Award Helps Two Global Honors Students Expand Community Impact Projects

Belmont Global Honors' 2024 Lauren McCathren Award provides $1,300 to advance student-led initiatives in healing arts and social justice 

Belmont University's Global Honors Program has announced two recipients of the 2024 Lauren McCathren Award for Social Impact, marking the first year the award has supported multiple student-led initiatives addressing pressing social challenges. 

The Lauren McCathren Award for Social Impact will be given annually through Belmont's Global Honors program to students who demonstrate McCathren's commitment to addressing global challenges. 

Student Leaders Drive Community Change 

Junior psychology major Ella Quincy and neuroscience major Valeria Draine will each receive $650 to implement their respective projects focused on healing arts and correctional facility rehabilitation. 

The award honors Lauren McCathren (1984-2005), a former Belmont student known for her dedication to humanitarian causes and social justice. McCathren's legacy includes establishing a library at the Dudley Head Start Center in Nashville and founding Christ Church Cathedral's Alternative Christmas Gift Market, which continues to support local nonprofit organizations. 

Healing Arts Initiative Promotes Student Wellness 

Quincy will lead a collaborative project introducing healing arts practices to undergraduate students. Her team plans to host a series of workshops in spring 2025 focusing on music, art, dance/movement and writing as therapeutic tools. 

"Traumatic events destroy the sustaining bonds between individual and community. Trauma isolates; the group re-creates a sense of belonging," Quincy cited from social psychologist Judith Herman in her award application. The project aims to create a safe, trauma-informed environment for creative expression and stress management.  

Art Therapy Program Supports Community Rehabilitation 

Draine's initiative extends her previous Honors Scholars' Collaborative work, establishing an art therapy program at the Male Correctional Development Center in partnership with the Davidson County Sheriff's Office. 

"This art therapy project offers many insights, from the therapeutic power of creative expression to the impact on those in correctional facilities," Draine said. "I seek to expand my understanding of rehabilitation and the need for multi-varied therapeutic outlets as a means of integration back into society."  

Global Honors Program Fosters Innovation 

"These projects exemplify the innovative, data-informed work, creative and collaborative efforts we encourage in Global Honors," said Dr. Bonnie Smith Whitehouse, executive director of the Global Honors Program and professor of English. "Both initiatives demonstrate how our students are finding those crucial intersections where their personal passions meet society's deepest needs, creating meaningful change in our community." 

Quincy's healing arts programming will begin with a Well Core introductory event in January 2025, followed by monthly workshops exploring different artistic mediums. The team is collaborating with University Ministries, Counseling Services and the School of Social Work to develop sustainable resources for future students. 

Draine's art therapy program will provide biweekly sessions at the correctional facility, supported by a team of Belmont students, alumni and local volunteers. The initiative aims to reduce recidivism and promote mental health through creative expression.