Center for Executive Education Hosts Business Author Dan Heath

Dan Heath

The Center for Executive Education, in partnership with the Nashville Chamber of Commerce, hosted Dan Heath this morning as the keynote speaker for the Spring Leadership Breakfast in the Curb Event Center arena. Heath is a noted speaker/author/business columnist and co-author of Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard and Made to Stick. He also serves as a senior fellow at Duke University’s CASE Center for Social Entrepreneurs.

Heath began his talk noting the difficulty of change but also pointing to times and occasions when change is welcomed because it brings joy–weddings, technology and fashion being among the examples he cited. He then offered “a three-part framework for thinking about beahvior change” based on an image of a man sitting atop an elephant. The man represents conscious, rational thought while the elephant is indicative of the emotional, unconscious self that is more impulsive in decision making.

As the first part of the three-point framework, Heath said, “You have to ‘Direct the Rider.’ You have to give crystal clear direction on where you are going and how to get there.”

In addition, he said, “You have to find the bright spots–find what is working and figure out how we can do more of it… Analyzing problems comes naturally but analyzing successes doesn’t. We should obsess about success with the same tenacity we obsess about failure.”

Individuals or organizations seeking change must also “Motivate the elephant” and “Shape the Path, cultivating a culture that’s supportive of change.”

The Spring Leadership Breakfast included breakfast, the program, a talk back session with local executives and a complimentary copy of Heath’s book Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, which was the basis for the morning’s lecture.

About the Center for Executive Education
The Center for Executive Education at Belmont University has been a premier provider of leadership education for more than 25 years, existing to provide world-class learning to meet the needs of the Nashville community and beyond. The Center provides a full range of executive learning opportunities including its Executive Learning Networks, Executive Leadership Experience, certificate programs and customized solutions. ELN membership consists of senior leaders from over 50 Middle Tennessee companies who seek to learn from one another and national leaders through ongoing networking, speakers’ series and small group discussions. 

About the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce is Middle Tennessee’s largest business federation, representing more than 2,000 member companies. “Business Is Good” embodies the Chamber’s focus on facilitating community leadership to create economic prosperity for Middle Tennessee. The work of the Nashville Area Chamber is supported by membership and sponsors; the Chamber’s Pivotal Partners (a partnership at the highest level for all Chamber programs and events) are BlueCross/BlueShield of Tennessee, Community Health Systems and Delek US Holdings. Together with its affiliates, the Nashville Chamber works to strengthen the region’s business climate and enhance Nashville’s position as a desirable place to live, work and visit. For more information, visit www.nashvillechamber.com.

Students Study Abroad on Holy Land Pilgrimage

Twenty Belmont University students and two professors left Nashville May 8 for a 19-day journey to Israel, Turkey and Greece, traveling to numerous sites along the way including Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Istanbul and Athens. Students on this study abroad trip are taking either a Third Year Writing course or a general education religion class with the goal to see the lands in which Christianity was born.  

As School of Religion Dean Darrell Gwaltney writes, the trip is part pilgrimage as well. “It is moving to travel to Jerusalem and other places many of us have been reading about and learning about all our lives. One of the great benefits from such a trip like this is that we are forever changed. The people we meet and the people with whom we travel change us.”

Student Carter Abel recounted an experience from the first day of the trip: “I was about to fall asleep when we drove over the top of a moutain and before me lay the most magnificent sight I have ever seen–the Sea of Galilee. Spanning out before me, the incredible blue waters stood out like gemstone surrounded by bare mountains. I sat in absolute awe and wonder as I laid my eyes upon the place where Jesus walked on water, calmed the storm, fed thousands of people with a single basket of food and performed miracles. No matter how much cities and nations have changed over two thousand years, the Sea of Galilee remains a living altar of the power, compassion and love of God who walked its shores.”

Click here to read more from the Holy Land trip blog.

Storyline Conference Encourages Registrants to Live a Meaningful Narrative

Amy Grant shares songs and stories at the Storyline Conference.

