Lipscomb University President's Report 2022

IMPACT strengthening our

MESSAGE FROM

DR. CANDICE McQUEEN, University President

During the years of the Apollo missions when scientists were working to fulfill President John F. Kennedy’s famous charge to send an American to the moon, the president regularly toured NASA facilities. One of these visits was famously captured.

He noticed a janitor diligently doing his work and stopped to introduce himself. “Tell me what you’re doing,” he said to the man, who stopped his work, looked up at him and proudly said, “Mr. President, I’m helping to get a man to the moon.”

This encounter represents how a clear and compelling focus can engage every person in a community.

We are a Christ-centered community preparing learners for purposeful lives through rigorous academics and transformative experiences.

Anchored in our Christ-centered mission, we will become a top-tier, nationally recognized university. We will excel in teaching, learning and research. We will be ambitious in our service. We will be driven by continuous improvement.

Our focus is and has always been one that points to our larger purpose within God’s Kingdom. Our work today, outlined in this report as we share Lipscomb Impact 360, is to intentionally align to this purpose and work relentlessly to achieve results.

How we do that work is just as important as the work itself. How we interact with students, how we act with peers and certainly how we act with our larger community, are the stories people will tell about us.

That “how” is defined by our values. So in the past year we have also focused on defining our values, identifying how we will act with one another.

Love God Serve others Respect all Pursue joy Seek to learn Embrace collaboration

Deliver our best Create solutions

It takes every one of us and every part of our community, every corner, every job to live these values so we reach our bold goals—and do so with integrity and excellence.

You will see many strategies and actions in this report that have made a significant impact over the past year: from developing new academic programs and educational structures to embracing new voices and reviving treasured relationships, to igniting new spiritual opportunities while also focusing on delivering our best service. But, the beauty is that we have only just begun the work that will define our future.

Lipscomb has set a course this year that engages the entire community in the right work at the right time. Every person has a role in uplifting our mission, reaching our vision and defining our culture. That is how Lipscomb will have the greatest impact, today and in the future.

BIG VISION REQUIRES BIG PLANS

Throughout the 2021-2022 school year, the Lipscomb community embarked on a process to set forth a clear and unifying mission, vision and plan for the future grounded in common institutional priorities. With a new presidential administration begun in September 2021, came the advantage of looking at everything through fresh eyes, from every direction, with a 360° panoramic perspective.

“If you want to maximize impact, you have to see it, you have to plan it, and then you have to do it,” said Lipscomb President Candice McQueen. “It is the plan that helps us define who we are, to dream about the future and to think about what we can become.”

Impact 36O is a comprehensive strategic plan that sets our priorities for the coming years and will have an immediate and long-lasting positive impact on our Lipscomb community and beyond.

The listening phase of Impact 360 included more than 1,000 student, faculty, staff, alumni and donor survey responses; 200 one-on-one and small group listening sessions; 11 Be A Light Tour meetings with alumni across the region; roundtable discussions with more than 400 faculty and staff and 125 alumni as well as 100 individuals who served on ad hoc and steering committees.

OUR GOALS

ΠProvide a premier, learner-focused Christian education.

ΠPromote and develop spiritual growth and transformation across our community.

ΠRecruit, support, retain and graduate students with the tools for a purposeful life.

ΠBuild a culture of diversity, equity and belonging where people thrive as image-bearers of God.

This feedback was collected and analyzed over a six-month period and structured around a SOAR analysis—an examination of the strengths upon which we could build, the opportunities inherent in those strengths, what the institution should aspire to accomplish, and the results those efforts might yield.

In April, Lipscomb University’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved the outcomes of Impact 360: a vision statement, a mission statement, eight core values, core tenets and six goals.

The Impact 360 framework provides the entire Lipscomb community with what scholars say are the best ingredients for making an impact: clarity around your purpose, focus on outcomes and action orientation. But for the people of Lipscomb University, it all comes back to how we can have a greater impact as individuals: by being our best selves, by serving and by living in community,

Through the Impact 360 strategic plan we, as a Christ-centered community, have collaboratively clarified who we are. Over the next seven years we will work together toward a focused plan and take both immediate and long-term action, in order to move closer to our personal, and our institutional, impact.

ΠExpand our engagement, influence and impact by forging deep connections with communities, organizations and alumni.

ΠEmpower and sustain a culture of effectiveness, efficiency, collaboration and financial strength across our community.

LEARNING IS THE BEATING HEART OF OUR VISION AND MISSION

IMPACT 360: ACADEMICS

Much like the founders of Lipscomb University, when today’s faculty peer into the future they envision a top-tier, nationally recognized institution, excelling in teaching, learning and research. With our eyes on the prize, Lipscomb’s community of scholars and leaders took major steps forward this past year toward that ultimate vision.

New leaders, new administrative structures and a milestone moment for Lipscomb’s first Ph.D. program in the 2021-2022 school year has drawn us as an institution ever closer to the ideal faith-centered education environment we envision, one that will enable learners to be curious, analytical, innovative and resilient.

