ON THE COVER Liberty University served as the host site for this year’s global Collegiate Day of Prayer on Feb. 26. A live simulcast from the Vines Center featured the Liberty Worship Collective, LU Praise, and special guests. Read more on Page 32.
PHOTO BY Ethan Smith
Contact the Liberty Journal at news@liberty.edu, (434) 592-4955, or write to: Liberty University Office of Communications & Public Engagement
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Liberty remains one of the largest private, nonprofit universities in the nation and the largest university in Virginia. Located near the Blue Ridge Mountains on more than 7,000 acres in Lynchburg, Va., Liberty utilizes its world-class infrastructure and Christian faculty to offer more than 700 unique programs of study from the certificate to the doctoral level. Over 600 programs are offered online. For information on Liberty’s academic programs, the admission process, alumni, or athletics, call (434) 582-2000.
FEATURES
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
18| BIBLICAL INTEGRATION
4| A MIGHTY LEGACY
The last U.S.-registered DC-8 aircraft was donated to Liberty, where it will stand as a tribute to mission aviation.
10| RIGHT ON TARGET
Alumni brothers Josh and Jason Carman, the creators of Popdarts, share the values that make their business stick.
14| CARING FOR THE FLOCK
Liberty’s 280 Resident Shepherds are on hand to help guide their peers along the college journey.
As a distinctly Christian university, Liberty empowers its professors to teach every course from a biblical worldview.
20| CAREERS THAT MATTER
Alumnus Ken Coleman of “The Ramsey Show” teaches career readiness workshops for students.
24| BRICK BY BRICK
“LEGO Masters” winner uses his talent and testimony to build on his success.
GOSPELOLOGY CONVO
On Feb. 6, Liberty University celebrated the rich tradition and history of gospel music and the African American church experience at its annual Gospelology Convocation. The LU Praise gospel choir joined gospel singer Cassie Richardson, guest musicians, and local pastors Bishop S.Y. Younger and Bishop Terence M. Sykes in leading worship. Music included inspirational anthems like “Just Another Day,” “That’s My King,” “Break Every Chain,” and “Down Through the Years.”
Dr. Robert Smith Jr., a preacher and retired professor from Samford University, delivered a message on Acts 12 and “living beyond the minor chord.” Smith said circumstances in our lives often have both minor chords (sounds of “gloom, doom, and despair”) and major chords (sounds of “hope, happiness, and harmony”).
At the end of his message, he preached through song, emphasizing how one day, in eternity with Jesus, there will no longer be “minor chords.”
The Convocation ended with a video on the life and legacy of Richard Smallwood, a worldrenowned gospel music composer who died on Dec. 30. The artists led students in singing his hit song “Center of My Joy.”
Over the years, the Gospelology Convocation has highlighted gospel greats from past and present, such as Kirk Franklin, Andre Crouch, Hezekiah Walker, Tye Tribbett, CeCe Winans, and Walter Hawkins. Watch this year’s event on Liberty’s YouTube channel.
26| MAKING THE GRADE Liberty’s education graduates fulfill their unique callings to impact the next generation.
NEWS & VIEWS
30| MESSAGE FROM THE CHANCELLOR Liberty students are developing a hunger for the Word of God in their lives.
34| 250 YEARS OF AMERICA
Upcoming events to celebrate our nation’s milestone birthday
44| SCHOLAR’S VIEWPOINT
Divinity Professor Dr. Gaylen P. Leverett shares a philosophy for authentic Christian education.
ATHLETICS
48| SUPER BOWL DREAMS FULFILLED
DeMario Douglas talks about being the second former LU player to compete in the Big Game.
50| BACK ON TURF
Known on social media as World Cup Dad, former football player Zach Duke becomes a self-taught soccer star.
51| ON MISSION
Club Sports teams travel overseas for outreach opportunities.
ALUMNI & FRIENDS
56| MENTORING THE NEXT GENERATION
Meet Alumnus of the Year Greg Petroff (’91).
60| CLASS NOTES
Alumni news and updates
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
The headlines concerning higher education in America today paint a picture of academia in crisis. There is no shortage of secular institutions scrambling to fix declining enrollment, for example, but Christian colleges and universities are moving in the opposite direction by majoring on what matters most.
Schools in the International Alliance for Christian Education, representing many of the nation’s most conservative Christian colleges and of which Liberty is a member, have seen as much as a 10 percent or higher increase in enrollment in the past decade.
Liberty surpassed 16,000 residential students for the first time in Fall 2024 and remained steady this past fall with nearly 16,200 students — a 15.7% increase from Fall 2015. We expect to hit another record in our online program by this summer, enrolling more than 132,000 students.
Why are authentic Christian institutions like Liberty thriving in today’s higher education landscape? Because families are seeking schools that are unapologetically faithful to their core mission. In a recent parent survey by the Center for Academic Faithfulness & Flourishing, Christian character was the single most important factor in selecting a college, followed by academic excellence and campus safety.
Having spent the bulk of my professional life serving in roles where “mission” really matters, I have seen firsthand the importance of crafting and executing a clear organizational purpose. That purpose is step one in avoiding the kind of mission drift that has plagued so many. My pilot friends know that even the smallest deviation off course at the start can lead to a dramatically different destination over time. When Christian institutions compromise core commitments, even slightly, they chart a dangerous course that incrementally leads them far away from the truth they once embraced. On the other hand, universities that remain true to their God-given mission can weather the turbulence of culture with confidence, knowing their path is directed by the Lord.
Families in this cultural moment want to send their children to schools where
biblical truth isn’t limited to weekly chapel services but also informs every aspect of campus life, from classes to sports arenas to student activities to dorm life. Parents take their stewardship roles seriously, striving to always nurture, protect, and adhere to the wise instruction of Proverbs 22:6 by training their child “in the way he should go,” so that “when he is old, he will not depart from it.” They want their child’s transition from home to college, and from childhood to adulthood, to launch from a platform that shares the same values they have worked so hard to instill and have asked God to provide.
“EVERYTHING HERE IS DESIGNED TO HELP EVERY STUDENT KNOW AND LOVE GOD SO THEY CAN BECOME THE PERSON HE HAS CREATED THEM TO BE, FULLY EQUIPPED TO LIVE ON MISSION FOR CHRIST.”
At Liberty, students don’t have to choose between high-quality academics and a vibrant faith environment, both of which are desperately needed these days. Everything here is designed to help every student know and love God so they can become the person He has created them to be, fully equipped to live on mission for Christ.
In late 2024, a task force of administrators, faculty, staff, and students from around the university tackled the following questions in our continuing push to help our graduates maximize every moment between Liberty and eternity: (1) What does it mean to be a Champion for Christ?, (2) What values, knowledge, and skills are required to exceed that standard?, and (3) How should we coordinate actions in every corner of our campus to accomplish that mission?
The task force developed a “3D” model for student development and presented it to Liberty’s Board of Trustees last fall. The “Discover, Develop, Deploy” model provides a holistic framework that guides
students through an intentional journey of purposeful growth, rooted in our founding mission, to prepare graduates to impact the world for Jesus Christ. Our job is walking them through this transformative experience by helping them discover the academic, spiritual, and professional resources available to every student; develop the mindset and skillset necessary to be effective in their careers as Gospelminded professionals; and ultimately deploy them into the world as fully trained Champions for Christ.
As you can see on the next page, four core values form the foundation of this model: spiritual renewal, social responsibility, intellectual rootedness, and physical and emotional resiliency. Each value is integral to effectiveness as a Champion for Christ, and each is firmly grounded in the inerrant Word of God.
A new Student Development Council has been formed to ensure that university efforts across all divisions are aligned as we leverage this model to accomplish our mission. If Simon Sinek were to evaluate our approach through the lens of his popular Golden Circle, he would see that we started with our Why (Great Commandment, Great Commission), defined our How (discover, develop, deploy), and focused on our What (producing Champions for Christ), all in diligent pursuit of the task God has assigned. This is our stewardship.
Liberty students come from every state and from more than 100 countries, but they are bound by a common desire for excellent academics in an environment where Christ is King. They could have gone somewhere else, but they wanted an education that would shape their worldview, strengthen their faith, and encourage them to live with audacity in a world desperate for the truth of the Gospel. They have come to the right place. May God do what only He can do to equip them for that task.
Dondi E. Costin | President
STUDENT DEVELOPMENT MODEL FOR LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
SPIRITUAL RENEWAL
WE VALUE the spiritual renewal of every student and affirm that through Jesus Christ, all men and women are invited to a restored relationship with God and called to engage in a process that results in their spiritual formation to become the persons He has purposed them to be. In light of this, we desire all students to be aware of what God has done for them so that in reliance upon His work, they would come to know God and grow in the knowledge of Him.
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
WE VALUE the social responsibility of every student and affirm the calling of all men and women to treat one another in a way that honors God. This responsibility occurs in the various social relationships that students will encounter throughout their lives. Consequently, we desire for all students to grow in the knowledge of others with humility and love lived out in a life of stewardship that demonstrates an understanding of this truth.
WE VALUE the intellectual rootedness of every student and affirm that through the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom, grounded in the Bible, men and women have the capacity to expand their mind and form their intellect. We desire all students to be aware of the importance of intellectual growth so that guided by the Holy Spirit, they would come to know God and grow in the knowledge of His creation. The value of intellectual rootedness and knowledge of creation is implemented into the life of a student by a set of skills that demonstrates these concepts.
WE VALUE the physical and emotional resiliency of every student and affirm that through a holistic understanding of their health, they understand the role their bodies play in worship and service. We desire all students to understand the biblically affirmed importance of their physical body in order to truly flourish physically, mentally, and emotionally. The value of physical and emotional resiliency for students involves a recognition of the connection between this area and other aspects of their lives, such as their spiritual growth, academic success, and relationships with others.
MIGHTY LEGACY A
On Dec. 7, the largest plane to ever land in Lynchburg completed its final flight, touching down at Lynchburg Regional Airport and marking a historic moment for its former owner, Samaritan’s Purse, and for Liberty University and the local community.
The “Mighty DC-8,” as Samaritan’s Purse staff dubbed it, was the last U.S.-registered DC-8. Now retired from service due to age and gifted to Liberty, the plane represents
the end of a tremendous chapter of ministry — and the beginning of something special for the university.
Gifts of Love in Jamaica
The colossal aircraft, outfitted primarily for cargo with seats for 32 passengers, has brought hope to millions over the past 10 years in service to Samaritan’s Purse, delivering more than 9.2 million pounds of
lifesaving supplies on 219 missions around the globe.
“For a decade, the DC-8 has helped us reach more people around the world for the Gospel — getting the right supplies and people to places devastated by disasters and crises,” said Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham on Dec. 4, just before the plane departed Greensboro, N.C., en route to hurricane-ravaged Jamaica with Liberty
HISTORIC PLANE DONATED TO LIBERTY WILL STAND AS A TRIBUTE TO MISSION AVIATION
SIMON BARBRE
students and staff on board, including President Dondi E. Costin and Chancellor Jonathan Falwell. “As the DC-8 prepares to complete its final mission, we praise God for how He has used this plane to change lives.”
Also on board were 9,200 Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts with toys, school supplies, and personal care items packed by Liberty students, faculty, and staff as well as members of Thomas Road Baptist Church. After landing in Kingston, the group participated in an outreach event at Bible Truth Ministry International, where they distributed the boxes to children in areas devastated by Hurricane Melissa in late October 2025. The next day, the group handed out more boxes at Black River Independent Church.
Liberty senior and Student Body President Isaac Kantola was one of nine students on the trip. He said giving the shoeboxes to the children was “a fullcircle moment.” >>
The Liberty University team joins Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham (center) in Greensboro, N.C., before boarding the flight to Jamaica, the DC-8’s final mission.
BELOW: The team delivers gift-filled Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes to Jamaican children affected by Hurricane Melissa. The boxes were packed by Liberty students, faculty, and staff as well as members of Thomas Road Baptist Church.
BROOKE MYERS
BROOKE MYERS
>> “I’ve packed shoeboxes for Samaritan’s Purse ever since I was a kid, so I think it’s just a reminder of how important this work is and how important and impactful the shoeboxes are.”
“It’s been really awesome,” added Liberty senior Lindsay Henderson, who served with OCC last summer. “Getting to do it with other students, meeting other people, and just all of us serving together and being a part of this mission together has been really cool. A lot of people pack shoeboxes … but getting to be on the other side where kids are actually receiving their boxes and getting to hear the Gospel maybe for the first time has been amazing.”
Senior Cassie Straub, president of Liberty’s Operation Christmas Child Club, was also on the trip. The club has been active on campus for many years, promoting and coordinating the collection of shoebox gifts on campus and hosting packing parties. She said witnessing the end result was heartwarming.
“Seeing the joy on the kids’ faces and knowing how much this gift means to them — it was a cool experience to see and interact with the kids. It was really cool to see how Samaritan’s Purse ties in the Gospel to the box and talks about how Jesus is the greatest
Education & Inspiration
Liberty values its longstanding partnership with Samaritan’s Purse. The organization has provided multiple service opportunities for students over the years; since 2015, students have joined Samaritan’s Purse volunteers on over 50 trips, most recently through the LU Serve Now disaster relief initiative. As the hands and feet of Christ, students have responded to the physical and spiritual needs of families recovering from hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and wildfires.
Representatives from Samaritan’s Purse regularly visit campus for career fairs and Global Focus Week. Six years ago, Samaritan’s Purse set up its Emergency Field Hospital on the Academic Lawn for students to tour; it was the first time the hospital was featured on a college campus. Franklin Graham delivered the Commencement keynote address in 2001 and 2023.
When Samaritan’s Purse knew the Mighty DC-8 was nearing the end of its life in the skies, leaders agreed that donating it to a like-minded organization that has been a partner in missions would be a fitting way to preserve its legacy.
HELP PRESERVE THE LEGACY
The DC-8 will showcase mission aviation heritage in a museum-quality exhibit with guided tours, immersive experiences, and hands-on learning. Find out how to join in transforming history into inspiration and education by supporting the DC-8 Living Hope Initiative and Liberty’s future aviators. LIBERTY.EDU/DC8
TOP: Samaritan’s Purse pilots and staff pray before the DC-8 departs for Grenada in 2024 to support Hurricane Beryl recovery efforts. The plane delivered shelter tarps, solar lights, water filtration units, and medical supplies.
ABOVE: Samaritan’s Purse staff unload supplies in the Bahamas in 2019 following Hurricane Dorian, the most intense hurricane on record to strike the country.
Liberty University President Dr. Dondi E. Costin and his wife, Vickey, along with Chancellor Jonathan Falwell and his wife, Shari, join the captain, co-pilots, crew, and
other Samaritan’s Purse representatives after the plane landed in Lynchburg.
“For a decade, the DC-8 has helped us reach more people around the world for the Gospel — getting the right supplies and people to places devastated by disasters and crises.”
FRANKLIN GRAHAM President, Samaritan’s Purse
“was heavily impacted by Liberty’s stateof-the-art aviation program, the largest faith-based collegiate program of its kind in North America.”
The plane will remain on display at Lynchburg Regional Airport, to be used as an educational resource and inspiration to students in Liberty’s School of Aeronautics next door. Plans are also underway to create a missions aviation museum that will be open to the community.
“This plane will now serve as a training platform and an inspiration for generations to come,” Falwell said. “People will see the iconic aircraft, the last DC-8 in the U.S., but will also have the opportunity to recognize and understand that God wants to use us to do whatever we’re doing for His purposes.”
“This generous legacy gift will stand as a permanent reminder to our students of what faithful ministry looks like at scale,” Costin added. “For decades, this magnificent aircraft carried hope into disaster zones and war-torn regions in some of the hardest places during the darkest moments around the world. Bold faith requires both vision and sacrifice. This reminder will inspire the next generation of Champions for Christ to ask, ‘How can I serve Jesus with that same vision and urgency?’”
Falwell said he is grateful to the entire Graham family and Samaritan’s Purse for the gift, for their friendship in the faith, and for their partnership in the Great Commission.
“For generations, they have reached countless lives worldwide sharing the love of Jesus, serving those in crisis, and ministering to children in need. This DC-8 is the first major gift of its kind to Liberty. It’s a historic testament to our shared commitment to reach the world through the life-changing message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ while meeting people’s urgent needs through humanitarian relief. As Liberty continues the mission of Training Champions for Christ who will serve through mission aviation, this aircraft will be an encouraging reminder of our past while pointing boldly to the future, inspiring our students to reach the nations for Christ.”
>>Logan Smith, Christian Shields, and Samaritan’s Purse contributed to this article.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE MIGHTY DC-8
The long-range, narrow-body DC-8 aircraft boasts a wingspan of 148 feet and a height of 43 feet.
After rolling off the assembly line on Christmas Eve in 1968, the DC-8 went on to log nearly 100,000 flight hours, covering more than 55 million miles during its decades of service. That distance is equivalent to flying to the moon 230 times.
Known for its four-engine jet design, the plane was first used by Finnair (Finland) then by the French Air Force. According to Samaritan’s Purse, during the Ebola crisis in 2014, Franklin Graham said God gave him the vision of establishing a heavy airlift arm that could respond immediately to provide critical relief supplies to hurting people anywhere in the world. The organization rescued the plane from desert storage and added it to the fleet in 2015.
Known as a combi aircraft, the plane was specially configured to carry up to 74,000 pounds of cargo and 32 passengers.
A total of 556 versions of the DC-8 were produced until 1972. Samaritan’s Purse operated the last U.S.-registered model, No. 427. Only two DC-8s are in active commission around the world today: for Skybus Jet Cargo in Peru and Trans Air Cargo Service in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
With the Mighty DC-8 now decommissioned, Samaritan’s Purse is using both its Boeing 757 and newest Boeing 767 wide-body jet to deliver heavy amounts of emergency supplies into disaster zones.
Read the amazing stories of aviation alumni serving on the mission field on Page 8.
The Samaritan’s Purse pilots for the DC-8’s final mission were (from left) Pilot in Command Greg Slover, Second in Command and Mission Aviation Services Greensboro Deputy Director Mark “Bubba” Ransom, and Flight Engineer Mark Crane.
BROOKE MYERS
CROSSING PATHS
CHURCH PLANTER, PILOTS SHARE PASSION FOR MISSIONS IN PAPUA NEW
GUINEA
Liberty University alumni in different fields are fulfilling the Great Commission around the globe. From time to time, their outreach efforts intersect overseas, like the Cizdziel and Hamer families, whose lives have providentially overlapped as they share the love of Christ.
Jason Cizdziel (’10), who received his B.S. in Global Studies, and his wife, Laken, answered the Lord’s call to serve the people of Papua New Guinea in 2015, devoting their time to the teaching of God’s Word and the spiritual harvest of souls in the Wabuku community. As tribal church planters, missionaries, and Bible translators with Ethnos360, the Cizdziels and their four children live among the small remote tribe along the Sepik River in western PNG. July marked the family’s 10th year of ministry on the island nation.
About 130 miles east, in the same province as the Cizdziels, Liberty alumni couple Luke (’13) and Tracy Hamer (’13) are in their ninth year of work with Samaritan Aviation. The Hamers graduated together with their B.S. in Aeronautics and A.A. in Aviation Maintenance Technician degrees through the School of Aeronautics. As a seaplane pilot, Luke provides emergency medical rescue flight services to the entire province of East Sepik, often flying from remote villages to the government-run Boram Hospital in Wewak, where he is based. Without air travel, residents deep in the jungles would have to go to the hospital by canoe, which
BY TED ALLEN
can take up to four days along the 700-mile serpentine river.
Jason Cizdziel and the Hamers never met during their time in Lynchburg, but their paths have crossed in PNG. When the runway used by Ethnos360 pilots is flooded, Luke Hamer has come to the rescue. This first happened in July 2022, when the alumni met and quickly formed a friendship.
CHANGING LIVES
Although the couples are supported by different sending organizations, there is mutual respect between them because of their common mission.
“Living in the jungle is isolating,” Jason Cizdziel said. “Sometimes it feels like living on the moon. We’re deep in the swamps of New Guinea. Without an aviation team, planting a church in this tribe would never have happened. We rely on the supplies they send us, and we rely emotionally on
seeing the faces of these pilots because they are faithful believers who both speak our language and carry words of encouragement. The aviation teams that support us are our lifelines.”
Flying patients to the hospital for critical medical attention is “simply a means to an end,” Luke Hamer said, but his main purpose for his work is to see lives changed for eternity. Every patient receives spiritual counsel from Samaritan Aviation staff.
“If it wasn’t for the hospital ministry, it would be strictly humanitarian, and I wouldn’t want to have anything to do with it,” he said. “Our patients may spend one day or six months in the hospital. The longer they stay, the more times they will hear the Gospel from our team that is there to minister to them.”
In her job there, Tracy Hamer works closely with the hospital ministry, sharing the love of Christ with patients.
Luke Hamer explained that in tribal areas where animism is the chief belief system, one of the greatest hurdles is teaching them to read Scripture and believe that the Lord can heal them, not sorcerers.
“When someone gets sick in PNG, they’re looking for a spiritual reason for why they got sick, so in order to find a cure, you have to go back to that source, and they continue to go back to the shamanic witch doctors,” he said.
Jason Cizdziel (’10) and his wife, Laken (left) with Luke Hamer (’13) and his wife, Tracy (’13)
THE HEART OF THE MATTER
PNG is one of the most linguistically diverse nations in the world; more than 800 languages are spoken among its 7 million people who live in rural, indigenous communities. Jason Cizdziel has spent much of the past 10 years studying the Uriay language used by the tribe, which had never before heard the Word of God spoken in its native tongue.
“Learning the tribal language was easily the most difficult thing I’ve ever done,” he said.
But establishing trust between his family and the tribe was a barrier he said needed to be broken down before communicating God’s love and truths to them.
“The relationships we built over these years are starting to produce fruit in that Wabuku were able to hear ‘Yawe’s talk’ (Jesus’ Word) from someone they knew and trusted, someone who spoke their heart language, and someone who had probably already helped them medically in some significant way. That’s what the tilling of the soil looked like — years of following them on hunts, treating machete wounds, treating their kids for malaria, and swapping stories around the fire late into the night.”
The Cizdziels planted a church and continue the work of discipleship through Bible studies and devotions, prayer, and fellowship so that the Wabuku members will grow and flourish in their faith and lead others to the Lord.
Jason often illustrates his sermons with elaborate chalk drawings of Bible stories.
“I wasn’t surprised at Wabuku’s enthusiastic reception of the Gospel, but I was relieved,” Jason Cizdziel said.
“We’ve suffered a lot during our years in Wabuku, and a poor reception or rejection of the Gospel after all of that would have been devastating. Wabuku is continuing to watch the biblical story unfold. With dramas and videos and storytelling, we’re doing our best to make these stories clear.”
Leading up to last Easter, the church welcomed 53 new believers. In October, 34 more were baptized.
“Our new church is growing,” he said. “Thank Yawe for His work of redemption, but our work doesn’t end here. The Great Commission asks us to make disciples, not just converts, so now the real work of teaching, training, and discipling the new Wabuku church begins. As tribal church planters, it’s not our goal to just plant one healthy church in Wabuku. It’s our goal to plant a healthy church that is going to reproduce itself and plant churches in all the surrounding villages.”
FELLOW SERVANTS
As the two families have gotten to know each other, Luke Hamer has offered the Cizdziels opportunities to relax and recharge.
“Those guys, they’re kind of getting off the battlefield and coming back to town to rest, so anytime they have a request, and any way that we can help them recoup, we try to help,” he said, “because what they’re doing is not only super special, but it’s also extremely difficult.”
To help the Cizdziels celebrate their anniversary and two of their children’s birthdays in May, Luke Hamer took a detour after a medical supply drop to taxi their whole family to a city for a vacation, serving in-flight refreshments.
“Luke landed on the water just downriver from us and we jumped in,” Cizdziel said. “When we buckled up, he passed back a cooler with Cokes and Sprites and my kids’ faces lit up like Christmas. These aviation guys are good humans.”
Whenever their paths cross, the alumni give updates on their ministries, swap testimonies and prayer requests, and share memories from Liberty.
“It’s really awesome to see how God used two different people from two different disciplines and vastly different backgrounds, laid different (missionary work) on both of our hearts, and now we’re serving in the same province in the small island nation overseas,” Luke Hamer said. “It’s humbling to see how God has used that to further His Kingdom, and now we both get to reflect on how Liberty shaped our lives in doing that.”
School of Aeronautics Dean Steven Brinly has kept up with the Hamers and has been encouraged to hear these stories from the mission field.
“I am extremely excited about how God is using these Champions for Christ from two different schools to establish His church among the Wabuku tribe in Papua New Guinea,” he said. “Their courage, obedience, and unity in the Gospel are a powerful testimony of what it means to live out the Great Commission. We are honored to celebrate the work God is doing through both of their families.”
Follow these alumni and learn how to support them in their ministries at ReachWabuku.com and SamaritanAviation.org/Missionaries/ Hamer-Family.
