The Lipscomb Bisons (0-2-1) fell to the Georgia State Panthers (3-0-1) 4-2 in a six-goal battle on Wednesday, Sept. 2. This game featured plenty of scoring chances, along with lots of capitalizations on those opportunities. For the first 10 minutes, possession was dominated by Georgia State, as no real chances came for Lipscomb. That narrative changed as the Bisons connected on their real chance. A shot from freshman midfielder Tobías Sosa in the 10th minute found the back of the net as Lipscomb drew first blood. From that moment, Lipscomb began to dominate posession and produce the most clean chances near the net. “The back line was moving and working together perfectly; they were taking their time with the passes and their looks,” said Sam Sheek, a junior at Lipscomb University who was in attendance. The first half wasn’t done yet, as sophomore midfielder Alejandro Valcarce buried a left-footed strike to the top left corner of the goal in the 30th minute to give the Bisons a 2-0 lead heading into halftime. For a Lipscomb crowd that only saw their team win two games at home last year, the first half provided a glimpse of what this team has the potential to do as the season progresses. “When they did take a chance downfield, all of the forwards were on top of it. Super selfless soccer,” Sheek said. You really couldn’t have written a better first half for Lipscomb, and for the first time this season, they had multiple goals to their name in a single game. The second half was a completely different story for both teams, especially for Georgia State. The Panthers came out looking like the team that controlled possession for the first 10 minutes of the match, but this time they had something to show for it. A 50th-minute goal from sophomore defender Kenny Yedmel put the road team on the board and made this a different ball game. The Panthers answered quickly, but for the 25 minutes, not much happened. The final 15 minutes, however, is where the entirety of the game was turned upside down in the worst way possible for the Lipscomb Bisons. The equalizer came from graduate student midfielder Sandro Rabarivony in the 76th minute, followed by an absolute rocket off the left foot of freshman forward Emmanuel Amede just three minutes after the Panthers had tied the game. The dagger for the game was Rabarivony’s second score of the night in the 81st minute, just five minutes removed from his game-tying goal. The final takeaway was a tale of two halves for Lipscomb. One half saw a team under control, patient, and able to execute the few chances they got. The second half saw patience, but lacked execution, especially in their inability to hold off Georgia State in the final 15. The Bisons will host Queens University of Charlotte on Saturday, Sept. 5, for the conference opener as they look to put the Panthers’ comeback behind them. Featured image courtesy of Lipscomb Athletics.
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.
The winter storm projected for January 2026 hit Lipscomb’s campus in a far different manner than expected. Though the forecast had called for up to 15 inches of snow, the campus saw only two to three inches. The ice that followed, however, would cause a problem. Clinging to all of the trees and power lines both on campus and around Nashville, the ice wreaked havoc. Tree limbs came crashing down all across campus with crashing thuds and rending cracks. Some smaller trees were even fully uprooted by the weight of the ice. Students were advised to avoid walking underneath trees whenever possible and to stay alert when crossing beneath one. Several of the trees exploded, with booms akin to a cannon being fired. The weight of the ice also yanked down power lines across the city. Lipscomb’s power went out around 11 a.m. Sunday, plunging every building on campus into darkness. Students gathered in the Bennett Campus Center – “the Stu,” to students – as soft alarms rang out through the dark building. The Stu’s permanent generator kicked on within the hour, garnering cheers from the students packed into the cafeteria upstairs and studying area downstairs. The cafeteria and Stu remained packed the entire rest of the day, students filling every chair and sofa in the building. Every power outlet was taken advantage of, many with power strips plugged in, as students charged their electronics. Personal televisions were also brought into the Stu and students put on the AFC football championship game and the Stanley Cup playoffs, cheers – and groans – filling the area known as Zebbie’s Lounge. Some students also brought their own PCs and played video games. Toward the evening, students received word that power would not be returned to campus; therefore, heat would not be working in their dorms. They were encouraged to shelter and sleep in other buildings: women from Fanning, Johnson and Elam in Bennett; women from The Bison and The Village in the nursing building; and men from High Rise and The Village in either Shamblin Theater or Sewell Hall. Sewell, Bennett and the nursing building were the only available options on campus with generators running. Students made the most of their powerless day, playing cards in circles on the floor of the Stu, or tackle football in the Quad beside Beaman Library. Groups of students sat together crocheting, weaving friendship bracelets, knitting and painting. Some started a spontaneous worship night in Shamblin, over a hundred students gathering and sitting on the stage to sing together. Some students chose to remain in their dorms for the night, despite the lack of heat, others chose to camp out in the buildings with generators. One girl even set up a tent in the middle of the Stu, and many of the athletes brought air mattresses and set up camp in Allen. The ice is expected to remain in the area for several days, as temperatures continue to hover below freezing. As of 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Lipscomb University is still without power. Featured image taken by Micah Barkley.
