by Lumination Staff | May 11, 2021 | News Slider
While Lumination Network looks to the future in its evolving coverage of things Lipscomb, there remains a bit of melancholy as on graduation day, May 8, we had to say goodbye to the class of 2021 contributors. Each one of the seniors was a talented and integral part of the website reports as well as the TV broadcasts and the radio station. And sometimes, they had to work in all those areas in their efforts to gain practical experience as well as, we hope, have a little fun building their resume of communications skills. They’ll be missed by all in the Journalism and New Media Department, but we trust their talents will take them far in their upcoming careers. We didn’t let them get off-campus and into the “real world” without answering a few questions or commenting about their time with us. Abby Davis 1. What professor has shaped you the most here? In what way? I would be remiss not to mention both of the professors that have poured into me a great deal during my time at Lipscomb. The first, I met very early on. It was my junior year of high school and I was battling cancer. Rather than our usual trip to the beach, my doctors recommended that we take a spring break trip to somewhere closer in case of emergency, so my parents and I took a trip to Nashville. During our trip we scheduled a few college visits and one was at Lipscomb University. I set up a meeting with Professor Alan Griggs in the Journalism department, and, from that meeting, I knew...
by Kathryn Farris & Hannah Cron | May 9, 2021 | News, News Slider
This year’s commencement, flavored by COVID-19 precautions, marked not only the graduation of Lipscomb’s class of 2021 but also one of President Randolph Lowry’s final major events as president of the university. Lowry announced earlier this year that this summer he will begin transitioning to the role of chancellor. While an in-person graduation was able to happen for the first time since December 2019, several changes were made to ensure the proceedings were COVID-safe. All 2020 graduation ceremonies were done remotely because of the pandemic. Rather than having one large ceremony as was usual in the pre-COVID days, graduates were divided by college across four separate ceremonies on Friday and Saturday (May 7-8). Masks were worn during each ceremony, and all graduates were seated several feet apart to allow for social distancing. “Resilience” of the Lipscomb community throughout the past year was a consistent theme in the ceremonies. In his final speech in the role, Lowry thanked the students for their commitment to Lipscomb. “I was thinking in this COVID world, in this particular moment, what is it that I as the president would suggest you take with you? I want to suggest just one thing: I hope from this experience at Lipscomb University you take a sense of character,” said Lowry. “I thought if there was any group of students around that will come back, will come to this institution and follow the protocol, will understand why we are trying to be respectful of everyone — it was Lipscomb students, because you have character.” President Lowry also reflected upon his shared experience with the graduates. “I feel a...
by Kathryn Farris | Dec 20, 2020 | News, News Slider
Throughout the semester, graduates and faculty optimistically hoped for the return of an in-person commencement. However, as COVID cases spiked throughout the nation, Lipscomb made the call for December’s ceremony to yet again go full online. Through this online format, faculty congratulated students and gave words of encouragement as their time at Lipscomb comes to a close. “The world around you has been difficult: the worldwide pandemic, the disruption of your work, the transition to online learning, the greater demands of family and just getting through the day,” said Lipscomb President Randy Lowry to graduates on the livestreamed ceremony. “But in spite of all of those challenges you did it. We’ve congratulated you today because you deserve it.” Lipscomb awarded 168 undergrad and 250 graduate degrees during the ceremony that echoed past traditions, including a reading of every graduate’s name, recorded messages from Lipscomb faculty and the signature sound of Nashville Pipes & Drums. Among the names of graduates is Lipscomb’s first graduating class in the School of Physician Assistant Studies. The 33 students are making history as the first-ever graduates to receive the Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree from Lipscomb University. In his final remarks, President Lowry expressed his hopes for the December 2020 grads by saying “I hope you leave with a sense of compassion for the world. Understanding how privileged you are, how rich you are, how educated you are, and how compassionate you can be for those that have not had those opportunities, I hope you leave with a sense of always doing, or at least trying to do the right thing whatever your...
by Taylor McKnight | Nov 23, 2020 | COVID-19, News, News Slider
Editor’s note: Prior to the announcement that graduation ceremonies will be held virtually, rather than in-person, university officials had their fingers crossed as they planned to do it live. Here is the story published about those plans and precautions prior to the decision to be safe and go virtual: Graduation — the moment students and their parents anticipate from the outset of the college journey — will look different this winter. It is still scheduled for December 19 in Allen Arena, but because of COVID, attendance will be limited, leaving out the parents. And, given the surge of the virus, there still is a chance it will be moved online, as it was last spring. In the spring, graduates didn’t have the opportunity to walk across the stage. For the first time in the university’s history, they hosted a virtual graduation. Students and their families watched the ceremony online. This semester Lipscomb is trying — despite the COVID pandemic — to give students the opportunity to walk across the stage. Because of the concerns about crowds and social distancing, the ceremony will be limited to faculty and graduates only. Parents, family members, and friends will have to watch the graduation ceremony through live stream. Provost Craig Bledsoe describes the pains taken to make sure graduation is safe during this era of the killer virus. “Knowing the restrictions we have, our plan is to have a graduation that resembles, looks like, feels like, what a regular graduation would look like for students,” he said. “Graduation will be physically distanced as much as possible, with guidelines we’ve been given by the...
by Kailey Schuyler | Apr 2, 2020 | COVID-19, News Slider, Uncategorized
President L. Randolph Lowry informed the entire Lipscomb Community, during a Live Virtual Conversation, that graduation will be held virtually for May Commencement. This came after an email from the Graduation Office was sent to all May and August Graduates informing them that all graduation activities will be held online. “I am sorry to announce that we will not have a traditional graduation in May,” said Lipscomb President L. Randolph Lowry. “We simply don’t believe that we will be allowed, even, to have that kind of crowd on campus.” All events concerning graduation will be moved to virtual meetings. This includes: baccalaureate, college, and department celebrations, and conferring of degrees. Virtual baccalaureate will take place on Friday, May 1 for a final time of worship with Lipscomb for the seniors. College and department celebrations will have virtual celebrations. The graduate office email states, “Since we cannot be together in person in May for our usual dinners and celebrations, each college and department will plan a virtual celebration for you and your classmates,”. The email also touched on the conferring of degrees, stating, ” We will virtually confer your degrees as planned on May 2. Many of you have jobs and graduate school plans following graduation and we know it is very important for you to have your degrees,”. Those who plan to complete their degrees in May or August do have a chance to participate in an on-campus commencement. “We are going to invite everyone who completes their degree work in May or everyone who completes it in August to join us in December. Actually the 19th of December, where...
