by Kathryn Farris | Aug 8, 2019 | News Slider
Lipscomb alumna Cyntoia Brown — the subject of debate and outcry about the unfairness of her sentence — was released Wednesday morning from Tennessee Prison for Women. Former Gov. Bill Haslam granted Brown clemency at the close of his term in January of this year. In 2015, Brown, now 31, earned an associate’s degree through Lipscomb’s LIFE program, which brings traditional and non-traditional students together for classes at the Tennessee Prison for Women. In May, she graduated with a bachelor of professional studies degree, majoring in organizational leadership. Brown is a Nashville woman whose case sparked national attention to the human sex-trafficking epidemic, due to the controversy surrounding her sentencing. At age 16, she was convicted of aggravated robbery and first-degree murder. Brown’s defense argued that she was forced into prostitution after a life of abuse. In her testimony, Brown described being picked up for sex by Johnny Mitchell Allen, a 43-year-old Nashville real estate agent. In her trial, Brown said she believed he was reaching for a gun and intended to do her harm, so she felt threatened and shot and killed Allen in what she says was an act of self-defense. Her age at the time of the sentencing was a hot topic for activists. In 2012, the Supreme Court ruled that mandatory life without parole sentences for juveniles violate Eighth Amendment prohibitions against cruel and unusual punishment. Brown’s original sentencing was that she will eventually be eligible for parole, but not until she’s 67 years old. Brown has displayed gratitude for the educational opportunity offered by the university and the prison system. “I want to thank those at the Tennessee...
by Mckenzi Harris | Aug 8, 2019 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
This year’s Live on the Green lineup is packed with artists, and it’s all FREE! Live on the Green is a festival put on each fall by Nashville radio station WRLT Lightning 100. The concert series takes place in Public Square Park — adjacent to the historic Metro Courthouse — beginning this Thursday, August 15. Other dates are August 22 and 29, as well as the rest of the long Labor Day weekend, August 30-September 1. Lipscomb’s very own Briston Maroney will be playing the 615 stage from 5:15-6 August 29. Ths festival has a mission of sustainability and organizers state “Live On The Green is committed to being Nashville’s premier environmentally-friendly music festival. Each year, work to further reduce our carbon footprint, (is) bringing us closer to our ultimate goal of operating as a completely waste-free, carbon-neutral event. We strive to incorporate sustainable practices in all facets of our music festival – ranging anywhere from using energy-efficient LED lights festival-wide and reusing banners, to selecting the green roof as the location to host the event.” Along with a wide range of music, the festival also has food and beverage vendors as well as merch and other local booths set up and VIP experiences for purchase. This year the festival has a page in the WRLT Lightning 100 Nashville app and can be found by clicking this link. In the app, you can create your own lineup and check out the vendors as well as purchase merch. Stay tuned for more Lumination coverage of the festival and former Lipscomb students on stage. Photo by Mckenzi Harris at Live on...
by Kathryn Farris | Aug 6, 2019 | BREAKING NEWS, News Slider
Lipscomb welcomed approximately 13 displaced residents of a Donelson apartment complex after a fire last week. The residents were placed in the Student Activity Center through the American Red Cross Distaster Relief organization. “Serving others is an important part of the fabric of this institution. For more than a decade, Lipscomb University has served as an official Red Cross Shelter site to provide housing and comfort in times of need.” said President Randolph Lowry in an email to faculty. “As an official Red Cross Shelter site, through the years Lipscomb has housed numerous guests impacted by hurricanes, fires, power outages and, most notably, the Nashville Flood in 2010.” The SAC will remain open for regularly scheduled hours, the only interruption being the closure of the basketball and racketball courts as well as the indoor track. Lowry encourages campus members, “When you see our guests around the SAC and Allen Arena area please make them feel welcome.” “Thank you for being a community that practices hospitality and has a heart to serve others.” The shelter is only expected to remain open short-term, but will remain “as long as needed” for the displaced...
by Mckenzi Harris and Erika Plunkett | Aug 5, 2019 | Arts and Entertainment, Galleries, News Slider
Tune into ABC channel 2 for CMA Fest, “the music event of the summer” hosted by Lipscomb Alums, Thomas Rhett, Kelsea Ballerini as well as radio host Bobby Bones. Tonight’s television special is sharing performances from the festival artist on the main stage; Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, Old Dominion and many others. Make sure you tuned in, and if you’ve missed it, check out our other festival coverage here. Co-managing editor, Erika Plunkett has photos from the festival here. Rain Falls, but CMA Fest still shines with Lipscomb Alums Ballerini and Rhett hosting Nissan stage. Gallery: CMA Fest 2019 daytime festivities overview & The Brady Bunch ...
by Cavin Jacobson | Aug 2, 2019 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
‘Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw’ takes the reigns of one of the most malleable film franchises in history and delivers a fun, nonsensical buddy cop movie that had me ignoring plot holes as frequently as the titular characters avoid potholes. A movie series that started as a serious take at early 2000’s street-racing culture has fully morphed into a big summer blockbuster-producing machine that knows exactly what it’s product is. Despite going from stealing DVD players to protecting programmable viruses that can wipe out the human population, the series never drifts away from its core themes of family and loyalty. ‘Hobbs & Shaw’ sees franchise stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Jason Statham reprise their roles as Luke Hobbs (Johnson) and Deckard Shaw (Statham) as they live their respective lives as enforcers for different vague organizations (Hobbs used to work for the Diplomatic Security Service, but it unclear in this movie if that is still the case). The catalyst for the necessary plot comes when Hattie Shaw (Vanessa Kirby), an MI6 agent and the sister of Deckard Shaw, must retrieve a dangerous virus from a nondescript warehouse. Why was it there? How did they know about it? Who cares! If you came into the theater expecting trivial tropes like logic, and coherence, then you came to the wrong franchise. The plot of the story is only here to give a reason for well-choreographed fight sequences and even-better-choreographed car stunts. Another wonderful addition is the non-stop barrage of banter between Hobbs and Shaw throughout the movie. ‘Hobbs & Shaw’ was not made as a movie to help facilitate the...
by Cavin Jacobson | Aug 1, 2019 | BREAKING NEWS, News Slider
The Shinn Center for Entertainment & the Arts is nearly finished with construction, while the parking garage promised at convocation last fall has yet to start breaking ground. Originally slated for completion in the fall of 2018, the construction on the Shinn center was delayed for two months due to a necessary rerouting of storm drains underneath the foundation. Since fall of 2018, construction of the building has moved at a steady and consistent pace, despite some surprises popping up for faculty and staff in the design. The building’s outside brick is now complete as well as roof and exterior design. Interior design seems to be progressing steadily as well. The building will officially open late August or early September, provided no other incidences lead to delays, according to Kim Chaudoin, university spokesperson. There is still some confusion among staff and faculty, however, about whether a large door is going to be placed where the radio station currently is. Until the building is fully completed, those plans have not been discussed. Another surprise to the staff and faculty of the Ezell building was the inclusion of a connection between the Shinn center and Ezell in rooms 102 and 202 as an accessway for maintenance. The inclusion of these connecting doorways led to confusion with the faculty as to what needed to be done to the rooms that were formerly offices for adjunct Communications professors and the office of Ken Durham, a bible professor. Both rooms were ultimately cleared out while construction installed the doors. The Shinn Center will formally house the College of Entertainment and the Arts as well...
