On Friday, Sept. 25, the soccer club hosted Lipscomb’s long-standing sports rival, Belmont, at the intramural field. Lipscomb won 7-0, however, the game was about more than competition. It was about camaraderie. Both soccer clubs are just over a year old. While Lipscomb’s started a semester before Belmont’s, the two groups have much in common. Both meet twice a week with the goal of competing against other schools. More importantly, both clubs have similar motivations. “For me and a lot of people, I think it’s just… we have the passion for the game,” said Jack Lowry, captain of Lipscomb’s soccer club. “It’s a great mental break.” These clubs are student-run. They find their own equipment and organize their own practices. Leaders like Lowry help motivate the players, as well as set-up matches. For Belmont’s soccer club, these logistics have proven challenging. Belmont does not have a dedicated soccer field. Even their D-1 must borrow a middle school’s field for practice. According to soccer club president Angie Jackson, Belmont “isn’t as engaged in the athletic department, at least with outdoor sports.” “That’s how I know we’re committed,” said Jackson. “’Cause we have nothing, and we’re still making the most of it.” These challenges make the relationship between the clubs about more than competition. Matches create a sense of community for soccer enthusiasts, regardless of which school they attend. “We’ve been trying to find community and camaraderie around the Nashville area, and Lipscomb was one of the first to really just kind of say yes to that,” said Jackson. “We just love that y’all are being so generous to even let us play on y’all’s turf every time we play.” Friday’s game marked the third time the teams played against each other. “We’ve got to know some of them… that’s the fun part,” said Lowry. “They’re really sweet people.” Ultimately, love of the game brings both teams together, despite busy schedules. “We’re passionate about it, so we make time for it,” Lowry said. Members of the clubs don’t have soccer built into their routine the way student-athletes do. They come from a variety of majors, and many also work. This, however, hasn’t stopped the players. “We find the time because we want it enough,” said Jackson. For these students, spending a Friday night competing isn’t time-consuming. It’s their idea of fun. “I met most of my greatest friends here,” said Lowry of the club. “It’s just a great environment to take a break from the studies, do some physical activities and be around awesome people.” Feature image shot by Chrissy Julien
The energy was vibrant and the mission was clear as Raíces, Lipscomb University’s Latino and Hispanic student organization, gathered in the Office of Intercultural Development (OID) to launch the new semester. The introductory kickoff event, held from 3 to 5 p.m., began with a formal presentation from the club’s leadership introducing the new officer board and laying out their vision for the coming months. For Raíces President Joseph Llerena, a senior data analytics major, the afternoon was a celebration of how far the organization has come since its inception in the spring of 2021. “Today was our first event of the semester,” Joseph said. “It’s to talk about Raíces, what it’s mainly about, its mission, and to introduce our officers for the semester.” Once the officer presentations concluded, the OID space shifted into a lively social hour centered around community and comfort food. Students lined up for a catered spread from local favorite Baja Burrito, before filling the room with laughter, chatter and connection. Creating an approachable environment where students can let their guard down is exactly why officers like Josue Rivas, a sophomore biology education major and the club’s outreach coordinator, stepped into leadership. “I’m just very social. I love to talk,” Rivas shared, reflecting on how the previous president nudged him into the role. “He low-key kind of made a decision for me, but it was worth it because it’s fun. I love talking to people and I love being a community together.” For Rivas, the kickoff afternoon is essential for breaking the ice for students who might otherwise stay on the sidelines. “All the Hispanic kids on campus, they’d be scared to go make friends and stuff,” Rivas said. “It’s like a place where they can all congregate and get to know one another and see other people that they can relate to.” At its core, Raíces which translates to “roots” in Spanish, is designed to be a vibrant cultural hub on campus where heritage is celebrated. “What Raíces is all about at Lipscomb is they’re a Latino Hispanic organization that showcases their culture and heritage through authentic food, dancing, music and plenty of fun activities,” Joseph explained. However, the club’s vision extends far beyond a single demographic. Leadership emphasizes that the organization is a welcoming space for anyone looking to learn, share and connect. “Raíces is open to everybody on campus,” Joseph added. “So anybody can join in and have all the fun with us. The main goal is to bring people