Pharmacy Fraternity Inducts New Members

Thirty-two students in the College of Pharmacy were inducted into the Delta Mu chapter of Rho Chi on April 25.

Rho Chi encourages and recognizes excellence in intellectual achievement and advocates critical inquiry in all aspects of pharmacy. The Society further encourages high standards of conduct and character and fosters fellowship among its members.  The Society seeks universal recognition of its members as lifelong intellectual leaders in pharmacy, and as a community of scholars, to instill the desire to pursue intellectual excellence and critical inquiry to advance the profession.

Leadership Health Care Visits Inman College

Inman College Dean Cathy Taylor and Provost Thomas Burns welcomed members of Leadership Health Care to Belmont University on April 26. The group was given a tour of the state-of-the-art training facilities used by students studying physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing and social work.

“Belmont’s nursing program has been in existence for 40 years, and we continue to be a national leader in preparing our students to be critical thinkers and to deliver health care with compassion,” Taylor said. “We focus on the most up-to-date needs of our health care community so that our graduates can serve most effectively in the workforce.”

Read more on the Nashville Health Care Council blog.

Belmont Students Win Big at Collegiate DECA International Conference

Belmont University students had a highly successful year at the 2013 Collegiate DECA International Career Development Conference, which was held April 17-20 in Anaheim, Calif. Twenty-five Belmont students competed in the international competition, with 23 of Belmont participants reaching the finals in their respective events, a phenomenal accomplishment given the participation of nearly 1,300 students from the United States and Canada.

College of Business Administration Dean Pat Raines said, “The performance of our College of Business Administration students at the International DECA competition was, once again, outstanding. Their problem solving skills, ability to collaborate and entrepreneurial talents prepared them for a championship performance.”

Belmont swept Entrepreneurship Growing a Business Event category for students who have started their businesses while still in school. Also, for the second year in a row, Belmont students had eight of the top 10 teams in the Entrepreneurial Challenge event and took two of the top three awards.

“Sweeping the top three places in the ‘Growing a Business Event’ speaks volumes about our program.  We focus on helping students start businesses.  This event is designated for students who have actually started their business while still in college,” said Management Professor and Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship Jeff Cornwall. Cornwall, Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship Mark Schenkel and Center for Entrepreneurship Program Coordinator Lisa Davis serve as advisors for Belmont’s DECA team. (more…)

Jason Rogers Honored in NBJ’s 2013 Best of the Bar Awards

Vice President for Administration and University Counsel Dr. Jason Rogers was honored by the Nashville Business Journal in its 2013 Best of the Bar awards. For this year’s awards, the publication solicited nominees in three size categories, plus a corporate counsel category. Nominees then voted on each other, determining the full list of honorees.

Rogers is nominated in the Corporate Counsel category, along with attorneys from HCA, Vanderbilt, CCA, YMCA, Bridgestone Americas, AT&T Tennessee and Nissan, among others. Honorees will be recognized during a reception June 6 at the Nashville City Club where the three top vote getters will be revealed for each category.

Kristine LaLonde to Co-lead New Mayor’s Office of Innovation

Belmont University Associate Professor of Honors and Coordinator of Leadership Studies Dr. Kristine LaLonde was appointed April 26 to co-lead the new Office of Innovation for Metro Nashville, according to a press release issued by the Office of Mayor Karl Dean.  The office will capture the entrepreneurial and creative energy of Nashville to make Metro Government more transparent, efficient and responsive. La

LaLonde, who will be taking an approved, two-year public service leave from Belmont to launch this new office, said, “During the last six years, I have had the opportunity to learn from entrepreneurial and innovative students every day.  The position with the Mayor’s team will allow me to use that experience in the city to help support new ways to have a real impact.”

Nashville joins local, state and federal government agencies across the country, as well as private sector organizations, that have created offices of innovation in recent years to take advantage of new technology and business practices to improve constituent services and streamline operations. The office will also work in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Community Development on business recruitment and job creation efforts. It will also work with the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhoods to create opportunities for more efficient interdepartmental response to constituent needs.

