by Lorena Coleman | Feb 3, 2017 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
Under buckets of snow in Park City, Utah, 10 Lipscomb film students spent a week taking in independent films and discovering a behind-the-scenes look at the industry at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. The festival, held January 19-29, is the largest independent film festival in the United States. Attending the festival was an experience film student Natalie Risk says left her feeling “artistically fulfilled.” “We saw a lot of movies,” Risk stated. “There were days where we would go see movies at midnight, then get up at 7:30 a.m. to watch a movie at 8:30 a.m. and just keep it going.” When they weren’t attending showings, the students would go back to the condo to watch even more films. Independent filmmakers from all over bring their films to Sundance, not only to premiere to an audience but also to sell their films to movie distributors. “Working in the film industry,” Risk explained, “that is kind of like an independent filmmaker’s goal…to get their film shown in a festival, because that is how it’s going to get picked up.” The festival offered plenty of films for students to take in. Some of Risk’s favorites were documentaries including “Last Man in Aleppo” and “The Good Postmen,” as well as a drama called “Novitiate,” that was shot in Nashville and includes Lipscomb alumna Lacy Hartselle. Besides attending showings, students also went to several discussion panels to hear industry professionals speak on the art and technique of independent film-making. Film student Allison Jobe said that her favorite part of the festival was attending the “Women in Film” panel. “I was really inspired to see a row of successful women discuss the different issues they’ve faced in...
by Erin Franklin | Feb 3, 2017 | News Slider, Sports
In a battle between the two teams tied for last in the ASUN conference, the Lipscomb Lady Bisons (4-17, 1-5) faced the USC Upstate Spartans (8-13, 1-5) Thursday night in Allen Arena, with the Bisons clinching the victory 84-77. Junior Riley Northway, senior Alex Banks and junior Meredith Lovelady led the team to a victory over the Spartans. Both athletes finished with double-digit points, with Northway scoring 21 total. Loren Cagle exceeded her average points scored of 8.2, scoring 9 total points. The junior nearly made history with a triple-double, which would have been the first in ASUN conference history, but in the end, fell one point short. “We worked hard in practice and knowing that we put that hard work in and played it out the way we wanted it to is good,” Cagle said. “I thought we played awesome. I thought we executed well; we had some rough moments, but we got the win, and that’s all that mattered. Getting those rebounds and stops really helped us out to get our offense going.” Cagle was named to the preseason watch list for the Nancy Lieberman Award, which is handed out each season to the best point guard in the nation. She was one of only 20 student-athletes to earn the recognition. The Lady Bisons established a good pace in the first quarter and got up early in the game, never falling behind and leading 13-10 at the end of the period. This was the 19th Division I match-up between the two schools, with Upstate holding a 15-3 series lead. In the second period, the Spartans moved quickly, taking...
by Cole Gray | Feb 2, 2017 | News Slider
Though the newly-announced Soundwaves waterpark will be open only to guests of the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, officials say it will provide many part-time jobs. Jenny Barker, a spokeswoman for the company, said that the exact number of part-time jobs created by the waterpark is not currently calculable. The company hasn’t broken ground on the Soundwaves park yet. However, a release from last week announcing construction of the waterpark noted that the project is estimated to generate 699 full-time equivalent jobs once it is completed in fall 2018. That doesn’t mean that all 699 of those jobs will be full-time. The “full-time equivalent job” metric simply represents 40 hours of labor. The employer may hire a single full-time employee, two 20-hour-per-week part-time employees, or perhaps four students that each contribute 10 hours per week to add up to a single full-time equivalent position. Essentially, the “699 full-time equivalent jobs” statistic means that Gaylord estimates that the Soundwaves waterpark will require an additional 27,960 hours of labor per week. Though some of that labor will be accounted for by the suppliers of the waterpark, the resort will have many positions to fill as well. “We would love to be seen as an employer of choice among Lipscomb students,” said Barker, who is an alumna of Lipscomb’s communications department. The waterpark will need lifeguards, as well as food-beverage staff for the new dining options that are part of the new project. Both of these positions will likely be filled by part-time workers. Lifeguards across the country make a median pay of $9.15 per hour, according to Payscale, a company...
