MyBelmont Wins Award from CampusEAI

During the CampusEAI Consortium Annual Users Conference held last week in Cleveland, Ohio, an award was presented to Belmont University for “Best myCampus Portal” by CampusEAI Executive Director Anjli Jain for the work done on the new MyBelmont intranet system. Web Programming Services Manager Paul Chenoweth attended the conference and accepted the award on behalf of Belmont.

Dearduff, Isbell Present at Christian Scholars Conference

Last week Belmont Honors Program students Tom Dearduff (Christian Leadership) and Danielle Isbell (English and Religion and the Arts) presented their essays at the 33^rd annual Thomas H. Olbricht Christian Scholars Conference at Lipscomb University.  The mission of the conference is “to create and nurture an intellectual and Christian community that joins individuals and institutions to stimulate networks of scholarly dialogue.”  More than 325 participants from 98 different universities engaged in paper, panel or performance sessions framed by plenary speakers Charles Mathewes, David Miller and John Dean. Dearduff and Isbell were in a session with first-year Honors students from Messiah College, Abilene Christian and Lipscomb Universities who addressed the issue, “What We Expect from Christian Higher Education.”  They were sponsored by Jonathan Thorndike (Honors Program) and Todd Lake (Vice President for Spiritual Development).

Stafford Awarded UMC Scholarship

Morgan Stafford, Belmont senior and Project Transformation staffer, was awarded the first-ever Wesley Leader Scholarship from the Tennessee United Methodist Church Sunday night.

Wilcoxson Develops Plugin for Celebrity’s Website

One of Computer Technician Chris Wilcoxson’s plugins is being used on Kevin James’s (Hitch, “King of Queens”) website. Wilcoxson is also helping James’s web developer customize it.

Tough Finds Songwriting Success

Assistant Professor of Audio Engineering Technology Dave Tough’s song “Pretty Mama (So Many Girls)” is featured in the series Hemlock Grove on Netflix  (Episode 2). Tough was also a finalist in the 2013 Indie International contest for his songs “Made of Stars” (Pop), “I Hate Birds” (Rock), “It Turns” (Rock) and “Let It Go” (Rock) . “I Hate Birds” took 2nd place Rock and “Made of Stars” 2nd place Pop. Tough also engineered the single “It’s Goin’ Down Tonight” for the Lost Trailers with Will and Dakota. The song is now charting on country radio.

Maddox, Maxwell Make Industry Presentations

On May14, Assistant Professor of Music Business David Maddox made a presentation on copyright law to vendors and attendees of the Nashville Recording Workshop titled “Copyright vs. Technology.” And last week, at GMA Immerse 2013, a conference for independent artists and songwriters, Curb College adjunct instructor Mark Maxwell served as moderator for a session on music business and legal topics called ”Make (or Break) Your Business.”

Janas Hosts Nashville AES Lifetime Achievement Awards

On June 2, Curb College Director of Recording Studio Operations Michael Janas hosted the second annual Lifetime Achievement Awards for the Nashville Section of the Audio Engineering Society.  The ceremony was held in the Ford Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.  Janas, along with Chase Geiser, Belmont Student Government Association president, researched and developed the two-hour program.

Easley Publishes Articles

Curb College Coordinator of Student Enrichment Hanna Easley just had an article published in Parenting Teens (June edition) titled “Do Not Ignore My Plea.” She also recently had three articles published in LifeWay’s Collegiate Magazine: “Readers + Leaders,” “Cleaning Out the Closet” and “The Local Church: Do I Need It?”

AET Students Win Honorable Mention in Shure Competition

A group of Curb College audio engineering students won honorable mention recently at the national Shure Recording Competition. Faculty Advisor Jim Kaiser lead student team members Dan Almond, Brien Pafford, Sean Davidson, Ian Zorbaugh and Tim Reitnouer. The team recorded instruments and vocals for the Judah and the Lion song “Hesitate” using Shure microphones in Ocean Way Studio A. This marks the ninth consecutive year Shure has worked with audio education departments at universities across the country to find tomorrow’s recording stars.