Donald Miller, New York Times best-selling author of Blue Like Jazz, brought his Storyline Conference to Belmont University’s campus this week. Based on another best-selling book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, Storyline is a two-day event that walks registrants through the steps of writing a life-plan using the elements of story.

More than 500 people attended the conference, including more than a dozen Belmont students and staff members. Miller guided participants through five sessions and accompanying modules to help them map their life story.

Belmont senior Daniel Warner said, “The Storyline conference caused me to see the evident connectedness between my daily actions and the progression of my life’s overarching narrative…  The content of the conference laid an important framework for future reflection. The notebook exercises were well-designed in a way that made it easy to categorize life events and see the path my life has been taking.”

Suzanne Clement, assistant to the dean in the Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, added, “Life as story is an empowering metaphor. Storyline challenged me to create a compelling life story by investing in something bigger than myself, something that ‘saves many lives.’ It was a call to believe in my own agency, to not be afraid, to commit to  making a difference.”

Miller noted in the opening session, “A story consists of a character who wants something and must overcome conflict to get it.” Using that definition as a guide, Miller advocated for conference participants to analyze their own life stories for the elements of character, roles, desire, conflict and perseverance, among others. “Conflict transforms character and teaches us to value our ambitions.”

Miller addresses the Storyline audience in MPAC.

In addition to the sessions, registrants were treated to appearances from a number of special guests, including Grammy-winning, multi-platinum selling artist Amy Grant, who gave the audience a well-received 30-minute acoustic concert.

Other guests who were featured for their own inspirational stories included new author of Love Does, Bob Goff, the founder/CEO of nonprofit Restore International, which addresses injustices committed against children, and Jamie Tworkowski, founder of To Write Love on Her Arms, a nonprofit dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. Local counselor/author Al Andrews was also featured in an interview segment with Miller. Andrews is the  founder and director of two nonprofit organizations: Porter’s Call (a  ministry of counseling and support for recording artists) and Improbable Philanthropy (a movement to promote radical generosity).

Belmont senior  Jordan Yeager noted how each of the special guests exemplified the conference’s theme. “Storyline gave me permission to knock down doors, dream big and take action in my story… The speakers were incredible examples of the fun, inspiring, interesting lives we can live if we are intentional. They each challenged me in a unique way to climb out of the formulaic understanding I had of life.”

Rose Park Students Return to Belmont for ‘Edgehill’s Best’

For the third consecutive year, seventh and eighth grade students from Rose Park Magnet Middle School sought advice from Belmont students, received  instruction from a Belmont instructor and used the University’s journalism lab to produce its newspaper Edgehill’s Best.

The students, hand selected by their teachers, received weekly tutorials from Belmont Vision newspaper adviser and journalism instructor Linda Quigley throughout the spring semester, learning how to develop story ideas, interview sources and write leads.

“The idea is that they provide information that is valuable to the community,” Quigley said. “Having been in journalism for 30 years, it is exciting to see students appreciate [newspapers] as [they]  are getting a bad wrap.”

On May 2, the middle school students worked in Belmont’s journalism lab to write their articles with the help of several Belmont students and Vision reporters, including managing editor Autumn Allision.

“It is a neat experience to help them focus their stories and work as a copy editor for these younger students,” said Allison, a junior from Watertown, Tenn.

The free newspaper with 5,000 circulation is intended for residents of the Edgehill community. In addition, it is distributed to Metro Council members, on Belmont’s campus, in local churches, restaurants and community centers throughout the summer. Stories cover topics such as school sports, students’ community service projects and nonprofit service providers in the Edgehill area.

Seventh grader Aaron Oates focused his article on how Hattie Cotton Elementary has evolved since it was bombed in 1957 as the school integrated and interviewed former Tennessean publisher John Seigenthaler.

“This is a good opportunity to work on writing skills and learn how to interview and make connections with the community,” Oates said.