(more…)

Beltones Mentioned on NPR Following International Competition

The Belmont Beltones, a student a capella group, was mentioned this week on NPR in the national outlet’s coverage of the International Competition of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA).

The Beltones won the Wildcard Division in the International Collegiate Competition of A Capella semi-finals, which allowed them to participate in the final round competition at the Town Hall in New York City on April 20. This was the second year the group participated in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella since they were formed in 2009. It is the group’s first finals appearance.

Though the group placed second in the semifinal round, narrowly losing to Florida State University, they were able to submit their performance video to the national wildcard round. All second and third place semifinalists are eligible for the wildcard round. “It has been an emotional roller coaster to say the least—the turnaround between finding out and actually going to New York is so quick that once our initial excitement wore off, we started to freak out over the logistics of it all,” said Robert O’Brien, senior religion and the arts major and president of the Beltones.

The group’s semi-final winning performance consisted of “Bottom of the River” by Delta Rae, “Barton Hollow” by The Civil Wars, traditional American hymn “Down to the River to Pray” and “Cry Me a River” as performed by Joe Cocker. Sophomore Greg Breal was recognized during the semifinals as the outstanding soloist for “Cry Me a River.”

“As a group, I think we’re most excited for the chance to perform on such a prestigious stage with the top a cappella groups from around the [world],” said O’Brien. “It’s such an incredible opportunity, and we’re all really excited to be blessed by it.”

Mills Presents at Research Libraries Confrence

Coordinator of Research Services Jenny Rushing Mills, who works in the Bunch Library, presented a workshop at the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) conference in Indianapolis on April 11. The goal of the interactive workshop, titled “Riding the RAILS of Rubric Assessment to Keep Information Literacy Learning on Track,” was to enable academic librarians to critique information literacy rubrics and practice the processes of norming, rating and creating customized rubrics. Mills has participated in the RAILS Project (Rubric Assessment of Information Literacy Skills) since 2009 along with librarians from across the country. At Belmont, the AAC&U Information Literacy VALUE rubric has been used to assess student learning in Pharmacy, Nursing and First Year Writing courses.

Pharmacy Student Selected for National Institutes of Health Internship

Class of 2015 pharmacy student Tracy Okoli has accepted a 10 week summer internship with the National Institutes of Health. Out of 6,600 applicants, only 1,100 undergraduate and graduate students were selected for the prestigious internship. Okoli will conduct mitochondrial based research at the Heart, Lung and Blood Institute under Dr. Michael Sack.

Pinter Lectures at Alma Mater

Dr. Mike Pinter, mathematics professor and teaching center director, was the Invited Lecturer for the 36th Annual Hendrix-Rhodes-Sewanee Undergraduate Mathematics and Computer Science Symposium held at Hendrix College, April 19 and 20. His presentation was entitled “Hats, Hamming and Hypercubes.” Dr. Pinter received his B.A. in Mathematics from Hendrix College in 1981.

Speech & Debate Team Places Fourth in National Tournament

Belmont’s Speech & Debate Team placed fourth in Division Two at the National Forensics Association tournament.  Junior Matthew Roberts advanced to the quarter-final round of Extemporaneous Speaking, ranking in the top 24 in the nation. Graduating senior Nicole Bright advanced to the semi-final rounds of both After Dinner Speaking and Prose Interpretation ranking in the top 12 in her events. Sophomore Megan Jack missed advancing to the quarter-final round of informative speaking by just one speaker point.

Biology Faculty, Students Participate in BioBlitz

Dr. Steve Murphree, professor of biology, participated in a BioBlitz at Beaman Park on April 20. The BioBlitz invitation came from Beaman Park director and Belmont Biology alumna LinnAnn Welch. Belmont zoology students Erin Pitts and Sylvia Alsup also participated in the event. Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) biologist Pandy English, Director of LEAPS environmental consulting service Bob English and Belmont University biologists lead this research program in special habitats focusing on the animals and plants of its Barrens areas. Beaman Park Nature Center, located in Beaman Park in northwest Davidson County, offers public programs on environmental education.