The Lipscomb Bisons (0-2-1) fell to the Georgia State Panthers (3-0-1) 4-2 in a six-goal battle on Wednesday, Sept. 2. This game featured plenty of scoring chances, along with lots of capitalizations on those opportunities. For the first 10 minutes, possession was dominated by Georgia State, as no real chances came for Lipscomb. That narrative changed as the Bisons connected on their real chance. A shot from freshman midfielder Tobías Sosa in the 10th minute found the back of the net as Lipscomb drew first blood. From that moment, Lipscomb began to dominate posession and produce the most clean chances near the net. “The back line was moving and working together perfectly; they were taking their time with the passes and their looks,” said Sam Sheek, a junior at Lipscomb University who was in attendance. The first half wasn’t done yet, as sophomore midfielder Alejandro Valcarce buried a left-footed strike to the top left corner of the goal in the 30th minute to give the Bisons a 2-0 lead heading into halftime. For a Lipscomb crowd that only saw their team win two games at home last year, the first half provided a glimpse of what this team has the potential to do as the season progresses. “When they did take a chance downfield, all of the forwards were on top of it. Super selfless soccer,” Sheek said. You really couldn’t have written a better first half for Lipscomb, and for the first time this season, they had multiple goals to their name in a single game. The second half was a completely different story for both teams, especially for Georgia State. The Panthers came out looking like the team that controlled possession for the first 10 minutes of the match, but this time they had something to show for it. A 50th-minute goal from sophomore defender Kenny Yedmel put the road team on the board and made this a different ball game. The Panthers answered quickly, but for the 25 minutes, not much happened. The final 15 minutes, however, is where the entirety of the game was turned upside down in the worst way possible for the Lipscomb Bisons. The equalizer came from graduate student midfielder Sandro Rabarivony in the 76th minute, followed by an absolute rocket off the left foot of freshman forward Emmanuel Amede just three minutes after the Panthers had tied the game. The dagger for the game was Rabarivony’s second score of the night in the 81st minute, just five minutes removed from his game-tying goal. The final takeaway was a tale of two halves for Lipscomb. One half saw a team under control, patient, and able to execute the few chances they got. The second half saw patience, but lacked execution, especially in their inability to hold off Georgia State in the final 15. The Bisons will host Queens University of Charlotte on Saturday, Sept. 5, for the conference opener as they look to put the Panthers’ comeback behind them. Featured image courtesy of Lipscomb Athletics.
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.
The winter storm projected for January 2026 hit Lipscomb’s campus in a far different manner than expected. Though the forecast had called for up to 15 inches of snow, the campus saw only two to three inches. The ice that followed, however, would cause a problem. Clinging to all of the trees and power lines both on campus and around Nashville, the ice wreaked havoc. Tree limbs came crashing down all across campus with crashing thuds and rending cracks. Some smaller trees were even fully uprooted by the weight of the ice. Students were advised to avoid walking underneath trees whenever possible and to stay alert when crossing beneath one. Several of the trees exploded, with booms akin to a cannon being fired. The weight of the ice also yanked down power lines across the city. Lipscomb’s power went out around 11 a.m. Sunday, plunging every building on campus into darkness. Students gathered in the Bennett Campus Center – “the Stu,” to students – as soft alarms rang out through the dark building. The Stu’s permanent generator kicked on within the hour, garnering cheers from the students packed into the cafeteria upstairs and studying area downstairs. The cafeteria and Stu remained packed the entire rest of the day, students filling every chair and sofa in the building. Every power outlet was taken advantage of, many with power strips plugged in, as students charged their electronics. Personal televisions were also brought into the Stu and students put on the AFC football championship game and the Stanley Cup playoffs, cheers – and groans – filling the area known as Zebbie’s Lounge. Some students also brought their own PCs and played video games. Toward the evening, students received word that power would not be returned to campus; therefore, heat would not be working in their dorms. They were encouraged to shelter and sleep in other buildings: women from Fanning, Johnson and Elam in Bennett; women from The Bison and The Village in the nursing building; and men from High Rise and The Village in either Shamblin Theater or Sewell Hall. Sewell, Bennett and the nursing building were the only available options on campus with generators running. Students made the most of their powerless day, playing cards in circles on the floor of the Stu, or tackle football in the Quad beside Beaman Library. Groups of students sat together crocheting, weaving friendship bracelets, knitting and painting. Some started a spontaneous worship night in Shamblin, over a hundred students gathering and sitting on the stage to sing together. Some students chose to remain in their dorms for the night, despite the lack of heat, others chose to camp out in the buildings with generators. One girl even set up a tent in the middle of the Stu, and many of the athletes brought air mattresses and set up camp in Allen. The ice is expected to remain in the area for several days, as temperatures continue to hover below freezing. As of 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Lipscomb University is still without power. Featured image taken by Micah Barkley.