Arts and Humanities Commons^™

A Higher Synthesis: The Problem Of The Monument And A Radical Dr. King, A. E. Thibus

Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

This paper attempts to tackle state revisionism of monumental figures in American history through the case of Martin Luther King Jr., a radical who has been reimagined and whitewashed through conservative efforts for political purposes. I use examples of other historically revised prominent figures by the state to demonstrate the phenomenon. King's case can be connected to Derrick Bell and Critical Race Theory (CRT), an obscure legal study and fellow victim of conservative revisionism. I explore the history of CRT and show how the backsliding of the United States government coincides with a factitious honoring of diversity through cleansed figures …

Experiential Learning: Museum Education And Social Studies Instruction, Megan Tims

Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

The process of education in the United States has been focused on the product of instruction rather than the process of instruction. Social studies instruction is typically associated with students memorizing dates, titles, and individuals. Research into various learning styles shows that some students are left behind with this method of instruction. By implementing experiential learning into the social studies curriculum, teachers can better reach all students. Social studies is a prime content area to introduce experiential learning because of the importance of contextual understanding and empathetic perspectives. Material culture is an apt addition to experiential learning that can be …

Saving Walnut Grove: Connecting The Community To Their Past, Evelyn Shrader

Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Walnut Grove Plantation is one of the last examples of the backcountry roots that Spartanburg has to offer. This property is home to the history of the Moore family legacy and their contribution to the beginning of Spartanburg's history. The Moore family was active in the Revolutionary War, and the notorious Bloody Bill Cunningham brought the War directly to Moore's front door. Across the Sea, proof of the scrimmage at Walnut Grove Plantation found a home at Windsor Castle for the King. As a running plantation, enslaved peoples also lived on the property and their accounts of life on Walnut …

Novel Screening Tool And Considerations For Music Therapists Serving Autistic Individuals Via Telehealth: Qualitative Results From A Survey Of Clinicians’ Experiences, Nicole M. Richard Williams

Faculty Scholarship

During the COVID-19 pandemic, music therapists transitioned services from in-person to telehealth due to health and safety concerns. Though online delivery of music therapy services for autistic individuals occurred prior to 2020, the number of North American music therapists using telehealth with autistic clients rose substantially during the pandemic. The current paper’s objective was to delineate music therapists’ perceptions regarding factors that helped or hindered autistic persons’ engagement in online music therapy sessions. One-hundred ninety-two participants completed the survey. Qualitative content analysis of an open-ended question identified seven overarching themes regarding benefits and challenges of telehealth music therapy for autistic …

Girls From The Heights: From Mexican Spitfire To Maddy Perez, Gabi Martinez

Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

The stereotype of the “Spicy Latina” is as prevalent today as it was in the early days of film, and tracing its origins leads to the discovery of a complicated root system of prejudice and stereotype. From the days of Lupe Velez and the film Mexican Spitfire, to the TV shows Modern Family and Jane the Virgin, Hollywood has never seemed to know how to portray Latinas in all of their complexity. This paper investigates how the white male gaze has shaped the perception of Latinas in the media, and how even the modern, more diverse media landscape contributes …

Nashville Trail Of Tears Museum, Emily Schiedemeyer

Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Architecture is the manifestation of artistic expression which can serve as both a storytelling device and a mechanism to evoke an intentional emotional reaction of its occupants. The Nashville Trail of Tears Memorial is intended to reflect the story of the Cherokee nation and give visitors the opportunity to consider the horrific journeys taken. The Trail of Tears was the route taken by many Native Americans following the forced displacement and ethnic cleansing of their lands, leaving many dead and families separated. Native to the southern part of the Appalachian chain, the Cherokee tribe is the group of people that …

The Artist's Artist, Katherine Cacopardo

Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

My senior project is the creation of a brand identity that explores how sounds, words, and imagery work together to create a complete experience by illustrating the recorded music and lyrics of fellow honors student McCall Chapin. My project includes album/single artwork, one music video, one lyric video and lyric video concepts for each of the other songs, streaming strategy, social strategy, and supplementary photos and graphics for promoting the work on social media. The idea is to create a complete brand that not only fits who McCall Chapin is as an artist but also visually tells the story of …

