by Hunter Patterson | Apr 21, 2011 | News Slider
The SGA elections are over and you can finally stop receiving those Facebook group invites from all of the candidates. Lumination would like to congratulate all of the winners and wish them luck in all of their future endeavors as they lead the student body in the 2011-2012 school year. President: Daniel Wakefield Vice President: Amy Estepp Secretary: Kenneth Coca Treasurer: Leah Raich Current SGA President Jackson Sprayberry is confident that Daniel and the student government will make a smooth transition into the next academic year. “Daniel and I talked earlier this morning and I congratulated him on his accomplishment of serving as president next year,” Sprayberry said. “It’s been an honor to serve as SGA President and I am committed to continue working hard until graduation.” “This year as Vice-President, Daniel has had the opportunity to get to know administrators and become equipped to be an effective and successful President.” Sprayberry said that he has seen Wakefield’s commitment to SGA and to the university in preparing to transition to next year’s executive officers. “I trust him to make decisions that will continue to build community on campus and provide quality use of student funds,” Sprayberry said. “Get to know him if you can, he’s a good friend of mine and is ready to hear your ideas to make this place better. “I wish him, the other executives, and all other elected officers the best next year. We’ve worked hard this year and I believe Daniel will lead the SGA to another amazing year.” Lumination spoke with the President-elect and he had this to say to the students: “I...
by Crystal Davis | Apr 21, 2011 | News Slider
Did you thoroughly read the academic integrity policy upon enrolling at Lipscomb? If not, now might be a good time. Posters have been showing up around campus promoting the website Homework Horrors. The website’s catchy intro is intriguing. “Don’t fight homework horrors alone. Don’t lose sleep. Don’t watch your grade point averages slide. We’ve put together top advisers, experts and tutors in every field of study who are standing by to stand by you and help you defeat even the hardest homework assignments and problems.” The site may appear helpful and legitimate, but it clearly goes against Lipscomb’s academic integrity policy –“offering up answers, help and even essays on demand!” The website explains the three-step process of uploading your homework, getting a financial quote for answers and then getting an A on your assignment. The website is Paypal verified, further encouraging users to purchase by boasting secure transactions. The website also boasts high quality services on many different subjects. “We don’t just take on the little horrors, either. Need an essay written? Just tell us the subject, the grade level, and the required length, and we’ll get it done, on time, to the highest standards.” Toward the end of the semester, as finals and term papers seem never-ending, websites like this begin to appeal more and more to desperate students. Lipscomb faculty members, like Ruth Henry, chair of the Academic Integrity Committee, fear that students will revert to buying papers instead of just asking for help. “They [students] should play it safe and use the university’s writing center or tutors supplied by the university; it’s honest and often free...
by Jonathan Corley | Apr 20, 2011 | News Slider
A small group of seven Lipscomb military veterans will travel this summer to Ghana to provide aid and relief to citizens in the West African state. The team will be working with Mobile Medical Disaster Relief (MMDR) and the Touch a Life foundation to help a local Lake Volta orphanage — which houses children saved from child slavery — to provide inoculations. They also will be identifying local villagers in desperate need of life-saving surgery to repair hernias. The students will be working in the area to help prevent children from being sold into dangerous labor in the future. Susannah Leonard, Air Force veteran and Lipscomb senior in the Yellow Ribbbon program is excited to be going on the trip. “I am just happy to be taking a part in a mission that could potentially change the lives of so many children,” Leonard said. “In the military you are always working to change the world for the better, but I think this trip will make it a more personal and spiritual experience. “The conditions many of these children have been forced to work in are just terrible. Many of them never survive the life-threatening work on the lake, and while we are there we want to do what we can to prevent this tragedy.” It will be the first Lipscomb University mission for the Campus Veterans Organization (CVO) which is comprised of veterans who have a history of serving and sacrificing for those in need of help. Each veteran’s experience is unique, some having traveled to the inhospitable terrain of the Middle East, others to the urban areas of Asia...