In response to an emerging desire to advance research at Lipscomb, the Office of Research and Grants was established this past spring. The new department brings the university’s grant pursuit function, formerly housed in the Office of Advancement, into the Provost’s Office along with the university’s other major research components: the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and the Student Scholars’ Symposium. The establishment of the

office is a direct result of the university’s growing success in grant writing efforts and awards and an increase campuswide in faculty scholarly and research activity.

In addition, Lipscomb installed only the second person ever to hold its highest academic post with the title of provost: Jennifer Shewmaker, former dean of the Abilene Christian University College of Education and Human Services, began her tenure as provost in September. Shewmaker brings 20 years of experience in higher education and a track record of visionary leadership at universities both domestic and overseas. Shewmaker is actively engaged in her own scholarly and research interests and publishes regularly, including several books and multiple chapters and articles in the areas of media and child development and teaching and learning. In addition, she has received several significant grants and fellowships, as well as various awards and honors for her work.

For the first time since fall semester 2019, all four of Lipscomb’s semester-long global learning programs were back in full swing during the 2021-2022 school year. Students studied

in Vienna, Florence, London and Costa Rica. Students in London had the especially unique experience of witnessing the nationwide mourning with the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in September. During summer 2022, international business students traveled to Indonesia; liberal arts students visited Spain; fashion, visual arts and music students visited Italy; Bible sponsored a trip to Israel; and the archaeology program took students to digs in Cyprus and Israel.

As part of continuing efforts to equip students for success in technology careers, Lipscomb launched two new schools as of June: the School of Computing housed in the Raymond B. Jones College of Engineering and the School of Data Analytics & Technology housed in the College of Business. Both of these schools will offer opportunities for growth in the colleges’ existing technology programs, development of new degrees and certificate programs, integration of other academic disciplines and new partnerships in the tech industry with employers and in applied technology.

May 2022 was a milestone moment as Lipscomb celebrated the awarding of its first Ph.D. degree, in archaeology of the Near East, to Lucas Grimsley, a California native who began

his journey to obtain his doctorate more than a decade ago. Lipscomb’s first Ph.D. program, housed in the Lanier Center for Archaeology, joins the university’s other doctorate programs in pharmacy, education and ministry.

One of the needs that has been identified is creating more capacity within the Provost’s Office to give focused attention to graduate education in terms of new program identification and development, enrollment and marketing, and student and faculty support. To support that effort, Trace Hebert, the founding director of Lipscomb’s Doctorate of Education and interim dean of the College of Education during the 2021-2022 school year, has been appointed to serve as associate provost for research and graduate studies. Rick Holaway, formerly chair of management, entrepreneurship and marketing in the College of Business, was appointed associate provost for graduate enrollment and support.

Taking on the role of dean of the College of Education in August was Leslie S. Cowell. Formerly dean of the College of Education at Faulkner University, Cowell both taught at all grade levels from elementary school through graduate-level courses and held several administrative roles at Faulkner.

FULBRIGHT STUDENT AWARDS

Schyler Jones (’22)

Majors in Spanish, international affairs and history English Teaching Assistantship in Colombia

She will work to bridge cultural gaps and foster understanding by teaching English to adults and promoting equality for Colombian women.

Danny Kotula (senior)

Majors in public relations and Spanish Research Assistantship in Bolivia and Peru

He will work with organizations to encourage microbusinesses among the indigenous population.

ACCREDITATIONS AND AWARDS

Accounting Institute for Management Accountants® endorsement (New)

Animation

Animation Career Review’s ranking of No. 22 in the nation

Business

Poets&Quants for Undergrads’ Best Undergrad Business Schools (6th consecutive year)

AACSB International accreditation (New)

Education

National Council on Teacher Quality A grade for requirements in elementary mathematics (New)

One of the most effective teacher preparation programs in the state according to the 2021 Teacher Preparation Report Card (10th consecutive year)

Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation 2021 Frank Murray Leadership Recognition for Continuous Improvement (New)

Engineering (Civil, Mechanical and Electrical/Computer)

Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET (Reaffirmed)

Family Science

National Council on Family Relations approval (New)

Kinesiology

Council on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs accreditation (New)

Lipscomb Online

International Coaching Federation, ACTP for Performance Coaching (Reaffirmed)

Nursing

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (Reaffirmed)

Social Work Council on Social Work Education

STUDENT-ATHLETES ACADEMIC AWARDS

ASUN Conference Academic Trophy

For the seventh time in its history, Lipscomb Athletics won the 2021-2022 ASUN Conference Academic Trophy with 89.97% of its studentathletes earning a 3.0 grade point-average or better—the highest percentage by any school in conference history.

Women’s Basketball

No. 4 on the WBCA 2021-22 Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll

Men’s Golf

All-Academic Team of the Golf Coaches Association of America

Volleyball

American Volleyball Coaches Association and United States Marine Corps Team Academic Award

Women’s Soccer

United Soccer Coaches’ Team Academic Award

(Reaffirmed)

CHRIST IS OUR CENTERING CORE

IMPACT 360: SPIRITUAL FORMATION

You’ve heard it from the pulpit many times: our Christian walk is not limited to Sunday mornings. Similarly at Lipscomb, spiritual growth is not limited to Bible class. Now and in the future, we are focused on bringing Christian faith into every aspect of Lipscomb life.

