Circle Magazine Spring 2018 by Belmont University

BELMONT UNIVERSITY | CIRCLE MAGAZINE SPRING 2018

Team USA Wins

DAVIS CUP Quarterfinal at Belmont

SPRING 2018

FIRST

LOOK

HOMECOMING FRIENDS Country legend Garth Brooks brought gasps and cheers to Homecoming 2018 with a surprise appearance at the 6th annual Homecoming in the Round concert. Invited by his friend and Belmont alum/concert host Gordon Kennedy, Brooks shared stories of the music he grew up with and how it shaped who he became as a songwriter and musician. SPRING 2018

FROM THE PRESIDENT We say yes. When a phone call comes with a big opportunity, as often as possible Belmont says yes. This University embraces the excitement and energy that comes from hosting political debates, musical concerts, inspiring speakers and yes, even internationally viewed Davis Cup tennis because each and every event brings the world to our doorstep. What better way do we have to encourage our students to engage with and transform the world—our mission—than by allowing them to see and experience as much of that world as possible during their time on this campus? Embracing opportunities means more than hosting big events. It also means we welcome new programs in fashion and interior design into our fold following Belmont’s recent acquisition of the O’More College of Design. It means saying yes to undergraduates in labs now partnering with faculty on important scientific research, rather than waiting until graduate school as is the case with most institutions. It means fostering environmentally sustainable practices across our campus, and then teaching our students ways they can do the same. We are able to say yes to all of these opportunities and more because of how many of you say yes to Belmont, offering our University your time and your support. Thank you! Best Regards,

Robert C. Fisher, President

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Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher joins faculty and staff for a stroll around campus to promote wellness as part of National Walking Day. CIRCLEMAGAZINE MAGAZINE CIRCLE

SPRING 2015

From the President

Making a Racquet

Trending Trades

Stronger Together

Up ’Til Dawn

Being Belmont

Walking the Talk

Campus News

We Believe

ON THE COVER: John Isner in action April 6 at Belmont University against Loris De Loore during the 2018 Davis Cup Tennis Quarterfinal, a match Isner won in four sets. Photo by Daniel Shirey/USTA.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION President Bob Fisher Provost Thomas Burns Vice President/Chief of Staff Susan West Vice President of Finance and Operations Steve Lasley Vice President of Administration and University Counsel Jason Rogers Vice President of Development and External Relations Perry Moulds Vice President of Spiritual Development Todd Lake Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness Paula Gill

MAGAZINE Managing Editor April Hefner (M.A. ’07) Designers Hilary Griffith, Sarah Hobbs, Anna Howard, Natalie Smith (B.F.A ’08) University Photographer Sam Simpkins Contributing Photographers Ashley Phillips Daniel Shirey/USTA Contributing Writers Hope Buckner (B.S. ’12, M.Ed. ’17), Sophie Rogers (B.S. ’18) Circle magazine is published biannually for alumni and friends of Belmont University. Editorial content, graphic production, printing and distribution are coordinated by the Offices of Communications and University Marketing & Public Relations. Address changes and alumni notes should be directed to the Office of Alumni Relations. Third-class bulk postage is paid at the U.S. Post Office, Nashville, TN. Direct inquiries and comments regarding Circle magazine content to: Belmont University Office of Communications/Circle magazine 1900 Belmont Blvd., Nashville, TN 37212 615.460.6641 or circlemag@belmont.edu Belmont University is a Christian community. The university faculty, administration and staff uphold Jesus as the Christ and as the measure for all things. As a community seeking to uphold Christian standards of morality, ethics and conduct, Belmont University holds high expectations of each person who chooses to join the community. Belmont University does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, military service or sexual orientation. Inquiries or complaints concerning the application of these policies to students should be directed to the Dean of Students, Beaman Student Life Center Suite 200, 1900 Belmont Blvd., Nashville, TN 37212, deanofstudents@belmont.edu or 615.460.6407.

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SPRING 2018

M AK ING A MAKING RACQUE T RACQUET

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DAVIS CUP tennis returns to Nashville and delivers big wins for Team USA and Belmont.

