Calendar

Dr. Tony Campolo is a nationally celebrated speaker, the author of 35 books and a media commentator on religious, social and political matters. Campolo will demonstrate how the “red letter” words of Jesus move us beyond the Republican/Democrat dichotomy and into a world where the crisis of AIDS, war and failing public schools can be tackled. His latest book is Red Letter Christians: A Citizen’s Guide to Faith and Politics. He has been a guest on the television programs The Colbert Report, Nightline, Crossfire, Politically Incorrect, The Charlie Rose Show and Larry King Live. Campolo is the founder and president of the Evangelical Association of the Promotion of Education and has worked to create, nurture and support programs for “at-risk” children in cities across North American and has helped establish schools and universities in several developing countries.

The opening Faculty Concert Series of Fall 2008 features internationally known “Zoro” in an evening of classic American rock drumming.

Freedom Sings, the brainchild of The Freedom Forum First Amendment Center, is a critically acclaimed multi-media experience featuring an all-star cast of musicians and an “only-in-America” story line. The presentation tells the story of almost three centuries of banned or censored music in America and invites audiences to take a fresh look at the First Amendment. This entertaining, irreverent and inspiring program is packed with live music and videos. It features hit songwriters and Grammy Award winners devoted to sharing the power, poetry and passion of music.

Dr. Stanley Hauerwas was named “America’s Best Theologian” by TIME magazine in 2001. Hauerwas will look at how a proper understanding of peace leads away from using violence

to advance God’s work in the world. His work cuts across disciplinary lines, linking theology, ethics and political theory. His book, A Community of Character: Toward a Constructive Christian Social Ethic, was selected as one of the 100 most important books on religion of the 20th century. Hauwerwas’ most recent book is The State of the University: Academic Knowledges and the Knowledge of God.

The Belmont Theatre Company in cooperation with Actor’s Bridge Ensemble will present the play Arabian Nights in multiple showing from September 18 through September 28. This adaptation offers a wonderful blend of the lesser-known tales from Arabian Nights with the recurring theme of how the magic of storytelling holds the power to change people. The final scene brings the audience back to a modern-day Baghdad with the wail of air raid sirens threatening the rich culture and history that are embodied by these tales.

Barbara Bradley Hagerty, the religion correspondent for National Public Radio (NPR), will explore how the media reports – and misreports – the crucial interplay of faith and politics. At NPR, Hagerty reports on the intersection of faith and politics, law, science and culture, with stories ranging from the impeachment hearing of President Clinton to the Florida election to the DNA revolution. Hagerty was the lead correspondent covering the investigation into the September 11 attacks. Her reporting was part of NPR’s coverage that earned the network the 2001 George Foster Peabody and Overseas Press Club awards. She has appeared on the PBS programs Washington Week in Review and The Lehrer News Hour. In her capacity as religion correspondent, Hagerty received the 2004 Religion Newswriters Association award for radio reporting.

The Center for Business Ethics and the New Century Journalism Program will host a lively dialogue centering on coverage of the presidential election. This program will feature John Seigenthaler, award-winning journalist and Founder of the First Amendment Center, and John Michael Seigenthaler, Partner and CEO, Seigenthaler Public Relations New York, and former NBC news anchor.

Belmont students will gather to watch the first presidential debate on the big screen. After the debate, the Belmont College Republicans and Young Democrats will host a roundtable to discuss candidate performance and significant public policy questions. Faculty moderators will include debate coach Jason Stahl and political scientist Vaughn May.

Ken Burns has been making documentary films for more than 30 years. Since the Academy Award-nominated Brooklyn Bridge in 1981, he has gone on to direct and produce some of the most acclaimed historical documentaries ever made. Stephen Ambrose, the historian, has said of Burns’ films, “More Americans get their history from Ken Burns than any other source.” On Tues., September 30, Burns will address his approach to “history” and his perspective on the American experience and the following day will answer questions from students in a Q-and-A session.

Tickets are available to the public on a first come, first serve basis. To reserve a seat, please RSVP by calling (615) 460-6183.

