CAMPUS HOT SPOT
NEW STUDENT UNION OPENS
FREEDOM TOWER
CAMPUS LANDMARK TAKES SHAPE
NASCAR DRIVER
MEET FRESHMAN WILLIAM BYRON
LIBERTY JOURNAL FA L L 2 0 1 6
MASTERPIECE CONCERT HALL UNVEILED
New 1,600-seat concert hall features state-of-the-art technology for today’s musicians. PAGE 5
Fall 2016
INSIDE this ISSUE
PUB LIS H E R Jerry Falwell
FEATURES
SENIO R M A NAGIN G E D ITOR Mitzi Bible
MASTERPIECE: Liberty’s new concert hall was not only beautifully designed, it was built to accommodate a variety of performances. — 5
GRAP H IC D E SIGNE R Carrie Mitchell
NEW TO LU: This year’s freshman class helped bring Liberty’s residential population to 15,000 — the highest number in school history. See how the semester kicked off and meet one of its newest students, NASCAR driver William Byron. — 10
CO NTRIBUT IN G E D ITORS Becki Falwell Ronald Kennedy Amanda Stanley
PHOTOGRA PH E RS Joel Coleman Caroline Cummings Kaitlyn Johnson Kevin Manguiob Leah Seavers Nathan Spencer Jessie Rogers
ON THE COVER
The new concert hall in Liberty’s Center for Music and the Worship Arts opened this fall. Read about all of its features on page 5. Photo by: Kaitlyn Johnson
For more information about the Liberty Journal, email news@liberty.edu, call (434) 592-4955, or write to: Liberty University External Communications Office, 1971 University Blvd., Lynchburg, Va., 24515. View a digital version and past issues at Liberty.edu/LibertyJournal. For information on Liberty’s academic programs, the admissions process, alumni, or athletics, call (434) 582-2000. Liberty University is not affiliated with the Department of Defense or any military service.
TOP SPOTS: Central Virginia is rich with outdoor recreation opportunities and fun places to travel with friends. — 20 GRADS AMONG US: Liberty alumni who live in Central Virginia are making important contributions to the community. — 24 FLOOD RELIEF: Student teams head to West Virginia and to Baton Rouge, La., to help flood victims. — 28 LOOKING UP: Interesting facts about Liberty’s newest campus landmark, the Freedom Tower. — 30
CONSTRU C T I ON M ANAGE M E NT ASSOC I AT E S
STA FF Ted Allen Rebecca Beem Heather Bradley Ron Brown Katie Davis Rachel Dugan Kerry Hogan Cheryl Job Leslie Keeney Drew Menard Dawn Neal Amy Price Josh Rice Melissa Skinner Len Stevens Debbie Torres
NEWS & EVENTS GENEROUS GIFT: Liberty recently acquired 20 paintings on the life of Christ. — 34 CONVOCATION: Read the full schedule of special guests to visit the Vines Center this fall. — 36 OUT AND ABOUT: Third-year medical students begin work in Southern and Southside Virginia as part of the school’s mission to bring medical care to the underserved. — 40
Liberty’s Campus Walk, the greenway through campus visible at the center of this photograph, started taking shape over the summer. It will run from the Residential Commons to the Freedom Tower, the baseball stadium, and eventually all the way to Green Hall.
CHAMPIONS for CHRIST An inspiring Major League Baseball coach, a top pilot, and a surprise bedside graduation are just some of the touching stories from the Liberty family. — 56
ATHLETICS STANDOUTS: Liberty takes top trophies as its athletics programs continue to dominate the Big South Conference. — 46 FALL SCHEDULES: Follow the Flames in action this season. — 54
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Musical Masterpiece NEW FACILITY SETS A HIGH BAR FOR MUSIC EDUCATION WITH ITS UNRIVALED TECHNOLOGY, DESIGN, AND VERSATILITY BY DREW MENARD
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Students in the Liberty University School of Music are now being fine-tuned in a facility unlike any other in Students in the Liberty University the country — the state-ofSchool of Music are now being finethe-art Music and tuned in aCenter facility for unlike any other in the country — the state-of-the-art the Worship Arts, featuring Center for Music and the Worship the recently unveiled 1,600Arts, featuring the recently unveiled seat concert 1,600-seat concerthall. hall. The concert hall completes the 141,000-square-foot center, which spans two connected buildings. The academic wing opened in August 2015. Beautifully constructed to complement the campus’ neoJeffersonian architecture — with symmetrical design, porticos, and red brick — the School of Music’s new home also has its own visual identity, with a sparkling cascade of glass connecting its buildings. The interior features brick and light hickory trimmings throughout most of the common areas, which are spacious and inviting. The grand entryway includes a spiral staircase leading up to a floating walkway. The aesthetics might catch the eye, but the high-tech capabilities hidden deep inside are what make it conducive to musical mastery.