For the first time since 2012, Team USA will be going to the September semifinal round of Davis Cup, the “World Cup” of international tennis competition, and Belmont University helped them get there. Following an announcement in February, Belmont had just six weeks to prepare for the early April arrival of Team USA and former Grand Slam Champion and current Davis Cup Coach Jim Courier, not to mention tennis fans from around the world. Hosting an event of this caliber lent palpable excitement to campus for the entire week Team USA was at Belmont. More than 1,000 Belmont students and employees were able to enjoy the competition thanks to a PepsiCo student section sponsorship and special “thank you” ticket pricing offered to faculty and staff from the United States Tennis Association (USTA). Sports administration and public relations students participated in a guest lecture featuring Courier and USTA Managing Director of Major Events J. Wayne Richmond. A Belmont alumnus, Richmond shared his journey from 2018 SPRING 2017

being a Smyrna, Tennessee native who thought college was out of the question to his current role as an executive with USTA. He began by crediting late Belmont President and Chancellor Dr. Herbert Gabhart who made sure Richmond’s Belmont education was possible. “This place changed my life,” Richmond said. “I hit my first tennis ball on this campus.” In a feature story in the Tennessean, Richmond added, “Graduating from Belmont and thinking about where tennis has taken me— around the world and then back here—it’s a pretty special feeling.”

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Richmond ensured Belmont students benefitted from the event, even beyond seeing the professional matches. Several students were able to intern with the event production company as well as with the Tennis Channel, and Belmont student Daniel Mata and faculty member Dr. Mark Whatley performed the U.S. and Belgium national anthems respectively during Davis Cup weekend. Belmont’s tennis teams perhaps had the best experience, joining Team USA to work with local youth as part of the USTA Net Generation Kids’ Clinic.

Beyond the educational and experiential aspects, media coverage for the event delivered astronomical marketing value to the University. Estimates from media tracking services indicated a potential audience of more than 1.7 billion were exposed to Belmont and the University received an estimated $12.5 million in advertising value associated with Davis Cup coverage, including mentions from the major networks, USA Today, ESPN, AP and Sports Illustrated, among others.

“Everything that we touched in Nashville just made us feel very much at home.” —DAVIS CUP CAPTAIN JIM COURIER

Davis Cup competition was also broadcast live by the Tennis Channel, with Belmont alumnus Brian Baker assisting with the coverage. The tennis matches at Belmont were viewed by audiences in at least 18 countries around the world. As Courier told the Tennessean, “We had a wonderful experience in Nashville from when we got here to when we finished. The crowd was wonderful, and everything that we touched in Nashville just made us feel very much at home.” •

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BELMONT ACQUIRES FRANKLIN-BASED O’MORE COLLEGE OF DESIGN, ADDING PROGRAMS IN INTERIOR AND FASHION DESIGN/MERCHANDISING FOR FALL 2018.

In a move that expands Belmont’s academic and professional offerings while extending the strong legacy and reach of O’More College of Design, the two institutions announced in February that they are combining efforts to serve the next generation of designers. Belmont will acquire the Franklin, Tennessee-based O’More College of Design and all of its assets and then move O’More’s programs in fashion, interior and graphic design as well as fashion merchandising to Belmont’s campus. The new O’More School of Design at Belmont University will open its doors this fall in Nashville. Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher said, “This is an incredibly exciting moment in Belmont’s history as we join forces with O’More to cultivate world-class design in all its forms. The possibilities for interdisciplinary collaborations are endless as O’More’s programs inspire natural partnerships with countless academic areas in which Belmont’s a proven leader.” The news is all the more fitting as O’More’s roots lie with a Belmont alumna. O’More College of Design was founded in 1970 by Eloise Pitts O’More, a Ward-Belmont graduate who also trained in Paris and New York for interior design. “This is a monumental day for O’More as we join Belmont University,” said Shari Fox, president of O’More College of Design. “Belmont’s creative spirit and impressive growth have captured the attention of our nation, and we are delighted to now be part of that energy… Mrs. O’More would be so proud to know that her legacy has come full circle, and I cannot wait to see what our students achieve as part of this wonderful university.” The creative climates fostered at both schools, along with kindred missions focused on transformative and service-minded education, translates to a powerful pairing. In fact, connections are already being made as a number of Belmont administrators came out in May to support the annual O’More College Fashion Show. For more than two decades the show has been a launching pad for student designers and groundbreaking talent. This year the original collections of 22 student designers were presented before a packed house at the historic Franklin Theatre. • 8