Right on TARGET TARGET
POPDARTS CREATORS SHARE
THE VALUES THAT MAKE THEIR BUSINESS
STICK
BY CHRISTIAN SHIELDS
When Liberty University alumni Josh (’10) and Jason (’13, ’15) Carman first decided to create a new, safe dart game for all ages in the middle of the COVID19 pandemic, they never imagined the heights their invention would one day take them, from a family game in the garage to a national championship tournament broadcast on ESPN.
Josh said the concept for suction-cup darts first came to him after he went axe throwing, when he thought, “What if I could get that same, satisfying stick but in a fun, safe, and portable way that people can
play anytime, anywhere?”
The brothers experimented with different materials that would be safe for indoor and outdoor use. They shrugged off traditional business methods, and without investors or an advertising budget, they spent hours livestreaming themselves playing the game with friends and family, on tables in their home and on kitchen islands. When one video hit 20 million views on TikTok, they knew they had something big. With an outpouring of support and interest, they had multiple preorder sellouts of their new game, Popdarts.
“The beautiful thing is we were playing the game, and that was selling the product,” Josh said. “The game is super demonstrable. You can easily understand (the game) the minute you look at it.”
The Popdarts brand continued to build rapidly. The brothers quit their jobs in Charleston, S.C., to manage the company full time, Josh as CEO and Jason as COO. The game was featured on the “Today” show and soon became widely available for purchase online.
Now, the company has reached $40 million in sales and recently secured >>
Brothers Jason (right) and Josh Carman (beside him) speak with hosts during the first Popdarts National Championship broadcast live from the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla., in August.
The Carmans were joined by several family members at the championships.
>> partnerships with Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart, and other major retailers.
Avid players became serious about taking their skills to the next level of competition, and local leagues have formed as part of the American Popdarts League. There are leagues in over 20 states.
Last August, the first Popdarts National Championship was held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla., and broadcast on ESPN2.
“The community doesn’t happen overnight,” Josh said. “There were a lot of core people from when we first launched, but then we continued to build that community through word of mouth. To see it on that stage (in Florida) was awesome because the energy in the stadium and on the court we were playing on was through the roof.”
As their product rose in popularity, Josh and Jason continued to emphasize their company’s Christian roots. The Popdarts website features several Bible verses and a place to submit prayer requests. They have
refused past marketing opportunities they believed went against their morals.
Perhaps the largest way the brothers infuse their faith into their business is the way they approach customer service.
“We really try to put the customer first and see what their needs are but then also care for them,” Josh said. “It goes a long
way, especially with your core group of people you follow. I don’t think they feel they’re just another number on our Shopify site or Amazon store. We genuinely care about them.”
Their dedication to Christian values has also bled into a heart for missions and supporting organizations such as
JoshCarmanandfamily
Jason Carman demonstrates throwing techniques to ESPN announcers.
Jason Carman and family
Samaritan’s Purse. The Carman family donates thousands of Popdarts units each year to Operation Christmas Child, and they partner with other Christian nonprofits to spark positive change in their communities and around the world.
Jason said the family’s generous spirit stems from a desire to give back to others, recognizing that monetary success doesn’t provide true joy or happiness.
“When we give, it is one of the most freeing things you can possibly do,” he said. “To be able to give to our church, give to capital campaigns for different people’s missions, it’s almost like (taking) a breath. You can breathe easy. You are literally sending money away, but it just feels better. Seeing that principle play out in real life is pretty cool.”
“It’s really important to recognize what we are actually here for and what brings actual meaning and satisfaction,” Jason said. “It’s partnering with people like (Samaritan’s Purse), living a life that is honorable, treating people with respect, and knowing that there is always going to be something out there to chase, but that isn’t the end goal. Understanding that goes a long way.”
Josh added that, ironically, he feels more anxiety when Popdarts sales rise during the Christmas gift-giving season, so being able to give back to the community provides a chance for him to reset and focus on what truly matters.
The brothers said that in business and in life, they have relied heavily on the education they received at Liberty. Josh arrived on campus in 2006 and earned a B.S. in Business Administration, specializing in finance. He met his wife, Dana, in the dining hall.
Jason followed his brother to campus a few years later to pursue a B.S. in Psychology: Human Development. He later worked for Liberty University Online Programs while earning his MBA.
Josh said his time at Liberty prepared him to enter the world as a financial advisor before launching Popdarts. He said he appreciated Liberty’s focus on practical application.
“(Liberty) professors brought the life out of the textbooks and tried to teach you their real-world experience,” he said. “That was probably the most impactful for me. I struggled with textbooks. I think a lot of people do. We’re big on real-world experiences. The more a university can tap into almost an apprenticeship program, where you know what you’re getting into and you shadow someone doing this, that is so valuable. … Liberty does a good job of mirroring real life through the professors there.”
Jason said his psychology degree helps him every day as he develops relationships and seeks to expand the Popdarts platform. He specifically credited Associate Professor Dr. Dan Logan.
“(Dr. Logan) taught us so many principles, and I use those principles of psychology so much in what I do with marketing and messaging to reach people for interest in our game,” he said. “Marketing is all messaging. If you can’t understand how people think, why they think that way, what they are thinking, and what will move them, then you really have nothing.”
Liberty students play Popdarts on campus. The tabletop game is played with three darts per team. Players score points by landing near the target marker (the short piece), on top of it, or touching it. They can also score by landing on top of other darts (this is called a “wigglenobber”).
caring for the Student flock
resident shepherds support their peers as spiritual leaders in the college journey
BY ABIGAIL DEGNAN
Finding the right people to trust and lean on is important at any stage of life, but the college years bring a new set of challenges as students must navigate life away from home. Liberty University recognizes the need for all students to have a strong peer support system and opportunities to grow in their relationship with the Lord. Liberty’s Resident Shepherds are meeting this need, ensuring that in a sea of thousands of students, every student is valued, connected, and loved.
Operating under the LU Shepherd program in the Office of Spiritual Development, the Resident Shepherd program is one of the many layers of spiritual and practical support a student will receive from the moment they move into their residence hall to the day they walk across the graduation stage.
CARING FOR ONE ANOTHER
There are currently 280 Resident Shepherds. All of them are students who
serve their peers in their own residence halls. By having an open-door policy when students are in need, celebrating achievements, and lifting students up in times of failure, Resident Shepherds build deep relationships as they cultivate spiritual development and create a healthy hall community.
Sometimes a simple act by a Resident Shepherd can make a big difference, like inviting a new student to share a meal in the dining hall and helping them make new friends.
Melanie Denney, director of LU Shepherd, said she is always hearing stories of how Resident Shepherds genuinely care for their fellow students. Last fall, when a freshman from the West Coast was in a car accident on the way to campus and her father was airlifted to a hospital, Resident Shepherds gathered notes, flowers, and gifts to welcome her when she moved in a week later than planned.
“The Resident Shepherds rallied every student on their hall and put all these notes in her room so when she walked in for the first time, it was this kind of welcome committee,” Denney said.
The same rally of love came when a freshman’s father passed away five days after move-in. The student had to return home quickly, and when he came back to campus, a card was waiting on his desk signed by students and Resident Shepherds in his hall — people he barely had the time to get to know — with touching words of encouragement.
GUIDING LIGHTS
Resident Shepherds not only serve as caring hallmates but as spiritual leaders, advancing Liberty’s mission of Training Champions for Christ.
“You have to have a heart like Christ, and that’s the reality of what I experience from our Resident Shepherds,” Denney said.
Because of its Christian focus, the program
provides a resource to students that isn’t available on most college campuses, she said.
“What is really unique to Liberty’s student population is this idea of truly shepherding and caring for people, protecting people, guiding people, helping people flourish and prosper, to be supported, to be challenged, and to be sharpened in their faith. That’s why most people are choosing to come to a place like Liberty, because there’s this Christian emphasis.”
Resident Shepherds help equip students to live out their faith in a real-world context. They oversee the hall’s Community Group Leaders, who are student volunteers responsible for leading a discipleship program in their halls in conjunction with a Bible series taught during Campus Community services on Wednesday nights.
Each Resident Shepherd also has a fulltime LU Shepherd staff member who serves as their own mentor. The program offers regular training and coaching sessions to
guide the Resident Shepherds in their roles and support them in their own personal walks with Christ.
TRAINING TO SERVE WELL
Growing up as the daughter of missionaries in Bulgaria, graduate student Gabriella Binev always had a heart for ministry. When she arrived at Liberty five years ago to pursue a bachelor’s degree in studio art, her career focus was on using her talents for ministry. But she wasn’t sure what that looked like. After serving as a Resident Shepherd in Campus East Dorm 170 and supporting her peers through trials and seasons of change, she realized her calling was to minister to others and started a master’s degree in pastoral counseling.
Binev said her past three years as a Resident Shepherd have been filled with incredible stories orchestrated by God.
“The biggest way that I’ve truly seen the Lord show up through this ministry is His
intentionality,” she said. “The first night before the new students moved in, we had a prayer night where we prayed over every single door and bedroom for the future girls who were going to live in our building.”
She said her residence hall has become a special place: “People would come here from different places and say, ‘We just feel so restful here; we feel the presence of the Lord.’ That’s something that’s continued all three years I’ve been here.”
Students have even nicknamed the dorm “The Haven.”
Senior Kirk Fryer, an exercise science student, served as a Community Group Leader during his freshman year then transitioned to Resident Shepherd in Campus East 146 his sophomore year. He said he wasn’t a very strong public speaker or leader, but being a Resident Shepherd has “pushed me out of my comfort zone, which resulted in pushing me closer to Christ because I’m having to rely >>
Graduate student Gabriella Binev serves as a Resident Shepherd for Campus East Dorm 170.
DID YOU KNOW?
For every student who lives on campus, there are five student leaders who support them spiritually and practically: a Community Group Leader, two Resident Shepherds, and two resident assistants (RAs). Every student leader is equipped to serve others through training and support from Liberty faculty and staff.
>> on Him and walk in faith knowing that I’m not strong in certain areas. But where I’m weak, Christ is strong.”
Students must apply to become Resident Shepherds, demonstrate Christian character and leadership qualities, and meet academic standards. If accepted, they receive a scholarship from Liberty.
Before the school year begins, Resident Shepherds complete a week of orientation focused on leading faithfully and loving well. SHEPTalks are held throughout the year, where Resident Shepherds receive
practical leadership development advice from guest speakers, including Liberty staff and local church leaders.
Fryer said his LU Shepherds have had a huge impact on his life and on his role as a Resident Shepherd over the last three years.
“Mentors are so important in everyone’s life,” he said. “The LU Shepherds are definitely placed here by God and have pushed me in my walk as a man and, most importantly, as a follower of Christ.”
Resident Shepherds attend a Connect class, taught by an LU Shepherd staff
member. During the fall semester, the class went through a series based on the book “Leadership as an Identity” by Dr. Crawford Loritts, focusing on “radical, immediate obedience” to God. This semester, they are completing a study on the leadership principles found in Gideon’s story in the book of Judges. At the end of each class, they receive questions and prompts to consider how to apply the lesson to their roles.
Resident Shepherds also participate in a Bible study led by their assigned LU Shepherd that in turn prepares them to facilitate their own study with their
Resident Shepherd Kirk Fryer (center) shares a meal with some of the students from his hall, Campus East 146.
Community Group Leaders later in the week.
Fryer said many students come to Liberty feeling unsettled in their new environment, but with the support of the Resident Shepherds and Community Group Leaders, he’s seen these students adjust quickly and smoothly.
DID YOU KNOW?
“We’ve all been there (as new students), so we know how they’re feeling. And as an RS, you’re all the more aware of how those kids are feeling,” he said. “I know stories of students who come in and feel so isolated, but then they meet their CGL and their RS, and everything changes.”
Fryer said he practices intentionality
Liberty University Online Programs has dedicated online shepherd staff who support students through prayer, practical advice, spiritual guidance, and local resources. Since 2023, staff members have connected with over 3,800 students from around the globe.
with the peers he leads by sharing a meal, checking in with them on the hall, or just being there in times of need.
“Being an RS is about doing life with each other. I see how my mentor, my LU Shepherd, leads our times together and try to model that with the guys on my hall. We’ll go out, grab food, or go on little adventures and just do life with one another and be real.”
To learn more about Liberty’s spiritual development programs, visit Liberty.edu/OSD
All of Liberty’s Resident Shepherds take a group photo on the steps of the Montview Student Union after arriving early for Training Week before classes started in August. BELOW: Resident Shepherds spend time in worship and training at the beginning of the school year.
KJ
BIBLICAL INTEGRATION
TEACHING A CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW IN EVERY CLASSROOM
BY RYAN KLINKER
A core characteristic of a Liberty University education is the biblical worldview through which every course is taught. The philosophy of gaining knowledge by understanding the world through God’s Word and teaching and learning to live in His truth has been present at Liberty since its founding in 1971. The newly created Center for Biblical Integration is ensuring that all schools and departments remain on mission as they point to God’s presence in every vocation and Train Champions for Christ.
The Center for Biblical Integration exists to support and enhance the Christ-centered teaching already present across all elements of classroom learning — from lectures to course announcements, assignment feedback, and presentations — nurturing both spiritual and academic growth. All new residential and online faculty receive training in biblical worldview integration in order to teach courses through the lens of Scripture.
“Our dedicated faculty are already exemplifying the Lord in the classroom every day, but through this center we are showing how the biblical worldview that is a Liberty
signature can be deepened and further refined,” said Provost and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Scott Hicks. “Wherever our students are coming from, whether a public, private, or homeschool education, we desire for them to grow in the grace and knowledge of their Lord and Savior first and carry that with them into their professional lives as Liberty graduates.”
Dr. Mark Eckel is the center’s executive director. He brings over 40 years of experience in Christian education, from junior high to doctoral courses.
Eckel explained that God is found in every discipline and profession and that the purpose of the center is to help faculty shine a light on this truth in their classes.
“In any field of study, you have to ask yourself what synthesizes that discipline with Scripture,” he said. “It’s seeing the wholeness of your discipline from a biblical vantage point. When students leave their classrooms, they need to be able to say, ‘I actually have a basis for my faith that helps me to understand it, and there are permeating principles that run through everything.’ They can pick any kind of discipline and then see how those
disciplines are woven with Scripture.”
He said it’s also important for students to learn how to discern the Christian worldview from opposing perspectives, allowing them to be like the Berean Jews in the book of Acts who verified what they heard from the Apostle Paul with Scripture.
“My goal is to help young people to think differently about the world than the narratives that are fed to them on a regular basis. When I was teaching in high school settings, I was always introducing my students to ideas and thoughts and people that were antithetical or opposed to the Christian view so they could compare and contrast. We want to make sure they learn how to think, and we want to teach them how to be Bereans who go find out for themselves, but we give them direction too.”
The college years are a time of personal growth and questioning as students become more independent from their families and upbringings. They make decisions about what they believe, what they are passionate about, and where they want those decisions to take them. Because of this, Eckel said it is
Dr. Troy Matthews Divinity
essential for Liberty students to learn how to take ownership over their faith.
“You need to be able to prove, or give evidence for, whatever it is that you say you believe in. Students need to learn at every level how what they believe is different and know why they believe what they believe, especially in the teenage (and early 20s) years, because everybody’s always asking them that question.”
The concept for the center was developed by Liberty President Dondi E. Costin in December 2023 as a way to further support, clarify, and steward Liberty’s longstanding commitment to biblical worldview education. Rather than introducing a new direction, the center provides structure and shared resources that reinforce a foundation that has defined Liberty since its inception.
The resources and training models can be requested by schools, departments, and individual faculty. One resource is The Christian Professors Project, an ongoing effort to compile more than 30 videos focusing on major topics like the image of God and being image-bearers, research and interdisciplinarity (collaboration across academic programs), the difference between eternal and temporal treasures, and more. The videos will feature views and advice from Christian professors across the country and around the world.
As the center was developed, so was an interdisciplinary committee of Liberty faculty who collaborate with the center to directly facilitate biblical integration in coursework.
“This center for biblical worldview
PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
Liberty University is a distinctively Christian academic community. As such, Liberty continues the philosophy of education which first gave rise to the university, and which is summarized in the following propositions.
God, the infinite source of all things, has shown us truth through Scripture, nature, history, and above all, in Christ.
Persons are spiritual, rational, moral, social, and physical, created in the image of God. They are, therefore, able to know and to value themselves and other persons, the universe, and God.
Education, as the process of teaching and learning, involves the whole person by developing the knowledge, values, and skills which enable each individual to change freely. Thus it occurs most effectively when both instructor and student are properly related to God and each other through Christ.
— Approved by the Liberty University Board of Trustees, April 16, 2021
integration and this committee are figuring out how glorifying God looks for every individual and collectively,” said Suzanne Caruso, committee chair and associate dean for assessment and online operations for Liberty University School of Law. “At its absolute core, the purpose of education here is about helping our fellow human beings, our students, learn about God and the purpose for which they’re created. We believe collectively that there is no separation between education and vocation and that there is no sacred/secular divide when we look at the world through the lens of God’s created order.”
She said an organized, focused approach to Christian education across the university will help students who are surrounded by a culture in America that is overcome by relativism and syncretism, where lines are blurred between what Scripture says and what the world says.
“Our students have been steeped in relativism, and we have to help them understand a more holistic framework with the Christian worldview,” Caruso said. “We want Liberty University to be an educational institution where, in every academic discipline, the authority of Scripture is presupposed, biblical principles are explained and clearly taught, and convictions relevant to all that God has revealed about Himself and His Creation are made plain within every academic experience.”
Read more about the importance of a Christian education on Page 44.
Dr. Kevin Conner Psychology
Nirva Ready Music
Dr. Bryan Malone Business
Dr. Lindsey Stevenson Biology
‘The Ramsey Show’ cohost Ken Coleman (’94) inspires students to discover a God-given purpose for their futures
BY LOGAN SMITH
RYAN ANDERSON
What should I do with my life?
What did God create me to do?
Some young people may ask these questions as they grapple with a lack of confidence and deep confusion about their futures. Last fall, Liberty University alumnus and radio show host Ken Coleman (’94) spent several days with students and career coaches from the school’s Career Services office, teaching his proven methods for discovering a fulfilling career and a life of purpose.
Coleman has been a regular cohost on “The Ramsey Show” since 2014, joining personal finance expert Dave Ramsey on the second-largest syndicated radio talk show in America. Coleman is a three-time bestselling author, speaker, and the host of the Ramsey podcast, “Front Row Seat with Ken Coleman,” where he interviews worldclass experts and industry leaders about improvement, leadership, and professional and personal success. He frequently appears on top-rated podcasts and national news programs like FOX Business.
Coleman made a major career pivot in his early 30s, abandoning a long-planned path in politics to pursue broadcasting despite minimal experience. He started in sports broadcasting but said he answered God’s call on his own life by transitioning to the self-help space: “I realized I didn’t want to broadcast or communicate publicly to entertain; I wanted to broadcast and
communicate publicly to help transform.”
He said yes to every opportunity, frequently working in unpaid roles, and made strategic connections with mentors and fellow professionals in the broadcasting space. His efforts eventually landed him at Ramsey Solutions, where he has helped thousands of individuals unlock their potential and advance in their professional lives.
Throughout his media career, Coleman has interviewed presidents, heads of state, some of the top names in sports and entertainment, and thousands of everyday professionals and leaders who have impacted their spheres of influence. These experiences have given him a unique perspective to be able to coach others to “level up their careers and lead well.”
Coleman studied political science at Liberty, aware of the school’s strong pipeline to jobs in Washington, D.C. He was familiar with the school, having grown up in a family that regularly watched Liberty founder Dr. Jerry Falwell on his “Old-Time Gospel Hour” TV ministry. Coleman’s father was a strong supporter of the Moral Majority, a conservative Christian organization founded by Falwell that mobilized Christians to campaign for and support traditional moral values.
He said Liberty impacted him so deeply by shaping his worldview and helping him discover his missional objectives that he
wanted to give back to his alma mater. In September, he offered free workshops and made it possible for hundreds of students to access Ramsey Solutions’ Get Clear Assessment career discovery tool for free.
During a workshop, Coleman told Liberty students that the culture may pressure them to get a degree in order to land a good job, but there’s much more to a career when you align your work and mission with serving others.
“That is not what God has for you — just a good job. God has a plan. He has specific wiring for you to create human results while getting a paycheck. In the world of work, we want to look at the missional results — the results that motivate me — and always tie it back to people.”
Coleman said each student received a comprehensive purpose statement at the end of the assessment, which helped them identify their unique, God-given talents and passions to determine a clear, life-changing sense of purpose through dignified work.
“We don’t want to go get a J-O-B,” Coleman reminded students, noting that he has spoken with many people who feel unfulfilled despite making higher-thanaverage incomes. “A J-O-B pays the bills, but a J-O-B will make you miserable if you show up every day and you’re doing something you’re not good at. You certainly don’t love it, and it produces a result that you don’t care about. That’s a recipe for misery, and >>
“God has a plan. He has specific wiring for you to create human results while getting a paycheck.”
KEN COLEMAN ( ’94)
Ken Coleman conducts a workshop for students in the Career Services space at the Montview Student Union.
>> that’s the way a lot of the world looks at work.”
Coleman challenged students to reflect on three key questions to help guide their careers: Who are the people you want to help? What problem or desire do they have? What are the solutions to the problem or desire that inspire you?
He said meaningful work always carries a personal connection, even if you don’t always interact with people face-to-face. “God gave you a heart, and it should drive the work you do.”
“(Your work) should be Kingdomdriven,” he added. “The devil is real, and
the devil uses fear, doubt, and pride to confuse you. And God is not a God of confusion; God is a God of clarity. If it’s any one of those three, and sometimes it’s all three, Satan is trying to trip you up. (Satan) doesn’t want you to go out there and win big for the Kingdom.”
Coleman said that while he treasures the distinctly Christian education he received at Liberty, including incredible out-ofthe-classroom experiences in our nation’s capital, he also treasures the relationships he built there, with friends like real estate entrepreneurs and former Minor League Baseball players David and Jason Benham
(’98) and FOX News host Shannon Bream (’93). “Those are lifelong friendships that aren’t just ‘we stay in touch.’ We bled together, we’ve cried together, we’ve won together. And I think that’s what’s special about this place — I was able to meet likeminded, like-valued people who are doing great things.”
He said he would encourage alumni to “come back and walk this place.”
“Liberty invested in you. Now, how can you invest in others? If this place was special to you in any way, and you have an ability to add to the furthering of the work, then I think you are required to do it.”
STUDENT SUPPORT
Liberty Career Services provides career development opportunities for residential and online students and alumni through various employer connection events, career coaching services, and multiple resources to help them align their personal objectives, talents, and experiences so they can realize their God-given potential.
Learn more at LIBERTY.EDU/CAREER-SERVICES.
RYAN ANDERSON
JESSIE JORDAN
Join our team and be part of a mission that’s been Training Champions for Christ since 1971 — impacting students at every stage of their educational journey, from kindergarten to Ph.D. is HONORED to be RECOGNIZED by Lynchburg Business Magazine as one of
BEST PLACES to WORK
BY BRICK
‘LEGO MASTERS’ WINNER KEEPS BUILDING ON SUCCESS
Millions of children enjoy building with Lego bricks, but Ian Summers never quite outgrew his love for the endlessly customizable pieces.
Summers and his younger sister, Sage, won the fifth season of FOX’s reality competition show “LEGO Masters” in July. The show features competing duos who take on brickbuilding challenges in hopes of impressing the “brick master” judges enough to win the LEGO Master trophy and title along with a $100,000 prize.
With two older brothers who loved Lego, Summers, who has studied digital design through Liberty University Online Programs, said he was “pretty much born into Lego,”
BY RYAN KLINKER
and he spent much of his childhood using his own imagination to build unique sets.
“Normally, a lot of people just like to build the sets (according to the instructions), but from an early age, probably 5 or 6, I was taking the sets apart and building my own creations,” he said. “I love Star Wars sets, and I loved taking those sets apart and building my own spaceships. I’ve been blessed with a mom and siblings who really instilled in me the enthusiasm to be creative, and I never really stopped building.”
He doesn’t just build other-worldly structures, as some of his creations depict scenes much closer to home. When his family would drive around their small hometown of
Wimberley, Texas, Sage would challenge Ian to recreate different stores and houses they saw. Brick by brick, the siblings eventually constructed a replica town they now call “Wim-brick-ley.” Summers jokingly calls his sister “my first brick master.”
When the first season of “LEGO Masters” came across the family television in 2020, the siblings immediately knew they wanted to compete together. As children, the duo had a YouTube channel where they built Lego sets, and their years of collaboration together would serve them well in the competition.
“When the show came out and I saw the first season, I knew I was too young at the time, but I knew when I got older that I
Ian Summers and his sister, Sage, hoist the “LEGO Masters” trophy with show host Will Arnett (center) and judges Amy Corbett and Jamie Berard.
wanted to be on the show with my sister,” Summers said. “That became a dream of ours until we got on, and so it was so cool just to be on the show, let alone win it.”
