November 20, 2009
York, Churchman Published in Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
Dr. Grady “Stan” York, assistant professor of management, and Dr. Richard Churchman, associate professor of management, recently had their article "Understanding the Association Between Employee Satisfaction and Family Perceptions of the Quality of Care in Hospice Service Delivery” published in the November 2009 edition of the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. The Journal of Pain and Symptom Management is an internationally respected, peer-reviewed journal and serves an interdisciplinary audience of professionals by providing a forum for the publication of the latest clinical research and best practices related to the relief of illness burden among patients afflicted with serious or life-threatening illness.
Posted November 20, 2009. #.
Bunch Library Faculty Publish and Present
Bunch Library's Courtney Fuson, electronic & educational resources librarian, and Jenny Rushing, coordinator of reference services, published a paper on their outreach efforts to middle Tennessee school librarians with the Conversations@Belmont program in College & Research Libraries News called “Climbing out of the ‘Ivory Tower’: Conversations between Academic and School Librarians and Teachers.” Click here to read the article.
In addition, Rushing along with Reference Librarians Rachel Scott and Judy Williams presented at the Tennessee Library Association annual conference on the development of an information literacy program, and the paper, “From 0 to 200!: Building an Information Literacy Program from the Ground Up!” was published this month in Tennessee Libraries. Click here to read the article.
Rushing and Collection Management Librarian Dawn Stephen presented this month at the 29th Annual Charleston Conference on Issues in Book and Serial Acquisition in the innovation session. Their presentation, titled “Tying Information Literacy to a Library Materials Budget,” described the recent revision of the library allocations formula to include an information literacy component.
Posted November 20, 2009. #.
First Year Writing Students Lead Poetry Reading with Carter-Lawrence Elementary
As the culminating event of a semester spent working with children at Carter-Lawrence Elementary Magnet School, Dr. Linda Holt (English) and the students from her First Year Writing classes hosted a poetry reading in the Vince Gill Room on Nov. 16. A group of more than 50 Belmont students, Carter-Lawrence students and their parents gathered to share poetry composed by the Carter-Lawrence children in collaboration with their Belmont Buddies. Belmont student Sam Sheryll entertained the arriving guests with his keyboard, and Ms. Jana Whittle, media specialist at Carter-Lawrence, welcomed the group, thanking those involved for their participation and continued support of the Belmont/Carter-Lawrence partnership.
Belmont University has partnered with Carter-Lawrence for more than 10 years in a series of service-learning classes, a relationship originally established by Provost Dr. Marcia McDonald. To date, well over 500 Belmont students have participated. The partnership is grounded in the desire to enhance literacy, but the true value of the experience for all parties involved is the relationships that develop. The Partners in Poetry event marks the first time members of the Carter-Lawrence community have come to Belmont’s campus.
Posted November 20, 2009. #.
Six Computer Science Students Attend Big LAMP Camp
On Nov. 7, Belmont computer science students Heather Ellis, Ross Buffington, Will Proffitt, Rachelle Holloman, John Leonardini and Andrew Turner attended the Big LAMP Camp at The Factory in Franklin, Tennessee. Together with hundreds of LAMP (Linux, Apache, My SQL and Perl, PHP or Python) developers, they gathered to learn about the inner workings of the LAMP software suite from bleeding edge technologists and business innovators. The Camp offered direct access to the coders who use, troubleshoot and evangelize the LAMP software suite, providing an excellent recruiting opportunity for firms that require exceptional talent. In addition, the credibility and authority of the Camp speakers provided a high-powered, training opportunity for development teams and our students.
Posted November 20, 2009. #.
Belmont PRSSA Receives National Awards
The Belmont Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) received two national chapter awards and two national student awards at the recent 2009 PRSSA National Conference in San Diego. Belmont’s chapter was one of six chapters nationally to receive a Star Chapter Award. The new award recognizes chapter performance in 10 categories including ethics advocacy.
