Lipscomb University
Encyclopedia
Lipscomb University is a private
, coeducation
al, liberal arts
university
in Nashville, Tennessee
, United States
. It is affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The campus is located in the Green Hills
neighborhood of Nashville between Belmont Boulevard to the west and Granny White Pike on the east. Student enrollment for the fall 2011 semester is 4,018 which includes 2,702 undergraduate students and 1,316 graduate students.
and James A. Harding
. The campus grounds consist predominantly of the former estate of David Lipscomb, who donated it to the school. In the early 20th century, the institution was a Bible college
. Its original name was the Nashville Bible School, which was changed to David Lipscomb College, then to David Lipscomb University. Lipscomb graduated its first senior class in 1948, leaving behind the name of "junior college
" forever. In 1954, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
granted Lipscomb its first accreditation. In 1988, Lipscomb attained Level III (master's degree-granting) status and became known as David Lipscomb University. In 2005, the "David" was legally dropped, and the institution was renamed simply Lipscomb University.
At the school's inception, all full-time students were required to take daily Bible
classes and to attend daily chapel services; however, students are currently required to attend Bible classes three times a week and chapel twice a week. (Half of these chapels are now held in the sport
s facility Allen Arena
, and half are "break-out" sessions that are held in multiple places at once.) The school was never intended to function primarily as a seminary
, a term looked upon with disfavor by many members of the Churches of Christ, but rather as a Christian liberal arts
institution. However, several prominent Church of Christ
religious ministers received at least a portion of their higher education
there (see "Notable alumni" below), and the institution remains thoroughly ensconced in the Churches of Christ: Potential faculty must prove their membership in a Church of Christ before being hired, and most of the student body comes from a Church of Christ family, background, or high school.
David Lipscomb was a pacifist
who was highly skeptical about government, and although many people associated with Lipscomb University maintain this skepticism, most do not agree with Lipscomb's belief that Christians should not vote.
In addition to the university campus, there is also an on-campus high school
and middle school
; the associated elementary school
moved to a renovated former public school a few blocks away in 1986. All three comprise the David Lipscomb Campus School
.
There have been 13 superintendents or presidents of Lipscomb over 17 administrations.
The Nashville Bible School was co-founded by David Lipscomb
and James A. Harding
in 1891. David Lipscomb
never served as president, but as chairman of the board of trustees. James A. Harding
served as the school's first superintendent.
ranks Lipscomb University 18th among Regional Universities (South) according to the U.S. News and World Report's "2011 America's Best Colleges" guidebook. Lipscomb's liberal arts
curriculum includes a wide range of academic programs in the arts and sciences. Many students also enroll in pre-professional programs and go on to graduate school, with most students matriculating as majors in education, biblical studies, and business. The curriculum continues to evolve, notably with the addition of computer science in the Raymond B. Jones College of Engineering and the doctorate in pharmacy in the College of Pharmacy.
The university has also increased its number of graduate programs, offering 15 degree programs. This is up from three degree programs only a few years ago. The university has also obtained a Level V status with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
when it began seeking accreditation for the doctorate in pharmacy, allowing Lipscomb to expand its graduate offerings.
The center of the university, known as Bison Square, is located between the Bennett Campus Center and the Willard Collins Alumni Auditorium. The south side of the Bennett Campus Center was converted from a single upstairs and downstairs entry into an amphitheater-style seating area and entryway, as well as having an entirely renovated interior with redesigned seating and lighting that create a more welcoming atmosphere. A full-service Starbucks
store has also opened inside the campus center, complete with its own separate entry on both the interior and exterior of the building. The bricked square is traditionally used during warm weather as the location for devotionals, concerts, and other campus activities.
