June 26, 2009
Belmont in Japan 2009 Returns
The third Belmont in Japan Travel-Study Abroad group returned to the U.S. earlier this month after three weeks of exploring Japan’s history, culture, society and economy both in class and out. The three weeks also provided an opportunity for all participants to get outside their comfort zones as they navigated their way around places such as Tokyo, Kyoto, Nagasaki, Hiroshima and Osaka. They visited historic sites such as Japan’s first capital at Nara and modern ones like the Shinjuku district in Tokyo. They saw Zen gardens at various temples and a Toyota assembly line. The students kept a blog and slideshow detailing their experiences which can be viewed at forum.belmont.edu/japan.
This year’s trip, directed by Dr. Cynthia Bisson (History) and Dr. Marieta Velikova (COBA), emphasized Japan’s history and economy with a special focus on women’s roles in Japan. Drawn from a variety of majors, the 10 students who went were Annalise Emerick, Shannon St-Clair, Ryan McFadden, Aaron Phipps, Brenda Jones, Taylor Martin, Gabrielle Facey, Hunter Wilkinson, James Ruehlmann and James Richard.
Posted June 26, 2009. #.
June 25, 2009
Human Resources Staff Accepts Excellence Award
Belmont University's Office of Human Resources won the 2009 HR Excellence Award in the eighth annual HR Excellence Program hosted by the Middle Tennessee Society of Human Resource Management (MT|SHRM) and the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. Belmont's Human Resources staff was recognized at a luncheon last week at the Cool Springs Embassy Suites. Accepting on behalf of Belmont were (pictured l-r) Mandy Hodge, Donna Gwaltney, Deborah Nunn Baruzzini, Sally McKay and Susan Saunders.
Launched in 2002, the HR Excellence Program recognizes organizations in Middle Tennessee with outstanding human resources programs. Businesses are invited to self-nominate for the honor each year and are evaluated on proficiency in five areas: strategy; management practices; employee education, training and development; performance measurement; and employee well-being and engagement. Click here for more on this story.
Posted June 25, 2009. #.
Inman Center Hosts HOSA Conference Competition Events
On Fri., Jun 26, Belmont University is serving as the primary clinical skills site for the 2009 Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) National Leadership Conference. HOSA is a national student organization with nearly 90,000 members, and its mission is to promote career opportunities in health care. The conference attracts more than 6,000 of the best and brightest HOSA members to attend workshops, meet HOSA members from across the country, and participate in the HOSA competitive events program. Belmont will host several competitive events for conference participants using the health simulation laboratories of the Gordon E. Inman Center. In addition, Dr. Chris Algren, associate dean for the School of Nursing, will present a workshop at the conference for students interested in learning more about the nursing profession.
Posted June 25, 2009. #.
Music Faculty to Present Papers at September Conference
Dr. Rick Hoffman, theory coordinator in the School of Music, along with adjunct music faculty Todd Kemp and Margie Yankeelov, were recently informed that their papers were accepted for “The Musical Ear Conference” to be held at Indiana University in September. Hoffman and Kemp have co-authored a paper, and Yankeelov is presenting a solo project.
Posted June 25, 2009. #.
Nursing Faculty Present Poster at Annual Meeting
Assistant Professor Kathy Jordan and Associate Professor Dr. Ruby Dunlap (Nursing) recently made a poster presentation about online teaching strategies at the 2009 Annual Institute of the Association of Community Health Nurse Educators in Chicago. The annual meeting attracts public and community health nurses and educators from across the U.S. to enhance their education through use of innovative, effective, evidence-based teaching methodologies in the classroom and clinical practicum.
Posted June 25, 2009. #.
Rives Qualifies for USA National Track and Field Championships
On the heels of her outstanding performance at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Lynette Rives (Clarksville, Tenn.) has qualified for the USA National Track and Field Championships to be held in Eugene, Oregon. She is one of only 32 sprinters to compete in the 200m and one of only nine running representing their undergraduate institutions.
Rounding out her career of firsts, Rives will become the first Belmont track and field athlete, male or female, to compete at the annual gathering of the nation’s best. She also holds the distinction of being only the second Belmont track and field athlete to be named All-American. Last month, the Clarksville, Tenn., native, who already holds seven school records, became the first Belmont athlete to compete at back-to-back NCAA Championships in any event. Click here for more on this story.
