Class of 2009 raising funds to renew class gift tradition
Chris Pepple |
David Lipscomb founded this university in 1891. The Lipscomb Class of 2009 has voted to honor this founder with a statue as their gift to the university. The seniors are renewing the tradition of offering a class gift to Lipscomb after a 40-year lapse in the custom. More than 200 seniors cast their online ballots in September and voted for one of four proposals: a statue of David Lipscomb, an endowment scholarship, a fountain, and a baptismal garden. These proposals were selected by the Senior Class committee members.
The 2009 Senior Class Committee includes: Charde Blair, Austin Davidson, Amber Davis, Allison Durham, D.J. Farris (chair and SGA President), Jonathan Farris, Mary Owen Holmes, Larry Morris, Blake Temple, and Sheena Troyer.
The location of the statue is still to be determined. However, the sculptor selected by the committee is Ira Chaffin in Birmingham, Ala. The goal of the senior class is to raise the $32,000 needed to build the statue.
The Senior Class Gift Campaign strives to show soon-to-be-alumni the impact financial gifts have at the university and to increase participation and the tradition of giving at Lipscomb. The seniors are starting a tradition that will last a lifetime. By giving a gift to the annual fund through the Senior Class Gift Campaign, each senior will ensure Lipscomb University continues to attract excellent students and maintains its high academic reputation.
“Forty years from now when we bring our families back on campus, back to the Nashville community, back to the Lipscomb community, we will see what we contributed to together as a class. We can say we came together as a senior class, unified and accomplished a big goal. I can think of no better way to conclude our college careers here than to bring the physical form of David Lipscomb back to the grounds he once walked. I am part of a committee challenging our class to support this project. We want them to see that their contribution now will bring forward priceless memories for all of us. The statue will become an icon at Lipscomb just as the Bison has become,” said Farris.
"We are excited to have the senior class renewing the tradition of the senior class gift. It will be exciting to see this project come together," said Sonja Hayes, director of annual giving and special programs at Lipscomb.
Click here to contribute to the Senior Class Gift Campaign online.