The chapter also received a national Ethics Advocacy Award. The chapter tied for third place, bringing home its third award in four years in this category. Sarah Norton, president of the Belmont Chapter of PRSSA, received the Altschul Champions for PRSSA Outstanding Internship Award, which includes a $300 scholarship. The award recognizes extraordinary success in a public relations internship. MacKenzie Fischer, a May 2009 public relations graduate, received a PRSSA Presidential Citation for her leadership in Tower Creative Consultants, the Belmont student-run public relations firm.
The ethics advocacy award received by the chapter includes $500 to the chapter and $100 to the faculty advisor, Bonnie Riechert. Representing Belmont at the conference were chapter officers Norton and Bethany Nelson, as well as Riechert and Susan Barnes, faculty members. One of 284 chapters nationally, the Belmont Chapter of PRSSA was chartered in 2005 and has received previous national awards for Ethics Advocacy, Chapter Development and Outstanding Relationship with its sponsoring professional chapter.
Posted November 20, 2009. #.
Littlejohn in China, Speaks on the Wisdom of Daoism
On Nov. 5, the First International Summit on Laozi and Daoist Culture was held in Beijing, attracting 600 professionals, scholars, Daoists and followers of Daoism. One of the keynote speakers was Dr. Ronnie Littlejohn, chair of the department of philosophy and director of Asian studies, whose recently published book is titled Daoism: An Introduction. "My own belief is that Daoism's contribution to the world will lie in what it can offer to an understanding of religious experiences and the human encounter with the numinal," Littlejohn said in his paper, "How Daoism Can Be for the World."
The two-day summit, with the theme of "Daoism, Science, Harmony, Health," was sponsored by the China Research Association of Laozi Daoism Culture (CRALDC). Fulfilling the guideline of "creating a harmonious society together," participants explored the strategic meaning of what Daoism's innovation means to the world. They also reflected on the prospects of the Daoist culture in the 21st century.
Posted November 20, 2009. #.
Ward Attends Conference, Makes Presentation
Barbara Ward, assistant professor in the department of mathematics and computer science, recently attended the 21st Annual Conference of the Eastern Regional Competency-Based Education Consortium (ERCBEC) in Myrtle Beach. Ward received full funding from the American Statistical Association to participate in the workshop "Improving the Value of a First Course in Statistics." She also gave a presentation titled “Teaching a First Course in Statistics for Science Majors.”
Posted November 20, 2009. #.
Oglesby-Pitts Presents at the Greater Nashville Alliance of Black School Educators
Dr. Myron Oglesby-Pitts, assistant professor of education, recently presented at the Greater Nashville Alliance of Black School Educators (GNABSE) on "The 'I' Factor: Transferring Resilience to Organizational Leadership." The “I” factors were identified in successful leaders who knew and understood that resilience in families could be replicated in their schools. Steven B. McCrary, President-Elect of the GNABSE, wrote the following about the presentation in a thank you letter to Dr. Oglesby-Pitt: “I want to thank you for participating in GNABSE’s Educational Forum. Your participation was a display of your support of our organization, your commitment to the community and to the children of Middle Tennessee. Your workshop for administrators went far beyond our themes, 'Educating our Children to Become Tomorrow’s Leaders' and has challenged us to meet the challenges of our youth head on." Along with Dr. Oglesby-Pitts’ presentation, Dr. Jesse Register, director of Metropolitan Nashville Schools, also spoke.
Posted November 20, 2009. #.
Osborn Featured in a Local Art Show
Dr. Ginger Osborn, assistant professor of philosophy, has five works of art on display in a show in the “Art Gallery” meeting room of The University Club at 2402 Garland Avenue off 25th Avenue. The show runs from Nov. 12-Dec. 30; all of the works are in oil. The show also features the work of Osborn's sister, Rebecca Marshall, as well as Gayle Levee, Gary English, and other notables. The name of the show is “Eclectic, too” in honor of the diverse styles and subjects the artists chose to exhibit. There is no admission charge. The best time to see the works is daily between 2-5 p.m., but visitors are encouraged to call ahead to be sure the room is not in use: 615-322-8564.
Posted November 20, 2009. #.