Posted June 25, 2009. #.
King Awarded Teacher Residency
Merrie King (Education) has been awarded a one-week Teacher Residency by the Nancy M. and Douglas M. Yeager Family Foundation in partnership with the Fetzer Institute and in cooperation with the GilChrist Retreat Center. The dates of residency are July 2-9.
Posted June 25, 2009. #.
South Dakota NBC Affiliate Interviews 40/40 Class
Members of Belmont's 40 States in 40 Days: Rediscovering America class were interviewed this week by the NBC affiliate in Rapid City, South Dakota. The class was in the state visiting Mount Rushmore and the Pine Ridge Sioux reservation. Click here to watch the story online.
See links below for additional media coverage of the 40/40 trip.
The Roswell Daily Record
yourlifeisatrip.com
Deseret News (Salt Lake City)
Posted June 25, 2009. #.
June 23, 2009
Nursing Faculty Present at Simulation Conference
Professors Jean Blank, Beth Hallmark, Sara Camp and Leslie Folds recently presented at the Eighth Annual International Nursing Simulation/Learning Resource Centers Conference in St. Louis. Designed for nursing educators, researchers, lab managers and staff development specialists, the conference highlights simulation technology and lab management issues. Belmont's simulation center is recognized nationally as one of only 12 Laerdal Centers of Educational Excellence in the U.S. The conference included about 650 attendees from around the world.
Folds and Hallmark presented a seminar on "Using High Fidelity Simulation in Place of Inpatient Psychiatric Nursing Clinicals." Blank and Camp presented a poster titled "Teaching with Medium Fidelity Technology." Hallmark also presented a poster, in collaboration with Dr. Debra Wollaber, titled "Teaching Students within a Culture of Safety" and presented a poster with Teresa Britt of UT Memphis.
Posted June 23, 2009. #.
June 18, 2009
Psychology Faculty, Alumna Participate in Book Project
Dr. Peter Giordano, chair of Psychology, has published an edited book titled Your Career in Psychology: Putting Your Graduate Degree to Work. Edited with Stephen Davis and Carolyn Licht and published by Wiley-Blackwell, the book targets very early career psychologists or those about to complete graduate training in psychology who are going on the job market.
One of the chapters in the book ("The Life of a College Professor: Teaching, Research, and Service") is authored by Dr. Lonnie Yandell, professor of Psychology at Belmont. Another chapter ("Negotiating the Application and Interview Process") is written by Dr. Christia Spears-Brown, an alumna of Belmont's Psychology Department who is now a faculty member at the University of Kentucky.
Posted June 18, 2009. #.
Giorgianni Quoted in U.S. News & World Report
Dr. Sal Giorgianni, director of experiential education and development in the School of Pharmacy, was recently quoted in a U.S. News & World Report story titled "Men and Health: This Father's Day, Look After Your Man's Health." Click here to read the article.
Posted June 18, 2009. #.
Alumna Rings Stock Exchange Closing Bell
Tammy Wolbers, 2001 Economics graduate from Belmont, rang the closing bell on Wall Street Tuesday. Since May 2007, Wolbers has worked as a “Trust Associate” at the Bank of New York Mellon. The Bank of New York Mellon employees, along with Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert Kelly, gathered in the historic box overlooking the New York Stock Exchange floor to sound the closing bell and to commemorate the company’s 225 years in business. Wolbers is pictured on the first row in the photo, second from the right.
Posted June 18, 2009. #.
Thompson Odom Serves as Scientist Reviewer
Dr. Marilyn Thompson Odom, associate professor in the School of Pharmacy, recently served as a Scientist Reviewer for the Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program in Breast Cancer. The review panel met June 7-9 in Reston, Va. This program partners consumers (survivors) and scientists in the review process for grant applications proposing innovative, high-impact research that focuses on the eradication of breast cancer. This is Dr. Odom’s second year serving as a peer reviewer for this funding mechanism.
Posted June 18, 2009. #.
