Road Trip Gone Wrong

Posted By Administration, Monday, March 08, 2010

Reca Barwin '06/'09

Confession: This week’s post was supposed to be about a trip down to Macon, Ga with some other young alumni to watch the second and third rounds of the A-Sun tournament as our Bruins battled it out for the conference championship. Sadly, with a loss early in the first round and some unexpected illness, neither the big game nor the road trip happened.

Not being a big fan of change, not only was I disappointed in the canceled trip and the abrupt ending of the basketball season, but I was also left without a topic for my YAB GAB post. My journalism teacher in high school always said "write about what you know” and after a little thought, I realized that what I know is that if I hadn’t taken the opportunity to join the Young Alumni Council (YAC), there would have been no way I would have ever planned this trip to begin with much less had the opportunity to write about it being cancelled.

Through my involvement in the YAC, I’ve not only had an amazing opportunity to give back to Belmont, but I’ve also had the privilege to make some wonderful friends, many of whom I would have not met without our paths crossing through this organization. Additionally, I have had the opportunity to reconnect with old friends and build stronger relationships with acquaintances I had as an undergrad. Some are older, some are younger, some graduated the same year I did, but had a different major or other student activity interests, yet now, here we are planning trips, joining other Nashville based organizations together, building a large circle of both professional and personal networking contacts, and above all having a great time. As my three-year term in the YAC comes to a close, I could not be more grateful for the positive impact my involvement has had on my life. Being an involved alumni was something I chose to do in order to give back, instead I was blessed with the rewards of lifelong friendship that I could have never imagined when I started the process. You never know who will be at one of the after game socials or who will end up on your committee that might just change or enhance your life for the better.

If you live here in Nashville, I encourage you to take part in the Belmont community- attend programming for your interest area or age group, volunteer to be a speaker or give your time to alumni run events, buy season tickets to watch the Bruins become conference champs next year. If you aren’t in town, make sure you attend the events held when the alumni office comes to your city…and if they aren’t coming, ask them to or at the very least find out if there are other alumni in your area so you can host your own event. And last, but not least, when the time comes around (May 1)…apply for the Young Alumni Council. You’ll be glad you did.

Reca Barwin '06/'09

Tags: Basketball Reca Barwin

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Belmont at the Braves & Becoming an "Alum Squared!"

Posted By Administration, Monday, August 24, 2009

Reca Barwin '06/'09

These past few weeks have been super busy at Belmont, especially in the alumni world. On August 11, the alumni office hosted a wonderful event in Atlanta, GA- “Belmont at the Braves.” There were lots of alumni from the area in attendance and even a few of us Nashville area alums drove down. You may recognize a few names from those in attendance-Michael & Erica Montgomery ’07, John Webster ’04, Nick Giguere ’01, Erick Allen ’07, Holly Patterson ’06, Stephanie Kvernmoe ’01, Brian Wright ’99, and more! The evening started perfectly with a meal of traditional ballpark food and by the end of the night the Braves had won, tons of Belmont memories and stories had been swapped, and we all got to show our school spirit by sporting the latest Belmont reusable shopping bags…now available in blue. If you don’t live close to Nashville, I hope if an event is planned in your area you plan to attend. This type of event just shows how hard our alumni office is working to make the post-Belmont experience a positive one for us all.

