PASSING THE TORCH TO LIPSCOMB’S SECOND PROVOST IN 25 YEARS IN THE now

The lifeblood of every institution of higher education is an academic program that inspires, instills knowledge and prepares students for successful futures.

In September, the person who has served as the leader of that foundational component for the last 25 years, Provost W. Craig Bledsoe, passed the torch on to Dr. Jennifer Shewmaker, formerly the dean of the College of Education and Human Services at Abilene Christian University (ACU). Shewmaker is only the second person in Lipscomb’s history to fill the role of chief academic officer under the title of provost.

As one Lipscomb legend passes the mantle of leadership onto a new provost, take a moment to get to know Lipscomb’s newest Bison and learn how she will surely mark her own legacy over the next few years.

Q: You managed a wide range of academic areas at ACU. Drawing on your broad experience, what advice would you give Lipscomb students to make it through to graduation in any chosen field?

A: Academic success is often about motivation, persistence and organization. My advice to all students is to remind themselves regularly about why they are getting their degree. Do you want to help others? Are you passionate about making a difference in the world? Do you love to make new discoveries that will help advance knowledge in your field? When we remember the why, it helps us stay motivated.

Persistence can help you get through the little difficulties and hard steps you have to take to get to the end goal of obtaining your degree. Organization is key to success. Go to the Academic Success Center for coaching, sign up for tutoring, keep a calendar and plan out a schedule for projects. Breaking big projects into smaller steps will help you move toward your goal.

Q: With most of your childhood spent in Texas, and most of your career spent in psychology, what adaptation methods are you using during your transition from Texas to Tennessee?

A: My husband and I spent five years living in Central Europe, so Middle Tennessee is much more familiar than that! The strategies we used there and that I often share with those who are making a big change are pretty simple: Plan your day to be sure that you get sleep, healthy food and exercise.

Q: You’ve had some great global experiences, including consulting with the Peace Corps in Warsaw, Poland, and working on the psychology staff at the American Clinics International in Budapest, Hungary. Where else in the world is on your travel bucket list?

A: I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to experience a lot of different cultures and places through travel. This past summer I spent some time with our oldest daughter, Rylan, who lives in Belgium and got to meet her roommate who is from Morocco. That is one place that I’ve always wanted to visit but haven’t been to.

For students, I think all international travel provides fantastic opportunities for learning and connecting with those who have different backgrounds from ourselves. Getting out of your comfort zone and being in a place where you don’t speak the language presents an incredible opportunity for growth, particularly in learning to empathize with newcomers to the United States who may be struggling with learning English.

Q: As only the second person to inhabit the provost position at Lipscomb, you have a great opportunity to make a real mark on the next stage of Lipscomb’s future. What personal heroes will you be looking to as you lead Lipscomb academics?

A: My dad, Harold Wade, was a long time administrator for K-12 Church of Christ schools. His passion for Christian education has really inspired me in my career. As a first generation college graduate, he showed me firsthand that higher education has the power to transform individuals, families and communities for generations to come. I bring that belief and inspiration into my work every single day.

One of the authors who has really shaped my thinking in the area of leadership is Brené Brown, especially her book Dare to Lead. She says, “We desperately need more leaders who are committed to courageous, wholehearted leadership.” I strive to be a leader who creates an atmosphere of universal flourishing. I foster a warm, supportive environment offering formative, honest feedback, with a focus on promoting the thriving of each individual unit and the institution as a whole.

Q: You have written several books and published multiple chapters and articles in the areas of media and child development and teaching and learning. As a scholar and as the parent of three college-age students, what advice would you give parents to help their students succeed academically in college and to find their vocation?

A: I’m a big reader, and one of my favorite writers is Parker Palmer. In his book, Let your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation, he says: “Our deepest calling is to grow into our own authentic selfhood, whether or not it conforms to some image of who we ought to be. As we do so, we will not only find the joy that every human being seeks—we will also find our path of authentic service in the world.”

When I met with our first-year students at Quest Week, I told them that our goal at Lipscomb is to help them find how God is calling them to use their strengths and passions to love and serve our neighbors, locally and globally.

As parents, we can help our students find their vocation by encouraging them to take opportunities to explore their strengths and passions through things like taking courses in different academic areas, studying abroad or going on mission trips, serving in the community or doing research with faculty. All of these activities give students the chance to understand themselves better and to begin to find their path to authentic service in the world.

Read more of Shewmaker’s comments about coming to Lipscomb at lipscomb.edu/provost.

Raising the Bar from Day One

In fall 2022, the offices of the Registrar, Financial Aid, Information Technology and Business came together as one unit to serve the student body through the registration period and beyond at Bison One Stop. An outgrowth of the Impact 360 strategic plan, One Stop is a centralized and convenient location in Crisman Administration Building providing in-person, high quality

J.S. Ward Dinner: Lipscomb legacy named 2022 Hero of Science

For nearly half a century, Dr Paul B. Langford inspired and mentored Lipscomb University students who dreamed of entering medical professions or pursuing careers in chemistry.

In honor of his impact on generations of students, Langford was named the 2022 Ward Society Hero of Science and was recognized at the annual J.S. Ward Dinner in April. At the dinner, the establishment of the Paul B. Langford Endowed Professorship in Chemistry was also announced.

year.

Langford joined the Lipscomb faculty in 1962 and taught at Lipscomb for 33 years, rising to the rank of full professor and serving as chair of the Department of Chemistry from 1980 until he retired from teaching in 1994.

The Langford endowed professorship was established by former students for the purpose of recognizing Langford’s scholarship, spiritual leadership, friendship and profound influence in the lives of students.

Less than a year after graduating its first Ph.D. graduate in archaeology this past May, Lipscomb is working to launch another Ph.D. program this coming fall.

The Ph.D. in leadership and policy studies is an interdisciplinary studies degree preparing students for high-level careers in leadership and service across a range of professional sectors. The colleges of education, business, leadership and public service, and health sciences will come together to produce graduates with exceptional ability to organize information, research subjects, manage projects and change environments.

In addition, the George Shinn College of Entertainment & the Arts is working to launch a pair of stackable graduate certificates in UX (user experience) and UI (user interface) web design this summer. Centered around digital entertainment, these 18-hour graduate certificates can be completed in three semesters, providing students with greater reach at less cost.

The School of Data Analytics is planning to launch two new bachelor’s degrees: one in data analytics for students hoping to take on an analytics role in an organization, and one in data science for those who want to solve complex problems in organizations using advanced statistics and algorithms.