Watkins Participates in VSA Arts of Tennessee Awards Ceremony
Dr. Cynthia Watkins, associate professor of education, recently took part in the VSA Arts of Tennessee awards ceremony at Dollywood. The VSA Arts is an international non-profit organization founded in 1974 by Jean Kennedy Smith to create opportunities for people with disabilities to learn through, participate in and enjoy the arts. The Tennessee affiliate holds a statewide competition for any vocalist or musician under the age of 25 with any form of disability to compete. The top five contestants are invited to perform several pieces, live, on stage at Dollywood. Watkins is a member of the VSA Arts Tennessee board and assisted with the participants and the presentation of awards at Dollywood.
Posted November 20, 2009. #.
Acree Serves as National Science Foundation Mathematics Reviewer
Dr. Glenn Acree, professor in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, recently served as chair of a panel charged with reviewing grant proposals for the National Science Foundation. The NSF review panels met Nov. 4-6 in Arlington, Virginia. The grant applications were for the Scholarships for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program which seeks to increase the quality and number of undergraduates with majors in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
This fall the Belmont University School of Sciences is benefiting from its own S-STEM grant through which five entering freshman are receiving $10,000 scholarships. These scholarships are renewable for up to four years. Five additional Pathways Scholars will be added each year for the next 3 years, so that a total of 20 students in the sciences will be supported by the grant. Belmont has committed to sustaining this grant beyond the NSF funding period.
Posted November 20, 2009. #.
November 18, 2009
Ethics Bowl Team to Compete in National Championship
Belmont's Ethics Bowl team finished in the top tier of the Mid-Central Regional Competition last weekend and will represent Belmont at the Ethics Bowl National Championship in Cincinnati next March. In addition to the Belmont team, teams from Indiana University, The University of Kentucky and Wright State University will represent the Mid-Central Region in the national competition. The Belmont team finished the competition ahead of eleven other teams, including those from The University of Michigan, DePauw University, Butler University, Marian University, Taylor University and Univ of Southern Indiana.
The College of Business Administration’s Ethics Bowl team is coached by Jennifer Wilgus, Harold Fogelberg and Harry Hollis. The student team members, pictured left to right, include Stas Ghiletchi, Sammi Parks, Lindsey Ricker, Susan Harbison, Kathleen Bond, Nick Calderwood, Eric Deems.
Posted November 18, 2009. #.
Prospective Students Gather for College of Law's First Information Session
Prospective students of Belmont's College of Law gathered at an information session Wednesday evening that included an opportunity to meet the College's founding dean, Jeff Kinsler. The session was met with outstanding enthusiasm, attracting nearly 120 attendees who expressed serious interest in the College of Law. The strength of this early response is promising for the College's success as the first new Middle Tennessee law school in nearly a century.
Dean Jeff Kinsler served as Dean of Appalachian School of Law during a period of significant growth and is currently a professor of law and senior scholar at Elon University in North Carolina. Kinsler graduated first in his class from Valparaiso University School of Law in 1989 and obtained a master of laws degree from Yale University in 1996. Kinsler will be joining the preparations for the fall 2011 opening of the College of Law next spring. The College will enroll 350 students when at peak capacity.
Posted November 18, 2009. #.
November 13, 2009
School of Nursing Hosts Simulation Conference
Nearly 150 educators and hospital administrators from Tennessee and various other states attended the second annual Tennessee Nursing Simulation Conference at Belmont University last weekend. The conference was presented by Belmont’s School of Nursing and The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee through a grant from the Partners Investing in Nursing’s Future – a collaborative initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Northwest Health Foundation.
The conference theme was Education and Practice: Working Together to Improve Patient Outcomes and included over 40 sessions which covered all aspects of medical simulation. The conference was designed to provide a comprehensive overview of simulation technology and resources and to build communication networks for educators in Tennessee. Conference faculty included nationally renowned experts on simulation technology in healthcare education and training from such institutions as Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt Medical Center, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital, Fort Sanders Regional Hospital, Austin Peay State University, Maury Regional Medical Center, Union University, University of Kentucky School of Nursing, Tennessee Center for Nursing and Belmont University.