And, speaking of post-Belmont experiences, welcome to official alumni status Class of 2009: August Edition! I’m proud to be one of you. In the words of fellow double alum David Fish ‘04/’07, I am an ”alum squared.” This was the second time around for me here at Belmont and it was just as exciting and life changing for me this time as it was the first, only for different reasons (mainly this time, I’m not starting school again so I really do have to find a grown up job). As I prepared for the big day (i.e. doing a lot of cleaning for family to come to town), I had the good fortune to find some old papers that shed a lot of light on my Belmont experience. In a box from under my bed, I found a paper I had written my senior year of high school about why I had applied to different schools and which one I thought I would most like to attend. As I read, I expected the closing paragraphs to describe my desire to attend another local university, but as I read on, I instead found the 17 year old version of me writing about how Belmont was the place for me and all the opportunities I thought I would find here. Further digging lead me to find my admission essays to both undergrad and graduate school and they each continued to reflect the same feelings about how I felt the university matched who I was as a person and how through that connection I could reach the goals I had set for myself. Finally, I happened upon a reflection of my time here at Belmont that I had written just a few weeks back and again it echoed the same ideas. It was interesting to me how the same hopes and dreams I had for my collegiate career at Belmont as a high school student had rang true for the past 7 years and exceeded most of them beyond my imagination. Although some goals changed along the way and college life wasn’t without the expected times of strife, my overall purpose of becoming the person I wanted to be while being impacted by the greater Belmont community was met and I’m very thankful for each person from faculty and staff to fellow students and friends that have been a part of that process.

While each of our Belmont experiences have been different, it is my hope that you too can say that your time at our alma mater did aid in helping you to grow to your fullest potential and discover the person you were created to be. While many of us may not have completed the journey to that person yet, our time at Belmont did provide us with experiences, resources, and tools to continue on that path and make the most of it. I wish each of you well as you set out as Belmont alums…whether it is your first, second, or maybe even third time to earn the honor. Don’t forget to put your new decal on your car!

PS: Did I mention my English teacher was a Belmont alumna as well, Deb Pate ’84.

Tags: Atlanta Graduation Reca Barwin

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Busy Belmont Everywhere!

Posted By Administration, Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Bustling Belmont

As Belmont grows larger, things on campus seem to stay busy even when classes aren’t in full swing and this past week was no exception. On Tuesday, May 26, the Nashville Area Junior Chamber of Commerce hosted its monthly membership meeting in the Gordon Inman Health Sciences Building Conference Center where it welcomed over 150 young professionals to Belmont’s campus in order hear Nashville Mayor Karl Dean speak about the impact young adults could have on the Nashville community now and in the future. Mayor Dean spoke of ways to improve education in the Nashville area, the up and coming new conference center downtown, and ways to physically link the Belmont, Lipscomb, Vanderbilt college areas to those of Fisk and Tennessee State through road ways. Although this wasn’t an official Belmont event, many young alums were in attendance including Renease Perkins ‘07, Chase Breland 04, Kim Yandell ‘03, Amanda Wyler ‘03, and Brooke Smotherman ‘03.

On Thursday, May 28, Belmont increased its perimeter even more to include West End Ave and Maggiano’s Little Italy for the Young Alumni Council End of the Year Banquet. It was so nice to get together and hear just how many of you had participated in young alumni programming this year either by attending socials, donating your time to help at convocations or community service events, or giving back financially. I know I can say a big THANK YOU on behalf of the entire council for your support of the programming we try to develop and offer a wish that you will continue to increase your participation in the years to come. While there, we also enjoyed a delicious meal and the good company of fellow council members and Alumni Relations staff, complete with an awards ceremony for University Ministries Pancake Breakfast skills including Prettiest Pancake and Best Sprinkle Application. Those in attendance included myself, Adam York ‘02, Aimee Bobbitt ‘00, Renease Perkins ‘07, Laura Chambers ‘03, Molly Smith ‘07/’08, Rachel Stutts ‘05, Jehan Khan ‘04, Becca Hadzor ‘05, Tim Tweten ‘05, Evan Owens ‘05, Jesse Weaver ‘03, Matt Wright ‘06, Tosha Mannings ‘03/’06, Justin Hayden ’04, Kristine Neeley ’06, Raven Teeples ‘04/’05, Charles Van Dyke ‘08 and Belmont staff members, Kelly Fish ‘06, Debbie Coppinger and her husband Ty, Dr Bo Thomas, and Kristy Collins. Don’t forget, there is still time to apply for council membership until July 31. See the application info and link under the Young Alumni Programming tag.