Willard Collins Alumni Auditorium has been completely renovated with new seating, flooring, and audio/video equipment, updating its look from the original design. Attached to Alumni Auditorium is the A. M. Burton Health Sciences Center. The Burton building was heavily renovated to house the new College of Pharmacy. The entire renovation of the building received LEED
Gold certification. On the southeast corner of Burton, a new music wing, the McMeen Music Center, with a large rehearsal room for music ensembles on the main level, with new music offices and practice rooms on the lower level.
To the south side of Burton is the Swang Business Center where business and English classes are held.
The university's newest academic building, the Hughes center, opened in Fall 2010 with space for both engineering and fine arts. The Ezell Center comprises the religious, education, mass communication, social work, history, political science, and philosophy departments. Other academic buildings include the McFarland Hall of Sciences where the science and math classes are held, and the recently renovated Ward Hall with renovations similar to those in Alumni Auditorium.
Beaman Library was constructed in time for the university's centennial in 1991. The university's old library, the Crisman building, now serves as the university's administrative building.
Allen Arena
, a 5,028-seat multipurpose facility, opened in October 2001 on the site of the old McQuiddy Gymnasium. Part of the McQuiddy Gymnasium still remains between Allen Arena and the Student Activities Center (the SAC), a multipurpose student activity space with workout facilities, basketball courts and an indoor track. The SAC offers a variety of workout classes to students, including spin classes on exercise bikes. Yearwood Hall, a women's dormitory, was torn down for construction of Allen Arena and its accompanying parking garage.
The university has six residence halls. Women's residences include Elam Hall, Fanning Hall, and Johnson Hall, all of which have a large enclosed courtyard. Men's residences include Sewell Hall, which was renovated in the late 1990s, and the eight-story High Rise, the university's tallest structure. The final residence on campus is The Village, a co-ed, apartment style housing for upperclassmen. Men and women are not allowed in dorms belonging to the opposite sex, with a few exceptions: 1) members of both sexes can enter the lobby during certain hours, 2) during moving days, and 3) on "open dorm" occasions; 4) and men are also allowed into the central courtyard of the women's dormitories only when cookouts or other such mixers are being held.
.
The court upheld the decision of the lower court, that, plainly stated, the government could not withhold public bonds based on Lipscomb's religious affiliation. However, one of the stipulations for receiving public funding was that these buildings cannot have religious classes taught in them. For example, no Bible classes are taught in the McFarland Hall of Sciences; however, the rule about excluding Bible classes does not apply to Ward Hall, even though it is attached to McFarland Hall. Construction of Ward was funded through private donations. This decision has allowed other private, religious universities to pursue public funding for capital projects.
per se. Rather, it has social clubs, which are local and unique to Lipscomb University and are not part of any national Greek system. The women's social clubs include Delta Xi, Delta Sigma, Delta Omega, Gamma Lambda, Kappa Chi, Phi Sigma, and Pi Delta. The men's social clubs are Delta Nu, Delta Tau, Gamma Xi, Sigma Omega Sigma, Sigma Iota Delta, and Tau Phi.
Students participate in Singarama (an annual spring musical variety show), as well as other entertainment, social, and service activities throughout the year. The university also offers membership in other academic, professional, and service clubs including Alpha Kappa Psi
International Business Fraternity (Delta Kappa chapter), Sigma Alpha Iota
women's music fraternity, Alpha Phi Chi men's service club, Pi Kappa Sigma women's service club, Sigma Pi Beta co-ed service club, Alpha Chi National Honors Society, Sigma Tau Delta
National English honor society
, Circle K International, College Republicans
, and College Democrats.
The Babbler is the defunct student newspaper and was published weekly during the spring and fall semesters. The title of the publication comes from Acts
17:18 which in part says "What does this babbler have to say?" The Backlog is the school's yearbook and is published annually. The Lumination Network, the school's new converged student media outlet, replaces the weekly Babbler and is tied heavily with the academic program of the Department of Communication and Journalism.
, Austria
, was first offered, and is the flagship trip for the university. Several academic departments take short trips to various sites around the world. These trips are usually for fewer than 10 hours credit and a shorter time abroad. The university also partners with the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
to offer other trips ranging from 10 days to semester long.