by Savannah Stewart | Feb 1, 2017 | News Slider
Lipscomb Study Abroad alumni are gathering together to support each other in the transition back into life on campus. Senior Caitlyn Lloyd created a study abroad re-entry group this semester. The group meets in Ezell Chapel and allows students to reminisce with one another but to also look to the future and help each other out. Around 30 other students and two professors that were in the study abroad group in the fall of 2015 joined Lloyd for the meeting. Lloyd, who studied abroad in Florence, Italy, in the fall of 2015, said the the idea came to her during a class when she had to think about a phenomenon to research. “I thought about what was a phenomenon to me . . . the behavioral changes of students who return from being abroad. After that, the wheels in my brain started turning.” Lloyd said she saw a problem and knew it needed attention. “When students return, they can feel lost trying to figure out where they fit on campus. I want to provide a community for those students to lean into.” Lloyd said she sees the program as a way to appreciate the experiences that study abroad students had. “It’s a community that is meant to be leaned on,” Lloyd noted. “Sometimes we get really excited about a study abroad story, but our friends who haven’t been abroad just don’t ‘get it.’ Everyone in this program gets it.” Lloyd wants everyone who is even looking into the re-entry program to come and try it out because she sees the program as a way for returning students to find...
by Myckelle Williams | Feb 1, 2017 | News Slider
After serving as the Coordinator of International Student Services for the last decade, Sylvia Bearden Braden has retired from her position within the Intercultural Development Department in order to focus on her family full-time. After working several years in social services, Braden joined Lipscomb as an international recruiter in 2007. She later transitioned into a position with the Office of Student Life as the Coordinator of International Student Services in 2011. According to Lisa Steele, Assistant Dean of Intercultural Services, the departure is bittersweet. While saddened to lose Braden, she feels that this is an opportunity to make needed changes within the department in an effort that she feels will grow and enhance the group. The mission of the Intercultural Development Department is to assist students by serving as their advocate and mentor, to equip students with positive coping skills and to provide a safe-haven of belonging for students. The department is committed to fostering an inclusive environment for students by striving to ensure the participation of Lipscomb’s under-represented students in university life. “Exciting changes are coming soon,” Steele said. “We decided that it would be a good time to revamp the position. We also changed the name of the position, so it’s now called Program Coordinator of Intercultural Development.” Lipscomb senior admissions counselor Dolly DeLong will assume the position of Program Coordinator in the fall of 2017. “The difference is that it will be a much less technical job now,” Steele said. “Rather than more focus on paperwork and visas, it will focus more on student life and activities now.” Steele also said that this does not mean that the individual club...
by Eric Ansett | Feb 1, 2017 | News Slider
One of Elise Mitchell’s favorite hobbies is riding her motorcycle, but not simply because of the thrill that it brings her. As she learned to ride, she realized that riding a motorcycle has many parallels with being successful in life, and she imparted some of those lessons to Lipscomb students in Allen Arena on Tuesday at The Gathering. Mitchell is a prominent figure in the world of entrepreneurship. She is also CEO of Mitchell Communications Group, an award-winning strategic communications firm. Her company has been one of the top 10 fastest-growing firms globally and named a two-time agency-of-the-year winner by PRWeek. Individually, she has received numerous awards, including being named PRWeek Agency Public Relations Professional of the Year and a Top 50 Power Player in PR. Mitchell recently published a book titled ‘Leading Through the Turn: How a Journey Mindset can help Leaders find Success and Significance.’ Her speech was short but rich with wisdom about how students can find success while thoroughly enjoying life’s adventures. Mitchell parallels a ride on a motorcycle and real life by saying that we must stay focused and simultaneously soak up everything that this world has to offer. “We always move towards a destination, but I believe everyone was meant to be an explorer,” Mitchell said. “We need to always be looking where we want to go, while enjoying the ride at the same time.” She urged students to eliminate anxiety about the unknown by trusting God and His plan. Mitchell recounted how fearful she was as a soon-to-be graduate when it came time for her to get a job, but God prompted her with Proverbs 3:6, which says, “In all your ways...