KAIT LYN JOHN SON
Liberty University School of Music was ranked the top Christian College Music Program of 2016-17 by Christian Universities Online. Liberty was also named one of the “Best of the Best” worship programs in the country by Worship Leader Magazine for the last five years.
CREATIVE CONSTRUCTION Taking inspiration from some of the finest auditoriums in the country, Liberty’s new concert hall is designed to accommodate both grand and intimate performances, as well as adapt to just about any sound need, from acoustic sets to amplified shows. “Ours is the only building in a college or university anywhere in North America with this capability and flexibility of doing both acoustic and electronic presentations in the same room,” said Dr. Vernon Whaley, dean of the School of Music. The technology begins with the Meyer Sound Constellation Acoustic System. Hanging high above the seats is a large sound wave — a rib-like, wooden >>
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KAI TLYN JO H NSO N
KAI T LYN JOHNSON KAI T LYN JOHNSON
>> structure that is mostly aesthetic. The front of the wave, however, is part of the system’s software. The wave can be used to “deaden” the room, blocking echoes for non-amplified events like orchestra concerts. And with a simple change in programming, the wave can be adjusted to accommodate an electronically amplified rock ‘n’ roll show. “With the electronic miracles of the Constellation Acoustic System, we can literally sample the acoustics in any concert setting anywhere in the world and duplicate it in this building,” Whaley said, adding that the flexibility
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allows for great variety, from classical orchestras to praise and worship, jazz and pop music shows, musical theatre, opera, and more. This school year, the concert hall will host worship nights, two operas, showcases of diverse musical styles, a major Christmas production, and a joint concert with the Liberty University and Lynchburg symphony orchestras (see page 35 for schedule). The concert hall also features stateof-the-art lighting and projection technology as well as a retractable, telescoping choir loft that doubles the stage seating from 150 to 300 singers.
The stage features an orchestra pit that can be raised and lowered to three different levels. It can be raised to serve as an extension of the stage or, for more intimate shows, can sit level with the audience. It can also be lowered below the floor level. All drapes, curtains, banners, lifts, and doors can be electronically controlled from one location, with a cue-based system that allows for preset sequences and effects for precise technical execution. To further prevent outside noises from getting in, the concert hall (as well as other areas throughout the center) was constructed with two
FEATURES
Liberty’s School of Music is the nation’s seventh largest and houses some of the most popular and fastestgrowing degree programs on campus, with over 1,400 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled this year.
KAI TLYN JO H NSO N
Dr. Stephen Muller teaches a worship class in the Center for Music and the Worship Arts’ choir classroom.
exterior walls, separated by a thick layer of insulation. This unique construction design was recognized for excellence even before the building was completed — last spring, the Steel Erectors Association of America (SEAA) awarded it the 2016 SEAA Class III ($1-2.5 million) Project of the Year for the steel portion of the structure. While the concert hall was being built, other areas were also being constructed nearby, including administrative offices, a percussion lab, a green room with dressing rooms, four classrooms, piano storage, a catering
prep space, the 124-seat Macel Falwell Recital Hall, and a world music exhibit that features hundreds of antique instruments from various cultures. The building’s recording studio will be the final touch. Designed by the renowned Walters-Storyk Design Group (WSDG), which has installed over 3,000 professional sound studios used by some of the world’s biggest stars, the studio is scheduled to be completed next spring. ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT Throughout the academic building are 50 Wenger SoundLok “sound
isolation” practice rooms, 43 teaching studios, and the 54-seat Doug Oldham Recital Hall. There are massive instrumental and choir rehearsal rooms, common rooms on each floor for group practice and instruction, as well as piano, songwriting, guitar, and music computer labs. By having such a variety of spaces, the building is more conducive to creativity, encouraging the students to grow in both their theoretical understanding of music and their artistic expression. The multiple practice rooms, for example, help students hone their skills and fulfill the >>
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>> required supplemental practice hours. The songwriting lab provides eight pods that can be used for individual recording sessions or, in the spirit of collaboration, up to six can be synced for group writing/recording sessions. When students perform in the recital halls, they have access to the same variable-acoustic sound
The recording studio is wired to record from six spaces in the building — the two recital halls, the concert hall, the choir classroom, the band/instrumental classroom, and the songwriting lab — and utilizes the latest wireless, digital software for offsite recording, even across state or country lines. This cutting-edge program is designed to eliminate latency (the delay that typically occurs during a broadcast).
