by Camryn Given | Jul 21, 2021 | News, News Slider, Politics
Sparked by the headlines about the murder of George Floyd as well as other Black men killed by police officers and a growing awareness of racial injustice, Lipscomb’s Black Student Union is among the citizens and organizations that nationwide are putting a fresh spotlight on issues too often ignored. Lipscomb’s BSU President Dorie Harrison said the tumult of the past year has offered her an incentive to reflect upon the past injustices and set goals for the betterment of the future. Last semester, Harrison, a senior marketing major from Nashville and a center on the Lady Bison basketball team, had a unique experience. In her Legal Aspects class, students watched the video of the death of George Floyd and were instructed individually to decide the sentence of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin (the suspect in Floyd’s murder trial). Harrison said she recalls feeling shocked as several students didn’t seem to see any wrongdoing in Chauvin’s actions: “To see so many of my classmates say that Chauvin was completely innocent and to go back and justify the death of George Floyd. My hands were shaking.” As a person of color at a school with a historically high population of White students, Harrison said she often feels put on the spot in these types of situations. “I was the only Black person in the class, so everyone was looking at me like, ‘Oh, what is she gonna say?’” Harrison said. Harrison said she has seen a lot of groupthink in her classes. She said people seem to fall in with the majority opinion, leaving little room for those with different viewpoints...
by Kahwit Tela | Jul 2, 2021 | Arts and Entertainment, BREAKING NEWS, News
Nashville’s COVID-19 silence ended in a roaring spectacle on Sunday when Let Freedom Sing! brought fireworks and live music back to Music City. Officials said about 350 thousand spectators attended the event, which began at 4 p.m. and ran until well past 10 p.m. The fireworks were scheduled to start at 9:20 p.m. but were delayed until 10 due to unauthorized people in the explosive danger zone. Police SWAT officers were called to the Bridge Building following reports from the Metro Fire Department of a person on the roof of the building, according to a press release issued from the Metro Police Monday afternoon. A flyover from a police helicopter confirmed the sighting. Officers removed four people from the scene, including one employee of the Bridge Building. Located on the east side of the pedestrian bridge, the Bridge Building was in the firework evacuation zone due to the proximity to the firework launch site and the potential for injury for anyone too close to the explosives. “While the officers were still in the building and the (police) helicopter remained close by, a security guard apparently relayed to an (Nashville Fire Department) employee that he was the last one in the building. Without going through command and without checking with MNPD to ensure officers were out of the building, the message was relayed to start the fireworks show. Command was not advised the show had commenced,” according to the press release. “Due to the close proximity of the professional firework mortar shells and the fallout from detonated fireworks, the eight SWAT members sheltered inside the Bridge Building until the conclusion...
by Kathryn Farris | Jun 2, 2021 | BREAKING NEWS, News, News Slider
A private-plane crash in Rutherford County on Saturday claimed the lives of seven passengers, including that of Gwen Shamblin Lara, named Lipscomb’s Christian Business Leader of the Year two decades ago. Lara was known for founding the Weigh Down faith-based weight-loss program in 1986. Three Lipscomb Academy alumni were on board as well, according to Pat Price, Lipscomb archives specialist: Lara’s son-in-law Brandon Hannah (2000), Jennifer Johnston Martin (1988) and Jessica Solomon Walters (2000). The other three victims were Lara’s husband, Joe; Martin’s husband, David; and Walters’ husband, Jonathan. All seven were leaders of the Remnant Fellowship Church in Brentwood. The plane crashed into Percy Priest Lake late Saturday morning. By Monday, recovery crews had pulled remains of the seven and both engines from the waters. Gwen Shamblin Lara, ex-wife of David Shamblin, was named as Lipscomb’s Christian Business Leader of the year in 1998. Shamblin Theatre, adjacent to the Bennett Campus Center, is named for the family. “The Weigh Down Workshop is more ministry than industry,” said former Lipscomb President Stephen F. Flatt at the 1998 ceremony, according to her website. “The phenomenal success of the Weigh Down Workshop is attributable to the direct blessing of God and Gwen’s prudent stewardship of the abilities and talents He has given her.” The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the cause of the crash. It is expected to take a couple of weeks to conclude the preliminary investigation, but the NTSB’s complete examination and conclusions usually take up to two years. Photo by Larry McCormack courtesy of Main Street...