I Return My Ticket, Caroline Caldwell

Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

This project serves to open up an accessible way to introduce people to Fyodor Dostoevsky’s masterpiece novel, The Brothers Karamazov. Questions around human nature and the problem of evil are enduring and I have found more peace in the works of Dostoevsky than anywhere else. I know, however, that Russian literature and long novels in general are incredibly intimidating, so I chose to follow in the footsteps of Dave Malloy and his work Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 to create an approachable and engaging avenue to consume Dostoevsky in a more palatable fashion. Knowledge of other cultures …

Unknowable Truths: The Incompleteness Theorems And The Rise Of Modernism, Caroline Tvardy

Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

This thesis evaluates the function of the current history of mathematics methodologies and explores ways in which historiographical methodologies could be successfully implemented in the field. Traditional approaches to the history of mathematics often lack either an accurate portrayal of the social and cultural influences of the time, or they lack an effective usage of mathematics discussed. This paper applies a holistic methodology in a case study of Kurt Gödel’s influential work in logic during the Interwar period and the parallel rise of intellectual modernism. In doing so, the proofs for Gödel’s Completeness and Incompleteness theorems will be discussed as …

The “Sing Me A Story” Project: A Study Of Songwriting And Its Impact On The Disabled, Camden M. Diver

Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

The “Sing Me a Story” project is an initiative with the purpose to explore the therapeutic effect of songwriting on young adults with disabilities. With sessions taking place over the course of several weeks, the project is inspired by my own experience and incorporates research on the ever-growing field of music therapy. Participants are invited to join me for co-writing sessions where they will help write a song that expresses their original ideas and emotions. As we get to know one another and the songs are written, the goal is for participants to experience greater confidence in conveying and communicating …

360 Sounds: Drum Sample Packs With Supporting Video Series And Website, Maddie M. Harmon

Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

Drums are the foundation of any piece of music; because of this, it is impossible to create even a decent mix of a song without first taking the time to really mold and sculpt drum sounds. This is a painstaking process that includes extreme attention to detail in every aspect—selecting and placing microphones, tuning the drum kit, guiding the drummer to play in the pocket, adding effects processing, editing the drum tracks into single-hit takes after recording. Oftentimes (especially in the more commonplace lower-budget sessions that often don’t have the finances to spend an adequate amount of time perfecting drum …

Exploring The Emotion Of Color, Hannah Hewerdine

Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

For me, color is innately connected to emotion -- even as children we inherently understand the connection between simple emotions and colors, such as yellow with happiness or blue with sadness. With my exhibition, I wanted to ask the question of whether the color yellow elicits emotional response from the viewer. I created six abstract paintings that centered around the color yellow in order to explore that specific color’s emotional ties. I wanted this exhibition to simply propose a new idea for viewers to think about. I learned that I was not possibly going to elicit the broad spectrum of …

"You're New, Or Else You're Through": How Collaborating With James Lapine Kept Stephen Sondheim Fresh And Youthful In His Fifties And Sixties, Luke Worsham

Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

Traditionally, musical theatre composers have faded out of relevance around their fiftieth birthday. Stephen Sondheim, the composer-lyricist whose incomparable shows changed the landscape and raised the standards of American musicals, managed to be an exception. How did he do it? By working with James Lapine, a playwright and director nearly 20 years his junior. This thesis examines Lapine and Sondheim's relationship and explores how the young Lapine infused the aging Sondheim and his work with youth, allowing him to stay fresh and avoid running out of steam.

Hard Feelings: A Musical Exploration Of Plutchik's Primary Human Emotions, Sarah Killian

Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

The purpose of this project was to explore Robert Plutchik’s eight primary human emotions - joy, sadness, trust, disgust, fear, anger, surprise, and anticipation - through three musical lenses: key selection and chord/rhythm choices; lyrics; and production and arrangement choices made for each of the eight demo recordings.