professionals. LMG is developing labels and imprints (for printed music materials) to serve different areas of the industry, from printed education materials to jazz, classical, and worship music, as well as film scoring. Students interested in becoming artists can find a venue to publish their own music as well as get opportunities to be mentored by established artists. Whaley said LMG will give all students access to quality, live recordings of their recitals. From providing students spaces that inspire creativity to offering tools to hone their skills and avenues for
technology and curtain control as in the concert hall. This allows music students to create professional-quality productions in a more intimate setting. The School of Music trains students to impact every facet of the music industry, including producing, recording engineering, publishing, and artist development, which is why top-notch live production technology, including lighting, is important. “We are training artists to do presentations, and we are training recording engineers and producers,” Whaley said. “Part of that training includes teaching students how to program the lights. It is a really important part of the artist’s presentation.”
The possibilities for live or studio recording are endless at Liberty. An orchestra and choir could be recorded live from two different rooms, or an artist could be recorded from Nashville and mixed in with musicians recorded at Liberty. “That means we can give our students opportunities to play or sing with the best musicians in the world,” Whaley said. Liberty Music Group (LMG), the university’s newly formed music publishing, producing, and recording division, was created to support the school’s growing commercial music programs and provide a platform for both budding artists and music industry
presenting themselves to potential employers, Liberty’s new music facility is more than a beautiful collection of brick, glass, and steel. It is a conduit for limitless expression, collaboration, and influence. It fully supports the School of Music’s mission to send out graduates who will take worship to the nations and impact the culture for Christ. “We are grateful to Liberty’s administration for their vision and for providing the School of Music with this building,” Whaley said. “We believe it is going to be a contribution to academia, the community, and to the kingdom of God for many years to come.”
Liberty is one of just a handful of institutions worldwide to be designated an All-Steinway School, providing the highest quality pianos in the world. There are 123 Steinway & Sons pianos across the Center for Music and the Worship Arts.
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FEATURES
THE HIGH NOTES
State-of-the-art features of the Center for Music and the Worship Arts include: MEYER SOUND SPEAKERS in every classroom and venue
DANTE CONNECTIVITY
in all venues, which creates an interconnected audio network that enhances the reach of the recording studio and eliminates broadcast delay
VARIABLE ACOUSTICS
in both recital halls and the concert hall to accommodate both non-amplified (acoustic) and amplified (electronic) presentations
ADVANCED RIGGING SYSTEMS
in all performing venues to control all drapes, banners, stage lift, doors, etc. from a single location via a cue-based control system
SOPHISTICATED LIGHTING and audio mixing systems
SCENIC PROJECTION in the concert hall
DIGICO MIXING CONSOLES with fiber-optic networking
ADVANCED UNDERGROUND HVAC SYSTEM
that maintains comfortable temperature in the concert hall without any noise
TELESCOPING CHOIR RISERS
in the concert hall that can adjust stage seating from 150 to 300
STAGE LIFT
that adjusts the concert hall’s choir loft between three height levels
LED TAPE
around the concert hall’s seating section railing, creating a glow that is programmed with the lighting
MITCH EL L B RYA NT
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NEW TO
FRESHMAN CLASS CONTRIBUTES TO RECORD NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL STUDENTS
At the end of the Freshman Kickoff on Friday, Aug. 26, the freshman class joined the marching band on the football field to set a record for the largest human LU.