Watching the show, Summers discovered a Lego-centric community he did not know existed. He began attending Lego conventions, where he met many of his future competitors, and created an Instagram account to post his builds, which now has over 33,000 followers.
“I thought I was the weird one who never stopped building,” Summers said. “The fact that I saw other adults doing it was really cool, and it opened my mind to see there’s a whole community out there.”
His desire to grow as an artist led him to enroll with Liberty where he could further his education and develop his passion while enjoying the convenience of studying from his own home.
“I’d always heard such great things about Liberty as one of the best Christian schools to attend, and it means a lot that I can attend a university that holds the same beliefs as me,” he said. “With my major, I really enjoy creating things and using the artistic side of my brain, and both (my interest in) Lego and studio/digital art go together within that. I also work full time, so what’s been really great about the online format is that it’s a lot more flexible than in person, and I can continue it when I have the time.”
The people of Wimberley heard about the siblings being cast on the show and organized watch parties for the season
premiere, including one in the local library.
“It was really cool to see that they had our backs, and a lot of them had no idea how big this Lego community is,” Summers said. “Now that the show is done, all of them come up to us and say how they’ve bought new Lego sets for their kids and that they’re building stuff for themselves. I just built a Lego golf club for a lady in our town who owns a golf course.”
While the show is bright and involves lots of fun twists as the contestants construct an array of entertaining builds, Summers said the experience was more physically and mentally draining than one may expect.
“When you watch it, you think it’s happening on a weekly basis, but in reality, you’re building every day continuously for as long as you’re there,” he said. “When you try to be creative day after day, you can have a million ideas one day and then none the next day. You can’t force creativity, but on the show, you have to try.”
Throughout the show, the siblings wowed judges with builds that ranged from a planet within the Star Wars galaxy to a wedding cake that itself told a love story and a spell-inspired creation during a “Wicked” episode.
Summers said their faith and desire to glorify God on the set aided them in the frantic environment.
“Whenever we would feel stressed, we would always pray together and quote Scripture, and that would really help us get through,” he added. “The producers would
talk to us and say, ‘Wow, you guys pray a lot. Why do you do that?’ and it became a way for us to witness to the producers and have our actions show our faith. We wanted to show them firsthand how Christians should act and be good witnesses. In that way, it pushed us more in the competition.”
After they filmed the show in November 2023, the siblings had to keep their win a secret until the finale aired 630 days later.
“When I say that to people, they’re almost more impressed that we kept it a secret for that long than by us actually winning,” Summers quipped.
After the show, Summers’ creativity was still turning heads. When he showed his work at a convention, it caught the eye of Lego representatives, who asked him to be one of 15 builders from around the world to have their pieces on display for a year at Lego House in Billund, Denmark. Also known as “Home of the Brick,” the house is located within walking distance of The Lego Group headquarters and offers guests the ultimate Lego experience, complete with the ability to build from 25 million Lego bricks and see the awe-inspiring work of experienced builders.
In October, Summers visited the exhibit to see his pieces on display and attend a designer recruitment event. He plans to pursue a future with Lego while he continues his college studies.
“Being involved with Lego is definitely something I want to do,” he said. “I’m looking forward to whatever comes next.”
Ian Summers constructs a fairy tale-themed creation in Episode 9.
Ian Summers points at some of his pieces on display at the Lego House in Billund, Denmark.
Art teacher uses his childhood experience to help students overcome learning disabilities
As a child, Kuwantu Cammon (’15) struggled to keep up in the classroom. He had learning disabilities, but they weren’t diagnosed until he was an adult. It was only with the help of attentive teachers who discovered his own learning style that he was able to graduate high school.
When Cammon was told he had ADHD and dyslexia, he finally had clarity for the issues he battled for over 40 years. But those years weren’t wasted. His struggles gave rise to the desire to become a teacher so he could better understand why certain children progress differently than their peers. As he overcame his own personal learning challenges and went on to earn multiple college degrees, he gained a new perspective on education and the different ways children learn and develop.
“Growing up with dyslexia and ADHD, I once struggled to find my place in the academic world,” Cammon said. “Today, God has turned those challenges into platforms for ministry and encouragement.”
Cammon is an award-winning visual arts teacher at Britton Elementary School in Oklahoma City. He has recently won multiple teaching awards, including the
2025 Oklahoma Education Award for Arts Excellence from the Oklahoma State Department of Education, 2025 Oklahoma Art Educators Association Elementary Art Teacher of the Year, and 2025 Britton Elementary School Teacher of the Year. He was also nominated for the 2025 Oklahoma City Public Schools Teacher of the Year.
Drawing from his own experiences, Cammon seeks to provide alternative outlets for his students. Rather than teach in a traditional classroom setting with standard textbooks, he emphasizes hands-on learning through artistic expression.
“It took God’s grace of being around teachers who showed me different ways to learn,” he said. “It’s easy for me to pick up on if someone (in my class) is a visual learner, if they have to hear me talk about something or have to read it on the screen, if they have to learn through trial and error. I teach everything hands-on.”
Prior to teaching, Cammon spent seven years making dreams come true as a theatrical performer at Disneyland. Acting bolstered his appreciation for the visual arts. It was during his first teaching job at the local YMCA in Gardena, Calif., working with
preschool and kindergarten children, that Cammon knew he wanted to advance his own education to better serve his students. He enrolled in Liberty University Online Programs and earned his associate and bachelor’s degrees in early childhood education. Cammon also holds a BFA and M.Ed. from schools in Oklahoma.
“My Liberty online education prepared me well because the schedule was an easy fit, but the professors were challenging,” he said, noting his appreciation for the university’s unapologetic biblical worldview. “They questioned and looked for cracks in people’s arguments, so they taught me how to go deeper when I have conversations with people and question
certain theories and philosophies.”
He was also encouraged to take his teaching responsibility to heart.
“As an educator, my goal is not only to teach art but also to empower every child to recognize their worth, embrace their God-given talents, and dream boldly.”
Cammon said as a teacher, he seeks to be a light for his students and their families simply by living an authentic Christian life.
“God put me in a career where I get paid to have fun with students and be the example of Christ as I teach art, dance, and theatre,” he said. “I’m a firm believer if you put yourself in an environment, God will lead you where you need to go. You don’t have to force yourself. Even the people who
get on your nerves … they are watching you and how you behave in certain situations, and they (notice and say), ‘Oh, there is something different about you.’ And that’s when they ask me questions. And that’s when I tell them my story.”
He said he is deeply grateful for the foundation Liberty gave him to build upon: “Throughout my journey, I have carried Liberty’s core values with me, integrating faith, perseverance, and service into everything I do.”
He said his own story is an example of how Liberty’s mission “continues to ripple outward through its graduates who are impacting classrooms, communities, and future generations for Christ.”
School president unites Christian educators in Florida and beyond
Liberty University alumnus Jason Rachels (’97, ’10, ’16) has dedicated his life to advancing Christian education. As president of Calvary Christian Academy in South Florida, one of the largest K-12 Christian schools in the U.S., Rachels has helped revitalize Christian education in the state and formed an organization to help many others do the same.
While serving as a Bible teacher at a Christian school, Rachels earned his
master’s in religion from Liberty and then went on to spend decades in education as a school administrator. He later earned two degrees through Liberty University Online Programs: Education Specialist in Teaching and Learning and Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction.
Rachels has been at CCA for 26 years, the last 11 as president. For 20 years, the Fort Lauderdale campus was CCA’s only location. Under Rachels’ leadership, CCA significantly expanded. When churches in Hollywood and North Miami approached CCA for guidance and partnership, those conversations led to CCA assuming leadership of their schools and relaunching them as CCA Hollywood and CCA North Miami. CCA also launched a preschool in Boynton Beach.
Across all campuses, CCA now serves 3,500 students.
As he built partnerships and consolidated with the smaller schools, Rachels discovered the benefits of forming strong relationships and collaborating with other Christian school administrators. What started simply as casual meetings eventually evolved into the peer network Schools United, launched in 2018. The network now hosts the largest annual Christian educator conference, the Schools United Professional Development Day, and offers resources to anyone working in Christian education.
“I enjoy getting together with heads of other Christian schools,” Rachels said. “When we would get together, there was great camaraderie, we would encourage
each other, challenge each other, pray for each other. … It just seemed so natural to have this free professional development and building up of the body of Christ.”
While he acknowledged some Christian schools may see each other as market competitors, he said benefits come from viewing each other as fellow laborers advancing the Gospel.
“As Christian schools, we provide an alternative that teaches the whole truth and shows how all this subject matter connects to God. We also dig into the Bible directly, so we are really making disciples, which Jesus said to do through the Great Commission.”
As CCA continues to expand, Rachels views each incoming student as yet another opportunity to share the love of Christ.
“The numbers are only important to me because they represent the individual lives we are changing. I see kids who are coming to us already as believers who we can strengthen and prepare even more effectively to go out into the world. We have others who come to us as nonbelievers who, through their time at CCA, come to put their faith in the Lord and have their lives changed in that way. We’re seeing more and more lives changed,” he said, noting that even some parents have accepted Christ because of the application process.
Rachels credited his education at Liberty with providing him a strong education from a biblical perspective. He said many of his own CCA students have gone on to attend Liberty.
Brothers share passion for education as neighboring school leaders
When brothers Derek and Roland Adam started their new jobs with Campbell County Public Schools near Lynchburg in the fall of 2023, their students did a double take.
Derek was the new principal of Tomahawk Elementary School, and Roland was a new assistant principal at Brookville High School next door. When high school helpers would go to Tomahawk during the day, they thought they were seeing their assistant principal there. And whenever the brothers visited each other’s schools, they had some explaining to do.
“Students kept saying, ‘Mr. Adam, you work really hard because you’re at both schools,’ so I had to tell them, ‘Oh, I don’t. That’s my twin brother, so I guess I don’t work as hard as you all think,’” Roland joked.
The Brookville community has caught on that there are two Mr. Adams now, and the identical twins have settled in well to their roles as fellow administrators — an opportunity they could have never imagined when they came to Liberty from Long Island, N.Y., in 2008.
The brothers, both 2012 Liberty graduates, said they chose Liberty because of its Christian mission. “When we saw what Liberty had to offer in the academic programs and the campus, really no other Christian school could compare,” Derek said. Roland added, “We looked at all the different programs, at the possibility of what the future could be, and knew meeting other people with like-minded
values was important (to us); in New York we didn’t come across a whole lot of that.”
Admitting they were naturally competitive as brothers, they declared their majors about the same time, both in education. Roland would earn his bachelor’s in secondary education with a focus on social sciences and Derek his bachelor’s in elementary education. After graduation, Roland taught science in Northern Virginia then became an assistant principal for Prince Edward County High School. Derek was a teacher and later became principal of an elementary school in nearby Amherst County. Both earned their M.Ed. at different universities.
When Derek was hired at Tomahawk and realized there was an open position at the high school, he didn’t hesitate to call his brother and urge him to apply.
“We always had this dream, like how awesome would it be for us to be able to work in the same school division, totally knowing that would probably never happen,” Roland said. But it did, and he’s grateful. “The schools feed into each other and share many of the same families, so it’s been great. It’s been a huge blessing.”
The brothers say they are also blessed to be raising their children just a few miles from their alma mater, where their careers took shape and where they made so many fond memories and lifelong friendships. They both met their wives at Liberty.
Derek remembers the “incredible campus life,” from trying out the slopes at Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre, which
opened a year after he started, to attending football and hockey games and events in the Tilley Student Center.
The brothers can list off many professors in the School of Education who became their mentors. They still keep in touch with some of them today. Derek said the personal attention from his professors helped Liberty feel like “a large school with a small-school vibe.”
The brothers also appreciate the opportunities they had to be grounded in their faith before heading into the workplace, recalling all the people who spoke truth into their lives multiple times a week.
“Hearing all these people speak to you, whether it’s Convocation speakers or professors, saying that if you are a Christian, whatever you do you should do it to the best of your ability, was amazing. Liberty does empower you to do whatever it is you want to do — and to do it for the Lord,” Roland said.
Derek echoed his brother’s sentiment: “Liberty really helps students understand the hope and positivity (you can have for your work). If you’re believing everything that you do is for the Lord … when you take that mindset, that approach, and apply it to the classroom and apply it to teaching, teaching becomes more than a job; it becomes a way of life. You’re literally pouring your energy and everything you know into these children; they’re our future. When you have teachers who believe in themselves and believe in their students, those kids are going to soar.”
DEREK ADAM
ROLAND ADAM
Colorado teacher trains African teachers on modern learning methods
For Dr. Mendi Young (’25), research means much more than just simply attaining more knowledge or completing a degree requirement — it provides the chance to positively impact the world for the Gospel.
Young teaches second grade at Indian Peaks Elementary School in Longmont, Colo. She graduated in May with her Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction: Elementary Education through Liberty University Online Programs. Her dissertation was on the work of Missions of Hope International, which provides schooling for 35,000 impoverished children in Kenya, Liberia, and Ethiopia.
Young has been connected with the ministry for years, having traveled to Africa on mission trips. In July, she traveled to Kenya to train local teachers on competency-based education curriculum, using her dissertation research. The curriculum allows for more student engagement in the classroom, more critical thinking and creativity, and more practical application lessons versus testdriven, lecture-heavy instruction. Young visited 50 classrooms over the summer and provided training to 135 teachers.
“The Lord had a plan for this and said, ‘You have information that my people over here
need to have; we’re going to use this process for them to get it,’” she said. “The testimonials I have from teachers are life-changing.”
Young said her doctoral program taught her how to apply her research to real-world situations and make a positive impact on children.
“I really felt like the Lord took my education, my experience, and my plans with this degree and melded them together to do something for His Kingdom,” she said. “That’s the story of ministry. We say yes to the next thing, and He’s moving us toward His glory.”
Young said she also views her full-time job in a public school as an opportunity to reflect Christ’s love through her actions. Her passion for public school education stems from an interaction she had in sixth grade when another student talked to her about Christ during lunch.
“Having accepted Christ because of the light of someone else — someone who trusted the Lord to protect their child in a public school so they could be there to share Christ with me — has encouraged me to also be that light.”
Stories in this section were written by Christian Shields and Mitzi Bible.
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
Liberty’s residential and online education programs are crafted to support students’ goals to teach in public or private schools, work in administration, or lead educational initiatives.
Bachelor’s degrees are offered in elementary education, middle education, and special education, with numerous specializations. Secondary programs include math, science, social science, and English. Comprehensive programs include Teaching English as a Second Language, visual arts, theatre arts, physical education, Spanish K-12, and music education (choral and instrumental).
Students can earn graduate degrees in education: the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) and Master of Education (M.Ed.). Doctoral programs include the Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, with specializations in elementary education, secondary education, special education, educational leadership, higher education administration, and more, as well as Ph.D. offerings in educational law, organizational leadership, educational research, and student affairs.
Liberty offers initial licensure in elementary, middle, special education, and various secondary and comprehensive disciplines. The School of Education is accredited or approved by several respected organizations, including the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), and Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).
Visit Liberty.edu/Education
Missions of Hope International serves 35,000 children in Africa, providing them with a quality Christian education.
Dr. Mendi Young shares her recommendations for competency-based learning with teachers in Nairobi, Kenya.
MESSAGE FROM THE CHANCELLOR
DEVELOPING A HUNGER FOR THE WORD
At Liberty University, we are experiencing one of our greatest climates for spiritual growth, and we are thanking the Lord every day for all He is doing on Liberty Mountain. Nothing is more exciting than watching God work in our students’ lives as they become Champions for Christ.
Students have a wide variety of opportunities to draw closer to God and grow in their faith during their years at Liberty, from Convocations to Campus Community, community groups, prayer and worship events, and the classroom. Informal
own at least one — maybe a shelfful — of Bibles. They may memorize passages or know the right answers to Sunday School questions, but that doesn’t always mean they are living out what Scripture says. Jesus’ disciples were doing the same thing, and He asked them, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things I say?” (Luke 6:46, CSB). The Word of God is a detailed roadmap and a light unto our path for the journey of life under Him, and yet some believers do not follow it. Our speakers focused on a different aspect of what God
gatherings for prayer, discipleship, and fellowship take place every day and in every corner of campus — and each year brings more stories of life change.
In the Fall 2025 semester, we rejoiced with over 300 students who asked Jesus Christ to be their Lord and Savior.
Attendance at our weekly Campus Community event, which is voluntary for students, has increased each semester, with an average of 6,300 joining their peers in the Vines Center for Bible study and worship on Wednesday nights. That’s nearly 50% more than four years ago. This shows us that our students have a real hunger for the pure doctrine of the Word of God and a desire for it to transform their lives with the truth.
Our Campus Community series for the fall semester, “Built Different,” gave students a picture of what it means to know what God says and answer the call. Many Christians
tells us to do as His followers: believe and share the Gospel, be molded and refined by the Holy Spirit, maintain community with fellow believers, worship and glorify Him, be active in the local church, pray to Him in all circumstances, serve others near and far, and more. Liberty students are being shaped to further embody these core attributes that characterize Christ followers, and they will impact the world with them.
This spring, our Campus Community series is called “Ascent,” and we are walking through Psalm 120-134, often called the Psalms of Ascent, and looking at how we can be who God wants us to be. We’re studying the ideas of praise and worship, and we’re doing it as a community. Isolation is the enemy of spiritual growth, and our Campus Community sessions and the community groups that follow encourage a time of deep discussion so students can apply what
they are learning to their lives and develop strong friendships.
Liberty’s vast online community has also felt a growing spiritual impact, as our LU Shepherd staff has expanded its outreach to include full-time shepherds dedicated to ministering to the over 130,000 students pursuing degrees through Liberty University Online Programs around the world. Every Liberty student is a student the Lord has entrusted to us to steward well. We are called to seize every opportunity to share the redeeming message of the Gospel and the love of Jesus Christ, whether that is across a classroom or across continents.
The campus of Liberty University has always been an epicenter for faithful, spiritually hungry young men and women. If you talk to our pioneers, the early students who were here to see my father’s vision start to take shape back in the 1970s, they’ll tell you all about it. During Homecoming, I was able to reconnect with some of these alumni at the first Golden Alumni Luncheon, held at Tall Oaks, my parents’ former home. Our conversations touched on how much Liberty has changed over the decades but also how it has stayed true to its Gospel-led mission, reverence for Scripture, and readiness for service. (Read more about the event on Page 55.)
In all, God continues to stir the hearts of young people at Liberty. Many are making a first-time commitment and experiencing a hope for their futures that they have never had before. Many are refining their faith and committing fully to carrying out the Great Commission in the workplace, on the mission field, and in their families and communities after graduation. The spiritual climate continues to rise, and as a result, a new generation of Champions is rising too. Praise be to God.
Jonathan Falwell has spent his lifetime associated with the ministries of Liberty University and Thomas Road Baptist Church. He has served as Liberty’s chancellor since March 2023 and as senior pastor at TRBC since 2007.
Digital Rest: Students choose to unplug from devices for month of February
During February, students across campus participated in the school’s second annual Digital Rest, a 28-day detox where they were encouraged to deepen their connection with God and others by unplugging from digital distractions like social media and streaming entertainment.
“In the last two years, there’s been so much research that demonstrates the real effects of prolonged social media usage on mental health,” said Vice President of Spiritual Development Joshua Rutledge, referencing findings from subject-matter experts like authors Andy Crouch, Darren Whitehead, and Dr. Jonathan Haidt.
Students were challenged to log out of all social media, identify and delete nonessential apps, and read one page a day from a Digital Rest Guide, a booklet created by the Office of Spiritual Development that featured Scripture readings, devotionals, and prompts for reflection and prayer. The university also purchased 300 Brick units, a digital wellness device that temporarily blocks social media access on smartphones, for use in every residence hall.
Rutledge said no other institution in
America has done a digital detox at this scale.
“I’m not anti-phone, and I’m not antisocial media,” he said. “These are tools that I still think have utility, and we can think about those things proactively. But you’d better have the discipline, or it will discipline you.”
The university launched the Digital Rest during Convocation on Jan. 30 with speaker and writer Joey Odom, co-founder of Aro, a tech company that helps people be more present in the digital age. On Feb. 6, Liberty alumnus Dr. Zach Clinton (’18, ’21, ’25), author of “Even If” and host of the “Built Different” podcast, spoke at Convocation, where he commended students on doing the Digital Rest and emphasized the importance of removing distractions from life to redirect attention to things that matter, like healthier relationships.
Freshman exercise science student Micah Burkett used the Brick device. After a week into the Digital Rest, he said: “I can look for conversations with people, and I can look for the opportunity to just go and brighten somebody’s day instead of just
sticking my head in a phone or just isolating myself in a sense from others because I have that crutch of social media.”
Freshman sport management student Riley Nevin, who opted to delete most of his social media apps, also saw immediate benefits. “I see myself being more productive throughout the day, and when I have a task to do something, I’m focused way better, allowing me to do homework or any kind of work faster without having a phone in front of me. This has also allowed me to memorize a lot more as well. And to include with all of this, my motivation throughout the day has also gone up.”
LU Serve Now teams volunteer for flood relief, wildfire cleanup, and more
The LU Serve Now program has sent multiple teams to North Carolina to assist Samaritan’s Purse in rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Helene devastated communities in September 2024. Two trips were planned for the spring semester.
A 12-member team traveled to Asheville, N.C., Jan. 11-16, and another team was there over Spring Break, March 15-21.
On the first trip, the group installed insulation and subflooring, painted walls, framed houses, and more to provide permanent shelter for those affected by the storm.
“The Lord has called us to go serve others,” said elementary education junior Gideon Wise. “This is such a great opportunity our school offers, so all of us
wanted to go down and help people, see who was hurting and just help in any way we could.”
Recently, Liberty instituted a new program that grants full-time eligible employees up to a week of paid leave for volunteer service with LU Serve Now. Team leader Owen Baker, who works for Liberty Information Services, was part of the Asheville team.
“It was an amazing experience to get out of the office and the normal job I have and have an impact in a different way,” he said. “It was really cool to work along with the students. They were so on fire with helping others and represented Liberty so well. I received several compliments from Samaritan’s Purse staff and some of the
other foremen and construction workers who were there.”
From Feb. 1-7, Liberty sent its fourth team to Lahaina, Hawaii, in response to the 2023 wildfires. The following week, a team visited San Angelo, Texas, to assist in rebuild efforts following flooding in the area last July.
Also over Spring Break, a team traveled to Tegucigalpa, Honduras, to serve alongside World Gospel Outreach in food distribution and clean water projects.
“(LU Serve trips) are such a cool opportunity for so many different things,” Wise said. “One, you get to travel the country — or maybe out of the country. You can experience new places, meet new people, interact with people you wouldn’t otherwise interact with. You also get to be the hands and feet of the Lord and have an impact you can see. It’s very tangible. That is really encouraging to my faith, and I think it would be encouraging to anybody.”
Visit Liberty.edu/ServeNow to support future trips.
Before the Throne
COLLEGIATE DAY OF PRAYER UNITES GROUPS TO PRAY FOR REVIVAL ON CAMPUSES WORLDWIDE
Thousands of college students and community members felt the Holy Spirit move in Liberty University’s Vines Center on Feb. 26 and ripple across other campuses, churches, and homes around the world during the 2026 Collegiate Day of Prayer. Liberty served as this year’s host for the global, multi-generational initiative. A live simulcast from the Vines Center joined believers in prayers for revival and spiritual awakening on college campuses worldwide. The simulcast was streamed on the Collegiate Day of Prayer website, CBN, YouTube, Liberty’s Facebook page, and various other social media platforms.
The annual Collegiate Day of Prayer dates back over 200 years and is held every February. A different university serves as the host site each year, and college campuses around the world are encouraged to hold their own prayer events in conjunction with the main event. This year marked Liberty’s
first time as host and the third year as a participant. Individuals can sign up to “adopt” one of 4,200 college campuses in the U.S. and commit to praying for students to turn to the Lord. This year, over 8,000 campuses around the globe were adopted in prayer.
“Today, we’re culminating the day with believers, young and old, around the globe uniting in prayer for revival and spiritual awakening among 250 million college students worldwide,” said Collegiate Day of Prayer Executive Director Thai Lam.
Bob Bakke, producer for the Collegiate Day of Prayer, told the crowd: “The praying that happens in this place will be a model for people all over the Earth who don’t have prayer huddles to pray with. You are the models they will see and hear.”
The Collegiate Day of Prayer organization operates as a coalition of collegiate ministries and church networks and is led
by a representative steering team from its partner organizations.
Throughout the night, the simulcast featured various speakers, including pastor of Heritage Creek Baptist Church Jonathan Pokluda, Gen Z Christian content creator Bryce Crawford, pastor and apologist Cliffe Knechtle, and Collegiate Day of Prayer staff, along with members of Liberty’s leadership, including President Dondi E. Costin, Chancellor Jonathan Falwell, and Vice President of Spiritual Development Joshua Rutledge.