Developing Ethical Training Curriculum For University Short-Term Missions, Elizabeth P. Sutphin

Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

This thesis addresses common problems associated with short-term mission (STM) trips and the gaps in existing training materials for these trips. The research throughout this project is designed to inspire community-specific training materials for college students participating in domestic STM trips through their universities. The final chapter of this thesis includes the framework for a sample curriculum to promote sustainable STM work — providing cross-cultural communication techniques and relationship-building tools to avoid harming the communities students seek to serve.

The Last Time, Mccall Chapin

Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

"The Last Time" is an eight song album that explores the concept of heartbreak in the context of the seven stages of grief.

The Seven Stages:

1. Shock/ Confusion
2. Pain/ Guilt
3. Anger/ Bargaining
4. Depression and Loneliness
5. The Upward Turn
6. Reconstruction / Working Through
7. Acceptance / Hope

Strengthening Adolescents With Anxiety Through Drama Therapy, Jeremy M. Moeller

Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Strengthening Adolescents with Anxiety Through Drama Therapy

Jeremy Moeller

In recent years the issues associated with social anxiety have become increasingly common in adolescents. With these issues becoming more common it is important that they continue to be nurtured and helped. With so many forms of therapy though it may be hard for someone to find a practice that suits them. That is where drama therapy comes in. Drama therapy is a fairly new practice that helps these adolescents to become more expressive and engaging in their everyday lives, decrease their social anxieties, and build a new sense of confidence …

Butoh: From Wwii To The West, Caroline Conner

Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Butoh is an underground dance movement in Japan that explores the human psyche in unconventional and sometimes grotesque ways. It originated out of the devastation of WWII Japan and rails against the rigidity of society as well as traditional theatre and dance forms. It has ties to Buddhism, in that both view suffering as a natural state of the world, and both may lead to depersonalisation (intentionally or otherwise), which is described as a loss of identity or sense of self. Gone unchecked, this detached exploration of the psyche can lead to personality dissolution, which can be especially problematic to …

New Myths And My Religion, Pallas Lane Umbra

Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

New Myths and My Religion
Pallas Lane Umbra
Faculty Advisor: Katie Mitchell

As every civilization has had its myth and legends, this creative thesis project introduces a new mythology. This world is born of our own, shaped by the experience of growing up queer in the Appalachian South. There is a specific exploration of love, rage, and spirituality. Inspired by Greco-Roman mythology while also reflecting on personal experience, this body of work shares a visual, symbolic language that is interpretable; one myth can tell many stories. Along with this new iconography, the work strips the viewer of ease and comfort …

Mindfulness As An Effective Conceptual Tool For The Pastoral Care Of Western Christians, Beth Virostek

Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

The rapprochement of mindfulness within Christian ministries of the West is integrally important as mindfulness continues to grow as a field and be utilized in the secular world as a tool for growth and the promotion of subjective well-being. If this rapprochement is not attempted, the conflicts surrounding Christians approaching and utilizing mindfulness will continue. In recent decades, the application of mindfulness in a variety of areas has exploded. The neuroscience research has followed, citing great benefits to the practice of and the trait of mindfulness. However, Christians remain hesitant in approaching mindfulness for fear of it being heretical in …

Digital Versus Analog: How Well Do Audio Plugins Compare To Their Analog Counterparts, Aidan C. Mckernan

Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

In the modern era, anyone can be an audio engineer. Recording equipment and microphones have never been more accessible to the consumer thanks to the rise of computers and digital signal processing. With the introduction of USB-powered audio interfaces, amateur artists can go from unknown to internationally viral overnight from the comfort of their own bedroom. With the introduction of audio plugins that model real analog recording equipment, professional audio engineers can take their work with them wherever they go. The ubiquity of computers has allowed such hardware and software to be priced competitively while retaining the precision required in …

Medea Costume Design Concept, Annie Wolfzorn

Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Euripides’s Medea is a story about a woman’s heart being poisoned with pain and grief. Her pain demands to be felt and her grief demands to be heard. Over time, the grief sours from longing for her own death to longing for the death of others. Medea longs to ease the pain of her grief with an act of revenge. This grief is in response to her husband shattering the beautiful love they once shared. Consequently, he earns a cruel and devastating punishment—the brutal murder of his second wife, Glauce, her father, Creon, and his two children. In the process …

