by Erin Franklin | Dec 18, 2017 | Galleries
More than 400 students were awarded diplomas from Lipscomb University this fall, including eight women from the Tennessee Prison for Women. The traditional students’ graduation ceremony took place in Allen Arena on December 16, while the graduating inmates’ ceremony was the day before at the Tennessee Prison for Women. President Randy Lowry gave the charge to the students at the traditional students’ graduation ceremony. “As you go, take these thoughts with you: you go as part of the Bison herd that numbers about 30,000 alumni; you go as part of a special community that will always respect you, always welcomes you back and always be honored and proud that you a part of it; you go with our deep regard and our great hope that God will work out His plan for your life and that you will see your part in His story.” President Lowry closed with an Old Testament blessing from Numbers 6:24-26: “May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord’s face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. May the Lord turn His face towards you and give you peace.” « ‹ of 2 ›...
by Erin Franklin | Dec 18, 2017 | News Slider
More than 400 students were awarded diplomas from Lipscomb University this fall, including eight women from the Tennessee Prison for Women. The traditional students’ graduation ceremony took place in Allen Arena on December 16, while the graduating inmates’ ceremony was the day before at the Tennessee Prison for Women. Traditional 2017 fall commencement ceremony features record number of doctoral education degrees Dr. Jim Thomas, Executive Assistant to the President, opened the ceremony, addressing what it took for the students to reach this point, and how the university sought to mold both the students’ brains and hearts. “As soon as they walk across this stage, their obligation begins to be to give back,” Thomas said. “To help those who need their help. And we try to instruct them in that. We try to educate not only their brains but also their heart. To look for those individuals who need their help. “We celebrate today that they are well prepared, and that they are ready.” At the ceremony, 39 students received Doctorate of Education degrees, the highest number since the program awarded its first doctoral degrees in 2012. Nearly 260 students earned graduate degrees and more than 150 students earned bachelor’s degrees. In addition, two students received associate degrees. Among these graduates were the first recipients of the Master of Professional Studies degree, housed in the College of Professional Studies. President Randy Lowry gave the charge to the students. “You can’t be who you need to be if you remain where you are,” Lowry said. “We love you. We appreciate you. We cherish you. We always will cherish the relationship we have with you and the impact you had on this...
by Erin Franklin | Nov 22, 2017 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider, Opinion
Over the years, Pixar has brought life to a number of things — toys, cars, monsters and robots, to name a few. With Coco, Pixar manages to bring light and color to death, a theme ordinarily off-limits or glossed over in children’s movies. Coco centers on Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez), a boy in love with music despite his family’s strict abhorrence of any musical note whatsoever. This hatred is due to an unwelcome story in the family’s past regarding Miguel’s great-great grandfather who abandoned his wife and daughter (Miguel’s great-grandma Coco) for music. Despite his family’s uncompromising ban on music, Miguel idolizes famed musician Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt), who tragically died after being crushed by a giant bell during his last performance. After Miguel attempts to “borrow” his idol’s guitar in the altar the town has built to remember him, he is suddenly transported to walking with skeletons as a live boy on the Day of the Dead — the one day of the year where one’s ancestors can come back and visit with family if they are remembered by having their picture set up by relatives left on earth. After finding his ancestors in skeleton form, it’s a race to get Miguel home before sundown unless he wants to stay in the Land of the Dead forever. The Land of the Dead is a bright, intriguing spectacle filled with striking visuals and vivacious color more elaborate than Pixar has every achieved. In typical Pixar fashion, the film manages to bring emotionalism, depth and realism to animated characters, and in this case, even manages to bring these attributes to walking skeletons. Coco’s finale is packed with warmth and emotion, but viewers are...
by Erin Franklin | Nov 18, 2017 | Galleries
With a mechanics-inspired routine, women’s social club Phi Sigma scored the top prize at the eighth annual Stompfest on Thursday night in Collins Alumni Auditorium. Men’s social club Theta Psi received second place with its boy-band stomp, and women’s social club Delta Omega took home third place as “DO Army.” Morgan Ellison and Ciara McKinney co-directed Phi Sigma’s show, and Katie Markham helped choreograph. Ellison said it’s hard to describe how excited she was upon hearing Phi Sigma being called out as the victors. “The fact that we actually won this year and redeemed ourselves is really such an incredible feeling,” Ellison said. “There are really no words to describe it. We’ve worked so hard for this.” Photos by Sarah Johnson ...
by Erin Franklin | Nov 17, 2017 | News Slider
With a mechanics-inspired routine, women’s social club Phi Sigma scored the top prize at the eighth annual Stompfest on Thursday night in Collins Alumni Auditorium. Men’s social club Theta Psi received second place with its boy-band stomp, and women’s social club Delta Omega took home third place as “DO Army.” Morgan Ellison and Ciara McKinney co-directed Phi Sigma’s show, and Katie Markham helped choreograph. Ellison said the level of competition among all the clubs was incredible this year, and that she felt very proud Phi Sigma came out on top. “We feel like it’s really long overdue, but especially since over the years, all the teams have gotten so good,” Ellison said. “It’s been such tough competition.” The annual event featured seven social clubs on campus performing a 10-minute, student-choreographed routine. Student Government Association and The Office of Intercultural Development sponsored the show. Other clubs that participated in Stompfest included: Delta Sigma’s “Firefighters,” Phi Nu’s “Shipwrecked,” Pi Delta’s “Candy Shop” and Sigma Iota Delta’s “Barbershop.” On Wednesday night, the clubs performed for a “Family and Friends” show, and on Thursday night, a guest panel of judges was brought in for the second performance. The winners were chosen based on the stomp choreography, theme of each club’s group and audience participation. Markham, one of Phi Sigma’s choreographers for the award-winning stomp, said she was proud of how hard everyone on the team worked to get there. “I’m ecstatic,” Markham said. “Very thrilled, very proud. Everyone on the team worked really hard. We put in a lot of hours of practice, and I’m just really proud.” Markham said the way that...
