied to achieve high quality and to maintain momentum.
Belmont Welcomes Dr. Clayton-Pedersen as Scholar-In-Residence
Dr. Alma Clayton-Pedersen, chief executive officer of Emeritus Consulting Group, spent the week at Belmont as part of the University’s Scholar-In-Residence Program, a program created to celebrate diversity within higher education and encourage students to explore the field as a career option. An initiative of Belmont’s Welcome Home Team, the University’s cross-functional diversity and inclusion committee, the Scholar-in-Residence Program invites each of Belmont’s nine colleges to host a diverse scholar in a field related to their disciplines. Clayton-Pedersen was invited to Belmont by Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Dr. Bryce Sullivan.
While on campus, Clayton-Pedersen spent time with faculty, staff and students as she hosted convocation events, participated in luncheons and co-facilitated “My Mentor and Me,” a session held with Dr. Sybril Brown, professor of media studies and Clayton-Pedersen’s mentee. Additionally, Clayton-Pedersen spent time with the Welcome Home Team, led by Vice President and Chief of Staff Dr. Susan West.
West said, “The Welcome Home Team is honored to host Dr. Clayton-Pedersen through our Scholar-in-Residence Program. Highlighting the importance of diversity across our campus, this program allows students, faculty and staff to learn from experts in a variety of fields, while emphasizing careers in higher education. We are excited to see how the programs impacts our campus as each College hosts scholars from their disciplines.”
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Belmont Welcomes Dr. Clayton-Pedersen as Scholar-In-Residence
RELATED PRINCIPLES
04. Diversity will be enhanced across the university community.
Belmont Steps Up as Major Sponsor of New Ken Burns’s ‘Country Music’ Documentary
Belmont University has agreed to partner with Burns on the latest addition in his iconic career, the highly anticipated “Country Music,” slated to premiere nationally on PBS in 2019. The Belmont grant will help underwrite a portion of the production and distribution costs for the anticipated 16-hour series, while also securing significant educational benefits for Belmont students along with national exposure for the University.
As part of the partnership, Belmont will have the opportunity to host a private screening for an episode of the series on campus along with a Q&A session for students and faculty with Burns. In addition, select Belmont students and faculty will be invited to visit Burns’s Florentine Films editing facility in New Hampshire to view portions of the work-in-progress. Starting next year, Belmont students will intern with Florentine Films in their New Hampshire or New York offices. The sponsorship will also deliver tens of millions of impressions for the Belmont University brand upon its broadcast on PBS, along with its presence on the website, home video packaging and promotional materials for the series.
Belmont will be the only University or college to partner with Florentine Films as a sponsor on this project, and the pairing makes good sense with nearly a third of Belmont students currently studying music or the music/entertainment industry. Home to alumni Brad Paisley, Trisha Yearwood, Josh Turner, Brandy Clark and Florida Georgia Line and numerous others, Belmont has earned a longstanding and well-deserved reputation as an incubator of country music talent.
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Belmont Steps Up as Major Sponsor of New Ken Burns’s ‘Country Music’ Documentary
RELATED PRINCIPLES
01. Students will be at the center of all that we do.
02. Highest quality academic programs and excellence in teaching will be treasured.
06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
Belmont Named as a Sierra Club “Cool School”
Launched in 2015, Belmont’s Conservation Covenant challenges all members of the university to take care of God’s creation, a charge the institution takes very seriously. It’s why Belmont serves as an arboretum to preserve more than 100 species of trees and shrubs and carefully manages water usage for irrigation. It’s also why the university builds and maintains green roofs, constructs new buildings to LEED-certified standards and utilizes a geothermal energy system that uses the Earth’s core to heat and cool campus buildings.
Created to honor those schools that illustrate their commitment to sustainability, as well as their ability to make significant change across their campus, the 2016 rankings included more than 200 four-year schools from across the country. For the full ranking of 2016’s “Coolest Schools,” click here.
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Belmont Named as a Sierra Club “Cool School”
RELATED PRINCIPLES
03. Strong Christian character will be embedded in all that we do.
06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
Belmont University Dedicates Newly Created Bruin Vets Center
Belmont University recently created the Bruin Vets Center (BVC). Located in Fidelity Hall, the BVC is a result of Belmont’s recent space reallocation process, a campus-wide initiative that encouraged all members of the Belmont community to request the use of available space across campus.
The opening ceremony included remarks from Belmont’s Provost Dr. Thomas Burns, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Veterans Services Many-Bears Grinder and Belmont student veteran Jonathan League. The event concluded with an original performance by Jason Earley, a Belmont songwriting major. Earley recently participated in Operation Song, a songwriting retreat where veterans and songwriters collaborate to create songs that feature veterans’ stories.
Belmont’s Veteran Success initiative, led by Associate Provost of Interdisciplinary Studies and Global Education Dr. Mimi Barnard, facilitates veteran support services and is also housed in Fidelity Hall. Veteran Success initiative staff work with Belmont offices from across the institution to provide opportunities for community building, academic success and career preparation. Additionally, staff assist by coordinating programming opportunities for student veterans with community partners.
The initiative has contributed to significant growth at the university among students using veteran education benefits. Last year, Belmont had 217 veterans and dependents, 103 of which were student veterans. This fall, Belmont welcomed 265 veteran and dependents, 130 of which are student veterans.
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Belmont University Dedicates Newly Created Bruin Vets Center
RELATED PRINCIPLES
01. Students will be at the center of all that we do.
05. A strong people-first culture of openness and mutual respect will guide our relationships.
10. We will cherish the privilege of service to others and the importance of our work.
Belmont Named to MONEY Best College List
Belmont was recently named as a MONEY Best College, among more than 700 (out of 2,000) four-year U.S. colleges and universities who deliver the best value. For MONEY, that means providing a great education at an affordable price while preparing students for fulfilling and successful careers.
For its methodology, MONEY eliminated schools with graduation rates below the median, poor financial performance and fewer than 500 undergraduate students. Schools were ranked on 24 factors in three categories including educational quality, affordability and alumni success. Beyond these characteristics, MONEY measured comparative value by assessing student success at each school.
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Belmont Named to MONEY Best College List
RELATED PRINCIPLES
06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
At No. 6, University lands in South region’s Top 10 for eighth consecutive year
Prospective students and other readers of U.S. News & World Report’s 2017 edition of America’s Best Colleges may think they’re seeing double, triple or more when they scan the latest college rankings as Belmont University lands high across multiple categories in the site’s recent publication. Landing at No. 6 in the Best Regional Universities—South field, Belmont now marks eight consecutive years maintaining a Top 10 regional ranking and remains the highest ranked university in Tennessee in this category.
In the publication Belmont is also lauded for the ninth year in a row for its commitment to “making the most innovative improvements in terms of curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology or facilities,” landing second on the “Most Innovative Schools” in the South list. And the accolades just keep coming. Belmont is praised in the following categories as well, lending more proof to the outstanding nature of the University’s academic programs and the dedication Belmont has to student success:
- Best Colleges for Veterans (No. 6 in the South)
- Internships/Co-ops (one of only 22 institutions recognized in the nation)
- Learning Communities (one of only 18 institutions recognized in the nation)
- Service-Learning (one of only 27 institutions recognized in the nation)
The U.S. News analysis places Belmont in a premier position among the 139 public and private institutions included in the South region.
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At No. 6, University lands in South region’s Top 10 for eighth consecutive year
RELATED PRINCIPLES
01. Students will be at the center of all that we do.
02. Highest quality academic programs and excellence in teaching will be treasured.
06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
Belmont University Names Dr. Mary Clark as Director of Multicultural Learning and Experience
Dr. Mary Clark has been appointed as Director of Belmont’s newly created Office of Multicultural Learning and Experience (MLE). Since coming to Belmont in 2014, Clark has provided innovative leadership to the Bridges to Belmont program as it has grown to include four cohorts and more than 100 students. In her new role, Clark will lead the Office in its charge to serve Belmont’s student-centered community by providing academic and experiential multicultural learning opportunities that serve the university’s mission to engage and transform the world.
