To celebrate the release of the album “Just the Hymns,” the Lipscomb Gospel Choir (LGC) hosted a listening party complete with Kahoot, cupcakes and praise. LGC hosted the party Saturday, Sept. 5, in Shamblin Theatre. Choir member Madison Rayburn organized the event, which featured Mediterranean catering and candlelit tables. Beyond the doors of Shamblin, a merch stand with t-shirts designed by choir member Hannah Varghese greeted attendees. Attendees included the members of the LGC, as well as family and friends. Aaron Howard, the director of the choir, brought along his wife, children and granddaughter. After guests filled their plates, Howard took the stage. He thanked his family and collaborators before sharing the mission behind the choir’s second album. “The goal was to take hymns, which everybody knows and loves, and rearrange them in gospel styles,” Howard said. “And to use them as a tool to bring about racial reconciliation in the body of Christ.” This message of racial unity not only motivates Howard’s work, but made this album possible. Calvin University’s Institute of Christian Worship awarded LGC a grant to make a record preaching unification of the church. “The grant was to do a hymn album that featured a hymn of unity,” said Howard. LGC is a multiracial group. “We consider ourselves to be ambassadors of racial conciliation.” The first song of the night was “Revive Us Again,” with choir member Amy McCune as lead vocalist. Howard said he made the classic “a little gospel and a little urban.” Howard then invited LloydBarry onto the stage. Barry did the string arrangements on “Just the Hymns,” but his relationship with Howards reaches beyond this record. Barry also did the arrangements for gospel group Milton Brunson and Thompson Community Singers. The group served as an inspiration for young Howard and shaped his interest in gospel music. “So the guy that inspired me, in terms of gospel music, is the one… on this album,” said Howard. Barry brought in seven string players for the project. Working with Howard proved to be a unique experience. “I told Aaron (Howard) that he asked for a lot of changes on all these songs that we did,” said Barry. “And I did more changes for him, then I’ve done for anybody, in all the years pulling the strings. And that’s a lot of years.” The payoff of these tweaks is what Howard called his favorite song on the record: “Jesus Paid it All.” Rayburn sang the lead on this song. The stong strikes a chord with Howard due to its reminder of Jesus’ sacrifice. “Sometimes we just need to hear about the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, and the fact that the gospel is the reason why we’re sitting here tonight,” he said. “We can never become too accustomed to the gospel that we forget its power and its impact and its supernatural significance.” The night saw a change in energy as Howard introduced hip-hop into the hymnal mix. He invited rapper Nick Edgerson, who goes by Legend, onto the stage to perform their track “I Need Thee.” The track features LGC’s Carlos Lamoutte as its lead singer. Between songs, the audience played a game of gospel-themed Kahoot. They answered questions about the origins and writers of hymns. The team that came in first place won a free t-shirt. Howard then returned to his message of racial reconciliation as he shared the story behind the original song on the album, “Hymn of Unity.” “If I was to leave a message behind, it would be the words of this song,” said Howard of the track. The track’s lyrics are a call to put aside differences and come together as one in Christ. “When you are with believers and you just worship the Lord, you don’t have to do a whole lot of talking about race,” said Howard about the message of the song. “You just come together and worship him.” For choir member, Ariana Miller, this coming together is at the heart of LGC. “The choir is really community before anything else,” she said. “It’s such a blessing to be part of that community, and … with that community of my friends around me, to be able to share the gospel with other people.” The night ended with guest gospel singer Calvin Nowell leading the audience in “Amazing Grace.” The room sang the hymn together after Howard prayed over attendees. LGC’s album “Just the Hymns” is not yet available on streaming services. Starting Sept. 6, however, all eight tracks will be accessible via LGC’s website LipscombGospelChoir.com. On the website, videos of the songs and the full tracklist can be accessed. Feature image courtesy of Lipscomb Gospel Choir.