The Liberty Worship Collective and LU Praise led worship for the evening, providing a ripe spiritual atmosphere centered on Christ. Participants broke into small huddles to praise God for His goodness, repent from sin, pray for spiritual revival and an overall spiritual awakening on college campuses, and prepare their hearts for whatever calling and purpose God has for their lives. They
were also asked to consider adopting several college campuses to cover in prayer both during and after the service ended.
Falwell emphasized the critical role prayer plays in the Christian life, noting how his father, Liberty founder Dr. Jerry Falwell, spent much of his own college years in earnest prayer.
“When you think about this dynamic of prayer, this (is an) opportunity we have to connect directly to God,” he said. “No matter who we are, no matter where we are, no matter what we’re going through, understand that it is that power, that relationship, and that connection that not only changes us but has the opportunity to change the world.”
Pokluda spoke about the important role repentance plays in reconciling Christians to their heavenly Father, sharing a personal story of when he rescued his then 4-year-old daughter from drowning in the family swimming pool. He emphasized repentance requires more than just a confession; it requires an active choice to abandon the previous sin.
Knechtle likened Christians to “beggars who have received Living Bread” and said God commands believers to share this knowledge with others so they too may know the love of Christ and one day enjoy eternity with Him.
Rutledge closed the event by encouraging students and guests to willingly submit to God’s will for their lives.
“You are not responsible for your purpose,” he said. “You are responsible only to be faithful to God and trust your purpose to Him. Whatever He chooses to do in and through you, you have the freedom as a follower of Christ to say, ‘The outcome was never up to me anyways. I was only ever called to be faithful.’
Once you understand that, you realize you cannot lose. No man, woman, event, circumstance, past, or anything in your future can separate you from the love of Christ Jesus, and nothing is standing in the way of God fulfilling His purpose for you, except for your refusal to trust Him with it. You cannot lose in Jesus.”
For Liberty, the Collegiate Day of Prayer was wrapped up into a weeklong emphasis on spiritual renewal and coincided with the university’s regularly scheduled 24 hours of prayer. Pokluda and Crawford participated in a Next Gen Revival Prayer Panel at Wednesday’s Convocation, and Pokluda delivered the message at the Campus Community service on Wednesday night. Starting at midnight, students, faculty, and staff gathered at the Worley Prayer Chapel and in other designated spaces to pray, then they
transitioned to the Vines Center for the Collegiate Day of Prayer event. Prayer continued at the chapel the rest of the night. On Friday morning, Knechtle closed out the week during Convocation.
Sophomore Madi Doyle, a national security student, joined her friends at the Collegiate Day of Prayer event Thursday night. She said practicing prayer corporately “allows us to keep each other accountable.”
“Between the Convocations, Campus Community, and the Collegiate Day of Prayer, we’ve seen that prayer leads to some pretty incredible things,” she said. “In my life, these events have convicted me to grow my prayer life with the Lord. I’m excited to see what these events stir up in my own life and on this campus.”
“Liberty’s founder said it best, ‘Nothing of eternal significance happens apart from prayer,’” added senior Maya Dunn, who is studying Christian leadership and church ministry. “If we expect (ourselves) as individuals, or collectively as Liberty University and as Christians, to do anything that matters in the world, God has to be a part of it. Not only relying on people to individually use the power of prayer in our lives but also dedicating this significant time to it really shows how important it is to everyone else here.”
The Collegiate Day of Prayer is held annually on college campuses throughout the United States. February marked Liberty’s first time to host the live simulcast for the event. Featured guests included pastor and apologist Cliffe Knechtle (top row, second photo) and Gen Z Christian content creator Bryce Crawford (bottom row, third photo). The event coincided with Liberty’s regularly scheduled 24 hours of prayer held in the Worley Prayer Chapel (bottom row, first photo).
250 YEARS OF AMERICA
BY RYAN HELFENBEIN
In the summer of 1776, 56 men signed their names to a revolutionary parchment that had virtually no chance of survival. They were outgunned, outnumbered, and outmatched by the most powerful empire in the world. Yet they mutually pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor on that audacious conviction that “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.” As America crosses the historic threshold of her 250th birthday, it is worth pausing in honest amazement and gratitude to Almighty God. We are still here, and that is nothing short of a miracle.
The U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1789, remains to this day the oldest working written national constitution in the world. No other republic or democracy can claim 250 years of uninterrupted constitutional governance. France is on its fifth republic. Russia’s new constitution is barely 30 years old. Canada and Mexico, America’s neighbors, are new by comparison. This singular improbability was not by accident.
The roots of American liberty run deeper than Valley Forge, Yorktown, or Independence Hall. They run through the Great Awakening of the 1730s and ’40s to the 1760s, when preachers like Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, and John Wesley filled pulpits, traveled road circuits, called men to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, and ignited a spiritual fire in the colonies. That awakening brought souls to Christ and created the spiritual condition upon which a shared faith, virtue, and liberty produced the Declaration of Independence in just one generation. It was the pulpit that shaped the heart of a republic and set it on a trajectory to become one of the most exceptional nations in the world.
Yet from the beginning, America has never been a perfect nation. It has been fraught with failures that did not live up to the very promises of freedom it sought to establish. Throughout her history, the injustices of slavery and segregation were pursued by Christian citizens seeking to
remedy and redeem what was morally bankrupt and spiritually broken. And after World War II, a secular consensus sought to rewrite America’s story, stripping its Christian founding and replacing it with secular-humanism and cultural revolutions that sought the ideological deconstruction of family, faith, and freedom. Americans forgot their heritage and history, civic illiteracy took hold, and pulpits lost their prophetic voice to rally the nation.
During the Bicentennial celebration of America in 1976, Liberty University founder Dr. Jerry Falwell launched his “I Love America” tour, standing on the steps of the state capitols from coast to coast, rallying a sleeping church to love and defend the nation God had entrusted to our care. He once said, “The idea that religion and politics don’t mix was invented by the devil to keep Christians from running their own country.” That is hardly an extreme statement today. Francis Schaeffer similarly warned that when a civilization cuts itself loose from its Christian foundations, it does not float free, it sinks: “There is no other base than the Christian one. Either a man begins from God and His revelation, or he begins from himself.” Those warnings have echoed across the decades with urgent clarity.
Recent polling shows a reverse trend. Bible sales are up 40% since 2022. Christian app downloads are up 80% in the past year. Pew’s latest research shows faith’s long decline is reversing as church attendance, Bible reading, and baptism
are all on the rise. For the first time in a decade, Christianity is seen as the answer and not the problem in America.
Charlie Kirk made in his generation not only for American freedom and traditional values but for faith in Jesus Christ. More than anything, he wanted to be remembered for his courageous faith. His life was taken by the very lost boy he was desperately trying to reach.
America is not finished after 250 years. This year is already a year of celebration. It is also a year of remembrance to refocus not only on our founding but our Christian faith that made America’s founding possible. It is also a time of recommitment where Christians must recognize the responsibility they bear as citizens of this great republic and strive to preserve and keep the freedoms we’ve been given. On this 250year anniversary, may the church of the Lord Jesus Christ stand as witness to all that God has done and vow to never quit on America.
Communications & Public Engagement at Liberty University. For more information, visit
AMERICA’S FOUNDING CONFERENCE
The Liberty University Department of History is hosting the America’s Founding: Legacy and Influence conference on April 17–18 at the School of Business. This multidisciplinary conference will explore our country’s beginnings, the development of its constitutional ideals, and its influence around the world. Through research presentations, public history initiatives, and scholarly dialogue, participants will reflect on the biblical principles and visionary leadership that shaped our nation and consider how those same foundations continue to inspire faith, freedom, and service today.
The keynote session featuring Maj. Gen. USMC (Ret.) Jason Bohm, dean of the Helms School of Government, is scheduled for 7 p.m. April 17.
Tours will be available at the Liberty University Chaplains Museum, located on the terrace level of the Jerry Falwell Library.
The conference is free and open to the public. Registration is not required. For information, visit Liberty.edu/History250 or email history@liberty.edu
Historical marker ceremony
A historical marker will be installed at the site of a former Continental Army arsenal on the university-owned Bedford Alum Springs Hotel property at New London during a ceremony at 4 p.m. on April 17. Students have conducted archaeology at the arsenal site, which played a vital role in both the American Revolution and the securing of the Northwest Territory. The marker is being donated by the Daughters of the American Revolution. Local dignitaries, officers from national and state DAR chapters, and the general public are invited to attend. The event is part of the VA250 movement commemorating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the Revolutionary War, and the Independence of the United States in Virginia. APRIL 17-18
LOOKING BACK
With over 25,000 people in attendance, the event was the largest Bicentennial event in Virginia and was nationally broadcast on “The Old-Time Gospel Hour,” Falwell’s television ministry program.
OTHER EVENTS
I LOVE AMERICA: A CELEBRATION OF AMERICA’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY, presented by the School of Music, May 5, 7:30 p.m. in the Center for Music and the Worship Arts, Concert Hall. The concert will feature the Liberty University Symphony Orchestra, a 300-voice choir, Chamber Singers, E-41 Bluegrass group, Shine a cappella group, and more. Free and open to the public.
250TH ANNIVERSARY GALA, March 31, hosted by the LU One office. The event was part of the Helms School of Government’s Spring Public Policy Conference, We Hold These Truths: The Quest for Liberty. Faculty, students, and guests heard from historical reenactors Thomas Jefferson (played by Bill Barker of Monticello) and Patrick Henry, (played by Patrick Henry Jolly, his fifth greatgrandson), and enjoyed live music from the School of Music.
The event was held during an especially patriotic time at Liberty; the year before, students from the school’s various music groups had started to perform at “I Love America” rallies across the country. They traveled to 112 major U.S. cities through the fall of 1976. Their performance at the Bicentennial received a standing ovation. Keeping in the Bicentennial theme, then-
Liberty Baptist College (renamed Liberty University in 1985) unveiled a replica of the Liberty Bell at the event to commemorate the donors who had assisted in paying off the mortgage for the Liberty Mountain property. The bell has been displayed on campus ever since, in a pavilion near DeMoss Hall (along with names of donors), then at the top of the Freedom Tower, and briefly at the entrance of Williams Stadium. The bell is now awaiting placement in the new Champion Center, scheduled to open this fall.
The year of 1976 marked celebrations of multiple other milestones on Liberty Mountain, including the 20th year for Thomas Road Baptist Church, founded by Falwell, who served as pastor.
Spirit of the Mountain performs at NASCAR race
Students support the unborn at National March for Life
Liberty University formed the largest single group at the 53rd annual National March for Life in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 23. More than 1,000 students boarded 20 buses on campus. Before joining the world’s largest pro-life demonstration, the students gathered outside Union Station to pray for mothers in crisis, lawmakers, and unborn children. Prayers were led by pro-life leader Seth Gruber, Executive Director of Liberty’s Standing for Freedom Center Ryan Helfenbein, and U.S. Rep. John McGuire.
Liberty University’s Spirit of the Mountain Marching Band had the honor of playing the national anthem before the Xfinity 500, the final Round of 8 NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Martinsville Speedway on Oct. 26. The 250-member band also had the chance to cheer on Liberty-sponsored driver William Byron, who took the checkered flag. He greeted band members and leaders before the start of the race.
LASI students brief NATO representatives in Romania
In December, an 11-student team from Liberty’s Analytical Support Initiative (LASI) traveled to Romania to brief leadership at the NATO HUMINT Centre of Excellence, which strengthens human intelligence capabilities across the alliance through research, training, and best practices. After preparing throughout the Fall 2025 semester, the students presented their findings in person just days after final exams, offering insights on enhancing NATO’s cross-cultural engagement efforts.
Student raises awareness for dyslexia support
Drawing from her own struggles with dyslexia, senior Taylor Shay, an education student with a focus in special education, advocates for other neurodivergent individuals to receive the support they need. She has been involved in pageants since she was a child and was most recently crowned Miss Historic Maryland. Shay used her platform to launch the Dyslexics Next Achievement program, and last summer she participated in the Miss America HER Story initiative, where she delivered a local Tedx Talk in her hometown of Hagerstown, Md.
MBA student presents research on aid for aging employees
Chidubem Xerona Nnajiofor, an MBA in Healthcare Management student, attended the 2025 Dementia World Conference and 2025 Neurology World Conference in Boston, Mass., where she presented research on how human resources departments can assist aging employees as they battle cognitive decline and memory loss. She compared workplace policies in South Korea, Europe, and Japan to those in the U.S. to determine how to best address the issue of aging employees and improve productivity.
Music student and cancer survivor provides healing through opera
Six years after being diagnosed and treated for brain cancer at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., music education student Lydia Sutton walked through the hospital doors again in June to perform as part of Opera Italiana, a program that sends opera singers to major cities to perform for the public at parks and hospitals, providing comfort and a special treat for patients.
NIFA team wins 20th-straight regional championship
The School of Aeronautics’ National Intercollegiate Flying Association team edged out the U.S. Naval Academy to win its 20th consecutive SAFECON Region X championship at Chesapeake Regional Airport in October. Liberty placed in the Top 10 in five different events, including first in Power-Off Landing and overall Ground Events. Senior Braxton Smith won Top Pilot, and junior Isabella Hauri was named Outstanding Team Member. The team qualified for the SAFECON national competition set for May 18-23 at the Quad Cities International Airport in Illinois.
Psychology students travel to Ireland
Liberty Army ROTC team takes first place in annual Ranger Challenge
Liberty’s Army ROTC cadets took first place in the 4th Brigade Army ROTC Ranger Challenge at Fort Pickett, the Virginia National Guard installation in Blackstone, Va., in February. They beat out 43 other teams, including Virginia Military Institute (No. 2) and The Citadel (No. 3), and will compete for the championship title at the Sandhurst International Military Skills Competition at West Point May 1-2.
In July, students from the Department of Psychology traveled to Ireland to partner with various organizations specializing in different areas of care, from human trafficking prevention to mental health support. While simultaneously gaining insight into major issues affecting the Irish population, the team also participated in ministry opportunities.
LUCOM recognizes award recipients
Several individuals affiliated with the Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine received awards from the American Osteopathic Foundation (pictured from left): OMS-III student Jerry Casteel, Rossnick International Medical Outreach Travel Grant (used for a trip to Eswatini); Janae (Fry) Marracino, DO (’19), State Emerging Leader for Florida; and Alesha Sands Foster, DO (’22), Outstanding Resident of the Year in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Allison Dawn Schmitt, wife of Nathan Andrew Schmitt, DO (’25), received the Donna Jones Moritsugu Memorial Award, given to spouses of graduating osteopathic medical students.
CyberForce team finishes in Top 10 at national competition
In only its second year of competition, the CyberForce squad recorded a Top 10 finish at the Department of Energy CyberForce Competition 2025 in Chicago, Ill., in November. The competition included 93 teams from 77 schools and gave students practical experience in defending systems from malicious software.
Liberty Law graduates launch into the legal profession at Supreme Court of Virginia ceremony
Over 20 recent graduates from Liberty University School of Law were sworn in before the Supreme Court of Virginia on Dec. 3, taking an oath that signifies their admission to practice in the courts of the Commonwealth and celebrating their entrance to the law profession. The ceremony was sponsored by the Supreme Court of Virginia and the Virginia State Bar Young Lawyers Section.
Student-run creative agency earns three American Graphic Design Awards
The Open Quote Creative received three American Graphic Design Awards in the GDUSA Design Awards Competition in November, recognizing projects created for nonprofits. The winning projects were a campaign for the Elkton Volunteer Fire Company’s 100th Anniversary, branding for Never Surrender USA (a nonprofit promoting fitness and resilience among youth), and Meals on Wheels’ Giving Tuesday campaign for the Greater Lynchburg area.
A Culture of Care
Creating a culture of care begins by deciding to do something about the culture you are a part of daily. It’s about being intentional. When you are deliberate, you see and predict an outcome that is going to complement your intentionality.
One of my favorite Bible characters in the Old Testament is Joseph. In Genesis 40, Joseph was used by God to illustrate the importance of creating a culture of care while he was in prison. Looking at that trial from a human perspective, Joseph should not have been in that difficult situation. However, from a divine perspective, Joseph was in the right place, at the right time, with the right people, and doing the right thing.
Theologian and author Bruce Ashford says, “To ignore culture is to ignore the cultural institutions that shape people’s lives and that will point people either toward Christ or against Him.”
Creating a culture of care begins by realizing God allows us to be in settings that may not make sense in the moment. But when we look at the situation from God’s perspective, it will make sense in His timing. Being aware of what is happening around us will open opportunities for God to use us as a source of care, compassion, and encouragement for others.
Care at one moment might mean you are going to be a good listener, a person who is more interested in hearing than wanting
BY DR. ED GOMES
to be heard. In another moment, care could mean you are there to help someone better understand what he or she may be going through.
We all know that life doesn’t always go the way we want it to go. I heard Dr. Jerry Falwell, Liberty’s founder, say on many occasions: “You are either in a storm of life, have just come out of a storm, or are going into a storm that may be a little uncomfortable.” In the story of Joseph, when he interpreted dreams for two fellow inmates, the Pharoah’s chief butler and baker, life for them certainly did not make sense. But God used Joseph to help them understand what they would be facing in the future.
Creating a culture of care means being available for God to use us. It’s paying attention to your surroundings. It’s very easy to be more focused on what we don’t like instead of realizing God has us where we are and who we are with for His purposes and not ours. There are many examples in the Bible where this is proven true.
You may have heard the illustration of the thermostat and the thermometer. The thermostat changes the temperature (through proper attitudes and actions) in the room. The thermometer just relays the temperature. We should not be instruments to merely reflect the culture around us; we should be taking action to
change the circumstances, to influence the world by showing others Christ’s love. The challenge for you and me is to be a person God can use to help create a genuine culture of care. Creating a culture of care provides:
• Hope by seeing the best in others
• Help by being a good listener
• Heart by offering sincere empathy
•Home by establishing a safe and confidential space
Is God trying to use you to create a culture of care? Are you paying attention to what is happening around you? Has God brought a person or situation your way that could be a divine encounter? How can God use you to create a culture of care where you are serving?
Pay attention to what is happening around you. Realize God could be allowing you to interact with someone on purpose. I don’t know about you, but I desire to be a part of creating a culture of care wherever I serve.
Following a 25-year career as chaplain for Flames Football, Dr. Ed Gomes (’76, ’85, ’07) transitioned into a new role last fall as Liberty’s first Director of Faculty and Staff Pastoral Care under the Office of Spiritual Development.
Chancellor Jonathan Falwell introduces Dr. Ed Gomes in his new role as Director of Faculty and Staff Pastoral Care during an All-Employee Convocation on Aug. 25.
FACULTY & STAFF ACHIEVEMENTS
>> LAW & GOVERNMENT
Former CIA Director and the 70th Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was named senior executive director of the Center for Law & Government in October. Government Professor Zane Richer was named deputy director. The center is an academic hub dedicated to advancing the principles, knowledge, and skills necessary for faculty and students to positively impact the fields of public policy, government, law, foreign policy, international relations, and criminal justice by providing original and relevant scholarship from a biblical worldview.
>> FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR
Philosophy Professor Dr. Michael Jones is spending the Spring 2026 semester as a Fulbright Scholar at Lucian Blaga University in Sibiu, Romania, teaching and working alongside students to translate the writings of Blaga into English. The trip is marking Jones’ third Fulbright grant and is part of his decades-long endeavor to introduce Blaga’s philosophical works to America.
>> HEALING ADDICTIONS
Dr. Fred Volk, director of doctoral research for the School of Behavioral Sciences, is serving as co-principal investigator and evaluator for a $1 million grant awarded to the area agency Horizon Behavioral Health to ensure access to behavioral health services for those with mental health disorders who are at a high risk for substance abuse.
>> DEAN’S AWARD
After serving Liberty and its affiliated ministries for over 50 years, School of Education Professor Dr. Harvey Klamm received the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Spiritual Formation in recognition of his ministry in the classroom and to his colleagues.
>> BOARD SERVICE
Two School of Behavioral Sciences professors have been appointed to state boards. Professor of Clinical Psychology Dr. Timothy Barclay, assistant director of the Psy.D. program, was appointed to the Virginia Board of Psychology. Dr. Deborah Braboy, assistant professor in the school’s online clinical mental health counseling program, was appointed to the Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling.
>> CAREER PREP TALK
School of Business Assistant Professor Kristin Boyce, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship, was a speaker at CMB University, a conference for collegeaged students hosted by Christian Music Broadcasters in Nashville in November. Boyce led a session on the “Top 10 things Gen Z should know to prepare for a successful career.”
>> WELLNESS AND LAW
In addition to developing professionalism and wellness programming at Liberty University School of Law, Jurist in Residence Judge R. Edwin Burnette was appointed to the Wellness Advisory Committee under the Supreme Court of Virginia. The committee focuses on providing ways for law schools and the greater law profession to foster wellness.
>> FILM AWARDS
The film “Barnabas and Paul: A Friendship that Rocked the Roman World,” by Cinematic Arts Professor Stuart Bennett, won Best Documentary Film at the Religion Faith International Film Festival and Most Creative Documentary at the International Christian Film Festival. The film has been screened at the Paris Film Festival, New York Cinemafest, Los Angeles Movie & Music Video Awards, Independent Film Institute, and other festivals in the United States, Europe, and India.
>> NEW COMMENTARY
Dr. Chad Thornhill, biblical and theological studies residential chair and professor, published a new commentary on 2 Peter through Cambridge University Press in November. The commentary uses a range of methods, including narrative theology and historical, social, cultural, literary, rhetorical, discourse, and linguistic analysis.
>>
NEW DEANS
Kenneth Camplin, PE, was introduced as the new dean of the School of Engineering in August. He previously served as president of BWX Technologies’ Nuclear Services Group in Lynchburg, overseeing commercial nuclear, technical services, and business development operations. He brings over 40 years of experience in the engineering industry. Dr. Shawn Bielicki was named dean of the School of Education in December. He previously served as associate dean of the College of Applied Studies & Academic Success and director of Teaching Excellence. Bielicki spent nearly 15 years in K-12 settings as a middle and high school teacher, assistant principal, and curriculum coordinator.
Learning by DOING
Over the past year, Liberty University students have grasped opportunities to participate in hands-on, career-ready training through a wide variety of immersive simulations across academic disciplines.
Liberty University School of Nursing hosted a Poverty Simulation in October, where students traversed complex social barriers. Taking on the identities of people affected by extreme poverty, the students had to work together to tackle realworld scenarios and search out assistance. They visited tables representing a hospital, bank, grocery store, church, and other community resources. Social work, criminal justice, and divinity students played different roles in the scenarios.
The Center for Church Advancement, operating under the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity, held a church planting simulator in October. The annual event allows students to hear from experienced church planters, research how to evangelize in different communities, learn about ministry programs, and receive valuable feedback from veteran church planters.
In early November, international relations students in the Helms School of Government participated in a two-day simulation of White House Principals Committee meetings using the Hancock Welcome Center Boardroom. They focused on responding to an international crisis involving nuclear weapons security, assuming the roles of Cabinet-level officials and presenting policy recommendations under the guidance of Professor Scott Roenicke, who chaired the sessions as the U.S. National Security Advisor. Drawing from his 33-year career with the Department of Defense, including as White House Director for Russian Affairs, Roenicke provided students with a realistic comparison of high-level national security decision-making.
The Helms School of Government holds a large-scale forensic exercise called “Pig on the Mountain” each spring. Students work alongside local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to use principles in explosive investigations, body excavation, and forensic entomology to solve a mock crime investigation that involves pig cadavers.
The university partnered with regional emergency agencies in October to conduct a large-scale Mass Casualty Incident Training Exercise on the Academic Lawn and inside the Freedom Tower. Designed to simulate the immediate aftermath of an active-shooter scenario, the drill brought together more than 200 participants, including first responders and medical professionals from throughout the region, members of Liberty’s Office of Security & Public Safety, and over 80 student volunteers. The event marked the region’s most comprehensive MCI exercise and underscored Liberty’s commitment to campus safety, real-world training, and community partnership.
In October, approximately 100 students in Liberty’s family and child development program participated in a Cost of Poverty Experience (COPE) simulation to gain insights into the realities of poverty that many families face nationwide. The event, facilitated by FIVE18 Family Services, placed students in realistic family roles as they navigated community resource stations and encountered challenges such as financial strain, housing instability, food insecurity, and more to better equip them for careers serving those in need.
Business leadership center
In October, the School of Business cut the ribbon on the T.W. Lewis Center for Student Success, which will integrate leadership principles into existing business courses, offer personal and professional development workshops, host multiple speaker series each semester, provide personal assessments through Indigo Education Company, and more. The center’s namesake, Tom Lewis, is a philanthropist and entrepreneur from Arizona who spent a significant portion of his career in residential home building. Lewis and his wife, Jan, founded the T.W. Lewis Foundation in 2000 and have been generous benefactors of Christian universities and nonprofit organizations around the country. He donated 1,000 copies of his book, “Solid Ground: A Foundation for Winning in Work and in Life,” to be incorporated into courses.