Shane Claiborne is the founder of The Simple Way. His new book, Jesus For President, was lauded by Publisher’s Weekly in a starred review as a “must-read election-year book for Christian Americans. What should Christians do when allegiances to the state clash with personal faith?” Claiborne will demonstrate how identification with those on the margins of society can challenge us to live in both personal and political solidarity with the poor.

Nationally known performance artist Sheryl Oring will be on the Belmont campus October 1-31 with her characteristic typewriter and camera. Oring performs via an interactive project with her audience – any Belmont student or personnel who may pass by. She sets up her table and typewriter and types postcards dictated by participants on what they wish to say to the future President. A photographer is there to document this “performance”. Her “performances” have become both books and exhibits.

Complete Schedule:
October 1, 10 a.m. - Artist's Lecture - Massey Concert Hall
October 1, Noon-2:30 p.m. - Performance - Gazebo
October 1, 4:30 p.m. - Gallery Talk - Leu Center for the Visual Arts (LCVA) 122

Belmont’s 90-piece Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Robert Gregg, presents an evening of American orchestral classics including “A Lincoln Portrait”.

Dr. Vaughn May, Belmont political science department chair, and members of the department will explore issues of faith, politics and their role in a Christian university.

The Belmont Theatre Company will present the play Biloxi Blues in multiple showings from October 23 through November 2. The 1985 Tony Award winner for Best Play tells the story of a young army recruit during the Second World War who is learning about life as he goes through boot camp in Biloxi, Miss., in 1943.

Belmont’s “big band”, under the direction of Dr. Jeff Kirk, presents a concert of classic American jazz.

James Loewen wrote the best-selling Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your High School History Textbook Got Wrong, in part a critique of existing textbooks, but also an account of American history as it should be taught. His most recent book is Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism. His other books include Lies Across America: What Our Historic Markers and Monuments Get Wrong; The Truth About Columbus; and Mississippi: Conflict and Change, which won the Lillian Smith Award for Best Southern Nonfiction.

*This event is for first-year seminar students only.

Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner is the former executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus, the organization of African-American members of Congress, and is president of the Skinner Leadership Institute. She has spent her career helping to develop a new generation of spiritually grounded leaders. She has also served on the boards of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center, the National Political Congress of Black Women, the Christian Community Development Association and Evangelicals for Social Action.

David Callahan has written extensively about American history, business and public policy. He is author of The Cheating Culture: Why More Americans Are Doing Wrong to Get Ahead. Callahan's numerious articles have been published in such places as The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today and The American Prospect. He has also been a frequent commentator on televesion programs on CNN, CBS, PBS, MSNBC and Fox News and has been a regular guest on radio talk shows across the United States, including appearances on such NPR programs as Morning Edition, The Connection and The Tavis Smiley Show. Callahan lectures frequently about issues of ethics and integrity to universities, associations and businesses.

Architecture for Humanity (AfH) is building a more sustainable future by bringing professional design services to communities in need. AfH goes where resources and expertise are scarce and innovative, sustainable and collaborative design can improve lives. AfH provides a range of professional services to community groups, NGO's and others seeking architecture and design solutions. AfH provides support to designers seeking to provide pro bono services to community groups through their design fellowship program and fiscal sponsorship.

Cynthia Cooper, WorldCom whistleblower, Time magazine 2002 Person of the Year, and author of Extraordinary Circumstances: The Journey of a Corporate Whistleblower will provide an insider's look at the rise and fall of WorldCom and share the lessons she learned through that experience.

"A moving portrayal of upheaval caused when the utopian existence of an 1830's Shaker community in Kentucky is threatened by the arrival of 'newcomers' claiming to see angels…powerful and insightful…a thought-provoking piece, the message being that often we need not look as far as heaven to see angels here on earth…" —Herald.

Showtimes: November 13, 14, 20 and 21 at 8 p.m. November 15, 16, 22 and 23 at 2:30 p.m.

A partnership between Belmont, CMT and Headcount, Your Voice Your Choice will feature two headlining musical acts, four Belmont bands competing in a Battle of the Bands and the opportunity for students from Belmont and partner institutions to register to vote. Headcount has the capability to register voters from all 50 states and will complete, seal and mail registration for participants on the spot. Students from Belmont, Vanderbilt, TSU, Nashville State, Aquinas, Lipscomb and Vol State will receive free admission. More details to come.

