by Emily Snell | Feb 14, 2011 | News Slider
A Lipscomb senior and two students from Belmont started an online food store during winter break, making it possible for students to buy groceries without ever leaving their rooms. James Murrell, a senior marketing major from Manila, Philippines, began mydormfood.com with his brother Jonathan Murrell and his friend Bruno Silva. The business basically works like a grocery store that allows students to select the food they want and then have it shipped directly to their college residences, Murrell explained. “It sounded like a good idea,” Murrell said. “I wasn’t sure if I’d have the time because I’m doing 19 hours, and it’s senior year.” Murrell said that he and his brother had developed other entrepreneurial ideas before but never pursued them. He decided to give this one a try. “James is the type of student a business professor likes to have in class,” said Dr. Randy Steger, one of Murrell’s marketing instructors. “He is more goal-oriented than most students, however, not just on getting a good grade. He is interested in learning how to do the right things, the right way to be successful in life.” During the fall semester, Murrell and his business partners finished developing the idea and then launched it during the first week of spring semester. Murrell said the website was the most difficult aspect of starting the business. “We needed quite a bit of capital, but besides that it wasn’t too bad,” Murrell said. “The biggest part was the website. The online store aspect of it—if that’s not good, it’s not going to work.” Murrell said he has received a good response from people but...
by Emily Snell | Jan 28, 2011 | News Slider
Mackenzie Johnson has chosen an unfamiliar continent as the location of her upcoming summer adventure. Johnson, a junior double major in nutrition and Spanish, plans to spend a month doing mission work in Africa with an organization called Lifebread. Johnson and four other college interns will be going to Togo, a small country in West Africa, and will join Lifebread’s newest baking projects, providing food to needy people while sharing the message of the Bible. Johnson, originally from Indianapolis, said she was interested in the trip not because of the destination, but because it provides an opportunity to implement her education during the month-long internship. “The location wasn’t such a big deal,” Johnson said. “It wasn’t as big of a deal as what the ministry did. It really, really fits my major. Each of the interns has their own component; my component is nutrition education. If that’s what I’m going to do forever, this will be helpful.” As part of its baking projects, Lifebread builds ovens in villages in Africa and also teaches food safety and cooking classes to the locals. Johnson will be in Togo from May 15 to June 13 and then will spend 6 weeks traveling around the U.S., promoting Lifebread and talking about the efforts in Africa. Johnson commended Lifebread, saying that the organization has a very noble purpose. “I think it’s a good organization,” Johnson said, “I’m excited to be a part of the internship this summer.” Over the last few years, Johnson has been on numerous mission trips, mostly to Honduras. Because of her prior knowledge of Spanish, Johnson said this will be...
by Emily Snell | Jan 17, 2011 | News Slider
Protesters stood in the cold outside Allen Arena. But this wasn’t a typical demonstration. Students re-enacted protests against integration before chapel last Thursday, Jan. 13, in recognition of a visit from Freedom Riders who are here observing the 50th anniversary of their historic stand for civil rights. Dr. Bernard LaFayette, a civil rights activist, spoke to the student body in the arena before joining two fellow Freedom Riders, Etta Simpson Ray and Mary Jean Smith, for a session in Shamblin Theatre. LaFayette said the purpose of the Freedom Rides was not simply to desegregate the bus system. As part of the Freedom Rides, Americans from the North and the South banded together in an effort to change segregation that was still in pratice in the transportation industry. The riders were “combating the false notion” that black people were inferior to white people, LaFayette said. According to the riders, their decision to participate in the non-violent activities did not come easily. They knew that violence was a common response when the buses arrived in various cities. They said they had to consider their own safety and the safety of their families when choosing if they should go on the trip. “I was supposed to go all along, but I was stubborn,” Smith said, explaining that she resisted getting involved for quite some time. When they stopped in various cities along the journey south, many of the riders were beaten. Most were arrested and imprisoned. Some, like Smith and Ray, were expelled from their universities. “We could not avoid the violence,” LaFayette said. “There was not an easy way to make this happen....
by Emily Snell | Dec 7, 2010 | News Slider
Serving in the local community is often more popular during the holiday season. But at times it can be difficult to determine the best way to get involved. As you ponder how to give back this Christmas, here are a few options to consider. The Salvation Army operates year-around and offers a number of programs to help recovering and poor people in the community. The charity offers numerous ways to volunteer, and it also accepts donations of money, vehicles, clothing, furniture and other household items. According to the organization’s website, “The Salvation Army endeavors to bring spiritual light and love to those it serves at Christmas so that the real meaning of the season is not forgotten.” It does this through special projects like the Red Kettle program. The Red Kettle program began in 1891, and now in the U.S., the organization helps more than 4.5 million people during the holiday season. The initiative allows people to drop spare change into a red kettle at grocery stores, malls and other locations. Those who want to be involved with the Salvation Army’s kettle program can donate at any kettle location or can start an online kettle by registering and inviting friends to donate. (You can also donate to the kettle that I’ve already created.) For more details about how to get involved with this organization, visit http://www.salvationarmyusa.org. Another way you can serve others during the holiday season is to visit an Angel Tree. These Christmas trees, located in grocery stores, shopping centers, etc., have the names underprivileged child or the child of a prison inmate hanging on them, and you...
by Emily Snell | Nov 15, 2010 | News Slider
After a Rookie of the Year finish that had the faculty sponsor jumping in the air — “I went wild,” recalls Bill Fredenberger — SIFE is ready for more students to participate. Any students interested in joining SIFE can attend the College of Business organization’s meeting at 3 p.m. Wednesday in Swang 100. Lipscomb’s SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) team began last year in January when sponsor Fredenberger — an adjunct professor and the Sam Walton Fellow Adviser for the team — and about 20 students met to develop the organization. Duncan Gross, SIFE president and a sophomore accounting major, said the team works on projects throughout the year and then presents them at competitions. “The projects that you’re working on are ways to empower people,” Gross said. “You’re empowering them to change their quality of life and standard of living, all through the positive power of business.” Only three months after its inception, the team traveled to Atlanta for the regional competition and won the championship. The team also received the Rookie of the Year award and qualified for the national competition in Minneapolis, Minn. Fredenberger said that he had hoped the team would do well but had not been expecting to win. “I was very surprised,” Fredenberger said. “We just went wild. They said I jumped about three feet in the air. We deserved it. We worked for it. I just didn’t expect us to get it.” Gross said he was grateful for the recognition they received. “It made me feel like we were really making a difference in our community and that other people were acknowledging that,” Gross said. “The motto of SIFE is ‘a...