The work of Lipscomb’s leaders in 2021-2022 was focused on nurturing spiritual growth throughout the university, supporting the faith of each and every member of the Lipscomb community through mentoring, weekly chapel experiences, opportunities to serve locally and globally, and building our spiritual leaders of the future.

From its very beginning, providing a rigorous Christian liberal arts education has been at the core of Lipscomb’s curriculum for every student in every degree field, but in today’s rapidly changing world, the role of ministers has become ever more crucial and demanding. In fall 2021 the College of Bible & Ministry received a $1.07 million grant, the largest in the history of the college, from the Kern Family Foundation. The purpose of the program, a 4+1 degree track providing a B.A. in Pastoral Leadership and M.A. in Pastoral Studies, is to prepare not just

ministers, but ministry leaders, equipped with skills to lead the church in today’s world.

Since 2010, thousands of individuals—students, faculty, staff and Nashville community members—have volunteered to provide meaningful and transformative mentoring relationships for students. In 2021, the Office of Student Life reformatted and relaunched the university’s mentoring efforts as the Lipscomb Mentoring Network with a specific goal to match every incoming freshman with a mentor.

Still relying on 140 volunteer mentors to fulfill that goal, the new format and aspiration is intended to enhance student success through helping incoming freshmen positively adjust to the demands of Lipscomb life, have a greater overall satisfaction with their Lipscomb experience and allow them to thrive and flourish as their whole selves.

Throughout the past year, spiritual formation staff worked to develop some format changes to the weekly all-student chapel service, including establishing Freshman Chapel. Held in the first 10 weeks of the semester each year, the freshman-only chapel service is a way to integrate new students into the

I really enjoyed this breakout! The discussions were always meaningful and thought-provoking, and helped me reflect on my relationship with Christ, myself, and with others.”

–Student impacted by one of 60 breakout chapels held weekly

journey provided through the Center for Vocational Discovery (see page 12). Chapel sessions focus on recognizing our students’ own strengths, such as relationship-building or strategic thinking, and serve to help the freshmen develop stronger relationships and thus promote more engaged worship.

After two years of disruption due to the global pandemic, Lipscomb Missions successfully relaunched spring break and summer teams with 23 teams and nearly 250 participants serving in three U.S. cities and eight countries. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Lipscomb Missions program in its current format. Since 2002, more than 10,000 students, faculty, staff and alumni have partnered with long-term ministries and nonprofits who serve year-round across the U.S. and around the globe.

In addition to launching three new major-specific teams in collaboration with Lipscomb colleges, Missions is also creating local mission opportunities that students can pursue throughout the year. These opportunities will underscore the connection between what students learn in the classroom, what they see on their mission team and what they can become as individuals living every day on mission.

A SPIRITUAL COMPASS FOR GOD’S CALLING

Lipscomb University has been an institution focused on vocation since its very founding. As David Lipscomb wrote in the Gospel Advocate in 1891: “The aim is to teach the Christian religion… to prepare Christians for usefulness in whatever sphere they are called to labor.”

At Lipscomb, we believe our role on this earth is to do more than prepare students for a career, and even to do more than prepare students to be adult Christians. We believe our role is to help students discover their vocation: a response to a calling voice that reveals who we are, why we are here, what we might do, how we might do it and where we might go to live it out.

The CVD has already begun impacting how I interact with others in my everyday life by challenging me to be intentional with my unique strengths and to recognize and value the same in others.”

— Jaidyn Smart, freshman

As an outgrowth of this mission, this fall the university established the Center for Vocational Discovery (CVD), a university-wide, four-year transformative experience designed to help all students discover their life’s purpose.

Beginning with this fall’s freshman class, students embarked on a four-year journey that continues through to graduation. Each year will have a specific focus integrated into a students’ experience through academics, student life and spiritual formation programs.

The first year centers on identity, giftedness and the outcomes of the Clifton Strengths assessment. Students have the opportunity to attend a spiritual gifts workshop, Career Center exploration workshops and the newly established Freshman Chapel. Throughout the 10-week chapel, freshmen built relationships and learned about the 34 strengths outlined in the assessment.

The CVD also integrated vocation-focused programming into the required Lipscomb Experience and Bible courses and selected its first student cohort of Strengths Champions.

In the spring semester, the CVD will hold workshops on resilience, gifts, strengths and genograms and hold a listening retreat to help students discern the voice of God in their lives.

In their sophomore year, students explore the questions of purpose. As juniors they move into academic disciplinespecific integration of vocational concepts as they engage more in their chosen fields of study. In the senior year, students continue to explore and refine how they will use their gifts and talents to better the world as they consider career placement or future plans.

Along with year-specific programming, students will create a series of reflections through specific assignments that will be collected in an electronic portfolio they will receive when they graduate.