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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SCORES ANOTHER OUTSTANDING SEASON WHILE CELEBRATING 50 YEARS AS PART OF THE BELMONT FAMILY. He’s calm, cool and collected—a “big picture guy,” at least according to a handful of folks closely involved with Belmont’s women’s basketball team. Head Coach Bart Brooks has been a Bruin for less than a year, but according to his team and staffers, he’s a natural fit. He’s a family man who brought his two young sons and his wife Charlene with the team on the Bruins 2018 NCAA Tournament trip.

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The spirit of family is a consistent theme that weaves its way through the fabric that makes up Bruins women’s basketball. In fact, it’s easy to spot before the journey to the Big Dance even begins, while staff and players are loading up the bus bound for University of Georgia’s Stegeman Coliseum where the team will meet Duke University in the first round. Belmont women’s basketball’s first head coach and now retired matriarch Betty Wiseman not only celebrates that mentality as she takes her seat, she helped foster it, founding the program 50 years ago as one of the first women’s sports programs in the Southeast region. The family spirit, though, extends beyond those on the bus. In fact, a quick scan of the stands at any basketball game—home or away—will find father and daughter pair Glenn and Lynlea Payne, longtime supporters of Belmont senior guard Kylee Smith. “Lynlea will continue to be a Belmont fan [after my graduation],” Kylee says. “She’s here to stay.” On Game Day morning, the team rushes the court in their “Splashville” branded shooting shirts, and Belmont fans fill the arena. With minutes left before the game begins, the team heads back to the locker room for one final word from Coach. His message is clear. Between strategies related to Duke’s offense and reminders for successful defense, he reminds the team of one of its main strengths: “Play free, play fast and always, play together.” Senior Sally McCabe’s prayer is one of the last things the Bruins hear before they storm the court. “Help us to play together as one unit, with the goal to glorify you.” At halftime, the Bruins take the locker room with Duke up by only 1 point. But the Blue Devils’ defense presented a significant challenge, and the Bruins were unable to pull out a victory with a final score of 58-72. Despite a tough loss and the emotions that come alongside it, the team’s sense of family remains present. As the women prepare to leave the crowded locker room, it’s time for one last huddle. “On three,” they say as hands rise to meet each other. ”TOGETHER!” •

SPRING 2018

UP ‘TIL DAWN LIVE ON ‘FOX AND FRIENDS,’ BELMONT STUDENTS UNVEIL THAT THEY RAISED MORE THAN $146,000 FOR ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S RESEARCH HOSPITAL.

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Students from Belmont University’s Up ’til Dawn student organization could be seen all across the country on Saturday morning, February 10, as they revealed their 2018 fundraising total for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital on national television. The highly anticipated total, $146,180.78, the highest since the student organization was founded on campus in 2015, was revealed live on Fox and Friends at 6:50 a.m. by the Up ’til Dawn Executive Board, led by Executive Director and Belmont senior Joe LaMartina. More than 300 students were awake all night, celebrating their successful year in the Beaman Student Life Center with games, inflatables, a pizza party, dancing, sports, Zumba classes, special challenges and more. Students must create teams and raise at least $100 each to participate in the night’s festivities where they stay up in solidarity with patients and their parents who are awake all hours of the night during the height of their treatment at St. Jude. This year the group’s final total was more than $25,000 higher than their original goal, a feat LaMartina said he always dreamed of and was secretly hoping for. “Knowing

the heart of Belmont students, I knew we could blow right past our goal of $120,000 and raise more than we ever thought possible,” he said. “These students are amazing, and it has been such an honor to serve as executive director of this year’s event.” LaMartina, the focus of the national coverage, has a very personal connection to St. Jude and their work to cure childhood cancer. His four-year-old sister Lily was diagnosed with Precursor B Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in the summer of 2016, and though she’s now in remission and doing well, her treatment protocol will continue for another year and a half. Lily hasn’t been treated at St. Jude, as she doesn’t live in Tennessee, but LaMartina credits much of her health to the hospital’s willingness to share their research with other facilities across the country. “I work so hard for Up ’til Dawn, simply, because I want to end childhood cancer,” LaMartina said. “I want no other child to have to go through what Lily has gone through. A child should be fighting for their dreams, not fighting for their life.” •

SPRING 2018

BEING

BELMONT

SCORING A SEMESTER The entire crowd celebrated with Christian Kaposy after the freshman sank the half-court “Shot for Tuition” during the NCAA Selection Monday party in March, earning free tuition for a semester.