In managing the daily operations of the Office, Clark will provide institutional leadership to support, strengthen and expand Belmont’s culture of inclusion and diversity by collaboratively partnering with diversity initiatives across campus including the University’s Welcome Home Team, a senior leadership advisory committee focused on racial and ethnic diversity. Focusing on creating culturally diverse conversations, the MLE will permeate all aspects of campus life as it supports awareness events across campus, establishes its own programming surrounding key diversity and inclusivity topics and creates new initiatives and opportunities for diverse experiences.
The development of the MLE at Belmont allows the institution to take a proactive, educational approach to providing faculty, staff and students with opportunities to further develop and engage their cultural competencies. Serving as the central location for administration and corporate diversity planning, the MLE will continue to infuse existing structures with opportunities to increase multicultural knowledge, advance the campus dialogue on multicultural literacies and provide resources to campus constituents to enhance their foundational knowledge.
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Belmont University Names Dr. Mary Clark as Director of Multicultural Learning and Experience
RELATED PRINCIPLES
01. Students will be at the center of all that we do.
04. Diversity will be enhanced across the university community.
More Than 2,000 Students Head into Nashville During Orientation to ‘Serve’
As students across the state are moving into residence halls, learning new procedures and having photos taken for campus IDs at orientation, more than 2,000 freshman and transfer students at Belmont University spent Monday afternoon participating in community service as part of the university’s annual SERVE.
A tradition that’s marked Belmont’s orientation process for more than a decade, the event allows Nashville’s newest Bruins to spend time in their new home with their orientation groups. This year, students were spread out among 32 sites including Rocketown, Cumberland River Compact, SaddleUp! and Cottage Cove Urban Ministries.
Director of New Student Orientation Programs Ryan Holt said the choice to include a service component into students’ first week on campus is intentional. “Students are not just joining the Belmont community–they are joining the Nashville community. Beyond the charge to become better citizens, Holt and his team believe each member of the Belmont community is called to be a servant.
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More Than 2,000 Students Head into Nashville During Orientation to ‘Serve’
RELATED PRINCIPLES
10. We will cherish the privilege of service to others and the importance of our work.
Belmont Recognized on The Princeton Review’s List of ‘Best Regional Colleges’
The Princeton Review recently listed Belmont as one of the ‘Best Regional Colleges’ in the southeast for 2017 for the second year in a row. The rankings recognized Belmont as one of 139 exceptional colleges in the region.
The list aims to honor universities that stand out academically in comparison to other popular choices in the area. The Princeton Review wants to point out to prospective students that the universities listed are “well worth consideration” when they are looking into schools.
Aside from academic achievements, The Princeton Review also considers ratings from current and former students and the results from surveys sent out to college administrators. The universities listed must also have a high rate of satisfaction from students currently enrolled.
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Belmont Recognized on The Princeton Review’s List of ‘Best Regional Colleges’
RELATED PRINCIPLES
06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
Academic Champions….Again!
Belmont University has been awarded the 2015-16 Ohio Valley Conference Institutional Academic Achievement Award, the league office announced Friday. The award is presented annually to the member institution with the greatest percentage of its eligible student-athletes that earn a 3.25 grade-point average or higher for that academic year.
This past year, nearly 66 percent of eligible Belmont student-athletes posted a 3.25 grade-point average or higher. It marks the fourth-straight crown for Belmont who joined the OVC prior to the 2012-13 season. BU has now claimed a conference academic achievement award 13 of the last 15 academic years, including nine of its 11 years of membership in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
In addition to the Institutional Academic Achievement Award, the OVC also announced the recipients of 16 conference Team Academic Achievement Awards, which are presented annually in each conference-sponsored sport to the member institution’s team with the greatest percentage of its eligible student-athletes who achieved a 3.25 grade point average or higher. Belmont claimed two awards with men’s basketball and women’s basketball receiving honors.
Notably, women’s soccer was honored by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) for a second consecutive year by posting the highest team GPA among all NCAA Division I programs, sporting a 3.83 team mark for the latest accounting period.
Belmont University had 139 student-athletes in total named academic all-conference, including 10 student-athletes from men’s soccer (honored as part of the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll).
Fourteen teams earned All-Academic honors from their respective sport governing bodies as well as six athletic teams (men’s basketball, baseball, men’s golf, softball, women’s golf, and women’s track & field) garnered 2016 Academic Progress Rate (APR) Honor Roll distinction.
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RELATED PRINCIPLES
01. Students will be at the center of all that we do.
02. Highest quality academic programs and excellence in teaching will be treasured.
06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
Belmont Ranked in Top 20 List of Students Studying Abroad
Belmont University ranked No. 18 on The Institute of International Education’s recently released “Open Doors Report,” a comprehensive ranking of U.S. schools by the number of students studying abroad, in conjunction with the start of International Education Week. This is a significant increase from Belmont’s No. 29 ranking last year. Of short-term programs, Belmont is ranked No. 12 in its category.
The report found the number of U.S. students studying abroad increased by five percent in 2013-14, the highest rate of growth since before the 2008 economic downturn. While study abroad by American students has more than tripled in the last two decades, reaching a new high of 304,467, still only about 10 percent of U.S. students study abroad before graduating from college.
The report is published annually by the Institute of International Education in partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
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Belmont Ranked in Top 20 List of Students Studying Abroad
RELATED PRINCIPLES
02. Highest quality academic programs and excellence in teaching will be treasured.
06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
Dr. Ronnie Littlejohn Named 2015 Tennessee Professor of the Year
Belmont professors selected six times since 2000 for statewide honor
Belmont’s Dr. Ronnie Littlejohn, professor of philosophy and director of the University’s Asian Studies program, was named as the 2015 Tennessee Professor of the Year, an award selection determined by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). Dr. Littlejohn, who was in Washington, D.C. for special ceremonies to receive his award, was selected from more than 300 top professors in the United States.
The author of six books, Littlejohn received his B.A., master’s and Ph.D. from Baylor University and has conducted post-doctoral work at several institutions including Harvard and Notre Dame. Littlejohn joined the Belmont faculty in 1984 to help begin a philosophy department and served as its chair for 20 years (1993-2013). He also designed the Belmont Honors Program (serving as its first director from 1985-88) as well as the interdisciplinary Asian Studies program, which he continues to oversee. In fact, Littlejohn was Tennessee’s co-director of the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (NCTA) from 2007-2011. He has also taught Asian philosophical and religious beliefs for Air Force officers of the Pacific Command (PACOM) Theater of Special Operations Forces (2011), and he has led workshops to enhance the teaching of Asia at more than a dozen universities. Littlejohn’s current work is in Comparative Philosophy, especially classical Confucianism and Daoism. He has many teaching awards to his credit, including the Award for Innovative Excellence in Teaching presented by the International Conference on Teaching and Learning (2003).
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Dr. Ronnie Littlejohn Named 2015 Tennessee Professor of the Year
RELATED PRINCIPLES
02. Highest quality academic programs and excellence in teaching will be treasured.
Nashville Students Gather to Serve in Honor of MLK Day
More than 200 university students and community volunteers carried on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Saturday when they spent hours volunteering at the sixth annual MLK Day of Service. Students from Belmont, Lipscomb, Trevecca Nazarene, Vanderbilt, Tennessee State, Fisk and Middle Tennessee State Universities gathered at Second Harvest Food Bank to celebrate and honor King through a day of community service. Mayor Megan Barry, Representative Harold Love Jr. and Congressman Jim Cooper attended the event’s kick-off and spoke to students about the importance of service as a way to honor King’s legacy.
The Corporation for National and Community Service, through North Carolina Campus Compact, awarded Belmont a $1,500 grant to facilitate the service projects. Throughout the day, students volunteered at one of six sites across the city and participated in service projects aimed at hunger relief and veteran care. At Second Harvest Food Bank and Feed the Children, students packed and sorted more than 34,000 lbs of donated food, and 15 pallets of personal care items. Others prepared the Wedgewood Community Garden for spring planting at The Nashville Food Project. At The Sweet Potato Drop students sorted and bagged 9,000 lbs of sweet potatoes, while those assigned to Trevecca’s Urban Farm tended plants in green houses for the coming season. At Room in the Inn, students joined veterans in completing a collaborative art project.