“We are about purpose and meaning, and the integration of faith and work,” said Rob Touchstone, CVD director, at the Oct. 6 grand opening of the CVD’s headquarters in Crisman Administration Building. “This space is a place to invite our students into a journey of discovery of their identity in Christ, their God-given purpose, their vocation and where they will go into the world to live out what God is calling them to do.”

I’m understanding that I’m called to share the gospel to the world in whatever field I may be placed in. I can’t wait to further explore the resources this center has to offer, and watch as so many other students find the special place where their calling and vocation meet.”

— Logan Bennett, freshman

The CVD builds on the longtime work of the College of Bible & Ministry, Missions program, Business As Mission program, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences and the Peugeot Center for Engineering Service in Developing Communities.

“The work that we are intentionally doing through this center has been happening in various ways at Lipscomb for years. With the opening of the Center for Vocational Discovery we build on this foundation as we elevate this work to a universitywide focus,” said President Candice McQueen. “Now we are intentionally creating a pathway from the freshman year all the way to graduation.”

STUDENT SUCCESS AS SEEN THROUGH THE EYES OF GOD

IMPACT 360: STUDENT SUCCESS

Many institutions the world over strive to prepare their students for success in the eyes of the world. Lipscomb strives to prepare students for success as seen through the eyes of God.

In 2021-2022, Lipscomb began its work to craft its students, from admission to graduation, in the mold of God’s definition of success, for living purposeful lives filled with innumerable moments of discovery, transformation and impact.

With record enrollment growth over the last 15 years, Lipscomb University continued to break records this past fall with its largest class of new undergraduate students in school history, 877 as of mid-September. The more than 3,100 undergraduate students enrolled this semester is another university record.

A number of campus renovations took place this past summer to enhance the campus lifestyle for students. Dining options upgraded with Freshens, a Sodexo brand offering wraps, rice bowls, acai bowls and vegan and vegetarian options for students with dietary preferences. The Student Activities Center’s basketball and racquetball courts were re-sanded and refinished to provide a more welcoming atmosphere for users.

In January, students will return from Christmas break to find a remodeled Bennett Campus Center with new furniture, lighting,

carpeting and the addition of more than 40 electrical and USB outlets in the common areas.

Students themselves were a catalyst for change this past year through the new 15-member President’s Student Advisory Council, established by President Candice McQueen to bring student voices straight to her door. Through monthly meetings with the president, the students provided input and perspective into projects such as the new on-campus dining options, better lighting in certain areas of campus, sustainable take-out packaging for the dining hall, new emergency response sirens, the Center for Vocational Discovery (see page 12) and Bison One Stop (see page 17). This year the Student Government Association president will have an automatic seat on the advisory committee, which strives to select members representing residential and commuter students, traditional and transfer students, and international and domestic students from various regions.

The advisory council was not the only way McQueen interacted with today’s students. From fielding a team for the annual Dodgeball tournament in the fall to taking selfies with the winning Singarama team in the spring, McQueen made a point of becoming an active part of student community life herself.

313 2022 Singarama Participants 40 Official Student Organizations

Throughout the school year, she participated in many studentfocused events such as residence hall activities, small group chapels and all the Beautiful Day activities.

The ripple effects of the Impact 360 strategic plan are already evident in the realm of student success as a reevaluation of the role of the Office of Student Life determined that the university’s enrollment, retention and student life efforts serve students most effectively when approached holistically. Thus, Dr. Matt Paden, executive vice president, has been assigned to permanently lead the student life area in addition to the offices of enrollment, marketing and university relations. As the executive vice president, he focuses on overall university effectiveness and serves as a member of the executive leadership team.

Prior to arriving at Lipscomb in August of 2013, Paden held a variety of leadership positions in the areas of enrollment management, athletics, student life and university advancement at Lubbock Christian University in Lubbock, Texas. He holds a doctoral degree in organizational leadership from the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology and bachelor’s and master’s degrees from LCU.

Since October 2021, the Office of Student Life has added 18 new student organizations, including the Lipscomb Soccer Club, Women in Animation, Lipscomb Lacrosse, Club Italiano and Bison Stampede. In addition, 276 new students have been added to the 10 on-campus social clubs, providing students the opportunity to establish a network of friends that extends beyond graduation.

Growth in these organizations stems from expanded opportunities for students to lead. Student worker positions in student life have been converted into internships that give them more hands-on experience shaping student-level programs. Policy structures put in place over the past few years have bloomed into less crossover student leadership, allowing more students the opportunity to lead and resulting in broader audiences and programming.

RAISING THE BAR FROM DAY ONE

The ability to achieve our vision and mission, and to thrive along the way, relies on our efficacy and vitality as an organization. In fall 2022, Lipscomb’s students experienced a start of school unlike any other before.

In a strong show of collaboration, the offices of the Registrar, Financial Aid, Information Technology and Business came together as one unit to serve the student body through Bison One Stop

With these four student services’ resources compiled online, and inperson support located in the lobby of the Crisman Administration Building, this first phase of Bison One Stop provides a single focal point for students with services delivered in a high quality customer service atmosphere, said Jeff Baughn, senior vice president of finance and technology.

