by Erin Franklin | Jul 20, 2016 | News Slider
Nearly a week after the recent terror attack in Nice, France, the French people are still reeling from the loss of 84 people after a man drove a truck through a crowd of spectators celebrating Bastille Day. The chair of the English and Foreign Languages department, Dr. Kimberly Reed, was traveling in France the day of the terrorist attack. Although she was visiting Brittany, France, which is many hours away from Nice, Dr. Reed said the horror of the attack echoed all across the country. “After the initial shock, I think there was a sort of stunned disbelief that this had happened for the third time in about 18 months (the Charlie Hebdo attack early last year, and then the Paris attacks last November),” Reed said. Reed had spent Bastille Day at a celebration in memory of a friend who died of ALS a few years ago, so she did not find out about the terrorism until very late that night, but she, along with friends she was visiting, were sickened when they heard the news. “When I went to my friend’s house the next morning, she and her family had just found out about the attacks. They were, of course, horrified and upset.” Reed continued, noting that even though she was many miles away from Nice, people in Brittany and all over the country were mourning. “I think most French people, regardless of the area they’re from, were very upset by this. They do have a strong sense of national identity, by and large, and so I think they see this as an attack on them all.” France’s president, François Hollande, extended the state of emergency in...
by Erin Franklin | Jul 13, 2016 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
2013 Journalism and New Media graduate Brynn Elliot Watkins is a lady with many hats. After graduating from Lipscomb, Watkins moved from Music City to pursue a fashion career in the Big Apple. She now is doing wardrobe styling for films and editorials, as well as running her lifestyle site, Being Elliott. She also is doing fashion consulting for brands, interior design projects and personal styling. “There’s never a dull moment,” Watkins noted. In addition to her fashion and lifestyle career, Watkins also does some film work “on the side.” Watkins recently collaborated with her husband, Aaron Craig, a filmmaker by trade, who started We Are Films. On a whim, the couple decided to submit their film that they shot on her family farm for inclusion in the Cannes Film Festival — and they got in. Watkins said finding out that they were going to be attending Cannes was an awesome and surreal experience. “We were thrilled for sure,” Watkins said. “Cannes has always been a dream, and we are so glad we were able to attend. God provided the opportunity, and I was thankful for that!” The short film is titled “Speak of the Lights. The story line centers on “a young boy who goes missing after a mysterious light appears. The town bands together to find out what happened.” “It was a very small cast and crew, but we all had an awesome time working together,” Watkins said. Watkins said she and Craig had always wanted to collaborate as a couple and thought this was a great opportunity for both of them. “We both did a little...
by Erin Franklin | Jul 10, 2016 | News Slider
The murders of five Dallas police officers coming in the wake of the videotaped killings of two black men have Lipscomb University President Randy Lowry and Security Director Darrin Bellows reaffirming the importance of a good and well-trained campus police and offering up prayers for all the victims. Lipscomb security director Darrin Bellows and President Randy Lowry responded with affirmation of campus security and thoughts and prayers towards the victims, Alton Sterling, Philando Castile and the five officers killed in Dallas. In the first incident, Alton Sterling was shot and killed at a Baton Rouge, Louisiana, convenience store Tuesday after an encounter with two police officers. The next day Philando Castile was shot four times by a police officer after he was pulled over for a broken taillight. His girlfriend videoed and shared that fatal encounter via Facebook Live. The following day in Dallas, five police officers were shot to death by a sniper during what was supposed to be a peaceful Black Lives Matter event designed to unite both police officers and African Americans in the wake of the week’s tragedies. In response to the tragic losses, Bellows said that his “thoughts and prayers are with the families of all of those affected by the events of the past few days.” Lowry released a statement to the faculty and staff on Friday, urging everyone to pray. “Pray for the many aching hearts among families who are grieving the loss of loved ones this week,” Lowry said. “Pray for our wise and God-shaped response to what has happened and the issues that underlay these events. Take a few minutes...
by Erin Franklin | Jul 8, 2016 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider, Opinion
Some might think Katie should have let sleeping dogs lie (. . . or in her case, one sleeping dog lie). Max (Louis C.K.) and Katie (Ellie Kemper) are best friends. Katie got Max when he was just a puppy, so they’ve been together almost all of Max’s life. Max dutifully waits for her to come home from work every day, and she always greets him with a big hug when she comes home before they eat dinner and stare off into the scenic, brightly-lit New York City skyline together. One day, though, Katie messes up the idyllic life they have; she brings home, to their small New York apartment, a “brother” for Max — Duke (Eric Stonestreet), a gigantic mutt from the shelter who doesn’t have a family. Max, of course, doesn’t take to this new family member well. Viewers can see Max’s perspective; Duke is a “threat,” taking over Max’s life — eating his food and sleeping in his bed. On the other hand, Duke was eager to join a new family and is just getting accustomed to his new life. Eventually, the two new brothers get lost in NYC together and meet up with Snowball (Kevin Hart), a bunny with a posse of misfit pets trying to lead a revolution against mankind. There’s a host of likable characters, including Max’s friends — Chloe, (the cat who could not care less, voiced by Lake Bell), Tiberius (the hawk who’s just learning how to make friends rather than eat them, voiced by Albert Brooks — aka Marlin in Finding Nemo), and Gidget (the soap-opera-watching, crazy-in-love French pup leading the rescue mission, voiced...
by Erin Franklin | Jul 5, 2016 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
Alan Robertson, the “beardless brother” of the Duck Dynasty clan, and his wife Lisa recently sat down with Lumination to discuss faith, family, Duck Dynasty and their newest book, A New Season. The Robertsons were on campus to speak at Lipscomb’s Summer Celebration. A&E’s Duck Dynasty aired its first episode on March 21, 2012. The show has since broadcast 101 episodes over nine seasons, and it holds the record for cable’s most-watched nonfiction telecast for the Season 4 premiere. On August 14, 2013, the Season 4 premiere drew a total of 11.8 million viewers. Lumination: What’s your latest book, A New Season, about? Lisa: It’s about our family; It’s about us when we were growing up, and the things that shaped us — the mistakes that we’ve made — both in our life and our marriage. It’s also about what God can do when you completely turn your life over to Him and allow Him to reshape you and redirect your path. It’s really about love, forgiveness and redemption. It’s a great book! Everyone should read it. Alan: There’s a teaching aspect to it as well — “Here’s what God taught us to help you in your relationships.” It’s a little bit of a teaching book as well as a book just about our lives. Lumination: What’s the biggest lesson a college student could learn from your book? Alan: The best thing about our book is that it teaches you what not to do. If you take a college kid or a young person that’s entering into marriage — if they can learn some things about what not to do or...