The University has several students active in the "Students for International Peace and Justice," and the faculty began the Center for International Peace and Justice "to promote awareness and understanding of international affairs, particularly as they relate to questions of peace, security and justice."
Sports teams are nickname
d "The Bisons," and there is a large statue of the namesake animal
centrally located on the campus. At one time the school was a small-college sports powerhouse, notably in baseball
and basketball
in the NAIA
; now it is a new member of NCAA
Division I and competes in the Atlantic Sun Conference
.
The university has an ongoing sports rivalry with Belmont University
, just 3 miles (4.8 km) down the road from Lipscomb. Traditionally basketball games between the two schools are called the "Battle of the Boulevard". Overall the Bisons have the series advantage 70-55.
In 2006, the rivalry reached a new level when Belmont and Lipscomb advanced to the finals of the Atlantic Sun tournament at the Memorial Center in Johnson City, Tennessee
, with the winner earning its first-ever bid to the NCAA tournament
. Belmont won 74-69 in overtime. Lipscomb was invited to the National Invitation Tournament
as the regular-season conference champion, losing in its first game.
The Lipscomb Bisons traditionally include the "s", though the plural of "bison" is usually not "bisons." However, some dictionaries list this as a rare usage (and the Oxford English Dictionary
points out that in Latin
the plural is "bisontes").
The Bison serves as the official mascot
of Lipscomb University. Lu The Bison, a costumed Mascot, can be seen at basketball, baseball, soccer, and volleyball games as well as other non-athletic events on and around the Lipscomb campus.
On November 13, 2007, the Lipscomb women's basketball team defeated Fisk University
123-22 in one of the most lopsided games in NCAA history.
Private university
Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...
, coeducation
Coeducation
Mixed-sex education, also known as coeducation or co-education, is the integrated education of male and female persons in the same institution. It is the opposite of single-sex education...
al, liberal arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The campus is located in the Green Hills
Green Hills, Tennessee
Green Hills is an area in Nashville, Tennessee. Although there were some preliminary plans toward making it an incorporated town in the late 1950s and early 1960s, these plans were never completed....
neighborhood of Nashville between Belmont Boulevard to the west and Granny White Pike on the east. Student enrollment for the fall 2011 semester is 4,018 which includes 2,702 undergraduate students and 1,316 graduate students.
History
Lipscomb University was founded in 1891 by David LipscombDavid Lipscomb
Lipscomb's beliefs on government can be classified as a radical theory of religious freedom, classical liberalism, even potentially consistent with fundamental positions of Anarcho-primitivism. Lipscomb believed in creating a peaceful, cooperative, decentralized communion in which freedom,...
and James A. Harding
James A. Harding
James Alexander Harding was an early influential leader in the Churches of Christ.Several schools are named after Harding: Harding University in Searcy, AR, Harding Academy , Harding Academy , and Harding University Graduate School of Religion in Memphis.Harding helped David Lipscomb, another...
. The campus grounds consist predominantly of the former estate of David Lipscomb, who donated it to the school. In the early 20th century, the institution was a Bible college
Bible college
Bible colleges are institutions of higher education that specialize in biblical studies. Curriculum is Bible-based and differs from that of liberal arts colleges or research universities. Bible colleges generally exclude the study of philosophy, unlike seminaries and theological colleges...
. Its original name was the Nashville Bible School, which was changed to David Lipscomb College, then to David Lipscomb University. Lipscomb graduated its first senior class in 1948, leaving behind the name of "junior college
Junior college
The term junior college refers to different educational institutions in different countries.-India:In India, most states provide schooling through 12th grade...
" forever. In 1954, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
granted Lipscomb its first accreditation. In 1988, Lipscomb attained Level III (master's degree-granting) status and became known as David Lipscomb University. In 2005, the "David" was legally dropped, and the institution was renamed simply Lipscomb University.