Eighth grade language arts teacher Alison Forte said, “Belmont has worked aggressively on outreach to work with our students and offered our students full scholarships. This newspaper is another expression of Belmont’s desire to be involved in this side of town and the lives of its citizens.”

Click here to view photos of the Rose Park students working on Edgehill’s Best.

Center for Executive Education Hosts Spring Leadership Breakfast with Author Dan Heath

The Center for Executive Education at Belmont University will host Dan Heath as the keynote speaker during its Spring Leadership Breakfast on Wednesday, May 16 at 7 a.m. in the Curb Event Center arena. Presented in partnership with the Nashville Chamber of Commerce, the event will explore the patterns executives should follow to make important changes, whether it’s changing the world, a business or a personal goal.

Heath is a noted speaker/author/business columnist and co-author of Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard and Made to Stick. He also serves as a senior fellow at Duke University’s CASE Center for Social Entrepreneurs.

“The Chamber is delighted to partner with Belmont’s Center for Executive Education to present the Spring Leadership Breakfast. We are excited to have such a dynamic, nationally recognized speaker addressing a topic that is so timely and important for Nashville’s business community, and we look forward to future opportunities to collaborate with the Center for Executive Education on programming,” said Ralph Schulz, president and chief executive officer of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.

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CEMB Class Hits the Road in June with The Turtles Featuring Flo & Eddie

10 students to gain experiential education on ‘Happy Together Tour’

This June, 10 Belmont University juniors and seniors will join professor and legendary musician Mark Volman, a founding member of the band The Turtles, on the road for an East Coast run of the “Happy Together Tour.” The tour’s “classroom” and schedule looks something like this: one tour bus, a precious few hotel rooms, long hours and many stages—for two and a half weeks and a grade.

Under the guidance of faculty advisor Mark Volman and staff advisor Lucas Boto, students will work with touring artists and crew professionals in the areas of tour management, stage management, audio engineering, tour accounting and merchandise sales. These duties will be in addition to their continued learning each day during the process of load-in, setup, tear-down and load-out. These hands-on educational avenues outside of the classroom provide networking opportunities with all of the supporting organizations while gaining an understanding of the revenue flow from music consumer to touring performer. 

“Only at Belmont do students get such a unique opportunity to experience the world of tour management, live production, and what life on the road looks like before embarking on their career paths. I’m excited to teach them what I know outside a normal classroom space and to see what I’ll learn from them. Inevitably, their energy will add to the tour experience for the performers as well,” says Turtles founding member and Curb College professor of Entertainment Industry Studies Mark Volman.

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Belmont Launches New MBA for Healthcare Professionals

Innovative weeknight, part-time program targets Nashville’s working healthcare leaders

Admissions recently opened for Belmont University’s MBA for Healthcare Professionals, a new graduate program that integrates cutting-edge business practice with the latest approaches to managing excellence in patient-centered healthcare.

According to the Nashville Chamber of Commerce website, healthcare makes up 10 percent of the Nashville economic market, with three of the top five employers in the city focusing on health services and more than 65,000 individuals in a healthcare-related occupation. As a result, the part-time evening program has been designed specifically to fit the needs of these working professionals.

Dr. Joe Alexander, associate dean of Belmont’s Massey Graduate School of Business, said, “Belmont is committed to engage with and serve the Nashville community, and an MBA for Healthcare Professionals offers a unique opportunity for those in this region to pursue an industry-specific MBA degree without interrupting their healthcare careers.”

The MBA for Healthcare Professionals (HCMBA) program is designed “by healthcare professionals for healthcare professionals” and represents a joint venture between the Massey School, the Inman College of Health Sciences & Nursing and the College of Pharmacy. Similar to Belmont’s existing MBA programs, the HCMBA is academically challenging, while maintaining a high degree of professional and contemporary relevance.

The HCMBA charter class will begin studies this fall, with courses offered in a convenient weeknight format, supplemented by one week of concentrated daytime coursework each August. The program is designed to be completed in two years and, like all Massey programs, includes an 8-10 day international healthcare study abroad experience.

