by Russell Vannozzi | Jan 19, 2019 | News Slider, Sports
When Trent Dilfer toured Lipscomb’s campus, he knew he had found a special place. What the former NFL quarterback didn’t realize was that Lipscomb University had an affiliated high school on its campus that just happened to have a need for a new head football coach. It turned out to be the perfect marriage. “I didn’t even know much about the Academy,” Trent Dilfer said. “But to be here for the last few days and really dive deep and see what’s going on has been an amazing journey for me.” The official announcement of Dilfer’s hiring came during a jam-packed press conference at the McCadams Athletic Center Friday afternoon. But the news was leaked earlier in the day and caused the school to buzz with excitement, according to the players. “Rumors started going around [Friday] at school,” rising senior tight end Houston High said. “When we were walking through the hallways, that’s all everyone was talking about.” Lipscomb finished the 2018 season with a dismal 2-9 record. Coach Scott Tillman resigned in November, and the administration began a nationwide search for his replacement. The opening generated interest from more than 80 candidates, according to Lipscomb Academy headmaster Greg Glenn. “The resources here are great,” Dilfer said of Lipscomb. “There’s no reason we can’t be really, really, really good. I know the competition around here is insane. But I’m more concerned about what we’re going to do.” Following a 14-season NFL career that included a Super Bowl victory with the Baltimore Ravens in 2001, Dilfer spent a decade in the broadcast booth with the NFL Network and ESPN. However, he...
by Kathryn Farris | Jan 7, 2019 | BREAKING NEWS, News Slider
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam announced Monday morning that clemency will be granted to Cyntoia Brown. Brown is a Nashville woman who has spent 15 years behind bars for a murder she committed at age 16. She is expected to be released on parole on Aug. 7, 2019. The conditions of her parole say that she will have to attend regular counseling sessions, work with at-risk youth and maintain a job. Haslam’s decision to grant Brown clemency comes after a year of mounting pressure from activists, celebrities and Tennessee legislators. “This decision comes after careful consideration of what is a tragic and complex case,” Haslam said in a statement. “Cyntoia Brown committed, by her own admission, a horrific crime at the age of 16. Yet, imposing a life sentence on a juvenile that would require her to serve at least 51 years before even being eligible for parole consideration is too harsh, especially in light of the extraordinary steps Ms. Brown has taken to rebuild her life. “Transformation should be accompanied by hope. So, I am commuting Ms. Brown’s sentence, subject to certain conditions.” In 2015, Brown earned an associate’s degree through Lipscomb University’s LIFE program, which brings traditional and non-traditional students together for classes at the Tennessee Prison for Women. She issued a statement thanking both the Tennessee Department of Corrections and Lipscomb for the opportunity. “I want to thank those at the Tennessee Department of Corrections who saw something in me worth salvaging, especially Ms. Connie Seabrooks for allowing me to participate in the Lipscomb LIFE Program,” Brown said. “It changed my life. I am also grateful to those at the Tennessee Department...
by Erin Franklin | Oct 19, 2018 | News Slider
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam is known to frequent Lipscomb’s workout room, but he made an appearance at chapel Tuesday to speak to students and lead the closing prayer. Lipscomb president Randy Lowry introduced Haslam by noting how many Lipscomb students would not be where they are today had Haslam not served as governor. “If you have a HOPE scholarship, you owe that opportunity to…Governor Haslam in his support of that program,” Lowry said. “If you enjoyed free community college, it was because this governor wanted to provide access to higher education. To those of you who did, you then had an opportunity to transfer to a four-year school, which you might not ever otherwise been able to attend.” During The Gathering, Haslam spoke to students about God, relationships and politics. Haslam cited two main things he wanted to tell students to take away from his talk. “No matter what you do, make certain that you’re in a situation where you have people that give you honest feedback…That’s really what helps us,” he said. “Number two is remember those people you’re interacting with…that they’re created in the image of God.” After The Gathering, Lumination spoke to Haslam individually about his thoughts on the upcoming governor’s election and the importance of students going out and voting. “The first thing to do is obviously to go vote,” Haslam said. “It’s incredibly simple and easy, and it matters. Every study shows that young people don’t, which is crazy that people typically don’t start voting until they’re in their 40s. “People tend to get really excited about the national elections, but your state and local elections...
by Quinn Gorte | Oct 5, 2018 | News Slider, Opinion
12 South’s Five Daughters Bakery gets my vote for the best gluten-free doughnut in Nashville. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention their glorious Paleo Crusher doughnuts in a Gluten-Free Friday post. These are the things of legend, basically, and I love them very deeply. There are many wonderful things about Five Daughters: The convenience of their 12 South location, the quality of local non-GMO (genetically-modified) ingredients used in all of their products, and the fact that it’s family-oriented. For us gluten-free folks, arguably the best part is that they craft DELICIOUS paleo doughnuts. Yes, craft. These are no ordinary doughnuts. They’re not even ordinary gluten-free doughnuts. They are also grain-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free, making them significantly lower in carbohydrates than most doughnuts, and, as a result, much less guilt-inducing. And, perhaps most importantly, they taste great. Let’s be real: gluten-free baked goods have come a long way. Sadly, there are still the occasional “flops” like sweetener-less, grain-free blueberry muffins or gluten-free cupcakes that don’t quite taste like anything. Praise God for Five Daughters Bakery, a company that gets gluten, grain-free and paleo baked goods right! Five Daughter’s Paleo Crusher doughnuts are moist, flavorful and perfectly sweet. The Paleo diet, inspired by the supposed diet of cavemen, doesn’t allow any gluten or grains. As a result, people on paleo diets often bake with nut flours, like almond flour, starch flours or tapioca flour, in place of typical gluten-free grain blends. Five Daughters’ Paleo Crushers use a blend of almond, tapioca and coconut flour in the base of their paleo vanilla doughnuts. For sweeteners, Five Daughters uses honey and maple syrup...
by Erin Franklin | Sep 21, 2018 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
Lipscomb has brought on a number of changes this year, ranging from new academic department locations to a new outdoor patio outside the cafeteria. Additionally, several new faculty members have joined the Lipscomb staff. One of these new professors is Dr. Ben Blasko, who was recently named band director for the classical music department. Blasko was a music education major at a small college in his home state of Pennsylvania. He then completed his graduate coursework at the University of North Texas and eventually became director of bands at the University of Dubuque, before moving to Lipscomb this fall. In addition to his role at Lipscomb, he’s also a professional trumpet player and has done film work, notably studying with Bruce Broughton, who has worked on films such as Silverado. “I came [to Lipscomb] because I was looking for a place where I could practice my faith and integrate it into my teaching,” Blasko said. “When I interviewed here, what really drew me [in] were the students and how the faculty interacted with the students. I very much got a sense of [the] mentor relationships between faculty and students.” Blasko said he is honored to work with a “legend in music” in Brown Bannister, Lipscomb’s Director of Music. Students in the classical department have also welcomed Blasko’s arrival, citing their readiness for new and specialized attention. The music department not only hosts the classical music side, but it also has the commercial music emphasis (previously titled contemporary music). Since the commercial program was started in 2015, some classical students said that they felt that a lot of attention was placed...