Murphree Installs Termite Baiting at Historic Home

Dr. Steve Murphree, professor of biology and entomologist, installed the Sentricon System, an innovative termite baiting system, at the Sam Davis Home on April 20. This museum and historic home of Confederate soldier Sam Davis is located in Smyrna, Tenn. and is enjoyed by about 17,000 visitors every year. Murphree spoke about the threat and destructive nature of termites, as well as the features and benefits of the newest bait technology.

Sentricon is the only termite protection ever awarded the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award by the Environmental Protection Agency. Several Sam Davis Home staff members were on-site to share information on the importance of preserving the historic Sam Davis Home. Though the home has stood since the 1800s, the threat of termites is real. Since this is a delicate, historic home, liquid termite treatments, which require digging and drilling in and around foundations, are not ideal. With the Sentricon® System, special in-ground baiting stations will be placed to create a protective ring around the Sam Davis Home. When the continuously foraging termites find the bait, they eat it, share it with the rest of the colony, which is then eliminated. (image Sam_Davis_home.jpg)

Enactus Team Presents at NACDS

Belmont’s Enactus team was asked to present this week to the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS), which was attended by executives Johnson & Johnson, Walgreens, Walmart, Procter & Gamble and many more. The students presented at reception hosted by Enactus Monday night and then on the main stage for the business session Tuesday morning. They were introduced by Walgreens CEO Greg Wasson, and former Defense Secretary Robert Gates spoke just after the team left the stage. The students, along with faculty representative and Enactus Sam Walton Fellow Cate Loes, were able to meet both of these leaders and many other top CEOs.

Men’s Basketball Sweeps TSWA Awards

Belmont University men’s basketball senior Ian Clark (Memphis, Tenn.) and head coach Rick Byrd recently were honored by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association (TSWA).

Clark was named TSWA Men’s Basketball Player of the Year and Byrd was named TSWA Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year. This marks the first time a Belmont player has been named TSWA Men’s Basketball Player of the Year. Read more.

Pharmacy Professionals, Students Gather at Roundtable

Twelve local, clinical pharmacists and pharmacy residents spoke to Belmont students during a roundtable discussion April 15 in the Massey Boardroom.

Students enrolled in the College of Pharmacy’s Ambulatory Care Pharmacy elective listened to professionals from health institutions, including Vanderbilt, Saint Thomas and the Veteran’s Affairs Tennessee Valley Healthcare System shared their experiences in pharmacy practice.

Twenty pharmacy students rotated through the tables and were given the opportunity to ask questions to gain a better understanding of the role of ambulatory care pharmacists and the value of pharmacy residency training.

“I asked one participant ‘what is the best part about your job working in a pain clinic?’ She said she liked working with a diverse patient population and having a real impact on patients’ lives. She never would have imagined working in a pain clinic, but she really loves it,” said Meghan Duquette, a second-year pharmacy student. (more…)

OT Doctoral Students Present Research

Rachel Rarig speaks with people at the Atlanta Abilities Expo.

Doctoral students in the School of Occupational Therapy presented findings of various research projects on Wednesday in the lobby of McWhorter Hall.  Two of the thesis groups collected data earlier this semester at the Atlanta Abilities Expo, an event that attracted several thousand participants including those with disabilities, their families and caregivers.

Ashley Ganus, Jordan Carver and Mark Ivey interviewed wheelchair users regarding their perceptions of the effectiveness of their mobility device on their ability to function and complete desired tasks.  Meanwhile, Rachael Restko and Rachel Rarig conducted interviews about hotel accessibility.  The three-day event in February featured workshops, a sports carnival, and exhibits dedicated to providing solutions to enhance quality of life for the disabled.