Slay Elected to Jazz Education Network Board

Assistant Professor of Music Business Cheryl Slay has been elected to the Board of Directors of The Jazz Education Network (JEN).  The Jazz Education Network is a global nonprofit organization that seeks to advance jazz education, promote performance and develop new audiences. JEN was founded in 2008 in Chicago, Ill. and has over 1,500 members in all 50 states, seven Canadian provinces and 22 countries.

Rogers, Searcy Present Belmont Case Study

During the inaugural Tennessee’s Private Colleges and Universities Association Mid-Managers Conference, Vice President for Administration and University Counsel Jason Rogers and Director of Community Relations, Joyce Searcy shared a Belmont-specific case study and lessons learned. They demonstrated how critical it is for all institutional personnel to work together when called upon to address both on- and off-campus issues. Their session also addressed more general best practices associated with the leader’s response to and management of on- and off-campus politics.

Nursing Students Awarded Promise of Nursing Scholarships

Belmont undergraduate nursing students Paige Nunnelly, Andrew Rainer and Erin Roder recently were awarded Promise of Nursing for Tennessee Scholarships. The scholarships are based on academic achievement, financial need and involvement in nursing student organizations and community activities related to health care.  The scholarship committee chose from hundreds of applications for these awards with only nine scholarships being given statewide. The Promise of Nursing for Tennessee scholarship program is administered by the Foundation of the National Students Nurses’ Association. Funding for the scholarship program was contributed by hospitals and health care agencies in Tennessee, Johnson & Johnson and national companies with an interest in supporting nursing education.

Rose Park Scholarships Awarded to Students from Districts 17, 19

 Hillsboro graduate Rachel Roberts is recognized for being Rose Park full-time scholarship recipient with Councilwomen Erica Gilmore (right) and Sandra Moore (left).

Three Metro Nashville Public Schools high school graduates and incoming Belmont freshmen have received four-year scholarships to cover their tuition and fees at Belmont University as recipients of the Rose Park Scholarships. This fall Belmont will welcome Rose Park Scholarship recipients Rachel Roberts and Chelsea Hawkins of Hillsboro High School as well as Jasmine Conyers of Hume-Fogg Academic Magnet.

Scrubs Magazine Ranks Belmont Nursing Top 5 in the South

Belmont’s School of Nursing was recently listed as the No. 2 Nursing School in the South in “The Nurse’s Guide to Nursing Schools,” published on Scrubsmag.com. The program was also ranked in the top 25 institutions nationwide in the article. All ratings and reviews in the guide were based on data submitted by nurses between June and September last year.

Scrubsmag.com, an active online blog and community for nurses, is the companion website to Scrubs magazine, which debuted in November 2009. Content for both the magazine and the website is based on the full, varied and expansive entirety of a nurse’s life.

Wiseman Honored at OVC Luncheon Celebrating Title IX

On May 30, the Ohio Valley Conference held a luncheon to cap off a year-long celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Title IX. Each of the OVC’s 12-member institutions identified a pioneer in women’s athletics from their school to be honored during the year and celebrated at a home athletic event on their campus. Belmont’s honoree, Betty Wiseman, attended the luncheon at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Nashville the day before her own retirement.

“The OVC has a rich history of women’s athletics along with a bright future thanks to the commitment, passion and contribution of the trailblazers the conference is honoring as part of its Title IX celebration.” said Beth DeBauche, OVC Commissioner. “It is important to take time to appreciate the progress that has been made on the playing fields and in the classrooms as a result of the adoption of Title IX and commit to ensuring students of either gender are not subject to any sort of discrimination under any education program or activity.”