Lipscomb’s Black Student Association (BSA) brought a taste of the wild west to campus today, hosting its highly anticipated “Cowboys and Cowgirls” themed cookout at the Pavilion from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The event was a high-energy gathering designed to unite the campus community before the long holiday weekend. Students showed up clad in western wear, filling the air with music, laughter and line dancing. Sizzling hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and cold drinks, kept the crowd fueled as the line dancing kicked into high gear. For many attendees, the cookout provided a unique space to bond across different backgrounds. “I came to a cookout event, you know, to enjoy some community with our fellow people here on campus,” said Yazeli Ortiz, a junior education major. “I feel like it’s very much cultural. You get to learn from them and how, even though we’re all different, we’re still people at the end of the day and we can still enjoy each other.” Beyond a fun evening of music and food, the cookout served a dual purpose as a vital fundraiser for the organization. “BSA is the Black Student Association, and this is a fundraiser for the organization,” said Olivia Webb, assistant director of First-Year Programs and BSA co-advisor. “Just trying to raise money so we can host more events for campus, for students… just trying to find fun ways to bring students together and raise some money, have some food and listen to music and just have a good time.” Nyari Joyce, the Secretary and Treasurer of BSA, emphasized that the family-style cookout format is inherently meaningful. “I think you could say they’re like a cultural event within the Black community,” Joyce explained. “I think it’s where we are able to connect with each other. We make food, we play games, we dance. It is just community building. You get to interact with each other. You build deeper relationships. A lot of cookouts are family. So I think we’re throwing this event just to connect with the campus and with the people on it.” This year’s fundraising effort came with a massive incentive: the chance to dump a freezing bucket of ice water onto Jose Brown, BSA advisor and the resident hall director of High Rise Hall. The group set a strict pricing tier for the watery punishment. “This time, we’re fundraising, and depending on how many donations we get, we’ll have bigger or smaller sizes of ice buckets that we’re gonna dump on Jose,” Joyce noted. The tiers ranked from a $25 small bowl and a $50 small tub to a grand total of $100 for a massive, heavy-duty cooler. By the time the event wrapped up, the student body exceeded expectations, raising over $160 in total. Webb shared her excitement about hitting the milestone, adding that the event was an amazing way for students to segue right into the Student Activity Board’s “Boot Scoot” dance later in the evening. The evening ended with the ultimate payoff. A crowd gathered to watch Brown get drenched by the top-tier $100 cooler of ice water. “Yeah, a lot of ice water,” Brown laughed. “I was willing to do that only because we were taking fundraisers for BSA, like donations, and the goal is to help this group thrive and succeed, and we want to put on events like this to have fun.” Brown reiterated that the organization’s overarching mission is rooted in inclusivity and hospitality. “Our goal as Black Student Association, BSA… is just creating space for Black students or anybody on campus who wants to be a part of this group to just have a space to connect.” According to leadership, that space is expanding rapidly. The cookout marks a strong, visible trend in student engagement for the organization this semester. “I feel like we’ve had amazing turnouts,” Joyce said. “We’ve had two events so far this semester, and we’ve had a lot of people show up to them for the first time. So I think we’re doing a better job outreach, and we hope to continue doing that, growing the club, having people meet each other, and build relationships outside of the club.” Featured image taken by Harold Espinoza Lopez.
Starting July 1, 2026, the federal student loan system will change how borrowers repay their loans. While current borrowers will not see the immediate changes, students planning to borrow in the future could face fewer repayment options. “Most pieces are set, but things are still evolving,” said Assistant Director of Special Programs David Bender. “By July 1, that’s when students should expect to see everything set in stone.” For students taking out new federal loans after the changes, there will be two repayment plans. One option is a standard repayment plan with fixed monthly payments. Unlike the traditional 10-year plan, the length of repayment will depend on the total loan amount rather than automatically lasting 10 years. The second option is a new income-based plan called the Repayment Assistance Plan, or RAP. With RAP, monthly payments are based on income, not loan balance. Repayment can last up to 30 years, and any remaining balance after that period can be forgiven. However, that forgiven amount could be taxed. Some details are still being finalized, Bender said, and students should rely on official federal resources for updates. “StudentAid.gov is still the best resource as far as reading up on all those repayment plans and what’s changing,” he said. For many students, understanding repayment plans and long-term costs feels overwhelming. Amelie Burleson, a sophomore social work major, said tracking her loans has been difficult. “I tried to look on the website to see how much interest I’ve earned, but I wasn’t able to figure out the website,” Burleson said. “So, I kind of just gave up because I was confused.” The uncertainty around repayment makes growing balances feel intimidating. “I know I’m accumulating all this money that’s getting worse and worse every year,” she said. “That freaks me out a little bit for sure.” What this means for current borrowers Borrowers who take out loans before July 1 will not be required to change repayment plans immediately. Current borrowers can stay on their existing plan or switch to RAP when it becomes available. Borrowers enrolled in plans such as Parent PLUS, SAVE, PAYE or ICR may need to switch plans by 2028 as those options end. What this means for graduate students Students planning to attend graduate school after 2026 may face stricter borrowing limits. The Federal Grad PLUS loan program, which allowed students to borrow the full cost of attendance, is being eliminated. Federal loans may no longer cover all graduate school expenses, meaning students may have to rely more on private loans, institutional aid or scholarships. “Anytime you’re taking out a loan, assume that you have to pay back the whole loan,” Bender said. Featured image taken by Jacy Stricker.
