By Elizabeth Clarke, LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) - Louisiana Christian University held its first baccalaureate service, May 8, at First Baptist Church in Pineville for its graduating seniors - something President Mark Johnson said will become an important tradition moving forward. “This was a time of prayer and to show our thankfulness to God for the conclusion of this journey for these students,” Johnson said. “Commencement is a time for awards and congratulations. The baccalaureate is a time for honoring the Lord with praise.” Stewart Holloway, pastor with FBC Pineville, delivered a charge to the graduates. He encouraged the students to continue believing in God even though they may feel uncertainty in their future paths. “Graduation is a time of disorientation,” he said. “One day, you know exactly what you are. You have a routine, a schedule, and the very next day you don’t.” Reading from Ecclesiastes 3, he told the students their lives will be full of highs and lows and everything between, but that God is in control of all of it — even when the purpose may be unclear. “Behind every season of life stands the good purpose and plans of God,” Holloway said. “There will be moments you’ll feel at the top … [Read more...]

 By LCU News PINEVILLE (LCU News) - Louisiana Christian University’s tennis team may be young—the program restarted just three years ago—but it’s definitely a smash. The tennis team, led by Coach Alexandra Starkova, who began resurrecting the team in 2022 thanks to some generous donors, finished its regular season ranked #13 in the nation, with a 12-6 record, including conference matches, some of which are D1 schools.  LCU previously had both men’s and women’s tennis from 1997 until 2016, when the program was disbanded.   “The opportunity to join LCU came from an unexpected place, and now the program is healthier than ever with its first-ever winning records, national appearances, updated facilities, and frequent visits from fans that the courts had not seen since the tennis team’s inception,” Starkova said.  The hard work that Starkova and her players have put in has paid off. In a history-making season, the tennis team heads to the NAIA National Tournament Championship being held in Mobile, Alabama, May 12-16. Only 24 teams in the country will be competing for the title.   “Congratulations to our LCU tennis team on an outstanding season,” said President Mark Johnson. “Your hard work, discipline and sportsmanship have made … [Read more...]

Louisiana Christian University has been awarded a grant from The Rapides Foundation for $25,700 for the Beyond Graduation Program, a project designed to close the gap between high school seniors who graduate and apply to postsecondary institutions and those who enroll and complete a postsecondary certificate or degree. Beyond Graduation is a partnership between Career Compass of Louisiana, school districts in nine central Louisiana parishes, and six post-secondary institutions.  Beyond Graduation is funded by a grant from The Rapides Foundation. To be eligible for the program at LCU, students must be from one of the following parishes: Allen, Avoyelles, Catahoula, Grant, LaSalle, Natchitoches, Rapides, Vernon, and Winn. Students must also meet one of the following criteria: be first-generation college students, have economic hardship, have a qualifying academic record and related factors, or have a referral from an administrator, teacher, counselor, or Career Compass coach. For more information about the services available through this program at LCU, contact Beyond Graduation coach Emily Couvillion at emily.couvillion@lcuniversity.edu. … [Read more...]

By Elizabeth Clarke, LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) - Comedian Mike Goodwin delivered many laughs and life lessons during the 4th Annual Dr. Maggie Martin Marketplace Leadership Summit, April 14, at Louisiana Christian University. Known for his ability to make his audiences laugh, learn and grow, Goodwin offered attendees a refreshingly clean brand of authentic humor, drawing on everyday life experiences. Following a hilarious comedy set, Goodwin finished with some inspirational remarks for leaders. “Mike has taken his talent that God has given him and parlayed it into something that also lifts the hearts and minds of people,” said LCU President Mark Johnson. Goodwin said he has only gotten to where he is in life by the grace of God and through good leadership along the way. He encouraged the crowd, as believers in Christ, to have joy. “Joy is a fruit of the spirit,” he said. “It’s incumbent upon us to be some of the most joyous people on Earth. Fill yourselves with joy. Sorrow doesn’t care about your schedule, so make sure you’re full of joy.” He offered three tips for those in leadership positions in their organizations and families. Be diligent. He encouraged attendees to be diligent in everything … [Read more...]

By Elizabeth Clarke, LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) - Louisiana Christian University honors students presented research at the 6th Annual C.S. Lewis Honors Forum, April 11. Ten students presented at this year’s forum. “It is a privilege to see our C. S. Lewis Honors Students' projects come to a fruitful conclusion at the C. S. Lewis Honors Forum,” said Sarah Payne, director of the C.S. Lewis Honors Program. “I continue to be impressed with the students and their dedication to academic excellence and growth in their chosen fields.” Sarah Grace Becker, a senior elementary education major from Springtown, Texas, presented “The Think Aloud Strategy: Modeling Thoughts in 4th Grade ELA.” The goal of Becker’s research was to assess the effectiveness of the think-aloud strategy for elementary students in both large and small groups during lessons about finding evidence and matching claims to evidence. Becker’s immediate plan after graduation is to teach elementary school. Samuel Hair, a senior public relations major from Sulphur, presented “Phantom Terror: How a Public Relations Meltdown Turned Three Mile Island into a Disaster.” Hair’s research examined the 1979 mechanical failure at the Three Mile Island … [Read more...]

By Elizabeth Clarke, LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) - “Would you ever be able to catch someone in a lie if there was no truth?” Renowned Christian apologist Frank Turek asked the crowd, April 7, inside Louisiana Christian University’s Guinn Auditorium. Turek, founder of CrossExamined.org and host of the program “I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist” addressed four questions. Does truth exist? Does God exist? Are miracles possible? Is the New Testament true? He said we live in a relativist post-modern world today, where some people argue that all truth is relative. However, there can’t be “my truth” or “your truth,” only “the truth.” “Instead of teaching kids how to think, we are teaching them what to feel,” he said. “So many things you hear today violate the law of non-contradiction.” The law of non-contradiction states that two opposing ideas cannot both be true. For example, the statement “there isn’t the truth, only my truth.” If there is no truth, then that statement can’t be the truth. “There’s only one answer to ‘Jesus Christ rose from the dead.’ It doesn’t matter if you believe it or not,” Turek said. “Do you have to believe in gravity to stay on the ground? Do people who don’t … [Read more...]

By LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) - The Louisiana Athletic Club will celebrate its 25th birthday, April 9 at 10 a.m. Among the activities planned are cake, door prizes, including LAC merchandise and memberships, and zero-enrollment-fee memberships with a 12-month contract for $25 per month. … [Read more...]