by Mckenzi Harris | Mar 15, 2020 | COVID-19, News Slider
Thanks to concerns over the coronavirus, the week after spring break this year will be one unlike any Lipscomb has ever experienced. The university announced the following for the week of March 23-27: Undergraduate students will have an extended week of spring break. Graduate classes will resume; programs will determine the format. Faculty will report to campus to transition classes to a remote teaching and learning environment. In a presentation to faculty and staff on Thursday, President Randy Lowry said that “‘closing’ is not a very good word for this.” “We are open and will at some level stay open because we have certain kinds of needs we need to meet for our students,” Lowry said. “We’ll be here working that week [of March 23] so that on Monday the 30th of March, we can reinstitute the educational piece to our students wherever in the country we might be,” he said. “And we will be prepared at that time to extend that as long as we need to. We have to be prepared for a longer-term engagement with students in some kind of effective way.” President Lowry expressed his safety concerns of both the faculty and staff, wondering what the right decision for the Lipscomb community would be. “Is a student better off at home or is a student better off here?” Lowry asked. The university had concerns about students all having a home to return to, he said, if it called for a delay of classes. “Something as simple as where should they be becomes really complex when you try to work down at a level that’s sensitive...
by Ashley Bingham | Mar 13, 2020 | News Slider
Roger Wiemers, professor with the college of education, is this year’s recipient of the Mary Morris Award. In memoriam to Mary Morris, this award is given each year to a member of the Lipscomb community who has demonstrated a dedication to service in the community. The service and reception for the award took place on March 12. Morris, also a teacher in the college of education, passed away in 2005. “To meet the Morrises was fantastic, and to know that it came from their daughter who had been a teacher herself as well,” Wiemers said. “And to meet some of the past recipients — it was amazing.” During the ceremony, Wiemers quoted Mother Teresa from a 1979 interview with Johnny Carson on “The Tonight Show” when she won the Nobel Peace Prize: “Do you remember when Jesus came in Jerusalem and he was riding on the donkey and everything?” she asked. “Do you think, Mr. Carson, for one moment, that the little donkey thought that the crowd was giving him the praise and glory instead of Jesus? I feel like Mother Teresa: I am that donkey. And Jesus should get the praise.” Wiemers first traveled to India in 1984 and was then called to Papua New Guinea from 1989-1991. After he traveled back home, he learned that a group of Lipscomb students was located in Prague, Czechoslovakia, so he traveled with them from 1992-1994. In 2007, Wiemers was deeply moved to begin a work in India called the Tamar Ministry in Mumbai with his friend P.D. Prasada Roa. He said that he read an article mentioning that over 200,000...
by Tia Calvin | Mar 13, 2020 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
As a part of the annual WOW (Welcome to Our World) Week, students organized Henna Night to bring the unique ceremonies and cuisines of Arab, Indian and Middle Eastern cultures to campus. “I want people to know that it’s [henna is] so much more than just decoration,” said Kiana Rafiei, a student organizer for Lipscomb’s Office of Intercultural Development. “Yes, it’s beautiful, but there’s a meaning behind why my culture does this.” During the event, students hired a local henna artist to give interested students the chance to experience the tradition. Henna is a natural flowering plant that is ground into a thick paste and then piped directly on the skin. The wet paste is left on for 15 to 20 minutes until it dries and can be removed, leaving behind a light red or brown tattoo. This temporary body art can last anywhere from a few days to two weeks depending on how dark the stain is. In recent years, henna has evolved into Western fair entertainment and the design, called mehndi, is often mimicked in permanent tattoos. But, as Rafiei noted, the application of henna itself is a deeply rooted art form across many cultures. “I’m Persian, but we do henna as decoration during Eid, the Islamic New Year, as well,” Rafiei said. “It means good luck and prosperity so it’s really important that we apply it with our family. It’s also applied as a pre-wedding tradition in some countries. Usually, the night before a wedding, the bride is given really detailed henna as a symbol of her devotion.” The swirls and swoops of a henna design...
by Erika Plunkett | Mar 11, 2020 | News Slider, Sports
Lipscomb rebounded in their first mid-week matchup of this week, defeating Austin Peay 9-7 Tuesday afternoon. The Bisons trailed 7-4 in the seventh inning, but sophomore outfielder Ty Jones singled to bring home junior infielder Malik Williams before senior infielder Haddon Adams hammered a grand slam and gave the Bisons the win. Freshman pitcher Patrick Williams started the game. He was later relieved by sophomore right hander JT Caver, but junior transfer Wyatt Folsom was credited with the win after coming in during the seventh inning. Sophomore reliever Tyler Guilfoil got the save, his fifth of the season. The Bisons’ action continues Wednesday afternoon as they travel to Cookeville to take on the Tennessee Tech Eagles before returning home for a weekend series with...
by Bailey Burnett | Mar 10, 2020 | COVID-19, News Slider
Director of Health Services at Lipscomb, Erin Keckley’s first advice is, “There is no reason to panic”. In December of 2019, the coronavirus, which is a group of viruses, was discovered when it was transmitted going from animal to animal and then human to human. This is a new virus, having no one previously been exposed to it, nobody is immune to COVID-19 This virus can cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. “The group we need to be the most careful with are the elderly, over the age of 60 years, and those with chronic diseases especially those with compromised immune systems,” said Keckley. “This virus is spread by respiratory droplets,” said Keckley, “So when you cough or sneeze, these droplets float in the air and then eventually land on a surface. Keckley explains important information about when you can get tested for this virus. “It is important to know that there is no vaccine, no specific medication, or point of care testing. For you to be tested for the coronavirus, you have to meet certain criteria. Fever, cough, shortness of breath, cold symptoms, and you have to have been either in contact with someone who has had a laboratory-confirmed case or you have traveled in the past 14 days to one of the areas with a contagious level of two or three,” said Keckley. So far there are only five countries labeled either a level two or three. China, Italy, Iran and South Korea are labeled level three and Japan is the only at level two right now. Keckley wants everyone to be...
by Mckenzi Harris | Mar 9, 2020 | Arts and Entertainment, Galleries, News Slider, Student Spotlight
Lipscomb clubs, Delta Omega and Theta Psi host the Full Moon Festival each spring semester to raise money for a different mission. This year the clubs raised $6,700 for “The Mission of Youth Encouragement Services (YES).” The mission of yes is to “enrich the lives of children in Inner City Nashville, helping them to develop academically, physically, spiritually and socially.” The event functions as a philanthropy event but also united the student body through music. Throughout the evening, from 6 pm till 9 pm, students perform high-end karaoke with a live band and singing songs they have rehearsed. There is dancing, fun, and music all geared around a 50’s theme. The event is essentially a sock-hop playing current music mixed with old hits. Riley Hoag captured a gallery of the event here. ...