Slay, Schnur Selected for Leadership Music
Cheryl L. Slay, assistant professor of Music Business, and Steve Schnur, an adjunct professor of music business for Belmont West, were both recently selected for the 2010 class of Leadership Music, a non-profit organization whose mission is to nurture a knowledgeable, issue-oriented community of music industry professionals.
Posted June 18, 2009. #.
Watts Publishes Editorial in Tennessean
Dr. Andy Watts, assistant professor in the School of Religion, wrote an editorial in Saturday's Tennessean titled "Will a 'celebration bullet' take an innocent life?" Click here to read his article.
Posted June 18, 2009. #.
Cusic Conducts Interviews, Publishes Article
Dr. Don Cusic, professor of music business, will appear on “A Word on Words,” the PBS show hosted by John Seigenthaler, on Sun., July 5 to discuss his book Discovering Country Music. In addition, during CMA Week, Cusic did an interview with Dirk Rohrbach, who hosts a show on Bayern3 radio, a public radio station in Munich. The interview will be broadcast in Germany and Austria on Sun., June 28. Listeners can hear it at 5 p.m. CDT at Bayern3.de.
Also, Cusic and Belmont Professor of Finance Dr. Greg Faulk recently published an article titled “Popular Culture and the Economy” in the current edition of the Journal of Popular Culture.
Posted June 18, 2009. #.
June 12, 2009
Rives Competes at Second Consecutive NCAA Outdoor Championships
Fractions of a second was all that separated Belmont's most decorated sprinter in program history from advancing to the finals of the 200m at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Thursday night in Fayetteville, Ark. Despite setting a new Belmont record in the event in both the opening and semifinal rounds, sprinter Lynette Rives (Clarksville, Tenn.) was unable to move on to become the first athlete in school history to compete in the finals of any event. Click here for more on this story.
Posted June 12, 2009. #.
Cross Country/Track and Field Athletes Earn ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Honors
Three Belmont men’s cross country and track and field athletes were named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Second Team. Senior Caleb Swartz (Radcliff, Ky.), junior Kip Hill (Liberty, Mo.), and sophomore Will Peters (Carmel, Ind.) each received the first nod of their respective careers. This is the most ever selected from the men’s cross country and track and field teams in a single academic year. Click here for more on this story.
In addition, senior women’s cross country and track runner Mollie Schlarman (Southgate, Ky.) was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Team as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) this week. It is the first time in her career she has received the honor and the fourth time a Belmont women’s cross country/track and field athlete has been named to the elite list. Click here for more on this story.
Posted June 12, 2009. #.
Student Featured in CBS Story
Political science major Rachel Bailey was recently featured in a CBS News report titled “GOP Looks for Fountain of Youth.” Click here to read the article.
Posted June 12, 2009. #.
Sport Science Faculty Present at Annual Conferences
Sport Science Assistant Professor Dr. Amy Baker and Sport Science Department Chair Dr. Sarah Adams presented “ROCK-PAPER-SCISSORS: Utilizing Problem-Based Learning Teaching Techniques in Sport Management” at the 24th Annual Conference of NASSM (North American Society for Sport Management) in Columbia, S.C. May 27-30.
In addition, Sport Science Assistant Professor Dr. Patrick Schneider gave a Poster Presentation titled, “The Ability of Bioelectrical Impedance to Track Body Composition Changes During a Physical Activity Intervention.” This was given at the American College of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting in Seattle, Wa. on May 28.
Posted June 12, 2009. #.
Leonard-Martin Publishes Editorial in Tennessean
Peg Leonard-Martin, director of counseling services, wrote an editorial in today's Tennessean on dealing with mental health issues. Click here to read her article.
Posted June 12, 2009. #.
Fish Named Finalist for Emerging Leader Award
Kelly Fish, associate director of alumni relations, was recently announced as a finalist for a 2009 Nashville Emerging Leader Award in the Education category. The awards are given by The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and YP Nashville, a collection of young professional organizations. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on July 30. Click here for more information.
Posted June 12, 2009. #.
June 10, 2009
BelmontVISION.com and Student Video Journalists Win Awards
BelmontVISION.com and two of its student video journalists are the winners of multiple awards honoring outstanding work during the 2008-2009 school year.
