A small town girl from Dickson County, she attended Lipscomb after falling in love with the campus on a 6th grade field trip. She was a multi-sport athlete who cultivated her love for cheerleading, and Tess Mazzoline Thompson has absolutely no regrets about her four years in front of Bison crowds. She told us about her new marriage, her value of the friends she made at Lipscomb, and her promising career when she sat down this week with LipscombSports.com.

What years did you compete for Lipscomb?

I was a cheerleader from Fall 2009 through Spring 2013, and Amy Cozart Benefield was our coach.

What teammates were most memorable?

My best friends to this day are the girls I met on this team. We still talk every week, and they served as bridesmaids in my wedding. None of us knew each other before cheerleader tryouts, and then somehow we became a family on that team. I will forever be grateful for my time as a Lipscomb Cheerleader, and to Amy for bringing us together.

What degrees have you earned?

I earned a BBA in Marketing and Accounting from Lipscomb in May 2013, and I added an MBA from Lipscomb in May 2019.

Why did you attend Lipscomb?

When I was in middle school, the administrators and teachers took honor roll students to a different college every year for a field trip/reward. One year (I think it was the 6th grade), we went to Lipscomb. I fell in love with the campus on that trip and said, "I want to come here one day."

What is your favorite athletic memory at Lipscomb?

We used to pile up in the car and go to the Mazatlan in Brentwood every Wednesday before cheerleading practice. Seems crazy now (Mexican Food before working out … WHAT??), but I cherish those memories together! Honestly, my best memories are just the time spent with the team. Even though practice seemed like a drag back then, it brought us together several times a week. Life is so crazy once you get out of school. You don't get to see anyone nearly as often as you did while in school.

Who influenced your athletic career at Lipscomb?

My greatest influencer was our coach, Amy Benefield. She really cared about making us more than “just the cheerleaders." She wanted us to be leaders at the school in general, and everything I learned on that team has transferred over to my career: working with people you may not always like, following through on commitments, being on time, becoming a team player, picking up the slack when another teammate can’t do as much, working hard to get what you want, and more. The list goes on and on.

What do you remember about Lipscomb campus life during your time here?

Lipscomb has the best campus, in my opinion. I never attended other schools, but I did tour them. There is just something special about Lipscomb's self-contained campus. The grounds are beautiful (like a park), and it’s ostracized just enough to feel like you are away -- somewhere special, but close enough to Nashville to do whatever you want (shop, eat, hang out). I especially loved anytime the weather was nice enough to be able to eat lunch outside.

What is the most valuable lesson you learned in your time at Lipscomb?

People are looking to us (students/alumni) as an example for what the right behavior is. Don't lead them astray.

Who were your favorite professors & why?

I liked all of my teachers, but my two favorites were Jeff Mankin and Ray Eldridge. Both saw potential in me and encouraged me to pursue my strengths, even when I didn't see them. Jeff encouraged me to further my education in accounting (I was initially a marketing major), and because of that advice, I have a career today that I completely love. I never would have ended up in this position without his encouragement setting that path in motion. Ray knew about a side business I was running out of my apartment to earn extra money to cover school expenses. He encouraged me to enter into a young entrepreneur scholarship competition, and I WON! It was a huge scholarship. It honestly still blows my mind when I think about it, and I never would have known about it or pursued it without his encouragement. Whether they know it or not, these two professors changed my life and helped get me where I am today. I am so thankful for them both!

Where did you grow up?

I was born in Columbia, TN. I moved to Dickson, TN in 3rd grade and later graduated from Dickson County High School. Growing up, I played basketball, ran track, and did cheerleading and dance. When I gave up other sports to pursue my love of cheerleading, my track coach told me I would never get a scholarship for cheerleading – not because he didn’t think I was good enough, but just because schools weren't really giving scholarships for cheerleading like they were for other sports back then. But he was wrong! Lipscomb gave me a scholarship for cheerleading, and I am so thankful for the opportunities it generated for me then and ever since!

What do you do now?

I am Senior Director of Mergers & Acquisitions for a publicly traded Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) here in Nashville named CoreCivic. We specialize in purpose built, mission critical government real estate solutions. My team leads all of the growth in the organization from a buying standpoint, whether that be acquiring a company or just real estate properties/portfolios that fit our investment thesis. My team also manages any dispositions or repositioning of the assets in our portfolio. It is very exciting, fast paced work, and I am thrilled to be part of such a hard working team who challenge me every day to be both a better individual/leader out in society as well as in our organization.

Tell us about your family:

I just married Brent Jordan Thompson on May 11, 2019. We met when I was a junior at Lipscomb. Although Brent didn’t attend Lipscomb, he was a childhood friend with a Bison Baseball player, Matthew Bowling. Through the athletics program, I became friends with many of our athletes, even those outside of cheerleading and the sports we cheered for. Matt introduced Brent to me in January 2012, and the rest is history. We live in Nashville right now, with hopes of moving to Franklin in the next year and starting a family.

FAST FINISH:

Favorite food: A really good steak with a baked potato
Favorite TV show or movie: I'm more of a book girl...
Favorite Bible scripture: Matthew 7:1-5 – “Judge not, that ye be not judged.”
Favorite sports team: The Lipscomb Bisons!! Duh!
Pet peeve: Gum chewing! Don't do it, y’all!
Person I most admire: My husband Brent - he challenges me every day to be better than the day before.
Person I’d most like to meet: Kate Middleton (embarrassing, I know)
Rather ride or drive? I prefer to drive! I love driving. My first car had a manual transmission.
Pick one – salad or dessert: Dessert!
Dream vacation spot: I have lots - but next on the list is Greek Isles!
Early morning or late night person? Neither – I want to be asleep at both of these times.

You can reach Tess by email at: tess.thompson@corecivic.com

Tell us about your family:

I just married Brent Jordan Thompson on May 11, 2019. We met when I was a junior at Lipscomb. Although Brent didn’t attend Lipscomb, he was a childhood friend with a Bison Baseball player, Matthew Bowling. Through the athletics program, I became friends with many of our athletes, even those outside of cheerleading and the sports we cheered for. Matt introduced Brent to me in January 2012, and the rest is history. We live in Nashville right now, with hopes of moving to Franklin in the next year and starting a family.

 FAST FINISH:

• Favorite food: A really good steak with a baked potato
• Favorite TV show or movie: I'm more of a book girl...
• Favorite Bible scripture: Matthew 7:1-5 – “Judge not, that ye be not judged.”
• Favorite sports team: The Lipscomb Bisons!! Duh!
• Pet peeve: Gum chewing! Don't do it, y’all!
• Person I most admire: My husband Brent - he challenges me every day to be better than the day before.
• Person I’d most like to meet: Kate Middleton (embarrassing, I know)
• Rather ride or drive? I prefer to drive! I love driving. My first car had a manual transmission.
• Pick one – salad or dessert: Dessert!
• Dream vacation spot: I have lots - but next on the list is Greek Isles!
• Early morning or late night person? Neither – I want to be asleep at both of these times.

You can reach Tess by email at: tess.thompson@corecivic.com