by Kage Sanderson | Nov 14, 2013 | News Slider
Kelly Dean, a senior journalism/new media major and Lumination contributor, was recently recognized for her time with Country Music Association’s journalism team during last summer’s CMA Fest by receiving the CMA Close Up Award of Merit for Journalism. “I honestly could not believe I won the Award of Merit,” Dean said. “I had to read the email four times before it registered. I thought it had been a mistake, honestly! I never really have had that much confidence in my writing skills, but I know that writing is something I enjoy.” Dean credits working the CMA Fest as something that has helped ignite advancements in her career as a writer. “I have seen major improvement in my writing throughout the past two years,” Dean said. “Especially after working the CMA Fest, because of the real world experience.” Along with receiving the honor, Dean got the chance to assist the CMA Close Up team with their coverage of last week’s 47th Annual CMA Awards. She has been part of the Lipscomb journalism team that won the Southeast Journalism Conference’s Best of the South Awards in 2011 that included third place in “Best Video News” and first place as “Best College TV Station”. Dean has also been a part of numerous other successful journalism projects throughout her college years. “This is the biggest honor I have ever received in my journalism career,” Dean said. “I felt so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the CMA Close Up team to begin with, but to receive this honor was humbling because I was doing what I love in the industry that I absolutely love.” With...
by Ariel Jones | Nov 13, 2013 | News Slider
Eight social clubs. One crowd. Three judges. One winner. Kappa Iota Theta once again sponsored the ever-popular Stomp Fest event, which drew a large crowd to the sold out show. From top to bottom, Collins Alumni Auditorium was filled to the brim with Lipscomb students, faculty, parents and alumni. Lipscomb’s own TJ Ojehomon hosted the event, adding energy to the already energized group. Ojehomon went on to introduce the social clubs competing for the Stomp Fest 2013 title after an opening number where two members from each social club were represented. The first set of social clubs then performed their rehearsed routines. After a 10 minute intermission and performance by Michael “Mic O” Oruma, another one of Lipscomb’s own, the second half of the show began. The remaining social clubs closed out the night with cheers and applause, leaving the crowd to wonder who would be champion. Three judges, Shirley Bailey, Krystal Brown and Jessica Rich, who have over 20 years of combined experience in stomping, decided the winner of the competitive step show. Ojehomon called all participants to gather on stage for the announcement of the runner up and winner of 2013 after the judges tallied their scores. Pi Delta claimed second place while Sigma Iota Delta won the title as the 2013 Stomp Fest winners. Anthony Strode, a member of Sigma Iota Delta, shared how it felt to be the 2013 Stomp Fest winner by saying how surprised he was about being proclaimed champion. “I was so surprised. It was a last minute thing,” Strode said. “ We didn’t come in feeling confidant, but we all prayed about...
by Janice Ng | Nov 12, 2013 | News Slider
Lipscomb’s OPEN Gallery is exploring contemporary art with Chicago-based artist Victoria Martinez’s Secret Garden exhibition. The student-run gallery is curated by Lipscomb art students Callan Downing and Seth Lykins and displays work from different artists every month. “It’s run entirely by students,” student and Lipscomb Artist-in-Residence Seth Lykins said. “We’re in charge of finding the artists each month and bringing them down here, and we install and de-install the work.” This month’s featured artist is 25-year-old Victoria Martinez. A Pilsen, Chicago native, Martinez was born to Mexican parents and grew up with a strong connection to her heritage. “My art is influenced by the color of my culture and the make-do attitude of my people,” Martinez said. A 2010 Minneapolis College of Art and Design graduate, Martinez describes her work as “mixed media ephemeral collages.” Playing around with textures, textiles and patterns, Martinez’s works bring to mind such artists as Frida Kahlo, but in 3D. “I just collect a lot of random items from the street and when I go for walks, I collect cassettes, pieces of paper or rocks and I bring them to my studio,” Martinez said. “I lay them down on my table and draw them. Or I like to go to thrift stores and collect items with vibrant patterns and colors. I pin them to my walls and collage them to see what I have.” The finished product is what Martinez refers to as a “soft sculpture.” “When I was growing up, I was inspired by my neighborhood a lot,” Martinez said. “There were a lot of gang wars, sirens. Now there’s a lot of...
by Cory Woodroof | Nov 8, 2013 | News Slider, Sports
The past couple of seasons in Lipscomb basketball can be summed up in one word: change. In the past two years, the university has seen two coaching changes in two of its biggest sports programs. In 2012, former Lady Bisons basketball coach Frank Bennett transitioned into a role as an associate athletic director for the school, and former University of Central Florida assistant Greg Brown took on the role as head coach for the team. In April, longtime Bisons basketball coach Scott Sanderson resigned, and, in May, former Belmont assistant and Stetson coach Casey Alexander returned to Nashville to become the next coach of the Bisons. Alexander may be new to don the purple and gold, but he’s no stranger to town, having been a standout player and coach for the Bruins during his time with Rick Byrd’s legendary program (the two will meet again in tonight’s first installment of this year’s Battle of the Boulevard series). After leaving Belmont, he spent two seasons as the head coach for the Stetson Hatters before making the move to the other side of the boulevard as Lipscomb’s new coach. After spending the summer and fall semester getting acquainted with the team, Alexander is getting ready to begin his era of Bisons basketball. Alexander says that the transition into his new role at Lipscomb, on both a personal and professional level, was as smooth as it could be. “It’s been very easy,” Alexander said. “It’s a place that I was so familiar with and knew a lot about, and knew that it was the kind of place that I wanted to be,...
by Aaron Schmelzer | Nov 7, 2013 | News Slider
While the first Battle of the Boulevard has yet to tip off, one battle has already been won. For the first time in a while, Lipscomb and Belmont’s chef clashed in the Battle of the Chefs on Thursday in the Bison Cafe. Lipscomb’s Executive Chef Anthony Bates won the competition, defeating Belmont’s executive chef William Finnegan by a slim margin. The event was held the day before the Bisons and the Bruins play in Allen Arena in the first Battle of the Boulevard this season. James Perry, Sodexo’s District Marketing Manager, said that the event is more of a friendly contest. “It’s meant to [be] a friendly competition between the chefs,” Perry said. “It’s meant to educate people that these are professional chefs.” Perry said that “Battle of the Chefs” is a normal thing for Sodexo accounts, which both Lipscomb and Belmont are. “Belmont and Lipscomb, both Sodexo accounts, have been doing this for years; we just brought it back,” Perry said. Photo credit: Whitney...