BelmontVISION.com video journalists Abby Selden and Jessica Walker are each the winner of a Communicator Awards Award of Distinction and a Videographer Awards Award of Distinction for their individual reporting efforts during the 2008-2009 school year. Their separate entries included work done during the Town Hall Presidential Debate, but also included a variety of other stories having interest to the Belmont community. All can currently be viewed on the BelmontVISION.com Web site.
“As a team and as individuals, these students have excelled in every way possible,” says New Century Journalism instructor Stephan Foust. “They have been judged by award-winning independent professionals who know good work when they see it.”
Both the Videographer and Communicator competitions draw thousands of entries from television stations, production houses, and universities around the world.
Since February, the BelmontVISION.com video team has won a total of eight regional, national, and international awards for reporting.
Posted June 10, 2009. #.
June 08, 2009
Wicke Named A-Sun Student-Athlete of the Year, Receives Scholarship
Belmont University senior Andy Wicke (Hendersonville, Tenn.) was named Atlantic Sun Conference Male Student-Athlete of the Year, the league office announced Tuesday.
This marks the sixth time in the last eight years that the Atlantic Sun Conference Male-Student Athlete of the Year has been a Belmont Men’s Basketball player. Wicke joins Wes Burtner (2002), Justin Hare (2007, 2008) and Adam Mark (2003, 2004) in this exclusive fraternity.
“It is a tremendous honor for our university and the Belmont Basketball program for Andy to receive this award,” Belmont head coach Rick Byrd said. “Andy, like many of our student-athletes before him, took great pride in being a leader on the court, in the classroom and in the community. We thank the Atlantic Sun Conference and its Faculty Athletic Representatives for recognizing Andy in this way.” Click here for more on this story.
In addition, Wicke (Hendersonville, Tenn.) was awarded the Atlantic Sun Conference Postgraduate Scholarship. This marks the latest in a long line of honors for Wicke, who concluded his decorated college basketball career with 1,236 points – good for sixth all-time on Belmont’s NCAA-era scoring list.
On April 29, Wicke earned a coveted educational grant through the NCAA postgraduate scholarship program. A one-time, nonrenewable grant of $7,500 went to only two NCAA Division-I men’s basketball players – Wicke and North Dakota State’s Brett Winkelman. Most recently, the 6-2 shooting guard received the 2009 Belmont University Presidential Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award from Dr. Robert C. Fisher at the annual Scholar-Athlete Recognition Reception. Click here for more on this story.
Posted June 08, 2009. #.
June 04, 2009
BelmontVision.com Wins Professional Video Award
BelmontVision.com is the winner of the 2009 Videographer Awards' Award of Excellence for its semester-long continuous team video coverage of Debate ’08 and the presidential election. This competition is international in scope and has entrants from all arenas of professional, educational and public video production. The winning BelmontVision.com team included journalism and audio visual production students Melody Drushal, Amber Garner, Carly Griffin, Alana Kreegel, Oliver Mauldin, Derek Moore, Abby Selden, Erik Unger and Jessica Walker.
“This team of dedicated students made the most of every opportunity,” said New Century Journalism instructor Stephan Foust. “They worked tirelessly, often under tight deadlines with little or no sleep, to keep their viewers up-to-date on Belmont’s unique role during the 2008 presidential campaign. They earned this award by never losing sight of their goals and always putting forth their best effort.”
The Videographer Awards are judged by award-winning professionals on the basis of resourcefulness, creativity and quality. The organization states that its mission is “to identify professionals who are raising the standards of the industry.”
Posted June 04, 2009. #.
Belmont Faculty Publish Editorials in Tennessean
Two Belmont faculty members recently published editorial columns in The Tennessean. Dr. Beth Woodard, associate professor of management in the Massey Graduate School of Business, contributed an article on reform plans for Medicare on May 19. Click here to read her editorial. Also, Dr. Stephanie Buchanan Crowder, an assistant professor of religion, co-wrote an editorial with Vanderbilt's Dr. Herbert Robinson Marbury on the need for more diverse representation among religion faculty. Click here to read the article.
Posted June 04, 2009. #.