Belmont’s Gordon E. Inman Center and Healthcare Simulation Center provided excellent facilities for the conference, with comfortable meeting rooms and state-of-the-art laboratories and simulation mannequins. The Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences and Nursing is a Laerdal Center of Educational Excellence for simulation, one of only 12 such centers designated in the United States. Also featured were demonstrations by several companies, including Laerdal, METI, Elsevier, Pocket Nurse, and Kyoto Kagaku, all which specialize in the latest simulation equipment and accessories.
Posted November 13, 2009. #.
Sport Science Instructor Writes Article for Nashville Lifestyles
Dr. Tiffany Watson Breeding, adjunct professor of Sport Science, will be writing a monthly article for Nashville Lifestyles magazine. Dr. Watson Breeding is a performance enhancement consultant for Focus Fitness and has a private practice, The MindBody Doctor.
In the articles, Watson Breeding will discuss health, wellness, fitness and more. This month’s column offers advice and motivation for developing routines to stay healthy through the holiday season. Click here to view the article.
Posted November 13, 2009. #.
Political Science Major Attends Air Force Conference
Political Science major Cassandra Wade recently attended the 51st annual Air Force Academy Undergraduate Student Conference. The topic for this year’s Academy Assembly was “Building the Bridge from War to Peace: Defining Interagency Roles in Rebuilding a Nation.” Each day, student delegates listened to experts in various fields and immediately thereafter engaged in a roundtable discussion with members representing both civilian and military personnel. The roundtables urged delegates to discuss when war ends and when reconstruction begins, as well as the responsibilities of military and civilian agencies in effectively repairing a war ravaged area. After the conference, Wade commented that “the arguments were intense and enlightening; the Assembly made me realize that international relations is most definitely the career that I want to pursue.”
Posted November 13, 2009. #.
November 11, 2009
Belmont Takes Top Honor at Missouri Speech and Debate Tournament
On Nov. 6-8, the Belmont University Speech and Debate team attended the University of Central Missouri to compete in the “Missouri Mule” debate and events tournament. Out of the 26 universities in attendance, Belmont was recognized as the first place overall team at the competition with every team member receiving at least one award. Click the more button below for a complete listing of all award winners.
Posted November 11, 2009. #.
More Than 300 Attend Career Day
Belmont’s annual Career Day was held on Wed., Oct. 28 in Neely and the Black and White Dining Room. Representatives from 50 regional companies and organizations and 15 graduate and professional schools provided information about career paths and opportunities to more than 300 students and alumni.
Posted November 11, 2009. #.
Voight Speaks at International Conference
Dr. Mike Voight, professor of Physical Therapy, was one of two keynote speakers at XI Jornadas Nacionales y Internacional de Fisioterapia held in Madrid, Spain recently. The event was held in conjunction with the Spanish Olympic Committee and hosted at their National headquarters. The topic of Voight’s presentation was "Current Concepts in Hip Pathology." In addition, Voight was also a guest of the Spanish Soccer Federation and the Real Madrid Football club and spent time in their facilities.
Posted November 11, 2009. #.
November 09, 2009
Business Students Inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma
Belmont’s chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma inducted 17 new members from the School of Business Administration, Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business and Massey Graduate School of Business. Only business students who earn the distinction of the “Best in Business” during their academic careers qualify for membership.
These new members join an expanding worldwide network of more than 600,000 outstanding business professionals who have earned recognition through lifetime membership in Beta Gamma Sigma. Students ranking in the top 10 percent of the baccalaureate and top 20 percent of graduate programs at schools accredited by AACSB International (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) are eligible for this invitation. Beta Gamma Sigma membership is an international honor, and these students have received the highest recognition a business student anywhere in the world can receive.
Those inducted at the November 6 ceremony were Zachary T. DeWall, Benjamin Digby, Kelsi Farmer, Sara Elise Full, Sara Nicole Grosdidier, Emily Rose Hollingsworth, Catharine Elizabeth Hooks, Anna Knight, Aaron M. Mrozik, Hilary Bays Neblett, Oliver Cody Norris, Jason P. Piland, Joseph L. Pittman, Kelly L. Redfern, Payton McClain Reid, Kalee Sorey and Rebecca L. Tatum.