In addition, the new Bison One Stop web page provides all students, particularly graduate students who often have families and daytime working hours, convenient access to answers at any time of day. Students can also request transcripts, address graduation issues and transfer credits through Bison One Stop.

“We’re focused on providing high quality, straightforward answers for our students,” said Baughn. “We want to deliver our best to our students every day so they can focus on their studies and on the relationships that they’re building while they’re here.

“This is a great example of how, when we collaborate across the departments with a singular focus, we can really raise the bar and deliver a much better product to our students.”

A CONTINUING JOURNEY TO SERVE ALL STUDENTS

IMPACT 360: BELONGING

Diversity, equity and belonging are essential elements to our collective success at Lipscomb, not because of any political imperative or philosophical persuasion, but because these are central teachings of Jesus and foundational components of our Christian faith.

When the university began its development of a strategic vision in fall 2021, the goal “to build a culture of diversity, equity and belonging” emerged as one of the top priorities of the Lipscomb community. While new endeavors toward meeting that goal were developed last year, many other established programs have a history of bringing racial and ethnic diversity to both campus and the surrounding community.

As a direct outgrowth of the Impact 360 strategic plan, President Candice McQueen established a task force of 11 high-level leaders to collaborate with her in examining the designated tactics and strategies of the plan and to determine practical methods to put them into real practice. This group will look at current policies and procedures with respect to faculty/staff hiring, promotion, tenure and student policies impacted by diversity.

The Respect Leads Council will be reinvigorated, adding some new members, including a student representative, and taking on more responsibility and assignments over the next year.

Building on its four existing pipeline programs to bring local students and educators into Middle Tennessee classrooms as teacherleaders, the LIFT Off to Lipscomb program was launched this past spring. The Leading and Innovating for Future Teachers (LIFT) program will provide full tuition and fees for a cohort of 10 Metro Nashville Public Schools students each year, to enter its teacher preparation program beginning in fall 2023. An example of a “grow your own” partnership, LIFT Off to Lipscomb is a strategy emerging across the country to help fill teacher shortage gaps.

Thanks to the continuing partnership between the Nissan Neighbors program and the Raymond B. Jones College of Engineering, 27 engineering majors at colleges across the nation were ahead of the game in their chosen college in the 2021-22 school year. The students completed the summer 2021 AERO Program (Accelerated Engineering Readiness Opportunity), a math bridge program for recent high school graduates interested in engineering who need to boost their math skills to enter the academic major. The one-week program was such a success last year that Nissan agreed to increase funding to extend the program to two weeks this summer to serve double the number of participants for two instead of one week.

In April, the School of Nursing was named one of the 30 most diverse nursing schools in America by RNtoMSN.org.

Using student completion data from nursing schools nationwide to uncover those with diverse student populations, the organization compared the schools’ population metrics to the averages from their states. Nursing schools that outperformed others in their state by the widest margins earned a most diverse nursing school award.

In May, the last of the recipients of the Raymond B. Jones College of Engineering’s S-STEM scholarships graduated with their degrees. Awarded from the National Science Foundation, the grant was designed to help bring engineering bachelor’s degrees to students in Nashville’s community colleges. Reaching out to Nashville, Columbia, Motlow, Roane and Volunteer state

community college students, the initiative brought more locals and a broader range of life experiences and racial categories to the Lipscomb engineering student body, with 28 Lipscomb graduates joining the ranks of professional engineers thanks to the program.

In another effort to reach out to community college students and graduates, a new partnership was established with Nashville State Community College to create a new pathway to earning a bachelor’s degree through Lipscomb’s online program. Students who successfully complete the associate degree offered by Nashville State are eligible to receive a 20% tuition discount when they enroll in Lipscomb Online.

MAKING AN IMPACT THROUGH DEEP CONNECTIONS

IMPACT 360: COMMUNITY

The Lipscomb community extends far beyond the boundaries of campus. In the past year, President Candice McQueen as well as representatives of the on-campus community have worked to deepen rich collaborations with off-campus communities, in ways both new and nostalgic.

With the theme “Be A Light,” the first year of McQueen’s tenure saw a gathering of the Bison Herd in cities across the Southeast and at special events on-campus during the March presidential inauguration. Traditions new and old, the lapse of Covid-19 restrictions and a renewed spirit of volunteerism brought the Lipscomb community together in ways that positively impacted both Bisons on-campus and people around the world.

The Be A Light Tour was an opportunity for McQueen to meet alumni, prospective students, donors and friends throughout the region. Stops in Huntsville, Memphis, Austin, Atlanta, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Louisville, Franklin, Murfreesboro, Charlotte and Chicago, allowed Lipscomb alumni to celebrate past accomplishments, hear about exciting university updates and be introduced to the Lipscomb Impact 360 strategic planning process. At each tour stop, Lipscomb presented a Shining Light Award to an alum in recognition of their life—

and light—that shines brightly in their own community through service to others.