The program’s “curricular DNA” includes two interrelated strands of coursework where important connections are made between an MBA foundation and the business of healthcare. The MBA business core includes content coverage in each of the basic functional areas of business: accounting, finance, entrepreneurship, management, marketing, business technology and operations. As the student advances through the program, an increasing number of healthcare-specific business courses are added, with industry-specific content in areas such as patient-centered care, healthcare quality improvement and compliance, comparative healthcare systems, bioethics, healthcare informatics, and healthcare strategic management.

Finally, each student has an additional opportunity to customize the program to fit their specific learning needs through selection of two course electives from topics such as lean healthcare management, negotiation and decision-making, supply chain management and physician practice management, among many others.

Applicants must have completed an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution, and are required to have full-time work experience in the healthcare industry, preferably with increasing responsibilities.

As a Massey School degree program, the HCMBA is accredited by AACSB International. Belmont University is one of only two private universities in the State of Tennessee to maintain AACSB accreditation.

Belmont Breaks Ground on New Academic Building on Wedgewood Avenue

188,000-square-foot structure plus five-level underground garage will be largest campus building to date

Belmont University broke ground this morning on the campus’ largest building to date, a 188,000-square-foot academic center situated on the corner of Wedgewood and 15^th Avenues. The building will house most departments from the College of Arts and Sciences as well as the School of Religion, providing much-needed classroom and lab space for the growing University. Slated to open in fall 2014 and anticipated to cost $76.5 million, the new building is being designed and built by locally-owned companies—Earl Swensson Associates (ESa) and R.C. Mathews—and will create jobs for hundreds in Middle Tennessee. A five-level underground parking garage will also provide approximately 430 additional parking spaces, and the facility will connect on three floors to both the Inman Center and McWhorter Hall.

“The building establishes a new cornerstone for Belmont University and provides a true reflection of who we are,” said Belmont President Bob Fisher. “It will sit as a beacon on the northeast edge of campus, offering a perfect view of the Nashville skyline and inviting Nashville and the world to come and see what Belmont is all about:  providing an academically challenging liberal arts education in a Christian community of learning and service.”

Since Belmont’s general education/core curriculum requires courses in writing, speech, math and religion, among others, every undergraduate will take classes in the new academic center. In addition, the center will house a 280-seat chapel, a dining venue, 30 classrooms that vary in seating capacity, state-of the-art laboratories and conference room space.

Dr. Thomas Burns, who serves as Belmont’s Provost overseeing all academic programs, added that the building’s design has been a campus-wide effort. “We began this process in the fall with a blank canvas, recognizing that we needed additional academic space but carefully considering which areas to prioritize. Through ongoing conversations and collaboration with students, faculty and staff, we’ve honed in on Belmont’s most urgent needs in the College of Arts and Sciences and School of Religion. With their input, we’ve drawn plans for a building that will enable interdisciplinary studies and experiential learning while also representing the latest thinking in classroom space.”

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Belmont University Celebrates College of Pharmacy Charter Class Graduation May 5

First class of 65 students recognized for accomplishments, service

The Belmont University College of Pharmacy (BUCOP) will celebrate the graduation of its charter class on May 5 with 65 members of the Class of 2012 expected to cross the stage to receive their Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. After opening its doors in 2007, the College of Pharmacy accepted its first students in fall 2008, and the initial class has paved the way for future BUCOP students, setting a high standard for academic excellence and community service.

Belmont’s College of Pharmacy Dean Dr. Phil Johnston said, “The University and the Nashville community have enabled us to develop a stellar College of Pharmacy at Belmont. I am proud of the commitment of faculty and students to take on leadership roles in this profession to make a difference in thousands of lives. Also important is the contribution of more than 450 affiliate faculty, who open their businesses to our students to provide quality education and mentoring.”

