by Danielle Boyd | Mar 12, 2012 | News Slider
Neely Williams, an adjunct professor in the department of Communication and Journalism, is a long time community leader, educator, minister and activist for non-violence in youth engagement. Williams, who has been formally involved with the Nashville community for nearly 30 years, said her journey into community outreach began through participation in Vacation Bible School at a local church where four young men spoke about living with HIV/AIDS. As a part of the men’s presentation, “the Red Cross was there, inviting people from the community to get trained and be advocates and spokespersons about the disease,” Williams said. It was 1985, during the height of learning about HIV/AIDs. Williams stepped out into the inner city of the Nashville community to educate people on the disease. “I call this my formal step into the community because I have always been involved in nursing homes and wherever there was a need,” Williams said. Even at an early age, Williams had a heart for helping people and uniting cultures. “I like to say I built my first coalition on the Kindergarten playground,” she said, “because I am innately a person that says everybody should play and get an opportunity to have the ball. And I spent a lot of days trying to make sure those who were not chosen got a chance to play anyway.” Deciding to go back to school to obtain a degree at Vanderbilt University, Williams became trained as a chaplain, which furthered her community outreach with the Metropolitan Interdenominational Church. Since 1996, Williams has worked directly and indirectly with the outreach ministries of the Metropolitan Church in the north Nashville community....
by Erica Aburto | Nov 30, 2011 | News Slider
Freddy Quiteno, a recent Lipscomb graduate, looked out at the crowd in Allen Arena and said, “Without the YMCA Latino Achievers, I might not be standing here on stage before you. I am deeply grateful for the encouragement and support I received from the staff.” His comments came earlier this month, during the 10th annual dinner honoring YMCA Latino Achievers. Up-and-coming Hispanic college students are the focus of the program. The program has achieved much success in its high school initiatives, which have a 100 percent graduation rate and half of its participants moving on to college. Dinner invitees include national and local businesses that have contributed financially to the organization’s program. The annual event serves as an opportunity not only for local businesses to support a good cause but also for Hispanic professionals to network and serve as mentors and role models to the students. Tabbata Castillo, a senior nursing major, gave the welcome, greeting benefactors with her testimonial about how she has benefitted from the program. Lipscomb students shared what they appreciated about the program. “The Latino Achievers Program has really helped me just by allowing me to be here [at Lipscomb]. If it wasn’t for this program, I wouldn’t even have had the opportunity to go to college,” said Melanie Re, a sophomore studying corporate management. “It was encouraging that there was a program that put hope back in my life,” she said. “Coming to Lipscomb through the program was the best decision I ever made.” Sophomore Oscar Rayo, an interntional business student, said, “Not only did they help me find more scholarships, they also helped me to develop more networks that would connect...
