by Erin Turner | Nov 14, 2014 | News Slider
Lumination photographers Erin Turner, Sam Webb and Alison Jobe captured fall on campus and in surrounding areas as it comes to a close. Created with Admarket’s...
by Madeline Smith | Nov 13, 2014 | News Slider
A student protest thousands of miles away may seem unconnected to life in Nashville, but for some members of the Lipscomb community, the protest could mean life or death for their beloved city of Hong Kong. Lipscomb graduate Caesar Tang is in the middle of what is being called the Umbrella Riots in Hong Kong. The protest got its name from the umbrellas protesters are using to protect themselves from pepper spray used by the police. “I do not believe it should be called a riot,” said Tang. “A riot would imply violence. The protesters are not retaliating in any way at all. The protest is an expression of desire from the Hong Kong people to have a government that represents them and hears their voices.” The protests began in September 2014 when China’s Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress announced that they would not allow civil nominations and would instead use a committee to choose candidates for elections in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Federation of Students began the protest outside of Hong Kong’s government headquarters. Hong Kong was a colony of the British Empire until 1997, at which point it was handed over to the People’s Republic of China. Hong Kong has kept its political independence from China, making the announcement of proposed electoral reform a blow to Hong Kong citizens. Lipscomb student Hannah Passamonte also has ties to the revolution. Passamonte grew up in Hong Kong and her parents still teach in the city. “I am still in awe at what is happening in Hong Kong right now,” said Passamonte. “I’m praying for the safety...
by Jamin Craig | Nov 12, 2014 | News Slider
Lipscomb University’s HumanDocs Film Series picks up again this week with the political documentary, “Silenced”. The film follows three whistleblowers: one in the NSA, another in the CIA and the third in the Department of Justice. These three people saw questionable practices being committed by the government and decided to draw attention to them. It is a story of dealing with the backlash of government superiors when calling attention to a potentially bad practice. Ted Parks, one of Lipscomb’s Spanish professors and head of the Lipscomb Human Docs Film Series, says these three people did not agree with the moral values of the government system put in after Sept. 11, 2001. Specific issues covered in the film include civil liberties and the use of torture and waterboarding. Parks goes into detail about what a whistleblower actually does. “A whistleblower is a person in some kind of organization who sees practices that are illegal or unethical or out of character with the institution,” Parks said, “And because of that, feels like he or she has to call attention to those practices with the hopes that they get stopped.” “It’s a very precarious position to be in, because often your superiors may be the ones involved in these practices, and you just as a personal conscience say ‘Hey, this is not right, and I can’t keep doing this.’” After the film screening, Parks will introduce a panel of guests to reflect on the film with a question and answer session. The panel will include an ethicist, an attorney representing whistleblowers, a counselor and a political science/history professor. “I’m really grateful that...
by Sam Webb | Nov 11, 2014 | News Slider
Cracker Barrel communications representative Maria Janella Escobar spoke to the importance of corporate communication at November’s installment of Media Masters Monday night in the Ezell Center. Escobar is the director and head of corporate communications at the restaurant. She worked with FedEx, Hilton Hotels and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital before joining Cracker Barrel’s communications team. Corporate communication is a multi-faceted field, mixing various elements of the business world into relaying a message to those in the public. Part of Escobar’s work involves communicating the Cracker Barrel brand to the company’s audience. Those duties include refining the marketing campaign. She explained that businesses have to find a way to relate to their customers through marketing. “It’s just talking to people, and that is how people relate to companies and brands.” Escobar said. Escobar also explained the difference between a crisis and an issue in the corporate communications world. A crisis is an unexpected event that cannot be prepared for. An issue is a reoccurring problem that can be prepared for. She said that accountability is a must when working in communications. “When you make a mistake, you have to admit you made a mistake,” Escobar said. A big part of any company is working in the present to ensure a bright future. Escobar said she hopes the popular country-themed restaurant’s reputation can grow while still maintaining the brand’s timeless value. To Escobar, the company needs to remain true to its traditional values and atmosphere, opposed to rebranding campaigns that many restaurants are undergoing. The communications expert took questions from the audience, sharing her knowledge with the communication-minded crowd of...
by Brianne Welch | Nov 10, 2014 | News Slider
Lipscomb’s Veteran Services hosted a Veterans Eve Celebration that involved a parachute demonstration onto the quad Monday morning. The 101st Airborne Division, the Army’s oldest parachute jump team, flew through the air above campus before two jumpers, one carrying a POW flag and the other the American flag, descended onto the field. Students and members of the community lined the sidewalks around the quad in front of the Burton Science building to watch the demonstration. Prior to the jump, the national anthem was performed by the Lipscomb Jazz Ensemble. Then Lipscomb student and Marine Corps Corporal Matt Proctor gave the invocation. As part of the ceremony, an American flag was presented to veteran Christopher Long, and a Tennessee state flag was presented to Dean Scott McDowell. Before the end of the ceremony, Lieutenant Colonel John Sapp spoke about the event and about the importance of Lipscomb’s Yellow Ribbon Program that allows veterans to come home and receive an education. He also talked about being thankful for veterans as well, and Dean McDowell closed out the ceremony with a round of thanks. Lipscomb’s Yellow Ribbon Program works hard to create an encouraging and beneficial community for veterans. Corporal Proctor talked a little bit about how they hope to build a connection between veterans and traditional undergraduate students. “There’s an opportunity for those undergraduate’s to see the life experience that veterans have, and the face of war is sometimes very different than the faces of a traditional undergraduate student,” Proctor said. “There’s a lot that can be learned in order to communicate outside of the undergraduate experience.” Proctor was also very...
by Sam Webb | Nov 7, 2014 | News Slider, Sports
Another year, another successful season for the Men’s and Women’s Cross Country programs. The Women scored 21 points in the Atlantic Sun Championships to secure their fourth consecutive conference title. Madi Talbert, Paige Stoner, and Dani Walker swept the top three spots, taking first, second and third respectively. All three runners, along with Sally Larson who finished sixth overall, earned spots on the A-Sun All-Conference First Team. Stoner was also named A-Sun Freshman of the Year. Barbara Lee Ball, Kayla Montgomery and Minna Fields took spots on the All-Conference Second Team. Ball and Montgomery finished ninth and 13th in the A-Sun Championship. The Men’s team also had a stand-out day in route to winning their second A-Sun Championship in a row. Juan Gonzalez, Daniel Gardner and Christian Freeman took third, fourth and fifth place in the competition. All three also placed on the A-Sun All-Conference First Team. The Bisons fourth and fifth runners, junior Jared Wingerter and sophomore Jared Daedler, both set personal records in route to finshing ninth and 15th overall. Wingerter earned a spot on the All-Conference Second Team. “Jared Wingadner had a great race,” head coach Benton Reed said. “He passed two Northern Kentucky guys in the end with an awesome finish. I knew Jared Dadeler was going to have a good race because he just kept on moving up throughout the race and by the end he was where he needed to be and it really made the difference for the team. Without him, we wouldn’t have won.” The Men’s team had made it a goal all season to win Conference again, while the women’s...