In March, the Bison Herd and the Nashville community came together to celebrate the inauguration of McQueen, also with the theme “Be A Light.” As part of the university’s spiritual and vocational calling, a symposium on the topic “How to Be A Light in Today’s World,” was held for the Lipscomb community and the public, exploring how to elevate our faith in diverse areas of service and work: business, health care, entertainment, education and the public square. A campus showcase highlighted the creativity, thought leadership, innovation and academic rigor of the Lipscomb faculty, and students enjoyed the return of an old tradition made new with 21st century style.

Reviving a tradition that spans back to at least the 1930s, McQueen declared March 30 a “Beautiful Day,” giving university students a surprise day off from classes. She celebrated the day with students at on-campus activities including a brunch, a service project, food trucks, fair rides, a lawn party, roller skating and a concert. Taking the place of the 2022 Service Day, the Beautiful Day service project resulted in 300 bags of food filled for the Second Harvest Food Bank

and 1,000 buckets packed full of necessities for Healing Hands International to distribute to Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war in their nation.

As one of the first initiatives after her arrival, McQueen, former Tennessee education commissioner, encouraged the Lipscomb community to join the tnAchieves mentoring effort to provide student success mentoring to TN Promise Scholarship winners headed to college throughout the state. In fall 2021, 125 faculty and staff volunteered, setting a record across the state for the most university employees to serve as tnAchieves.

In the coming years, these efforts and more will be coordinated by one of Lipscomb’s own graduates, Keith Hinkle (’90), a higher ed veteran and longtime Pepperdine University administrator who began work as Lipscomb’s senior vice president of advancement in August. As an administrator at Pepperdine, Hinkle led a significant fundraising campaign, The Campaign for Pepperdine: Changing Lives, which raised more than $471 million. He also led successful efforts to build a vibrant annual giving program; a culture of giving; regional, international and alumni chapter programs and significant improvements in alumni engagement.

Former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, McQueen and Crissy Haslam

BUILDING CHARACTER WHILE DELIVERING OUR BEST

We strive to create passionate fans of Lipscomb, in every sphere of campus, but nowhere is this enthusiasm more evident than in the arenas and stadiums of Lipscomb, where student athletes display their athletic prowess, determination, self-discipline and leadership skills for the fans throughout the school year.

Lipscomb’s student athletes certainly worked hard last year to deliver their best, with team and individual athletes bringing record-breaking and award-winning performances both on the courts and fields of campus and in the classrooms.

For the seventh time in its history, Lipscomb Athletics went to the top of the class, winning the 2021-2022 ASUN Conference Academic Trophy. Lipscomb achieved the honor with 89.97% of its student athletes earning a 3.0 grade point-average or better—the highest percentage by any school in conference history. The Bisons had 242 of its more than 270 student athletes eclipse the 3.0 GPA honor roll mark, while seven

different programs put 100% of their athletes on the honor roll. The Bisons have brought home this prestigious trophy six of the last eight years it has been awarded.

In fall 2021, the Lipscomb women’s soccer team won its third ASUN championship in the past four years and earned its way to the national NCAA tournament. The team’s victory made Kevin O’Brien the winningest coach in the history of the women’s program. The men’s soccer team won the ASUN Tournament championship for the third time, and also advanced to the NCAA Tournament.

Men’s basketball center Ahsan Asadullah became the first player in ASUN Conference history to collect 1,400 points, 800 rebounds and 300 assists in a career in a January victory over the University of North Florida. The Bisons won the game 77-74 thanks to Asadullah’s history-making seventh double-double of the season. Asadullah finished that game with 19 points,

Women’s Soccer 2021 ASUN Champions

Team or Individual Appearances in NCAA Tournaments

121

Baptisms Among Student Athletes Over the Past Decade

150+

Fall 2022 United Soccer Coaches National Poll Ranking for Men’s Soccer

Participants in Fellowship of Christian Athletes

12 rebounds, five assists and three steals. During his Lipscomb career, the 6-foot-9 center from Atlanta has been among the most dominant centers in the country for the Bisons.

Graduate student Jonathan Schwind completed his track and field career at Lipscomb on a high note by finishing as the eighth best runner in the nation in the 800m event at the NCAA Track and Field Championship in Eugene, Oregon. This was the second consecutive year he competed at the NCAA national tournament. During the 2021-2022 season, Schwind earned a spot on all three All-Conference Teams, the ASUN All-Academic Team and a title at the ASUN Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

The baseball team left its mark on the record books in 2022 with four single-season team records in home runs (67), most strikeouts (525), lowest opponent batting average (.240) and most strikeouts in a nine-inning game (9.25). The team finished the season with a 35-23 overall record, the most wins since 2015, and a 20-10 ASUN record, improving from just 18 wins during the 2021 season.

Jonathan Schwind Ahsan Asadullah

The fourth annual Day of Giving was more successful than any before with 4,748 contributors obliterating the original $1 million goal to raise $2,120,938 in the 24-hour period. Thanks to supporters who pledged matching funds, $500,000 was raised in total for the Lipscomb Opportunity Scholarship Fund.