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SPRING 2018

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U N I V E R S I T Y ’ S F I R S T- E V E R S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y W E E K F O C U S E S AT T E N T I O N O N T H E E N V I R O N M E N T A N D C O N S E R VAT I O N P R A C T I C E S .

Belmont University recently celebrated Earth Day 2018 with its inaugural Sustainability Week featuring events that provided opportunities for the Belmont community to engage in important conversations surrounding conservation.

Weber guided participants through campus on an urban tree and bird walk. Attendees learned about the more than 100 tree species that find their home on Belmont’s campus as well as the countless birds that can be seen.

The week began with a local creek clean-up and the screening of “Slow Food Story,” a documentary highlighting the benefits of locally grown food. The next day, Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher wrote a featured editorial in the Tennessean, noting, “We’ve all heard stats about the threat of global warming, but they only continue to worsen. Most of the world’s major rivers are dammed or diverted, humans utilize more than half of the world’s accessible fresh water runoff, the ice cap is melting, sea levels are rising, just to name a few. Most damaging of all, humans have altered the composition of the atmosphere through deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels.”

The week’s keynote address was presented by microbiologist and organic gardener Dr. Tradd Cotter, while an Earth Day Chapel service featured Jill Phillips, a singer-songwriter and alumna who is a leader of A Rocha Arts, a Christian conservation organization. Sustainability Week concluded with the University Staff Advisory Council’s Family Field Day where families had the opportunity to watch Belmont baseball and softball games while planting seeds and learning more about conservation.

As Dr. Fisher shared information on sustainable practices with the public at large, events on campus continued the theme to educate students as Assistant Professor of Biology Dr. Matthew Heard presented a lecture on “Humans, Animals & Disease” and a celebration of Arbor Day recognized some of Belmont’s recently planted dogwood trees. Following the Arbor Day event, local birder Dr. Francis Fekel and Belmont Horticulturalist Mary

As Dr. Fisher wrote in his editorial, there is plenty of reason to hope, despite seemingly dire conditions. “[America has] been the world’s leader in environmental responsibility including the establishment of the first national park, the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the protection of public lands and so much more… At Belmont University, we see the opportunity to take care of God’s creation as more than a cause—it’s a charge. We see it reflected in verse after verse in the Bible as we are given the responsibility to preserve our earth for generations to come.” • SPRING 2018

CAMPUS

NEWS

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On April 6, Belmont alumnus and Grammy Award-winner Brad Paisley prepped for the hometown show of his Weekend Warrior World Tour with a special pre-show sound check with approximately 200 students from the Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business. The students were invited to Bridgestone Arena where Paisley hosted them for a few songs and then offered career advice and conducted a Q&A session. The students were also able to attend the evening’s performance. Freshman music business major Jacklyn Figueiredo noted what an amazing opportunity it was for her and her peers to get such a behind-the-scenes tour and how much she enjoyed hearing about Paisley’s own time on Belmont’s campus. “His experience was very relatable to everyone’s current Belmont experience. It was awesome to see how he utilized all the tools he learned at Belmont. He said he invited Belmont students to Bridgestone because he wanted to see the new faces of the music industry, and I think that really motivated a lot of students.” Junior music business and accounting double major Becca Cress added, “Immediately likable, he sat down on the steps of the stage and started telling us stories of his time at Belmont and how it shaped his life. He was very engaging with his audience and continuously asked the students questions about their impressions of Belmont and how it operates today compared to when he attended it… The soundcheck itself was awesome! He is such an incredible guitarist, and the band worked really well together. You could tell he’s an experienced artist and has performed in front of large crowds many times.”