At the school's inception, all full-time students were required to take daily Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
classes and to attend daily chapel services; however, students are currently required to attend Bible classes three times a week and chapel twice a week. (Half of these chapels are now held in the sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
s facility Allen Arena
Allen Arena
Allen Arena is an indoor arena at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. The arena was named in honor of James C. and Linda Allen, the facility's primary benefactors. James Allen is a member of the board of trustees for the university and worked for the university at one time...
, and half are "break-out" sessions that are held in multiple places at once.) The school was never intended to function primarily as a seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
, a term looked upon with disfavor by many members of the Churches of Christ, but rather as a Christian liberal arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
institution. However, several prominent Church of Christ
Church of Christ
Churches of Christ are autonomous Christian congregations associated with one another through common beliefs and practices. They seek to base doctrine and practice on the Bible alone, and seek to be New Testament congregations as originally established by the authority of Christ. Historically,...
religious ministers received at least a portion of their higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
there (see "Notable alumni" below), and the institution remains thoroughly ensconced in the Churches of Christ: Potential faculty must prove their membership in a Church of Christ before being hired, and most of the student body comes from a Church of Christ family, background, or high school.
David Lipscomb was a pacifist
Christian pacifism
Christian pacifism is the theological and ethical position that any form of violence is incompatible with the Christian faith. Christian pacifists state that Jesus himself was a pacifist who taught and practiced pacifism, and that his followers must do likewise.There have been various notable...
who was highly skeptical about government, and although many people associated with Lipscomb University maintain this skepticism, most do not agree with Lipscomb's belief that Christians should not vote.
In addition to the university campus, there is also an on-campus high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
and middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
; the associated elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
moved to a renovated former public school a few blocks away in 1986. All three comprise the David Lipscomb Campus School
David Lipscomb Campus School
David Lipscomb Campus School is a college preparatory, private, Christian school serving students from Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade, located in Nashville, Tennessee.- Background :...
.
Presidents
- 2005–Present Dr. L. Randolph Lowry IIIL. Randolph Lowry IIIL. Randolph Lowry III is the President of Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee.-Biography:L. Randolph Lowry III was born in Long Beach, California. He graduated with a B.A. in political science and an M.A. in public administration from Pepperdine University. He received a J.D...
- 1997-2005 Dr. Steve Flatt
- 1987-1997 Dr. Harold Hazelip
- 1977-1986 G. Willard Collins
- 1946-1977 Dr. Athens Clay Pullias
- 1943-1946 Dr. Batsell BaxterBatsell BaxterBatsell Baxter was one of the most important leaders and educators in the Churches of Christ in the first half of the 20th century.-Biography:...
- 1934-1943 E. H. Ijams
- 1932-1934 Dr. Batsell BaxterBatsell BaxterBatsell Baxter was one of the most important leaders and educators in the Churches of Christ in the first half of the 20th century.-Biography:...
- 1923-1932 H. Leo Boles
- 1921-1923 H. S. Lipscomb
- 1920-1921 A. B. Lipscomb
- 1913-1920 H. Leo Boles
- 1913 J. S. Ward
- 1906-1913 E. A. Elam
- 1905-1906 J. S. Ward
- 1901-1905 William Anderson
- 1891-1901 James A. HardingJames A. HardingJames Alexander Harding was an early influential leader in the Churches of Christ.Several schools are named after Harding: Harding University in Searcy, AR, Harding Academy , Harding Academy , and Harding University Graduate School of Religion in Memphis.Harding helped David Lipscomb, another...
