by Cavin Jacobson | Jul 10, 2019 | News Slider, Student Spotlight
For the next 10 months, Senior English and philosophy major Jack Webber will be leading Lipscomb’s Student Government Association. He sat down with Lumination Network to discuss what he wants to do differently as president, what improvements he wants to make and how to get involved with SGA. “My interest in Lipscomb and what I’ve always been involved in, and had the most interest in, is student activities and student involvement,” said Webber. He said he wants to make sure there are always activities in which every student — even commuters — can participate. “The reason I love Lipscomb is because I love Lipscomb students. The friends that I’ve made here are so important to me and have taught me so many things; and, as much as I’m able to, I just want to give back to them,” said Webber, explaining what motivates him to serve as president. Webber also conceded that the job means giving up social time, like his predecessor, Sierra Sparks and other presidents in the past, did. Webber discussed new opportunities and roles that SGA could play in the coming semester. Lipscomb’s new Vice President Al Sturgeon reorganized how Student Life will be handled, and Webber said he believes this creates new paths for SGA to explore. Webber said he plans to be involved with administration and with Student Life to help create a better experience for students. “There is an opportunity for making our current practices better, or introducing new ones. For me working with the administration and working with the new people in Student Life is as much a question of what can SGA do and what can SGA be involved in and maybe step into new...
by Mckenzi Harris | May 20, 2019 | News Slider, Sports, Student Spotlight
Jesica Beaty, a former sports writer for Lumination, now has a new beat: Major League Baseball wife. Beaty, a 2015 journalism and new media alumna, married her high school sweetheart and Belmont alum Matt Beaty. Matt played baseball for the Bruins and for the last few years has made his way up through the Los Angeles Dodgers’ minor-league organization. Jesica and Matt have been married for two and a half years. After the two got married, Jesica left her full-time job as a managing editor with The Aransas Pass (Texas) Progress and Ingleside Index to follow Matt. The couple has moved around quite a bit. Currently, the Beatys reside in Oklahoma, home of the Triple A Oklahoma City Dodgers. Matt was drafted by the Dodgers in 2015 and has played in the Rookie, Single A, Double A and Triple A leagues. Matt was added to the Dodgers’ 40-man lineup back in November. This year the Dodgers used one of his options and sent him to the minor league during spring training; this allows him to be called up and down at any time this year. Matt was called up by the Dodgers earlier this month for a game against the San Francisco Giants. “It was about 12:30 at night, and the Triple A manager called Matt,” Jesica said. “I was so excited for him and just so excited it was finally happening.” During that game, in his first at-bat in the major leagues, he got a hit and his first RBI. He was then recalled and brought back down to Oklahoma City Dodgers. Last week, Matt was called back up...
by Charissa Ricker | May 1, 2019 | News Slider, Sports, Student Spotlight
Jordan Fortel is no stranger to overcoming obstacles in her softball career, but despite her unconventional journey to Lipscomb and her recent injuries, she continues to pull through for her team as both a hitter and pitcher. Fortel is halfway through her senior season at Lipscomb and is leading the team in multiple-hit games, hitting streaks and a reached base streak of 35. “This season has been great so far,” Fortel said. “I think we’ve gotten off to a really great start, and I’m excited to see where we go from here.” Her college softball career has been nothing shy of success. She was named 2017 TCCAA Pitcher of the Year and D1 Softball and ASUN Pitcher of the week for her no-hitter game against Ole Miss last year. She has quickly become a key player for the team, but she hasn’t always been a Bison. “Lipscomb is actually the third school that I’ve attended,” Fortel said.” I’ve only been here since last year when I transferred. I kind of had some connections here, and it just worked out. It’s been a good journey.” After attending the University of Tennessee Chattanooga for a year, Fortel moved closer to her home in Greenville to attend Walter State. “I was led by the Lord to leave UTC, and it just wasn’t working out,” Fortel said. “I’ve ended up in a lot better situations.” She grew up playing travel softball with junior Hannah Duvalt, and with only one year of eligibility at Walter State, Fortel made the move to Lipscomb. “This community is just so much different than communities I’ve been a...
