by Taylor McKnight | Mar 9, 2020 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
The stars and the sky were the inspiration for The Elevate Dance Show by The Foundation Dance Theatre (FDT). The show reminds audience members to always look up with A Heavenly View. The Elevate Dance show was a 3-day event (March 6-8) held at Bennet Campus Center in Shamblin Auditorium. Dancers, who are part of this company and the theatre department had the chance to share what they have been rehearsing since the fall. There were group dances and duets with styles that varied from ballet, tap, jazz and hip hop. The FDT company is under the direction of Kari Smith & Leigh Anne Ervin who lead all students during the year. During the show, in between dances, a video would be shown of Kari Smith explaining the principles of the FDT. Kari Smith who is an instructor for the company states there are five pillars they want their students to understand. Leaning into these pillars during their time with the company. Storytelling, Education, Endurance, Passion, and Artistry. As one dance ended a video would be shown to explain each pillar, but also show behind the scenes footage of these dancers. “Dance is a big part of musical theatre but, dance is kinda a different world than theatre. They all fall under storytelling but, with dance, it’s very universal,” said sophomore musical theatre major Drew Flickinger. “I auditioned for FDT in the fall of my freshman year and they took a shot at me, so I got to do elevate last year and I really loved it so of course, I did it again.” Flickinger appeared in four out...
by Ashley Bingham | Mar 6, 2020 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider, Opinion
Onward features a family of elves with who lost their father before their youngest son was born. Ian Lightfoot, voiced by Tom Holland, and older brother Barley, voiced by Chris Pratt, are two brothers who could not be more different. Single mom Laurel, voiced by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, has done her best to raise them in little New Mushroomtown. This is a world full of mythical creatures that have found a content life living without their gifts from nature. Magic has long been forgotten in favor of a more efficient and easier solution: Technology. The film begins on Ian’s 16th birthday, when the viewer sees him living a life with which he’s not quite satisfied. His shy tendencies, and not to mention his embarrassing older brother, make it hard for him to feel accepted and comfortable at school. Laurel reveals that their father had left behind a gift for the two sons, only to be given to them once they were both older than 16: A wizard’s staff, an enchanted stone and a spell to bring back their beloved dad for one whole day. Ian turns out to have a natural talent at casting spells, and is able to bring back their father. Well, the lower half of him. With the enchanted stone destroyed, the boys must embark on a quest to find another stone in order to bring back the entirety father before time runs out. Barley, who has a passion for table-top magic games, Ian with the wizard’s staff, and the hilarious pair of legs that is their father head out on their journey in order to be...
by Mckenzi Harris | Mar 6, 2020 | News Slider, Sports
The Bisons’ hopes for an ASUN title and return to post-season glory faded Sunday afternoon when they fell to the Liberty University Flames, 73-57, at the Vines Center in Lynchburg, Virginia. The Liberty Flames (30-4) will go on to the NCAA tournament. The Bisons finish with a 16-16 record after a strong comeback in the second half of the season. Thriller carried Bisons to the championship game: With 3.1 seconds left on the clock Thursday night in Jacksonville, the Bisons earned a 73-71 win over North Florida courtesy of a floater from senior guard Andrew Fleming. Sophomore center Ahsan Asadullah, who had scored a career-high 40 points Tuesday night in the quarterfinal win over Florida Gulf Coast, led all players Thursday with 27 points and 19 rebounds. With eight seconds remaining and the score tied, senior guard Michael Buckland got the ball to Asadullah, who soon found himself triple-teamed. Asadullah fed the ball to Fleming in the lane, and Fleming tossed in a teardrop for the game-winner. “Ahsan flicked it to me,” said Fleming. “I actually didn’t know he was passing it to me. I’m just happy it went in ’cause that kid [6-7 forward Wajid Aminu) had been blocking my shot a ton, so I’m just happy it went in.” Fleming finished with 26 points, a career-high. Lipscomb led by as many as 10 points, coming off of a strong first half, but the Ospreys saw the momentum swing in their favor to take the lead with five minutes left in the game. The Bisons were able to even the scoring and stop two North Florida shots with less...