The Nashville Bible School was co-founded by David Lipscomb
David Lipscomb
Lipscomb's beliefs on government can be classified as a radical theory of religious freedom, classical liberalism, even potentially consistent with fundamental positions of Anarcho-primitivism. Lipscomb believed in creating a peaceful, cooperative, decentralized communion in which freedom,...
and James A. Harding
James A. Harding
James Alexander Harding was an early influential leader in the Churches of Christ.Several schools are named after Harding: Harding University in Searcy, AR, Harding Academy , Harding Academy , and Harding University Graduate School of Religion in Memphis.Harding helped David Lipscomb, another...
in 1891. David Lipscomb
David Lipscomb
Lipscomb's beliefs on government can be classified as a radical theory of religious freedom, classical liberalism, even potentially consistent with fundamental positions of Anarcho-primitivism. Lipscomb believed in creating a peaceful, cooperative, decentralized communion in which freedom,...
never served as president, but as chairman of the board of trustees. James A. Harding
James A. Harding
James Alexander Harding was an early influential leader in the Churches of Christ.Several schools are named after Harding: Harding University in Searcy, AR, Harding Academy , Harding Academy , and Harding University Graduate School of Religion in Memphis.Harding helped David Lipscomb, another...
served as the school's first superintendent.
Academics
U.S. News & World ReportU.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
ranks Lipscomb University 18th among Regional Universities (South) according to the U.S. News and World Report's "2011 America's Best Colleges" guidebook. Lipscomb's liberal arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
curriculum includes a wide range of academic programs in the arts and sciences. Many students also enroll in pre-professional programs and go on to graduate school, with most students matriculating as majors in education, biblical studies, and business. The curriculum continues to evolve, notably with the addition of computer science in the Raymond B. Jones College of Engineering and the doctorate in pharmacy in the College of Pharmacy.
The university has also increased its number of graduate programs, offering 15 degree programs. This is up from three degree programs only a few years ago. The university has also obtained a Level V status with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
when it began seeking accreditation for the doctorate in pharmacy, allowing Lipscomb to expand its graduate offerings.
Colleges and Institutes
Lipscomb University comprises the following Colleges and Institutes:Campus Information
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
store has also opened inside the campus center, complete with its own separate entry on both the interior and exterior of the building. The bricked square is traditionally used during warm weather as the location for devotionals, concerts, and other campus activities.
Willard Collins Alumni Auditorium has been completely renovated with new seating, flooring, and audio/video equipment, updating its look from the original design. Attached to Alumni Auditorium is the A. M. Burton Health Sciences Center. The Burton building was heavily renovated to house the new College of Pharmacy. The entire renovation of the building received LEED
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....
Gold certification. On the southeast corner of Burton, a new music wing, the McMeen Music Center, with a large rehearsal room for music ensembles on the main level, with new music offices and practice rooms on the lower level.
To the south side of Burton is the Swang Business Center where business and English classes are held.
The university's newest academic building, the Hughes center, opened in Fall 2010 with space for both engineering and fine arts. The Ezell Center comprises the religious, education, mass communication, social work, history, political science, and philosophy departments. Other academic buildings include the McFarland Hall of Sciences where the science and math classes are held, and the recently renovated Ward Hall with renovations similar to those in Alumni Auditorium.
Beaman Library was constructed in time for the university's centennial in 1991. The university's old library, the Crisman building, now serves as the university's administrative building.
Allen Arena
Allen Arena
Allen Arena is an indoor arena at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. The arena was named in honor of James C. and Linda Allen, the facility's primary benefactors. James Allen is a member of the board of trustees for the university and worked for the university at one time...
, a 5,028-seat multipurpose facility, opened in October 2001 on the site of the old McQuiddy Gymnasium. Part of the McQuiddy Gymnasium still remains between Allen Arena and the Student Activities Center (the SAC), a multipurpose student activity space with workout facilities, basketball courts and an indoor track. The SAC offers a variety of workout classes to students, including spin classes on exercise bikes. Yearwood Hall, a women's dormitory, was torn down for construction of Allen Arena and its accompanying parking garage.
