Belmont University

At the 2024 American Advertising Federation's Nashville Awards, known as the ADDY awards, students from the Watkins College of Art once again demonstrated their exceptional talent and dedication to graphic design, with seven students taking home numerous awards in this year's local competition.In addition to their stack of gold and silver awards, Watkins students also claimed most of the Judges' Choice, the Rising Star and the Best of Showawards.

Four giant checks equaling $8,250 were awarded to winners of the Business Plan Competition hosted by the Thomas F. Cone Sr. Center for Entrepreneurship where students presented their real business ventures - either currently operating or planning for launch - to a panel of alumni judges.

Belmont senior Alisa Osborne has found a way to expertly intertwine her major and her advocacy as a member of the University's forensics team. Now a decorated speaker in a multitude of events, Osborne will showcase her skills on the national stage as she was named to the American Forensic Association's "All-American Team", an honor bestowed to only nine speech and debate students in the nation.

Senior design communications majors within Belmont's Watkins College of Art were recently named to Graphic Design USA magazine's "2024 Design Students to Watch" list, a prestigious recognition in the design world. This accolade acknowledges their outstanding talent and hard work, highlighting them as emerging designers with promising futures.

Belmont's Speech and Debate Team won championship titles after recently competing in two distinguished tournaments: the Tennessee Intercollegiate Forensics Association (TIFA) state tournament on Feb. 17-18 and the National Christian College Forensics Invitational (NCCFI), held March 7-9.

Six Gibson guitars were given to Belmont students who have demonstrated remarkable dedication and talent within the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business and the College of Music and Performing Arts in honor of the six Belmont alumni Grammy nominees.

The following students achieved the Dean's List at Belmont University for the Fall 2023 semester. Eligibility is based on a minimum course load of 12 hours (exclusive of audit and pass/fail courses this semester) and a quality grade point average of 3.5 with no grade below a C (inclusive of audit, pass/fail courses and zero-credit courses).

Belmont University recently launched a new project to showcase its wealth of artistry on campus in the form of a new YouTube channel, "Belmont Tracks." Modeled after NPR's renowned "Tiny Desk" series, the first season of "Belmont Tracks" series will feature 12 intimate and authentic performances of talented student artists in a fresh and engaging way. Student songwriters and singers as well as media studies and audio engineering students participated.

Fourth-year students Emily Schiedemeyer, Honor Thomas and Olivia Hobbs earned first place in the one-day competitive charrette to commence the architecture studio 6 course in the O'More College of Architecture and Design, Tuesday, Jan. 9.

Belmont University has been awarded the 2022-23 Missouri Valley Conference All-Academic Award. The University has now claimed a conference academic achievement award 20 of the last 22 academic years.

Belmont University has been awarded the 2022-23 Missouri Valley Conference All-Academic Award. with 31student-athletes carrying a perfect 4.0 GPA for the 2022-23 academic year.

The Walter and Sarah Knestrick Award is given to an eligible senior major student who proposes a plan to pursue an exceptional creative endeavor post-graduation. This $5,000 award is designed for a student to pursue creative endeavors that may include but are not limited to, studio art pursuits, research projects, art/design-based businesses, or arts-related community engagement projects. Interested students submit an application that includes a project proposal defining their creative goals beyond graduation and how they plan to use the funds. All proposals must be achievable in a one-year timeframe, and the winning student will present the outcomes and reflections of their endeavor to the Watkins/Belmont community.

Selected by the President of Belmont University, this award of distinction recognizes outstanding and innovative design in the Annual Student Exhibition. This year's award recipient is Grace Massey. Grace had several exemplary projects represented in the show, including the app ReSettle: Navigate the New which aims to help immigrants and refugees navigate American life.

This award of distinction is selected from all works of art + design in the Annual Student Exhibition by the Watkins College of Art Program Directors.

Selected by the President of Belmont University, this fine art award of distinction recognizes developed skill and visual language in the Annual Student Exhibition.

The following students achieved the Dean's List at Belmont University for the Spring 2023 semester. Eligibility is based on a minimum course load of 12 hours (exclusive of audit and pass/fail courses this semester) and a quality grade point average of 3.5 with no grade below a C (inclusive of audit, pass/fail courses and zero-credit courses).

Senior Politics and Public Law student Keidron Turner was selected among 175 college students nationwide for the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge's (ALL IN) second annual Student Voting Honor Roll. ALL IN empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement. Campuses that join the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge complete a set of action items to institutionalize nonpartisan civic learning, political engagement and voter participation on their campus.

More than 72 student leaders, staff and faculty members were recognized for their leadership and service at the 2023 Belmont Student Leadership Awards (BSLA), hosted by the Division of Student Formation on April 12. The event's "Everyday Champions" theme was inspired by the university's focus on being radical champions for all. The BSLA Committee shared, "the theme emphasizes our culture where every student can be a leader and we can all be champions. Leaders don't need a formal title or particular status to have a positive impact on the world. Everyday champions show up, use their voice and lead with character, purpose, wisdom and a transformational mindset." Each Belmont academic college, office and department highlighted the efforts and accomplishments of undergraduate and graduate students, along with select employee recognitions.

More than 72 student leaders, staff and faculty members were recognized for their leadership and service at the 2023 Belmont Student Leadership Awards (BSLA), hosted by the Division of Student Formation on April 12. The event's "Everyday Champions" theme was inspired by the university's focus on being radical champions for all. The BSLA Committee shared, "the theme emphasizes our culture where every student can be a leader and we can all be champions. Leaders don't need a formal title or particular status to have a positive impact on the world. Everyday champions show up, use their voice and lead with character, purpose, wisdom and a transformational mindset." Each Belmont academic college, office and department highlighted the efforts and accomplishments of undergraduate and graduate students, along with select employee recognitions.

