by Karina Gutierrez | Dec 26, 2016 | News Slider
Lipscomb communications professor Aerial Ellis recently published her first book — lessons on leadership with her own generation — The Original Millennial. “I came up with the idea [for the book] last year as I was getting a series of speaking engagements and invitations to come talk about the millennial generation and the leadership that we are prepared to take on in the next couple of years,” Ellis said. Through working on this project, Ellis said the main thing she discovered was that there were many books, studies and conversations about who millennials are and how we work. However, she said she also realized there was a lack of content on how millennials need to shape themselves as leaders with no guides or instructional tools on how to become great leaders. As these millennials move into these leadership roles, Ellis believes they need to be prepared for what the workforce and the workplace ultimately will look like. By the year 2045, 75% of the workforce will be millennials. Therefore, Ellis said she decided to take on her project as a leadership series with specific lessons for readers. Ellis stated that it has been a labor of love, and it has taken a lot of time and work, as she interviewed around 50 millennials across the country who are leaders in business and the community. “What I found is that no matter their background, age, race or what part of the world they were from, they all had something very unique — and that was their originality in their ability to be a leader,” Ellis said. Ellis selected only 12...
by Karina Gutierrez | Oct 23, 2016 | News Slider
Runners decked out in costumes ranging from a minion to a Wookiee raced in the Bision Boogie 5k and Fun Run to raise money for the IDEAL scholarship fund on Saturday morning. Campus Rec, the IDEAL Program and SGA partnered together to host the event. Runners and volunteers alike came out to support the IDEAL program, which provides education and career development opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. “This is the first year we’ve hosted this event, so hopefully this will continue to happen every year after this one,” senior volunteer Madison McClure said. “There was a lot more people than we thought there was going to be.” McClure assisted runners to check in before the race and directed them after the race was completed to the refreshments area behind the Bell Tower. The race began and ended at the Allen Arena Circle, and the runners were required to pass through the Lipscomb themed balloon arch to complete the race. Sophomore Amy Carpio said she was very excited about running in the 5k, and she even brought her brother along to join in the fun with her. “I love to run, and I just thought this was a great fundraiser I could take part in,” Carpio said. “My parents even came to cheer my brother and me on. Even though I was not feeling great this morning, I still came and made great time.” Carpio finished with a time of 25:50. Zeke Cutts, Graduate Assistance with Campus Rec, took responsibility of decorations and tech while he sat at the audio booth. “It was kind of hectic in...
by Karina Gutierrez | Sep 23, 2016 | News Slider
Lisa Steele, Assistant Dean of Intercultural Development, created M.A.S.K (Multicultural Awareness Skills and Knowledge) Chapel for students looking to intersect religion and culture. “I based everything on Romans 12:2,” Steele said. “It says, ‘do not be conformed by the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind so that you know God’s good, pleasing, perfect will for your life.’” Steele said she likes the “do not conform but be transformed” phrase because she wants to transform people’s minds to realize that every culture brings something important to the table. Steele’s vison started out as a short, focus chapel, but M.A.S.K Chapel is now permanently located in the Ezell Chapel. Recently, Steele had the opportunity to visit Manhattan to present at the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities to explain what the chapel is and how it works. “M.A.S.K. came from the idea of a cultural pyramid,” Steel said. “You have to be aware that there are other cultures, which is pretty easy. Beyond that you have to have the knowledge, and, lastly, practice the skill.” Steele said she hopes students will leave Lipscomb with a diploma in one hand and cultural competence in the other hand. “Now, if you want to work for State Farm insurance, for instance, you need to be culturally competent,” Steele noted. “Pretty much any job you take here in Nashville, you’re going to be interacting with other cultures.” M.A.S.K. hosts panels, guest speakers and student activities each week to keep students involved. “I have everything booked up from this semester to the next semester,” Steele said. Mason Borneman, a...
by Karina Gutierrez | Sep 14, 2016 | News Slider
The Multicultural Awareness Skills and Knowledge chapel welcomed Metro Nashville police officer Cecilia Gomez to share about her journey to Nashville from her hometown in Argentina. Gomez originally came to the United States with little knowledge of the culture and language. She had a rough childhood battling leukemia but overcame it, and during that time discovered the subject of human trafficking. “Trafficking is now modern-day slavery,” Gomez said. “My passion is to help those victims and I will stay focused on that goal until I achieve it.” Before Gomez could pursue her passion with finding justice for human trafficking, she began her career in Nashville cleaning houses. “It was hard for me. I knew very little English and it felt like a different world,” she said. Gomez said she had to overcome the obstacles that abound during the immigration process. “I had to wait five years to go through the process, the beautiful immigration process, to become a citizen,” she said. During this time, Gomez said she found her calling in the police department. Because she is bilingual, making the transition from a simple citizen to one of Nashville’s finest was needed for the community. “Even though I do not like to run or to workout, I had to do it,” Gomez said. “I couldn’t just sit around and clean houses so I went to school and improved my English.” Gomez currently works in the Madison area in East Tennessee as a police officer where she is helping the department hone in on increased crime and knock out human trafficking. As for Lipscomb students, Gomez said she wants students to persevere and work hard...
by Karina Gutierrez | Feb 19, 2016 | News Slider
A trip that inspired one professor is now open to all Lipscomb students. Lisa Steele, Assistant Dean and Director of Intercultural Development, has visited Nicaragua for the past seven years with Antioch Church of Christ and will lead a similar trip for Lipscomb this May. “You think you go out there to help people, but at the end you are the one that comes back helped,” Steele said. “It opens up the view of the world.” Lipscomb will visit León, Chacraseca and Las Maripositas, Nicaragua and partner with Christian Relief Fund. Students on the trip will visit CRF sponsored preschools to teach bible lessons, perform skits, teach songs, prepare lunches and visit homes with area church leaders. The team will work to form long-lasting relationships with church members, families and children. “When you are there you’ve just got to be relational,” Steele said. “You have to be prepared to do whatever it takes to build a relationship.” The Nicaragua trip will be May 10-17 and is still open for students to sign up. Up to 12 students can go on the trip. “It’s a very relational trip and I thought it was perfect for students,” Steele said. “We teach women how to make something that they can sell.” The trip is open to any student interested in the Latino culture, but those who speak Spanish or who are majoring in Spanish are especially encouraged to participate, according to Steele. Steele asked junior Jocelyne Lopez to be a co-leader of the trip. Both have lead past trips to Nicaragua. “Nicaragua was my first mission trip ever and I absolutely feel involved with the culture, the...