A MISSION BIGGER THAN OURSELVES

In 2021-2022, Lipscomb’s endowment funds not only provided opportunities for students to obtain a college degree, but they also offered opportunities for the contributors: to make a difference in the future, to invest in the next generation of Christian leaders and to be a part of creating a brighter future and God’s Kingdom here on earth.

Contributors to Lipscomb University came together this past year to support students’ exploration of science, vocation, leadership and faith in ways deeper and more innovative than ever before. They marked historic records with their generous giving and laid a foundation for the Impact 360 goal to boost the Lipscomb Opportunity Scholarship Fund by $100 million.

Every morning when I wake up, I thank the Lord for the opportunities He will put before me that day at Lipscomb because they are always a joy and are shaping me into the person I want to be. With the help of the Lipscomb Opportunity Scholarship, I am able to thrive at a university that is looking out for my future and well-being!”

— Anna Belle Skidmore, Elementary Education, Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Left: The Dillard Family Foundation, established by Max and Gayle Dillard of Dallas, Texas, was the lead donor for the new Center for Vocational Discovery, dedicated to preparing students for their chosen career, while also discovering their life’s purpose.

Right: The McClure Center for Faith and Science was opened and named in honor of Brenda and Dr. Robert McClure who made the lead gift and played an integral role in developing the college’s faith and science initiative.

LIPSCOMB OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP FUND: INVESTING IN OUR STUDENTS

Accessibility, attainability, affordability are key characteristics that attract students who seek a Christian education at a premier institution like Lipscomb. A robust scholarship initiative is what Lipscomb must champion as it claims its rightful place among preeminent Christian higher education institutions.

Lipscomb is a nationally recognized research institution with academically rigorous programs and talented, intentional faculty who serve as innovative leaders in their fields. Our undergraduate and graduate programs have been ranked among the highest in the country, including our education, health care and business programs, to name a few.

Yet, despite the incredible accolades, Lipscomb lags behind peer and aspirational institutions when it comes to scholarship accessibility. Our overall endowment fund sat at $104 million as reported in FY2021 and is insufficient to support attracting and retaining talented students who cannot afford Lipscomb. As Lipscomb continues to rise in the eyes of prospective students as a top-choice destination, we must position ourselves in an extremely competitive educational marketplace and offer robust scholarship packages that include immediate assistance.

Lipscomb is growing. Students are clamoring for the Lipscomb experience. The record-setting number of new students in fall 2022 shows that students and families today desire the distinctive preparation for a rewarding career and purposeful life that Lipscomb provides. The Lipscomb Opportunity Scholarship Fund provides immediate assistance to those who need extra financial aid to help make their dreams of a Lipscomb University education come true.

These scholarships not only make Lipscomb more competitive, but they also make Lipscomb more affordable. An average gift

of less than $5,000 per academic year makes a meaningful difference in whether a student chooses Lipscomb and whether they can afford to stay.

Since the opportunity fund’s establishment in 2020, nearly $842,000 has been raised and 135 students have benefited from the fund so far. Lipscomb’s current undergraduate enrollment, however, is more than 3,000 students, with the Office of Financial Aid currently managing more than $66 million in scholarships for the undergraduate population.

As increasing competition in higher education continues to rise, the ability to offer students immediate assistance through the Lipscomb Opportunity Scholarship Fund is paramount.

The Impact 360 strategic plan includes a goal to raise $100 million for this fund. Completion of the goal will allow Lipscomb increased ability to:

• Provide immediate assistance to help students and families who need extra financial aid to make their dreams of a Lipscomb education come true;

• Promote more higher education opportunities to students from all economic backgrounds;

• Attract additional highly recruited and top-achieving students who receive outstanding financial aid packages from other institutions.

For many families, the decision of where to attend college is determined by where the student will receive the best financial aid package. They should not have to choose financial security over a premier, learner-focused Christian education leading to a life of purpose. Investing in the Lipscomb Opportunity Scholarship Fund clears the path to academic excellence for today’s students and prepares them for bright futures as tomorrow’s leaders.

IMPACT 360: SIX NEXT STEPS TO PRESS ON TOWARD THE GOAL

In order for Lipscomb to make the life-changing impact we dream about, we must cultivate clarity, focus and action. Through developing the Impact 360 plan last year, we have clarified who we are, determined the right direction for our path and identified the signposts along the journey.

A strategic plan is not the end of the process; it is actually the beginning of the work. To reach our signposts along the way, we have to begin with a first step. With God as a light unto our feet, Lipscomb is now embarking upon its first steps of the journey in the 2022-2023 school year.

Over the next year, Lipscomb will endeavor to:

Provide a premier, learner-focused Christian education…

…through redefining the general education curriculum by inaugurating the new Lipscomb Core, a rigorous Christian liberal arts curriculum providing Lipscomb undergraduates with a well-rounded basis for living well and for pursuing further study in their chosen majors. The Lipscomb Core will serve as a common educational experience for all students that helps them understand their own identity as part of The Herd and what it means to be a Christian thinker in today’s world. As retiring Provost Craig Bledsoe, a political science scholar, put it, “The Lipscomb Core will train good citizens for our country, and will also train great citizens for the Kingdom.” In fall 2022, faculty and new Provost Jennifer Shewmaker, even at the first faculty meeting of the school year, began a collaborative, strategic analysis of the current general education curriculum.

