by Emily Snell | Nov 1, 2012 | Uncategorized
After working on campus 38 years and serving in more than a dozen positions, Dr. Jim Thomas said he still has the same focus: helping students graduate from college. Thomas said his experiences in different jobs on campus help him understand how to get students to Lipscomb, how to keep them here and how to help them pay for their education. “I do truly believe they’re a huge help here,” he said of some of his former roles. “I think all of that history and background converges to give me an understanding of how they all link together.” “I think I’m someone who believes in what they’re trying to do,” he said. “I’m passionate about students graduating from college. I am so absolutely driven to helping college students graduate, but they’ve got to be a partner with me in that.” Thomas, who currently acts as executive assistant to the president, graduated from Lipscomb in 1969. After completing three years in the military, he began teaching at the university in 1974. Thomas said, of his jobs at Lipscomb, being chair of the speech communication department was one of the most enjoyable. “Probably that was one of my favorite jobs, if you want to know the truth,” he said. “I thought as department chair you had a greater opportunity to influence students’ lives and the curriculum to help them develop.” “My heart has always been on the teaching side,” he explained. “I just think that’s why you get into higher education—to help the students learn and grow and develop their talents to the fullest extent that they can.” Thomas spent one...
by Brianne Welch | Oct 31, 2012 | Uncategorized
Safe Haven Family Shelter is a family homelessness organization that not only provides care for the homeless but also offers programs to get families out of poverty. Community Relations Manager Stephanie Tinnell, who is also a Lipscomb grad, said the shelter was originally able to house five families at a time, but the shelter is looking to double the occupancy in the next year. “This summer we will expand to ten families,” Tinnell said. The shelter is currently in the process of renovating the facility, so they are in a temporary location, but the renovations should bring an abundant amount of help to the shelter, she explained. “We are going to double in capacity, so we can expand our programs.” One of the main programs Safe Haven is excited about expanding is its therapy wing. Safe Haven offers different kinds of therapy programs for adults as well as children. “One of the biggest components of family homelessness is emotional and physical abuse, and we want to help the families get through that and on their own again,” Tinnell said. The plans for expansion include group therapy and a play therapy area that will be used alongside the therapy programs that are already in place. Safe Haven’s programs are designed to aid and benefit the families who come to them for help, but Tinnell says the families are not the only ones who benefit. Tinnell said her job is mainly to get word out to the public about Safe Haven and different events the shelter hosts, but she is also a volunteer who loves working with the children. “Making sure...
by Brynn Watkins | Oct 30, 2012 | Uncategorized
If you were to glance at Kevin Mac Erwin while passing him on the way to class, you would probably assume he was an art student. With his unique sense of style, gauged earrings and fancy Ray Bans, it is easy to peg him as a simple student artist. However, Kevin is not only a full time art student at Lipscomb but also an internationally known musician. Kevin Mac Erwin is the man behind the electronic music sensation Lunova Labs. Kevin’s music career all started with a piano and an unquenchable desire for something new. Kevin is an entirely self-taught pianist. He picked up piano one day, and from then on, he was hooked on the instrument. Before Lunova Labs, Kevin performed in a couple of experimental hard-core bands in his teenage years which helped shape him as a musician. Kevin’s fascination with the music of Aphex Twin and Brian Eno gave him the incentive to begin producing electronic music at an early age. He would make up songs in his head and translate them into a beat. The beats then turned into full-length projects, and from this cycle, Lunova Labs was born. Many of the ideas behind Lunova Labs’ vibrant and catchy beats came from the diverse area he grew up in. A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Kevin’s style of music was influenced heavily by the city’s aesthetic. City culture and diversity were a clear cornerstone of the Lunova Labs unique sound. Kevin says he is always taking in inspiration with every aspect of life. Soon after Kevin’s teenage years, he decided he wanted a change of scenery...