More than 72 student leaders, staff and faculty members were recognized for their leadership and service at the 2023 Belmont Student Leadership Awards (BSLA), hosted by the Division of Student Formation on April 12. The event's "Everyday Champions" theme was inspired by the university's focus on being radical champions for all. The BSLA Committee shared, "the theme emphasizes our culture where every student can be a leader and we can all be champions. Leaders don't need a formal title or particular status to have a positive impact on the world. Everyday champions show up, use their voice and lead with character, purpose, wisdom and a transformational mindset." Each Belmont academic college, office and department highlighted the efforts and accomplishments of undergraduate and graduate students, along with select employee recognitions. Ten students were presented with the Bruin Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Division for Student Formation. The award recognizes junior and senior students who have exemplified Belmont's aspirational aims by consistently engaging in campus life and demonstrating outstanding service to the campus community through significant participation in campus leadership.

More than 72 student leaders, staff and faculty members were recognized for their leadership and service at the 2023 Belmont Student Leadership Awards (BSLA), hosted by the Division of Student Formation on April 12. The event's "Everyday Champions" theme was inspired by the university's focus on being radical champions for all. The BSLA Committee shared, "the theme emphasizes our culture where every student can be a leader and we can all be champions. Leaders don't need a formal title or particular status to have a positive impact on the world. Everyday champions show up, use their voice and lead with character, purpose, wisdom and a transformational mindset." Each Belmont academic college, office and department highlighted the efforts and accomplishments of undergraduate and graduate students, along with select employee recognitions.

More than 72 student leaders, staff and faculty members were recognized for their leadership and service at the 2023 Belmont Student Leadership Awards (BSLA), hosted by the Division of Student Formation on April 12. The event's "Everyday Champions" theme was inspired by the university's focus on being radical champions for all. The BSLA Committee shared, "the theme emphasizes our culture where every student can be a leader and we can all be champions. Leaders don't need a formal title or particular status to have a positive impact on the world. Everyday champions show up, use their voice and lead with character, purpose, wisdom and a transformational mindset." Each Belmont academic college, office and department highlighted the efforts and accomplishments of undergraduate and graduate students, along with select employee recognitions.

On Tuesday, April 18 the Thomas F. Cone Sr. Center for Entrepreneurship hosted the Business Plan Competition, a culmination of the entrepreneurship business pitch series for the 2022-2023 academic year. Six student entrepreneurs pitched their ideas to a panel of alumni judges for a chance to win first, second and third place money-awarding prizes for their currently active businesses.

Indicating in the close of another academic year, Scholarship and Awards Day 2023 honored the outstanding work and accomplishments of Belmont students on Wednesday, April 12 in the Massey Performing Arts Center. Each year, awards are presented to faculty and students who have exhibited honorable dedication to scholarly achievement and service. "It's a great joy for us to gather as a community because part of what marks Belmont is our connection to each other," President Greg Jones said in a welcome. "We come together to recognize one another, to support and encourage one another."

Riding the high of their sweeping win at the Tennessee Intercollegiate Forensics Association's statewide tournament in February, Belmont University's Speech and Debate team triumphed at the Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Speech and Debate Tournament in Philadelphia, March 15-19.

The Belmont University Speech and Debate Team successfully defended its title at the Tennessee Intercollegiate Forensics Association's statewide tournament, February 18-19. Held on Belmont's campus, this was the University's first time hosting the event in almost a decade. The team has brought home the title since 2019. Winning six different individual state titles, the team beat the second-place competition by almost 70 points.

Nine students within Belmont University's Watkins College of Art-Bella Pace, Bella Stern, Celine Sanderson, Ally Zylstra, Grace Swing, Caleigh Furyk, Sophie Elizondo, Zack Ford and Ella Virostek- received awards at the 58th Annual Nashville American Advertising Awards on February 25th, 2023. The event is designed to showcase the work of and bridge the gap between student and professional designers.

Belmont University's moot court teams traveled to Brooklyn, New York for the National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC) sponsored by the American Bar Association on Feb. 16-17. The two Belmont teams competed against 32 teams from a range of schools nationwide including Wayne State, Pepperdine, Texas A&M and Seton Hall, among others. Of the two teams one was named the regional semifinalist team and the other was named the regional champion team.

Seven students represented the Edward C. Kennedy Center for Business Ethics at the Templeton Business Ethics Case Competition at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida, Feb. 16-17. The Belmont team, made up of students Tessa Chew, Anna Olivier, Katie Beth Raines, Morgan Brady, Colson Kelly, Kyleigh Jehlicka and Kennedy Brady, won first place in the national competition among several notable universities including the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Penn State and Georgetown University.

On Thursday, Feb. 16, senior sports administration major JaQobi Scantling received the Volunteer Friend Phoenix Award from the Nashville non-profit, Healing Arts Project, Inc. (HAPI), at its 13th Annual Phoenix Art Gala. HAPI provides opportunities for people in mental health and addiction recovery to promote healing, community awareness and inclusion. The organization provides free art classes taught by professional artists, art exhibitions, publication opportunities and outreach events in an effort to fill a gap in recovery and rehabilitation services. Scantling has volunteered with HAPI since 2019. What started as fulfilling his Bell Tower Scholar service requirement has transitioned into a rewarding experience that also allows him to exercise one of his passions- being an advocate for others.