Aviation advancements
Aeronautics students have a clearer vision and safer flight path toward their careers with two recent additions that will boost their hands-on training. With the school’s first Extra 300, a two-seat aerobatic plane used for Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT), students are learning how to handle dangerous in-flight scenarios caused by mechanical issues or weather conditions. Liberty is one of only a few collegiate aviation programs with the resources to conduct this training on site. The school also acquired a new Frasca Advanced Aviation Training Device (AATD, or flight simulator) with Unreal Engine software that delivers unprecedented realism, scalability, and innovation in pilot training. Liberty is one of two colleges to have the new visual system. The simulator is one of five Level 5 Flight Training Devices (FTDs) in the simulator center in DeMoss Hall.
On lake time again
Hydaway Lake opened for student use last fall after being closed the last few years to undergo a major expansion. The Campus Recreation department kicked off the grand reopening on Aug. 22 with a Beach Bash. Students enjoyed swimming, canoeing, beach volleyball, fishing, a giant waterslide, water jousting and log rolling competitions, and more. The 31-acre lake is part of the Hydaway Outdoor Center on Liberty Mountain. During the school year, the center provides equipment for students to check out (bikes, canoes, kayaks, fishing equipment, and more). Students can also take advantage
of the trails around the lake, part of the vast Liberty Mountain Trail System.
New pickleball courts
With the growing popularity of pickleball, Liberty will break ground on four more regulation-size courts this spring, located between the turf fields and the softball field at the Liberty Mountain Intramural Complex. Liberty opened its first six courts in July 2024. The courts are open to current students, faculty, and staff.
Center for Israel
Inspired by the vision of Liberty founder Dr. Jerry Falwell, the center launched in the fall to deepen understanding, foster meaningful relationships, and promote thoughtful scholarship around the shared spiritual heritage between Christians and the Jewish people. Housed within the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity, the center collaborates across various academic departments, building on the university’s longstanding commitment to biblical truth and legacy of friendship with the Jewish community. A student interest panel was held on Dec. 2, and the Inaugural Center for Israel Annual Gala and Summit took place March 10-11 featuring pro-Israel leaders, high-profile guests, Liberty leadership, and students.
Athletics upgrades
NCAA Division I student-athletes benefitted from improvements to their facilities for the academic year, including a 100-acre addition to the Liberty Golf Practice Facility in September featuring a training course with six greens that have various approaches. Players have the ability to play 18 holes with different distances of up to 7,940 yards. In August, Liberty Baseball hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new player development addition at Liberty Baseball Stadium, which includes four batting tunnels and a state-of-the-art pitching lab. Liberty Softball added a new state-of-the-art video board and pitch clock at Liberty Softball Stadium over the summer. The Lady Flames Field Hockey and Lacrosse programs have enjoyed several additions to the East Campus Field House, including new team rooms for both programs and new dugouts on the Liberty Field Hockey Field.
Wall art
To represent the diversity of disciplines within the School of Communication & the Arts, the school tasked a team of students to
create and install environmental graphics on the walls of Marie F. Green Hall to cultivate a creative environment, better define the different departments’ locations, and showcase its exciting programs. While many of the graphics serve as signage, there are also mottos, mosaics of promotional photos taken by department photographers, and elements that represent all departments within one piece. Each department has its own icon and color.
Library updates
Since its opening in 2014, the Jerry Falwell Library has been known for its innovative design, advanced technology, and unique areas for study, collaboration, and gathering with classmates and friends. In the fall, staff updated outdoor seating, remodeled spaces throughout the building, and added three treadmill desks in the Gallagher Learning Commons on the second floor. The library also offers bicycle desks.
Virginia State Police partnership
Through a groundbreaking partnership with the Virginia State Police, eligible criminal justice students in the Helms School of Government can complete their undergraduate degrees while simultaneously earning certification through the Virginia State Police Basic Trooper Academy. The announcement was made during a ribbon-cutting ceremony in September attended by former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Col. Matthew Hanley, superintendent of the Virginia State Police. Liberty is the first institution to partner with the Virginia State Police for this unique offering.
Champion Center
The latest major construction project on campus has taken greater shape in recent months. Scheduled to open for the 2026-27 academic year this fall, the 68,000-square-foot facility is an extension of the Hancock Welcome Center and will serve many functions, all with the goal of presenting and preserving the original mission of Liberty University: Training Champions for Christ. The building will feature a new Event Space with seating for 2,000, making it the largest meeting room of its kind in the Lynchburg area. Students and visitors will also enjoy a rooftop plaza with stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and areas to relax and study. Visit LibertyChampionCenter.com.
Teaching Guided by Truth
A PHILOSOPHY FOR AUTHENTIC CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
BY DR. GAYLEN P. LEVERETT
On His last day with the disciples, Jesus commanded them to be zealous teachers of the faith. We call this command the Great Commission:
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).
The church was founded to be, among other things, an educational movement. It is therefore not surprising that Western universities historically originated in the monasteries and cathedrals of Europe. For centuries, most scholars studied the world as the product of God’s creation, history as the outcome of God’s providence, and ethics as rooted in God’s goodness and justice.
In America, most of the original universities were dedicated to the propagation of God’s truth, often with the bold intention to develop an educated clergy. Columbia University, for example, was originally founded as Kings College by a group of New York leaders to train ministers. Brown University was founded by Roger Williams, the Baptist who founded Rhode Island for a broader freedom of religion. Dartmouth College was originally founded to train Native Americans in theology, hence its original motto “A Voice Crying in the Wilderness” pointing to John the Baptist’s “crying in the wilderness” to prepare the way for Christ.
Notice these other founding mottos:
• 1654, Harvard University – “For the Glory of Christ”
• 1746, Princeton University – “Under God’s Power She Flourishes”
• 1754, Columbia University – “In Your Light, We See the Light”
All of these schools (and many more) in varying degrees have diluted their original Christian missions with a faculty and curriculum that undermines the truths they were originally established to explore and propagate.
Liberty University is different. The very first standard in our university’s Philosophy
of Education confesses that all truth is God’s truth:
“God, the infinite source of all things, has shown us truth through Scripture, nature, history, and above all, in Christ.”
In service to this standard, we boldly take the challenge to reconcile science and Scripture, mathematics and miracle, health and holiness, ethics and righteousness. As God is the source of all that is, everything must ultimately be united in God’s purpose,
plan, and providence. There is not one truth of which God does not claim to be the Author. This is Liberty University’s confession, and this guides all of our academic initiatives and practices.
Years ago, when I was studying the historical origins of the Christian and Jewish religions in a secular university, I was often confronted with a tide of scholars who challenged my Christian faith in the inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible, the deity of Christ, the uniqueness of the Christian religion, the divine creation of
man, the current relevance of traditional Christian morality, and a host of other essential Christian doctrines. At that point in my scholarly development, with a mix of trepidation and faith, I aspired to live by a motto of my own: “Those who are interested in the truth should not be afraid of facts.” I must admit that at times some of the data presented as “facts” by my secular professors and peers was hard to reconcile with the doctrines I had been taught since I was a child.
Thankfully, in those days I was a junior member of Liberty’s faculty and had full access to our broadly read scholars in Bible, philosophy, and theology. By their personal examples of faith and scholarship, they enabled me to work out resolutions to the challenges I faced. Our students at Liberty who are studying the sciences, history, the arts, business, medicine, law, etc. will find the same kind of support in their faculty.
At Liberty University, we have a twofold standard for our faculty. Not only must they be experts in their disciplines, but they must also understand how the Christian faith informs their discipline. We do not shut down the conversation when difficult questions are asked. We accelerate the conversation with careful and broadly gathered insights from Scripture, science, history, literature, and all the arts which God has given to mankind. Liberty is root and branch an institutional personification of the Great Commission, not only to teach all things that Jesus commanded but also to teach, explore, discuss, and apply all the truths of which God is the Author. This is why we exist.
Dr. Gaylen P. Leverett is in his 42nd year at Liberty University and currently teaches in the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity. He has spent most of that time as faculty chaplain with an effort to promote the integration of a biblical worldview into every academic discipline. He holds graduate degrees from Liberty University and University of Virginia and a Ph.D. in New Testament from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
WELCOME TO OUR STAGE
Throughout the Fall 2025 semester, students gathered in the Vines Center twice a week for Convocation — the largest weekly gathering of Christian young people in the world — where they heard from a wide variety of voices influencing the world today.
WATCH CURRENT AND ARCHIVED CONVOCATIONS ON LIBERTY’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
ROBERTSON FAMILY
Several members of the Robertson family from TV’s “Duck Dynasty” shared the stage on Nov. 7. It was the first visit by the family since the passing of Willie’s father and Duck Commander’s founder, Phil Robertson, in May. They spoke about Phil’s legacy, and Liberty presented a bench in his honor that is now located at Liberty Lake. The family shared how they’ve used their time in the public eye to reflect Christ and how Liberty has strengthened them in their faith and careers. Four family members are Liberty alumni.
BOB GOFF
Thousands of College For a Weekend (CFAW) students and parents heard from New York Times bestselling author and speaker Bob Goff, who shared a vibrant message of being messengers of hope and faith-led love to the world. Goff penned “Love Does” and “Everybody Always” and has remained a popular Convocation speaker at Liberty for more than a decade.
BORIS JOHNSON
Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson reminded students to safeguard the vital freedoms that built America and sustain Western civilization. He provided a brief survey of global geopolitics, outlining the rising conflicts between Israel and its surrounding Muslim nations and the tensions between Russia and Ukraine. He said these conflicts are a direct result of the divergence from freedom and that the “freedom-loving spirit” of America that was mobilized by people like Liberty founder Dr. Jerry Falwell is greatly needed today.
HAMAS ATTACK SURVIVORS
On Oct. 22, students heard the testimonies of two survivors of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, Noam Ben David and Moran Stela Yanai. The panel was moderated by Noa Tishby, a bestselling author and Israel’s former special envoy for combating antisemitism and delegitimization.
BEAR GRYLLS
British Emmy Award-winning TV host Bear Grylls, star of the popular wilderness survival shows “Man vs. Wild” and “Running Wild with Bear Grylls,” shared how his faith has been his ultimate adventure. He recounted exploits in some of the most precarious corners of Earth and said whether he was stuck in quicksand, pinned in rapids, or caught in rock falls or avalanches, he learned to “lean on the beautiful presence of Christ within me.” He also spoke about his latest book on Christ’s life, “The Greatest Story Ever Told.”
LOUIE GIGLIO
The pastor of Passion City Church in Atlanta, Ga., and founder of the Passion Institute encouraged students to rest in knowing they are justified by their faith in Christ rather than keep viewing themselves as irredeemable sinners without hope. He said Christ’s righteousness causes us to leave our old ways behind, to champion right instead of wrong, and if we try to use good works to get in right standing with God, we will never become closer to the standard of righteousness through Jesus.
MICHAEL MCCOY
The Oct. 24 Convocation was a time to both remember and honor the legacy of Charlie Kirk, who was originally scheduled to speak at the Convocation and at a Standing for Freedom Center summit that weekend. Michael McCoy, chief of staff for Turning Point USA and close confidant of Kirk, honored his slain friend with a message that challenged students to embrace hope and courage as Kirk did. McCoy joined forces with Kirk six years ago, at age 18, and followed Kirk to many of his college campus events.
MILITARY APPRECIATION
The annual Military Appreciation Football Game halftime show on Nov. 8 was a powerful remembrance of those who have given everything to protect the freedoms of Americans. The Spirit of the Mountain Marching Band performed a medley of U.S. military service anthems and formations recognizing each branch, and the annual Iwo Jima reenactment in the middle of the field served as a tribute to those who have lost their lives in sacrifice to our nation.
GEORGE ROGERS CHAMPION OF FREEDOM AWARD
During halftime, Liberty presented U.S. Army Staff Sgt. David N. Harker (Ret.), a local veteran, with its 2025 George Rogers Champion of Freedom Award. The award, named after the late WWII veteran George Rogers, is given annually to a man or woman who served in the United States Armed Forces and went above the call of duty, displaying extraordinary heroism while in the service and continuing to serve as an outstanding ambassador in their community.
Harker served with the 196th Infantry Brigade in Vietnam, where he was captured on Jan. 8, 1968. He spent 1,884 days as a Prisoner of War before his release during Operation Homecoming on March 5, 1973.
VETERANS DAY CONVOCATION
The Nov. 14 Convocation featured a panel discussion with U.S. Army veteran and Virginia Del. Nick Freitas (center) and former Navy SEAL Team Leader and founder of the 3 of 7 Project Chadd Wright (right). Both shared their unique military experiences, spoke candidly about their transition into business and political influence, and encouraged students to pursue God’s calling with courage and obedience.
Liberty President Dondi E. Costin (left), former Air Force Chief of Chaplains and retired Major General, led the discussion. He concluded the event by unveiling a special seat in section 103 of the Vines Center that will remain permanently empty as a tribute to the more than 15,000 active duty, National Guard, and Reserve service members currently enrolled at Liberty.
MURPH CHALLENGE
The third annual LU Murph Challenge was held on Nov. 15 at the Liberty Indoor Track & Field Complex, raising over $24,000 for the National Center for Healthy Veterans in nearby Altavista, Va. The annual studentled fitness fundraiser honors the brave men and women who have given their lives in service to this nation and raises awareness of the veteran suicide epidemic.
The Virginia House of Delegates recently commended the LU Murph Challenge for its service to veterans.
JESSIE JORDAN
Two Liberty University alumni helped showcase the world’s primo athletes at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy.
In Livigno, Italy, the site of multiple sporting events, Megan Day (’21, left photo) worked as a technical director for the Olympic Broadcasting Service, which supplies video feeds to every country.
Assigned to snowboard and skiing events, she orchestrated video, audio, and graphics, switching between sources in real time.
“Getting to come to Italy for your job is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and the Olympics has such a huge reputation; it’s one of the only things in the world that’s known by everyone,” Day said. “Just to be asked to be a part of that is really cool because you’re helping broadcast people from all over the
world and making sure that their friends and family back home can see them.”
Day made the trip from North Carolina, where she works full time on contract jobs with PBR (professional bull riding), NASCAR, and basketball.
Day studied communications and business at Liberty, earning an interdisciplinary studies degree. She was a student worker for Liberty’s Campus Production team, which broadcasts live events such as Convocation, and also worked for Liberty Broadcast Experience (LBX), which produces much of the university’s athletics event coverage.
Sports journalism alumna Annie Cory (’24, right photo) has been working part time for NBC Sports ever since she completed a yearlong internship with the network. She
temporarily relocated to the headquarters in Stamford, Conn., to work as a researcher throughout the Olympics. Whether she was gathering information about seven countries for the opening ceremony or becoming wellversed on speedskaters, Cory said she felt immersed in the Olympic atmosphere.
“I’m basically the go-to person for the information — the talent notes, the factchecking, and so on — for the daytime shows, primetime shows, and late-night shows,” she said in early February. “The show writers come in and work with us to write the scripts and make sure everything that’s going out there for all the shows is accurate and that we’re sharing fun stories and finding other content that we think people will be interested in.”
Cory had to take a break from her current full-time job with LBX. Her responsibilities at Liberty have included on-camera work for Campus Community and other large events, play-by-play for athletics competitions, and producing. She started with LBX as a student, serving as a sideline reporter for men’s and women’s hockey games and a few NCAA Division I teams. She also worked as sports editor at the “Liberty Champion” student newspaper.
SPEEDSKATER AND LIBERTY STUDENT COMPETES IN WINTER GAMES
Anders Johnson of Vancouver, British Columbia, a student pursuing his B.S. in Theology: Apologetics through Liberty University Online Programs, competed for Canada in the 500- and 1,000-meter men’s speedskating events at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.
The 28-year-old clinched one of seven spots on the team in early January.
“It is such a privilege and an honor to be the athlete on the line representing your country at the Winter Games and to feel your whole country behind you,”
Johnson said after the team was officially announced. “My goal is to give God glory and to represent Him as a faithful witness.”
Heading into the Games, Johnson was ranked No. 26 in the world in the 500 and No. 23 in the 1,000; at the Olympics, he placed 16th in the 500 and 22nd in the 1,000.
Johnson has been an ambassador for Christ in his sport. He started a Bible study with American and Norwegian skaters on the World Cup circuit.
Although he said his training can be physically and mentally exhausting, Johnson maintains his focus by staying plugged into his church family at Rocky Mountain Calvary Chapel in Calgary, leading Wednesday night worship on occasion. He has been taking courses in between his training and competitions.
“I grew up in a really solid Christian home with good Bible teaching, so to continue on with my learning through Liberty University and to focus in on apologetics has been a blessing,” he said. “Sharing the Gospel through Christian apologetics is where my heart lies.”
He said his understanding of how to
lead others to faith in Christ has become clearer since enrolling with Liberty.
“Originally, I thought of apologetics as a classical debate. Now, I see that it is really more about taking a position where you are trying to answer the question of where your hope comes from, with the goal not to win an argument but to win a soul for Christ. It is important as a believer to really know what you believe and why you believe it, to study to show yourself approved unto God. The goal of apologetics is to remove roadblocks that the enemy may use, (like) ‘This is why I can’t believe the Bible,’ or ‘This is why God’s Word isn’t true,’ to bring them to Christ.”
He has enjoyed being able to talk directly with faculty members and complete classwork around his training schedule. He plans to graduate in 2027.
“As a homeschooler growing up, I am used to doing online learning and finding that balance between classes and activities. I wish I could be down on site at the university (campus) itself, and maybe the Lord would work that out in the future. My goal is to finish out that degree and use that to go into full-time ministry after my competitive speedskating career is done.”
SUPER BOWL DREAMS FULFILLED
Two former Flames took football’s biggest stage on Feb. 8, suiting up for the New England Patriots in a clash with the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
DeMario “Pop” Douglas, a wide receiver for the Flames from 2019-22, became the second former Flames player to compete in a Super Bowl. Dwayne Carswell (’94), who played running back and tight end for the Flames, won Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII with the Denver Broncos in 1997 and 1998.
Douglas is technically the third former Liberty student to play in a Super Bowl; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles was taking graduate courses with Liberty University Online Programs when he led his team to victory in Super Bowl LII.
Working from the Super Bowl LX sideline was another former Flame, Tony Dews, the Patriots’ running backs coach. Dews played tight end for the Flames from 1992-95. Dews has also coached for the New York Jets and Tennessee Titans. He joined the Patriots in January 2025.
Although the Patriots ultimately fell 29-13 to the Seahawks, Douglas performed well under the bright lights, hauling in a team-high five receptions for 45 yards.
Leading up to the big game, “Flames Central” spoke to Douglas in a virtual interview from his hotel room in Santa Clara.
“It’s a blessing (to play in the Super Bowl),” he said. “It’s definitely a childhood dream that’s coming true, that turned into reality. It’s a blessing to do this for Liberty
too. It means a lot. Liberty was the best thing that could have happened to me. I met so many people and got closer with God and grew my faith. So, man, it means a lot to be able to do this and represent Liberty.”
Douglas’ career with the Flames coincided with the program’s rise to the FBS level. He played in Liberty’s first bowl game as a full FBS member in 2019, helping the team win its first bowl trophy and two more in 2020 and 2021.
During his four seasons at Liberty,
“It’s a blessing to do this for Liberty too. It means a lot. Liberty was the best thing that could have happened to me. I met so many people and got closer with God and grew my faith.”
DEMARIO DOUGLAS,
WIDE RECEIVER, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Douglas accumulated 2,193 total receiving yards and 17 offensive touchdowns and returned two punts for touchdowns. In his final year with the Flames, Douglas led the team with 993 receiving yards and scored seven total touchdowns.
Douglas was selected by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft and made an immediate impact his first year in Foxboro, Mass., with a team-best 561 yards as a rookie. Over the following two seasons, he continued to provide solid receiving support, recording three touchdowns in both 2024 and 2025. In New England’s playoff victory over the Houston Texans on Jan. 18, Douglas scored his first NFL postseason touchdown with a 28-yard fourth-down reception from second-year quarterback Drake Maye.
“(DeMario) is a great personality,” Patriots Head Coach Mike Vrabel told the Greg Hill Show in November. “He has a huge heart. He is a great teammate and always has a smile on his face. I love coaching him. I love being around him.”
Throughout his college and professional career, Douglas has remained consistent in living out his Christian faith with a servant’s heart.
In the fall, he joined forces with teammate Anfernee Jennings and several sponsoring companies to host turkey drives at multiple Boys & Girls Clubs in Massachusetts. In December, he visited Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy Lower Mills to meet with students, write out Bible verses, celebrate his birthday, and more.
DOUGLAS, 2022 DEWS,
DeMario Douglas dives after a catch in Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, Calif.
FALL HIGHLIGHTS
FIELD HOCKEY
Liberty (17-2) earned its third BIG EAST title in program history after besting Connecticut 2-1 in the championship game on Nov. 9. The victory marked the team’s fifth conference title in 15 years of the program (2021, 2022, and 2025 in the BIG EAST and 2013 and 2014 in the NorPac).
Sophomore Dara Semmartin was named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, and freshman Diane Saint Martin earned BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year honors. After an unbeaten (7-0) regular season in BIG EAST play, Liberty’s coaches were also tabbed BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year.
With an automatic berth to the 2025 NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship in Princeton, N.J., the Lady Flames fell 3-2 (4-2 in penalty shootouts) to No. 10 Syracuse (13-6) in the Sweet 16.
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
The Lady Flames won their second consecutive CUSA Cross Country title on Nov. 1, recording the second-largest margin of victory in meet history, 64 points for
INDOOR TRACK & FIELD
a 40-point finish, trailing only their own 66-point margin triumph from 2024.
Head Coach Heather Zealand repeated as CUSA Women’s Coach of the Year, and her daughter, Allie Zealand, was voted CUSA Women’s Athlete of the Year.
Allie Zealand finished first in the women’s 6K and became an All-American for the first time, thanks to her 21st-place individual finish at the 2025 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
No. 2 seed Liberty secured its second Conference USA Women’s Soccer Championship title in three seasons, topping No. 8 seed Missouri State 3-0 at home on Nov. 7.
After receiving the automatic bid to the 2025 NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship, Liberty faced No. 8 Clemson and lost a close 2-1 contest to the Tigers. Liberty finished the year 14-4-4 with a stellar 6-0-2 conference record.
Forward Ivy Garner was named CUSA Player of the Year, Lauren Littleton earned
Defensive Player of the Year, and Peyton Huber was named Goalkeeper of the Year. Midfielder Briana Myers earned a spot on the CUSA First-Team All-Conference.
MEN’S SWIMMING
The Flames Men’s Swimming team, a Club Sports program, won nine of 10 events in the first day of finals en route to clinching its sixth Eastern Regional Championship title in a row, convincingly beating out over 17 other College Club Swimming programs on Nov. 15-16 at the Liberty Natatorium.
The Flames, who have finished runner-up to Purdue in the past three national championship meets, racked up 1,455.5 points, surpassing the totals of the next three programs combined — University of Virginia (706.5), Penn State University (391.5), and George Mason University (305.5).
Several Liberty swimmers earned qualifying times for the CCS National Championships, which will be held in the Greensboro (N.C.) Aquatic Center April 10-12.
IN THE RECORD BOOK
• Allie Zealand’s 8:44.71 3K at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener in Boston on Dec. 6 ranked No. 10 in NCAA history and was the fastest time ever run by a U.S. athlete under the age of 20. Zealand also ran a winning 4:28.89 mile in January at the Brant Tolsma Elite Invitational, breaking school, facility, and meet records.
• Elijah Sherard broke the program record with a 33.60 300-meter sprint on Jan. 16 at the Virginia Tech Invitational.
• Kellen Kimes broke the Flames’ weight throw record with his 70-8.5 effort at the Virginia Tech Challenge on Feb. 21.
• Mahogany Mobley broke the women’s 300 program record twice this school year, lowering it to the current record of 38.67 at the Virginia Tech Invitational on Jan. 16.
• Gilles Ouedraogo, a native of Burkina Faso, West Africa, broke his own record multiple times this season; the latest was his 53-1 triple jump at the CUSA Championships on Feb. 28.
WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING
• Aly Bozzuto broke her own program record in the 200 breaststroke (2:09.47), and Kamryn Cannings broke her own program record in the 100 freestyle (48.40) at the 2026 Aemrican Conference Championship.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
• A buzzer beater by Zach Cleveland at New Mexico State on Feb. 11 lifted the Flames to a program-recordsetting 15th straight victory, topping the 2019-20 team. The Flames won 17 games in a row and started 15-0 in
CUSA play before their streak (the second longest in the nation at the time) was halted. Liberty went 73 days between losses during the historic run.
FOOTBALL
• Punter Max Morgan finished his fiveyear career with the Flames (2021-25) as Liberty’s all-time leader with a career average of 42.1 yards per punt, surpassing the previous record held by Trey Turner (40.9 yards per punt/2014-17).