Gonas Wins Award, Published in Nashville Nonprofit Review

Associate Professor of Finance Dr. John Gonas was presented the Jack Kahl Entrepreneurial Leadership Award for the Sam. M. Walton Free Enterprise Fellow of the Year at the recent Enactus National Exposition in Kansas City. Nominated by his students, Gonas won the award for his “outstanding contribution to the Enactus Team at Belmont University and to the advancement of the entire Enactus organization.”

In a letter supporting the nomination, College of Business Administration Dean Dr. Pat Raines wrote, “The results from John Gonas’ leadership of our Belmont SIFE/Enactus teams over the past eight years are remarkable: two National Championships and two trips to the World Cup… It is impossible to relate to you in a letter how much John cares about the personal and professional development of his Enactus students. He spends countless hours with them, developing Enactus projects and simultaneously developing character that they will take with them for the rest of their lives. In my experience, I have not seen anyone contribute more to Enactus students and the Enactus organization than John Gonas.”

In addition, Dr. Gonas recently published an article in the Nashville Nonprofit Review detailing the lessons he has learned from Spring Back Recycling. The article, “Social enterprise: profitability in an open marketplace” is on page 8. The online-only publication seeks to be a source of information for the nonprofit community in Nashville and beyond, focusing on issues that are important to our sector.

Belmont’s Enactus team developed the concept, business plan, supply chain, licensee structure and operations manual for Spring Back Recycling, a nonprofit business that employs formerly homeless or incarcerated workers in recycling mattresses, giving them an opportunity for sustainable employment and small business training.

Ferrara to Present at SPP6 Conference

Dr. Davon Ferrara, assistant professor of physics, will present at the 6^th International Conference on Surface Plasmon Photonics (SPP6). The conference is being held in Ottawa, Canada, the week of May 26-31.

Plasmonics is a rapidly growing and evolving field on the cutting edge of optical science and engineering. The SPP conference series is the premier international series of conferences in this field. SPP6 will bring together about 700 plasmonics experts from across the globe, both junior and senior, from academia and industry, to share their latest results and set the agenda for future developments in the field.

Ferrara will present a talk titled “Gold Nanodisks as Near-Field Probes of the Insulator-to-Metal Transition in VO₂.” The research paper concerning this work has been submitted for publication and was done through collaborations with Vanderbilt University.

Holt Moderates Carter-Lawrence Spelling Bee

For the second year in a row, Dr. Linda Holt, professor and chairman of the Department of English, and Dr. Jon Roebuck, member of the Board of Trustees and pastor of Woodmont Baptist Church, moderated the annual spelling bee at Carter-Lawrence Elementary Math and Science Magnet School.

Holt has a long-standing relationship with Carter-Lawrence as a service-learning partner, and Roebuck has a keen interest in education at all levels. The spelling bee is coordinated by Carter-Lawrence Media Specialist  Jana Whittle. Judges included past principals Melba Meriweather and Ruth Beaman; and the Carter-Lawrence Parent Teacher Organization provided trophies. Forty fourth graders were given the opportunity to participate in the competition based upon recommendations from their classroom teachers.

Chemistry Faculty, Students Present at American Chemical Society Expo

Michelle Leatherwood and Fatin Jweinat also presented the SMACS (Student Members of the American Chemical Society) chapter poster, “Belmont Student Members Show the Community that Science is Fun.”

Belmont Chemistry faculty Dr. Rachel Rigsby and Dr. Alison Moore, along with six Belmont University students, attended the American Chemical Society’s 245^th National Meeting & Exposition in New Orleans, La.  The conference took place on April 7-11, with over 15,000 chemists, academics, students and other professionals in attendance.  The focus of the meeting was the chemistry of energy and food in our society. Five Belmont students presented undergraduate research posters:

Logan Books:  “Determining Chemical Compounds in the Mint Plant Blephilia Ciliata”
Michelle Leatherwood:  “Redox Reactions of a Schiff-base Copper (II) Complex”
Dviti Mody:  “Antioxidants and Polyphenol Activity: It’s Getting Hot”
Soham Mody:  “Save your Bible the Organic Way”
Rebecca Newton:  “Greener Synthesis of Carvone from the Oxidation of Limonene”