Belmont President Bob Fisher said, “As these students hang their degrees in offices and wear their white coats in labs, retail pharmacies, hospitals and clinics across the United States, they demonstrate the University’s mission to engage and transform the world.  Belmont is especially grateful to Trustee Emeritus Clayton McWhorter who, inspired by his brother, the late pharmacist Fred McWhorter, endowed support to the state-of-the-art academic building that houses the College of Pharmacy.  We are honored to have our students follow their example of living in service to others and championing healthcare reform.”

BUCOP has provided students with the skills to contribute to the growing health care needs of Nashville. Since the college’s first class was admitted in August 2008, students’ academic accomplishments and service has grown exponentially each year. Among their achievements are: (more…)

Belmont University Lauds Spring Commencement Ceremonies May 5

Belmont graduates largest class in University’s history

Belmont University will hold its spring 2012 commencement ceremonies for graduate and undergraduate students on Saturday, May 5 in the Curb Event Center.

For the second consecutive year, the University will have two ceremonies on the same day. At 10 a.m. candidates from the College of Pharmacy, the College of Health Sciences & Nursing, the College of Business Administration, the College of Entertainment and Music Business and the School of Religion will have their degrees conferred. At 2 p.m. candidates from the College of Visual and Performing Arts, the College of Arts and Sciences, Interdisciplinary Studies and University College will have their degrees conferred.

Belmont celebrates the graduation of a total of 1,018 students, marking the largest graduation in the University’s history to date. During the graduation ceremonies, 723 undergraduate, 211 master’s and 84 doctoral degrees will be conferred. Among the graduates is the Belmont University College of Pharmacy charter class, with 65 members receiving their Doctor of Pharmacy degree.

Tickets, which have been distributed to the graduating students, will be required for guests wishing to attend either event. The ceremonies can be watched live at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at  this link.

Dr. Robert C. Fisher, president of the University, will preside over the events and present the commencement address at both ceremonies.

Cordia Harrington Awarded Beta Gamma Sigma Medallion at Belmont University

Pictured (l-r): Tom Harrington (CPA, The Bun Companies), Cordia Harrington (CEO, The Bun Companies), Dr. George Stevens (Beta Gamma Sigma), Dr. Gary Garrison (Associate Professor in Belmont’s College of Business Administration and Faculty Advisor for Belmont’s Chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma) (Photo by Joshua Gilreath)

Cordia Harrington, founder, CEO and president of The Bun Companies, was recently awarded the prestigious Beta Gamma Sigma Medallion for Entrepreneurship. In a ceremony held on campus yesterday, Dr. George Stevens, past president and current board member of Beta Gamma Sigma, made a personal visit to present Harrington with the honor during the annual Belmont University Center for Entrepreneurship Student Awards Banquet.

The Medallion for Entrepreneurship has been awarded annually by international honor society Beta Gamma Sigma since 1994. The award was established to recognize individuals and firms who contribute significantly to the vitality and strength of the economy, combining innovative business achievement with service to humanity. Mrs. Harrington, affectionately known as “The Bun Lady,” was nominated by Belmont University’s College of Business Administration (COBA). She is one of four recipients of the award this year. The other 2012 honorees are David Director, president of Connecticut Lighting Centers; John R. Post, founder and president of Post Precision Castings, Inc.; and Steve Weiss, chairman and CEO of Coachella Valley Angel Network.

James Viehland, executive director of Beta Gamma Sigma, said, “The selection committee was very impressed with her achievements as they were presented in the nomination and supporting materials.”

Dr. Pat Raines, dean of Belmont’s College of Business Administration, added, “Mrs. Harrington embodies the entrepreneurial spirit, and we are proud she has chosen to establish strong ties with the University and the College of Business Administration.”

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Students, Faculty Hear Experts Discuss Changes in Acute Care

Earlier this week, more than 200  Belmont University health science students and faculty attended a panel discussion in Neely Dining Room on “Emerging Issues and Hot Topics in Acute Care”  presented by health professionals from Community Health Systems and sponsored by the Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences & Nursing.  The discussion provided students with information about practice changes and new career paths that are developing because of the changes occurring nationally in acute care.

