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Lipscomb professor advocates for depth over speed in gifted learning programs
In honors classrooms, fostering deeper understanding should take precedence over rushing through content, argues Dr. Emily Mofield, Assistant Professor of Education at Lipscomb University. She proposes a new foundational model aimed at enhancing critical thinking and meaningful exploration for gifted students. Honors classes often fail to meet their potential by prioritizing speed over substance. These courses, designed to provide advanced learners with accelerated material, often mistakenly equate rigor with pace. However, true enrichment comes not from moving quickly, but from diving deeply into subjects and challenging students to think critically. Many students assume honors courses are more rigorous than standard classes. Yet, without a structured framework, these courses often cover…
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Lipscomb study links caffeine to to increased body image concerns among college women
A new Lipscomb University study reveals that caffeine consumption may heighten body image concerns and anxiety among college-aged women, particularly impacting their social physique anxiety (SPA)—the anxiety one feels about how others perceive their body. The research, led by Rachel Shannon, a 2024 psychology graduate, and supervised by Dr. Jaclyn Spivey, head of Lipscomb’s undergraduate psychology program, explores the effects caffeine-containing items like coffee and dark chocolate may have. Shannon’s findings suggest that caffeine could contribute to body dysmorphia and heightened SPA among women. “I wanted to focus on body image dissatisfaction because there is a lot more literature already on women with body image dissatisfaction,” said Shannon, explaining her…
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Chemistry professor’s research could help you avoid getting sick all the time
It’s 7 am, and you just woke up an hour before class, only to find out you have a sore throat. “Is it possible to stop getting sick so often?” you wonder. The answer is yes. Associate Professor of Chemistry Dr. Brian Cavitt discovered through research that it’s possible to stop infections before they even begin by disrupting biological formation in medical devices such as catheters. Cavitt was inspired to work on this project after the 2004 tsunami that struck the Indian coast and through his work in Indonesian hospitals. He noticed an increase in infection rates and discovered that bacteria procreate primarily through biofilms, which are colonies of microfilms…
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A New Year’s miracle
Editor’s Note: As part of a practicum assignment, students were asked to reflect on their favorite Christmas memories. This series, written in a more personal style, captures the unique moments and traditions that make the holiday season special. Christmas is a time to gather all family members together, remember the miracle of Jesus Christ’s birth, and spend time skiing and sledding. Did I mention the word “presents”? Showing love through all the things we buy for our close ones can be tiring, yet so rewarding and definitely worth it in the end. In Russia, New Year’s is actually bigger than Christmas, and the whole nation celebrates together once 12 hits.…
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It is the comfort of being together
Editor’s Note: As part of a practicum assignment, students were asked to reflect on their favorite Christmas memories. This series, written in a more personal style, captures the unique moments and traditions that make the holiday season special. Growing up, like many others, Christmas was always a special time of year for me and my family. I was very fortunate to have a lot of extended family close by, which made for a very special holiday season. My favorite memory each year would come on Christmas day. However, it was not when I woke up and ran down the stairs to check under the tree. Every evening, my family and…
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The Christmas of 2000-something: sage and tradition
Editor’s Note: As part of a practicum assignment, students were asked to reflect on their favorite Christmas memories. This series, written in a more personal style, captures the unique moments and traditions that make the holiday season special. The smell of sage filled the house as Mom whisked the eggs for her famous Christmas Brunch. The kitchen buzzed with activity—my mom, aunt, and I cooking side by side, laughter bubbling up as we tasted and adjusted recipes. The sage was our not-so-secret ingredient, but it made everything feel uniquely ours. Christmas mornings in our overflowing Southern home were always loud, chaotic, and filled with love. That year, 2000-something, was my…
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Lipscomb by the numbers: SEJC victories
This edition of Lipscomb by the numbers follows nine students and one professor almost 600 miles to Troy University for a weekend in February. From Feb. 23-25, nine students went with Dr. McCollum to the Southeastern Journalism Conference to compete and represent Lipscomb. They also went to find out if any fellow students from Lipscomb had won any of the prestigious Best of the South awards. It was not a disappointing weekend. Here are some of the numbers: The nine students who went included multiple different majors across the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. They included four PR majors, three Journalism and New Media majors, one Spanish major, and…
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Data narratives: Apologies
In this series, the Data and Interactive Journalism class will take you beyond the numbers and discover the human narratives they reveal. Each piece in the series will dive into a different aspect of the human condition, from the rhythms of our daily routines to the broader societal trends that shape our collective existence. By transforming raw data into visual stories; we aim to provide new perspectives and insights into the familiar and the overlooked aspects of life. Our topic this week is apologies. Apologies are moments where we acknowledge mistakes and seek to make amends. Our visualizations aim to quantify and illustrate how we say sorry, the impact of…
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Data narratives: introductions
Building on last year’s success, the Data and Interactive Journalism will publish a series exploring a variety of topics through data visualization. The series takes inspiration from the book Dear Data by Giorgia Lupi and Stefanie Posavec. In their book, Lupi and Posavec embarked on a creative journey, swapping hand-drawn visualizations on postcards that captured the ebbs and flows of their daily lives. Our class will use a similar method, to explore personal narratives and the data that bind our collective experiences. Our first topic is introductions and connection. Kicking off with the theme of introductions, we examine how our lives change and shape our interactions in the world. Personal evolution is…
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Lipscomb professor’s discovery could help fight off cancer and obesity
Cancer and causes of obesity have become increasingly important concerns for millions around the world and there are many causes of both. However, what are some ways to potentially help combat these things? Dr. Josh Owens, assistant professor of biology and undergraduate research coordinator at Lipscomb and did research discovering a novel molecule called valerobetaine (VB) and how that molecule inhibits, prevents and blocks your body’s natural ability to burn fat. Owens, who also graduated from Lipscomb in 2016, says that this VB can be different for each person and that despite the known causes of obesity such as diet, exercise, or genetics, his research shows that VB can also…
