by Janice Ng | Sep 5, 2013 | News Slider
Earlier this summer, Lipscomb was one of four universities across the nation that were awarded four out of four stars by the National Council on Teacher Quality, a research and policy group dedicated to establishing teacher quality in the nation. According to College of Education Dean Candice McQueen, the students and faculty were the ones at the heart of the ratings. “We are a program that really prepares our students in content, and we also do a lot with assessment and making sure we’re using survey data to make program improvements,” McQueen said. This is not the first time the College of Education has been recognized for its program. McQueen expressed her excitement at the national level recognition. “For two years now, our program has been highlighted for our ability for our own graduates to come out and impact student achievement in a positive way,” McQueen said. The most recent report card noted that Lipscomb’s graduate performance was better than many three-year veteran teachers already out in the field. “When [students] get to student-teaching, they’ve already had experience in working with a very diverse population of students, and this allows them to feel confidant to work with students of all different socio-economic levels,” said Junior High, director of undergraduate education. High said he believes that teaching is a service occupation and strives to instill a good value system in his students. “We build on what they bring to the classroom,” High said. “We are very concerned that they not only leave here with a skill to go into the classroom professionally and to be effective educators, but we want them...
by Janice Ng | Jul 18, 2013 | News Slider
Originally written for lipscomb.edu Rabbits and clowns and balloon animals, oh my! Those are just some of the sights around campus last week as the university hosted the Fellowship of Christian Magicians convention. More than 430 people from across the country and Canada gathered at Lipscomb University for the convention, a family-friendly gathering with hundreds of workshops, lectures and special activities aimed at fostering and advancing the art of magic and other performing arts from a Gospel point of view. Workshops included drama and storytelling, clowning, ballooning, juggling, plate spinning and ventriloquism. Special music and magic was included in a nightly program in Collins Alumni Auditorium that was open to the public. FCM celebrated its 60th anniversary this year at the convention. Ed Hall, an entertainer from Dayton, Tenn., who performs for events at his church, tries to make it to as many conventions as he can. “At the FCM, we don’t like to say ‘magic,’ we call it illusion,” Hall said, “because there is a bad kind of magic, but what we do is illusion, and we try to teach that we don’t do miracles. God is the only one who can (do miracles). “We are just human beings using an art form to share the Gospel of Jesus.” Workshop instructor Joseph Young from Big Stone Gap, Va., says this was his first convention. “FCM has been a blessing,” Young said. “What we do with Gospel magic is that we’re going around the world and telling people about Jesus Christ, so not only are we entertainers, but we’re changing the world.” Founder Stan Adair talks about how FCM began...
by Janice Ng | Jul 2, 2013 | News Slider
Originally written for lipscomb.edu. People of all ages filled Collins Alumni Auditorium on Monday, July 1, the second day of Summer Celebration, to hear Lipscomb presidential spouse Rhonda Lowry interview legendary singer, guitarist and fiddler Charlie Daniels about his faith in God and how it has impacted his life. Traditionally at Summer Celebration, Lipscomb’s annual festival of faith, fellowship and fun, Lowry interviews celebrities and people of note about their faith walk. Daniels has become a good friend to Lipscomb as he has partnered with the university for four years to hold an annual concert to raise funds for military veterans to attend college. At a very young age, Daniels formed a love and appreciation for the service men and women of America that would last him a lifetime. Today, at 76 years old, Daniels still remembers the events of World War II. “I remember D-Day in 1944,” Daniels said. “I was 8 years old at the time. My mother got me up early and said we were going to church to pray for the men who had been hit at the beach at Normandy. That day, I felt that America really came together under the grace of God.” Throughout his illustrious career, Daniels has not only prayed for the troops, but has reached out to them as well through his musical talent. “We go to these places called Forward Operating Bases and entertain the troops there,” Daniels said. “It’s such a gratifying thing to be able to play for them. When they say thank you, I don’t understand. I want to say thank you to them for what...
by Janice Ng | Jun 12, 2013 | News Slider
The huge tornado that swept through parts of Oklahoma on May 20, 2013, destroyed schools, hundreds of homes and a hospital. 24 people lost their lives, and 377 people were injured. Almost immediately, a multitude of volunteers from across the country set out to help the fallen city of Moore, Okla., the site that sustained the most damage. One of those people was Lipscomb student Lydia Yau. “The devastation is like a war zone,” Yau said. “People’s lives are wiped out in a matter of hours. Everything that is familiar to them; homes, schools, hospitals; it’s like some demolition ball came and knocked them to splinters. “The first time I reached the sites, it was like a nightmare,” Yau said. “You see cars that are dented beyond recognition and houses that have only a wall standing. It’s very horrifying to see that. It’s a feeling that grips your heart. It’s hauntingly sad.” Yau, who graduated from Lipscomb this past December with a bachelor of social work, plans to return to Lipscomb in August for her masters in professional counseling. “This is social work, pure and simple,” Yau said. “It’s hands on social work. Not only do we go and clean up debris, but we talk to house owners, too. You’re helping people pick up pieces of their lives, giving them ‘talk therapy,’ because the more times they retell it, that’s when the healing comes.” Yau was one of 12 other volunteers from Living To Go churches in Goodlettsville, Tenn., and Paragould, Ark., who teamed up with Operation Blessing, a non-profit human need and suffering relief organization affiliated with the Christian...
by Janice Ng | Apr 18, 2013 | News Slider
Lipscomb is bringing the award-winning musical Les Misérables from the big screen right to our front porch next semester. The big performance is set for Nov. 7-10, but auditions must come first. Students have already been preparing and practicing hard in order to impress the panel at auditions. Sophomore theatre major Will Miranne plans to audition for the role of a student. “Les Mis is probably one of the most empowering shows any of us have ever seen,” Miranne said. “It’s just this beautiful story of these people, these students, who stand up for what they believe in and give their lives knowing they are going to die.” “I just really connected with the story,” freshman dietetics and nutrition major Trisha Stocker said. “I love the theme of love and sacrifice for each other.” For some, just being a part of the ensemble is more than enough. “I’m not really expecting any big roles,” says Andrew Galea, a freshman nursing major. “I’m just excited to be a part of it. Les Mis is kind of big, especially now after the movie.” Auditions will be held in the University Theatre on April 22 from 6-10 p.m. Students must bring sheet music or pre-recorded accompaniment and be ready to perform 32 bars of a song from the show. Auditions are open to all Lipscomb students. Callbacks are set for April 23 in the University Theatre from 6-10 p.m., and the cast will be announced on May 3 at 5...