“This was an exceptional opportunity for our students to ask questions and interact with practicing healthcare professionals to learn about the workplace they will soon enter,” said Dr. Cathy Taylor, Dean of the College of Health Sciences. 

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Residence Life Shadow Program Fosters Cross-Campus Mentoring

Residence Life staff and the staff members they shadowed gathered recently to reflect on the experience.

For the second year, Belmont’s Office of Residence Life conducted a Residence Director Shadowing Program for all RDs on campus. The program, which occurs once per semester, gives participants the opportunity to spend a day working alongside other professionals among the Belmont community, allowing the RDs to explore areas as diverse as Athletics, Human Resources, Event Planning, Communications, Career Services and more.

Residence Life Director Anthony Donovan is proud of the program and the relationships it fosters among his RDs and campus partners. He said, “Great professionals paired with great aspiring young professionals makes for a great idea.”

The 13 residence directors have the chance to rank what areas on campus most interest them and after a matching process, are assigned a Belmont staff member to shadow. Once the shadow days are completed, participants write a follow-up reflection that is compiled into a book, and all directors, along with their campus partners, come together for a celebratory lunch to share what knowledge or perspective they gained from the experience.

Director of Organizational Development Deborah Baruzzini (Human Resources) has been grateful to participate in the mentorship program, noting that she has forged helpful bonds with the professionals she has been paired with. “When I was growing professionally, I had two fabulous mentors to whom I could go with any kind of question comfortably. I hope to provide that kind of support through this program and haven’t been disappointed yet with my two colleagues.”

The RD Baruzzini was paired with this semester, Sarah Norton, agrees. Norton is grateful for the professional development the program offers on campus and said she has learned many things that she will transfer with her to her job in Residence Life. “It gives us a way to see the work of professionals in anything from organization development like Deborah, to dining services, to athletics — how we can learn from each other and how are departments are interrelated, since we’re serving the same students,” Norton said.

Author Donald Miller Brings Storyline Conference to Belmont May 6-7

Following two ‘sold-out’ Portland events, Storyline expands across the country

Donald Miller

New York Times best-selling author Donald Miller is bringing his Storyline Conference to Belmont University May 6-7. Based on his best-selling book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, Storyline is an intimate two-day conference that walks registrants through the steps of writing a life-plan using the elements of story.

The conference arrives in Nashville fresh on the heels of the April 13 release of Blue Like Jazz, a movie based in part on Miller’s own life story. Previously held in Portland, Ore., Storyline has sold out both years and has expanded to Nashville in 2012. Belmont faculty, staff and Students are now being offered a $99 registration to the two-day conference. Click here to learn more on how to take advantage of this discount (must use Belmont email address to register). In addition, residential students will also have the opportunity to remain in their on campus housing for the event (contact Residence Life at reslife@belmont.edu for more details).

“We’re excited to bring Storyline to Belmont University and help registrants put their life on a map so they can know where they’re headed,” said Donald Miller, “When you know your story, you’ll better understand your purpose, and you’ll live with greater efficiency and impact.”

Miller will guide the registrants through five sessions and accompanying modules to help them map their life story. In addition to the sessions, registrants will be treated to appearances from a number of special guests, including:

• Bob Goff, the founder and CEO of Restore International, a non-profit organization which was established to address the atrocities and injustices committed against children. An attorney who also serves as the Hon. Consul for the Republic of Uganda to the United States, Goff will release his first book, Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World (Thomas Nelson), on May 1.
• Amy Grant, Grammy-winning, multi-platinum selling artist. Grant’s career spans over 25 years and stretches from her roots in gospel into an iconic pop star, songwriter, television personality, author and philanthropist. Grant has sold more than 30 million albums and won six Grammys in multiple categories.
• Jamie Tworkowski, founder of To Write Love on Her Arms, a non-profit organization dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA was recently awarded a one million dollar grant at the first Chase American Giving Awards, which will help the organization continue to provide treatment and spread its message of hope and help.