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Nashville Students Gather to Serve in Honor of MLK Day
RELATED PRINCIPLES
04. Diversity will be enhanced across the university community.
10. We will cherish the privilege of service to others and the importance of our work.
Student Group Raises Nearly $84,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Belmont student organization Up ‘Til Dawn hosted its second annual 24-hour fundraising event January 29 to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. In an event implemented on 60 campuses nationwide, Belmont students far exceeded their goal of $75,000 and managed to raise almost $84,000 for the hospital, which seeks “to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment.” Thanks to the vision of St. Jude founder Danny Thomas, a recent inductee in the Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame, no child is denied treatment at St. Jude based on race, religion or a family’s ability to pay.
St. Jude Specialist of Collegiate and Youth Programs Chase Simpson said the campus awareness of St. Jude has become so high through this event and has caused people to look forward to it year after year. The event itself is a giant celebration and thank you to the student fundraisers. They enjoyed arcade games, face painting, a photo booth, silent disco and several team challenges, all designed to keep participants engaged (and awake). St. Jude has the world’s best survival rates for the most aggressive childhood cancers, and treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since it opened more than 50 years ago.
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Student Group Raises Nearly $84,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
RELATED PRINCIPLES
10. We will cherish the privilege of service to others and the importance of our work.
Belmont Hosts Annual Faith and Culture Symposium
Hosted and developed by the faculty of the College of Theology and Christian Ministry (CTCM), the 2016 “Living in a Global Community: Faith in Dialogue” symposium seeks to create campus-wide conversations about the intersections of faith and the world. Dr. Andy Watts served as chair of a faculty committee composed of Drs. Sally Holt, Mark McEntire and Beth Ritter-Conn that prepared this extensive week-long series of events.
The symposium seeks to create conversations about the way religion and faith impact culture. From a discussion on the state of religion in America to the role of hymns in worship, the events will offer something for everyone. Chapel presentations include national authors such as Diana Butler Bass who will discuss her new book, Grounded: Finding God in the World; Rev. Ali Lutz, an Episcopal priest who has served parishes in Haiti, Phoenix, Arizona and Nashville; Dr. Johnny Hill, associate professor of religion and philosophy at Claflin University and author of Prophetic Rage: A Postcolonial Theology of Liberation.
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Belmont Hosts Annual Faith and Culture Symposium
RELATED PRINCIPLES
03. Strong Christian character will be embedded in all that we do.
05. A strong people-first culture of openness and mutual respect will guide our relationships.
Belmont Unveils State-of-the-Art $87 Million Academic and Dining Complex
On August 22nd, Belmont University officially cut the ribbon today to celebrate the grand opening of a new multi-functional complex to serve its growing student body. Named in honor of longtime trustee and Bridges to Belmont Endowed Scholarship creators, the new R. Milton and Denice Johnson Center will house the Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, the media studies program and a vibrant new 950-seat cafeteria. The 1:25 start time marked the beginning of the University’s 125th Anniversary celebration during the 2015-16 academic year.With a total cost of $87 million, the 134,000 square foot Johnson Center boasts $3.6 million in technology resources and specialized equipment to serve students majoring in entertainment industry studies (EIS), music business, audio engineering technology (AET), songwriting, motion pictures and media studies. With multi-functional spaces offering classroom, lab, performance, production and research options, the new building is designed for interdisciplinary collaborations among the programs. Moreover, the second floor of the Johnson Center is devoted to a new 950-seat cafeteria to serve the entire campus, a facility that nearly triples the seating capacity of the former dining hall.
Belmont Provost Dr. Thomas Burns noted, “The Johnson Center is a perfect reflection of Belmont’s Vision 2020 principle to put our students at the center of all we do. From the addition of 1,000 underground parking spaces to a cafeteria largely influenced by student focus groups to academic areas that can compete with any professional production house, this building is designed to enrich campus life and provide a superior educational environment.”
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Belmont Unveils State-of-the-Art $87 Million Academic and Dining Complex
RELATED PRINCIPLES
01. Students will be at the center of all that we do.
06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
08. University resources will be applied to achieve high quality and to maintain momentum.
Graduate Business Students Work with Tractor Supply Company, Travel to China
Tractor Supply Company (TSC) was the pilot organization for the program, working with a group of three students and ending the spring semester with a trip to China. While there, students attended TSC’s Asian Vendor Summit, visited factories and testing labs, toured the Port of Shanghai and participated in a factory human rights audit. Following the trip, the students were asked to develop recommendations for issues they had been working with throughout the year.
Vice President of Product Development and Strategic Sourcing Ken Strait said the opportunity to work with the graduate students was mutually beneficial. Student and trip participant Horace Grant said his time in China ignited an interest in international business and deepened his understanding of working and living abroad. “The most significant takeaway, among others, was that the Chinese population moves with a purpose – whether to school, work or elsewhere – reminding me of the importance of finding purpose in all areas of life.”
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Graduate Business Students Work with Tractor Supply Company, Travel to China
RELATED PRINCIPLES
01. Students will be at the center of all that we do.
02. Highest quality academic programs and excellence in teaching will be treasured.
Belmont University Claims OVC Academic Award
Belmont University has been awarded the 2014-15 Ohio Valley Conference Institutional Academic Achievement Award. The award is presented annually to the member institution with the greatest percentage of its eligible student-athletes that earn a 3.25 grade point average or higher for that academic year. It marks the third-straight crown for Belmont who joined the OVC prior to the 2012-13 season.BU has now claimed a conference academic achievement award 12 of the last 14 academic years, including 9 of its 11 years of membership in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
In addition to the Institutional Academic Achievement Award, the OVC also announced the recipients of 16 conference Team Academic Achievement Awards, which are presented annually to the team with the greatest percentage of its eligible student-athletes who achieved a 3.25 grade point average or higher. Belmont claimed three awards with men’s basketball, women’s basketball and women’s soccer receiving honors.
Fourteen Bruin student-athletes also received the OVC Medal of Honor presented by Army ROTC, emblematic of a perfect 4.0 grade-point average during the 2014-15 academic year.
Belmont University had 137 student-athletes in total named academic all-conference, including 10 student-athletes from men’s soccer (honored as part of the Horizon League Spring Academic Honor Roll).
Additionally, numerous individuals and teams received awards during the 2014-15 campaign. Most impressively, two student-athletes earned Academic All-America distinction – men’s basketball’s Craig Bradshaw and women’s soccer Ali Alcott – while the women’s soccer program boasted the top team GPA in all of NCAA Division I.
Fourteen teams earned All-Academic as well as six athletic teams (men’s basketball, men’s soccer, softball, women’s golf, women’s indoor track & field, women’s outdoor track & field) garnered 2015 Academic Progress Rate (APR) Honor Roll distinction.
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Belmont University Claims OVC Academic Award
RELATED PRINCIPLES
01. Students will be at the center of all that we do.
02. Highest quality academic programs and excellence in teaching will be treasured.
06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
Belmont Receives $95,000 Grant to Support Success of Student Veterans
In a recent announcement from Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, Belmont University was awarded a $95,000 Tennessee Veteran Reconnect Grant from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC). “Ultimately, it is the goal of this program that Tennessee be the premier state in the nation for student veteran success.”“We’re thrilled to have been awarded the Veteran Reconnect funding so that we can build capacity to support our student veterans,” said Dr. Mimi Barnard, Belmont’s associate provost for interdisciplinary studies and global education who will serve as the grant’s project director. “Our faculty and staff appreciate the sacrifices and commitments made by those who serve in the armed forces, and this grant will allow us to create programming and services that will assist them as they pursue degrees that lead to meaningful careers, stronger communities and a more competitive Tennessee.”
The $95,000 grant Belmont received is part of a $1 million award from THEC to 11 community colleges and universities across the state. Since Belmont’s Yellow Ribbon Program was implemented in 2010, student veteran enrollment has nearly quadrupled, and military family enrollment has more than doubled. Belmont participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program at the highest level, matching the remaining tuition and mandatory fees in full that are not covered by the Post 9/11 benefit for all undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programs.
In Belmont’s grant proposal, four areas were identified in which the University seeks to focus additional attention and resources: Learning Support, Community Building, Career Advancement and Communication to Internal and External Stakeholders. The Belmont Veteran Reconnect Initiative will provide a series of services, events and programs that will accelerate the success of veterans already enrolled and create favorable conditions to recruit new student veterans.