CAMPUS NEWS

ALUMNUS BRAD PAISLEY INVITES CURB COLLEGE STUDENTS TO SOUND CHECK

$1 FOR YOUR THOUGHTS Former Dollar General CEO Cal Turner Jr. addressed students this semester on the topic of his new book, “My Father’s Business: The Small-Town Values That Built Dollar General into a Billion-Dollar Company.”

GRAMMY LOVE Recent alumni Dwan Hill and Alvin Love III took home Grammy Awards at the 60th Annual Awards show in New York City.

PRESIDENTIAL NODS Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher was honored this semester by the Nashville Post as CEO of the Year and by the Arts & Business Council with the Martha Rivers Ingram Arts Visionary Award.

HIGHEST EVER CAREER OUTCOMES Belmont recently achieved its highest ever “First Destination Rate,” or Career Outcomes, with 94 percent of recent grads securing employment, enrolling in graduate school or enlisting in military service.

CAMPUS NEWS SPRING BRRREAK A group of 15 students and faculty spent Spring Break exploring Iceland—a first for Belmont study abroad, the trip examined the impact of isolation on the genetics, political systems and culture of the island nation.

NEW STUDENT AFFAIRS LEADER Former Texas Tech Associate Dean Dr. John Delony was recently named associate provost and dean of students at Belmont.

MINISTRY CENTER OPENS Belmont’s new Ministry Center on 12th Avenue South was dedicated in January and is now be home to numerous worship services and ministry opportunities.

DEVON FRANKLIN KICKS OFF BELMONT’S MLK COMMEMORATIVE WEEK Award-winning film/TV producer and New York Times best-selling author DeVon Franklin (“Miracles from Heaven,” “Heaven Is For Real”) kicked off Belmont’s 2018 MLK Commemorative Week on January 12 with a keynote breakfast and chapel address. Franklin began by discussing the week’s theme, “A View From the Mountaintop” and reflecting on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s final speech. Franklin wondered whether King was somehow aware of the importance of his final words which were focused on the “promised land.” “Maybe Martin knew he was leaving this Earth,” Franklin said. “But he didn’t want to leave his listeners without hope.” Franklin described the initial days of his career—as an 18-year-old unpaid intern for Will Smith—and emphasized the importance of remaining committed to your beliefs, regardless of your environment. As a Hollywood employee, Franklin said many people doubted his ability to stay true to his commitments—including attending church on Sundays. But he was steadfast and sure to include his boundaries in initial conversations regarding his work. Not only were his needs respected, he even had the chance to begin Bible study conversations with his co-workers. Franklin ended his session with a charge for listeners. “We only live this life one time. What are you going to go with the one you’ve been given? What you do down here with this one determines what happens up there.” MLK Week also included a candlelight vigil, an update on the University’s “Belmont State of Mind” diversity and inclusion initiative, a worship service and a movie night, among other activities.

GRAD SCHOOL RANKINGS The Massey College of Business’s part-time MBA and Belmont’s College of Law were both recognized in U.S. News & World Report’s annual grad school rankings.

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CIRCLE MAGAZINE

CAMPUS NEWS

LARGEST COMMENCEMENT TO DATE

STUDENTS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN CANCER CELL RESEARCH IN CAMPUS LABS

Belmont marked its largest graduation day in University history May 5 as 1,264 students walked the stage with 958 bachelor’s, 122 master’s and 184 doctoral degrees conferred.

Thanks to a semi-sterile tissue culture facility in the Janet Ayers Academic Center, Belmont students are engaging with cell research in a hands-on way. Assistant Professor of Biology Dr. Chris Barton is partnering with students to grow cancer cells that have been isolated from tumors in plastic dishes. Barton, a molecular biologist, leads students through extensive research projects related to the behavior of cancer cells, seeking to identify drugs that could make an impact. Senior biology major Bailey Bergmann is one of Barton’s students and has been working on understanding the effects of certain drugs on colon, rectal and lung cancer cells. After reading an article in the New York Times about the effects of one medication on cancer, Bergmann began her own research. She started studying Amodiaquine, another medication, and found that it had quite an impact on cells’ viability—in fact, it caused cells to stop dividing and die. She has continued to develop and expand her research question since beginning her time in Barton’s lab last summer. “I am so grateful that Belmont allowed me to develop skills in tissue culture and to have the experience of presenting my research at so many conferences,” Bergmann said. “Having the ability to develop a research question that is personally meaningful due to the impact of cancer on members of my family was incredible and provided a sense of ownership and responsibility for my project that helped me to grow academically.”