Have you wondered what it would be like to have a career in politics? Plan to hear an impressive panel of recent Belmont grads who are pursuing careers in politics. The grads will share their personal stories and give their insight about working in politics today.

This panel will explore key legislative developments that impact children's health and education at both the state and federal levels. Panelists include advocates and practitioners from the fields of education, healthcare, and social work. Discussion topics will focus on how the 2008 elections might impact policies around children's issues in 2009 and beyond.

Commercial Voice faculty Brice Bennett, Sandra Dudley, Kathryn Paradise, Henry Smiley and Jamie Wiggenton present a showcase of American popular song.

Oratorio Chorus, the University Symphony Orchestra and regional high school choirs present a program of American composers with guest conductor Dr. Eph Ehly.

Ragtime, based on the E.L. Doctorow novel, mixes real life historical figures and fictional characters to tell the story of America in the early decades of the 20th century. Intertwining the lives of upper class white protestants, African Americans and newly arrived immigrants from Eastern Europe, Ragtime is a story of social change and challenge. Its music is as diverse as its characters and is filled with marches, ballads, calkwalks, gospel hymns and, of course ragtime! Ragtime is an epic sweep of the beginning of American society...a real American classic!

Musical Theatre Showtimes:
Friday, November 21 and Saturday, November 22 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, November 23 at 2:30 p.m.

Call (615) 460-8500 or visit the Curb Box Office for advanced tickets. Ticket availability at the door will vary by performance. Charge: $10 for Adults, $5 for Senior Citizens (65 and over), Faculty, Staff and non-Belmont students. Free for Belmont students.

Partial funding for Ragtime has been provided by Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell and Berkowitz.

Belmont's resident chamber ensemble features some of Nashville's finest performers, including artistic director Elisabeth Small and other School of Music faculty members and guest artists. They present "The American Identity" that celebrates the creative spirit of great Americans: Benjamin Franklin, William Grant Still, Randall Thompson, Charles Ives, Samuel Barber, George Gershwin and Amy Beach.

Dr. Kelly Tiller, Director of External Relations, Office of Bioenergy Programs at the University of Tennessee, will talk about the Tennessee Biofuels Initiative.

In 2006, the Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center began a series of forums examining the future of American health care policy. In this event, the Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center will present their policy recommendations to a panel of experts from the Tennessee State Health Planning Office, University of Memphis, Belmont University, Meharry Medical College, UT Health Science Center and Vanderbilt University. An audience question-and-answer session is encouraged after the presentation.

HUMANITIES SYMPOSIUM

Freddie O'Connell, WRVU talk show host, will discuss the phenomenon of talk radio, which has dramatically influenced the way American debates have been framed in recent years.

HUMANITIES SYMPOSIUM

Dr. Masood Raja will consider the historical, cultural and contemporary context of jihad and its complex relationship to Muslim politics, male subjectivity and global paradigms of power. Raja, a Belmont graduate, holds a Ph.D. from Florida State University and teaches in the English department at Kent State University. He specializes in Postcolonial Literature and Theory with an emphasis on South Asia and the Islamic world.

The Vote Smart mobile research center is a 45-foot bus equipped with a digital projection screen and 22 seats where visitors can watch a short video about Project Vote Smart. Students will begin their experience by watching a short video. They will then be able to use a laptop computer to learn first-hand about the different methods to research political candidates and current elected officials.

HUMANITIES SYMPOSIUM

Dr. Michael Berube will ask how people can find ways to agree to disagree - and will suggest why people should agree to form societies in which such disagreement is possible. Berube is the Paterno Family Professor in Literature at Pennsylvania State University. He is is the author of six books and a widely published essayist in academic and popular publications.

HUMANITIES SYMPOSIUM

Featured speakers Dr. Masood Raja, Dr. Daniel Frick and Dr. Michael Berube will continue the discussion in a panel on the Humanities Symposium's themes. Dr. Bonnie Smith and Dr. David Curtis will moderate.