To celebrate the release of the album “Just the Hymns,” the Lipscomb Gospel Choir (LGC) hosted a listening party complete with Kahoot, cupcakes and praise. LGC hosted the party Saturday, Sept. 5, in Shamblin Theatre. Choir member Madison Rayburn organized the event, which featured Mediterranean catering and candlelit tables. Beyond the doors of Shamblin, a merch stand with t-shirts designed by choir member Hannah Varghese greeted attendees. Attendees included the members of the LGC, as well as family and friends. Aaron Howard, the director of the choir, brought along his wife, children and granddaughter. After guests filled their plates, Howard took the stage. He thanked his family and collaborators before sharing the mission behind the choir’s second album. “The goal was to take hymns, which everybody knows and loves, and rearrange them in gospel styles,” Howard said. “And to use them as a tool to bring about racial reconciliation in the body of Christ.” This message of racial unity not only motivates Howard’s work, but made this album possible. Calvin University’s Institute of Christian Worship awarded LGC a grant to make a record preaching unification of the church. “The grant was to do a hymn album that featured a hymn of unity,” said Howard. LGC is a multiracial group. “We consider ourselves to be ambassadors of racial conciliation.” The first song of the night was “Revive Us Again,” with choir member Amy McCune as lead vocalist. Howard said he made the classic “a little gospel and a little urban.” Howard then invited LloydBarry onto the stage. Barry did the string arrangements on “Just the Hymns,” but his relationship with Howards reaches beyond this record. Barry also did the arrangements for gospel group Milton Brunson and Thompson Community Singers. The group served as an inspiration for young Howard and shaped his interest in gospel music. “So the guy that inspired me, in terms of gospel music, is the one… on this album,” said Howard. Barry brought in seven string players for the project. Working with Howard proved to be a unique experience. “I told Aaron (Howard) that he asked for a lot of changes on all these songs that we did,” said Barry. “And I did more changes for him, then I’ve done for anybody, in all the years pulling the strings. And that’s a lot of years.” The payoff of these tweaks is what Howard called his favorite song on the record: “Jesus Paid it All.” Rayburn sang the lead on this song. The stong strikes a chord with Howard due to its reminder of Jesus’ sacrifice. “Sometimes we just need to hear about the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, and the fact that the gospel is the reason why we’re sitting here tonight,” he said. “We can never become too accustomed to the gospel that we forget its power and its impact and its supernatural significance.” The night saw a change in energy as Howard introduced hip-hop into the hymnal mix. He invited rapper Nick Edgerson, who goes by Legend, onto the stage to perform their track “I Need Thee.” The track features LGC’s Carlos Lamoutte as its lead singer. Between songs, the audience played a game of gospel-themed Kahoot. They answered questions about the origins and writers of hymns. The team that came in first place won a free t-shirt. Howard then returned to his message of racial reconciliation as he shared the story behind the original song on the album, “Hymn of Unity.” “If I was to leave a message behind, it would be the words of this song,” said Howard of the track. The track’s lyrics are a call to put aside differences and come together as one in Christ. “When you are with believers and you just worship the Lord, you don’t have to do a whole lot of talking about race,” said Howard about the message of the song. “You just come together and worship him.” For choir member, Ariana Miller, this coming together is at the heart of LGC. “The choir is really community before anything else,” she said. “It’s such a blessing to be part of that community, and … with that community of my friends around me, to be able to share the gospel with other people.” The night ended with guest gospel singer Calvin Nowell leading the audience in “Amazing Grace.” The room sang the hymn together after Howard prayed over attendees. LGC’s album “Just the Hymns” is not yet available on streaming services. Starting Sept. 6, however, all eight tracks will be accessible via LGC’s website LipscombGospelChoir.com. On the website, videos of the songs and the full tracklist can be accessed. Feature image courtesy of Lipscomb Gospel Choir.
