by Lily Kate Corley | Sep 12, 2021 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
What was the most iconic event between the years 2000 and 2010? The release of Kelly Clarkson’s song “Since U Been Gone”? Bedazzled jeans? The first Twilight movie? While there are many staples to choose from, they pale in comparison to the most important world premiere of all: The birth of the students in the Lipscomb University Class of 2025. Most undergraduate students on campus were born between 1999 and 2004, which makes the early 2000s an important time for the Bison Herd. To welcome this year’s Freshmen Class to the Lipscomb family, the Office of Community Life is hosting a Freshmen Lipsync Battle on September 18th. The theme for the battle is 2000s Mix. The event will feature songs released between the years 2000 and 2010, as selected by the 10 competition groups. Groups may perform a mash-up or a single song, utilizing up to four minutes. Performance groups will consist of up to 30 students and approximately seven students will serve as producers, assisting with marketing and logistics behind the scenes. According to Kelsy Campbell, Coordinator of Student Productions and Social Clubs, Freshmen Lipsync Battle will provide a “get-to-know-you experience right off the bat” and “a feel for the fun of Lipscomb.” Whether students sign up with friends or sign up alone, they will walk away from the event with shared memories and a strengthened sense of community. While the Bison Herd is experiencing Lipsync Battle for the first time, a rich musical tradition is well established at Lipscomb. Each Spring, undergraduate students compete in the time-honored tradition of Singarama in which they must prepare the choreography,...
by Gracie Simpson | Sep 11, 2021 | News Slider, Sports
Sophomore golf standout Jack Morris — a Franklin native who chose to stay close to home for his college career — says he is looking to improve his game with the help of some competition from some new faces on the team. “We’ve got four new guys, two freshmen and then two transfers,” Morris said. “One of the transfers is from Purdue, one of the transfers was D2, All-American, we’ve got a much more competitive team,” adding that competition pushes him to work on his own skills every day. Morris is something of a hometown boy, choosing to be a Bison over other opportunities for a variety of reasons. “I chose Lipscomb, partially because the weather is a lot warmer…great business school…and we’ve got a great coaching staff along with a great program,” said the sophomore, who decided to accept Lipscomb’s offer in 2019. Family ties also played a role, since both of his parents are Lipscomb graduates. In high school, he led Franklin High School to a state championship while also earning the title Williamson County Golfer of the Year. He was named the 2019 Junior Cup MVP and the 2020 Tennessee Junior Amateur Champion. Such honors set him apart from those teeing up with him. College has been different, but he’s embracing it. “One of the things was playing for a team, not just individually,” he said. “This was kind of one of the things I had to adjust to, but I’m looking forward to this year and making improvements and getting better.” The team will head to Birmingham on Sept. 27 for the UAB Invitational. Photo...
by Lily Kate Corley | Sep 11, 2021 | News, News Slider
“A plane just hit one of the World Trade Center Towers.” R. Samuel Lynn, Lipscomb veterans advocate and a former Marine, recalls hearing those words from his desk at an architectural firm in upstate New York on Sept. 11, 2001. He immediately thought that a small plane must have mistakenly gone off course. “It seemed like just a couple of minutes later [that the secretary] … slow-walked into the office,” Sam Lynn said. “[Her] face was just white. She said, ‘Another plane just hit one of the towers.'” “And that’s when … my heart hit my toes.” Lynn and his colleagues watched the news channel all day, as most Americans did, and realized that they were witnessing a terrorist attack against the United States. The event would alter the trajectory of America and the world– they knew “it was all going to change.” Lynn was right about the changes, which included the creation of The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the United State’s engagement in war in the Middle East. The attack was the impetus for 20 years of consequences. Four years after 9/11, Lynn became a Marine. He spent 10 years in the military and completed two tours of duty in the Middle East with Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was injured during his service. After rehabilitation, he became a combat marksmanship instructor. Today, he serves the Lipscomb University Community as director of Veterans Services. Lynn’s has a multi-level view on the events, since he experienced the events of 9/11 as a civilian and then participated in the war that followed as a Marine. Veteran Programs Coordinator Jimmie L....