Bud Johnson, an apathetic, beer-slinging, lovable loser, is coasting through a life that has passed him by. The one bright spot is his precocious, overachieving, 12-year-old daughter Molly. She takes care of both of them, until one mischievous moment on Election Day, when she accidentally sets off a chain of events that culminates in the election coming down to one vote...her dad's.

Melissa Rogers is founder and director of Wake Forest University's Center for Religion and Public Affairs and former executive director of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life in Washington, D.C. Rogers has appeared on NBC Nightly News, CNN and NPR, and her op-ed pieces have been published by ABC News and The Washington Post. She has worked as general counsel of the Baptist Joint Committee on Religious Liberty based in Washington, D.C. Rogers has been recognized by National Journal as one of the church-state experts "politicians will call on when they get serious about addressing an important public policy issue."

Jonathan Wight, noted economist and author of Saving Adam Smith: A Tale of Wealth, Transformation, and Virtue, will discuss expectations of a new administration in the White House two days after the election.

Political Scientist Carol Swain will be on hand to tackle issues of race and conservative politics.

Why do we have government? The answer to this question drives our conceptions of what government should and should not do. Come investigate these answers and their consequences with Dr. Nathan Griffith of the Department of Political Science.

BU political science alum Tim Adgent will be on hand to discuss his experiences in Middle Eastern affairs.

Complaints are everywhere heard bemoaning the low rate of voter turnout in the United States. Is our turnout rate really that low? Answering that question requires us to ask why, in the first place, we should vote. Join us as we ponder this with Dr. Nathan Griffith of the Department of Political Science.

Ever wonder if the rules we use to elect our candidates matter? Come watch Man of the Year and find out! Dr. Nathan Griffith of the Department of Political Science will discuss the importance of counting.

HUMANITIES SYMPOSIUM

Dr. Bonnie Smith and University Media Writer April Hefner (M.A. '07) will lead a discussion of two episodes of The West Wing that focus on preparing for a presidential debate. We'll view "Debate Camp" and "Game On" (originally aired in October 2002) and discuss the importance of language in political discourse, especially the "10-word answer" and the problematic prevalance of bumper sticker politics.

HUMANITIES SYMPOSIUM

Dr. Bonnie Smith will deliver the first address of the Humanities Symposium. What is an argument? Why are we here to think and talk together about debate, dissent and dialogue? And why are these concepts important not only in this political season but in the university, in our relationships and in our community?

HUMANITIES SYMPOSIUM

In 1550, two of the most relevant wise men of their time, De las Casas and Sepulveda, met at Valladolid (Spain) to debate about a topic that affected, and affects, millions of people. The result of that debate could change their lives forever (or not).

HUMANITIES SYMPOSIUM

In The Souls of Black Folk, W.E.B. DuBois asserted that "[h]onest and earnest criticism from those whose interests are most nearly touched, - criticism of writers by readers, of government by those governed, of leaders by those led, - this is the soul of democracy and the safeguard of modern society." Yet many political and corporate structures in contemporary U.S. culture discourage or prevent outright these beneficial types of criticism. Citing a number of especially literary examples, Curtis will discuss how, despite these obstacles, U.S. writers have historically pursued dissent, and how the responsibility to revive and preserve this heritage is incumbent upon all who would consider themselves citizens.

HUMANITIES SYMPOSIUM

Following a viewing of the film Amazing Grace, we will discuss the life of William Wilberforce and his fight to end the slave trade, as well as ways in which his real life differs from his reel life. In the process we will also touch on dissent in the English political scene at the end of the 18th century and, hopefully, shed some light on how debate and indirection worked in Parliament at this time.

HUMANITIES SYMPOSIUM

Professor Sue Trout will discuss Robert Penn Warren's masterpiece, All the King's Men, especially how Willie Stark uses the "language of the people" and the "language of power."

HUMANITIES SYMPOSIUM

Local politicians and activists Larry Woods, Bob Tuke (candidate for U.S. Senate), Representative Beth Harwell, Eric Stansell (candidate for State House District 52) and WRVU talk show host Freddie O'Connell discuss how we debate, dissent and dialogue with one another on a variety of local issues.

Reception 6-7 p.m. in the Leu Center for the Visual Arts Lobby.