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Belmont Receives $95,000 Grant to Support Success of Student Veterans
Yellow Ribbon Program at Belmont
RELATED PRINCIPLES
01. Students will be at the center of all that we do.
02. Highest quality academic programs and excellence in teaching will be treasured.
10. We will cherish the privilege of service to others and the importance of our work.
Princeton Review Recognizes Belmont on ‘Best in Southeast’ List
Belmont University is one of the best colleges in the Southeast according to The Princeton Review. The well-known education services company lists Belmont among its 140 “Best in the Southeast” recommended schools in the “2016 Best Colleges: Region by Region” website feature, posted on August 3.The Princeton Review editors made their selections based on data collected from a survey of administrators at several hundred colleges in each region, as well as staff visits and the perspectives of college counselors and advisors whose opinions the company solicits.
“We chose Belmont and the other outstanding institutions on this list primarily for their excellent academics,” said Princeton Review’s Senior VP-Publisher Robert Franek. “We also gave careful consideration to what students enrolled at the schools reported to us about their campus experiences on our student survey for this project. We designed our 80-question survey to include questions that prospective applicants might ask on a campus visit. Only schools that permit us independently to survey their students are eligible to be considered for our regional ‘best’ lists, and only schools at which we see a strong level of satisfaction among their enrolled students – whom we consider their customers – make it to our final slate of regional ‘best’ college selections.”
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Princeton Review Recognizes Belmont on ‘Best in Southeast’ List
2016 Best Colleges: Region by Region
RELATED PRINCIPLES
02. Highest quality academic programs and excellence in teaching will be treasured.
06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
Bridges to Belmont Students Volunteer for Local Organization
As part of their summer program at Belmont, 11 Bridges Scholars, students participating in the University’s Bridges to Belmont program, have spent their Friday afternoons volunteering in the community for Hounds Unbound program of the Neighborhood Safety and Animal Welfare Study. Added to the transitional summer orientation for the students last year, this year was the second year that volunteer opportunities have been included in the summer programming.Committed to building fences for dogs that would otherwise be chained for 24 hours a day, Hounds Unbound had the scholars build fences to allow dogs to run more freely – eliminating the aggression caused by chaining. The animals, Sam and Rio, exhibited a great change in their demeanor once the newly expanded habitats were created by the students.
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Bridges to Belmont Students Volunteer for Local Organization
Hounds Unbound
Bridges to Belmont
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10.
Dr. Sybril Brown Honored as Journalism Educator of the Year
The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) recently announced the selection of Dr. Sybril Brown, professor of journalism at Belmont University, as the association’s 2015 Journalism Educator of the Year. The award recognizes the service, commitment and academic guidance of an outstanding journalism teacher, professor or educator who has helped increase the number of black journalists in newsrooms.
Also an award-winning journalist, Dr. Brown, affectionately known as Dr. Syb, started her tenure at Belmont in 2003 as the Executive Director of the New Century Journalism program and helped to raise more than $200,000 in grant funding. In 2012, she was a finalist for the Virginia Chaney Teaching Award, Belmont’s highest honor recognizing teaching excellence. She is a Vanderbilt-educated, Harvard-trained, two-time Emmy award-winning multimedia journalist, author, international speaker and presenter.
Dr. Syb has given numerous presentations on digital journalism, including a TEDx talk tied to her book, Innovate: Lessons from the Underground Railroad. The book asserts and explains how the Underground Railroad and the Internet are among America’s most effective, innovative and disruptive networks. Among the first 1,500 journalists and educators across the country who served as Google Glass Explorers, she incorporated her Google Glass into her Digital Citizenship class.
Brown said, “I am humbled, honored and just beyond excited to be named the NABJ Journalism Educator of the Year. You really don’t serve to be recognized. You serve because that’s what we are called to do. When people take the time to give you an award, you take a minute to reflect and to say thank you, then you get back to the business at hand… service.”
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National Association of Black Journalists Honors Dr. Sybril Brown as Journalism Educator of the Year
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02. Highest quality academic programs and excellence in teaching will be treasured.
06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
Belmont Named Among Top 10 Most Beautiful Campuses Among Urban Colleges
BestChoiceSchools.com recently placed Belmont high on its list of the “50 Most Beautiful Urban College Campuses” in the country, recognizing the University at No. 10 among all urban universities in the United States. Understanding that college students are drawn to urban locations but still desire nature-filled settings, the website noted, “Pretty Belmont University is steeped in Southern charm and beauty.”
Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher said, “We take great pride in creating and maintaining a campus that is both visually appealing and environmentally sustainable. Not only do these gorgeous surroundings provide our students, faculty and staff a beautiful place to study, work and play, but they also show prospective families that you can have it all—a great education and a stunning campus right in the middle of a fantastic city.”
Criteria for the award required the schools to be located in a city with a population of 100,000 or more and then measured the campuses based on prior national and international accolades, student enjoyment, notable campus features, historical significance and environmental friendliness. Other Tennessee institutions on the list were Rhodes College (No. 27) and Vanderbilt University (No. 16).
Belmont’s campus beauty was also recognized on similar lists in 2014 by both Best College Review andChristianUniversitiesOnline.org, which noted the “grand, elegant and strikingly beautiful buildings” as well as the iconic Bell Tower.
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Belmont Named Among Top 10 Most Beautiful Campuses Among Urban Colleges Nationwide
50 Most Beautiful Urban College Campuses List
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06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
Maymester Trips Prove to be Transformative Experiences
At the end of the spring semester, most students long for a period of relaxation, adventure and a break from hours spent at the library. But rather than immediately tackling a new job or lounging by the pool, 500 Belmont students opted to study abroad this summer, many of them choosing to travel during the University’s Maymester session. The list of trips includes diverse sites like Germany, Hawaii, Spain, Brazil, Israel, Greece, Rome, China, Argentina, Costa Rica and many more.
Of particular note was “Belmont in London and Paris,” which allowed students to embark on an interdisciplinary program to discover the two major cosmopolitan capitals of Europe through the lenses of food, film, gardens and math. Excursions included walking tours of both cities, cooking lessons, museum visits and day trips to Oxford, Chatsworth and Blenheim Palace in England and Versailles, and Chantilly and Giverny in France.
Director of Study Abroad Shelley Jewell said, “As part of our institutional mission, Belmont is committed to providing students with ways to engage and transform the world. Study abroad provides a pathway to make this a reality. Our students have embraced these opportunities and are given the necessary support and encouragement from our faculty and staff in order to participate. Having more than 60 faculty involved in this process has allowed for Belmont to offer a breadth of programs that span academic majors and the globe to give students the opportunity to explore the world in an academically meaningful way.”
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Maymester Trips Prove to be Transformative Experiences
Study Abroad Website
RELATED PRINCIPLES
01. Students will be at the center of all that we do.
02. Highest quality academic programs and excellence in teaching will be treasured.
Belmont Student Wins Outstanding Community Service Award
Social work major Bailey Hazouri won the state-wide 2015 Harold Love Outstanding Community Service Student Award. Hazouri was nominated by Belmont faculty members and an application was sent by University President Dr. Bob Fisher for her continued commitment to community service.
Hazouri is co-founder of the Edgehill Neighborhood Outreach Program and has been active with this group since 2012. Working in a diverse community near Belmont’s campus, she leads a variety of events bringing food, fun and extended learning to the community through tutoring, activities and coordination of meals for children and families. Her work is entirely voluntary and comes from her personal faith commitment to improve the quality of life of those within the neighborhood.
The State of Tennessee Higher Education Commission gives the award annually to five faculty or staff members and five students in Tennessee higher education institutions. Individuals selected to receive recognition represent the many dimensions of community service, volunteer work and public and charitable service, as well as leadership roles in community organizations. Each recipient receives $1,000 and serves as an ambassador for community service among the many diverse higher educational communities in Tennessee.
