by Brianna Langley | Feb 16, 2016 | News Slider
The new Indian Student Association (ISA) welcomed its first round of students interested in learning about Indian culture on Feb. 15. “My vision is to create the Indian Student Association so that students from all different ethnic and racial backgrounds could come learn about what Indian culture is all about,” founder of ISA, freshman Kavya Patel, said. “I want the students of Lipscomb to grow in their love for other cultures and people.” Patel brought her vision before the Lipscomb University Intercultural Department before getting the association approved. “I love it when students take the initiative to start an organization as Kavya has done,” said Lisa Steele, Assistant Dean and Lipscomb Director of Intercultural Development. “She is organized, passionate and knowledgeable and wants to share her love of Indian culture with other students.” The Office of Intercultural Development also sponsors Futuro, a professional organization for Latino students; Kappa Iota Theta, the Black Student Association; Lambda Iota Sigma, the international student organization; League of United Latin American Citizens; W.E.B. DuBois Intercultural Honor Society; REAP, an intercultural mentoring program; Multicultural Awareness Skills and Knowledge breakout chapels; and Welcome to our Worlds international leadership team. According to Dean of Student Development Josh Roberts, the ISA’s vision was “marvelous, compelling and right.” “They had identified a need at Lipscomb to raise awareness and appreciation and opportunities for interaction with Indian culture,” Roberts said. “They put together a constitution, a plan for meeting times, different ideas that they could entertain and draw students of interest to that don’t require lots of funds or money in the beginning so they’d be able to immediately jump right in.” Students from various backgrounds were able to taste Indian...
by Brianna Langley | Feb 10, 2016 | News Slider
The words “race” and “injustice” often go hand-in-hand in national dialogue. A group of over 100 students from around Nashville gathered to discuss where the words “God” and “faith” fit into racial conversations Tuesday evening at Vanderbilt University’s Benton Chapel. Racial and Diversity Consultant Sabrine Rhodes and Washington University Law Professor John Inazu served as the panel members. Together, they addressed race and justice from a faith-based perspective through the open student forum. “Christians provide a very distinct voice to the race conversation,” Inazu said. “So showing up in this conversation as Christians really matters.” In addition to echoing the importance of Christians speaking up about racial issues, Rhodes said that “modeling grace in these conversations” is the next step for people of faith. “When we enter these conversations with grace, no matter what perspective you come from, we will stand out as Christians,” Rhodes said. “We will be heard rather than being put into a category and ignored.” The forum and following discussions pressed students to think of civil and social issues in new ways, according to Lipscomb senior Griffin Hodges. “This isn’t a topic that I’ve ever given much thought to personally, but I recognize that it is very prevalent in our culture and lives,” Hodges said. “To have the opportunity to hear the perspective of scholars who are also Christians has been really encouraging and thought-provoking.” The fact that voices of faith are actively discussing issues such as race and justice serves as a signal of hope for some students in regards to the future of Nashville. “This topic is very powerful and I’m glad they’re bringing...
by Brianna Langley | Jan 27, 2016 | News Slider
Nashville’s Ethos Church has created a program specifically designed to teach aspiring missionaries. The program – entitled “Onward” – is something of a discipleship training course, according to Ethos pastor and Onward Director Aaron Etheridge. “Onward exists to make disciples who will plant churches,” Etheridge said. “It is an immersive church-planter training experience run in partnership with Ethos Church.” Currently, the Nashville-based Onward program is providing church-planting and leadership training to 12 young men from around the world. “Onward is trying to develop and train leaders and we don’t just want to fill their heads with knowledge, but we also want to give them opportunities to develop as teachers because they’re going to teach a lot of people, no matter what,” said Onward Coordinator Joshua Solowey. In order to give Onward students an opportunity to hone their teaching skills, Lipscomb’s newest breakout chapel, “Onward Chapel,” is embarking on a new semester of lessons that will revolve around studying who Jesus is. “Last semester this chapel was all me and my friend Isaac so that was amazing,” Solowey said. “This semester is going to be even more awesome because our Onward people are going to be teaching now, starting with Chris.” Chris Malone was the first current Onward student to have the opportunity to teach at the Lipscomb breakout chapel this past Thursday. “Onward has definitely stretched me spiritually in ways I’ve never experienced before,” Malone said. “This weekly chapel is a major opportunity to grow and I’m just super thankful to Lipscomb for opening the doors for us like this.” Malone plans to plant churches in San Diego, California after...
by Brianna Langley | Nov 18, 2015 | News Slider
Lipscomb Missions has introduced new mission trip opportunities including trips to Haiti, Honduras, Charlotte, North Carolina and Nicaragua. “This year, we’re going to offer some brand new trips with brand new host partners,” said Mark Jent, Director of Missions Outreach for Lipscomb University. “Then, we’re also going to have some trips that now have new host partners or new focuses, as well as opportunities to send a second team or third team per year to existing efforts.” Jent said Lipscomb Missions is relaunching two trips. In these cases, former mission efforts that have not been conducted for a year or more for various reasons are being reorganized and reincorporated into the missions program for the 2016 calendar year. These re-launched trips include the all-male spring break trip to Panama City Beach and the summertime trip to Perth, Australia. One of the existing trips that is now offered more than once per year is the Greek life mission trip to Baja, Mexico, which is now offered during winter break as well as during summer break for any students involved in Greek life. Another existing trip that is now offered multiple times a year is the trip to Brisbane, Australia, which is now offered during the winter and summer breaks. Lipscomb Missions is also involved in a yearly effort in the Navajo Nation in Arizona. This year, Lipscomb will send two teams during two different weeks of the summer to this area. One of these teams will be made up of university students and the other team will be made up of academy students. Aside from these efforts, Lipscomb Missions is introducing three entirely...
by Brianna Langley | Nov 13, 2015 | News Slider
Since 2008, group fitness classes led by certified instructors have been available to all Lipscomb students and employees. Today, Lipscomb’s group fitness program has evolved from providing just basic step, kickboxing and Pilates sessions to offering unique workout classes like Afro-Caribbean dance, yoga and pound. “In 2009, Campus Rec started offering Spin classes,” said Steffani Davis, Campus Recreation Graduate Assistant. “Also during 2009, the crazy class that we all know as Zumba was introduced to the Lipscomb campus. This new Latin-style of dance spiked a lot of interest in the student body.” Shortly after a separate Spin room was built in the Student Activities Center, Zumba classes began and participation in Lipscomb’s group fitness program saw a sharp increase. “In fall of 2011, the Spin studio was moved and converted into what is today’s Group Fitness room,” Davis said. “With the new amount of space came a new amount of classes, such hip-hop classes, yoga, sculpting, PiYo, and much more.” All of the classes offered are considered all-levels classes and are designed to cater to students at any skill-stage. Yoga Two styles of yoga are being offered at Lipscomb this semester: Iyengar and Baptiste. “Baptiste Power Yoga is a fun, strengthening, playful style of yoga that will get your heart pumping and bring a smile to your face,” said yogo instructor Gabriel Poe. “It incorporates everything from pushups and planks to the more traditional downward facing dog and tree poses that most people associate with yoga.” An Iyengar Yoga class is also offered, which is a slower, more meditative style of exercise. Pound Pound is a cardio-intensive work-out that integrates...