Kiningham Published in Cancer Research

Dr. Kelley Kiningham, assistant dean of student affairs and associate professor in the Pharmaceutical, Social and Administrative Sciences Department, coauthored an article accepted for publication in Cancer Research. The article, “KEAP1 is a Redox Sensitive Target That Arbitrates the Opposing Radiosensitive Effects of Parthenolide in Normal and Cancer Cells” identifies a mechanism by which differences in cellular redox status can be targeted to kill tumor cells, while protective of normal tissue when radiation is used as a therapeutic. Kiningham states that finding pharmacological approaches to protect normal tissue during treatment of patients with cancer is important to reduce side effects and improve compliance.

Vaughn, Parry Co-Author Article

Pam Parry

Mary Stairs Vaughn

Mary Stairs Vaughn and Pam Parry, of the Communication Studies Department, co-authored an article published in the May 16 issue of Communication Teacher, a peer-reviewed journal published by the National Communication Association. Their article is titled “The Statement of Purpose Speech: Helping Students Navigate the ‘Sophomore Slump.’”

Shred Event Saves Approximately 53 Trees

Brown Appointed Head of Physical Therapy Department

Dr. Renee Brown, professor of physical therapy, has been appointed as the new Physical Therapy Department Chairman as of June 1, according to Dr. Cathy Taylor, dean of the Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences & Nursing.

“We are indeed fortunate to have someone with Dr. Brown’s extensive academic preparation, and her notable teaching, clinical and administrative experience, assume this important position,” said Taylor. “I know you will join me in working to assure her a smooth transition and wish her the greatest success in this new leadership role.”

Brown takes the place of Dr. John Halle, who is returning to the classroom full-time.

Brown holds a B.S. in Physical Therapy from Daemen College in Amherst, N.Y.; the M.S. in Physical Therapy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Texas, Dallas. Prior to arriving at Belmont, she served in administrative roles at the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center, as acting chairman for the Ithaca College Physical Therapy Department and as interim chairman at the UT Southwestern Allied Health Sciences School, Department of Physical Therapy.

Since joining the Physical Therapy faculty at Belmont in 2005, Brown has served the University, the college and the department in an exemplary fashion. She is active in the American Physical Therapy Association at the national level, is experienced with academic accreditation requirements and is the out-going University institutional review board chairman. Additionally, she has led several medical mission trips, working to establish numerous partnerships in order to support these efforts and to make the experience more meaningful for both students and patients.

Hooper to Present at Computer Science Conference

Dr. Bill Hooper, professor of computer science, has been accepted to present his workshop titled “Easy as Pi: An Inexpensive Platform for Machine Language Instruction” at the 20th Annual Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges (CCSC) Midwest Conference.

The conference will be held Sept. 20-21, at The University of Findlay in Findlay, Ohio. This two-day conference has refereed papers, invited speakers, tutorials, panels, workshops and discussions on computing science education issues in smaller colleges and departments.

The Consortium for Computing Sciences and Colleges (CCSC) is a non-profit organization focused on promoting quality computer-oriented curricula as well as effective use of computing in smaller institutions of higher learning which are typically non-research in orientation. It supports activities which assist faculty in making appropriate judgments concerning computing resources and educational applications of computer technology.

Students Host Environmental Science Fair

As part of the Environmental Science Capstone course taught by Dr. Darlene Panvini, students hosted an Environment Fair on the last day of classes. The students presented posters on a variety of topics including fracking, community gardens, tree ordinances, exotic pest plant management in state parks, land protection in Tennessee and global climate change. The Our Natural Environment (O.N.E.) club, Belmont’s Environmental Club, also hosted a bake sale and raised over $100 to donate to a local environmental organization.