LU JOEL COL EMAN
Incoming students were met with “Welcome to Liberty” cheers as they poured onto campus in record numbers during Welcome Week, Aug. 24-27. Student leaders greeted their newest classmates and helped them move into their residence halls, keeping the task manageable and the mood light. Amidst the unpacking, students took time to toss footballs or jam out to their favorite tunes on the spacious green lawns now crossing campus. The new students helped raise the residential population to about 15,000 — the highest in university history. A record 8,100 students are living on campus this semester. Before classes started on Aug. 29, new students were introduced to many of Liberty’s athletics traditions at the annual Freshman Kickoff in Williams Stadium on Aug. 26. During the enthusiastic pep rally, the newest campus residents unleashed their school spirit in a torrent of cheers and victory cries, spurred on by Flames cheerleaders and The Spirit of the Mountain Marching Band. They practiced game day traditions and heard from Athletics Director Jeff Barber, Liberty Flames Sports Network personalities, and various head coaches, including Flames Football Coach Turner Gill, Lady Flames Basketball Coach Carey Green, Flames Basketball Coach Ritchie McKay, and new Flames Baseball Coach Scott Jackson. The Class of 2020 joined all of their peers at the university’s first Convocation of the semester on Aug. 31, where thousands came together in the Vines Center to worship and pray for the upcoming academic year. Liberty’s founder, the late Dr. Jerry Falwell, would often welcome new students to campus at the start of a new school year. This year, students listened to the inspiring words of Liberty’s founder through a video recorded over a decade ago. Dr. Falwell is seen sharing some of Liberty’s history and its mission to Train Champions for Christ. >>
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KAI T LYN JOHNSON
KAITLYN JOHNSON
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MOVING IN
FEATURES
BREAKING RECORDS:
>> Jonathan Falwell, senior pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church, gave the first Convocation address of the school year, challenging students to be “fit for the finish” that God has in store for their lives. “I believe firmly in my heart that great finishes never happen at the finish line; they happen when we begin,” he said. “The commitment you have today will determine the finish you have later on.” At the end of the first week of classes, Student Activities hosted the annual Block Party on Sept. 3. Students enjoyed carnival rides and games, learned about clubs, and sampled a variety of delicious snacks from local food trucks. Free entertainment was provided by the upbeat sounds of popular Christian artists
4,000
Incoming students
15,000
Residential students
8,100
Students living on campus
3.48
Highest average incoming GPA
1067
Highest average SAT score
23.8
Dave Barnes, Colony House, and Lynchburg, Va.-based Vacation Manor. The night was capped by a spectacular fireworks show. On Sept. 14, university President Jerry Falwell introduced Convocation speaker Vernon Brewer, Liberty’s first graduate. Falwell then recognized and thanked Provost Ron Hawkins and Vice Provost Ben Gutierrez for their extraordinary efforts to fly to Pennsylvania to award a degree to student Jason McIlwain two days before he lost his long battle with cancer (read the Sept. 14 news story at Liberty.edu/News). The president also announced that Governor Mike Pence had contacted him after reading Falwell’s op-ed in The Washington Post and will be speaking at Convocation on Oct. 12.
Highest average ACT score
54
WHERE DID THEY COME FROM? After the U.S., the highest represented countries for the Class of 2020 are Korea, Canada, China, Nigeria, and Brazil. The top five states represented are Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Florida.
NAT HAN SP E NC E R
National Merit Scholars (including a record 27 finalists)
BLOCK PARTY
NATH AN SPE NCER
MEET WILLIAM BYRON NASCAR TRUCK SERIES ROOKIE JOINS FRESHMAN CLASS BY TED ALLEN Star athletes are no strangers to Liberty University, with weekly Convocations and annual Commencement exercises bringing some of the best in their respective sports to campus. Rarely, however, do they enroll as residential freshmen. William Byron, 18, a Charlotte, N.C., native and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series rookie sensation, drives the Libertysponsored No. 9 Toyota Tundra. He has been to Victory Lane several times this season, surprising the competition by seizing the
series points lead with 12 top-10 finishes and an unprecedented six wins during his first year in the series, breaking the long-held rookie record of five. He recently signed a deal with Hendrick Motorsports to race for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series starting in late February. While driving to Charlotte in his own personal Tundra to do simulator training with his Kyle Busch Motorsports team on Sept. 7, Byron talked about his successful season in the truck series and first few weeks of campus life at Liberty.
Follow Byron at WILLIAMBYRON.COM. For more from Byron, read “12 Questions with William Byron� in USA Today Sports.
JOE L COL EMAN
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FEATURES
Q: How has your transition to being
every weekend. I’ve been doing my homework on the side, making sure I’m on top of the things I need to do to get better.