GUBERNATORIAL FORUM ON EDUCATION In partnership with Score, USA Today Network— Tennessee and NewsChannel 5, Belmont hosted a forum in January featuring five of the state’s gubernatorial candidates.

JOURNALIST IN RESIDENCE Noted editor Kristin Roberts appeared as a Journalist-in-Residence this spring, giving media studies and political science students an insider’s perspective.

HONORING A FALLEN STUDENT Following her daughter’s tragic shooting death, the mother of DeEbony Groves accepted her posthumous degree. DeEbony’s memory is also being honored by a scholarship in her name.

CAMPUS NEWS NEW DEAN OF PHARMACY Dr. David Gregory, former associate dean of academic affairs at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, was named as the new dean of Belmont’s College of Pharmacy.

ALUMNUS, STONEMAN DOUGLAS TEACHER ENCOURAGES STUDENTS TO TEACH Ray Posada, a 2013 alumnus and teacher at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (MSD), visited Belmont one month after the mass shooting at his school, sharing his experiences and insights with education majors.

KUDOS FOR KYLEE The NCAA named Kylee Smith a recipient of the 2018 Jim McKay Scholarship, one of the most selective and prestigious honors in all of intercollegiate athletics.

WATKINS RECEIVES ‘WOMEN CREATORS’ Sophomore and Nashville native Caroline Watkins was recently selected as the second recipient of the “Women Creators” scholarship, established in 2015 by Miranda Lambert.

BELOVED FACULTY MEMBER REMEMBERED Beloved faculty member and Media Studies Chair Thom Storey passed away in January after a battle with cancer. A scholarship has been formed in his name to honor the man who pioneered journalism education on campus.

On the day of the shooting, Posada, who teaches world history and sociology, was sitting alone in a copy room located in a separate part of campus. In the dark, waiting for information, Posada said he began texting members of his family. His wife, aunt and cousin are teachers at the school, and his younger sister is a junior at MSD. “To say Stoneman Douglas is my home is so true,” Posada said. “Half of my family was there.” When the door to the copy room was opened by an armed SWAT team and Posada was able to leave the building, he walked nearly a mile to the staging area where he found his wife. Immediately, Posada said he began wondering whether he should go back to the classroom given the threat he was feeling. “I didn’t get into teaching to be shot at,” he said. “I didn’t get into teaching so that I could come back to the class and see an empty desk.” But after attending MSD’s vigil the next day and seeing one of his students, he realized he didn’t have a choice. “I looked in his eyes, and I could see that behind the tears and the pain, there was so much he didn’t understand,” Posada said. “I had no choice, I had to go back to school. I had to be there. He needed me. My life was incomplete without my students.” Speaking to a room full of more than 100 Belmont students, Posada emphasized the importance of good teachers. “Teach. We need you,” he said. “The solution to these problems is teachers. We need you to not be afraid to step into a classroom, because it’s totally worth it.”

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For 125 Belmont students, faculty and staff, Spring Break meant a trip away from Nashville, but it didn’t include the typical beach and relaxation scene. Rather, these groups traveled to locations in the United States as well as overseas, including sites in Mexico and the Dominican Republic, to serve their neighbors. Belmont’s Spring Break mission trip program, Immersion, gives participants a chance to be immersed in local culture and in the cares and concerns of local communities while also providing an intense exposure to what God is doing all over the world. Clara Leonard, a senior audio/video production major, went to Chavies, Kentucky, to work with Appalachia Service Project conducting repairs on a substandard home and building relationships with the homeowner. “It’s important to remember that substandard housing and tough situations don’t just exist across the ocean; they don’t even just exist four hours away in Eastern Kentucky–they exist right here, in Nashville. An immersion experience helps to open your eyes to injustice all around you and how you can work to improve it.” First year law student Tenia Miles went to Acuna, Mexico, to help build a house for a family of eight in partnership with local ministry Casas Por Cristo. “I’ve never been able to do a mission trip and saw this as an opportunity to connect with other people at Belmont and share an amazing experience building something as big as a house for someone who needs it… Doing manual labor and going to a foreign country without clean water or decent plumbing was never something I would’ve pictured myself doing, but I’m glad I let myself be used as a vessel for God’s love by serving others.”