HUMANITIES SYMPOSIUM

Belmont historians Dr. Jeff Coker and Dr. Peter Kuryla will discuss dissent in the Nixon era, paying special attention to the student and black power movements.

HUMANITIES SYMPOSIUM

Conflicting stories about and images of Richard Nixon have haunted U.S. popular culture for nearly half a century. But what motivates this national obsession with reinventing Richard Nixon in literature, film, cartoons, music and other media? More than just dispuitng the former president's significance in history, these competing representations of Nixon battle one another in promoting certain cultural values and in defining a particular vision of national identity - what the country was, what it is and what it should be. In other words, when we disagree about Nixon, we are debating about the meaning of America.

HUMANITIES SYMPOSIUM

As Argentina suffered and later emerged from the nightmare of its last military dictatorship, artists sought both to undermine the regime's monologic discourse of national identity and to promote more profound, humane conversations about Argentine identity and reality. In this context, the historical and fictional storyteller emerges as a transformative force whose power resides in his/her ability to help civil society re-imagine itself through dialogues.

There are central issues concerning morality and war and the most important of these is that since the 5th century, Western civilizations have taken the view that morality always requres of us a well-defined and thoughtful justification for acts of war. In this talk, Littlejohn explores the significance of the U.S. policy change embodied in the doctrine of preemption developed in light of September 11.

HUMANITIES SYMPOSIUM

Dr. Mark Anderson will lead Philosophy students and anyone else who wishes to participate in a conversation about issues raised by the symposium.

HUMANITIES SYMPOSIUM

We will screen Good Night, and Good Luck and Dr. Rich Tiner will lead us in discussion about dissent and the media. Nominated for six Oscars, Good Night, and Good Luck is a 2005 film about journalist Edward R. Murrow's showdown with Wisconsin Senator Joe McCarthy. The film stars George Clooney (who also directs), David Straithairn and Robert Downey, Jr., and the film's tagline is "We will not walk in fear of one another."

HUMANITIES SYMPOSIUM

Dr. Maggie Monteverde will lead faculty panelists and students in a conversation about what we've learned from our symposium and where we might go from here.

Southbound, Belmont University's country music ensemble under the direction of Henry Smiley, will be performing during the afternoon and evening. Southbound exemplifies Belmont's talented student body and the unique sound of Music City.

Pianist McCoy Tyner combines a blues-based piano style with percussion and intricate chords that have transcended jazz conventions. This concert will be performed without the orchestra.

Tickets: $50-$100.

www.nashvillesymphony.org

Bluegrass music's annual three-day "homecoming" festival will include over 60 headline performances from Vince Gill, Kathy Mattea, Doyle Lawson, The Grascals and many others. Also enjoy music workshops, an exhibition center, the Grand Master Fiddler Championship and impromptu jam sessions that spring up everywhere.

Times:
Friday, Oct., 3, 11 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 4, 11 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 5, 9 a.m. - Noon

Admission:
Free to journalists with valid press credentials

Click here for more information.

As an outgrowth of the Presidential Debates, Snow Gallery will be showing new works by Los Angeles-based artist Tucker Neel juxtaposed with period engravings by the 18th century artists and cartoonist William Hogarth and Giovanni Battista Piranesi. Neel reflects on the current political landscape with new work questioning notions of choice, nationalist symbolism, allegiance, ideology and specifically, the iconography associated with political debate and electioneering. Through his multiple drawings, prints and installations, Neel has created an intentionally tenuous thread between Hogarth's political caricatures and Piranesi's imagined monumet tableaux.

Opening Reception 6-8 p.m; also open Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Admission: Free

www.snowgallery.net

Rodin: A Magnificent Obsession, Sculpture from the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation, features more than 60 bronze sculptures spanning the artist's career, including such works as The Thinker(1880) and The Kiss(ca. 1881-82). The exhibition celebrates the artist's revolutionary contributions to modern sculpture. The works were chosen to convey major projects and themes from throughout Rodin's career, from his earliest bust of his father, Jean-Baptiste Rodin, to his later studies of dancing figures. In addition to such highlights as cast versions of The Gates of Hell and The Burghers of Calais, the exhibition includes works on paper, photographs, portaits of the artist and an educational model that demonstrates the complexities of the lost-wax casting process, Rodin's favored method of sculptural reproduction.

Hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Admission: Free

Hours: 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Guided Tour of Exhibit: 1:30 p.m.

Admission: Free

Jazz vocalist Bruce Bennett, and jazz pianist, Anthony Belfiglio, both professional jazz musicians and Belmont faculty members, will be performing at The Frist Center, Nashville's quintessential art musuem located in the former downtown post office. Bruce Bennett and Anthony Belfiglio exemplify the many musically talented Belmont faculty members and will present a sophisticated lively jazz performance.

Admission: Free

Visit the galleries, listen to guitarist Wayne Avers and enjoy a variety of wines and other beverages at the cash bar.

Admission: Free

Enjoy music by keyboardist Pam Weston in the Grand Lobby.

Visit the galleries, listen to instrumental harmonica and trumpet duo Sutton and Graves and enjoy a variety of wines and other beverages at the cash bar.

Admission: Free

A variety of music genres will be represented by local musical acts throughout the building. As part of the festivities, the Nashville Symphony will be performing. Artists participating include Nashville Philharmonic, Middle Tennessee Wind Ensemble, Cool Springs Ensemble, MET Singers, ALIAS, Belmont University Bluegrass Ensemble, Belmont Guitar Quartet, Blair Children's Choir, MTSU Brass Ensemble, Blair Suzuki Kids, Nashville Harmony, Chris Mangum Trio, Middle Tennessee Suzuki Violin Group, Nashville Children's Choir, Jeff Bailey Quintet, Belmont Chamber Singers, TSU Show Choir, Bone Therapy, Clarinet Choir, Nashville Chamber Choir, Curb Youth Orchestra Ensembles, TSU Jazz Band, MTSU Ensemble, Belmont Small Jazz Group I, Jordan Anderson, Debbie Cunningham Jazz Trio, Music City Swing, MTSU Band of Blue, TSU Marching Band, Zander Wyatt and Nashville Pipes and Drums.

Named as one of the Southeast Tourism Society's Top 20 Events, the Celebration of Cultures Festival returns for the 12th year as the region's largest and most authentic multi-cultural festival. This event celebrates and embraces diversity by respecting, understanding and appreciating the cultures of the Greater Nashville population through a fun-filled day of music, dance, art, food, children's activities, a marketplace and an educational component known as "The Villages" that gives an authentic glimpse of daily life in over 13 different countries. Over 30 ethnic dance and musical performances will be featured on multiple stages and over 25 food vendors will offer a sampling of exotic foods from around the globe. Special highlights this year include a performance by Grammy-nominated, Honorary Chair singer/songwriter Beth Neilsen Chapman, as well as a performance by the Russian folk band Moscow Nights. At the center of Centennial Park is the Parthenon, built for Tennessee's 1897 Centennial Exposition. A recreation of the 42-foot statue Athena is the focus of this replica of the original Parthenon in Athens. Inside is the city of Nashville's art museum. The permanent collection is a group of 63 paintings by 19th and 20th century American artists.

Hours: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Parthenon Hours: 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Admission : Free
Free shuttles will be available to and from "Nashville Symphony's Regions Free Day of Music".

Museum curators will offer a 45-minute introduction to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's new exhibit, Family Tradition: The Williams Family Legacy, Co-Presented by SunTrust And Ford Motor Company, which explores the personal lives of country music legends Hank Williams and Hank Williams, Jr. Members of the Williams family have donated over 200 artifacts never before seen by the public.

Admission: Free to journalists with valid press credentials.

The Norman Mailer of roots-rock songwriting, Mark Germino likes sparring with words and delivering knockout punches. A Nashville veteran, he has more in common with Kris Kristofferson and Steve Earle than with any typical Music Row songwriter. His songs have been recorded by Johnny Cash, Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Kathy Mattea and Gillian Welch, among many others. No one else writes about war, the working class and wild women in the same language or point of view as Germino.

Admission: Free to journalists with press credentials.

Holly Williams combines the sensitivity of singer-songwriters with the good-time swagger of country rock. The granddaughter of the late country music icon Hank Williams and the daughter of influential star Hank Williams Jr., she continues the family tradition by drawing on personal experiences to create bold yet intimate songs about loved ones and the modern world in which she resides. She is currently finishing her second album, which will be released by MCA Records in early 2009.