A: These past couple weeks have been crazy, moving in on campus and getting used to where my classes are and everything like that. I’m enjoying all the campus has to offer and just getting to know and meet a bunch of new people. My roommate is from Colorado, so he’s from a little bit different environment, but he’s been great.
Q: You began racing online at 13 through iRacing, and you started competing on the track at 15. How does that attest to the effectiveness of online education?
a full-time student at Liberty gone so far, and what do you like most about college life?
Q: How many classes are you taking, and what are you planning to major in? A: I’m taking four classes this semester, three on campus and one online. I’m going to pursue a business communications degree. Q: You’ve won more races in the Camping World Truck Series than any other rookie in series history. Did you expect to experience so much success so early in your career?
Q: How much is your faith a factor in what you do? A: Racing is so unpredictable that you can’t control the outcome most of the time. That’s why God is so important in my life. Winning a race can’t be the center of your life, and it never has been for me. I’ve been able to take racing and be relaxed about it to the degree that I can still go out there and be competitive, but I know that my faith is center, and I can rely
Q: What is it going to be like to work with Hendrick Motorsports, racing for JR Motorsports, with some of your favorite names in NASCAR like Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. next year in the Xfinity Series? A: It’s really a dream come true to sign with Hendrick Motorsports. I think it’s going to be a great fit for me. I raced at JR Motorsports in a Late Model (stock car), and I know some of the guys over there, so I’m looking forward to that. Those guys have so much knowledge and so many championships in the sport, so I’ve got to make sure that I value and take advantage of this opportunity. Right now, I really just want to focus on finishing out this year with the truck series the way we started. We want to get a championship not only for Liberty University but also for Kyle Busch Motorsports and Toyota and everyone involved. That’s always been our goal.
JOEL CO LEMAN
A: It was a surprise when I was just starting in racing, and I realized that I could do this. I started to win races. From that point on, I always kind of believed in myself, and it’s been good this year to get the satisfaction of knowing I’m on the right track — I’m doing the right things both on the racetrack and off of it. The key has been communication with the race team and just trying to make sure that we show up prepared for the racetrack
A: Anything you do online, whether education or racing or learning how to fly a plane, is very beneficial. It gives you experience, and it serves the purpose, both in education and racing, of honing your skills so you can do things like get a degree or grow a career in NASCAR.
on that all of the time. I feel like getting into racing was God’s plan for me, so I can spread my faith through the racing garage and with race fans — that’s why it’s been so special.
Below: William Byron moves into his residence hall in August. JOEL COLE MA N
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Montview Open for business — and much more
NATH AN SPENC ER
LEAH S EAVERS
The Alumni Ballroom on the top floor has seating for up to 700 people, as well as its own terrace and catering facilities.
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The second floor of Montview Student Union features a gaming room with various video game consoles and game tables.
FEATURES
When students returned after the summer break, they were greeted with a spacious new building to call their own. Designed to enhance student life, the Montview Student Union features meeting rooms for student groups, a bowling alley, game rooms, open lounge areas, a large ballroom, and six
new eateries that are new not only to the university but also to the Lynchburg community. The 168,000-square-foot building at the back of DeMoss Hall looks out onto the new academic commons. Its massive front steps and vast lawn will be used for a variety of campus events.
L E AH SE AVE R S LEA LEA H SEAVERS H SEAVERS
LEA H SEAVERS
Woodfire Pizza Company, Liberty’s own brand, offers a large variety of brick oven pizzas.
Argo Tea features teas from growers around the world. The location at Liberty is the fourth on a college campus.
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Garbanzo offers freshly made Mediterranean cuisine, including falafel, hummus, salads, and more.
The Grid Marketplace is a convenience store concept, providing an array of snack food and healthy options.
Star Ginger offers Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, and other Asian cuisine.
JE SSIE ROGERS
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FEATURES
Montview was the name of U.S. Senator Carter Glass’ estate, which operated as a dairy farm on the land where Liberty’s campus is today. The property was purchased in the 1970s. Glass’ historic home, Montview Mansion, was built in 1923 and still stands near the Hancock Welcome Center. It is open for tours and occasionally houses university guests.