BACK ON TURF
FORMER FOOTBALL PLAYER ANSWERS GOD’S CALL AS ‘WORLD CUP DAD’
Former Flames Football wide receiver Zach Duke (’12) is now bringing his athletic abilities and his faith to an entirely different sport.
In December 2022, Duke was sitting in a coffee shop in Virginia asking God to restore the dedicated mindset he had as a collegiate athlete. He had been serving as a missionary and church planter overseas for many years but had been dealing with a chronic illness that was affecting all areas of
his life. He heard God respond to him with a single word — soccer — a sport that Duke had never played before.
“I thought, ‘If I’m going to do this, God, I’m not just going to try to get better. I need to shoot for the hardest, most crazy and bizarre goal possible. I’m going to train for the World Cup.’ Delusional? Absolutely. Possible? 0.001% chance. But I like my odds if God is with me.”
To reach this lofty dream, Duke set personal goals for himself to learn the fundamentals of the sport and lose 30 pounds. He documented his progress through his Instagram account @worldcupdad, gaining over 135,000 followers.
“The moment I stepped out in faith and believed that God wasn’t done with me yet, those chains just fell off,” Duke said.
His health improved and his rigorous training efforts were rewarded. He trained with a pro team in Brazil and competed in the 2024 The Soccer Tournament, a prestigious 7v7 competition, in North Carolina. Later that year, he was called up to the Team USA Indoor Soccer squad for a match against Mexico. He then received an invite to the 2024 Major Arena Soccer
League Pro Combine Draft and was picked in the third round by the Empire Strykers in Ontario, Calif. In February, Duke announced he was selected by Federação Socca Brasil to represent the 6v6 Brazil National Team at the 2026 Copa America and World Cup.
“It’s amazing to have our strong, passionate, godly leader back who has this drive and fire and is healthy — not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, spiritually — with these priorities that are right in line with God’s will,” said his wife, Megan (’11). “It’s inspiring to me. It’s inspiring to the kids. It’s inspiring to so many other people he wasn’t necessarily out to inspire.”
As the World Cup Dad continues his journey in professional soccer, he hopes to inspire others to embrace whatever calling God places on their hearts.
“No matter where anyone is in their life, I just want them to believe that it’s not too late for them because God’s not done with us yet. As long as there’s breath in our lungs, it’s not too late for us. I know without a doubt this isn’t about me. It’s not about my family. It’s to give people faith that God really is who He says He is.”
Former Lady Flames Basketball standout Ashley (Rininger) Schut (’14, ’15, ’16) is now walking by faith after a horrific paragliding accident over two years ago.
Schut, a detective with the Cleveland Police Department 4th District, has long enjoyed visiting national parks and doing extreme activities. In October 2023, she traveled west with her husband, Gabe, in search of more exciting adventures. While in Draper, Utah, Ashley Schut tried paragliding at Point of the Mountain Flight Park. Strapped to a flight instructor, she took off. But about 20 minutes into the flight, a hang glider collided with them, sending them crashing to the ground. The instructor didn’t survive the impact. Schut was airlifted to a hospital and underwent a five-hour emergency surgery to repair her fractured spine. She had broken her
pelvis in five places, dislocated her shoulder, and suffered a double lung collapse.
“The first couple days in the hospital, I just remember being overwhelmingly thankful to still be alive and thankful I wasn’t going to be paralyzed,” Schut said.
Over the next four weeks, the couple remained in Utah, relying on the generosity of local first responders. She was able to travel home to Ohio on a medical jet and spent several weeks in a skilled nursing home and a rehab facility before finally returning to her house after almost two months.
A year after the accident, the Schuts returned to Utah to thank those who helped them throughout the early recovery process.
“I found that in difficult times, and even in times you really didn’t want to go through, God is still good, and He is still providing
every step of the way,” Schut said.
“While we might not understand it, and I don’t think we ever will, we can trust that God is going to use us for His glory,” she added. “We can trust that He’s still faithful, even when life is hard.”
Schut played for the Flames from 2011-16. She currently ranks ninth in Liberty program history in points (1,380), fifth in rebounds (952), fifth in blocked shots (156), and sixth in field goal percentage (52.3%).
ON MISSION THROUGH SPORTS
-
Since last summer, Club Sports student-athletes have seen busy and fruitful seasons of outreach.
WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS, GEORGIA
The women’s gymnastics team spent the last week of their Winter Break running clinics for youth in Clarkston, Ga., a sanctuary town of 15,000, mostly refugees from foreign countries, considered the most diverse square mile in America.
“Even though it was a suburb of Atlanta, it felt like walking into another country,” Lady Flames Head Coach Jessie Lowe said. “It was a beautiful and colorful town to be introduced to for a week.”
The team hosted four gymnastics clinics at a local church with assistance from Push the Rock ministries. The clinics drew an average of 50 children, ages 3-14, many unchurched or from different religious backgrounds.
“It was neat to use the sport of gymnastics to break the barriers for kids to come to church and hear the Gospel,” Lowe said.
MEN’S LACROSSE, PUERTO RICO
From Dec. 9-15, 21 members of the Flames’ reigning MCLA Division I national championship men’s lacrosse team helped run the 2025 Pan-American Lacrosse Association Sixes Cup and a lacrosse clinic for Puerto Rican youth.
The international tournament attracted men’s and women’s teams from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Haudenosaunee (formerly known as Iroquois Nation), Mexico, Peru, and the host team.
Miguel Lozada (’14), a former Flames player who is the co-founder and president of the Puerto Rico Lacrosse program, said the Flames reflected the light of Christ in all their words and deeds.
“They were able to interact with almost every nation that was there and to minister to youth in the community,” Lozada said. “They were an example of what Christ’s love looks like, through their unselfish, untethered, and sacrificial service.”
DI MEN’S HOCKEY, FINLAND
The Flames Division I Men’s Hockey team traveled to Hämeenlinna, Finland, over Winter Break, facing some high-level competition on the ice while also engaging with the community.
The team worked with the Christian organization Kingdom Sports Hämpton and played hockey with area youth, spreading the Gospel through their sport.
This was the team’s third trip to Finland. Four members of the team were baptized on the trip.
DISC GOLF, FINLAND
Members of the disc golf team witnessed the world’s best professional players in their element as they offered volunteer assistance at the PDGA World Championships July 30-Aug. 3 in Nokia and Tampere, Finland.
They also served with the disc golf ministry Eagles Wings and helped with
a Vacation Bible School at Hämeenlinna International Christian Fellowship.
MULTISPORT TRIP, VIETNAM
A group of student-athletes from a variety of teams traveled to Vietnam June 11-22. The purpose of the trip was to support the growing sports ministry there and to give Liberty students a chance to see how sports ministry can have an impact.
Approximately 20 children made decisions to follow Christ during a twoday sports camp that drew over 100 youth to a church in a remote mountain village. The students introduced pickleball and ultimate, two sports that are gaining traction in Vietnam as tools for community engagement and ministry.
Reese Braband, Club Sports’ athletic director for holistic development, said the trip not only energized the ministry efforts in Da Nang but also deeply impacted the student-athletes.
“This was our first-ever multisport trip, and it broadened their vision for using sports as a vehicle for ministry and crosscultural connection. There was a lot of stretching in their faith and challenging them to step up and lead in ways they hadn’t before. Lord willing, every three to four years we’ll offer more opportunities like this, partnering with local missionaries in Malaysia and continuing this partnership in Vietnam.”
GEORGIA
VIETNAM
PUERTO RICO
FINLAND
“This is an unbelievable university that forms young champions,” Kyle said. “My dad told me everything you need to focus on to have a successful life, Liberty just infused that in everything it does, from the classroom to the professors, the coaching staff, the athletics staff. They kept me on the right path as I was still maturing and
As second-generation Flames fans, the VanDuser family decided to support their Flames through a naming opportunity for the new golf range. Both brothers are avid golfers, and Kevin is the founder and CEO of GOATED Golf, which offers premium golf products, so it was a perfect way to merge their love for their alma mater and
Others have found long-lasting relationships at Liberty and have chosen
Kevin Bush, a Liberty alumnus and businessman from Naples, Fla., recently supported the new practice facility through a naming opportunity for three tee boxes in cooperation with his companies, Bush Family Partnerships and Leadline Inc. The tee box signs were presented to Bush last fall, when he took part in Liberty’s CEO Summit as a panelist and judge for the Business Accelerator live pitch event.
2025 HALL OF FAME
CASTRO LEAVES WINNING WRESTLING LEGACY AT LIBERTY
A four-time NCCAA national individual and team champion as a wrestler for the Flames from 1976-81, Jesse Castro (’81, ’85, ’15) made even more of a mark on Liberty University’s men’s wrestling program as the longest-serving and winningest head coach before stepping down last summer after 20 seasons.
Castro posted a 101-20-2 record during his wrestling career at Liberty and was inducted into the Liberty Athletics Hall of Fame (for his accomplishments as a student-athlete) in 2012. He compiled a coaching record of 218-94.
Castro served as a graduate assistant for three seasons under the late Bob Bonheim, who founded the program in 1976, and was an assistant coach for two seasons under Don Shuler before becoming head coach in 2005 at the request of Liberty founder Dr. Jerry Falwell to restart the program at the NCAA Division I level.
Castro became a four-time NCAA Division I East Region Coach of the Year and led the Flames to five NCAA DI East Region titles, coaching 25 NCAA Division I national qualifiers from 2005-11.
The Flames were reclassified as an NCWA program, operating under Liberty’s Club Sports program, for the 2011-12 season, and Castro went on to lead wrestlers to 31 individual NCWA national championships and 117 NCWA All-American performances. Even more impressively, he guided Liberty to five NCWA Grand National team championships and six NCWA National Duals team titles in 14 seasons.
“I hope and pray that I did well to carry on the vision and the mission of the founder, Dr. Jerry Falwell, and to continue the legacy of Coach Bonheim and Coach
Shuler to not only build up the program but also build strong men in every area of life,” Castro said.
The spiritual impact Castro and his coaching staff have had on the hundreds of student-athletes who have come through the program is immeasurable.
“I’ve often quoted one of my wrestlers, that ‘Wrestling is but a tool in the hand of God that He uses to build character in our lives,’” Castro said. “In my humble opinion, that is a great parallel to life and very applicable to the legacy we want to keep instilling, to use wrestling as a tool to hone men, to mold them and shape them. I’d like to think that’s what we’re doing. Whether we plant, whether we water, or whether we harvest, God’s the One responsible for that. So, we don’t know the fruit of our labor until years later.”
He said leading wrestlers to Christ and discipling them afterward has always been his motivating desire.
“We want to stay mission-minded,” Castro said. “It is a continual reminder for me, the very fact that the history of the program, the very regimen that I was under here as a student-athlete was to
be Training Champions for Christ and instilling biblical principles through the sport of wrestling. I know in my own life, I would not be who I am if it wasn’t for that spiritual emphasis. As a young believer, Liberty was my foundation, and the formation of my faith was established here. That’s what I’m drawing from, and I desired to instill that into the hearts and minds of every young wrestler who came through our program.”
In August, Castro’s son-in-law Chris Williamson — who spent six seasons as assistant coach before serving as head coach at Cornerstone (Mich.) University for the previous four seasons — replaced him at the helm of the Flames.
Though he has been hands-off since passing the torch, Castro is still around the Club Sports Department, serving as a parttime spiritual mentor for student-athletes from men’s wrestling and various teams as a holistic development assistant.
“The longer I’ve worked with him, the more amazed I get,” Williamson said. “The guy’s a wizard; he’s a genius. Now, the roles are flipped, and to be able to have him around is so cool.”
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ALL in the FAMILY
MEET THE VOILESES
In 1997, Kristi Voiles graduated from Liberty University with a family and consumer sciences degree. Almost 30 years later, her legacy continues through her six daughters — including twins and triplets — who are all currently attending Liberty together.
The oldest, Mackenzie, was the first of the Voiles children to make her mark at Liberty. She received a bachelor’s degree in pre-law and criminal justice in 2023 and is now a second-year student at Liberty University School of Law. Twins Lainey and Lacey are seniors; Lainey is studying business nonprofit management, and Lacey is earning a degree in event planning. Triplets Julia, Amelia, and Savanna joined their sisters at Liberty in the fall.
Kristi Voiles said her older brother had studied pre-med at Liberty and when she chose to follow him, it was “the best decision I ever made.” She is glad that her children made the same decision.
“All of my girls are here at Liberty because of the incredible stories that I got to tell them their whole life. The memories are going to be here forever in my heart. It is so sweet to be back every single time (I visit my daughters).”
Lainey and Lacey have even had the opportunity to work as resident assistants,
just as their mother did.
Having made the trip from their home in Texas to Lynchburg many times, Kristi Voiles said she has been amazed to see how the university has grown since she was a student. But she is most impressed to see how the university has remained committed to its original mission, Training Champions for Christ
“Our experience (at Liberty) has been exceptional. It’s been more than we could have ever hoped for. The thing that stands out the most is the support of our kids in their walks with the Lord … just encouraging them in every way to walk close with the Lord.”
Mackenzie said she’s excited to have all her sisters at Liberty and to see them have the same opportunities she has had to grow in her faith.
“There’s something about leaving home and having to make your faith your own — navigating relationships and navigating what it looks like to actually live out my faith by myself,” she said. “I would not be in the same place spiritually as I am today if it wasn’t for Liberty and the people who have touched my life here.”
Though Mackenzie said the community and spiritual support has been invaluable, it was the academics that stood out: “You get an
absolutely excellent academic experience. I wanted to be somewhere where I could both grow in the Lord and my love for Him and be supported in that while still getting an excellent education, so I can go out and be used (by) the Lord in whatever job I end up taking. It’s incredible the amount of experience these professors have and are able to pour into us.”
When the triplets attended College For A Weekend during high school, they said they knew Liberty was in their future. They even made some of their best friends at CFAW.
“There’s no way you can turn down such an amazing place after seeing it,” said Julia, who is pursuing a degree in business with a focus on entrepreneurship.
The triplets are all living in the same residence hall, where they’ve built numerous friendships.
“When you come to Liberty, you see that there are people out there who are like you,” said Amelia, a nursing student. “You see thousands and thousands of believers, and it’s so encouraging.”
“Also, going to school with my best friends (my sisters), couldn’t be more perfect,” added Savanna, a communications student. Their father, Demian, said he thinks of Liberty as an “extension of their home,” where the same Christian values he and his wife instilled in their daughters are being emphasized. He feels at peace with all of his daughters so far away from home.
“You can walk through this campus, and you know it’s safe. As a dad of six girls, safety is a big thing.”
Kristi Voiles said she knows her daughters are where they are supposed to be.
“There is such a level of excitement when the girls come home. I liken it to your kids going away to summer camp, and they come back, and they are just so excited. That’s the level of excitement that my kids have every single day living on campus at Liberty. They come home and are full of stories, and they’re always ready to go back.”
“If I can’t have them at home, I want them at Liberty,” she added. “That is the best place they could be.”
The Voileses are one of many Liberty families who span generations. Share your family’s story by emailing news@liberty.edu
The Voiles family, from left: Amelia, Lainey, Savanna, Kristi, Demian, Lacey, Julia, and Mackenzie MATT
Golden Opportunity
Classes of 1974, 1975 reunite at founder’s home for special Homecoming event
Graduates from Liberty University’s earliest graduating classes, 1974 and 1975, reunited during Homecoming for the first annual Golden Alumni Luncheon on Oct. 23 at Tall Oaks, the former home of Liberty’s late founder, Dr. Jerry Falwell.
The luncheon, hosted by the Office of Alumni Relations, gave the alumni a chance to reminisce about their student experiences over 50 years ago and celebrate the way the Lord has used them since their college years.
The bottom floor of the two-story home has been largely preserved to the way it looked when the Falwell family lived there. The alumni were treated to a tour, and Liberty Chancellor Jonathan Falwell joined them to share some history about the house his family moved into in 1979 and to attest to the way the university flourished since the alumni in attendance were students.
“You are the ones who understand, when you drive on campus now, that we’ve been given a gift by God,” Falwell said. “God continues to bless Liberty; God has done some amazing things here every single day. You heard my dad talk about what Liberty would be one day, and now we get to be able to sit back and see that he actually knew what he was talking about. This house is a special place; it’s got a lot of history, and a lot of incredible moments took place here with noteworthy guests at this very table, but the most important thing that took place in this house is that, every day, my dad would bathe our university and our church in prayer.”
Executive Director of Alumni Engagement Dr. Greg Tilley welcomed them, sharing the respect and care his office — and Liberty as a whole — have for these “pioneer” students.
“You were the tip of the spear, going through Liberty right at the beginning, and the sacrifices that most of you made are greatly appreciated,” he told them. “You were here when the buildings weren’t here. My honor is to run our office and to serve alums like you. Today, we want you to rekindle friendships, be together again, and be thankful for what God has done in your life and in the life of Liberty University.”
Amid the luncheon courses, many stories were swapped, including memories
with Liberty leaders and classmates, and conversations on what the last 50 years had brought to the university.
Kenneth Jenkins (’75) earned his bachelor’s degree in pastoral ministry and said he was sent out into the world in 1976 with a charge from Falwell to spread the Gospel as a Champion for Christ Jenkins now lives in Appomattox, Va., after spending 35 years on the mission field in Papua New Guinea, Africa, Australia, and Southeast Asia.
“I was meeting people, planting churches, starting schools — everything that Dr. Falwell taught us to do,” he said. “I caught his vision, and great things happened. I belong to Liberty — that’s just the way it is — and Liberty belongs to me. We are so happy to come to this event and look forward to the other (alumni events) this weekend.”
Jenkins said he enjoyed reuniting with former classmates, some he has kept in touch with online and some he has not heard from for decades.
“Fifty years is a long time,” he said. “There are several people here who I still recognize, and most of them can recognize me. I wanted to come to see who was here, as a lot of our classmates have passed on, and I (cherished) the opportunity to come back together again.”
“I love reunions, and it’s so neat to see people who were here at the same time and see what we’ve each done for the Lord,” said Debbie Benoit (’75), who studied youth ministry and served as Liberty’s assistant dean of women and taught family & child development for 17 years before retiring in 2022. “There are some people here who I haven’t seen in probably 50 years. It excites me to come back here and see how the Lord has used all of us. The friendships we formed back then are lifelong. We all experience the same thing, and it’s very important to me to stay in touch with these people.”
She said she used to tell her students to appreciate all the amenities they have now. “We saw Dr. Falwell back then talking about the vision he had, and we bought into it.”
COMING THIS SUMMER: JUNE 10
First Baptist Orlando, 3000 South John Young Parkway Orlando, Fla., 7-8:30 p.m.
JUNE 17
Liberty Live Church, 1021 Big Bethel Road Hampton, Va., 7-8:30 p.m.
Open to students, alumni, and members of the community
With worship led by the Liberty Worship Collective and messages from Liberty’s executive leadership, Convo on the Road shares a glimpse of the work done weekly on campus to advance the university’s mission of Training Champions for Christ.
MENTORING THE NEXT GENERATION
ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR GREG PETROFF
As a distinguished corporate attorney and business owner who knows firsthand the value of a Christian education, Liberty University alumnus Greg Petroff Esq. (’91) is constantly finding ways to support the next generation of Champions for Christ and equip them for their future careers.
Petroff was named Alumnus of the Year during Homecoming at the Alumni Breakfast on Nov. 1.
He said he deeply admired the work of Liberty founder Dr. Jerry Falwell and was an avid viewer of his television program, “The Old-Time Gospel Hour.” He knew a Christian college environment was best for him. At Liberty, he discovered an interest in the world of law and business, and he
completed a pre-law degree in 1991 before moving on to law school.
Petroff is now the managing partner of the Princeton, N.J., office of Reitler Kailas & Rosenblatt LLP, a national corporate transactional law firm. He is a seasoned corporate lawyer and skilled negotiator who centers his practice on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and general business and corporate matters. Petroff is also an entrepreneur and owner of several businesses and is a frequent speaker on topics relating to venture capital, private equity, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate tax. Petroff has been a familiar visitor to the School of Law, School of Business, and other programs at the
university for many years, including the CEO Summit.
“I love coming down here. I get inspired and refreshed,” he said. “At the heart of why I love Liberty is that I love these students. I wholeheartedly believe that they are examples of . . . being different and putting Jesus first. If anything is going to change this world, it’s going to be these students with Jesus’ leading.”
Petroff said Jesus and Jerry Falwell — in that order — are the reasons he is where he is today.
“I gained inspiration from Dr. Falwell, including watching him and his vision for the university, that I have embraced since then throughout my career and in my home,” he said. “Liberty really launched me into where I am.”
On being named Alumnus of the Year, Petroff said he appreciates the gesture but wants the glory to go to God and hopes it inspires other alumni to reconnect with Liberty.
“I hope it inspires our alumni to think, ‘What small part can I do to give back?’” he said. “It doesn’t need to be in the way I’m doing it. It could be in giving generously, or it can be in simply acting as a sort of ambassador for Liberty at their church or within their sphere of influence, saying to young people and their parents, ‘Have you heard about Liberty? You should consider it. It changed my life, and it continues to be a place that changes lives.’”
From left: Liberty President Dondi E. Costin, Greg Petroff, Liberty Chancellor Jonathan Falwell, and Executive Director of Alumni Engagement Dr. Greg Tilley
KJ
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SHAPED THROUGH MUSIC
ANTHEM LIGHTS FOUNDING MEMBER CALEB GRIMM TRACES HIS ROOTS FROM LIBERTY TO THE MUSIC INDUSTRY
BY RYAN KLINKER
For over a decade, Liberty University alumnus Caleb Grimm (’14) has found ways to reach millions with his music, whether he is playing for the Lord on stages across the country or from his home through social media.
In 2007, Grimm was a college freshman in his home state of Arkansas when he got a call from his older brother, Scott, who had graduated from Liberty. Scott had just returned from the funeral of Liberty founder Dr. Jerry Falwell.
“At that time, I was praying about whether to quit college or something else,” Caleb said. “When (Scott) went out there and saw the campus, he called me and basically said, ‘You have got to get out here to Liberty. This place is absolutely amazing. It’s a special place, and God is doing incredible things here.’”
His brother had been a member of the Sounds of Liberty music ministry group and encouraged Caleb to audition for a group at Liberty. With his help, Caleb submitted a demo for Crimson Flood, an all-male music ministry group known for its country-pop style of music. Shortly after, he received a call asking him to join.
“God just opened that door, and I ran through it,” he said.
His three years on Crimson Flood gave him a glimpse of what he’d soon do professionally.
“(Crimson Flood) was the perfect formative experience to get to cut my teeth
on what it’s like to be in a band,” he said. “I got to be on stage many nights a year, I got to travel, and I got a taste for what it’s like to do ministry in that capacity. I absolutely adored it. It all definitely shaped me as a person.”
While he was traveling with Crimson Flood, the creation of a new Christian pop vocal group — Anthem Lights — was underway in Los Angeles. Liberty alumnus Chad Graham was working on his solo music project with fellow alumnus Alan Powell (’07) but realized the dynamic of a vocal group would fit better. They reached out to their contacts at Liberty and held auditions. That’s where they met Grimm and Kyle Kupecky, a fellow member of Crimson Flood, and the four-man group was formed.
“A handful of (students) tried out, and me and (Kupecky) got chosen to be part of the original version of Anthem Lights,” Grimm said. “We commuted back and forth to Nashville while in school, meeting with different record labels.”
They eventually signed their first record deal with Provident Records, Sony’s Christian division. Grimm decided to leave Liberty and pursue music full time with Anthem Lights. He continued his studies through Liberty University Online Programs, and in 2014, he earned his bachelor’s in interdisciplinary studies with focuses in music, business, and biblical studies.
Anthem Lights achieved almost immediate success, touring full time with Christian artists like MercyMe, Steven Curtis Chapman, and Natalie Grant and releasing its debut album in 2011. Grimm remembers the day Anthem Lights joined other artists at a charity event for a hospital in New York City, and their image was on a billboard in Times Square.
“Touring is incredible if you’re young and single — getting on a bus every night, touring the country, getting to meet all these people, and obviously sharing the experience with the other guys,” Grimm said.
When the label dropped the group in 2012, they evaluated their future. In their years of touring, they had garnered a loyal following on social media, so they brainstormed a way to interact with their fans while seeking out a new label. They decided to record covers of pop songs and post them to the group’s YouTube channel. The videos received millions of views in a matter of weeks.
“We’d recorded the covers as a way of letting our fanbase know that we’re still doing music and that we wanted to create content for them to foster the community we’d built, and then we saw the views and were sort of stunned,” Grimm said. “We’d spent four months of our life touring not long before this, and we were away from our loved ones, performing in front of a total of 100,000 people over that time, and
Anthem Lights current members, from left: Joey Stamper, Chad Graham, Caleb Grimm, Spencer Kane
making next to no money. Yet we’d stayed home for a day and recorded a video that reached millions of people. We started to view the videos as maybe a way we could market original music, rather than touring, and use the internet to share ourselves with people.”