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Hazouri Wins Harold Love Outstanding Community Service Award
RELATED PRINCIPLES
10. We will cherish the privilege of service to others and the importance of our work.
Belmont Students Participate in Project Music, Nation’s First Tech Music Accelerator
Belmont juniors Channing Moreland and Makenzie Stokel have brought new talent, innovation and energy to Nashville’s music industry. Through their participation in Project Music, the nation’s first tech accelerator dedicated to music, the duo launched their company, EVAmore. Moreland and Stokel were eager to learn more about Project Music for their initial concept, What’s Hubbin,’ an event discovery platform. After planning and producing a number of events together, the team discovered the challenges many industry professionals find when tasked with booking talent for an event. Coupled with the pain point emerging artists feel when trying to break into the market, the team knew they needed to “pull back the curtain and show that anyone can book a band for an event. Project Music provided the opportunity and ammunition to do so.” The start-up was one of eight companies that participated in Project Music, a 14-week boot camp that included 15 hour work days, sessions with mentors and industry experts and practice pitch classes. Working directly with mentors assigned to EVAmore, Channing said the experience was like going through a master’s level program in 14 weeks. Post launch, EVAmore plans to focus on a specialized market of Greek organizations at college campuses, starting with the southeast. With 900 chapters in the region spending an average of $60,000 – $120,000 on events annually and limited experience and resources in the music and event planning industries, EVAmore hopes to fill the gap.
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Belmont Students Participate in Project Music, Nation’s First Tech Music Accelerator
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07. Technology will be deployed to enhance learning and improve operational efficiency.
Enactus places fourth at National Entrepreneurship Competition
Competing against teams from colleges and universities across the country, Belmont’s Enactus team made a statement at the April 16 national competition when they came in fourth place. With 533 teams consisting of more than 16,800 students in the United States, Enactus USA held its National Exposition and competition in St. Louis, Missouri, where the Belmont team stood toe-to-toe and came out victorious against much larger institutions, including the University of Oklahoma, University of Florida Gainesville and last year’s national champion, Texas State University.
Enactus is an international non-profit organization that brings together student, academic and business leaders who are committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to improve the quality of life and standard of living for people in need. Guided by academic advisors and business experts, the student leaders of Enactus create and implement community empowerment projects around the globe. After three days of intense presentations, Belmont Enactus made it to the final four of the national competition, ultimately placing fourth behind John Brown University, La Sierra University and national champion Brigham Young University-Hawaii.
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Enactus Places Fourth at National Entrepreneurship Competition
Belmont Enactus Website
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02. Highest quality academic programs and excellence in teaching will be treasured.
06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
Biology Students Study Animal Behavior With Nashville Zoo
For the students in Belmont Biology Professor Dr. John Niedzwiecki’s Animal Behavior course, spending hours each week at the Nashville Zoo was not a way to avoid studying, but a large part of their coursework. As a semester-long lab project designed to give students the opportunity to observe and research animal behavior in a hands-on way, students were assigned an animal and came up with a testable hypothesis to study.
The teams worked with a variety of animals including kangaroos, elephants and red pandas, among others. Once students received their assignments, they met with the animal’s keepers to begin the scientific process. Topics of study were varied and included social groupings, dominance and animal alertness.
Director of Veterinary Medicine Dr. Heather Robertson said the chance to have the students work with zoo staff was a mutually beneficial experience. “Our relationship with the students at Belmont not only helped them apply the skills they have learned in the classroom, but also provided the Zoo with valuable research that can be used to improve the quality of care for our animal collection.”
For junior neuroscience major Miranda West, the chance to work in the zoo for the semester had a larger impact than expected. West said her work with the elephants instilled a new appreciation for nature, life and education. “I had moments of awe after staring at the elephants for hours. I would think to myself, ‘Wow, that being is living and breathing just like me.’ God’s work and attention to detail, even in the animal kingdom, amazes me.”
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Biology Students Study Animal Behavior with Nashville Zoo
RELATED PRINCIPLES
02. Highest quality academic programs and excellence in teaching will be treasured.
03. Strong Christian character will be embedded in all that we do.
Belmont Honored as Hall of Fame Member in Nashville’s Workplace Challenge
Nashville’s Mayor Karl Dean honored Belmont University through induction in the Mayor’s Workplace Challenge Hall of Fame, an initiative to recognize companies who have implemented continued improvements since its 2012 start. The third round of the Workplace Challenge concluded in March 2015 with 235 companies participating, representing more than 105,000 employees in Nashville.
Focusing on three areas that contribute to a high quality of workplace life, the Hall of Fame recognized 20 companies who have excelled in being green, healthy and involved throughout the Nashville community. The first three-tiered challenge of its kind in the country, other cities have begun replicating the initiative to recognize top businesses.
In addition to the Hall of Fame recognition, Belmont also received Platinum recognition for the Community Involvement and Health areas and a Gold recognition for the Green area for 2014. In 2013, Belmont was recognized as a Gold recipient for the Community Involvement and Green areas.
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Belmont Honored as Hall of Fame Member in Nashville’s Workplace Challenge
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06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
09. Investments in people will be made in the form of salary, benefits and individual development opportunities.
Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame Announces Eight Inaugural Inductees
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Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame Announces Eight Inaugural Inductees Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame Website
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06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
Students Push Nashforward, Participate in Mayoral Town Hall Debate
Belmont University and The Tennessean recently presented Nashforward, the city’s premiere mayoral debate series, with broadcast partner, WSMV-TV. The first of two debates was held Thursday, May 21 and featured Nashville’s seven mayoral candidates in a traditional debate-style event.
The second debate, structured around Nashville’s ever-growing millennial demographic and organized in a town-hall style format, was held on June 18 in Belmont’s McAfee Concert Hall. The event featured 14 community members, including seven Belmont students, who sat on stage and asked questions that are top of mind for voters this season, especially millennial voters.
A number of topics were discussed including education, affordable housing and transportation, among others, and candidates had the opportunity to share what their administration would value, if elected. Candidates also participated in a “lightening round” that required creative, quick-witted answers to questions like, “What country music song do you think best represents your experience in Nashville?” and others.
Belmont’s seven student participants worked with debate moderator David Plazas of the Tennessean earlier this semester to review recent candidate interviews and write short profiles that were published both online and in print. Students were then given the opportunity to serve as the event escort for the candidate they profiled and sit on stage for the town hall-style debate. Prior to the event, students created short videos encouraging the Nashville community to tune in.
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Students Push Nashforward, Participate in Mayoral Town Hall Debate
Nashforward Debates
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01. Students will be at the center of all that we do.
06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
Belmont University Named a College of Distinction
Belmont University was again named among the nation’s Colleges of Distinction for providing innovative, teacher-centered undergraduate education and preparing graduates for real-world success. Based on the opinions of guidance counselors, educators and admissions professionals, the website and college guide profiles more than 220 of America’s best bets in higher education and honors colleges that excel in four areas of undergraduate education: engaged students, great teaching, vibrant learning communities and successful outcomes.
Aside from the academic experience offered at the institutions selected, Colleges of Distinction are also chosen based on their first year program and experimental components of the curriculum. The organization believes institutions should be judged on what they are doing now and the development of their strategic plan, instead of their prestige historically.
Belmont will be profiled on the Colleges of Distinction website and in the official Colleges of Distinction eGuidebook,which will be available via online retailers and distributed free-of-charge to more than 40,000 high school and community college counselors.
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Belmont University Named a College of Distinction
Colleges of Distinction Website
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02. Highest quality academic programs and excellence in teaching will be treasured.
06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
GIBSON BRANDS FUNDS $100,000 INNOVATION INITIATIVE TO HONOR LES PAUL’S 100TH BIRTHDAYGibson Brands Funds $100,000 Innovation Initiative to Honor Les Paul’s 100th Birthday
Gibson Brands is providing a $100,000 fund to Belmont University in honor of Les Paul, whose 100th birthday would have June 9. “The Les Paul Music Innovation Award” (powered by Gibson) honors the life and contributions of Les Paul by funding research for faculty and students, inspiring the next generation of industry leaders to express innovation and creativity to strengthen the music economy. It will provide annual funds to students and faculty of the Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business at Belmont.