KAI T LYN JOHNSON
Liberty’s Office of Military Affairs opened a Veterans Center on the third floor. The space includes a lounge for student veterans to connect with one another and with the faculty, staff, and community members who serve as their mentors. A VetSuccess counselor with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and a military student liaison from the Office of Military Affairs are Thealways second ofto Montview Student Unionthroughout features a onfloor hand offer support services gaming room with various video game consoles and game military students’ academic careers. tables.
L EA H SE AVERS
The basement level of the student union features an eight-lane bowling alley.
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A Prime Location for Fun Scenic Central Virginia offers both beauty and adventure BY MELISSA SKINNER Going away to college is exciting — meeting new friends, learning from new teachers, and settling into a new home. While Liberty University students have a variety of activities available to them on campus, they also know they are living in one of the most scenic parts of the country. The Central Virginia region is full of interesting places to explore, and students regularly trek off campus to hike the Blue Ridge Mountains, tour historical sites, attend local festivals, and visit unique area businesses. National Geographic named Lynchburg one of its Best Adventure Towns. Jacen Hamilton, a graduate student studying business administration, said going to school in Lynchburg gives
JOEL COL EMAN
Monument Terrace, Lynchburg
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FEATURES
JOEL COLEM AN
Main Street, Lynchburg
students the opportunity to “refresh” in a unique way. “The Lynchburg area offers Liberty students a variety of phenomenal off-campus activities, including kayaking on the James River, visiting downtown, or a range of good hiking and camping opportunities within an hour or two of campus,” he said. Every Saturday, vendors from around Central Virginia come together to sell their goods at the Lynchburg Community Market. While downtown, visitors can also see Monument Terrace, which honors Lynchburg citizens who fought and died in
KAI T LYN JOHNSON
KAI TLYN JOHNSON
Lynchburg Community Market
Food Truck Thursdays, Miller Park, Lynchburg the Civil War, Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, Korea, Vietnam, and in present-day conflicts. Lynchburg even has a Minor League Baseball team, the Hillcats, a Class A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. Lynchburg’s riverside area boasts many options for fun, including 22 miles of trails. One of the most popular is the Blackwater Creek Trail. Built along an abandoned railway bed, the 3-mile paved trail crosses the James River and is great for running, biking, and walking. Every September, many Liberty students, faculty, and staff take part
in the annual Genworth Virginia 10 Miler. The race is one of the oldest 10-milers in the country and draws runners from all over the world. The event also includes a 4-mile run and walk. This year, Liberty again broke the corporate participation record with 606 registered participants. “Lynchburg is fortunate to offer a wide array of activities that cater to an array of tastes and interests, thus making it one of the best places to live,” said Sergei Troubetzkoy, director of tourism for the City of Lynchburg. “You cannot go anywhere in the area without seeing Liberty >>
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>> students. They are a wonderful asset to our community, and we appreciate that they spend time around the city and surrounding areas.” Troubetzkoy calls it a win-win: Students can explore and enjoy the area, then share their experiences with others, generating even more interest. Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Liberty is just 35 miles away from the Blue Ridge Parkway, known as “America’s Favorite Drive.” The parkway boasts
many hiking trails. Some of the most popular are located at the Peaks of Otter in Bedford, Va. The 1.7-mile trail to Sharp Top (one of three summits located at the peaks) leads to spectacular views from 3,875 feet above sea level. There are also picnic areas and a nature center nearby. Ryan Saunders, a student in the biomedical sciences graduate program, said students can experience something new in Central Virginia every weekend.
“Virginia has so much to offer in regards to the outdoors. We have a great sample of that here on campus, but there is so much more to see outside the boundaries of Liberty,” he said. “Getting off campus is part of the college experience. There is nothing like going on an adventure with a group of friends.” Less than an hour from campus, students can explore Natural Bridge State Park in Rockbridge County. The 215-foot limestone gorge was once owned by Thomas Jefferson. The P H OTO COURTE SY OF P OP LAR FOR E ST
JOS H R I CE
National D-Day Memorial, Bedford, Va.
Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest, Forest, Va.
ISAAC APO N
Liberty University students and friends hike near the Peaks of Otter on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Back row, left to right: Isaac Apon, Seth Gossett, John Luke Robertson; front row, left to right: Kelsey Shoot, Rachel Shover, Katherine Thacker, Mary Kate Robertson, Sadie Robertson.