All Because Two Bruins Fell in Love

For some, the world of Belmont extended even further this weekend to Hickman County, Tennessee for the wedding of two of Belmont’s newest alums, former basketball player Matthew Dotson ‘09, and recent occupational therapy doctorate graduate Cecily Potts Dotson, 09. The beautiful ceremony was held at Centerville Church of Christ where Matthew is a minister in training and featured the musical stylings of another OT graduate Stephanie McKinney ‘09. The groom’s side of the wedding party could have been mistaken for a Bruin starting line-up, but this time the guys traded in their jerseys for tuxes. Belmont Bruin groomsmen included Andy Wicke ’09, student Keaton Belcher, and Andrew House ‘08. Will Peeples ’07 served as an usher. The first portion of the two part reception was held in the church gym and with all of the Belmont and Lipscomb alumni in the mix, you couldn’t help but wonder if a Battle of the Blvd- Wedding Edition was about to ensue. I’m sure Belmont (as always) would have been triumphant on this special day. The second portion of the reception was held at the bride’s home for family, close friends and teammates, and the wedding party. It was here that the “Belmont connection” could truly be seen. The following is a list of what I hope is every young alum who was in attendance: Ariela Flory ‘09, Erin Chapman ‘09, Hayley Hinds ‘09, Laura Walker ‘09, Justin McDivitt ‘09, Andrea Kaplon ‘09, Jennifer Yates ‘09, Brent Yates ‘07, Lindsey Hess ‘09, Jennifer Craig ‘09, Mary Beth Doss ‘09, Justin Hare ‘08, and Justin Hester ‘08. Several Belmont staff were also in attendance including, Coach Rick Byrd, Brian Ayers, Wes Burtner ‘02, Casey Alexander ‘95, and Betty Wiseman ’65. Of course, amid the gorgeous decorations, fun music, plethora of alums, and fun slideshows featuring many pictures from Belmont’s Curb Event Center, nothing was more stunning than the bride. Congratulations Cecily and Matthew! We all wish you well on a wonderful life together and are proud to have you as the newest members of the “married alums” club.

And speaking of Ms. Wiseman, she and many student athletes (both alumni and students) just returned from the annual Sports Evangelism Mission Trip she hosts each May. This year, they traveled to Cape Town, South Africa in order to share the Gospel and offer assistance in developing an on-going sports outreach ministry that will be lead by the staff of the Living Hope Center in Cape Town. Bruins who took part in this world changing trip included: Alumni: Betty Wiseman ‘65, Andy Wicke ’09 ; Students: Keaton Belcher, Drew Hanlen, Mick Hedgepeth, Cacy Burtnett, Whitney Seals, Rachel Swisher, Stefan Baskin, Carly Frazier, Jenny Gray, and Staff: Tony Howell, Assistant Volleyball Coach. Great job everyone! Way to show that Bruin pride even when you are 1000’s of miles from Belmont.

Tags: Mission Trips Reca Barwin YAC

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YAB GAB Inaugural Post

Posted By Administrator, Monday, May 04, 2009

A new “Towering Tradition”…

Welcome to the very first Young Alumni Blog post! The Young Alumni Council is thrilled to increase our involvement in cyberspace through this medium and hope that you will enjoy what this forum has to offer. We have a general plan for the blog, but hope that our readers will help to make it their own. As of now, our idea is that there will be a YAB GAB post once a week, bright and early Monday morning, so that you will have something to look forward to once you’ve clocked in and begun your work day. I, Reca Barwin, ‘06, and Charles Van Dyke, ‘08, will be regular contributors and other Young Alumni Council members will post at least once throughout the year. Why Charles and I?, you ask. Good question! We are the co-chairs for the networking committee of the Young Alumni Council. Our committee’s job is to keep alumni engaged with current university events and to insure that current students know that life with Belmont doesn’t have to end at graduation, but can continue in a variety of different ways. Because this blog is one of those ways, we are, in turn, taking on this project. We hope that many of you will enjoy YAB GAB and will want to contribute yourself. Contact Kelly Fish ‘06 (kelly.fish@belmont.edu) if you would like to express yourself via YAB GAB.

