Student Affairs Presents Leadership Awards

The Division of Student Affairs held its Twelfth Annual Student Leadership Reception and Awards Ceremony last week, honoring students and faculty who enhanced campus life throughout the year through their service and leadership.

 The Bruin Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Division of Student Affairs to student leaders, is given to students who exemplified the University’s Community Commitments of personal integrity, individual worth, critical thinking, self control and community responsibility on and off campus. Recipients also displayed consistent involvement in campus life, outstanding service to the Belmont community and significant participation in campus leadership. Bruin Awards were presented to nine students: senior Levi Gordon, junior Charlie Dankert, senior Anna Matlock, senior Daniel Warner, senior Sami Hodge, junior Sarah Currey, senior Megan Lamb, senior Robert Wallace and junior JJ Mann.

In addition to the Bruin Award, Student Affairs also presents an annual Tower Award to a faculty or staff member who has enhanced the campus life experience by being “exceptional at engaging and educating students.” The 2013 Tower Award was presented to Associate Professor of Management/Healthcare Administration Dr. Charles Wainright.

Finally, the Emerging Leader Award recognizes freshman and sophomore students who have begun to make significant contributions within their organizations and/or communities and have demonstrated the potential for leadership and continuing service. It was announced at the April 16 ceremony that this award is being named after Associate Provost and Dean of Students Dr. Andrew Johnston, “an individual that has spent his entire professional career investing in the lives of college students.”  The first recipients of the Dr. Andrew Johnston Emerging Student Leader Awards were freshman Danny Zydel and sophomore MacKenzie Wilson.

World Culture Fest Showcases Belmont’s Diversity

Belmont hosted its first World Culture Fest on March 22 in Neely Dining Hall in an effort to showcase the campus’ diversity.

The event was an opportunity for students and employees to demonstrate culture and heritage through dance, music, fashion and other art forms. Several student organizations had booths representing different world cultures for students to learn, ask questions, examine study abroad opportunities that would immerse them in the culture and participate in a cultural activity.

The Black Student Association, Rumi Club and International Business Society co-sponsored the festival in partnership with the Student Government Association and Student Activities Programming Board.

Among the performances were spoken word, the Argentine Tango, a Latin American dance medley,  a New Zealand Spinning performance art, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. step performance as well as songs in Spanish, Japanese and Swahili. Booths and tables represented Southeast Asian, Irish, Caribbean, Persian, Japanese, Russian, African, Latin American, Chinese and Middle Eastern cultures, and students served food and provided activities including origami, calligraphy and Henna tattoos. (more…)

Jon Acuff Concludes Four Part Series on ‘Your Dream Job’

On Wed., Jan. 16, Jon Acuff, author of Quitter: Closing the Gap Between Your Day Job and Your Dream Job and Stuff Christians Like, concluded his four-part “Your Dream Job” series.

Following worship at the Massey Performing Arts Center, Acuff shared his own personal struggle on his journey to “do work that matters.” He once had the opportunity to speak at a Christian conference in Chicago while still working at his first desk job. He remembered how elated he was during the conference and how he cried on the flight back home. “I knew I was going to have to go back to my desk. I did the reverse Superman,” he said. “I put my clothes back on, and went back to work.” He explained that the road to truly fulfilling work is a long one and calls for much patience.

Acuff kept the packed-out Massey Performing Arts Center laughing throughout his talk.

He likened the experience to the Jews release from slavery in Exodus. “God did not lead them directly to the promised land. He took them the long way, through a desert road,” he explained. “It was frustrating, but God can see things we can’t see. He has a reason.”

Acuff explained that often, the need for patience feels like a desert road and can be interpreted as punishment. However, Acuff believes the desert road is a gift. “God may have something he doesn’t want us to return to,” he posited.

He returned to the question “how do we do work that matters?” with the infamous “you complete me” scene from Jerry Maguire. The movie, like much of pop culture, implies that people can, and need to, be fixed, Acuff explained. This impedes the ability to do work that matters. “If we constantly try to fix, God can’t use us because we become obsessed with the fix.” (more…)

New Residence Hall Named in Honor of Horrell Family

Horrell Hall

In appreciation of their impact through the years, today Belmont University celebrated the naming of its newest residence hall in honor of the Horrell family. Designed by EOA Architects with construction by R.C. Mathews, the suite-style residence hall offers 190 residential spaces for Belmont students and sits adjacent to Dickens Hall, another new residence structure that opened in August. The need for additional residence space comes as a result of Belmont’s significant enrollment expansion from 2,976 students in 2000 to more than 6,600 last fall.

The relationship between the Horrell family and Belmont began in 1963 when then President Herbert Gabhart requested advice and assistance from Henry Horrell, founder of Nashville’s Horrell Company, which recently celebrated 57 years in commercial real estate.

The Horrell Family

Henry Horrell served on the Belmont Board of Trustees for 13 years and chaired the Board from 1970-77. In addition, Belmont’s signature Rose Garden was inspired and funded by Henry’s wife, Kathleen. Two of Henry and Kathleen’s sons graduated from Belmont with Steve now serving on the Board of Trustees.

Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher said, “The Horrells have demonstrated their commitment to Belmont in countless ways through a friendship that has lasted more than 50 years. In naming this new residence hall in their honor, we will remind future generations of their incredible kindness and generous spirit as well as the sustaining contributions they have made to Belmont University.”

Student Organizations Host Final Debate Watch Party

Nearly 50 students gathered in Beaman A&B to view the third and final U.S. presidential election debate on Oct. 23. College Democrats, College Republicans, the Student Activities Programming Board and the Department of Political Science co-sponsored the debate viewing party.

“Being at a university is about understanding a variety of viewpoints, and seeing [students] coming together to share those things [at the debate] is really awesome,” said Matt Whitman, university marketing and special initiatives assistant.

Moderated by CBS News’ Bob Schieffer, the debate took place at Lynn University in Florida. President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney discussed issues including Libya, Syria, China and defense spending.

Meanwhile on Belmont’s campus, bi-partisan efforts of the organizations showed in an even representation of political parties with some students wearing a Romney/Ryan campaign hat, a JFK button, Reagan T-shirt and an Obama sticker. College Democrats President Charlie Hickerson said he was pleased to see students from both on-campus political groups coming together.

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