Lipscomb kicks off student life with First Friday Fest
After a quiet summer in the square, Lipscomb’s main social spot filled up once again during First Friday Fest, a campus-wide event hosted by the Student Activities Board (SAB).
Highlights included an 18-hole mini-golf course, live music from Lipscomb students and alumni and a competitive cornhole tournament.
The Fest happened to coincide with Cameron Pannell’s first Friday as the new assistant director of student engagement. With students from 43 countries represented on Lipscomb’s campus, Pannell sees events like these as opportunities to help students build community and create new connections.
“Sometimes community finds you, but I think sometimes it’s really important to put yourself out there, be courageous, and create that community yourself,” Pannell said.
Even though Boot Scoot isn’t until later in the fall, impromptu line dances broke out at First Friday Fest to some of the catchier country tunes. On the other side of the square, the cornhole tournament drew bigger crowds as the night went on.
Coleman Brown, a sophomore marketing major, played in the tournament for Lipscomb’s Sigma Iota Delta social club. He took a break between matches to reflect on the experience. “It’s incredible. We’re 2-0 so far, so vibes are high, but you never know how it’ll go.”
Brown made it to the final match with his partner Drew Munch, facing a team from the Phi Sigma social club. A crowd of spectators gathered around the back-and-forth championship, and cheered when Brown and Munch eventually won the trophy.
Brown said the competition didn’t stop him from meeting new friends along the way. “It’s a great environment, full of new people that you don’t know yet. I’m just here, meeting people I’ve never met before.”
The First Friday fun continued until 10 p.m., as students played light-up mini golf with friends and enjoyed the music on the green. The event might have been the “First,” but it’s definitely not the last thing SAB has planned for Lipscomb.
Pannell listed multiple opportunities for students to attend in the coming weeks. Next on the lineup is Freshman Lip Sync, a battle between “boy bands” and “girl groups” that the whole school is invited to watch.
“We’ve been planning that one, and we’re really excited,” Pannell said. “And it’s my first one – I’m experiencing all these events for the first time.”
After Lip Sync, students can look forward to Boot Scoot, hosted by the SAB and Line Dancing Club. And in October, the night students are waiting for will finally arrive:
“We’re counting down the days until dodgeball,” Pannell said with a smile, referring to the famous Halloween dodgeball tournament in the Lipscomb courtyard.
Students can find the full schedule of upcoming events on Lipscomb Student Life’s Instagram, on the “Have You Herd” weekly email newsletter and on flyers posted around campus.
Feature photo by Chrissy Julien.