Admission: Free to journalists with press credentials.

Every first Saturday of the month, art galleries host receptions and art openings in and around the Arcade, one of Nashville's infamous and unique locations. The Arcade became Nashville's first shopping center in 1903 and was home to some of the city's finest retail stores. Location was key in the development of this unique iron and glass structure, and now over 1,000 Nashvillians head to the center of downtown Nashville on the first Saturday of every month to enjoy a night on the town touring art galleries that house works by local and national artists. Enjoy free wine and other refreshments while touring the galleries that feature a variety of artists' works ranging from The Arts Company's "The Art of Politics" featuring New York-based illustrator Robert Grossman, to Tinney Contemporary's exhibit of the installations of Pam Longobardi, who was honored as Artist in Residence for the 2008 Olympic Games, and many more. While you make your way through the extraordinary exhibits in and around a Nashville landmark, enjoy listening to the "Belmont Steel Drum Ensemble" under the direction of Todd London.

Admission: Free

www.artatthearcade.com

Platform posturing, political spin and rhetoric reach their zenith at election time. This exhibit of political memorabilia collected by councilperson-at-large Ronnie Steine gives historical perspective to presidential elections held in the United States during the 19th, 20 and 21st centuries, with posters, campaign buttons and other artifacts of our nation's most memorable election seasons dating back to 1844.

Admission: Free

The Civil Rights Collection could be thought of as blooming where it was planted almost half a century ago. The current site of the Main Library is where the city launched a nonviolent protest against segregated lunch counters and other public accomodations over 50 years ago. The exhibit includes a list of "10 rules of conduct" carried by the protesters during the sit-in demonstrations and sits on the counter of a circular table, symbolic of the lunch counters that were popular gathering places in downtown Nashville. The exhibit also displays a timeline of significant local and national events during hte civil rights era and large photographs of dramatic events in this period of Nashville history, such as: parents leading their first-grade children past protestors on September 9, 1957, the day segregation began; a bombing and other violent acts meant to intimidate those who were challenging segregation; a march to the courthouse; and a peaceful confrontation there between Mayor Ben West and black student leaders ,with the mayor expressing his personal belief that "it is wrong and immoral to discriminate." Soon thereafter, at a rally at Fisk University, established in 1866 for those who desired to learn and shared the common experiences of slavery and poverty, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., declared: "I came to Nashville not to bring inspiration, but to gain inspiration from the greatest movement that has taken place in this community."

Admission: Free

Snow Gallery will co-host an exhibition of works by artists Janet Higgins, Nancy Cooley and Tucker Neel, all printed on the reproduction of the 18th-century Franklin Press at the James E. Walker Library at Middle Tennessee State University.

Admission: Free

You are invited to join President Robert Fisher of Belmont University for our Debate ’08 Vesper Service. Our homilist is Rev. David Beckmann, President of Bread for the World, a citizens' anti-hunger movement which focuses on education about hunger and on influencing public policies on hunger and poverty.

Rev. Beckmann was educated at the London School of Economics and Yale University and ordained as a “missionary economist” by the Lutheran Church. He worked in rural development in Bangladesh and for 15 years with the World Bank. Also officiating at the service are Rev. Vashti Murphy McKenzie, the first female bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church; Very Rev. David Perkin, Vicar General of the Catholic Diocese of Nashville; and Rev. Dr. Todd Lake, Vice President for Spiritual Development at Belmont University. The Rev. Anne Stevenson of Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral is our host. Music will be provided by Belmont’s College of Visual and Performing Arts.

Please join us for refreshments following the service. Complementary parking is available in several lots surrounding the church.