“We give our most sincere thanks to the Gibson Foundation for their generous gift bearing the name of Les Paul, a true visionary and creative genius who possessed an unmatched entrepreneurial spirit and who will inspire and support yet another generation,” stated Doug Howard, Dean of the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business. Les Paul was born on June 9, 1915 and became an internationally celebrated jazz, country and blues guitarist, songwriter, luthier and inventor. He is widely considered to be the single most important figure in the mass popularization of the solid-body electric guitar and is perhaps best known today for the iconic instrument he designed, the Gibson Les Paul electric guitar. He is also credited with developing many modern-day recording innovations including overdubbing, tape delay, phasing effects and multitrack recording and his innovative talents in design, songwriting and guitar playing continue to influence modern day guitarists across the world in nearly every genre of music.
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Gibson Brands Funds $100,000 Innovation Initiative to Honor Les Paul’s 100th Birthday
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02. Highest quality academic programs and excellence in teaching will be treasured.
07. Technology will be deployed to enhance learning and improve operational efficiency.
College of Law Announces Strong Employment Rate for Class of 2014
Belmont University College of Law’s charter class continues to blaze an impressive trail for the program, with an overall employment rate of 85.7 percent for the class of 2014. This rate bests the most recent national average, as compiled by the National Association of Legal Professionals, which shows an overall employment of 84.5 percent for the most recently available national rate.
Of the 119 Class of 2014 graduates, 102 are employed, with 78 of the positions listed “bar admission required” (i.e. license to practice law) and 16 of the positions noted as “JD advantage.” From the class, 46.1 percent are employed in law firms, and 24.5 percent in government, which includes judicial clerkships, administrative or executive branch agencies, and prosecutors. Another 25.6 percent of graduates are employed in business, which includes in-house legal counsel and management, and 2.9 percent are employed in public interest/civil legal services positions.
Daniel Patten, a Belmont Law charter class member, is employed as an associate (healthcare) with Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis. “Completing Belmont’s Health Law Certificate was excellent preparation for my career,” he said. “The health courses and practicums not only provided a comprehensive legal and business foundation of the healthcare industry but also helped me develop practical skills that I use in my practice on a daily basis.”
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College of Law Announces Strong Employment Rate for Class of 2014 – News Story
College of Law Website
RELATED PRINCIPLES
01. Students will be at the center of all that we do.
02. Highest quality academic programs and excellence in teaching will be treasured.
Belmont Hosts 15th Annual Family Literacy Day
More than 140 Belmont students came together at Rose Park on Saturday, April 11, to celebrate the University’s 15th annual Family Literacy Day. Held every year, the event invites families from the Rose Park neighborhood to read with Belmont students to promote literacy throughout the community. This year, more than 160 community members registered for the event, doubling numbers from last year’s celebration.
Student organizations, campus departments and individual volunteers created reading groups, centered around a theme, and invited attendees to join their station for a book or two. Inside the Easley Community Center, students could participate in a variety of activities, all centered around celebrating reading. Activities included a free book “store,” poetry contest, book cake walk, reading crafts, face painting and Dr. Seuss games.rting enormous cartons of sweet potatoes into 5 lb bags, which would be weighed for accuracy and packed for shipping to food pantries and churches. A second group of faculty and staff members donned jackets and gloves and entered into a 40 degree refrigeration room to sort frozen meat and other products for packing and shipping.
This year’s event also included a participation incentive – the more the children read, the more stickers they received. The stickers were used inside the Center to participate in games and activities. The incentive was introduced to encourage attendees to enjoy the day and its festivities.
The event serves as a family friendly celebration for community members who live within the Rose Park neighborhood, but above all, it provides an opportunity for children to experience education in a new way. Allowing students to read outside with college students and receive prizes for doing so continues to encourage literacy and the chance for students to strengthen their reading skills.
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Belmont Hosts 15th Annual Family Literacy Day, Invites Neighborhood Children to ‘Read with Me’
Family Literacy Day Info
RELATED PRINCIPLES
10. We will cherish the privilege of service to others and the importance of our work.
Second Annual Employee Volunteer Day Harvests Good Works
Proving that many hands do indeed make light–and fun–work, more than 150 Belmont faculty and staff teamed together to volunteer at Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, a nonprofit that works to feed hungry people and solve hunger issues in Middle and West Tennessee. Belmont’s annual faculty/staff service project, which the University dubbed “It’s Bruin Time in the Community,” began in 2014 with employees spending a morning painting at Hunters Lane High School.
This year, with Vision 2020 ideals in mind, Belmont employees registered to serve during one of two three-hour shifts as part of the University’s ongoing commitment to be “‘Nashville’s University’, aligning Belmont’s vision and resources with the ever-changing needs of the people in our community. Divided into two teams upon arrival at Second Harvest’s Martin Distribution Center, one group was tasked with sorting enormous cartons of sweet potatoes into 5 lb bags, which would be weighed for accuracy and packed for shipping to food pantries and churches. A second group of faculty and staff members donned jackets and gloves and entered into a 40 degree refrigeration room to sort frozen meat and other products for packing and shipping.
Between the morning and afternoon shifts, Belmont employees sorted more than 15,000 lbs. of frozen foods and 30,000 lbs. of sweet potatoes for packing and delivery.
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Second Annual Employee Volunteer Day Harvests Good Works
RELATED PRINCIPLES
10. We will cherish the privilege of service to others and the importance of our work.
Belmont Unveils First Mobile App
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Belmont Unveils Official Mobile App
RELATED PRINCIPLES
01. Students will be at the center of all that we do. 07. Technology will be deployed to enhance learning and improve operational efficiency.
Campus Security Adopts Fuel-Efficient Patrol Cars
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Belmont Security Adopts Fuel-Efficient Ford Fusion Hybrid Patrol Cars
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07. Technology will be deployed to enhance learning and improve operational efficiency. 08. University resources will be applied to achieve high quality and to maintain momentum.
Masters of Science in Nursing Graduates Achieve 100% Pass Rate
Since 2004, all graduates of Belmont’s Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN) program for Family Nurse Practitioners (FNP), totaling 150 students, have passed the nursing certification exam on their first attempt. The 2015 class of 28 graduates passed the exam this spring.The School of Nursing began offering its MSN degree 20 years ago and with the creation of the Doctorate of Nursing, the graduate programs have grown to a record enrollment of 87 students in the fall of 2014. Prepared to practice in a variety of settings, FNPs provide primary health care to families and individuals of all ages. Graduates from Belmont’s program have gone on to practice in pediatrics, genetics, family practice and public health, among others.
The advanced practice nursing examination for FNPs is administered by the American Credential Center (ANCC) and validates nursing skills, knowledge and abilities. Since 1990, more than a quarter million nurses have been certified by ANCC and over 80,000 advanced practice nurses are currently certified by the ANCC. The certification is accepted by governing boards throughout the U.S. as well as insurers and the military.
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Belmont University’s Masters of Science in Nursing Graduates Achieve 100 Percent Pass Rate
RELATED PRINCIPLES
02. Highest quality academic programs and excellence in teaching will be treasured.
06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
Students Raise $47K for St. Jude
While most were sound asleep in their beds Jan. 30, 2015, more than 110 Belmont students were wide awake, playing games and raising more than $47,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
The event, appropriately named “Up ‘Til Dawn,” started at midnight and lasted until 6 a.m. Saturday morning. St. Jude is Belmont’s Greek Life philanthropy, but the event was planned by a campus-wide Up ‘Til Dawn Executive Board and was open to any student who individually raised $100 and could manage to stay awake all night.
“Up ‘Til Dawn” is the culmination of other campus events that have raised awareness all year. The event featured several activities including amazing race and arcade style games, a pancake breakfast, a silent disco and the chance to meet a St. Jude’s patient, among others. Several students even had their heads shaved to support the cause. Finally, the total amount raised was revealed onstage: $47,803.27.
With the extreme success the event saw, student leaders said they are hopeful the momentum created for St. Jude won’t stop here. “This is a great learning experience for Belmont students and gives them an opportunity to support an amazing cause. We hope for Belmont to continue ‘Up ‘Til Dawn,’ so that this may be an annual event that exceeds $47,000 every year,” said senior Executive Director Maddy Gross.
