by Mckenzi Harris and Kathryn Farris | Nov 8, 2020 | Galleries, News Slider, Politics
After a long election season, clarity finally came to the 2020 presidential race when it was announced by the television networks and other media that Joe Biden had secured the necessary electoral votes to take him to the Oval Office in January. The race to get to the necessary 270 electoral votes ultimately came down to Pennsylvania, a state that went red for Trump in 2016 but shifted blue this year. Up until Trump’s election four years ago, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin were considered the so-called “Blue Wall,” generally secured by Democrats. This year, they returned to that pattern. Another monumental moment for American history was made as well in the election of Joe Biden: Kamala Harris will become the first female, and woman of color to hold the position of vice president. Lipscomb students, interviewed in advance of Biden’s speech to the nation Saturday already felt like celebrating. “If Biden wins, I might cry of happiness,” said Audrey-Ange Tsafack, a Lipscomb biochemistry major. “I would be so overjoyed because it would bring me faith in humankind again.” Biden ran on the premise of “restoring the soul of the nation” after turbulent years of racial and political divide during the Trump administration came to a head this summer in a country already reeling from the COVID pandemic. Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Biden went on to become a U.S. senator representing Delaware before becoming vice president for Barack Obama between 2008 and 2016. His policies focus on “building America back better” through defeating COVID-19, recovering and creating jobs as well as creating affordable healthcare. Saturday night, when his victory was celebrated in...
by Mckenzi Harris and Kathryn Farris | Oct 23, 2020 | News, News Slider, Politics
Last night, Nashville played a part in history as Belmont University hosted the final 2020 Presidential debate. Streets filled with demonstrations and protests, national media set up camp and two presidential candidates arrived in music city with the hopes of winning America’s vote. After some previously announced changes, Thursday’s debate was a stark contrast to the first meeting of these candidates in late September. Muted mics and stricter segments gave voters a chance to hear each candidates’ policies and plans. “This is a completely different debate than the first debate and I am really happy about that,” said political science professor Susan Haynes to the Q&A audience at SGA’s virtual debate watch party. “I was expecting just the chaos of the first debate where I couldn’t even weigh-in, just because you could hardly tell what was being said.” The 90-minute debate consisted of 15-minute segments on topics such as COVID-19, foreign policy, the economy, race, climate change and more. Key moments of the night included President Trump’s talk of an upcoming Covid-19 vaccine, he said “We have a vaccine that’s coming, it’s ready.” Currently, the FDA has not yet made approval for a Covid-19 vaccine. Four US clinical vaccine trials are in Phase 3 including Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson. The FBI’s investigation on foreign election interference was brought up as part of the foreign policy segment of the debate. “They will pay a price if I’m elected,” said Former Vice President Biden, speaking on the interference by China, Russia and Iran. “They’re interfering with American sovereignty. That’s what’s going on.” One of the more “viral” moments of the night went to Joe...
by Mckenzi Harris and Kathryn Farris | Oct 23, 2020 | Galleries, News, News Slider, Politics
Tonight, Belmont University will host the second and final presidential debate. As part of the increased security surrounding the debate, freshman students from several campus dorms were forced to leave and stay elsewhere. Affected freshmen were sent to Gaylord Opryland to make way for secret service. “A week after we moved into campus things started transforming completely…and about three weeks ago, my residence hall found out that we would have to be moved off campus to Opryland hotel,” Says Becca Pavelich, a freshman at Belmont University. “I wasn’t complaining, Opryland is a beautiful place to go. It was just definitely a shock that we found out so close to the debate that we’d be having to leave.” According to the Belmont Vision, The university provides students with transportation, meals and internet access during their predicted 30-hour stint at Opryland. Pavelich says “we’re honestly not sure what time we get to come back to campus, but we were happy to be able to go somewhere as nice as Opryland.” For Pavelich, the experience of a debate on campus has been a positive one, she says “It is just so surreal. I’ve been watching the other debates and paying attention and to the news but it’s just so cool to think that all of that has been happening on our campus,” “It’s happening tonight on our campus and at our event center that we walk by every day. I know it’s just a great opportunity for our school to be exposed and it’s just an honor to have the president and former vice president here on campus.” Lipscomb University campus security is...
by Mckenzi Harris and Kathryn Farris | Jul 1, 2019 | Arts and Entertainment, Galleries, News Slider
Lipscomb closed out the Summer Celebration conference with the music and fireworks of the 15th annual Bison Block Party. Summer Celebration, previously known as the “Lipscomb Lectures,” is when Lipscomb opens the campus for guest speakers and hundreds of visitors from the community. The celebration started over 90 years ago and is one of Lipscomb’s oldest traditions. Each year since about 2003 Lipscomb has celebrated Independence Day by hosting the free, grand finale Bison Block Party in the Allen Arena Mall. This year’s big finale was June 28. The block party kicks off the Independence Week celebrations by offering the community an evening of food vendors, live music and fun. Lipscomb alumni bands Arcadian Wild, Dave’s Highway, and S. Grant Parker performed as did the Faculty Brass Quintet with Ben Blasko. The full evening was hosted by retired long-time WSMV-TV sports anchor and Christian inspirational speaker Rudy Kalis. The night ended with a free fireworks show set to music from the Faculty Brass Quintet. Check out the following photo gallery from Mckenzi Harris and video from Kathryn Farris. ...
by Mckenzi Harris and Kathryn Farris | May 31, 2019 | News Slider
Tennessee Supreme Court justices heard oral arguments involving felons possessing firearms and personal injury judgments Thursday morning while officially holding court in Collins Alumni Auditorium. Lipscomb hosted the session as part of the American Legion Auxiliary Volunteer Girls State, which according to its website is a “nonpartisan program, centered on citizenship, teamwork, and fostering a love of God and country.” Oral arguments have been heard by Girls State participants since 2011, as part of the Supreme Court Advancing Legal Education for Students. According to the Tennessee Supreme Court website, this SCALES program is “designed to educate students about the judicial branch of government” and allow them to watch the Supreme Court in action. Supreme Court justices Jeffrey S. Bivins, Cornelia A. Clark, Holly Kirby, Sharon G. Lee and Rodger A. Page convened for the first case hearing at 8:30 a.m. The first case involved a ruling regarding felons in possession of a firearm. According to the Tennessee Supreme Court Website, the court “has asked the parties to address whether the trial court erred in denying Mr. Cole-Pugh’s [the defendent] oral request for a necessity instruction” regarding exception to the law. The Court also reviewed a personal injury case in which the defendant’s insurance company sought a declaratory judgment, asking the Supreme Court to determine “whether persons asserting claims against the insured are considered indispensable parties under Tennessee law and whether non-joinder of parties asserting claims against an insured deprives the trial court of subject matter jurisdiction.” After hearing the oral arguments from both the prosecuting attorney and the defense attorney, the court held a recess and opened up the floor to questions from citizens and Girls State participants to...