Country music artists and Belmont alums Brad Paisley, Josh Turner, Trisha Yearwood and Julie Roberts will perform at the historic Ryman Auditorium. In 1892, the building opened its doors as a religious meeting place and in 1943 became the infamous site of the Grand Ole Opry, a radio show which began in 1925 and is still heard on WSM radio weekly. Housing the Grand Ole Opry established the Ryman as a major music venue and gave it an identity. In 1974, when the Grand Ole Opry moved to its current location at The Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, the Ryman was left vacant and did not reopen until 20 years later when it was restored in 1994. The Ryman is a Nashville gem and national showplace. Artists such as Roy Acuff, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Minnie Pearl and Roy Rogers, amongst others, have played on the Ryman stage. The Ryman and The Grand Ole Opry continue to have a strong connection: a six-foot circular piece of the dark oak floor was taken from the Ryman and makes up a part of the Grand Ole Opry stage at its current location so that those who perform can still stand on the same spot as their legendary music heroes.

Tickets: Invitation only; Media welcome with credentials

Al Staggs will be performing as Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Staggs has a unique ability to bring famous characters to life in a way that turns two dimensional readings into a vibrant, life-changing experience.

Built around the concept of team effort, ThinkFast is a trivia-based game show that utilizes the Fleetwood Wireless Keypad. It incorporates as many teams as you require, various sizes of rear projection screens, MTV-style staging, professional sound and lighting. Because the screens are a focal point of the game, they are available for branding and the trivia may also be customized. This interactive event will engage the entire audience from start to finish. There will be a few rounds of questions, Political Theme, as well as some pop culture questions. A cash prize will be awarded to the winning team.

World renowned Christian author, speaker, and leader Shane Claiborne will be speaking in the Collins Alumni Auditorium, on the campus of Lipscomb University. Shane will be speaking on his latest book, Jesus for President.

There will be a live taping of "Tokens: The Politics of Jesus," on September 2 at Shamblin Theater, hosted by Lipscomb Assoc. Professor Lee Camp. Musical guests include Derek Webb, Buddy Greene and Odessa Settles, accompanied by the Most Outstanding Sinai Mountain Boys (Jeff Taylor, Aubrey Haynie, Pete Huttlinger, Chris Brown and Byron House), plus pre-recorded interviews with Jim Wallis, best-selling author of God's Politics and founder of Sojourners; Randall Balmer, professor of American religious history at Columbia University and author of God in the White House: A History; and Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw on their new book Jesus for President: Politics for Ordinary Radicals. And the Tokens Radio Players will be back cooking up no telling what fun with the presidential election just around the corner. The early show is sold out, but tickets are still available for the late show at 9 p.m. Tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster, or you may purchase tickets in person at the Lipscomb University Box Office located at Allen Arena (call 615.966.7075 for box office hours). If you would like to be notified about upcoming "Tokens" programs, please sign up at www.TokensShow.com.

Public and non-public schools from around the Nashville area will host the Youth Presidential Debate 2008. Montgomery Bell Academy, along with the Mayor's Youth Council, and The Parthenon, will conduct a debate where the students ask the questions. It is the hope of all those involved that this event will promote civic engagement among Nashville youth and provide an opportunity for students from both public and non-public schools to interact in meaningful ways. The event will be moderated by John Seigenthaler, Sr., along with prominent politicians representing the presidential campaigns. Click here for more information.

2008 SHOUTAmerica Healthcare Leadership Conference
October 5-7, 2008

Approximately 100 student government leaders, representing more than 750,000 students from universities nationwide, will meet in Nashville on Oct. 5-7 to discuss healthcare reform under the banner of SHOUTAmerica, a new non-profit group created to give young Americans a voice in the healthcare debate. The group will meet at the Scarritt-Bennett Center, just blocks from the Oct. 7 presidential debate between Barack Obama and John McCain.

Participants come from 50 different universities, including Harvard, U.C. Berkeley, Vanderbilt, Texas and Missouri. At the conference, they will meet with U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn., and Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, Chair of the Department of Clinical Bioethics at the Clinical Center of the National Institutes of Health, former member of President Clinton’s Health Care Task Force and author of “Healthcare, Guaranteed: A Simple, Secure Solution for America.”

For more information, please visit www.SHOUTAmerica.com or contact Susan Morgenstern at 615-297-7766 or susan@lovell.com.

Click here to read the SHOUTAmerica press release.

Dr. Sandra Rosenthal, chemistry professor and director of the Vanderbilt University Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, will deliever the keynote address for the Science Undergraduate Research Symposium.