by Jamin Craig | Jan 15, 2015 | News Slider
Lipscomb’s theatre department is quickly crafting its next main-stage show, bringing the whimsical world of Dr. Seuss to the Collins stage with Seussical. The story, guided by the Cat in the Hat, takes much of its plot from Dr. Seuss’s Horton Hears a Who. Deep in the jungle of Nool, an elephant named Horton stumbles across the city of Whoville located on a speck of dust. Most of the animals in the jungle think he is crazy, and many conflicts unfold as Horton and the Whos try to convince the Jungle of Nool that Whoville really exists. The story is about friendship, acceptance and sticking to your word during hard circumstances. Kari Smith, an adjunct theatre and dance professor, is directing and choreographing the show. She explained that this production has much less rehearsal time than an average show for Lipscomb. “It’s five and a half weeks” Smith said. “For professional actors, that’s plenty, but we’re talking about students who have to go to school all day, get their homework done, have time to breathe and then go to rehearsal. It’s going to be quick, but I have a great cast. They’re all super committed and so great to work with.” The cast and crew might be made up of students only, but they are excited for the challenge. Elijah Wallace, a junior theatre major from Montgomery, Alabama, will be playing the role of Horton the elephant. In middle school, Wallace played the Cat in the Hat in a previous production of Seussical, but he says he has always wanted to play Horton. “I resonate a lot with what Horton believes and...
by Charlie Bateman | Jan 13, 2015 | News Slider
Relay for Life will return to Allen Arena this February with free games and entertainment all in efforts to wipe away cancer. Students compete to raise money for Relay for Life by forming teams before the actual event takes place. Fundraising began at the beginning of the school year with a campus-wide goal of raising $35,000. So far, 277 participants have raised nearly $14,000. The top fundraising teams are the Relay for Life Committee, Phi Nu and Delta Tau. The annual event will take place at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 6 and will continue into Saturday morning in Allen Arena. According to Audrey Boyd, Relay for Life student director, there will be soccer and volleyball games, a bounce house and other entertainment. While the event includes free games and entertainment, it is also a chance for students to share in one common goal. “Cancer is one of the biggest issues of today,” senior Drue Clark said. “I think everyone knows someone who is affected by cancer. Cancer negatively affects lives and we need to get rid of it.” For other students, the event is a way to show love and support to those fighting cancer. “Relay for Life is a great event for the community and a good way to support people who have lost love ones to cancer,” junior Tommy Allen said. Students who are interested in participating can go to Lipscomb’s Relay for Life page to register. Additional reporting by Erin...
by Colleen Casner | Jan 13, 2015 | News Slider
Lipscomb has been recognized for its commitment to veterans and for its affordability. Kiplinger’s Personal Finance recently named Lipscomb University in its list of the top hundred best value private colleges in the nation, and Military Advanced Education has named Lipscomb a top military-friendly university. MAE awards this distinction to the hundred top-scoring colleges participating in a questionnaire about the quality of schools’ veteran service programs. Factors on the questionnaire include support for veterans’ families, campus ROTC programs, counselor training in military-related mental health issues and acceptance of transfer credits. Other schools on the list include Vanderbilt, Auburn and UCLA. “It is a reflection of our goal to continually improve our veteran services program,” said Assistant Dean and Director of Veteran Services April Herrington. “Recognition from organizations such as this is an indicator that what we offer is working and making a difference in the lives of our students.” Lipscomb’s veteran services have previously been recognized in the 201 Military Friendly Schools list for six years in a row and as the second-best regional university in the South for its veteran services by US News & World Report. Lipscomb has been providing free undergraduate tuition to veterans through its Yellow Ribbon Program since 2009. For the first time, Lipscomb’s affordability for veterans and other students has been recognized by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. Other colleges named in the list include Harvard, Duke, Princeton and Vanderbilt. The list compares quality-based criteria such as admission rates, freshman retention rates and student-faculty ratios to finance-based criteria such as financial aid and average student debt at graduation. “Student debt load is a critical issue...
by Colleen Casner | Jan 10, 2015 | News Slider
Family and friends gathered to remember Lipscomb professor Dr. Ben Hutchinson at his memorial service at Otter Creek Church of Christ this Saturday. Hutchinson, who passed away on Dec. 30, 2014, taught chemistry and served as the dean of the former College of Natural and Applied Sciences. Loved ones remembered Hutchinson’s quiet strength and love of learning. Colleagues, friends and relatives spoke fondly of Hutchinson’s forgiving nature, passion for science and deep faith. Hutchinson previously taught at Abilene Christian University, Pepperdine University and Oklahoma Christian University before coming to Lipscomb in 2004. He pioneered Lipscomb’s integrated science curriculum and the CSI summer camp for middle school...
by Anna McClure | Jan 7, 2015 | News Slider
Students in the College of Engineering plan to construct a bridge on campus in just a few weeks. This prototype bridge will be built in the quad outside the Hughes Center, and the parts will be shipped to Honduras and rebuilt during a mission trip this spring. Once in Honduras, the bridge will allow grade school students to safely cross a highway on their school campus. According to Kerry Patterson, associate professor of engineering, the road will become the main access to a new port facility and will likely become busier in the future, making the bridge more needed. The team of student volunteers, co-led by alumni Luke Burris and Ethan Johnson, will have the parts manufactured in America. But for now, construction of the prototype is being held off until approval from the Honduran government. “Once we have approval, it will be about 4-5 weeks before we will be ready to build the bridge on campus,” Patterson said. Construction of the campus bridge should begin in February. The campus bridge will be over 100 feet long and one to two feet off the ground, but the official bridge will be 4 feet wide and nearly 8 feet tall to allow traffic to pass under it. Between 15 and 20 students will travel to Honduras to construct the bridge. The project will be done in partnership with Honduras Outreach Inc., a non-profit mission...
by Emily England | Jan 7, 2015 | News Slider
For students planning to join a social club this semester, there is a new event in the mix. For the first time, Greek Life Prospective will take place at 5 p.m. this Friday in Swang. This new event is mandatory for all students who are interested in joining a social club. Senior and Vice President of Greek Life Makenzie Kanyuh said the event will provide students with a chance to meet each social club. “Greek Life Prospective will gather every student wanting to rush into groups, and every 20-25 minutes the groups will rotate to a new club,” Kanyuh said. She added that because the rush process has gone by very fast in previous years, social clubs believed this event would be beneficial to students who are looking to rush. “Social clubs wanted another chance to get to know girls, but also to make sure everyone gets exposed to every single club in Greek Life,” she said. Olivia Waldorf, freshman journalism and new media major from Manhattan Beach, California, agreed that this event will allow her the opportunity to get a feel for all the clubs. “I think that this event is a great idea,” Waldorf said. “I went to the fall rush fair to become familiar with all of the clubs, and there were some booths I didn’t make it to. “I’m excited that I’m going to get to spend some time meeting new people from each club.” After Friday’s event, students must attend at least three open-rush events. Before Greek Life Prospective takes place on Friday, a rush fair will be held at 5 p.m. on Thursday in...