The university has six residence halls. Women's residences include Elam Hall, Fanning Hall, and Johnson Hall, all of which have a large enclosed courtyard. Men's residences include Sewell Hall, which was renovated in the late 1990s, and the eight-story High Rise, the university's tallest structure. The final residence on campus is The Village, a co-ed, apartment style housing for upperclassmen. Men and women are not allowed in dorms belonging to the opposite sex, with a few exceptions: 1) members of both sexes can enter the lobby during certain hours, 2) during moving days, and 3) on "open dorm" occasions; 4) and men are also allowed into the central courtyard of the women's dormitories only when cookouts or other such mixers are being held.
Tax Exempt Bonds
Some academic buildings were built with tax-exempt municipal bonds, and, because Lipscomb is a Christian school, this led to an extended lawsuit on the basis of whether or not a private religious institution is allowed to use public bonds. This case was debated for many years and ultimately made it to the Supreme CourtSupreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
.
The court upheld the decision of the lower court, that, plainly stated, the government could not withhold public bonds based on Lipscomb's religious affiliation. However, one of the stipulations for receiving public funding was that these buildings cannot have religious classes taught in them. For example, no Bible classes are taught in the McFarland Hall of Sciences; however, the rule about excluding Bible classes does not apply to Ward Hall, even though it is attached to McFarland Hall. Construction of Ward was funded through private donations. This decision has allowed other private, religious universities to pursue public funding for capital projects.
Campus Life
Lipscomb does not have fraternities and sororitiesFraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
per se. Rather, it has social clubs, which are local and unique to Lipscomb University and are not part of any national Greek system. The women's social clubs include Delta Xi, Delta Sigma, Delta Omega, Gamma Lambda, Kappa Chi, Phi Sigma, and Pi Delta. The men's social clubs are Delta Nu, Delta Tau, Gamma Xi, Sigma Omega Sigma, Sigma Iota Delta, and Tau Phi.
Students participate in Singarama (an annual spring musical variety show), as well as other entertainment, social, and service activities throughout the year. The university also offers membership in other academic, professional, and service clubs including Alpha Kappa Psi
Alpha Kappa Psi
ΑΚΨ is the oldest and largest professional business fraternity. The Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity was founded on October 5, 1904 at New York University, and was incorporated on May 20, 1905...
International Business Fraternity (Delta Kappa chapter), Sigma Alpha Iota
Sigma Alpha Iota
Sigma Alpha Iota , International Music Fraternity for Women. Formed to "uphold the highest standards of music" and "to further the development of music in America and throughout the world", it continues to provide musical and educational resources to its members and the general public...
women's music fraternity, Alpha Phi Chi men's service club, Pi Kappa Sigma women's service club, Sigma Pi Beta co-ed service club, Alpha Chi National Honors Society, Sigma Tau Delta
Sigma Tau Delta
Sigma Tau Delta is an international collegiate honor society for students of English. It presently has over 800 active chapters located in Europe, the Caribbean, the United States, and 1 chapter in the Middle East , with more than 1,000 faculty sponsors...
National English honor society
Honor society
In the United States, an honor society is a rank organization that recognizes excellence among peers. Numerous societies recognize various fields and circumstances. The Order of the Arrow, for example, is the national honor society of the Boy Scouts of America...
, Circle K International, College Republicans
College Republicans
The College Republican National Committee is a national organization for college and university students who support the Republican Party of the United States...
, and College Democrats.
The Babbler is the defunct student newspaper and was published weekly during the spring and fall semesters. The title of the publication comes from Acts
Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of the Apostles , usually referred to simply as Acts, is the fifth book of the New Testament; Acts outlines the history of the Apostolic Age...
17:18 which in part says "What does this babbler have to say?" The Backlog is the school's yearbook and is published annually. The Lumination Network, the school's new converged student media outlet, replaces the weekly Babbler and is tied heavily with the academic program of the Department of Communication and Journalism.