CAMPUS NEWS

IMMERSION SPRING BREAK MISSION TRIPS PUT FAITH, SERVICE INTO FOCUS

POVERTY SIMULATION FOR HEALTH Nearly 100 College of Health Sciences & Nursing faculty participated in the Community Action Poverty Simulation, gaining insights on living in poverty across America.

PARTNERSHIP WITH COLUMBIA STATE Belmont and Columbia State Community College announced in May a new partnership that allows Columbia State associate degree students the opportunity to transfer to Belmont to earn a Bachelor’s of Business Administration.

SOULS OF SEOUL Belmont Chorale Conductor Dr. Jeffrey Ames and his friend Jihoon Park, director of a semi-professional “Souls of Seoul” choir from South Korea, partnered to present a joint concert on campus in February.

FAITH & CULTURE SYMPOSIUM Author and activist Brian McLaren kicked off the Fifth Annual Symposium on Faith and Culture with a chapel presentation and serving as moderator of a songwriters’ round.

Center for Faith Leadership in honor of Mike Curb’s grandfather, Rev. Charlie McCloud Curb. Begun in June 2016, the Center was established to provide continuing education opportunities for pastors and leaders of faith-based organizations. The Center is focused on creating stronger leadership for local congregations and ministries.

INSTITUTE RENAMED TO HONOR REV. CHARLIE CURB Long-time Belmont supporter and music business leader Mike Curb and his wife Linda recently made possible a $2 million endowment to rename Belmont’s Institute for Innovative Faith-Based Leadership as the Reverend Charlie Curb

Mike Curb said, “My grandfather, Rev. Charlie M. Curb, would be very proud of the Center for Faith Leadership at Belmont. He devoted his entire life and love for all people by ministering in a positive and inspirational way throughout his 50-year career. I have known Dr. Jon Roebuck, the Center’s executive director, as a member of his congregation for over 20 years

and admire his amazing ability to communicate with everyone.” Born on October 29, 1876, in Bell County, Texas, Rev. Charlie Curb went on to become one of the leading evangelists of his generation. For a number of years, Rev. Curb served as the State Evangelist for the Oklahoma Baptist Convention and was later named to the Oklahoma Baptist Hall of Fame. Roebuck said, “Mike has told me, on many occasions, about the respect and admiration he holds for his grandfather and the work to which he gave his life’s energy. It seems most appropriate to honor his extraordinary life of ministry by naming our program in his honor as it seeks to strengthen the work of faith leaders in Middle Tennessee.”

Your gift makes a

DIFFERENCE.

“You gave to me because you have faith that your money could help not only change my life but change the world. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a light in someone’s life like you have been in mine. Your decision to give what you have will live on forever, and I am eternally grateful.” KHYESHA LEVERETT to her scholarship donor SOCIAL WORK MAJOR, CLASS OF 2020

$300,000,000

106

New endowed scholarships created

14,031

$200,000,000

$160,213,537

Total donors to the We Believe campaign

$2,831,194

Raised to support missions $100,000,000

$10,504,840 In gifts eligible for University match

DID YOU KNOW? Thanks to a long history of strong financial management and diligent cost control, Belmont is able to partner with its supporters to leverage their investments in the institution’s future. The University will match endowment contributions between $25,000 and $1.5 million “dollar for dollar,” doubling the impact of each donor’s commitment.

GIVE NOW Now is a great time to join the We Believe campaign. To learn more about our campaign, please visit WEBELIEVE.BELMONT.EDU or call 615.460.5517.

AUG. 25

SEPT. 21–23

NOV.

DEC. 14

Alumni, faculty, staff and families come together for the annual Battle of the Belmont Bands and Family Fun Festival.

Join us for Parent and Family Weekend!

Men’s & Women’s Basketball begins! Check BelmontBruins.com for dates and times when available.

Winter Commencement in the Curb Event Center

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