by Brianne Welch | Oct 29, 2012 | Uncategorized
The Contributor, the homeless newspaper here in Nashville, needs more help than simply buying the paper. It is a genuine non-profit organization in need of donations. Founder and Executive Director for The Contributor Tasha Lemley started out as a photojournalist when she moved to Nashville, and she quickly saw the homeless community as a place she could serve. “I started making friends on the street and falling in love with these people,” she said. “I thought, what can I do to fully be a part of this community?” Lemley said she knew of street newspapers in other cities and thought that using her journalism skills would be a great way to bring people together. “I never thought it would get people off the streets,” she said The Contributor started out having two goals, according to Lemley: “create a quality publication that tells about issues related to homelessness and poverty,” and secondly, “create a source of income for the homeless community.” Lemley said those were the main goals The Contributor was founded on, but a third purpose of the paper showed itself as the most meaningful and inspirational goal of all. “The most inspiring part is the stories that come out about getting people to dialogue with one another,” Lemley said. “We get to see lives changed on both sides of the economic divide.” Lemley mentioned a story about a dentist talking to a newspaper vendor and finding out that he can help the vendor by giving him free dental work. But not all the stories have monetary value, she said. “My favorite story involves an older woman who has...
by Erin Gupton | Oct 27, 2012 | Uncategorized
Lipscomb holds over 40 mission trips all around the world, but there is only one mission trip created just for women. For the past two years, Lipscomb ladies have embarked on a journey into the Republic of Moldova over the summer. Moldova is known for its high population of orphans and its sex trafficking epidemic. “Moldova is a very poor country in between Ukraine and Romania,” said Kelsey Shipman, a senior from Advance, N.C. “It’s a very small country, but despite the broken streets and poverty, it still manages to be beautiful.” Kelli Blackshear, a junior from Jacksonville, Fla. and two-year veteran of the team, said the goal of this mission trip is “to love on girls that don’t receive enough love or respect where they’re from, and who are in danger of being taken advantage of.” Lipscomb students have the opportunity to sign up for the Moldova mission trip when Commitment Week comes around Nov. 5-9. This is the week in which the registration process for mission trips begins. While in Moldova the small team of about 13 women works alongside Justice and Mercy International, an organization that fights sex trafficking and other social injustices throughout the world. JMI noticed the need for a transitional house for 16-year-old girls who have left the orphanages in Moldova and have nowhere to go. To meet that need, JMI founded The Grace House. By taking these girls in until they are 21, TGH saves many of them from being sex trafficked. The Lipscomb team partners with TGH to teach these girls practical tasks that will help them provide for themselves when...
by Brynn Watkins | Oct 22, 2012 | Uncategorized
Name: Crystal Davis Year: Senior Style: Trendy / Comfortable / Classic Inspirations: Chloe Calvin Klein Kate Bosworth Piperlime What are your top three favorite places to shop? BCBG 7 for all mankind Lululemon 1. Leggings, tights and jacket – BCBG 2. Sunglasses – Prada 3. Shoes – Nine West 4. Bag – DVF Why did you choose these pieces? Bag – “This DVF bag is a classic and will last and last. I fell in love with the classic pattern and feel of the bag, in general. This bag matches everything and finishes off every outfit with a bang.” Shirt – “This BCBG shirt is a bright and statement-making piece that is a fun alternative to a regular classic T-shirt.” Shoes – “They are super comfy and match everything…one of the best purchases I have ever made.” Leggings – “I loved the style. They are are sleek, black and very on-trend. I loved how they were a mix of two fabrics as opposed to just a simple legging style.” Sunglasses – “I have been looking for a pair of statement sunglasses that really flatter my face shape. These tortoise print Pradas fit the bill.” What are your top three local Nashville favorites? City House SEE Eyewear UAL Any fashion advice for Lipscomb Students? “Don’t overdo it. Don’t wear stuff that is too big for you, not matter what designer it is. Get clothing items tailored to your body and they will flatter you much more. The tailoring will be worth the extra dollar spent. Fit is the most important aspect to an...
