Lipscomb cross country open with great effort in heat at Belmont

300 cars lined Highway 100 at Vaughn’s Gap where the 2014 Belmont Opener took place. The sunshine was reflecting off of the bright green grass, however the striking visuals were not enough to mask the 94 degree heat that weighed heavily upon the contestants. “It was hot. Tough conditions, tough course,” said head coach Bill Taylor. After the women’s race a girl could be seen being lifted into an ambulance. Luckily, most of the contestants were able to recover quickly. Lipscomb freshman Paige Stoner enjoyed her time at her first ever college meet. “The whole thing was really exhilarating to be with so many girls, that’s so different from high school,” Stoner said. “It helped a lot to know that I have teammates that I need to push myself for.” Lipscomb sophomore Barbara Ball was excited for the team to get out and race for the first time of the new season, and to be able to put all their hard work to the test. Lipscomb held back a number of girls from racing in the meet and Kaitlyn Llewellyn, a senior at Lipscomb, mentioned that working with less people was something to get used to. “It will be nicer next week when we have more depth,” Llewellyn said, “It was pretty hot so times weren’t great, but it was a good way to start the season. It was a lot of fun.” Coach Bill Taylor said that the girls ran well, and that their effort was there. As for times, errors and protests delayed the results for the Belmont Opener. The women’s race was being reviewed due to...

SAB hosts first ever Swing in the Square

For the first time at Lipscomb, the Student Activities Board hosted a Swing in the Square event for students on Friday evening in Bison Square. While this function is new to campus, other similar events such as Theta Xi’s Full Moon Festival have been held in the past. “This is an event that we talked about doing in the spring,” said Louis Nelms, director of student activities. “Theta Xi, when they did Full Moon Festival, sort of opened the door to some of this stuff.” After approval, Nelms and his team began planning to make the night a safe, enjoyable time for all. “We had to have a place to swing, we had to have lights, we had to have music, and so we just decided to put this all together and thought how do we make this better, and that’s what happened,” Nelms said. Junior Josh Cottrill served as the DJ, incorporating big band music and more popular electric pop. “I’m mostly excited for the atmosphere and the liveliness that’s going to happen tonight,” Cottrill said. “I’m excited to see what comes about.” Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR. Students were instructed on proper swing dancing technique by theater professor Leigh Anne Ervin. After showing students some simple dance moves, Ervin stepped aside to let students show off some of their own moves. “It’s a lot of fun because everyone’s making a fool of themselves and dancing,” said sophomore Samantha Gwinn. Whether students had some background in swing dancing or were completely new to the style, Swing in the Square easily allowed students to join in community and learn. “You get to...

Lumination Newscast, Aug. 29, 2014

In the first installment of Lumination News for the 2014-2015 school year, Madeline Smith and Aaron Schmelzer are behind the news desk to update you about what is happening on campus and in the local community. Erika Thornsberry fills you in on the week’s top politics news headlines, Brianne Welch gives the scoop on all things entertainment, Cory Woodroof gives you the weather forecast and Travis Byrd brings you up to speed with sports. This week’s newscast features an update of the Green Hills Tower construction, a look at the Swang building’s summer renovations on campus and another take on President Randy Lowry’s ice-bucket challenge. We also give you a look at Cowboy Jack Clement’s former home just minutes from campus, a preview of different club events on campus, such as Rush Fair and the annual kickball tournament, and we provide a guide to surviving college for Freshmen. Be sure to stay tuned for future newscasts published every Friday here on Lumination! LUmination Newscast 8-28-2014-H.264 for Apple TV from lumination Network on Vimeo. Do you have story ideas? An event you want us to cover? Email our News Director at...

Friends, family gather to remember alum, ‘pearl’ Meghan Day

The friends and family of Lipscomb alum Meghan Day gathered for a time of prayer and remembrance in the Ezell Center’s Swang Chapel Thursday night. Ms. Day, a May 2013 graduate and member of Delta Omega, died suddenly on Wednesday. Although Ms. Day’s family resides in Chattanooga, many of her Delta Omega sisters, co-workers, Lipscomb friends and loved ones gathered to share memories and special times had with Ms. Day. “I know that she would’ve had a bright future ahead of her, but now she’s in Heaven,” said Brittany Stevens, a charter member of Delta Omega. Presidential Spouse Rhonda Lowry, an assistant professor of spiritual formation and senior fellow for the Institute for Christian Spirituality, spoke words of encouragement after loved ones shared their favorite moments with Ms. Day. “Your pain is only a reflection of your love,” Lowry said. “You’re hurting because you love her.” Though friends and family of Ms. Day are mourning her loss, many said they will always remember her constant smile and positive attitude she shared with all around her. “The name Meghan really means ‘pearl,’ and she was really a pearl in our lives,” Lowry said. “We were privileged to love this great pearl.” Friends and family have created a Facebook page called “Love for Meghan Day” to share memories, photos and...

Green Hills Tower construction hits a speed bump

The Green Hills Tower construction has been delayed due to an appeal from the Green Hills Neighborhood Association.  Back in September of 2013, Southern Land announced its plans to build a 22-story tower on the corner of Richard Jones Rd. and Hillsboro Pike. The project was scheduled to begin construction in 2014. Ground was broken then, but in the spring of 2014, the Neighborhood raised concerns about the height of the tower saying it conflicted with the Green Hills urban design overlay. On March 27, the Metro Planning Commission approved Southern Land’s final site plan.  This plan depicts a 17-story tower, but on Tuesday Aug. 12 the Neighborhood announced it was taking the case to the Tennessee Court of Appeals. The tower will bring new housing, business and office space to the Green Hills area, and some local business are very excited about the increased population. “I think it’s just going to create more traffic, and we’re going to see more business as a result,” local retailer Zach Mulder said. While business owners are enthusiastic about the construction, some residents aren’t as pleased. “It’s nice that they have more residential building going on,” Royal Arms apartments resident Kelsey Reiman said. “But it really messes with the traffic. There’s already a ton of traffic because of the construction, and it’s only going to get worse with all the people living there.” Both the driving traffic and business traffic will increase due to the tower, but the final decision on just how tall the structure will be has not been determined. Southern Land said they plan to begin construction later this...

May 2013 graduate Meghan Day dies suddenly Wednesday; celebration of life set

The Lipscomb community is mourning the death of recent Lipscomb graduate Meghan Day. Day, a May 2013 graduate and fashion merchandising major, died suddenly on Wednesday. a May 2013 graduate and fashion merchandising major Day was active in campus events as a member of social club Delta Omega. She also participated in the 2010 Lipscomb in Vienna Global Learning program. The Lipscomb community came together Thursday night in Ezell’s Swang Chapel for a time of prayer and remembrance. In a message to the student body, Senior Vice President for Student Life Scott McDowell said to “please lift this family up in your prayers.” To honor Day, a celebration of life will take place at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga’s Patten Chapel on Sunday, Aug. 31, at 2 p.m. Additional reporting by Cory...