together.” A major focus for Raíces this year is intersectionality and collaboration. Joseph highlighted a desire to build stronger bridges with Lipscomb’s other affinity groups, creating a unified network of student culture. “The goal is to also bring in other cultures from the other affinity clubs, right? Like the Asian American Student Association, the Black Student Association or African Student Association,” Joseph said. “[We want] to bring together and to be connected with each other, through our culture and heritage.” Since its founding in 2021, Raíces has experienced a massive surge in student interest. What started as a foundational effort has exploded into a major campus presence, boasting over 100 members in their group chat this semester alone. Joseph attributes much of this growth to high-profile campus collaborations, particularly during Hispanic Heritage Month. The club frequently partners with Student Life and the OID, the very space that hosted the afternoon’s kickoff for major traditions like Fall Fiesta. Looking ahead, students can expect to see Raíces deeply involved across campus this autumn, starting with a special Hispanic Heritage Month Art Gallery in collaboration with the OID. With a record-breaking turnout, Raíces hopes to prove that its roots on Lipscomb’s campus are growing deeper than ever. Featured Image taken by Harold Espinoza Lopez
This Friday, Sept. 11, marks the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States. In recent years, Lipscomb University has partaken in the nation’s memoriam of the devastating attacks by planting American flags all over the Square. With this year being the 25th anniversary, Lipscomb staff has put together a full day of activities in which students can learn about 9/11 and how it changed the nation. The events will begin on the Bell Tower steps at 9 a.m. with an opening ceremony. Director of Veteran Services Samuel Lynn will give a speech. Alongside him the Lipscomb Concert Choir will perform an acapella rendition of “God Bless America,” the same way Congress did on the night of 9/11. After that a blood drive will begin in the Paul Rogers Boardroom at 9:30 a.m. and will run to 2:00 p.m. Every pint of blood donated will lead to a donation to first responders. Participants will receive a free t-shirt. At 10 a.m., 11a.m and 1 p.m. there will be showings of three different short documentaries that focus on personal impact stories. All three screenings will be in Shamblin Theater. The final major event of the day is a 2,200 stair-climb honoring first responders who climbed 110 flights of stairs. While climbing, participants can listen to the story of Welles Crowther, also known as the Man in the Red Bandana. The event will take place in Allen Arena at noon and will run until 2 p.m. The first 200 to arrive will receive a red bandana. Lynn played a major role in putting this year’s event together. While past events only took a couple weeks of preparation, he explained that this year’s event has been in the works since March because of the anniversary’s significance. “We’re recognizing that this is not just a remembrance event anymore,” Lynn said. “This is also an opportunity. Most of our graduate students either weren’t born yet or they were infants when it happened. So, for those of us that remember it, it’s an incredibly… sobering event. But for you guys, while you may not have been around when it happened, all of our undergraduate students and most of our graduate students were at least born during the time of war that happened in the aftermath of it, so you’re still connected to it.” Part of what makes this year’s event so much larger than the previous ones is that Lynn and his team set out to plant a flag for each person that passed away on 9/11. Flags will be set up in a way that represents the lives lost in four different places: the North tower, the South tower, the Pentagon and Flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania. “60% the North Tower. 32% of the casualties from the South Tower. 3% at the Pentagon and 1.7 [Flight 93],” he said. “So if you want to know the breakdown, 2,977 total lives were lost. 1,792 of those in the North Tower, 952 in the South Tower, 189 in the Pentagon. 07:28 and 44 from Flight 93 that crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania when the passengers took over.” The 2,977 flags will be placed on the lawn by the campus’ Bell Tower on Sept. 10. At its center will be a flagpole with a flag featuring the names of those who perished. Adjacent to these flags will also be a 10-by 20-foot tent that will be walkthrough timeline of events. Boards inside will be dedicated to the events, aftermath and heroes of 9/11. This will be available throughout the day. “Encourage your friends to come out,” said Jimmie Handley, outreach coordinator for veteran services. “Here there are so many wonderful people that are at this university that during aftermath went and sacrificed to ensure that you all could be here doing what you’re doing now. And do it in a loving, friendly way.” Feature image shot by Frances Inwood.