by Erika Plunkett | Mar 6, 2020 | BREAKING NEWS, News Slider
Just two days after Lipscomb canceled all spring break mission trips due to concerns over the coronavirus, the COVID-19 virus made its first appearance in Tennessee just south of Lipscomb’s campus. Despite this announcement from Gov. Bill Lee Thursday morning, as well as Williamson County’s immediate precautions to cancel all school for Friday and Monday to deep-clean all facilities, President Randy Lowry informed faculty in an email that there were no cases of the virus nor were there any significant risks reported on Lipscomb’s campus. Even though there is no direct threat to Lipscomb right now, Lowry did announce the precautions Lipscomb has already taken, which include the relocation of the Florence study abroad students and the aforementioned cancellation of all spring break international mission trips, as well as new restrictions and recommendations that the school is implementing. Of these restrictions, the most notable is the travel ban that is being enforced on students and faculty. The terms as presented in the email are listed below: “In terms of employee business-related travel and other school-sponsored travel, such is fully restricted until further notice to any country or area that meets any of the following criteria: Has a rating by the CDC at a Level 2 or higher, or Has a rating by the U.S. Department of State at a Level 3 or higher, or Is restricting or banning travel. Any employee or student who independently visits a location that meets any of these criteria is restricted from campus for a 14-day isolation period. If this situation applies to you, employees should inform your supervisor and students should inform Dr....
by Bailey Burnett | Mar 4, 2020 | News Slider, Student Spotlight
Lipscomb students come together with other volunteers Thursday evenings to participate in Feeding the Hungry at St. John’s United Methodist Church. This weekly event provides a hot meal as well as clothing and other necessities to anyone in the community in need. “We do the food pantry and the clothes closet,” said Sandra Griggs, St. John’s United Methodist Church pastor and wife of Alan Griggs, associate professor of communication and journalism. Students portion salads, wash dishes, serve the food, clean the tables and do anything they can to help the other service members, according to the pastor. St. John’s is open from 3 to 5:30 p.m. every Thursday, and anyone is welcome to come to the clothes closet and get a free meal. Around 7 p.m. the volunteers begin cleaning up. Both the food pantry and clothes closet are supplied by a variety of donors. “Deodorant, soap, clothes or leftover food. This stuff is all donated,” said Sandra Griggs. St. John’s Methodist Church has been feeding the community every week for close to 20 years and has plans to continue. “We have all sorts of people come to serve. We have newcomers, church members, and people from all different churches,” she said. “We would love any help we can get for these events. We have high school students that need to do community service, college students, and people from the community. Teenagers can come as long as they have a parent with them.” As a part of Lipscomb’s emphasis on service-learning, students from the university have become regular helpers at St. John’s. “We have Lipscomb students come at least...
by Jonathan Thompson | Mar 4, 2020 | BREAKING NEWS, News Slider
In light of the deadly tornado ripping through Nashville and Middle Tennessee early Tuesday morning, Lipscomb students are left wondering, “How can I help?” Christin Shatzer and Al Sturgeon offer a few suggestions. Shatzer, associate professor of general education and director of Lipscomb’s SALT program (Service And Learning Together), suggests students sign up with Hands on Nashville or the United Way of Greater Nashville to be involved with relief efforts. These charitable organizations, alongside others, offer means of donating both time and funding towards Nashville’s tornado disaster recovery efforts. Hands on Nashville works closely with the city of Nashville and the Office of Emergency Situations to collect and distribute funds for disaster management, as well as offer an easy online sign up for anyone looking to volunteer towards clean up and recovery. “Typically in any disaster response the best way to help is through monetary donation,” Shatzer said. “City leaders are suggesting that financial donations be made to the Community Foundation to help with disaster relief efforts.” Another alternative offered to aid the city of Nashville and those affected by the tornado is prayer, something Lipscomb placed a large emphasis on at The Gathering on Tuesday. “When we learned of the terrible losses in our local community, we decided to cancel our scheduled speakers at The Gathering because we felt it appropriate that we simply gather together and pray,” said Sturgeon, vice president of student life and dean of students. Sturgeon encourages students to email Student Life with prayer requests for anyone they may know who has been affected by the tornado. “In the immediate aftermath of a disaster,...