Lipscomb’s Black Student Association (BSA) brought a taste of the wild west to campus today, hosting its highly anticipated “Cowboys and Cowgirls” themed cookout at the Pavilion from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The event was a high-energy gathering designed to unite the campus community before the long holiday weekend. Students showed up clad in western wear, filling the air with music, laughter and line dancing. Sizzling hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and cold drinks, kept the crowd fueled as the line dancing kicked into high gear. For many attendees, the cookout provided a unique space to bond across different backgrounds. “I came to a cookout event, you know, to enjoy some community with our fellow people here on campus,” said Yazeli Ortiz, a junior education major. “I feel like it’s very much cultural. You get to learn from them and how, even though we’re all different, we’re still people at the end of the day and we can still enjoy each other.” Beyond a fun evening of music and food, the cookout served a dual purpose as a vital fundraiser for the organization. “BSA is the Black Student Association, and this is a fundraiser for the organization,” said Olivia Webb, assistant director of First-Year Programs and BSA co-advisor. “Just trying to raise money so we can host more events for campus, for students… just trying to find fun ways to bring students together and raise some money, have some food and listen to music and just have a good time.” Nyari Joyce, the Secretary and Treasurer of BSA, emphasized that the family-style cookout format is inherently meaningful. “I think you could say they’re like a cultural event within the Black community,” Joyce explained. “I think it’s where we are able to connect with each other. We make food, we play games, we dance. It is just community building. You get to interact with each other. You build deeper relationships. A lot of cookouts are family. So I think we’re throwing this event just to connect with the campus and with the people on it.” This year’s fundraising effort came with a massive incentive: the chance to dump a freezing bucket of ice water onto Jose Brown, BSA advisor and the resident hall director of High Rise Hall. The group set a strict pricing tier for the watery punishment. “This time, we’re fundraising, and depending on how many donations we get, we’ll have bigger or smaller sizes of ice buckets that we’re gonna dump on Jose,” Joyce noted. The tiers ranked from a $25 small bowl and a $50 small tub to a grand total of $100 for a massive, heavy-duty cooler. By the time the event wrapped up, the student body exceeded expectations, raising over $160 in total. Webb shared her excitement about hitting the milestone, adding that the event was an amazing way for students to segue right into the Student Activity Board’s “Boot Scoot” dance later in the evening. The evening ended with the ultimate payoff. A crowd gathered to watch Brown get drenched by the top-tier $100 cooler of ice water. “Yeah, a lot of ice water,” Brown laughed. “I was willing to do that only because we were taking fundraisers for BSA, like donations, and the goal is to help this group thrive and succeed, and we want to put on events like this to have fun.” Brown reiterated that the organization’s overarching mission is rooted in inclusivity and hospitality. “Our goal as Black Student Association, BSA… is just creating space for Black students or anybody on campus who wants to be a part of this group to just have a space to connect.” According to leadership, that space is expanding rapidly. The cookout marks a strong, visible trend in student engagement for the organization this semester. “I feel like we’ve had amazing turnouts,” Joyce said. “We’ve had two events so far this semester, and we’ve had a lot of people show up to them for the first time. So I think we’re doing a better job outreach, and we hope to continue doing that, growing the club, having people meet each other, and build relationships outside of the club.” Featured image taken by Harold Espinoza Lopez.
Starting July 1, 2026, the federal student loan system will change how borrowers repay their loans. While current borrowers will not see the immediate changes, students planning to borrow in the future could face fewer repayment options. “Most pieces are set, but things are still evolving,” said Assistant Director of Special Programs David Bender. “By July 1, that’s when students should expect to see everything set in stone.” For students taking out new federal loans after the changes, there will be two repayment plans. One option is a standard repayment plan with fixed monthly payments. Unlike the traditional 10-year plan, the length of repayment will depend on the total loan amount rather than automatically lasting 10 years. The second option is a new income-based plan called the Repayment Assistance Plan, or RAP. With RAP, monthly payments are based on income, not loan balance. Repayment can last up to 30 years, and any remaining balance after that period can be forgiven. However, that forgiven amount could be taxed. Some details are still being finalized, Bender said, and students should rely on official federal resources for updates. “StudentAid.gov is still the best resource as far as reading up on all those repayment plans and what’s changing,” he said. For many students, understanding repayment plans and long-term costs feels overwhelming. Amelie Burleson, a sophomore social work major, said tracking her loans has been difficult. “I tried to look on the website to see how much interest I’ve earned, but I wasn’t able to figure out the website,” Burleson said. “So, I kind of just gave up because I was confused.” The uncertainty around repayment makes growing balances feel intimidating. “I know I’m accumulating all this money that’s getting worse and worse every year,” she said. “That freaks me out a little bit for sure.” What this means for current borrowers Borrowers who take out loans before July 1 will not be required to change repayment plans immediately. Current borrowers can stay on their existing plan or switch to RAP when it becomes available. Borrowers enrolled in plans such as Parent PLUS, SAVE, PAYE or ICR may need to switch plans by 2028 as those options end. What this means for graduate students Students planning to attend graduate school after 2026 may face stricter borrowing limits. The Federal Grad PLUS loan program, which allowed students to borrow the full cost of attendance, is being eliminated. Federal loans may no longer cover all graduate school expenses, meaning students may have to rely more on private loans, institutional aid or scholarships. “Anytime you’re taking out a loan, assume that you have to pay back the whole loan,” Bender said. Featured image taken by Jacy Stricker.