On Friday, Sept. 25, the soccer club hosted Lipscomb’s long-standing sports rival, Belmont, at the intramural field. Lipscomb won 7-0, however, the game was about more than competition. It was about camaraderie. Both soccer clubs are just over a year old. While Lipscomb’s started a semester before Belmont’s, the two groups have much in common. Both meet twice a week with the goal of competing against other schools. More importantly, both clubs have similar motivations. “For me and a lot of people, I think it’s just… we have the passion for the game,” said Jack Lowry, captain of Lipscomb’s soccer club. “It’s a great mental break.” These clubs are student-run. They find their own equipment and organize their own practices. Leaders like Lowry help motivate the players, as well as set-up matches. For Belmont’s soccer club, these logistics have proven challenging. Belmont does not have a dedicated soccer field. Even their D-1 must borrow a middle school’s field for practice. According to soccer club president Angie Jackson, Belmont “isn’t as engaged in the athletic department, at least with outdoor sports.” “That’s how I know we’re committed,” said Jackson. “’Cause we have nothing, and we’re still making the most of it.” These challenges make the relationship between the clubs about more than competition. Matches create a sense of community for soccer enthusiasts, regardless of which school they attend. “We’ve been trying to find community and camaraderie around the Nashville area, and Lipscomb was one of the first to really just kind of say yes to that,” said Jackson. “We just love that y’all are being so generous to even let us play on y’all’s turf every time we play.” Friday’s game marked the third time the teams played against each other. “We’ve got to know some of them… that’s the fun part,” said Lowry. “They’re really sweet people.” Ultimately, love of the game brings both teams together, despite busy schedules. “We’re passionate about it, so we make time for it,” Lowry said. Members of the clubs don’t have soccer built into their routine the way student-athletes do. They come from a variety of majors, and many also work. This, however, hasn’t stopped the players. “We find the time because we want it enough,” said Jackson. For these students, spending a Friday night competing isn’t time-consuming. It’s their idea of fun. “I met most of my greatest friends here,” said Lowry of the club. “It’s just a great environment to take a break from the studies, do some physical activities and be around awesome people.” Feature image shot by Chrissy Julien
The energy was vibrant and the mission was clear as Raíces, Lipscomb University’s Latino and Hispanic student organization, gathered in the Office of Intercultural Development (OID) to launch the new semester. The introductory kickoff event, held from 3 to 5 p.m., began with a formal presentation from the club’s leadership introducing the new officer board and laying out their vision for the coming months. For Raíces President Joseph Llerena, a senior data analytics major, the afternoon was a celebration of how far the organization has come since its inception in the spring of 2021. “Today was our first event of the semester,” Joseph said. “It’s to talk about Raíces, what it’s mainly about, its mission, and to introduce our officers for the semester.” Once the officer presentations concluded, the OID space shifted into a lively social hour centered around community and comfort food. Students lined up for a catered spread from local favorite Baja Burrito, before filling the room with laughter, chatter and connection. Creating an approachable environment where students can let their guard down is exactly why officers like Josue Rivas, a sophomore biology education major and the club’s outreach coordinator, stepped into leadership. “I’m just very social. I love to talk,” Rivas shared, reflecting on how the previous president nudged him into the role. “He low-key kind of made a decision for me, but it was worth it because it’s fun. I love talking to people and I love being a community together.” For Rivas, the kickoff afternoon is essential for breaking the ice for students who might otherwise stay on the sidelines. “All the Hispanic kids on campus, they’d be scared to go make friends and stuff,” Rivas said. “It’s like a place where they can all congregate and get to know one another and see other people that they can relate to.” At its core, Raíces which translates to “roots” in Spanish, is designed to be a vibrant cultural hub on campus where heritage is celebrated. “What Raíces is all about at Lipscomb is they’re a Latino Hispanic organization that showcases their culture and heritage through authentic food, dancing, music and plenty of fun activities,” Joseph explained. However, the club’s vision extends far beyond a single demographic. Leadership emphasizes that the organization is a welcoming space for anyone looking to learn, share and connect. “Raíces is open to everybody on campus,” Joseph added. “So anybody can join in and have all the fun with us. The main goal is to bring people