George W. Bush’s visit to Lipscomb is primarily a closed-door, special-donor event, but the former president will be taking time to share his unique perspective with 600 students, according to Josh Roberts, Dean of Student Development.
Roberts said it was important to incorporate a student question-and-answer period into Bush’s visit at Lipscomb as part of the inaugural Imagine event.
“When we get in the same room as someone like George W. Bush we know what a world changer looks like,” Roberts said. “We know the way they talk when we get to hear them, we know what those values are when we get to discern them.”
Lipscomb launched Imagine as a program that will allow the community to dive into local and global topics. The initiative is a series of discussions that will take place over the next five years.
The main event is an invitation-only gathering in Allen Arena for Lipscomb associates, donors of $1,000 or more annually. The theme of the event will be “Nashville: An Emerging City with Global Significance.”
That, of course, is important for the university’s future, but the Q&A with students is key to both the initiative’s success and the university’s mission, according to Roberts.
“Our goal is that students come to Lipscomb so that they can develop and leave Lipscomb to change the world,” Roberts said.
Roberts said the student event was put together by a team of 10 students.
The Imagine Student Leadership Team is taking care of everything from seat reservations to security and scheduling.
“They have driven everything about it,” Roberts said. “With a lot of scrutiny and a lot of heart and a lot of thought, they have put together what I think will be the most dynamic hour for everyone there.”
Bush will be fielding a dozen questions that the group screened from more than 100 submitted by the student body.
Questions will be led by student body president Jordan Beale and student Justin Avila, a veteran of the U.S. Navy.
Lipscomb junior Addison Groves is a part of the student leadership team for the event, and said Bush’s visit sets the standard high.
“This first Imagine event will set the standard and pace for future guest speakers in the next five years who will be participating in the event,” Groves said. “The campus has the opportunity to host a big-time speaker or world leader which will only push the Lipscomb name forward around the globe as we continue to advance education, information and faith.”
In order to get into the event, students had to donate $15 to the program of their choice: IDEAL, Veterans Education or Global Missions.
“We wanted to make sure that all the money that was raised for this event went right back to students,” Roberts said.
All students who purchased admission will be issued personalized credentials Monday before the event.
Roberts said that Lipscomb’s large number of students who are military veterans — guided by the successful Yellow Ribbon program –make this visit even more important to the university population.
“As individuals who have served our country, they have been personally affected by President Bush’s leadership and post 9/11 world,” Roberts said.
But the Q&A session will be more than a 9/11 discussion, Roberts said.
“We ought to be paying close attention to what motivates him — the guiding principles that guided the decisions — so that we can learn what works well,” Roberts said. “President Bush was known for the way he brought the world together globally which is something that our global missions department does an outstanding job,”
The total amount raised for each program from the student ticket sales will be announced during the Q&A.
Doors to the student event open at 4:15 p.m. Monday. Students can enter SAC through the ABP doors, main SAC entry and also through McQuiddy.
Photo courtesy of George W. Bush Presidential Center