Pharmacy Students Publish Medical Review of Movie

Two Belmont Pharmacy students were recently published in Mental Health Clinician, a monthly publication of the College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists (CPNP).  CPNP is a professional society of pharmacists practicing in the psychiatry and neurology specialties.

PharmD students Eury Park and Savannah Arnold, under the guidance of Pharmacy Assistant Professor Michael McGuire, provided a review of how mental illness and medications used to treat it were depicted in the movie, Silver Linings Playbook, which has received numerous film awards including Academy Awards.

In the review, Park and Arnold conclude that while elements of the film are accurate and touch “on the stigma associated with mental illness,” they could not recommend it “for educational or therapeutic purposes.”

Students Accepted into Japan Exchange Teaching Program

Belmont students Dianna Antenucci and Kyle Jeffrey have been accepted to the prestigious and highly competitive Japan Exchange Teaching (JET) program for the 2013-2014 academic year.

Antenucci is a music business major graduating this May. She moved to Nashville from Toms River, N.J. to attend Belmont. She has worked her way through four years of college and had the opportunity to intern with an artist management company, a publishing company and a social media marketing company. Going on the Maymester trip to Japan in 2012 was a life altering experience that stirred a desire in her to experience the culture more and develop lasting relationships with the Japanese people.

Kyle Jeffrey spent a few months in Japan last summer to improve his Japanese language skills. He is excited to be returning to Japan on JET program and to become a bridge between the two cultures.

It is exciting news as Belmont University continues to strengthen its collaboration with Consulate General of Japan in Nashville and friendship with Japan led by Dr. Ronnie Littlejohn, as well as several faculty members involved in Asian Studies Program.

Students’ Grant Earns $6K for Genesis

A local nonprofit organization has earned a $6,000 grant, thanks to the work of two Belmont students. As part of the fall 2013 Social Entrepreneurship 4150 Grant Writing course,  environmental science majors Ashley Allen and Erin Pitts wrote a grant for Genesis Learning Centers. The Memorial Foundation and the Christy-Houston Foundation funded the grant, Genesis Learning Center Autistic Sensory Room Project. Genesis Executive Director Terry Adams also has used some of the information from the grant in a contract application to Metro-Nashville Schools and a grant application to the HCA Foundation.

Belmont Best Buddies Step it Up at Friendship Walk

The Belmont Chapter of Best Buddies Tennessee participated in the annual Friendship Walk at Centennial Park on April 14. Best Buddies is a student organization where Belmont students form personal, one-on-one friendships with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Best Buddies high school and college chapters from middle Tennessee attended the event. The Belmont Chapter raised over $1,000 for Best Buddies Tennessee. Faculty advisor, Dr. Sally Barton-Arwood, associate professor of education, joined Belmont sophomore and chapter president, Kristin Hinkley, along with approximately 30 student and community members from the Belmont chapter. In addition to fund raising, these walks are an opportunity to be with old friends, make new friends and promote community inclusion. Bruiser also attended the Friendship Walk.

Giordano Presents on Teaching at Conferences

Dr. Pete Giordano, professor of psychological science, gave a talk in the colloquium series for the Department of Psychology at the University of Kentucky on April 3. The title of the talk was “The Craft of Effective Teaching:  Blending Science, Art, and Time Management.” As part of the visit to the University of Kentucky, Giordano also gave a talk to psychology Ph.D. students on applying for academic positions at teaching oriented institutions.

Giordano also was an invited speaker at the Global Perspectives on College and University Teaching Conference on April 7 through 9, hosted by Auburn University’s Biggio Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning. The title of his presentation was “Going Global: Building Bridges between Western Pedagogy and the Educational Philosophy of Classical Confucianism.” The symposium provided a forum to address the impacts of globalization on teaching and learning, and offered a series of plenaries, panel presentations, concurrent and poster sessions, roundtable discussions and social activities to provide participants opportunities to share, learn and network with other teachers, students, scholars, and academic leaders from around the world. The symposium drew an international audience of college and university teachers, graduate students, faculty developers and academic leaders.