Lynette Rives Earns NCAA Title Berth
On the second day of the NCAA Mideast Regional, senior sprinter Lynette Rives (Clarksville, Tenn.) became the first Belmont women’s track and field athlete to earn back-to-back berths to the NCAA Outdoor Championships after her stellar performance in the 200m on Saturday afternoon.
Rives opened the day vying for a chance to move on to Nationals in the 100m. However, the Clarksville, Tenn., native fell short and took eighth in the finals of the event with a time of 11.66. An hour later, she would have an opportunity to redeem herself with another shot at a trip to Nationals within her reach. Rives, the lone senior in the 200m finals, bolted to a third place finish with a time of 23.28 (1.2) to qualify for Nationals.
Rives was excited about the chance to compete at Nationals again. “Coming into the 200m, I was confident in my placement. We got out of the blocks and it was tough coming around the curve but I pushed it out. My race was all guts,” she said. “I am excited for another chance at Nationals.”
“She was really motivated by what happened earlier in the 100m,” said Assistant Women’s Track and Field coach Cameron Harvey. “She was able to refocus for the 200m and put in a good effort. We are all looking forward to going to Nationals next month.”
“Lynette’s effort today was an example of her tough-as-nails attitude and strong work ethic,” said Women’s Cross Country and Track and Field head coach Seth Sheridan.
Rives will travel to Fayetteville, Ark., to compete at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, which will be held June 10-13. (photo by Dave Milner)
Posted June 04, 2009. #.
May 26, 2009
William Morris Commissions Art Students for 'Musica' Works
The William Morris Agency recently commissioned Belmont Art students to create interpretations of Alan Lequire's "Musica" sculpture, which is located on the Music Row roundabout. Students involved with the project included Hannah Crabtree, Allison Dodson, Ellie Caudill and Sable Royal.
Pictured at right is Dodson preparing her piece. All of the art was delivered to William Morris last week and is currently on display in their Nashville building at 1600 Division Street (on the roundabout).
Posted May 26, 2009. #.
May 21, 2009
Belmont Recognized at TCPRA Conference
Belmont University was recognized with several awards at the Tennessee College Public Relations Association conference held at Austin Peay State University last week. Dr. Robert Fisher, Belmont’s president, received the Otis Floyd, Jr. Award for Excellence in Administration. The award is presented annually to a higher education administrator in the state of Tennessee to recognize superior achievement. Criteria considered each year includes innovation, leadership, vision and communication.
Greg Pillon, the director of the Office of Communications, was honored with the Charles Holmes Award. The award is presented annually to a member of TCPRA who demonstrates steadfast service and earnest dedication to the organization. The Office of Communications received several other awards in the following categories:
Gold: Residence Life Move- In Day publication (Brochure/Flyer)
Gold: Circle magazine (University or alumni magazine)
Gold: 2008 President’s Report (Reports)
Gold: Town Hall Presidential Debate (Media Success Story)
Gold: Bug Camp (Photography)
Silver: Presidential Debate commemorative piece (Special Publication)
Silver: Debate ‘08 electronic press kit (Specialty Item)
Silver: Alex Renfroe (Photography)
Bronze: FYI (Electronic Newsletter)
Formed in 1975, TCPRA is an alliance of communicators who represent the colleges and universities, public and private, two-year technical schools, technology centers and community colleges that together define higher education in Tennessee.
Posted May 21, 2009. #.
Parry Honored as Teacher of the Year by National Association
Pam Parry, associate professor of journalism, will be honored Aug. 7 as Teacher of the Year by the Small Program Interest Group at the national conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) in Boston. John Jenks, SPIG head, said “This year Pam Parry demonstrated she merits that honor through her documented classroom skills and all-around dedication to her students and her profession. Parry has also been an educational entrepreneur – building a program and attracting scores of students to it.”
Parry founded the public relations program at Belmont in 2004 and in four years it became largest program in the School of Social Sciences and one of the fastest growing programs in the College of Arts and Sciences. A colleague and fellow department chair described Parry as “a terrific teacher who has the uncanny ability to connect with both advanced and average students. Her evaluation scores are invariably well above Belmont's averages, no small feat given this university's commitment to undergraduate education. She combines an intellectually rigorous curriculum with a relaxed, non-threatening classroom style that receives rave reviews from students.”
Posted May 21, 2009. #.