Global Learning
Lipscomb offers a handful of study abroad programs, which the university terms global learning. In the mid 1990s a semester-long, study abroad program in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, was first offered, and is the flagship trip for the university. Several academic departments take short trips to various sites around the world. These trips are usually for fewer than 10 hours credit and a shorter time abroad. The university also partners with the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
The Council for Christian Colleges and Universities is an organization designed to help primarily Protestant and evangelical Christian institutions of higher education cooperate and communicate with one another...
to offer other trips ranging from 10 days to semester long.
The University has several students active in the "Students for International Peace and Justice," and the faculty began the Center for International Peace and Justice "to promote awareness and understanding of international affairs, particularly as they relate to questions of peace, security and justice."
Athletics
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
d "The Bisons," and there is a large statue of the namesake animal
American Bison
The American bison , also commonly known as the American buffalo, is a North American species of bison that once roamed the grasslands of North America in massive herds...
centrally located on the campus. At one time the school was a small-college sports powerhouse, notably in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
in the NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
; now it is a new member of NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I and competes in the Atlantic Sun Conference
Atlantic Sun Conference
The Atlantic Sun Conference is a college athletic conference operating in the Southeastern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I; it does not sponsor football. The conference was established in 1978 as the Trans America Athletic Conference...
.
The university has an ongoing sports rivalry with Belmont University
Belmont University
Belmont University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. It is the largest Christian university in Tennessee and the second largest private university in the state, behind nearby Vanderbilt University.-Belmont Mansion:Belmont Mansion...
, just 3 miles (4.8 km) down the road from Lipscomb. Traditionally basketball games between the two schools are called the "Battle of the Boulevard". Overall the Bisons have the series advantage 70-55.
In 2006, the rivalry reached a new level when Belmont and Lipscomb advanced to the finals of the Atlantic Sun tournament at the Memorial Center in Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City is a city in Carter, Sullivan, and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, with most of the city being in Washington County...
, with the winner earning its first-ever bid to the NCAA tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
. Belmont won 74-69 in overtime. Lipscomb was invited to the National Invitation Tournament
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
as the regular-season conference champion, losing in its first game.
The Lipscomb Bisons traditionally include the "s", though the plural of "bison" is usually not "bisons." However, some dictionaries list this as a rare usage (and the Oxford English Dictionary
Oxford English Dictionary
The Oxford English Dictionary , published by the Oxford University Press, is the self-styled premier dictionary of the English language. Two fully bound print editions of the OED have been published under its current name, in 1928 and 1989. The first edition was published in twelve volumes , and...
points out that in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
the plural is "bisontes").
The Bison serves as the official mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
of Lipscomb University. Lu The Bison, a costumed Mascot, can be seen at basketball, baseball, soccer, and volleyball games as well as other non-athletic events on and around the Lipscomb campus.
On November 13, 2007, the Lipscomb women's basketball team defeated Fisk University
Fisk University
Fisk University is an historically black university founded in 1866 in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. The world-famous Fisk Jubilee Singers started as a group of students who performed to earn enough money to save the school at a critical time of financial shortages. They toured to raise funds to...
123-22 in one of the most lopsided games in NCAA history.
Notable alumni
- Michael F. AdamsMichael F. AdamsMichael F. Adams is the president of the University of Georgia in the U.S. state of Georgia.Adams began his career in education as faculty at Ohio State University 1973-1975. He later served as vice president for university affairs at Pepperdine University 1982-1988...
(1970), president of the University of GeorgiaUniversity of GeorgiaThe University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States... - LaMar BakerLaMar BakerLaMar Baker was a Tennessee businessman and Republican political figure who served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.-Biography:...
(1938), politician - Richard A. Batey (H.S. 1951, David Lipscomb College 1955), New TestamentNew TestamentThe New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
scholar - Pat BoonePat BooneCharles Eugene "Pat" Boone is an American singer, actor and writer who has been a successful pop singer in the United States during the 1950s and early 1960s. He covered black artists' songs and sold more copies than his black counterparts...