by Martin Baker | Apr 25, 2019 | News Slider, Sports, Student Spotlight
As the Lipscomb track and field team approaches the final stages of its season, one name has stood out among the rest as Lipscomb’s most dangerous weapon. That name is Jonathan Schwind. Schwind is a junior finance major from Suwanee, Georgia. He graduated from Lambert High School and joined Lipscomb after being scouted by assistant coach Benton Reed. “Coach Reed was the guys’ coach at the time, so he made a trip down and visited our houses, and he even had dinner with us one night,” Schwind said. “All the other coaches would talk on the phone and stuff, but I was like, ‘Okay, this coach is really interested. He came to my house from all the way up here.’” That would be the start of Schwind’s career as a Bison, and although the collegiate level has been a challenge, Schwind has been able to put in the hard work with his coaches and teammates that’s allowed him to achieve the standout season he’s experienced this year. “In high school there’s usually one or two fast guys on a team,” Schwind said. “Now you come to college, and everyone was a top guy at their school, so being able to run with the guys on the team really pushes you and helps you a lot.” “This year I think we’ve just been able to get him more strength,” track and field director Bill Taylor said. “He’s got pretty amazing range, but his sweet spot and the stuff he loves is the eight and the fifteen.” The 800m and the 1500m races are definitely where Schwind has found his stride. At the...
by Quinn Gorte | Apr 19, 2019 | News Slider, Student Spotlight
After applying for the Fulbright Scholars Program with the support of numerous friends, professors and others, Lipscomb graduate Lauren Borders, along with four out of seven semi-finalist Lipscomb students, was accepted by the program. “The application process and being given this has been one of the most humbling experiences of my life, because the people that I asked to help me do this delivered beyond what I could’ve ever expected,” Borders said. “So many people helped me out… I’m just very grateful for all the people in my corner and what they did for me.” The Fulbright Scholar Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and offers scholarships for students to live abroad while teaching English or conducting research. For Borders, who recently graduated with a strategic communication major and international studies and Spanish minors, this means living in Uruguay for nine months and researching the country’s political climate. “My project is a journalism-based research project about political broadcast journalism and its effect on political division within the state and the culture,” Borders said. Borders plans to focus her research on “what kind of measures Uruguayan press takes to present a diverse opinion… [The basis of my research is] the relationship between political journalism and how divided the people are politically.” “Basically, [it’s] how you talk about politics at your dinner table with your friends, and how your sources of journalism enforce those ideals,” Borders said. Borders’s background in news and politics inspired her research project idea. “I obviously love journalism, but I also work in politics,” Borders said. “In college, I also did...
by Martin Baker | Mar 15, 2019 | News Slider, Sports, Student Spotlight
Whether she’s pitching from the softball mound or spiking the ball on the volleyball court, Lipscomb’s Chloe Rogers feels right at home as part of a team. “Just relax, play the game, you’ve played it your whole life, just have fun with it,” Rogers told herself as she joined the Lipscomb softball team last spring after finishing her senior season playing for the Lipscomb volleyball team. Rogers came to Lipscomb from Overland Park, Kansas, where she played volleyball and softball for Blue Valley High School as well as travel club teams. Her love for each sport started early thanks to both her parents, Jennifer and Richard Rogers, who also played college sports. Her mother played volleyball, and her father played baseball. When college came around, however, Chloe had to choose one or the other. “I was super undecided going into the college recruiting process. I loved both the same,” Rogers said. “So recruiting came around, and I was getting more interest for volleyball; and I think that kind of helped with the recruiting process because it seemed more appealing when people were after you.” Volleyball won in the end, and she became a Bison under head coach Brandon Rosenthal. At the time, she thought that would be the last time she would play competitive softball, and she knew she would miss it. “I made the right decision,” Rogers said. “I love volleyball, and if I had to do it again, I’d do it the exact same way; but it is kind of like leaving a little part of you behind.” Chloe would get her chance to play again after...