Attorney/author Bob Goff will appear as a special guest at Storyline Nashville.

Christy Ridings, the associate university minister for Belmont University, said, “Having participated in the Storyline conference in Portland last year, I recognized its potential for the collegiate generation as they reflect upon their own lives within the context of narrative. Donald Miller is a long-time friend of Belmont, and he actually helped launch our Living a Better Story initiative, which challenges students to think differently about their world and to live to their fullest potential. We are excited to welcome Donald Miller back to Belmont.”

For more information and to register for the conference, visit http://www.mystoryline.net/conferences/storyline-conference-at-belmont-university/. 

About Donald Miller
Donald Miller is best known for his book Blue Like Jazz which spent 43 weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers list and sold over 1.5 million copies and has recently been adapted into a film which had its World Premiere at the 2012 South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival. In addition to his writing and conference speaking, Miller is the founder of The Mentoring Project, a national organization that provides mentors for children growing up in fatherless homes. He also served on The Presidential Task Force on Fatherhood and Healthy Families and advised the White House on policy decisions regarding American families.

Scholarship and Awards Day Celebrates Student, Faculty Achievements

Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher presents the Heart of Belmont Award to Margaret Shores.

The annual Scholarship and Awards Day convocation, a year-end celebration of academic achievement, was held Wednesday morning in the Massey Performing Arts Center.

Dr. Jennifer Thomas, recipient of the 2011 Chaney Distinguished Professor Award, gave the Honors Address for the ceremony, noting, “Honored students and professors, as you continue in your academic and life achievements, be kind to yourself… be grateful, embrace mistakes, ask for help and take risks. Most importantly, though, share these gifts and talents that you have and be a good example for others. Your words and actions are so enormously powerful.” To read the entire address, click the link: Awards day address-Thomas-S12.

Students honored in Wednesday’s ceremony included:

The Williams-Murray First Year Writing Awards: Nathan Tinnell and Julienne Irwin
The Alfred Leland Crabb Awards: Zach Selby and Jesse Johnson
The Stacy Awalt Writing Awards: Kent Toalson and Elli Whiteway
The Annette Sisson First Year Writing Award: Stephen Braxton Fralick
The Lumos Travel Award: Shirah Foy, Alexandra Haas, Rainu Ittycheriah, Lindsey Ricker, Alyssa Meisterling, Derek Price and Brent Shively
The John Williams Heart of Belmont Award: Margaret Lynne Shores
The First Year Award, Leadership: Brennon Reid Mobley
The Second Year Award, Leadership: Kelsey N. Maguire
The Third Year Award, Leadership: Andrew E. Bishop
The Fourth Year Award, Leadership: Shirah Eden Foy

Provost Dr. Thomas Burns presents the Chaney Distinguished Faculty Award to Dr. Rich Tiner.

In addition to student award winners, Dr. Rich Tiner, professor of media studies, was named the 2012 Chaney Distinguished Professor. The Chaney Distinguished Professor Award, determined on the basis of superior teaching, is presented each year to a faculty member who best represents the vision of the university to be a “premier teaching institution.”

Tiner said, “What a pleasant—and humbling—surprise! For me, this is a tribute to some terrific students, who make me look good by coming to class well-prepared and ready to engage. They make my work pure joy.”

Dr. Leslie Folds, associate professor of nursing, was awarded the 2012 Presidential Faculty Achievement Award. The Presidential Faculty Achievement Award is presented each year to a faculty member who has made outstanding contributions to student life outside the classroom. The award honors and recognizes excellence in faculty-student relationships, special abilities in meeting student needs – academic, personal and professional – and symbolizes Belmont University’s commitment to being a student-centered institution.

Folds said, “I feel so honored, blessed and humbled to receive the Presidential Faculty Achievement Award and to work at  Belmont University where  the focus for all of us as administrators, faculty and staff is to use our unique gifts to serve students. Every decision I make, I always ask myself ‘How will this impact my students?’”