by Kathryn Farris | May 25, 2021 | COVID-19, News, News Slider
Lipscomb is continuing its goal of protecting the campus community from COVID, especially with the plans for a full-capacity return in the fall. On Wednesday, May 26 the University is holding its second free vaccine clinic for students, faculty and staff. “We’re trying to do the right thing for our community in being able to protect the community as best as we can.” Said Dr. Kevin Eidson, Director of Health and Wellness to Lumination reporter Abigail Davis in April. The clinic is set to administer both the second dose of Moderna for April event attendees as well as the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Lipscomb previously had the intention of distributing the J&J vaccine at the earlier event. However, the distribution of the vaccine was put on a temporary pause by the CDC after six ‘rare’ cases of blood-clotting in recipients. The CDC has since recommended the use of the Johnson & Johnson be resumed. The free vaccine clinic is available to current Lipscomb Academy and Lipscomb University faculty and staff and university students ages 18 and over. No appointment is necessary. While no official announcement has been made regarding required vaccinations come fall, Lipscomb is pushing students to upload vaccine proof-of-dose to the online health system. Photo via Abigail...
by Camryn Given | May 17, 2021 | News, News Slider, Travel
After more than a year and 50 cancelled trips, Lipscomb Missions finally got to announce some good news. The program is set to resume in San Francisco this summer after recieving a green light on domestic travel. This mission trip will take place at the end of July in San Francisco with an organization called City Impact. The group focuses primarily on poverty, hunger and at-risk youth in the community. According to an email sent to students, “[City Impact] has been serving the city of San Francisco since 1984 addressing poverty, hunger, education, community outreach, and homelessness.” Some of their specific projects include a health clinic and academic programs for children. For more information about the work of this organization, their website can be found here. There is also a podcast available from Lipscomb members in conversation with City Impact’s Mission Director. They address the impactful work of the program and the partnership between Lipscomb and City Impact that began in 2013. If you’re interested in joining the team on Lipscomb’s first mission trip post-COVID, the Google Form to express your interest can be accessed on the email sent May 13. Since one mission has now been planned, the question arises if more will continue to be announced soon or if the missions department will take a slower return to their usual packed mission schedule. Lumination will continue to update you with Lipscomb Missions and the resuming of programs post-COVID. Photo via...
by Kathryn Farris | May 12, 2021 | BREAKING NEWS, News, News Slider
Drivers across Nashville are facing empty pumps and long lines, following the cyberattack-related shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline. Local gas stations and federal agencies attribute the problem to panic buying rather than a shortage of gasoline. “Let me emphasize that much as there was no cause for say, hoarding toilet paper at the beginning of the pandemic, there should be no cause for hoarding gasoline,” said Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm during Tuesday’s White House press briefing. The Colonial Pipeline accounts for the transportation of about 45% of fuel the East Coast uses for driving and flying. The FBI confirmed May 10 that “Darkside ransomware” was responsible for the compromise of the Pipeline networks. The resulting gas outages hit all the way from Texas to the Mid-Atlantic states and then up to parts of the East Coast. Nashville and the rest of Tennessee are affected by the shortage. Interestingly, many gas stations in Nashville told customers they were down to just premium gasoline on Wednesday afternoon. By Thursday, at least one gas station in Brentwood, just south of Nashville, told customers that premium and mid-grade were gone, but regular had been restocked. CBS News has reported that Colonial Pipeline paid millions in ransom to the hackers whose cyberattack caused the shutdown. Bloomberg News was reporting Thursday afternoon that the figure is $5 million, though CBS hasn’t reported that. Operations were restarted on the pipeline Wednesday, though it is expected to take up to a week to get things back to normal, according to national news reports. Gasoline costs rose considerably during the shutdown, but are expected to go back down...