A few months later, they received a check from monetizing the videos.
“We saw that not only is this a marketing tool, but it might be a way to provide for our families too,” Grimm said. “Once that happened, we no longer wanted to be signed to a label; we wanted to be independent because we had built something else. That’s what we did for a number of years.”
The band has continued to release covers of both pop and Christian music along with original works.
Amid the band’s ups and downs, Grimm met his wife, Kelsey, a fellow musician in Nashville. The two married in 2014, joining their lives and their passions for music. At first, singing together was a hobby. They handed out CDs of their music as wedding favors. In 2017, the couple decided to explore what it would be like to take singing together seriously, and the singing duo known as Caleb and Kelsey was established. They created a mashup of two popular worship songs of the time — “Oceans” and
“You Make Me Brave” — and posted it to Facebook, garnering 5 million views by the time they woke up the next day. The next video received 43 million views.
“At that time, when iTunes was used more, we’d look at the charts there, and I think at one time we had the No. 1 and the No. 3 songs on the Christian chart,” Caleb Grimm said. “We decided to do a whole album after that called ‘Worship’ with a bunch of mashups, and that went No. 1 on iTunes.”
From then on, the singing spouses continued to grow their audience by posting covers and mashups of pop and Christian music, accumulating over 8 million followers across multiple social media platforms.
“It’s an amazing time to be in music,”
Caleb Grimm said. “We live in a time when you can write a song in the morning, you can make a video this afternoon, and tomorrow it could be the biggest song in the world. The opportunity to be able to stay home and still support a family is a gift. We have three kids, and to make music and video content that provides for my family, not having to be gone all the time, is a huge blessing.”
While Anthem Lights is still active, he said Caleb and Kelsey is his main focus, as the other band members also have projects of their own. He and his wife have developed more of a focus on Christcentered music in recent years, which has led to opportunities to share more about their spiritual walk with followers. They have also begun leading worship events in churches and colleges around the country.
“Our heart has kind of shifted really towards worship music and opportunities to lead people in worship,” Caleb Grimm said. “We’ve released a number of original songs over the last several months with messages from our heart and lessons God has been teaching us. It’s amazing to be able to sing other people’s songs, and it’s created a huge platform for us, but now to turn around and use that platform to share things that God has been teaching us is really special.”
Caleb Grimm was a member of Crimson Flood, an all-male ministry group at Liberty, for three years.
CLASS NOTES
1970s
’77 JOE HALE, of Olive Branch, Miss., continues to serve as an elder in his church in Memphis, Miss. He is the founder of the Network of International Christian Schools and led the organization for 40 years.
1980s
’83 DANIEL ATWELL, of Cupertino, Calif., recently retired after 41 years of teaching English to high school and junior high students in both public and private settings. He continues to minister as a chaplain in his local Christian Motorcyclists Association chapter in San Jose, Calif. He and his wife travel with Children’s HopeChest doing missions work in Ethiopia, where they help students and families thrive.
’89 JEFFREY GROTE, of Mechanicsville, Md., has been a substitute teacher for St. Mary’s County Public Schools in Maryland for eight years.
1990s
’90 CORINEE MASTRONARDI, of Virginia Beach, Va., was appointed by former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin to the Criminal Justice Services Board in August. Working with the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security leadership team, Mastronardi is bringing her hands-on leadership experience, regulatory insight, and commitment to training and compliance to the broader statewide criminal service mission.
MAKING HEADLINES
READ THESE STORIES AND MORE AT LIBERTY.EDU/NEWS/ALUMNI
’97 MATTHEW MACMICHAEL, of Scottsdale, Ariz., was hired in September as a Producing Manager at Stifel Financial.
2000s
’00 DR. BECKY CLARK, of Franklin, Tenn., published her first children’s book, “I’ll Be the Teacher,” in April. She visited campus in November for a book signing.
’06 TIM ASIMOS, of Richmond, Va., was named Chief Marketing Officer of the Richmond-based engineering and design firm Timmons Group.
’07 ROGER NAYLOR, of Bonners Ferry, Ind., celebrated 10 years as Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church in October 2025 and completed his second year as President of the Utah-Idaho Southern Baptist Convention.
’08 BRANDON WAGGONER, of Hurricane, W.Va., was elected President of the West Virginia Counseling Association in July.
2010s
’11 JOSE NAVARRO, of Weston, Fla., has been working in the field of intellectual/ developmental disabilities in Florida for more than 30 years. He has managed the contract with the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration in collaboration with the Agency for Persons with Disabilities since 2001.
’11 KATLYN SAVILLE, of Martinsburg, W.Va., married Dustin Chaney on Sept. 12.
’12 MELISSA MANN, of Danville, Va., serves as Dean of Career & Technical Education at Danville Community College, where she leads with a focus on innovation, strategic planning, and student success.
’12 CATHERINE MCKINLEY, of Manhattan, Kan., was recognized as a Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisor Best in State in Kansas for 2025.
’13 MANDY JOHNSON, of Anderson, Ind., published the Christian children’s book, “You Are God’s Masterpiece.”
’14 SOLOMON BRADLEY, of Las Vegas,
RASHAD JENNINGS (’09)
The former Flames Football and NFL running back and the Season 24 winner of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” showed off his dance skills once again for the show’s 20th anniversary celebration on Nov. 11. Rashad was paired with contestant and actress Elaine Hendrix for the Relay Dance part of the competition.
Nev., is a captain/pilot for Southwest Airlines and started the Christian LUV Affinity Group to minister to his fellow employees. The group is recognized by Southwest Airlines and has grown to almost 800 members in just over two years.
’14 ANDY HIRNEISEN, of Reinholds, Pa., was promoted to Distinguished Food Safety Educator with Penn State Extension.
’14 KATHY HOWELL, of Granville, Ohio, recently published her fifth book, “Unpacking the Holidays.”
’14 KRISTIN TRICK, of Charlotte, N.C., recently received her Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor (RPT-S) credential from the Association for Play Therapy. She has authored multiple articles about mental health treatment and private practice ownership that have been published by the association.
’17 RYAN MARKS, of Granville, Ohio, recently transitioned from his ministry in church revitalization and online Bible teaching to a discipleship and evangelism ministry as a financial coach. As host of “The Ryan Marks Show” podcast, he shares biblical truths in practical application to help individuals grow in stewarding their gifts, resources, and responsibilities.
’18 CODY BOWMAN, of Woodlawn, Va., recently became an account manager with SES Risk Solutions of Irvine, Calif., an associate of Alliant Insurance Services.
’18 JOHN WAGSTAFF, of Durham, N.C., an officer with the Durham Police Department, was selected for the 2024 cohort of Law Enforcement Advancing Data and Science (LEADS) Scholars Program through the National Institute of Justice. As a LEADS Scholar, he received a three-year scholarship to conduct and apply rigorous research in policing. He has served as a Policing Fellow with the National Policing Institute since 2018.
’19 KENNETH BROWN, of Clemmons, N.C., released his debut book, “Breaking the Antiquated Mindset: A Watchman’s Journey,” which draws on his background in health sciences, social sciences, and fitness and wellness, as well as his personal faith, to encourage transformation in mind, body, and spirit.
JAKE TOMLIN (’19, ’21)
Jake, a civics and economics teacher at Brookville Middle School and coach of Brookville High School’s Scholastic Bowl team, was a contestant on TV’s “Jeopardy!” in October. He earned second place, pocketing $7,800 in prize money. Jake holds a bachelor’s in history and master’s in teaching secondary education from Liberty. He recently earned his Ph.D. in History.
’19 PETER ROCCO, of Laurel, Md., published his Christian fiction apologetics novel, “The Divine Pursuit: Luke Goodwin’s Search for Knowledge.”
2020s
’21 YVONNE SUNDBERG, of Boiling Springs, S.C., recently won the Readers’ Favorite 5-Star Award for her children’s picture book, “Precious One, You Were Worth the Wait.” Despite the recent loss of her spouse, Sundberg decided to turn her pain into purpose through writing.
’22
BENJAMIN BOEKE, of Oskaloosa, Iowa, has taken on an additional part-time role teaching executive leadership for the nationally renowned FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association after nearly three decades of working in law enforcement.
’22 DOUG CARDELL, of Winkelman, Ariz., recently published his book, “Why Socialism Struggles.”
’22 FRANK RENICK, of Sylvania, Ga., released his latest novel, “Remember That Summer,” in November. The novel follows two young lifeguards on the Florida coast who face a shark attack, personal loss, and homelessness while wrestling with questions of faith and resilience.
’24 DR. KEN BLAIR, of Augusta, Ga., was appointed Dean of the School of Business, Cyber and Design at Augusta Technical College. He has received multiple 40 under 40 honoree distinctions and has been honored with proclamations from the Georgia House of Representatives District 143, as well as the mayors of Warren and Bibb Counties, recognizing his service and leadership across Georgia.
’24 JOHN BRAND, of Decatur, Ill., founded the Autism Advocacy Network Inc. with his wife, Shanon. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to helping families navigate the special education system, providing guidance on IDEA rights, support during IEP meetings, and “autism-friendly” services to local churches and businesses.
’24 CHRISTOPHER CECIL, of Carmel, Ind., was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in the Indiana State Police. Cecil serves as the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Section Commander and continues to oversee and coordinate the efforts of the Indiana ICAC Task Force.
’24 GRACE JENKINS, of Swansea, Ill., began working at Twain Financial Partners as a Client Services Accountant in January. She got married last year.
’24 HANNAH KUHN, of Grand Rapids, Mich., published a hybrid memoir as her graduate school thesis. The memoir details her experience with an eating disorder.
’24 DR. MARK LAHR, of Springfield, Ill., has over 40 years of experience in public safety, higher education, and law enforcement training both as a practitioner and an instructor. He has provided training at local, state, and federal levels, nationally and internationally. He is also the author of “Beyond the Badge: Cutting Edge Training Tactics for Law Enforcement,” published in November.
’24 MATTHEW J. NORRIS, of La Plata, Md., was named Chief of the La Plata Police Department in September.
’25 DR. EDMOND BERGERON, of Fredericksburg, Va., has published four books: “Is the Church Ignoring the Four Ps: Place, People, Praise, and Preaching?,” “Unshaken:
The Legacy of Faithful Leadership,” “Died Like a Fool Dies: How Are You Going to Die?,” and “Paw Paw Peter: Bayou Stories Told by Maw Maw Hazel.” He recently earned his Doctor of Education: Christian Leadership from Liberty.
’25 DR. SHERRI BERGERON, of Fredericksburg, Va., retired in September after serving in the United States Navy for 17 years and as a civilian government employee for 13 years, most recently as Senior Financial Manager in the Department of the Navy at the Pentagon. She recently earned her Doctor of Education from Liberty.
’25 WHITNEY WEST, of Columbia, Md., founded The Fearless Woman Collective, a Christ-centered community empowering women to grow in faith, courage, and conviction. She also released her debut book in September, “How You Wait Matters.”
’25 DR. ELIJAH WREH, of LaGrange, Ohio, had his academic commentary, “The Beatitudes: An Exegetical and Theological Commentary, With Pastoral Applications for Contemporary Ministry,” accepted for publication by Wipf and Stock Publishers.
ALUMNI ID CARDS ARE NOW DIGITAL
GRANT CLOVER (’24)
Grant’s short film, “Portrait of a Smile,” has earned 23 festival selections, including the Big Apple Film Festival, and 21 awards, including Best Low-Budget Indie Short at the Cannes World Film Festival and a nomination for Best Drama Short at IndieX Film Fest. The film focuses on the subject of suicide and what — or who — gets left behind in its wake.
NICOLE MANLEY (’09)
Nicole serves as deputy chief of staff and legislative director for U.S. Rep. Ben Cline (R-Va., 6th District). She is responsible for staff management, developing Cline’s legislative agenda, exploring bill ideas, and making sure Cline’s legislative priorities are addressed and aligned with his constituents.
ALUMNI
DR. BEULAH BANKS-LIGHTFOOT (’23), of Richmond, Va., died Sept. 25.
DR. ANNE BEHREND (’13), of Charlotte, N.C., died Sept. 7.
RICHARD BIGGS (’81), of Pfafftown, N.C., died Aug. 27.
DONALD BONNER (’82), of Aurora, N.C., died Sept. 4.
IN MEMORIAM
CARLISHIA ELLIGAN (’08), of Vienna, Va., died Sept. 22.
REV. MICHAEL FUGATE (’06), of Sidney, Ohio, died Sept. 23.
BISCEGLIA GILLIARD (’80), of Orangeburg, S.C., died Nov. 18.
BREA HICKSON (’20), of Petersburg, Va., died Aug. 15.
KEVIN HOWARD (’24), of Loveland, Col., died Aug. 9.
BOB BONHEIM (1930-2025)
Bonheim died on Sept. 18 at age 95. He was the founding head coach of Liberty University’s men’s wrestling program from 1973-86 and guided the Flames to five consecutive NCCAA national championships from 1977-81. In his 12 seasons at the helm, Bonheim led the Flames to a 118-31 dual meet record and coached 35 All-Americans, including eight at the NCAA DII level and 21 NCCAA national champions. Bonheim was inducted into the Liberty Athletics Hall of Fame’s inaugural class in 2009. He was preceded in death by his wife, Brenda Bonheim, who died in 2020. Brenda Bonheim helped start the women’s basketball and women’s volleyball programs at Liberty and was inducted into the Liberty Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013.
LAWRENCE C. SHACKLETON (1946-2025)
Shackleton died on Sept. 14 at age 79. He was a proud Vietnam veteran, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army in 1992 after 24 years of service. He then served as Liberty’s Vice President of Administrative Systems and Information Management and eventually as University Registrar, a role he served in until retiring in 2013. He was an active member of his church where he served as a deacon.
Liberty University Theological Seminary in the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity is home to the university’s first endowed chair position, made possible by a generous $1 million gift from the estate of Dr. Steven Johnson of Mankato, Minn.
The gift establishes a permanent, fulltime faculty position dedicated to advancing theological scholarship. The position will be announced later this year.
GORDON JOHNSON (’13), of Lewisville, N.C., died Sept. 29.
DR. TIMOTHY KING (’85), of Uniontown, Ohio, died Nov. 23.
TERESA MUTHUMBI (’98), of Baldwinsville, N.Y., died July 8.
CHRISTINE RININGER (’08), of Tallahassee, Fla, died Aug. 31.
DR. MARK ROLLING (’24), of Montclair, N.J., died Oct. 5.
JAMES L. SANDEFUR III (’75), of Winchester, Va., died Oct. 30.
MELISSA SHANNON (’20), of Portsmouth, Va., died Aug. 26.
IMOGENE WIGGS (’91), of Doniphan, Mo., died June 29.
JOSEPH WILSON (’84), of Lynchburg, Va., died Sept. 18.
JOHN YOUNGBECK (’10), of Atlanta, Ga., died Aug. 30.
DR. JAMES C. DOBSON (1936-2025)
Dobson died on Aug. 21 at age 89. As a worldrenowned psychologist, Dobson dedicated his life to strengthening marriages, guiding parents, and defending biblical values by championing the central role of family in America. He founded Focus on the Family in 1977, creating one of the largest faith-based organizations in the world. Dobson was the keynote speaker at Liberty’s Commencement in May 1993, as well as a Convocation guest in 2016. Also in 2016, Dobson partnered with Liberty to launch the James C. Dobson Center for Child Development, Marriage, & Family Studies within the university’s Department of Counselor Education & Family Studies online programs.
DR. DAVID ROY DENNY (1953-2025)
Denny died Oct. 5 at age 72. Denny was a member of Liberty’s first basketball team and graduated in 1975. Denny’s ministry spanned more than four decades. He began as a church planter with the Illinois Baptist Convention and went on to lead many churches on the East Coast, faithfully nurturing congregations and shepherding souls with humility and grace. He also authored many books.
Johnson made the donation in honor of his late wife, Dr. Michelle Johnson, whose love for the Bible led her to pursue three degrees from Liberty: Master of Arts in Biblical Studies (’11) and Master of Divinity (’16), which she earned through Liberty University Online Programs, and a residential Ph.D. in Theology & Apologetics (’23).
Michelle Johnson was diagnosed with cancer four days after receiving her doctorate. She passed away on Nov. 17, 2024, at age 56.
Steven was a dentist for 36 years. Michelle served as vice president and executive for Bellator Christi Ministries. She co-authored two books, “Strong Faith: 5 Questions and Answers Every Christian Should Know” and “Why Creationism Still Matters.” Her next planned venture was to teach online at Liberty.
Steven said he and his wife had discussed
the gift and its impact before her death.
“Both (Michelle and I) felt that so many schools nowadays, especially in theology, have not kept the Bible as God’s Holy Word. And so, we wanted to (fund) the endowed chair to try to allow opportunities for students to study God’s Word at a good, solid, conservative school and create professors who would be diligent followers of the Bible in its entirety.”
“This generous gift will strengthen our ability to equip future pastors, scholars, and ministry leaders with a robust theological foundation, ensuring that Michelle’s passion for truth and Scripture lives on in every student we serve,” said School of Divinity Dean Dr. Troy Temple. “Such generosity propels the mission of the School of Divinity to come alongside the local church in its quest to fulfill the Great Commission.”
Dr. Michelle Johnson
THE PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE 2025
The President’s Circle celebrates the generous donors who make it possible for us to carry out our mission of Training Champions for Christ. This list includes those who gave in 2025. For an up-to-date list of donors and to view past years, visit Liberty.edu/Presidents-Circle.
$1 Million and Above
Individuals
Anonymous Donor
$500,000 - $999,999
Individuals
Eston Leon Crickenberger*
Organizations
The Rawlings Foundation, Inc.
Hendrick Family Foundation
$100,000 - $499,999
Individuals
Anonymous Donor
Melvin W. Buster*
Phyllis A. Carstens*
Dondi & Vickey Costin
Tim & Talita Dantas
Tom & Christine Dewberry
George & Becky Dunlop
Troy Henderson
Juanita P. Holt*
Joan LaMay
William F. Mausolf*
Wallace & Mayme Miller*
Jimmy & Rhonda Thomas
Carl B. Whittington*
Organizations
Anonymous Donor
Fidelity Charitable
Huvepharma, Inc.
T. W. Lewis Foundation
The Bolick Foundation
The Coca-Cola Consolidated
Charitable Giving Fund
$50,000 - $99,999
Individuals
Anonymous Donor
Frank & Christine Crist
Brad & Amy Epps
Mervyn L. Gray
Bob & Janet Henderson
Dr. Carol Kunselman
Jon & Janis Lienemann
Thomas Morris
Tim & Karen Pederson
Marlene Senner
Jesse & Heather Stephens
Jody & Michelle Stowe
Organizations
Nutramax Family Foundation
The Southside Virginia Chapter, Inc.
True North Leadership Foundation
$25,000 - $49,999
Individuals
Anonymous Donor
Scott Anderson
Sheldon & Shannon Bream
Jasen & Brandi Cassady
The Chadwells
Chris & Cindy Cruz
Dennis & Mary Ann Deer
David & Kristi Dolan
Dennis & Sonya Fields
Cindy Ann Goodrich
Carroll & Nancy Hudson
Dan & Jodi Leja
Andy & Ivy Maddox
Eleanor L. McCauley*
Ian & Heather McCaw
Jonathan & Jennifer McClure
Edwin & Kimberly Miller
Linda Muckel
John & Pamela Nix
Cliff & Jackie Pemble
Steve Reese
Karl C. Salz
Charles and Crystal Snider
Gib & Shauna Tinney
Will Tinney
Organizations
Anderson Construction, Inc.
Equity Enterprise 1984, LLC
GS Donor Advised Philanthropy
Fund for Wealth Management
Hurt & Proffitt, Inc.
Inspired Investment Leadership
Lynchburg Regional Airshow, Inc.
PermCap
Runk & Pratt
Runk & Pratt Health Care
Enterprises, Inc.
Talon Medical Construction Services, LLC
$10,000 - $24,999
Individuals
Anonymous Donor
Tony & Kellie Bartlett
Jerry James Batchelder*
Billy & Jane Belcher
Jeff & Gaye Benson
Seth & Katie Bigham
Harry & Sherry Bruno
Kevin Bush
Tony & Polly Byrd
Peter & Robyn Candland
Randy Carr
Wes & Michele Christian
Tim & Julie Clinton
Hal & Nicole Cockerham
David & Gina Coss
Leonard & Carla D’Addesi
Jason Dandridge
Jonathan & Denise Ebersole
Eric & Danica Enlow
Aaron Eppard
Jonathan & Shari Falwell
John Fees
Watt & Jennifer Foster
Shirley A. Goehring
Cynthia Goss
John & Lisa Hackney
Seth B. Hemley
Scott & Melanie Hicks
Dr. Mark & Toy Hine
Anthony Hoydilla
Rick & Debbie Huff
Adam & Alyssa Huffines
Velma L. Jarrett*
Kevin & Susan Jessee
Roy & Melinda Jones
Ron & Rachel Justice
Reynold F. Keller
Todd A. Kemery
John & Andrea Kenney
Leonard E. Kessler*
Kevin & Stephanie Letchworth
Ernest Lompa
Charles & Carol Loper
Nathan Lowmaster
Gary Mathena
Kenneth McKenzie
Hazel G. Meske*
Jason & Amy Meyer
Gene & Ann Mims
Kyle Myers
James & Susan Nagy
Thomas E. Neuberger
Richard & Karin Osborne
Brandon & Kelly Osterbind
Scott & Kelli Overton
Ken & Geodi Parsons
W. C. Payne*
Gregory & Holly Petroff
Juette Renalds
Kimberly B. Robinette
Joey & Jennifer Sandvig
Jerome & Cheri Sehlke
Edwin Sheneman
Darrell & Julie Smith
Bob & Teresa Smith
Todd & Rachelle Sorensen
Scott & Jennifer Stonebreaker
Rich & Michele Sweetser
Paul Tesi
Clint & Erin Thomas
Glen & Teresa Thomas
Zach & Lisa Tran
Jeff & Abby Tuomala
Kevin J. VanDuser
Pam Westgate
David & Debbie Wheeler
Charles & Claudia Wigglesworth
Matthew & Christine Willmington
Barry & Robyn Woodard
Organizations
Beacon Credit Union
Blackburn, Conte, Schilling & Click, P.C.
Byrd Enterprises Unlimited, Inc.
Calusa Pines Landscape & Construction
Carter Bank & Trust
Chick-fil-A Timberlake
CMDA - Christian Medical & Dental Association
Collaborative Health Partners, LLC
Delta Star, Inc.
Earth Right Mid-Atlantic
Eventide Investments
Watt Foster Family Foundation
Foster Fuels, Inc.
Freedom Defense Group
Freedom First Federal Credit Union
Gary & Carlene Frame Living Trust
Gentle Shepherd Hospice, Inc.
Hill City Pharmacy
James R. Vannoy & Sons
Construction Co., Inc.
Leadline, Inc.
Mabry Automotive Group
On a Mission Communications
Prestonwood Baptist Church
PWD Window & Door
Ramsey Auto Group
Rebecca Rogers Volpe Foundation
SET, Inc. dba Caterpillar Clubhouse
Sodexo, Inc. & Affiliates
Southern Air, Inc.
Norman K. A. Hoffer
T. Sherwin Cook Foundation
The Kelly Benefits Green
Cross Foundation Fund
The Master’s Inn Ministries, Inc.
The Minnie & Bernard B.
Lane Foundation
United Bank
Van Wagner Sports & Entertainment, LLC
Yugo Collins, PLLC
$5,000 - $9,999
Individual
Anonymous Donor
Margaret Ackerman
Wendy Adamek
Tony Alford
Harrison & Brittany Allen
Rob & Susan Andrews
Rob Armstrong
Brian & Kimberly Baker
Jeff & Lynne Baker
Elizabeth Barrett
Vickie Bell
Charles & Shae Billingsley
Lance & Kelly Bingham
Brandon & Ida Blankinship
Chris & Suzanne Boggs
Jason Q. Bohm
Frederick D. Bornman*
Tim & Veronica Bratton
Steve & Patty Brooks
Robert & Rebecca Caiaze
Cole & Beth Candler
Ernest & Amber Carter
Micheal & Lynn Claiborne
Barry & Pam Clarkson
Bill & Susan Cofer
John Couric
Andy & Becky Covington
Johnny & Anne Crist
Greg Crowe
Rod & Roe Culbreth
Barry & Melody Dahllof
Robert W. Daniel
William & Ruth Darr
Robert & Jennifer Day
Doug & Julia Deming
Dr. Paul & Mrs. Dianne Deutsch
Barbara Dickerson
Jarrett Dodd
Elayne Donato
Marianne R. Dutt
Olive M. Eckmann*
James Elliott
Bradley & Summer Ellison
Kevin & Pam Foster
Robert K. Fujimura
Kandy Fullilove
John & Sarah Gauger
Kenneth Gavranovic
William & Carla Gehman
George Georgopulos
Grace Abounds Association of Pastors
Carey & Denise Green
Kirk & Jannie Handy
Matthew & Rhonda Hankins
Michael & Annette Holcomb
Mike & Traci Horne
Keith J. Horton
Todd & Amber Humrichouser
Kelly Hunter
Jeffrey & Tracey Jamerson
David & Cami Jeremiah
Paul & Jacquelyn Johnson
Kevin & Mary Jones
Clayton & Marsha Justice
Ira Stephen Kennedy
Pearce & Anne Landry
Bernard Lane
Robert W. Laubscher
Michael J. Martin*
Herbert E. Maxey, Jr.