by Gracie Simpson | Sep 9, 2021 | News Slider, Sports
With top-ranked senior Kate Popova utilizing her extra year of eligibility, a few new faces, and a renewed energy, Lipscomb’s women’s tennis team is set to grind out a tough fall season. “We have two new girls and we have only just gotten started, so they are still getting acclimated with everything.” said senior Maddox Bandy, who hopes the team is able to improve on last spring’s 10-9 record. “A big thing on our team is energy, so [newcomers] are having to adjust going from junior tennis to college tennis and learning how big of an impact energy can have on our practices and on each other,” she said. The team’s number one player, Popova decided to come back for her COVID year, meaning she took advantage of an NCAA rule that allowed athletes hurt by virus cancellations to come back for an extra season. “I want it to be fun,” said Popova of her goals for the season. “I feel like the last two years with COVID …we were restricted to do a lot of stuff.” “I know it’s not gonna be full blown normal, but I want it to be something like it was my freshman and sophomore year.” said Popova. Tennis is a spring sport and its conference and national championships are held in April, but the season officially starts in the fall. This year, the team will only play four tournaments before Christmas, but despite the lesser workload, the fall becomes more of a grind than the spring season does, says head coach Jamie Aid. “[Coach Aid] has the mentality that fall should be harder,”...
by Allie Greenhaw | Sep 9, 2021 | News Slider, Opinion, Sports, Student Spotlight
Fifteen years ago in a churchyard in southern Bogotá, an energetic, dark-haired little boy kicked around a soccer ball as the youth minister droned on during his Sunday lessons. The minister’s pleas for him to stay still were in vain—this boy’s heart was taken by soccer. In some ways, the young man so many at Lipscomb have come to know is reminiscent of that boy, but there is a light in his eyes that says something changed. To say that junior Colombia native David Silva has stories to tell would be an understatement. The key to understanding Silva is his love for the game of soccer. For him, this game is woven into who he is. “The ball was my best friend, like Wilson in that Tom Hanks movie. It’s funny because that’s my name too!” Growing up on the southern side of Bogotá brought its own challenges. Although soccer runs in the veins of Colombian culture, not everyone in his neighborhood owned a soccer ball. Sometimes, a plastic water bottle was the next best thing. Silva played constantly, with whatever bottle or ball was around, and he got really good. By the time he was 13 years old, Silva had caught the eye of the academy team of 15-time Colombian champions Millonarios FC. They trained on the north side of Bogotá, so he traveled four hours round-trip every day on a bus to train in the afternoons. He woke up each day at 5 a.m., attended school, stood on the bus for a couple of hours, trained, took the bus home, and returned at 8 or 9 p.m. to his homework and family. Silva kept up this grueling schedule for two...
by Kahwit Tela | Sep 8, 2021 | News, News Slider
On her first day as Lipscomb University’s 18th president, Dr. Candice McQueen made several announcements during Tuesday’s Gathering. After introductions from SGA President Grant Hitchcock and her daughter, freshman Abigail McQueen, Dr. McQueen made her entrance on the podium. McQueen, greeted by a warm round of applause from the audience, cited the students as the primary reason for accepting this leadership position. “Lipscomb University exists for students,” said McQueen. “And we will empower our community, our administrators to make sure students are job one, and we will live out the visions of our founders to help you, our students, to be equipped to fully integrate with your academic passions and careers. McQueen made a few special announcements, such as the start of the President’s Student Advisory Council, otherwise known as PSAC. PSAC will allow McQueen to directly hear feedback from students through a collaborative effort with the SGA. Nominations for council members are ongoing, with the council set to be announced toward the end of September. To make up for the sophomore class’ lost opportunities, McQueen revealed that next week will be sophomore week. At the start of the week, sophomores will receive a gift package filled with an assortment of treats as well as tickets to events that lead up to an exclusive silent disco party. McQueen addressed and confirmed that the recent dining staff shortages and restaurant closures were due to a COVID outbreak. To make up for the inconvenience, students were treated to a cookout of hamburgers and hot dogs as an appreciation for their patience and willingness to cooperate with the staff shortages. Finally, McQueen recognized...