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Virginia 10 Miler, Lynchburg
FEATURES site also includes a nature area with 6 miles of trails and a Monacan Indian Village with living history programs. Additionally, Liberty’s Outdoor Recreation team plans dozens of affordable weekend trips throughout the year, including fly fishing, horseback riding, whitewater rafting, skiing, camping on the shores of Virginia Beach, and an overnight introduction to camping/backpacking on Liberty Mountain. Central Virginia is not only K EENAN TOR R E S
Sharp Top, Blue Ridge Parkway
beautiful, it’s also home to a very rich history. Thomas Jefferson’s vacation home, Poplar Forest, is located about 15 minutes from campus. And last fall, the university acquired Mead’s Tavern in New London, Va. Built in 1763, the 2-story building is believed to be the oldest structure in the Lynchburg region. It is said to have attracted some well-known historical figures, including Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and Daniel Boone. In nearby Bedford, Va., students can
visit the National D-Day Memorial. Bedford was chosen as the site of this memorial because it lost more servicemen per capita than any other American city on D-Day — 19 lives. Students can also visit the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park (located about 30 minutes from campus), the site where Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee met with Gen. Ulysses S. Grant to surrender his army, beginning the process of ending America’s Civil War.
HYDAWAY OUTDOOR RECREATION CENTER A FAVORITE FOR STUDENTS Outdoor enthusiasts, or those simply in pursuit of a study break, can find what they’re looking for at the Hydaway Outdoor Recreation Center, operated by Liberty University. Just 5 miles from the main campus on Liberty Mountain, the rural property is a treasure, surrounded by 50 miles of wooded trails for running, hiking, and mountain biking. Last year, thousands of students visited Hydaway, which boasts an 8-acre lake and a beach area. Kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards are available at no cost to full-time students, faculty, and staff. For a small fee, watercraft can be taken offsite to the nearby James River, Ivy Lake, or Smith Mountain Lake. Hydaway Lake is stocked with largemouth bass, bluegill, and crappie for catch-and-
release by students with valid Virginia fishing licenses. Fishing equipment is also available. Mountain bikes for all ages can be checked out for free and used on the university’s 50-mile trail system. ATVs (which require a safety course before using) can be ridden on a designated half-mile loop track. University groups, from sports teams to campus bands, have participated in team-building activities on Hydaway’s Challenge Course, which features highand low-rope elements, and on the center’s zip line. Hydaway also offers a 12-site campground, with backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, hammocks, and other camping gear available for use on Friday or Saturday nights.
KAI TLYN JO HNSON
Hydaway Outdoor Recreation Center
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THIS IS
HOME JOE L COLEMAN
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FEATURES
Washington D.C.
STUDENTS MAY CALL THE LYNCHBURG AREA HOME FOR THEIR COLLEGE YEARS, BUT MANY HAVE MADE IT THEIR HOME FOR LIFE.
Charlottesville
Richmond Lynchburg
Virginia Beach
Doctors, nurses, teachers, businessmen/women, engineers, lawyers … the list goes on. As more than 250,000 Liberty University alumni impact the world for Christ all across the globe, people in Central Virginia don’t have to look far to find Liberty grads at work in the community.
LYNNETTE SHADOAN
Director, Light Counseling
As a Kentucky native and University of Kentucky graduate, Lynchburg was not really on Lynnette Shadoan’s radar. But after graduating college and working with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, she realized God was calling her into counseling, and she wanted a master’s program that would
equip her for that career. Through a trusted advisor, who was also a Liberty alumna, Shadoan discovered that Liberty’s Master of Arts in Counseling program was exactly what she was looking for. In 1989, Shadoan moved to Lynchburg for the program and discovered something special about Liberty. “The faculty believed that the students were here because God had led them here,” she said. “It was evident that the instructors weren’t there to weed out people — they were there to Train Champions for Christ. They really lived that motto out.” After working at the in-patient crisis counseling center in Richmond, Va., where she met her husband, Mark, she and Mark were recruited to work at Light Counseling, a Christian counseling practice in Lynchburg. “We felt that God opened the door, and we didn’t want to refuse,” Shadoan said, adding that the professional opportunities through Light were
appealing. The couple has also written a treatment planner for the American Association of Christian Counselors. Shadoan has served under two Virginia governors (Govs. George Allen and Jim Gilmore) on the Virginia Board of Counseling. Having now lived in Lynchburg for over 17 years, the Shadoans consider the area their home. “I love living in Lynchburg,” she said, comparing the city to the idealistic television town Mayberry. “We have a nice little community here.” In her practice, Shadoan has counseled numerous clients, addressing marriage, mental health issues, depression, grief, anxiety, and more. “My prayer is that I have been able to help people understand they have been fearfully and wonderfully made by God, as Psalm 139:14 says, and that God has a plan for their lives,” she said. “The rewards are eternal; I am humbled, and it is my privilege to help.”