(H.S. 1952), singer - Charles R. BrewerCharles R. BrewerDr. Charles Richard Brewer was a notable Church of Christ professor, preacher, poet, and leader. Born in near Gimlet Creek in Giles County, Tennessee, Brewer's career included many publications, television and radio shows, and a renown for biblical learning. His funeral in Nashville, TN was...
(1918), professor, preacher, poet, and leader - G. C. BrewerG. C. BrewerGrover Cleveland Brewer was among the most famous 20th-century leaders in the Churches of Christ. He was said to be "among the giants of the brotherhood" . "G. C." Brewer was named for U.S. President Grover Cleveland, "G. C." Brewer is generally known by his initials. G. C...
(1911), author, preacher, and teacher - B.C. GoodpastureBenton Cordell GoodpastureBenton Cordell "B. C." Goodpasture was an influential preacher and writer in the Churches of Christ. A contributing writer to the Gospel Advocate starting in 1920, in 1939 he became the publication's editor, a post he held until his death...
(1918), preacher and writer - Ray Walker (1956), bass singer for The Jordanaires quartet
- Judy G. HampleJudy HampleDr. Judy Gayle Hample is a former president of the University of Mary Washington. She was the university's first female president. Prior to this position, she was chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and chancellor of the Florida Board of Regents...
(1969), former Chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher EducationPennsylvania State System of Higher EducationThe Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a large public university system in the United States. It is the tenth-largest university system in the United States and 43rd largest in the world...
(PASSHE) - Jim JinkinsJim JinkinsJames "Jim" Jinkins is an American animator and creator of the animated Doug television series which was later the basis for a feature film. Jinkins also created PB&J Otter. He is a 1975 graduate of Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee.-Background and Career:Jinkins was born on August 8,...
(1975), creator of the animated DougDougDoug is an American animated sitcom created by Jim Jinkins and co-produced by his studio, Jumbo Pictures . Doug centers on the surreal and imaginative exploits of its title character, Douglas "Doug" Funnie, who experiences common predicaments while attending middle school. The series lampoons...
series - W. Mark LanierW. Mark LanierWilliam Mark Lanier is an American trial lawyer. He lives in Houston, Texas, and maintains offices in New York, Houston, and Los Angeles...
(1981), founder of The Lanier Law Firm - Michael Shane NealMichael Shane NealMichael Shane Neal is an American portrait artist. Neal has created official portraits for the United States Capitol of U.S. Senator Arthur Vandenburg, former Majority Leader and U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd, 10th Architect of the Capitol Alan Hantman, and over 400 works of art depicting various...
(1991), portrait artist - Ira L. NorthIra NorthIra Lutts North was a well known preacher and author within the Churches of Christ....
(1941), preacher and author - Marty Roe (1984), lead singer of the country music band Diamond RioDiamond RioDiamond Rio is an American Country music/Christian music band formed in 1984 in Nashville, Tennessee. Since its foundation, the group has comprised the same six members: Gene Johnson , Jimmy Olander , Brian Prout , Marty Roe , Dan Truman , and Dana Williams...
- David Sampson (1978), former United States Deputy Secretary of Commerce
- Barry Stowe (1979), Chief Executive, Prudential Corporation Asia
- Edwin TrevathanEdwin TrevathanEdwin Trevathan, M.D., M.P.H. is a U.S. physician, a child neurologist and pediatrician, who is currently the Dean of the Saint Louis University School of Public Health, where he is also a Professor of Community Health...
(1977), physician and public health leader, national center director at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and PreventionCenters for Disease Control and PreventionThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Druid Hills, unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, in Greater Atlanta...
(CDC) - Kerry RobertsKerry RobertsKerry Roberts is a Republican member of the Tennessee Senate for the 18th district, encompassing Springfield, as well as Robertson County and part of Sumner County.-Early life:...
(1983), the only state senator from Lipscomb.