Combating Mass Incarceration Through Communication, Rose P. Kores, Sara-Lou Adams

Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

The United States has the largest prison population in the world, with over two million incarcerated prisoners. One of the contributing factors to these skyrocketing rates was the War on Drugs which began in the early 1970s in the U.S. The issue of mass incarceration is complicated due to its deep-seated roots that have been embedded in society for centuries. The process of actively changing or reforming the broken social justice and mass incarceration systems begins with educating citizens about these issues, which will, in turn, garner the support needed to enact change. Since technology has become the staple of …

The Power Of Places, Sophie R. Lasher

Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

My senior project is an art exhibition entitled The Power of Places that explores the places that have shaped me and how they have done so through photography-centered multimedia collages, cyanotypes, and physical artifacts. This theme was born from the intensity of the emotional tie that forms between person and place, between heart and home. I believe we are a collection of the places that have shaped us. These places hold our stories, our memories, and everything that makes us who we are; we don’t notice it happening, but these locations become ingrained in our lives. I believe we are …

Lights, Camera, Confidence: The Effects Of Theatre On Self-Esteem, Morgan Savatgy

Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Theatre serves as a creative outlet and an escape for designers, actors, and directors. It is also often a cathartic experience for audience members to be fully immersed in, and escape into, a theatrical production. Knowing that theatre can have such a great impact on an individual's state of mind, how exactly does theatre affect self-esteem? According to my research, the presence of theatre and the dramatic arts positively affects the lives of participants in many groups. One of these is elementary school students, who are taught theatre in order to create a space within which to learn foundational skills, …

The Epic Journey Of Pepe The Frog: A Study In Post-Truth, Jaq Webb

Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Abstract

The internet meme Pepe the Frog is an excellent avenue for exploring the relationship between post-truth politics, new media, and viral ideas. While memes as conceptualized by Richard Dawkins are essentially timeless components of human society, internet memes as exemplified by the hijacking of Pepe the Frog by the Alt-Right and the Trump campaign are a novel force with uniquely dark implications for liberal democracy. In this study, I attempt a leftist analysis of the best thinking about Post-Truth Trump-era politics and the communication tactics of the Alt-Right, which suggests that some of the same cultural and material forces …

Internalized Misogyny As Displayed By Aunt March In Little Women, Sydney Lofton

Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

It seems that more women fight against each other than for one another. Women have developed a reputation for gossiping to disparage the reputation of each other, leveraging terms like “floozie,” “bimbo,” and “slut” against one another. While women will rage against men who support the patriarchy, women are often some of the strictest enforcers of its standards. In Kate Hamill’s playscript Little Women, an adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel, it is Aunt March, not a man, who places pressure on Jo to assimilate to society’s expectation of women. This push of conformity may reflect Aunt March’s own …

What Is Normal In Mental Health?: A Script Analysis Of Next To Normal, Caitlyn Campbell

Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Next To Normal, the Broadway musical by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, follows a dysfunctional family whose matriarch struggles with a multitude of mental health issues. Delving into hard topics, such as mental health and family relationships, the musical challenges what we consider to be normal family dynamics and mental states. These important themes are mainly demonstrated through Diana, a mother and wife who struggles with severe mental health diagnosis. Through this analysis, these difficult questions are unveiled while looking closely at the musical’s plot structure, characters, ideas, and dialogue.

The King’S Fashion Reimagined, Callie J. Reeder

Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Callie Reeder

The King’s Fashion Reimagined

This was a venture to reimagine the fashion of Elvis Presley, the king of rock and roll in the 1970s. Elvis was known for the bold jumpsuits he often wore while performing. His fashion style was reimagined through the lens of upper-class 18th century styles. The 18th century gave us permission to be luxurious. The18th century elements such as the ditto suit and cravat were combined with 1970s jumpsuits and bell bottoms to create a whimsical reimagined collection of stage costumes.

Time Machine, William B. Sims, Joseph P. Robinette, Reid W. Sorel

Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

The album will be organic, raw, gritty country sound, inspired by vintage country/folk and bluegrass and encouraged by modern underground/alt country and new-wave folk.