Debora Mekonnen
English 1102
SAR Paper
March 9, 2022
Summary
Lipscomb University is a private Christian university in Nashville, Tennesse, founded by David Lipscomb and James A. Harding. The ideal student for Lipscomb is God fearing and a devoted Christian. Lipscomb encourages spiritual growth and cares deeply for its “well-rounded education,” which is why any student should be lucky to even be considered. It allows students to find their individual path due to small classroom sizes which differ from other universities. As for academics, it is a “nationally recognized research institution” whose undergraduate and graduate programs have been ranked one of the highest.
Analysis
The Lipscomb University web page uses the large rhetorical strategy of Inhabiting/ Engaging Social Roles and the rhetorical style of audience to persuade a certain group of readers. The social roles they play at Lipscomb University would be closest to stepfamily. The website tries to make you feel welcome, so often that it can come off as them trying a little too hard to prove something. And although they try to make you feel welcome, there’s still something missing. The rhetorical style of audience used was made to gain students with similar beliefs and faith and take the approach of religious paths to influence those across the country that this would be the best college for them. They mostly engage readers by using the rhetorical style of audience, mostly when touching on the “foundation of faith” (LU, 4) and togetherness. The target audience is towards Christians and those who believe of a higher power. More specifically those who believes their calling is specifically from God His self. However, religion and faith are not the only things Lipscomb tries to persuade readers with.
Their page not only leads to an influence on spiritual students but to academic ranking seekers as well. “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,” (LU, 2) it states. By stating this, it influences new students to take this knowledge and use it as a pro to pick this specific college. It also speaks about community and clubs, and it promises you an ideal place where people are accepted and connected through belief. Lipscomb’s primary focus is on faith and religion, and if people take a quick glance, it sometimes looks like that is all they have to offer students. But reading it thoroughly can cause students to do a double-take, realizing they may indeed have more to offer than they presumed. Lipscomb has clubs and programs that help deepen their students’ knowledge, they offer rigorous academic help.
While Lipscomb may be an all-around all about Christ school, they also seem to promise that students there “succeed in academic excellence” (LU, 6). Which shown on their page, seems to be true. Lipscomb is ranked high as a top-tier national university. They help students with academic issues, lending them resources and programs that help better their understanding and education. “You will be part of a campus recognized as much for its quality as its generosity, with programs that propel your imagination as much as your career, technologies that transcend boundaries as they build communities, faculty whose curiosity is matched only by their compassion, and students like yourself whose characters are as deep as their faith” (LU, 1). Most Universities go in with the intent of capturing students with facts and academics, but Lipscomb leading with compassion and friendship changes the narrative. By continuing with this, they engage students with a “everyone loves it here” attitude, their initial intent making them different from any other establishment.
In this website, they try to prove to readers that they would love it there, of course using Inhabiting / Engaging Social Roles the rhetorical style of audience. Eventually, the stepfamily starts to feel alright, like a second home almost, once they get comfortable. And as for the audience, although they seem to highlight faith as well as which group to target, they prove that although Lipscomb may be a Christian school, their schooling is nothing but top tier. Their community and togetherness show you that anybody is welcome. These types of things influence new coming first-year students, that have no idea of what to expect of college. If anything, Lipscomb is a great decision for students that may feel like they won’t fit in at most schools. They use this to their advantage, knowing they have what most schools do not, love, peers and faculty that genuinely care.
Response
If money were not the issue, I honestly don’t think I would go, it’s nothing personal, it just doesn’t seem like they have much diversity at Lipscomb, due to the pictures they display. It seems like even for groups, sports, and clubs it only displays white people, versus any other race. Aside from this, I have always imagined staying in Goergia. But if this school resided in Georgia and if it were more diverse, I’d definitely want to attend. Although I am Christian, the specific type of Christianity that the school teaches and what I personally follow do not align. Although it might cause problems, I believe that as long as I don’t engage in all aspects of the religious part of the school, I will be alright. My religious background is of the Orthodox church, similar to the Catholic beliefs but still not quite the same. Past the religious barriers, the academic aspect looks good and exciting but for all its claims on the website, you would think it was a nationwide known school, but it seems like the only people that take a knowing to it, is if you resign in Tennesse. To me, it seems like a union, with friendship and care from the students and teachers. Although a few values about faith align with mine, it makes me feel like their caring and nurturing is authentic. I have to say, If I were a senior in high school trying to see which school would be best for me, I would have chosen this one, if it was in Georgia, of course. They sell it well when it comes to capturing the new coming first-year audience. Personally, I feel that I would have blended in well, this says a lot since I’ve never been able to blend well in previous schools. I just wish there were a bit more diversity showcased. If it were not for the lack of diversity Lipscomb University would be my dream school.
Lipscomb University College of Business EARNS AACSB International Accreditation. Lipscomb University | A Private Christian College in Nashville Tenn. (n.d.). Retrieved March 8, 2022, from https://www.lipscomb.edu/