by Anna McClure | Sep 21, 2015 | News Slider
Lipscomb began its 125th academic year with a series of record-breaking numbers. University enrollment is at an all-time high with an enrollment of 4,686 students, marking an 86 percent growth in overall enrollment over the last decade. “Students get here and they feel like they’re at home, and they feel like they fit here,” said Brian Mast, senior director for student success. “They just feel like this is the place they want to be for the next four years.” Lipscomb is home for over 1,540 students living on campus this year. The first-year retention rate was 83.5 percent, according to the university website, and the number of incoming freshmen was 669. The rate of incoming freshmen has increased 7.4 percent in the past three years, and this year has also set a record for first through third year retention rates according to Mast. “It takes the whole campus working towards successful retention of students,” Mast said. “It’s a campus-wide effort, and I think our faculty and staff do a tremendous job with that.” In addition to Lipscomb’s growing numbers, physical changes have taken place as well with renovations made to the Swang Business Center and High Rise dormitory over the summer and additions currently being made to the McFarland Science Center. Photo by Erin...
by Anna McClure | Aug 30, 2015 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
Staying true to yourself and your values can be difficult for anyone — a fact addressed at “Live Original LIVE,” hosted by Duck Dynasty’s Sadie Robertson. The event, based around themes of Robertson’s book “Live Original,” was held in Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena on Saturday, Aug. 29 and included inspirational speeches, skits and music performances. “What Live Original is all about, that is what we’re doing tonight, teaching you to go outside of your comfort zone,” Robertson said. “Don’t be afraid, be confident in your schools, through your trials, in the community, in the world, and in your relationships.” Speakers included Robertson’s brother John Luke and sister-in-law Mary Kate, boyfriend Blake Coward, The Bachelor couple Sean and Catherine Lowe, Max and Bonnie Kate Zoghbi, with musical performances by for KING & COUNTRY and Reed Robertson. Amidst the excitement and entertainment were serious and meaningful discussions, such as the Zoghbi’s speaking out about the 2012 Aurora Colorado shooting, which Bonnie Kate was a victim of. “I’m telling you guys this story just to tell of God’s faithfulness and how He’s so good and uses even the darkest things to grow us and shape us,” said Zoghbi, as she spoke of the events of the shooting and the ways in which she has grown afterward. Zoghbi’s filmaker husband Max, who received a lot of attention for his elaborate wedding proposal, spoke about the importance of perspective in living originally in trials and suffering. “For us that looks like finding perspective in your story through suffering because everyone suffers,” he said. “It looks like finding that perspective and relying on God to give you joy...
by Anna McClure | Jul 27, 2015 | News Slider
Generations of Lipscomb students have heard the mysterious tale of the cave system that runs beneath campus but have been unable to dig deeply enough into the story — or into the ground for that matter — to discover the truth. “I went to school here back in the mid ’80s and graduated in the ’90s, so I’ve always heard of the cave system,” said Kim Chaudoin, associate vice president of communication and marketing. “I never went digging or exploring, but I reached out to people who I knew might know.” What she discovered are various writings and records that indicate that beneath Avalon House — home of David and Margaret Lipscomb on the campus’ edge — was a spring, that is now thought to be part of the cave system. The Lipscombs lived there in the mid 1800s, before the invention of refrigerators, and — as was common upper-class practice in those days, either by building a spring house or in their case simply descending beneath the home to the coolness of a natural spring below — they used the spring to store perishables like milk and meat. Because of Tennessee’s porous limestone underpinnings springs and caves are relatively common. “The cave system has not been mapped out by the U.S. Geological Association and is not shown on the maps of any Tennessee cave systems,” Chaudoin said. “But what we think we know is that there are some places under the campus and that there’s evidence of it as far away as 100 Oaks Mall.” The theory is that one could travel beneath the ground from the old Lipscomb home all the way to that mall, if there...
by Anna McClure | Jul 18, 2015 | News Slider
Lipscomb’s Swang Business Center is getting a face lift including the addition of the BAYMAR Telepresence Center and renovations to classrooms, which have not been updated since their construction in 1984. Three first-floor classrooms will be given new paint, carpet and furniture with the front lecture hall being converted for the Cisco Telepresence System. The circular classroom was converted from a tiered room to a single floor and enclosed with a glass wall looking into the lobby. The system will allow students, clients, and guest speakers outside of the classroom to communicate and contribute to the class while watching a real-time video feed using an app on their tablets or phones. “On the graduate side, people want our degrees but can’t drive here one night a week, and they just can’t physically get here,” said Ray Eldridge, Interim Dean of the College of Business. “Now they can be here. I think that really allows Lipscomb to go beyond it’s boundaries.” The Telepresence System will include three plasma screens and cameras at the front of the room with up to 48 different locations that can be fed in to the classroom. This will allow students seeking a graduate business degree that live outside of driving range from the campus or the Spark facility in Cool Springs to take classes more involved than online. “We can also have guest speakers, so now we can have a CEO in New York who doesn’t have time to come down here,” Eldridge said. “All we have to do is give him an app for his iPad and he can talk directly to our...
by Anna McClure | Jul 15, 2015 | News Slider
Students returning this fall can expect to see a variety of changes across campus, but perhaps the most noticeable will be a raise in prices at Starbucks. The company wide changes will result in 5 to 20 cent raises in prices, depending on the drink. A small cup of black coffee, previously $1.91, will now cost $2.02 including tax. “We’ll be encouraging students to use reusable cups,” Starbucks manager Nancy Behrendt said. “You can save up to 50 cents every time that you bring it in.” Other changes students can expect to see will include the availability of mini Frappuccinos and cold brew coffee. “Cold brew coffee is brand new,” Behrendt said. “Instead of brewing coffee double strength and it being hot, cold brew coffee is actually steaped like we brew tea in cold water for 20 hours. “So it’s a lot more flavorful without that bitter kick like [hot] coffee sometimes does.” New food items have also been added to the menu including sandwiches such as roast beef on sourdough and foldovers. Despite the price increases, Starbucks prices remain similar to many of the other options on and surrounding campus. Lipscomb’s newest dinning option Au Bon Pain offers small coffees at $1.79 without tax and a 50-cent discount with a refillable mug. The Well, located across from campus on Granny White Pike, offers drip coffee for $2.20 for a 12 ounce drink and $2.50 for a 16 ounce including taxes. Drip coffee is not available after 3 p.m. Down the street from campus in 12th South other choices include Portland Brew, where a small cup of coffee is $1.91, tax...