About our name…

Bruin Blog was taken, so we went with YAB GAB. YAB meaning, Young Alumni Blog. The name is kind of growing on us, but we are open to suggestions for something event more exciting and innovative. If we have enough creative ideas, we may even host a little vote on here. The possibilities are endless.

Why all the focus on Young Alumni?

Young Alumni, as a whole, are a demographic that is often neglected by most universities. During the transition period from new grad to full time adult, lives of alumni are changing rapidly and in many different ways which doesn’t make it easy for most administrations to know what to do with them. The Belmont Alumni Relations office, being the risk takers that they are, decided to go against the grain and see what they could do for their Young Alumni. So far, the results have been fantastic. Young Alums are more engaged than ever in the post-collegiate experience of Belmont. There are a variety of different opportunities for Young Alums to be involved in with room to grow.

How do I get involved?

There are several avenues for taking part in the Young Alumni experience. Membership in the Young Alumni Council is one of those. The Young Alumni Council was developed a little less than five years ago to serve as a guiding force in Young Alumni programming development. The council’s role is to aid in the planning and implementation of philanthropic and social events for young alumni as well as work to connect alumni back to Belmont by providing opportunities for alums to be involved in events on campus (such as Move-In Day or the University Ministries Pancake meal before exams, etc.), mentor students, network with other alums, and, most importantly, continue the love and school spirit they had for Belmont as a student. Applications for this coming year’s council are available now on the main alumni website. In addition to the council, there is a Young Alumni section at all home Basketball games. The section is to the left of the student section if you are facing the court and offers a phenomenal view of the game. Seats are denoted by red Young Alumni Reserved seat covers. This group is growing fast and has doubled in size over the past year. Young Alums also qualify for a significant discount on season tickets. Another means of getting involved is through the Young Alumni Council sponsored Towering Transitions convocation series. These convos cover a broad range of topics from “Entrepreneurship” to “How to Get Into Grad School” to “Healthcare.” The focus of this series really is from “Here to Anywhere.” In fact, Laura Work Chambers, 03, just served on a panel last week for a Towering Transitions convo centered on employment with Christian companies. Her involvement as a researcher for the United Methodist Church provided great insight to more than 30 students who were interested in learning how they could work in the ministry field by being employed through a Christian organization. More and more opportunities to get involved are added each week. If you have an idea, please pass it on to us.

Other aspects of YAB GAB…

In addition to bringing you news from Belmont, we hope to include information from events around Nashville that Young Alums are involved with as well as feature exciting things across the state and country that our fellow Bruins have put into action. Additionally, following Young Alum or other Belmont events where Young Alums were present, we will be including a Bruin Sightings section to let you know who is out and about and having fun, Belmont style. Maybe you’ll find your name there soon.

One such event is the Country Music Marathon, which happened just a little over a week ago on Saturday, April 25. Young Alums were spotted everywhere as they finished both the half and full marathons and volunteered for the event. Those running had been training for months, and many of their efforts were used to raise funds for deserving charitable organizations such as the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and various Christian based ministries. Those volunteering found a great way to give back to the community and have fun all at the same time. I witnessed Clint Fields ‘03 finish the full marathon in record time. Sarah Clark ‘03, Molly Smith ‘07 & ‘08, Becca Samuel ‘06 & ‘07, Megan Watts Broadhead ‘08, and Molley Moody ‘06, were just a few of the young alums I saw crossing the half marathon finish with success. I also saw Sam Stephens ‘05 lead a group from East Nashville YMCA. Kelly Fish ‘06 headed up the full marathon water station, while Aimee Bobbitt ‘00 and yours truly were medical triage volunteers. Carrie Hickman ’05 was also a featured vocalist along the route. For those of you familiar with Dr. David Julseth, you’ll be interested to know that he too completed the half marathon with his dad. If you took part in the marathon in anyway, give us a shout and we’ll add you to the very first Bruin Sightings list.

That wraps up the first installment of YAB GAB. Let us know what you think. Your thoughts and input will help make this blog great. We hope to hear from you soon!