by Kelsey Durnin | Apr 20, 2011 | News Slider
One thing is clear after Monday night’s presidential debate, which was also the first ever live production from the Mullican TV Studio: Jackson Sprayberry has set very high standards for both candidates. This year’s presidential candidates are current SGA vice president Daniel Wakefield, a rising senior and Biology/Pre-Med major from Columbia, Tenn., as well as current SGA secretary Kirk Averitt, a rising Senior and Music Education major from Decatur, Ala. Wakefield has been part of SGA for three years, working two as a senator and one as vice president. During this time he has been able to learn more in-depth leadership skills. He has also had the opportunity to speak with people of influence and to have “conversations of weight” which encourage him to pursue active roles in SGA. “There’s an element of pride and satisfaction in working with the administration to make changes happen,” Wakefield said. “There are a lot of things I’ve been able to accomplish in SGA.” Averitt has been a part of SGA for two years, one year as a senator and one as secretary. He has enjoyed seeing the progress made over the past year, particularly in events such as Paint the Herd and in policy changes such as more lenient open dorms hours. “[Lipscomb] is a great school to be a student at and this is a great city to be a student in,” Averitt said. “We have a lot of outlets here.” Wakefield’s approach to this position is centered on networking. “[Sprayberry] has vision, focus and a unique ability to get people fired up,” Wakefield said. “I want to continue that.” Wakefield...
by Crystal Davis | Apr 20, 2011 | News Slider
After Monday night’s debate, hanging fliers around campus and lots of campaigning, the time has come to elect your Student Government Association for next school year. The elections began at midnight Tuesday, April 19, and will continue for the next 24 hours. The SGA candidate list, excluding the senate positions, is as follows: President- Kirk Averitt and Daniel Wakefield Vice-President- Alé Dalton and Amy Estepp Treasurer- Patrick Grace and Leah Raich Secretary- Kenneth Coca and Thomas Whisenant Jackson Sprayberry, the 2010-2011 SGA President had many great things to say about the candidates. “From what I know of each of the candidates, they bring a vast array of experiences and qualifications that would allow them to serve in the executive council of SGA in an effective manner,” Sprayberry said. Sprayberry doesn’t think that any candidate is favored to win by a landslide. “SGA elections are an interesting breed of elections,” Sprayberry said. “Those that appear to be a front-runner may not be the one who actually wins. At this point, I’m not sure there is a clear front-runner in any race.” One of the main issues that Sprayberry said would be a focus each candidate is the continued commitment “of creating community for all of our students through planning events, the shaping of university policies, and by making capital investments across campus.” When emails went out across campus urging students to place an intent-to-run form in the SGA elections, they emphasized the SGA’s ability to take affect the lives of students on campus. “I feel students are looking to elect individuals who will continue to unashamedly and persistently express student concerns to the administration,” Sprayberry said. Alé Dalton,...
by Cooper Torrez | Apr 19, 2011 | News Slider
On Wednesday, April 20th at 8 p.m, SGA will be sponsoring a concert in Shamblin Theater to benefit the writing center. Daniel and the Lion, a band from Wisconsin, is the opening act, stopping in for their second of three trips on their Fall 2011 tour. The main act, John Paul Roney in the Boom Forest, is self-described as “Beach Boys meet Depeche Mode.” “The event is a benefit concert for the writing center, not just to raise funds for the program but also to raise awareness of what they do,” said Ale Dalton, event coordinator. “A lot of people have this misconception that the writing center is a remedial service for students who don’t like writing.” That is not the case, however. Students shouldn’t feel the need to utilize the writing center only because they produce low-quality papers. It’s actually the opposite of that. “The truth is that some of the best students on campus go to the writing center to better their work,” Dalton said. “The students who serve as writing consultants are some of the brightest people I’ve met on campus and they’re genuinely passionate about helping students better their work. The actual writing center is like a lounge instead of a classroom, comfy couches are everywhere and it’s a really neat place.” This event is not about the writing, though. It is about getting the word out about the Writing Center and hearing some good music as well. “It’s going to be an incredible event full of good music and good fun, so come out for a night of good music with your friends,” Dalton...