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Belmont Students Stay ‘Up ‘Til Dawn’ to Raise $47K for St. Jude
RELATED PRINCIPLES
01. Students will be at the center of all that we do.
03. Strong Christian character will be embedded in all that we do.
10. We will cherish the privilege of service to others and the importance of our work.
Belmont Welcomes Neighbors for Annual Community Day
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Belmont University Welcomes Local Residents for Seventh Annual Community Day
RELATED PRINCIPLES
10. We will cherish the privilege of service to others and the importance of our work.
Belmont Applies to Host Presidential Debate in 2016
On Jan. 12, 2015, Belmont University confirmed that it will apply to host a 2016 presidential or vice presidential debate and will officially submit its proposal to the Commission on Presidential Debates prior to the March 31 deadline. Belmont previously hosted the 2008 Town Hall Presidential Debate, moderated by NBC News’ Tom Brokaw, between then candidates Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama. The 2008 Town Hall Presidential Debate, the first to be held in Tennessee and the only one in which questions to the candidates were asked by citizen participants, scored a ratings coup both nationwide and locally.
According to Nielsen Media Ratings, more than 63.2 million homes nationwide tuned in to view the 2008 Town Hall Presidential Debate on Tues., Oct. 7, the largest television audience of the three presidential debates held that fall. In addition, the event attracted thousands of media and other visitors to Nashville and resulted in both an economic boost and more than 5,200 media hits in the days leading up to and following the debate. A writer for USA Today even noted, “Belmont University in Nashville proved that small places with big ambitions could be world-class stages.”
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Belmont Announces It Will Apply to Host Second Presidential Debate in 2016
RELATED PRINCIPLES
06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
Worship Grant Inspires Campus Community
Following a submission from Associate Professor of Theology Dr. Steve Guthrie, Belmont University was awarded a $14,300 “Vital Worship” grant in Summer 2014 from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship with funding provided by the Lilly Endowment. Connected in part to the opening in August of Belmont’s new Chapel, the grant focuses on two broad goals for 2014-15: to inform Belmont’s worship as a campus community and to encourage the community to fully inhabit the new worship space.
The grant funded a number of new initiatives during the fall 2014 semester, including a weekday morning prayer session in the Chapel which continued in the spring. (Students, staff and faculty were invited to attend Morning Prayer in the Chapel, each weekday from 7:30 to 7:50 a.m.). The grant also funded a series of chapel speakers, addressing worship from various perspectives. Dr. Karen Swanson from the Institute for Prison Ministry talked about worship in prison settings; art historian Dr. Daniel Siedell considered worship and modern art; and local pastors Rev. Aaron Bryant, Rev. Joshua Caler and Father Dexter Brewer talked about worship in the Baptist, Episcopal and Catholic traditions, respectively. A number of additional speakers were planned for the spring including sociologist Dr. Gerardo Marti (Worship Across the Racial Divide) and Nigerian-American author and poet Enuma Okoro.
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Grant Inspires Study, Renewal of Campus Worship
RELATED PRINCIPLES
03. Strong Christian character will be embedded in all that we do.
School of Nursing Reuses Simulation Equipment, Saves Thousands of Dollars
With the popularity of nursing on the rise, Assistant Nursing Professor Dr. Beth Hallmark said her interest in Belmont’s sustainability efforts began when she started to notice the increase of nursing students and the sheer volume of supplies needed.Simply recycling the equipment used by students wouldn’t have been adequate, since a large part of the lab is learning sterile techniques when opening equipment. To reproduce this experience for each student but cut down on cost, Hallmark decided to start the School of Nursing’s (SON) reuse program. Since simulations utilize state of the art mannequins and no contamination of supplies occurs, the reuse of simulation equipment is sanitary and safe.
Now, a number of student workers are trained to clean equipment once it has been used in a simulation. Using a detailed guide, workers re-package tools so they look the same for the next student who will open them. Hallmark takes the SON’s program one step further by personally traveling to area hospitals and healthcare organizations to collect unused and expired supplies that would have been thrown away. Since the simulations work only on mannequins, expired equipment can provide training for nursing students. The equipment that the SON cannot use or does not need is donated to a local nonprofit, ProjectCure.
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School of Nursing Saves Thousands of Dollars Annually Through Sustainability Efforts
RELATED PRINCIPLES
08. University resources will be applied to achieve high quality and to maintain momentum.
Doctor of Nursing Practice Programs Granted CCNE Accreditation
Belmont’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) was granted full accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education’s (CCNE) Board of Commissioners. The University began its Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) to DNP program in the fall of 2012 with 5 students. In the fall of 2013, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) to DNP program was launched. In the fall of 2014, the programs together totaled 28 enrolled students.
With the first graduating class in May 2014, Belmont has seen great success with both DNP tracks. 75 percent of these graduates were invited to present their scholarly project, a required portion of their degree track, at a national meeting of nurse practitioners.
The School of Nursing aims to produce nursing professionals that can assist in transforming our nation’s health care industry, said Dr. Martha Buckner, associate dean of nursing. With a focus on a collaborative educational environment, the School is committed to identifying needs within the industry and producing additional tracks that meet those needs.
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Doctor of Nursing Practice Programs Granted CCNE Accreditation
RELATED PRINCIPLES
01. Students will be at the center of all that we do.
02. Highest quality academic programs and excellence in teaching will be treasured.
06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
Enacts Partners with Math Program to Teach Children STEM Skills
On Nov. 3, 2014, Belmont Enactus—a student organization dedicated to using entrepreneurial actions to transform lives and build a better, more sustainable world—partnered with If I Had a Hammer to host a build on Belmont’s campus with a local 5th grade class serving as the construction crew.
If I Had a Hammer is an applied mathematics program that emboldens and teaches children the value and relevance of STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) through the fun, real-life experience of building a house. Belmont’s Enactus Chapter
About 20 students from Rose Park Math & Science Magnet Middle School participated in the educational build. If I Had a Hammer is an applied mathematics program that emboldens and teaches children the value and relevance of STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) through the fun, real-life experience of building a house.
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Enactus Students Partner with Innovative Math Program to Teach STEM Skills to Children
If I Had a Hammer Website
RELATED PRINCIPLES
02. Highest quality academic programs and excellence in teaching will be treasured.
10. We will cherish the privilege of service to others and the importance of our work.
Bridges to Belmont, Metro Agencies Host Rose Park Halloween Bash
The Scholars Council was happy to take on the annual event, as community service and selflessness is a key component in the Bridges to Belmont program. Program Director Mary Clark said, “Events like this are always a great way to reach out to the local community and for Belmont faculty, staff and students to be a blessing to someone else.”
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RELATED PRINCIPLES
04. Diversity will be enhanced across the university community.
10. We will cherish the privilege of service to others and the importance of our work.
Foreign Ambassadors Visit Belmont as Part of ‘Experience America‘ Tour
As part of an event organized by the Nashville Chamber of Commerce, the Nashville Health Care Council and Belmont, the group of dignitaries paid a visit to Belmont University to engage with prominent business and community leaders as well as local entrepreneurs.
Other stops on the ambassadors tour included the Grand Ole Opry, the Hermitage, the Governor’s Mansion, the set of ABC television show “Nashville,” the Country Music Hall of Fame, Vanderbilt University and the Nissan Manufacturing Plant.
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Belmont Hosts Foreign Ambassadors for ‘Entrepreneurial Spirit of Nashville’ Discussion
RELATED PRINCIPLES
06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
10. We will cherish the privilege of service to others and the importance of our work.
College of Theology and Christian Ministry Hosts Regional Festival for Academy of Preachers
Belmont’s College of Theology and Christian Ministry hosted a Regional Festival for the Academy of Preachers on campus Oct. 24-25.
The Academy of Preachers is an organization that seeks to inspire young adults ages 14-28 to explore their call to gospel preaching. The Academy hosts three regional festivals throughout the country and one national festival each year. Among the young preachers were Belmont alumni Larry Terrell Crudup (’10) and Sarah Garrett (’13) and current students Julia Crone and Brooke Pernice.
All four Belmont students and alumni will likely participate in the national festival in Dallas in January. In addition, the young preachers participated in peer group conversations about preaching and listened to sermons from Dean Darrell Gwaltney, as well as professors from Sewanee: The University of the South, Trevecca Nazarene University and Vanderbilt Divinity School.