Posted November 09, 2009. #.
Alums Help Restore Widow’s Home, Raise Funds for Adoption
Belmont alums Tim and Carrie Tweten recently helped fix up a Franklin widow’s home in an effort to raise money to fund their adoption of two Russian orphans. Many volunteers participated in the event and asked for sponsorship to go towards the adoption. Volunteers painted, cleaned up trash, installed lighting fixtures and more. A video describing the day and telling the story is available to view here. The service project was assisted by the organization Both Hands, which seeks to help fix up widows homes with the help of supply donations from companies and individual sponsorships of volunteers. For more information, click here.
Posted November 09, 2009. #.
November 06, 2009
Trocino Featured in City Paper
Junior Jayme Trocino was recently featured in the City Paper for her performance on the Belmont women's soccer team and her accomplishments as a nursing major, balancing hours of practical experience in hospitals with the practices that helped the team win its first A-Sun regular season crown. Click here to read the article.
Posted November 06, 2009. #.
PT Students Pitch In for 'Miles and Music for Kids' Event
During the October celebration of national physical therapy month, approximately 100 Belmont University Physical Therapy students and faculty volunteered their time to assist with the organization and on-site operation for the 4th annual Dierks Bentley Miles & Music for Kids charity motorcycle ride and concert to benefit Vanderbilt’s Children Hospital. This year, over $215,000 was raised for the children of the hospital. Since the inception of this annual event, over $800,000 has been raised to benefit Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital and the Children’s Miracle Network.
A couple of days before the ride and concert, Bentley surprised the physical therapy students by coming to class to thank them personally for all their hard work in making this event a success. Bentley told the students "We could not have taken this event to the level it now is without the help of my friend Mike Voight and his students at Belmont University.” He explained that this year’s money would be going directly to families who had children being treated at the hospital so they could concentrate on their child’s needs rather than worrying about “all the other stuff” associated with their child’s illness.
The event took place on Oct. 11 with over a thousand leather-clad bikers joining Bentley for the ride into Nashville. Starting at the Cool Springs Harley Davidson in Franklin, Tenn., the long line of motorcycles wound its way through the Natchez Trace and then downtown to Riverfront Park. Once there, Bentley was joined by several celebrity friends to entertain thousands of fans with an open air concert. Physical Therapy Professor Mike Voight, who coordinated Belmont’s participation with the event, said, "This was a great learning experience and fun event for our students. Not only did they get to meet and work with the stars of country music, they also helped the community in a large way.”
Posted November 06, 2009. #.
McGrew Presents Poster at Neuroscience Meeting
Dr. Lori McGrew, associate professor in the Department of Biology, recently attended the Society for Neuroscience's annual meeting in Chicago held October 17-21 along with students Alyson Singh, Kelli Boone and Abby Murphy. This annual meeting provides the world's largest forum for neuroscientists to debut research and network with colleagues from around the world. The attendance at Neuroscience 2009, SfN's 39th annual meeting, topped more than 30,500. At the meeting McGrew presented a poster titled "Using Case Studies to Teach Neuroscience" while the students presented a poster on their Summer Scholar Community research titled "The Effects of Serotonin and Nicotine Treatment on Working Memory in Zebrafish."
Posted November 06, 2009. #.
Lind Gives Talk at Analysis and Probability Research Seminar
Dr. Joan Lind, assistant professor, Mathematics & Computer Science Department, gave an invited talk to a joint Analysis and Probability Research Seminar at the University of Tennessee on Oct. 21. The title of the talk was "Fractal Curves and Phases of the Loewner Equation." In the talk Dr. Lind showcased pictures created by the computer program BLEAT(Belmont Loewner Equation Analysis Tool). BLEAT was developed by Belmont students Andrew Hill, Matt Lefavor and Ben Stein to simulate solutions to Loewner's differential equation.
Posted November 06, 2009. #.