Ryan & Kim McClellan
Ritchie & Julie McKay
Catherine McKinley
Brad & Kathy McNeill
Barbara Metzler
Stephen & Tricia Mock
Andy & Amy Moore
Billy Morris, Jr.
Mitch & Elizabeth Morrison
Arthur Nicholson*
Brett M. O’Donnell
Ryan O’Rourke
Todd & Missy Owen
Richard Pavelski
Gary & Christine Pearson
Tony & Rebecca Philo
Ronald E Piercy*
Stacey Polito
Robyn Porter
Justin A. Reede
Bob Pinto & Dot Richardson
Dr. Jeannie F. Rivers
Dr. William & Amy Roller
Richard L. Rothman*
Mark & Stephanie Russell
Howard & Sallie Schaeffer
Brandon Scott
Mark Scott
Emanuel Seewald
Gil & Suzanne Sentell
William & Patricia Shafer
Randy Shick
Heather Smith
Mary Smith
Richard & Linda Smith
William Smith
Tim & Lauren Stephan
Michael & Barbara Stone
Doug & Amy Strohmeier
Martin J. Sullivan Trust*
Brian Summers
Wyman Taylor
David Tolle
Unknown Donor Red River
Crude Oil, LLC*
Faith Van Duren
Steve & Dana Wagner
Steven Welsh
Jeff & Brooke Weston
John & Margaret Whitlock
Bob Winters
Edward & Apiradee Woolford
Carey & Melissa Wrenn
Paul & Laurie Young
Stephen Zimmerman
Organizations
Anonymous Donor
Awakening Events, Inc.
Bank of the James Mortgage
Bays Trash Removal, Inc.
Benchmark Benefits
Beynon Sports Surfaces, Inc.
Blue Ridge Apothecary
Boxley Materials Company
C12 Virginia, LLC
Caiaze Family Charitable Fund
Compassion International, Inc.
Computer Exchange
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
First Class Restoration, Inc.
dba SERVPRO
Gene Haas Foundation
Go Tell Ministries, Inc.
HSC Wealth Advisors
Hunter Street Baptist Church
Imago Dei Collaboration, LLC
Integrity Coin Store
K & J Enterprises, Inc.
dba McDonald’s
Law Office of Jesus Reyes, PLLC
Lee & Tonja Hall - Chick-fil-A at Wards Rd., River Ridge Mall, & Candlers Crossing
Life Community Church
LifeWay Christian Resources
LPL Financial
Lynchburg Family Dentistry
Lynchburg Life Saving Crew
Lynchburg Ready Mix Concrete Co, Inc.
L.T. Falwell
MH Masonry - Ranger 78
Musser Lumber Company, Inc.
Old Glory Bank
Peter & John Radio Fellowship, Inc.
dba Peter & John Ministries
Powell’s Truck & Equipment, Inc.
Priority One Properties
Prospect Baptist Church
River Valley Ranch
Roley Benefits Ltd.
Samuel G. Martin Family Cemetery Fund
Schwab Charitable
Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia, Inc.
The Boyd & Joan Kelley
Charitable Foundation
The H.T. Hackney Company, Inc.
The Smith Family Gift Fund
The Vincent J & Dorothy E. Ciarlante Foundation
Thomas Road Outpost
RLJ Thompson Trucking
Thrivent
Wilgus Automotive, LLC
dba Ed’s Automotive
$2,500 - $4,999
Individuals
Anonymous Donor
David & Kari Adams
Dr. & Mrs. Gregg Albers
Carla Allen
Bob & Sue Anderson
Delene Andrews
Emma Avery
Christine Avery Castillo
Tim & Kathy Baldree
Robert Bangs
Shawn & Jennifer Bielicki
Jon & Cat Bonar
John & Lois Borek
Andy & Linda Bowling
Justin & Mikelle Brady
Eldon & Dixie Brammer
David & Pamela Brown
Kevin Brown
Elvin & Pam Burford
Brad G Butler
Mark Castiglione
Alvin & Christine Chun
Glenn & Debbie Clary
James Coffey
Cary & Karen Coleman
Jonathan L. Comyn
Travis Cox
Amanda Craddock
John Craig
Harry Howard Crosby, III
William T. Curd, III
Gregg & Dana Davidson
Rick & Angie DeBoard
Thomas J. Diedrich
Gregory V. Donovan
Peter Drumm
James Dumminger, Jr.
Charlie & Barbara Falwell
Linda L. Farver
Shannon Filer
Jim & Tracy Fisher
Carolyn S. Fitton
Steven Foster
Dee Franklin
Tina Friar
Kirk Fritz
Richard & Frances Garvey
Max & Judy Gasser
Frank Gibb
Bob & Tracey Good
Robert & Melissa Hagan
Mike & Erin Hagen
Bryan & Roberta Hahn
Darrell & Margaret Hartline
Michael & Barbara Heidt
Brent & Nicole Helmick
Aaron & Emily Herwig
James D. Hildebrand
Roger & Susan Hill
Tim & Christy Hill
Rodney & Melissa Hizy
Don & Sandy Holdridge
Matt & Christina Holley
Charles & Shelvie Holmes
Ellen Horgan
Tanner & Brittany Hoyt
SEM Wealth Management
Pete & Robin Jewett
Eric & Betsy Johnson
Drs. Steven & Michelle Johnson
Robert Joskowiak
Kathleen Joynt
Jesse Julian
Michael & Linda Keever
Young Choi & Jiyoon Kim
Harry & Mary King
Brian Kirschner
Richard B. Kreider
Robert S. Landon
Stewart Langley
Tim Lankford
Rodney & Donna Lawson
Bradley J. LeCroy
Tim & Connie Lee
Randy & Debbie Linville
William & Susann Livingston
Stevie & Jessica Lloyd
Steve & Kathy Lloyd
Pete & Shelly Lutz
Kim Magnano
Melissa Mahone
Brock & Ronda Malcolm
Jon Manson
Tim & Christy Manzewitsch
Dave & Amy Mapes
Lucas M. Marine
Nancy Marshall
David & Linda Martin
Paul Meadows
Brian & Amy Mentzer
Robert & Delores Merchant
Mike & Lisa Misjuns
P. H. Mitchell, Jr.
Howard Monteith
J. Arthur Moore*
Kelly A. Nangle
Thomas Narofsky
Kevin & Melissa Newport
Russell Noll
Timothy & Heather Norton
Ben Novak
Michelle K. Novak
Benji & Coral Nunn
Sean and Cheryl Owen
Matthew Pack
Bill & Vida Parker
Jim & Melissa Partridge
Karin Perry
Jay L. Phipps
Pam H. Poff
Jason & Rachael Porter
Sheri Portman
RK Prater Insurance Agency, Inc.
RK & Kristen Prater
Mark Priest
Bradley Queen
Scott Randles
Charles Reninger
Brandon & Kelly Reyers
Patricia Rhodes
Mike & Kelli Rosas
Leslie Rover
Lloyd Sanderlin
David & Virginia Savitz
Jonathan B. Schubert
Susan Shomo
Amy Skelton
David B. Smith
Josh Smyth
Michael & Cynthia Sobiesiak
Bartel L. Spinelli
Jeff & Galene Staley
Leana Stoltz
Harry Sullivan
Jessica Tannehill
Troy & Karla Temple
Edgar & Allison Tuck
Edna C. Udobong
Roy Unsin*
Anthony VanDyke
Rodney M. Varney
Reynaldo Eladio Vega
Dr. Jerry & Janet Vines
Dan & Rachel Vollmer
Gene & Debbie Walker
Doyle M. Wallace
Lori Watkins
Ivy K. Wells
Kyle Werthman
Mike & Lisa Whitehurst
Will Wilcoxson
James B. Wilkinson, Jr.
Scott & Shelly Wolf
Donna Woodson
Rupert Wright
Mike Zumpano
Organizations
A.G. Jefferson Opticians
Aluminum Fences Direct
American Endowment Foundation
AstroTurf Corporation
Bates Family Orthodontics
Blue Ridge Bagels & More, Inc.
Blue Ridge Logistics, LLC
C12 Mid-Atlantic, LLC
Charlotte Christian School
Couric Financial Partners, LLC
Crossroad Community Church, Inc.
DAFgiving360
Dayspring Community Church
Delmarva Christian Schools, Inc.
English Construction Company, Inc.
Faith Assembly of God of Greenville
Faith Harvest
First Bank & Trust Company
First Baptist Church Of Lexington
First Baptist Church Of Woodbridge, Inc.
Grace in the Shadows, LLC
GraceLife Baptist Church
Haw River Christian Church
(The Lamb’s Chapel)
Hopewell Baptist Church
Impact Living Services
JG Wentworth Home Lending
Journey Christian Church
Lakeside Baptist Church
MH Masonry & Associates, Inc.
Mattress Warehouse, LLC
OrthoVirginia, Inc.
Piedmont Baptist Association
Princeton Center Planning & Investments, LLC
R T Rogers Oil Co, Inc.
RevPar Companies
S&R Cleaning & Floor
Services of Roanoke
Sonny Merryman, Inc.
Steward Wealth Management
STIFEL
That’s To Cute Boutique
The Good Fund A
Multicandidate Committee
The Harold & Dorothy Albert Trust
The Whiting-Turner Contracting Co.
Virginia Credit Union
Whitesburg Baptist Church
Wright Choice Construction, Inc.
$1,000 - $2,499
Individuals
Anonymous Donor
Alton A. Absher
James R. Absher, Jr.
Jill Aderhold
Paige Ake
Donna Alderfer
Patrick & Carolyn Allen
Rebecca Amarell
Duane C. Amos
Warren & Ann Andersen
Jean W. Anderson
Richard G. Anderson, II
Brenda Ash
Doward F. Austin
Stephanny Avshalomov
Cathy Ayers
Lydia T. Baber
Christie Bailey
Becky Bailis
William & Cindy Baker
Mamadou Balde
Janine Banghart
Mark M Barber
Courtney Bardwell
Kevin & Susan Barringer
Gary & Jovita Barton
Donald & Kara Battin
John Baumgardner
Shelly Beauchamp
Todd Beauchamp
Rodney & Marlee Beckom
Keith & Beverly Bedell
Kathy Beeston-Downs
Kristie Beitz
Jenice N. Bennett
Samantha Benson
Matt & Chelsea Bevins
William J. Bien
Paul Bigham
Geoffrey Billingsley
Al & Lisa Billingsly
Dale & Tina Birdsall
Nancy Bittner
Ron Blackwood, Jr.
Hugh & MaryBeth Blocker
Keith & Kris Boan
Michael & Deborah Boardman
Christopher Bolton
Dr. David W. & Tara R. Bolton
Timothy Borchers
Ainslie Boroff
Greg & Jamie Bosch
Michelle Bourne
Glenn R. Bowman
Dr. John Brackett
Dr. Thomas A. Bradshaw, DSL, MPA
Travis H. Bradshaw
Dave Brat
Leroy & Joan Bream
The Bricker Family - Kurt Bricker
Richard & Deborah Britton
Reese Brooks
Aaron D. Brown
David & Tammy Brown
Thad & Elizabeth Brundrett
Elizabeth L. Brusig
David Lee Bryant
Whitni E Buckles
Cley & Renae Bullock
William Burchett
Rob & Kristina Burdeaux
R. E. Burnette, Jr.
Bob & Eliza Bushn
Devon Byers
Alexander Caliendo
Tina C. Campbell
Tim Carter
Eric & Ginny Cashion
Daniel Caskie
Gregory Seth Cason
Drs. Philip & Melissa Chapman
Stuart Chase
William & Tara Cheatwood
Korean Graduate Alumni Association
Sara Lu Christian
James Clark
Bradford & Sandra Clemmons
Rolland & Carolyn Coburn
Jeffrey L. Cockrell
Mike Coder
Gina Colarossi
Joe & Debbie Colavito
Jess & Julie Coleman
Amanda Collette
Larry & Barbara Compter
Deborah E. Compton
Kristin L. Conrad
Trey Cooley
Ryan Cooper
Sally Cope
Phil Cote
Chuck & Amber Cramer
Susan T. Crane
Tom F. Craven, Jr.
Allison Criss
Heather Croushorn
Karon Cumberland
Shawn C. Cummings
Emmy Czarny
Brian E. Daenzer
David & Michele Dalton
Leora Elizabeth Daniel*
Ariana Rose Davis
Diane S. Davis
Katrina Davis
Kenneth J. Dean
Mark Dellinger
Perry E. Dickens, Jr.
Mark & Donna Diehl
Sarah Dill
Willis Dixon
David & Buffy Donahoo
Tim & Kathy Donlin
Pamela Dooley
James Sutton
Deanna D. Dungan
Mae Dunsing
Andrew Dyk
Patricia Dyk
Gary & Barbara Eastman
Sue Edison
John & Amy Edwards
Mark Edwards
Herschel L. Elder, III
Micah Elder
Robert Ellis
Sean & Heather Ells
Glenn C. Enderud
Philip Engle
Tim Engle
Lydia V. Epps
Maria Erickson
Brian Estes
Weston Estes
Craig Evans
Ed & Michelle Evans
Michael & Jennifer Evans
David & Veronica Evans
Beth E. Fallin
Terry & Barbara Falwell
Tim Fancher
Sandra H. Farmer
David Farner
Gregg Farrell
Michael W. Fay
Jeanne Feamster
Ireremena E. Felix-Otuorimuo
Bruce & Brenda Fero
William Fertsch
Christopher E. Fogal
Fredrick Foreman
Jeanette V. Foster
George & Kelly Hall
Gwenn Harth
Jeff & Vicki Scott
Christian Sehlke
Your Fancy, LLC
Zaki Gordon Memorial Charitable
Gift Fund
Vern & Carmen Castle
Jefferey W. Chandler
E.P. Fox
Ellen Franklin
Thomas H. Frazier
Kevin Frederick
John Fuqua
Karyn Fuqua
Brian Gadson
Roy & Cindy Gaebe
Judith Gallion
Keith Gardner
Carl & Deavin Garland
Monika Garland
Dustin G. Garner
Lee & Donna Gibson
Dr. Joseph Gigliotti
Jason Gilbert
Steve Glass
Jose & Carrie Gomez
Robert & Kristyn Goodman
Ryan Gordon
J. R. & Karen Graybill
Cris & Theresa Green
Pam Griffin
Toni Gryder
Thomas E. Guess
Brad D. Gunnink
Clyde & Donna Gurley
James R. Hagler, Jr.
Donna L. Hall
Steven & Donna Hall
Gary Hall
Constance Halleen
Bob Handwerker
Terri Hanson
Roger Hantke
Christopher & Amy Hara
Lauren Harder
Mr. & Mrs. Robert A. Harris
Scott Harris
John Hart & Patsy Meridith
Cora W. Harvey
Hubbard Harvey
John Havill
Scott & Sarah Hayes
Bill & Tracie Hayes
John Heath
Connie Hecker
David M. Heckman
Ryan L. Helfenbein
Sheryl L. Helmick
Cheryl B. Hemric
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hendrix
Michael Hendrix*
Brandon Henley
Barbara Henzler
Karen K. Herr
Tracy Hite
Heather S. Hodsden
Bernard Holder
Scott Hooks
Tim Houghton
Chip Hoxie
Frederick Huenefeld
Isai & Mayra Huezo
Ricardo Huezo
Ben Hughes
James & Mary Hughes
Daniel & Sarah Hull
Kenneth Humbert & Suzanne Caruso
Joseph D. Hunt
Christina Jocelynn Hunter
Gregory S. Huntsman
Mark Hyde
Jim Ingledue
David W. Irvin
Gerald Irwin
Robin E. Jenkins
Ben & Michelle Johnson
Mark Johnson
Martha Johnson
Phillip & Betty Jones
Darryl Jones
Eric & Susan Jones
Todd & Amy Jones
Mark Journell
Roberta Justice
James & Tanya Kaiser
Robert Kaneda
Robert Kastenschmidt
Frank & Lisa Keating
Derek Keeney
Gretchen Keeter
Roy J. Kelley
Richard Kelly
Brian & Janelle Kennedy
Kevin & Lori Keys
Thomas S. Kimmel
George F. King
Graham King
Fred & Dora Krauss
Corinne Jameson Kuehl
Justin & Lindsay Lacey
Elizabeth Lacks
Pierre-Marie Lagnaud
Ron & Kelly Lance
Patricia Lange
Doug & Linda Larimer
Darren D. Lasko
William & Jennifer Leake
Matt & Lisa Lewis
Nancy Lewis
Sandra Lewis
Dolph Lilienthal
Anthony John Linardi
James & Deborah Livingston
Sarah D. Lloyd
Toni Labdell
Jennifer Lotts
Tom Lougheed
Robert & Kathleen Loughery
Keith & Barbara Lovegrove
Mike & Karen Luck
Bradley Madison
Phyllis Maire
Nathan A. Maloney
Psalms Counseling
Sylvia Maness
Steven A. Marshall
Jeff A. Martin
Matthew A. Martin
Al Martinez
Jason Mattera
Jason & Kim Mattox
Andrew & Julie Mays
Eden McClung
S. Patrick McCool
Kyle McDonald
Allen & Doris McFarland
Charlotte R. McGhee
Pamela McPherson
Andrew W. Meadows
Stephanie Meier
Dr. William Messerschmidt, MD
Christopher Metcalfe
Beverly Mewborn
Paul & Janet Mihalak
Daniel W. Miles, III
Jamie Milgrim
Angela Miller
Dale Miller*
Thomas & Janet Miller
Michael Millwood
Mark G. Minar
Robin Moloney
Dawn Denise Monahan
Doug & Debbie Monahan
Angela Moore
Caralynn Moore
Christopher D. Moosey
Scott & Tara Morgan
Laura Morris
Phillip & Stephanie Morris
Candee Moss
Dr. & Mrs. Stephen W. Müller
George Mumejian
Gene & Joyce Myers
Shane Nakamura
Kelsey Nakhjovani
Penny Nance
Brandon Neal
Gary & Karen Nelson
Jim & Molly Nelson
Sarah C. Nelson
David E. Newcomb
Michael & Sarah Nichols
Dave Noble
Clay & Sharon Nordquist
Jason Nuckols
Stacy Obaugh
Timothy O’Brien
Jaclyn M. Olson
Shelley O’Neal
Shant Orchanian
David & Tammy Orrender
Leonard W. Overman, Jr.
Mark Overman
Gregory Packham
Abram & Allison Pafford
Philip M. Pantana
Pamela Patterson
Todd & Rachel Patulski
Stacy G. Pawluk
Karen Paynter
Jacquelin Paz
Amy L. Pellitteri
David Peterson
John & Gale Petrozelli
Craig & Cindy Petry
John & Alison Pettit
Betty Phillips*
Rodney A. Phillips
Magdalena Plimpton
Stacy Plimpton
Kenneth Pogrob
JP Posey
Douglas Powers
Andrew & Miriam Prantner
Jerry & Carol Prevo
Charles & Sandy Prowant
J. R. Pugh
Ray Ramsey
Rasmussen Companies
Jeffrey D. Raub
Charles W. Reed, III
Michael J. Renfrew
Scott Renstrom
Harry & Susan Repstad
Sarah E. Rexrode
Erin Reynolds
David & Linda Rhodenhizer
Darren L. Richards
Amanda M. Rider
Steve & Rachel Ridout
Jack Rieser
Clinton H. Robbins
Scotty Roberts
Mark & Lauri Robinson
Daniel R. Rodriguez
Roger J. Rome
Shelby Rountree
Alan & Machele Rowe
Dr. Dean C. Rust, DDS
Josann G. Rutsch
Barbara Sadler
Wendy Sander
Jason & Crystal Saunders
Mary Ann Saunders
Mark & Patsy Schandorff
Michael Schroeder
Matt & Johanna Schubert
Kelly Schuellein
Roger & Ann Schultz
Thomas Seabolt
Timothy J. Sechler
Sig & Gwen Seiler
Ray Sellers
E. Earl Semple*
Michael & Nina Shenkle
Brian Shepler
David Shin
Charles Shotmeyer
Greg Simotas
Shelah Simpson
Lamar & Connie Skarda
Mike Slayton
Cameron & Jordan Smith
Constance Smith
Dave & Kim Smith
Mark Smith
Rebecca Smith
Victor & Sarah Snipes
Erik & Ashley Sorensen
Jim & Michelle Sorenson
Tim & Shawna Spencer
Richard & Edith Staedtler
Knotresha Stewart-Osemobor
Gregg Strader & Sara Stoneburner
Bob & Sara Straub
Akera Stubbs
Cody & Taylor Stuenzi
Barbara G. Stunz
Marlin Stutzman
Martha A. Sudholt
Michael W. Szczepankiewicz
Douglas Taylor
Eric & Lesa Taylor
Geoffrey L. Taylor
Jeff & Heidi Thomas
John Thomas
Rick & Susan Thomas
Chris Thompson
John & Anne Thompson
Sherry Thompson
Michael Thrasher
Shannon Tizzard-Hicks
Brant & Nancy Tolsma
Sabrina Tomlin
Jennifer S. Tonnell
Scott & Kathy Traylor
James & Elaine Treadwell
Cynthia Tucker
Richard Tugman
Louise Underwood
Michael Varner
Jeffrey Velepec
Catherine Vidal
Brooklyn Voortman
MaryAnn Voortman
Kristin Wagner
Adriene R. Walker
Deborah Walker
Michael Wall
Wayne Waller
Benjamin Walter
John Walton
Richard & Ruth Waning
Andrew Warden
Jennifer Watson
Lew & Cheryl Weider
Carlos Whaley
Charles E. Whetzel, Jr.
Jenny Rhea Whichard
Jeremy White
Heath & Tiffney White
Alan & Lynn Whitlow
Beverly Wiley
Carla R. Wiley
David G. Williams
Jim & Kathy Williams
David Willier
Aaron Wilson
Jennifer Wilson
George & Peggy Wilson
Walter A. Wilson, III
Wendell O. Wilson
Wyatt & Gwen Wilson
Bruce & Melissa Wimberley
Scott Winslow
Jeffrey Withers
Faye P. Witt
Greg & Kim Witt
Ruth Wood
William & Noelle Woolf
Michael Wright
Dr. Lian-Tuu & Mrs. Arlene Yeh
Adrian Young
George Young
Phillip Zalewski
Craig D. Zauner
Katherine Zinnecker
Organizations
701 Korean Church
Allocate Ministries, Inc.
Baptist State Convention
Beacon Wealth Consultants, Inc.
Bob Turner’s Crane Service
Burntwoods Church
Camp Blue Ridge
Central Church of God - Charlotte
Child Evangelism Fellowship of Virginia
Citation Oil & Gas Corp.
Claire Parker Foundation
Couric Family Foundation
Cross Assembly - Benson Crossway Church
Do It All Quality Siding & Windows, LLC
Faith Fellowship Church, Inc.
First Baptist Church Jacksonville
First Baptist Church Mt. Juliet
First Baptist Church of Roanoke
Flames Diamond Collective
Foundations Church
Framatome, Inc.
Franklin Heights Church
Great Bridge Auto Service
Halesford Baptist Church
Holman Masonry, Inc.
Liberty Baptist Church, Inc.
Lions Den LLC
Longs Farm Supply, Inc.
Marion and Marlene Betten Foundation
McNaughton Service, Inc.
MIL2ATP, Inc.
Miss Lilly’s Trading Post, LLC
National Christian Foundation
Wisconsin
North Main Baptist Church
Patel & Dalrymple Attorneys at Law
Piedmont Airlines, Inc.
Stewart Langley Properties, LLC
Stoneburner Strader Family Fund
Suffolk Christian Academy
The Janssen Foundation
The Jeremiah Project
The Lance Family Fund
Tickets for Less, LLC
Venema Associates, LLC
Village Church
Virginia Academy of Science
Virginia High Performance
Vision Marketing, Inc.
Waters Edge Church
Word of Life Youth Ministries
* Estate Gift
Unpaid pledges from donors are not factored into the giving amounts for this list.
If we have omitted, misspelled, or misplaced your name, please accept our apologies and notify our office by calling toll-free (866) 602-7983.
For more information on planned giving to Liberty University, visit Liberty.edu/Giving or call (800) 543-5309.
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