by Janice Ng | May 23, 2014 | Opinion
The life of a one-day NBC/Lipscomb student runner does not actually involve a lot of running. In my short time helping out the NBC Nightly News crew, I got tasked with all manner of things to help the on-the-road broadcast happen. The clock read 10:25 a.m. There was no thermometer in the room, but I could gauge the temperature. It was roughly 80 degrees, and beads of perspiration could be seen on people’s foreheads. It was discussed that a fan should be procured, and I should be the one to fetch it, and so I did. I placed the fan in the very office where anchor Brian Williams would soon be stationed. At precisely 11 a.m., I pointed out the nearest restroom to an NBC employee. “Do you know where the closest restroom is,” the employee asked. “It’ll be right over there,” I said while pointing expertly in the general direction of the restroom. The employee was grateful. At 12:30 p.m., an NBC photographer needed to get footage of Lipscomb’s campus, and I was the chosen one to drive him around in a golf cart. “You,” an NBC employee pointed to me and said, “You’re a student, yes? So you would know all the pretty places around campus?” “Yes, I am and I do,” I said. “Great. You can take our photographer around campus to get some shots.” The next hour was spent chit-chatting with the photographer as he got his shots, telling my beginnings and background as a student journalist at Lipscomb, and hearing about his career. At precisely 4:06 p.m., I spotted Williams walk into the Bennett Campus Center accompanied by Lipscomb...
by Janice Ng | May 21, 2014 | News Slider
Originally written for on Lipscomb’s website. Lipscomb students, professors and licensed professionals had the chance to build skills and network with other professionals and colleagues for a day at the third annual Caring Connections Conference at Lipscomb University on Friday, May 16. “This conference is an annual collaboration between AGAPE counseling and related services and Lipscomb University’s graduate program in clinical mental health counseling,” said Terry Casey, licensed psychologist and health service provider, and Lipscomb University adjunct. “It seeks to attract attendees who work in the professional counseling field as well as those who provide pastoral care to individuals and families. “This can expand professional relationships, referral sources, consultation resources and collegiality across the two groups,” Casey said.” The conference was divided up into sessions throughout the day, with several Lipscomb faculty members including Frank Scott, Walter Surdacki, Melanie Morris, Jake Morris, Terry Casey, John York, Joy Samuels and Stan Clark presenting a range of topics from psychological explanations of suffering to couples and relationships as well as even technology and children. Licensed psychologist and Trevecca Nazarene University adjunct professor Alan Godwin spoke during this year’s plenary session on difficult people and how to understand and relate to them. “All humans are very much like tigers and turtles,” Godwin said. “All humans have buttons, or places of emotional sensitivity,” Godwin said. “When those buttons get pushed, we automatically instinctively react.” Godwin also presented alternate methods on relating to these people. “Difficult people lack what reasonable people possess – reasoning skills, and yet, they are driven towards relationships the same as all of us,” Godwin said. “An alternative is needed...
by Janice Ng | Apr 1, 2014 | News Slider
“Drop,” the second show in this year’s Singarama’s On Fire performance, looks to provide a different take on the usual Singarama act. The show’s plot revolves around main character Dan, played by senior Sigma Iota Delta member Drew Watson. Dan has been struggling with fear his whole life, and when he gets an invitation to a college reunion, he must drop his fears. In the show, Fear is portrayed as an actual character, only perceptible to Dan. Senior Sigma Iota Delta member Rainey Lankford plays the role of Fear. Lankford also co-wrote the script with senior and fellow SID member Scott Bledsoe. Lankford has been involved with Singarama for the past three years, hosting the show for two years in a row. “This show is something different from the way things usually go,” Lankford said. “We tried to step away from the typical love story. There’s love in the story, but it’s more about something that goes deeper, which is the way that our fears control us.” Director Aaron Joseph, a senior and SID member, has been involved with Singarama for the past three years as music director and a lead. “Directing’s been a whole different ballgame,” Joseph said. “It has been nice to form my show the way I’ve envisioned it and to see my vision come to life. “I’ve been trying to kind of teach a lesson to people that sometimes, you have this fear and sometimes, it can hold you back, but you find a lot of freedom when you face your fears,” Joseph said. Lauren King, a junior Pi Delta member, plays the role of...
by Janice Ng | Mar 29, 2014 | News Slider
Campus Ministry held a dialogue session in Swang Center’s Stowe Hall on Friday following the events that transpired at the most recent Wednesday Night Devo. The speaker for the night, a Lee University graduate, shared his opinions of salvation and his missionary aspirations, which sparked a response from Samha Siddiqui, an audience member of the Muslim faith. Siddiqui was part of a panel at the dialogue session, which included Campus Minister Jake Burton, Tom Seals, an associate professor in the Bible department and the staff sponsor of Aurora Interfaith student group, and SGA President Andrew Hunt. Students who attended also had a chance to pose questions anonymously to the panel. Burton headed the discussion with a few words on campus ministry’s approach to issues of faith. “Conflict isn’t a bad thing, in my opinion,” Burton said. “It provides an opportunity for dialogue. That even though we disagree, we can still love one another.” Siddiqui said she felt that speaking out during Wednesday night’s devotional became necessary when the speaker’s message wasn’t in line with what she believes to be true. “I feel like missionary work requires a lot of knowledge,” Siddiqui said. “Knowledge of your own faith, knowledge of the people you’re trying to explain your message to. “It’s because I felt that the speaker didn’t have enough knowledge about the community he spoke about that I felt motivated to speak up.” Siddiqui said she’s happy to be at the university, and that learning from this event can be the best way to move forward. “I’m glad I made the decision to come to Lipscomb University,” Siddiqui said. “I’m glad I...
by Janice Ng | Mar 14, 2014 | News Slider
The semester may quickly be drawing to an end, but Lipscomb’s Student Government Association is still in planning mode, working with administration to govern students more effectively. “Something that we’re currently working on internally is that we’re trying to revise the constitution,” SGA President Andrew Hunt said. “We have found that Lipscomb has changed a lot in the past few years,” Hunt said. “We feel like we can better work with the administration.” The constitution was last revised in 2010. “Things have changed a lot even since then,” he said. “We’re trying to restructure SGA.” Hunt, a senior and corporate management major, also said SGA is working with the provost’s office to revamp certain majors. “We recently sent out some surveys to students to see what the demand for each major is,” Hunt said. “They are some departments that are more adult study heavy, like business, [law, justice and society], social work, where classes are only offered at night.” Hunt says SGA wants to give a chance for students to be able to get more involved in night activities. “We’re working with the provost to see if there’s any way we can take students out of [night classes] by offering the classes during the day as well,” Hunt said. Some SGA plans are already in motion, such as adding a new printer to the Ezell Center. “Hopefully, after spring break, we’ll have a printer in Ezell,” Hunt said. “We’ve been working with a lot of the departments in Ezell to see who can fund it. We’re trying to find sponsorship for that directly.” SGA is also working on meal...