together.” A major focus for Raíces this year is intersectionality and collaboration. Joseph highlighted a desire to build stronger bridges with Lipscomb’s other affinity groups, creating a unified network of student culture. “The goal is to also bring in other cultures from the other affinity clubs, right? Like the Asian American Student Association, the Black Student Association or African Student Association,” Joseph said. “[We want] to bring together and to be connected with each other, through our culture and heritage.” Since its founding in 2021, Raíces has experienced a massive surge in student interest. What started as a foundational effort has exploded into a major campus presence, boasting over 100 members in their group chat this semester alone. Joseph attributes much of this growth to high-profile campus collaborations, particularly during Hispanic Heritage Month. The club frequently partners with Student Life and the OID, the very space that hosted the afternoon’s kickoff for major traditions like Fall Fiesta. Looking ahead, students can expect to see Raíces deeply involved across campus this autumn, starting with a special Hispanic Heritage Month Art Gallery in collaboration with the OID. With a record-breaking turnout, Raíces hopes to prove that its roots on Lipscomb’s campus are growing deeper than ever. Featured Image taken by Harold Espinoza Lopez
This Friday, Sept. 11, marks the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States. In recent years, Lipscomb University has partaken in the nation’s memoriam of the devastating attacks by planting American flags all over the Square. With this year being the 25th anniversary, Lipscomb staff has put together a full day of activities in which students can learn about 9/11 and how it changed the nation. The events will begin on the Bell Tower steps at 9 a.m. with an opening ceremony. Director of Veteran Services Samuel Lynn will give a speech. Alongside him the Lipscomb Concert Choir will perform an acapella rendition of “God Bless America,” the same way Congress did on the night of 9/11. After that a blood drive will begin in the Paul Rogers Boardroom at 9:30 a.m. and will run to 2:00 p.m. Every pint of blood donated will lead to a donation to first responders. Participants will receive a free t-shirt. At 10 a.m., 11a.m and 1 p.m. there will be showings of three different short documentaries that focus on personal impact stories. All three screenings will be in Shamblin Theater. The final major event of the day is a 2,200 stair-climb honoring first responders who climbed 110 flights of stairs. While climbing, participants can listen to the story of Welles Crowther, also known as the Man in the Red Bandana. The event will take place in Allen Arena at noon and will run until 2 p.m. The first 200 to arrive will receive a red bandana. Lynn played a major role in putting this year’s event together. While past events only took a couple weeks of preparation, he explained that this year’s event has been in the works since March because of the anniversary’s significance. “We’re recognizing that this is not just a remembrance event anymore,” Lynn said. “This is also an opportunity. Most of our graduate students either weren’t born yet or they were infants when it happened. So, for those of us that remember it, it’s an incredibly… sobering event. But for you guys, while you may not have been around when it happened, all of our undergraduate students and most of our graduate students were at least born during the time of war that happened in the aftermath of it, so you’re still connected to it.” Part of what makes this year’s event so much larger than the previous ones is that Lynn and his team set out to plant a flag for each person that passed away on 9/11. Flags will be set up in a way that represents the lives lost in four different places: the North tower, the South tower, the Pentagon and Flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania. “60% the North Tower. 32% of the casualties from the South Tower. 3% at the Pentagon and 1.7 [Flight 93],” he said. “So if you want to know the breakdown, 2,977 total lives were lost. 1,792 of those in the North Tower, 952 in the South Tower, 189 in the Pentagon. 07:28 and 44 from Flight 93 that crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania when the passengers took over.” The 2,977 flags will be placed on the lawn by the campus’ Bell Tower on Sept. 10. At its center will be a flagpole with a flag featuring the names of those who perished. Adjacent to these flags will also be a 10-by 20-foot tent that will be walkthrough timeline of events. Boards inside will be dedicated to the events, aftermath and heroes of 9/11. This will be available throughout the day. “Encourage your friends to come out,” said Jimmie Handley, outreach coordinator for veteran services. “Here there are so many wonderful people that are at this university that during aftermath went and sacrificed to ensure that you all could be here doing what you’re doing now. And do it in a loving, friendly way.” Feature image shot by Frances Inwood.