Physics Students Compete in ‘Egg Drop’ Contest

The Society of Physics Students (SPS) sponsored an Egg Drop contest on April 12.  Students from across the University were invited to compete by building an apparatus which could contain an egg, allowing it to be dropped from the maximum possible height without breaking. The first place winner was Anthony Irwin, a double major in physics and audio engineering technology, and the second place winner was Alisha Dowling, a medical physics major.  Both Irwin’s and Dowling’s apparatuses sustained drops from over 6 meters with no egg breakage, but after a brutal tiebreaker, Irwin claimed the prize of a $25 gift certificate provided by Bongo Java, makers of the ‘Egg Bomb’ breakfast sandwich. Dr. Scott Hawley, associate professor of physics, is the faculty advisor for this student organization

Japanese Language Students’ Translation Published

Five students of Belmont’s first Japanese language translation class have made their debut as translators. Troy Grooms, Christopher Richey, Erin Turberville, Luke Robertson and Kyle Jeffrey worked closely with Dr. Naoko Ozaki, whom they call Sensee, to translate Japanese poems into English. Each of them translated two poems by Ray Kamijo. The collection of their works titled Journey of Life is now available on amazon.com.

“I am extremely proud of my students for exerting efforts into the challenging translation works,” Sensee said. “Japanese is a highly contextual language, and this made translation work challenging for them, but all of them dissected each line and also looked at it holistically at the same time. They had to make each poem sound natural and relatable to the American audience.”

The students went through several steps before sending their translation works to the author. They first worked on direct translation in which they translated each line word for word. They shared their direct translation with Sensee to confirm that their understanding of the Japanese language was accurate. Afterwards, they worked on meaning translation to be able to convey the meaning of the poem which may not be apparent for English-speaking audience in direct translation alone.

The students then had peer review to share their translation works with each other to give and receive feedback to each other. After repeating these steps, the students and Sensee spoke with the author via Skype to discuss their translation works. Through discussions with the author, they were able to modify and improve their works. This translation process went far beyond the use of dictionaries and thesauruses, and they have proudly reached a point to publish the collection of their 11 translated works.

“It has always been amazing to me and almost euphoric that the spoken word in any language can easily be understood once it is shared,” said Dr. Myron Oglesby-Pitts of Education Department who has been sending moral support to all the students as they came to Ozaki-sensee’s office for appointments. “The value of the work done by the students in the Japanese Translation class imbues and pierces a level of conscientiousness for others to learn, share and enjoy.  Each poem goes far beyond word count to an extraordinary level of understanding coded feelings and interpretation all enveloped in one word.  Arigato, to all of the students for sharing your work with all of us.” (image – Journey_of_Life.jpg)

Foreign Language Faculty Present at Conference

Francesca Muccini, Regine Schwarzmeier and Cheryl Brown, from the department of foreign languages, collaborated on a presentation entitled “Once Upon A Time there was a Night at the Opera and a Little Night Music:  Classroom Activities in a Cultural Context” at the Southern Conference on Language Teaching on April 12 in Birmingham, Ala.

Prom Brings Out Science Students’ Inner Geek

The Belmont Tri-Beta Club hosted the first ever School of Sciences Nerd Prom on April 7. Guests wore their most nerdy attire including pocket protectors, glasses, plaid pants and suspenders. Creative uses of lab equipment such test tubes filled with glow sticks and beakers containing colorful liquids were used as decorations. And fittingly, the Period Table of Elements served as the perfect backdrop for taking prom portraits. The event was a fundraiser for the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University.

The Beta Beta Beta Biological Honorary Society provides opportunities for students to learn about careers, to have social events, to develop leadership skills and to provide service to the community in areas of biological importance. Dr. Steve Murphree, professor of biology, serves as the faculty advisor for this organization.