Magruder Publishes Paper
Dr. Robert Magruder, professor and chair of the Chemistry & Physics Department, recently had a paper accepted for publication. The paper is titled "Structure and Properties of Nanoparticles Formed by Ion Implantation" and was published in Topics in Applied Physics, Volume 116, October 2009. Click here to view the paper.
Posted November 06, 2009. #.
Buffington Presents Talk at ACM Conference
On Nov. 13, Belmont senior Ross Buffington will present a talk on "Game Implementation for Increasing Mental Engagement of Security Professionals" at the 2009 Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Mid-Southeast Conference in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. In addition, Dr. William Hooper (Math/Computer Science) will be giving a talk on assembly language programming with the Sony PlayStation 3.
Buffington, a computer science major, spent this past summer conducting research at the University of Houston, Texas that was funded by the National Science Foundation. He worked in the University of Houston's Computational Physiology Laboratory with a number of master's and post-doctorate students. This experience allowed Ross to further his understanding and competence in developing applications for the iPhone. Prior to the Houston research experience, Ross had spent the entire school year independently learning how to write software for the device.
Through his research he created "The Sky is Falling," a computer based, two-dimensional, game which overlays on top of the live video feed of a security camera. The purpose of the game is to increase the cognitive engagement of a security guard when charged with the task of monitoring video feeds for hours on end. A secondary purpose of the application was to promote physical activity of the security guard. This was accomplished by incorporating the iPhone as a game controller-device, allowing a user to wirelessly interact with their computer using the iPhone.
Posted November 06, 2009. #.
Hachtel Approved as Mediator
Dr. Yvette Hachtel, professor in Belmont's School of Occupational Therapy, has been approved as a Rule 31 Listed General Civil Mediator and will begin work as a mediator in civil cases in conjunction with Tennessee's Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) proceedings. After years of work in Sumner County's Victim and Offenders Reconciliation Program, Hachtel qualifies for Rule 31 status and will work on cases judges assign to Tennessee's ADR program. Through her position as a mediator, Hachtel will be an impartial aid in helping parties involved in civil cases to resolve their disputes outside of the courtroom.
Posted November 06, 2009. #.
Speech and Debate Team Continues Winning Streak
Belmont's Speech and Debate Team competed at the Berea/Cumberland swing tournament Oct. 23-30 in Berea, Kentucky. With 27 universities in attendance, Belmont won first place in the individual events division at both tournaments and placed second in the debate division (fourth overall).
Individual awards included the following:
Debate Awards
Andrew Bishop – 2nd place Overall Novice Speaker
Andrew Bishop / Mike White – 1st place Novice Debate Team
Wesley Rainer / Tyler Kimbro – Varsity Debate Quarter-Finalists
Team: 2nd place, Small School Division
University of the Cumberlands Events Tournament
Eric Schoen: Dramatic Interpretation, 4th place; Communication Analysis, 5th place; Duo Interpretation, 4th place; Pentathlon Competitor, 4th place
Kate Tully: Programmed Oral Interpretation, Top Novice; After Dinner Speaking, 5th place
Jaiden Phelps: Persuasive Speaking, Top Novice; Impromptu Speaking, Top Novice
Nicole Bright: Duo Interpretation, 4th place
Team: 1st place, Small School Division
Berea College Events Tournament
Nicole Bright: Programmed Oral Interpretation, 5th place; Duo Interpretation, 6th place
Jessica Plowman: Extemporaneous Speaking, Semi-finalist
Haley Wilson: Extemporaneous Speaking, Top Novice
Bethany Miller: Impromptu Speaking, Semi-finalist
Eric Schoen: Duo Interpretation, 6th place
Kate Tully: After Dinner Speaking, Top Novice
Team: 1st place, Small School Division
Posted November 06, 2009. #.
Hoogestraat Presents at TAHPERD
Dr. Fran Hoogestraat (Sport Science) recently made a presentation at the meeting of the Tennessee Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (TAHPERD) in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The presentation was titled "Worst Practices for Coaches and WHY!"
Posted November 06, 2009. #.