Promote and develop spiritual growth and transformation across our community…

…through integration and consistent use of the Centering Core: Confession of Faith. In 2017, the Board of Trustees charged College of Bible & Ministry leaders to explore what should be Lipscomb’s “centering core” in the face of a society becoming evermore divided. The result was a written Confession of Faith that outlines what we as a community believe is central to the Christian faith. At that time, the draft of a second Centering Core statement declaring our heritage, and thus our identity as an institution, was developed. In the coming year, the Board of Trustees is assessing the existing language of the Centering Core heritage statement and how it can best lead to a practical, ethical foundation for daily Christian life. According to the Impact 360 plan, the Centering Core Part II: Heritage should honor Lipscomb’s contemporary relationship to Churches of Christ and provide guidelines for implementing the Centering Core Part III: Practices in missional, educational and operational activities.

Recruit, support, retain and graduate students with the tools for a purposeful life…

…by establishing a holistic approach to nurturing students’ mental, social, emotional, physical and spiritual well-being, in part by developing a specific first-year experience for traditional freshmen. In higher education, first-year experience programs can consist of for-credit courses, co-curricular common experiences such as common reads, performances or experiential learning, or any sort of cohort learning that helps students smoothly transition from high school to college while also gelling as a community on campus. In 2021-2022, Lipscomb implemented programs that could eventually become part of a holistic first-year experience program: Freshman Chapel coordinated by the Center for Vocational Discovery and the Lipscomb Mentoring Network coordinated by the Office of Spiritual Formation. In 2022-2023, university leaders will assess what partnerships and collaborations throughout campus could help build a first-year experience that fosters learning and smooth transitions throughout the higher education journey to student success.

Build a culture of diversity, equity and belonging where people thrive as image-bearers of God…

…by increasing hiring and retention of faculty, staff and administration of historically underrepresented groups, in part by developing a “grow our own” strategy to nurture a more robust representation of faculty and administration. Lipscomb’s program will strive to identify worthy talent among undergraduate and graduate students, instructors and staff who would then be nurtured through mentorship and financial support to obtain a doctorate and become faculty at Lipscomb. Grow your own partnerships nationwide focus on increasing access and removing barriers to academia, filling shortages in critical subject areas, increasing the diversity of faculty and developing and retaining professors from the local community.

Expand our engagement, influence and impact through forging deep connections with communities, organizations and alumni…

…by prioritizing and enhancing alumni programming and services, including rebranding and expanding Lifelong Learning to serve alumni and friends of Lipscomb through different stages of their lives. Lifelong Learning’s accessible, non-credit academic courses have proven to be a successful avenue for cultivating and strengthening relationships beyond alumni and have broadened the university’s presence in the Greater Nashville area, making it a pivotal player in the university’s community engagement goals. In the coming year, Lifelong Learning coordinators will work to expand the program’s reach, to significantly grow its offerings and initiate monetary strategies to support the program by May 2026.

Empower and sustain a culture of effectiveness, efficiency, collaboration and financial strength across our community…

…by developing a common framework to manage performance, engagement and well-being for all employees. In the 2021-2022 school year, the Executive and Senior Leadership Teams began using the SMART goals approach to identifying their priorities for the year. Each leader developed specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (SMART) goals to define the priorities of their department for the year. In 2022-2023, the SMART goals process has rolled out to the next level of leadership and staff, who have developed equivalent goals that fit within the framework of their department. In August 2023, the SMART goals process will begin for all faculty and staff, bringing all employees within a common framework to promote continual improvement, cross training, succession planning and leadership pipeline development.

See the entire Impact 360 strategic plan at lipscomb.edu/mission.

VISION

Anchored in our Christ-centered mission, Lipscomb University will lead as a top-tier, nationally recognized institution. We will excel in teaching, learning and research; be ambitious in our service to others; and be driven by continuous improvement.

MISSION

We are a Christ-centered community preparing learners for purposeful lives through rigorous academics and transformative experiences.

OUR CORE TENETS

We are a community engaged with the life and teachings of Jesus. We are committed to an ongoing search for truth. We provide excellent, whole-person learning experiences to shape lives of character, leadership, service and faith.

We equip people to succeed in their vocation and contribute to the common good by living out their faith in action.

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

Candice McQueen President

Lindsay Bales Chief of Staff

Jeff Baughn Senior Vice President of Finance and Technology

Kim Chaudoin Vice President of Public Relations and Communications

Keith Hinkle Senior Vice President of Advancement Hope Nordstrom Special Counsel to the President for Strategy

Matt Paden Executive Vice President

Jennifer Shewmaker Provost

Brad Schultz

Lipscomb Academy Head of School

William Turner Special Counsel to the President for Equity, Diversity and Belonging David Wilson General Counsel

One University Park Drive | Nashville, TN 37204 | lipscomb.edu