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CTCM Hosts Regional Festival for Academy of Preachers
Academy of Preachers Website
RELATED PRINCIPLES
01. Students will be at the center of all that we do..
03. Strong Christian character will be embedded in all that we do.
10. We will cherish the privilege of service to others and the importance of our work.
Curb College named a Top Music Business Education School by Billboard Magazine
Belmont University’s Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business has been recognized as one of the top colleges and universities to learn about the music industry, according to a recent survey on music business education conducted by Billboard Magazine.
The survey highlights universities and other educational institutions giving students the opportunity to learn about the music business with hands-on experience and classes taught by teachers from the industry. Those schools are increasingly responding to the changes shaping both education and the music business, according to the survey.
Established with the support of former performer, songwriter, record company executive and one-time president of MGM Records Mike Curb, Curb College takes full advantage of its location in Music City, says music business adjunct professor David Schrieber.
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Billboard Recognizes Curb College a Top Music Business Education School
Billboard Article: Music Business 101
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01. Students will be at the center of all that we do.
02. Highest quality academic programs and excellence in teaching will be treasured.
06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
Biology Faculty Learn Latest Genomic, Bioinformatics Technologies
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Biology Faculty Attend iPlant Bio Genomics in Education Workshop
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02. Highest quality academic programs and excellence in teaching will be treasured.
Belmont University Named A College of Distinction
Belmont University was again named among the nation’s Colleges of Distinction for providing innovative, teacher-centered undergraduate education and preparing graduates for real-world success.
Based on the opinions of guidance counselors, educators and admissions professionals, the website and college guide profiles more than 220 of America’s best higher education honors colleges that excel in four areas of undergraduate education: student engagement in the educational process, great teaching, vibrant learning communities and successful outcomes.
Aside from the academic experience offered at the institutions selected, Colleges of Distinction are also chosen based on their first year program and experimental components of the curriculum. The organization believes institutions should be judged on what they are doing now and the development of their strategic plan, instead of their prestige historically.
Belmont is profiled on the Colleges of Distinction website and in the official Colleges of Distinction eGuidebook, which is available via online retailers and distributed free-of-charge to over 40,000 high school and community college counselors.
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Belmont University Named a College of Distinction
Colleges of Distinction Website
RELATED PRINCIPLES
01. Students will be at the center of all that we do.
02. Highest quality academic programs and excellence in teaching will be treasured.
06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
New 300-Seat Campus Chapel Unveiled
Belmont students, faculty and staff have the opportunity to attend services in the new chapel on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 10 a.m. where, in addition to participating in student-led worship music, they can listen to nationally acclaimed scholars address a myriad of topics through the lens of faith.
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Belmont Opens First Intentionally Designed Chapel Space in 124-Year History
RELATED PRINCIPLES
03. Strong Christian character will be embedded in all that we do.
Occupational Therapy Students, Faculty Begin Year with Service
Through these service experiences, students got to know each other while learning about organizations in the Belmont community and being introduced to service, which is a key value of the University and a central theme in the occupational therapy curriculum design.
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Occupational Therapy Students, Faculty Begin Year with Service
RELATED PRINCIPLES
03. Strong Christian character will be embedded in all that we do.
Top 5! Belmont Achieves Its Goal in Annual U.S. News College Ranking
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Belmont’s Vision 2015
Belmont catapults into Top 5 for America’s Best Colleges in the South
RELATED PRINCIPLES
01. Students will be at the center of all that we do. 02. Highest quality academic programs and excellence in teaching will be treasured. 06. The reputation of Belmont University will be strengthened.
New Belmont Students Continue Tradition of Service
“This event has been going on at Belmont for at least 15 years. It’s so Belmont when our students go out into the community and serve. What I hope for you and for our community is that it will trigger an ongoing quest in you to find what you are uniquely made to do to serve others,” Fisher told 1,750 students before they departed campus for 13 sites across the city, including three Metro Nashville Public Schools and nonprofit organizations like Preston Taylor Ministries.
An annual Welcome Week tradition for more than a decade, SERVE provides a perfect tie-in to Belmont’s ongoing commitment to engage students in their community and encourage the values of service on both a local and global level.
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Students Continue SERVE Tradition
RELATED PRINCIPLES
08. University resources will be applied to achieve high quality and to maintain momentum.
Wedgewood Academic Center Marks New Space for Colleges, Classes, Parking
After 27 months of construction, Belmont University administrators, trustees and student representatives officially cut the ribbon on Aug. 16, 2014, to signify the grand opening of the Wedgewood Academic Center. The new center is Belmont’s largest campus building to date
The 186,000-square-foot structure includes an additional 159,500 square feet for parking located on the corner of Wedgewood and 15th Avenues. From the five-level underground garage that is built to hold 430 vehicles to the Fifth Floor Conference Room offering a perfect bird’s eye view of Nashville’s skyline, the building stands as a new cornerstone for the University that seeks to serve both its growing student body and its dynamic hometown.
The Wedgewood Academic Center will house three colleges: the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, the College of Sciences and Mathematics and the College of Theology and Christian Ministry. Every undergraduate student will take courses in the building as part of the University’s general education curriculum. The new facility more than doubles the physical space the colleges — which consist of more than 50 undergraduate programs — occupied previously. In addition, the structure also houses Belmont’s new 300-seat chapel, which hosts services every Monday, Wednesday and Friday as well as special events throughout the year.
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Belmont Celebrates Grand Opening of Wedgewood Academic Center
RELATED PRINCIPLES
01. Students will be at the center of all that we do.
08. University resources will be applied to achieve high quality and to maintain momentum.
Two Oaks Provides More Upperclassmen Residence Space
On Aug. 11, 2014, Belmont celebrated the opening of its largest residence hall to date, Two Oaks, a 139,000-square-foot building that features a mix of apartment-style and suite-style rooms with spaces for 418 upperclassmen students. In addition to residential space, the project includes the expansion and extension of the Thrailkill Garage to accommodate an additional 352 vehicles.
The building is named for two large oak trees on the site that provide natural beauty and shade to the building and courtyard. The new hall’s footprint was designed to save the trees as Belmont continues to emphasize environmental sustainability with this construction. The facility also uses a high-efficiency drip irrigation system, water-saving faucet aerators and low ‘e’ insulated glass as well as energy efficient lighting, appliances and mechanical systems.
As the University focuses on student centeredness, Two Oaks fuses academics and lifestyle with a common study area on each floor with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a courtyard. The lowest level includes two multipurpose rooms to accommodate classes and group meetings. Apartments on the building’s north end feature an incredible view of the downtown Nashville skyline from the living room spaces.
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RELATED PRINCIPLES
01. Students will be at the center of all that we do.
08. University resources will be applied to achieve high quality and to maintain momentum.
‘Bridges to Belmont’ Grows Stronger with New Staff, Summer Academy
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Belmont Launches ‘Bridges to Belmont’ ‘Bridges to Belmont’ Expands ‘Bridges’ Hires Permanent Staff
RELATED PRINCIPLES
01. Students will be at the center of all that we do. 04. Diversity will be enhanced across the university community. 08. University resources will be applied to achieve high quality and to maintain momentum. 10. We will cherish the privilege of service to others and the importance of our work.
Belmont Hosts Frist, Gates, Hamilton for Community Conversation
Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D., founder of Hope Through Healing Hands (HTHH), and Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, led a community conversation July 14 in Belmont’s Maddox Grand Atrium on “The Mother & Child Project: Simple Steps to Saving Lives in the Developing World.” More than 250 individuals representing the faith community, global health NGO and higher-education sectors throughout greater Nashville attended the discussion, hosted by Belmont University.
In addition to opening the event, Belmont Provost Dr. Thomas Burns and HTHH Executive Director Dr. Jenny Eaton Dyer also announced that this fall they would award the first Frist Global Health Fellowship to enable a Belmont graduate student to be immersed for a semester in a global health experience. U.S. Olympic figure skating champion Scott Hamilton, who with his wife Tracie is an active global health advocate, moderated the event, posing questions to Frist and Gates about their experiences.
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Frist, Gates Lead Conversation of ‘Mother & Child Project’
RELATED PRINCIPLES
01. Students will be at the center of all that we do.
03. Strong Christian character will be embedded in all that we do.
10. We will cherish the privilege of service to others and the importance of our work.