The winds of change came sweeping through Belmont University last semester as the season transitioned from spring to summer.
As new freshmen were admitted and seniors were starting their new chapters, a baton was being passed down.
Campus Security Officer Mark Labbe was chosen to replace former Officer Pat Cunningham as the Chief of Campus Security, prepared to carry on the legacy his former partner left behind.
“It's not going to be this huge change of pace from the way things were going,” said Labbe.
Coming in shortly after Cunningham in 2015, Labbe and Cunningham had a similar vision for keeping Belmont safe, turning Campus Security into an excellent private security organization.
“Pat was in the office right next to me, and everything was always a collaborative effort,” Labbe said.
For the next decade, he then helped Cunningham propel that vision until it was his turn to take the helm.
“I learned a lot from working with Pat, and his strengths matched really well with things that I needed to improve and vice versa.”
Like many others, Labbe’s journey began long before he called Belmont home.
Growing up in Burbank, California, Labbe enjoyed growing up in a mid-size city close with his family, where his grandparents and schools were within walking distance.
Not only did Labbe’s love for the Dodgers stem from his family, but his family’s military careers inspired him to do the same.
At 17, Labbe signed up for the Military, left California a couple of days after graduation and began traveling across the country in the Army.
From Georgia to Florida and overseas, Labbe saw the world while enlisted, carrying that exposure of life to brace him for moving to the Music City.
“When I first moved to Nashville, I wasn’t really familiar with anything,” Labbe said. “But I was driving around and saw the pretty buildings on Wedgewood, and I started looking around, I wanted to use my G.I. Bill from the military.”
After getting his associate degree from Nashville State, Labbe transferred up to Belmont University to get his bachelor’s degree and work as a Campus Security officer.
Today, the campus he once used to drive around the edges of during his free time is now the perimeter he dedicates his job to protecting.
“You can really tell that his military background comes out,” said Campus Security Officer Betty Reid.
As a member of the engagement team that organizes WELL Core events and community involvement for Campus Security, the team has been more structured since Labbe has taken over.
From restructuring divisions and reorganizing communication processes, Labbe’s military marks have seemed to benefit Campus Security.
But what Reed has noted most about Labbe is how willing he is to engage with students.
“He has a very dry sense of humor,” Reed said. “He’s quiet, but once you get to know him a little better, you’re able to see he is friendly.”
There was no moment that stuck out more to her than last year during the Hope Summit.
Reed bought him a Paw Patrol costume, and he wore it while interacting with kids and students near the lawn.
“It's that he was so willing, even in a man in his position, felt comfortable and would still want to do that and represent us to the community in that way,” said Reed.
While many freshmen and transfers are not familiar with Chief Labbe yet, students feel the impact Campus Security has around campus.
JP Weston, a senior business system and analytics major, said he has never felt threatened during his time at Belmont.
Knowing that Belmont is taking more security measures to protect students like adding locks onto classroom doors, he says it gives students a better sense of security.
“It shows that they’re taking it seriously and changing things in a new direction,” Weston said.
As Labbe quickly checked his phone to make sure everything was okay, he calmly reaffirmed the vision that he and his former partner once shared would come to light.
“We're going to finish the job that we started nine or 10 years ago and fully complete turning this department into the vision Pat had when he started,” said Labbe.
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This article was written by Seth Thorpe