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EMILIA OVERSTREET Emergency room nurse, Lynchburg General Hospital
As a nurse in Lynchburg General Hospital’s emergency department,
alumna Emilia Overstreet (’12) serves patients from all walks of life. Born in Romania, Overstreet decided
to attend Liberty for its highly competitive nursing program. “Studying at Liberty gave me the best opportunity to learn and grow in my knowledge and skills needed to be a nurse,” she said. “I also got to grow spiritually, so that I can minister to the spiritual needs of my patients and their families — not just their physical needs. Sometimes praying with them is all the comfort I can give.” Overstreet’s favorite memories from Liberty are the special moments she spent with her professors. “Outside of class, we would talk about life and have small little parties to help us relax, especially before tests,” she said. “I loved the fact that they went above and beyond for us as students. They truly cared about us doing well not only academically but also emotionally, physically, and spiritually.” After graduation, Overstreet decided to stay in Lynchburg because
she enjoyed the atmosphere. “The city is not too big to get overwhelmed, and I feel that it is a safe place with a Christ-centered community.” Overstreet said that as a nurse she is able to be “the hands and feet of Christ.” “I hope and pray that I am making an impact on all the people I come in touch with while at work,” she said. “A lot of people I meet need hope, a word of encouragement, and education regarding medical issues. I have had patients send cards or write emails to thank me for my help. That always humbles me, because I know I could not do this without God’s help.” Overstreet has been married to her husband, Stephen, for two years. She is expecting her first child in March. When she is not working, Overstreet joins some of her coworkers to volunteer at Lynchburg Daily Bread, a local food pantry.
had never heard of — caught his eye. He came to Lynchburg in August 2008 to begin his studies. “I just let Jesus take the wheel,” he said. Once on campus, Thompson fell in love with Liberty. “A school that lets you focus on your spiritual life as well as everyday life is just what I needed,” he said. As he struggled to make financial ends meet, Thompson became impressed with how people at Liberty seemed to genuinely care about him, and he got a full-time job as a landscape tech there. While Thompson worked on the grounds crew for over four years, his goal was to enter law enforcement. “That is what I have wanted to do since I was young,” he said. Thompson earned a position with the Liberty University Police Department as an armed security officer, and in 2015, was hired as a police officer by the town of Bedford, Va. “I prayed, and I think this is where God wanted me,” he said. “I love it here. People here care about other people and their community.” Thompson has always wanted to
change his community for the better, and he especially wants to make an impact on local kids. In Bedford, about 20 miles from Lynchburg, Thompson is involved with Boys With A Dream, a group of teenagers who do community service projects. “One of things I’ve noticed is that there is nothing for kids to do outside of school,” he said. “There is nothing that appeals to their age group.” Before he came to Liberty, while living in Baltimore, Thompson was impacted by the Police Athletic League. He remembers fondly how police officers there would trade their uniforms for gym clothes and play sports with local teenagers. Thompson would like to begin a Police Athletic League center in Bedford. “We need a facility to help our kids grow,” he said. “We need something to help them see law enforcement in a positive light.” For the moment, Thompson is working with Liberty University to help Boys With A Dream members and other children attend Liberty athletic events together with officers out of uniform.
CHEVY THOMPSON
Police officer, Town of Bedford Nearly a decade ago, Chevy Thompson arrived in Lynchburg with little money and no idea what lay ahead. At Liberty University, he discovered people who cared both
about him and about changing the world, and he gained a determination to make his community better. Thompson, originally from Jamaica, arrived in Baltimore in 2003. Shortly after, Thompson, then 26, began considering college. He applied at three Maryland schools, but then Liberty University — in Lynchburg, Va., a city he
FEATURES
KRISTIN JOHN
Assistant principal, Altavista Combined School When she graduated from Liberty in 2008, Kristin John took a job helping students at a nearby middle and high school. Having been raised in a military family that moved a lot, John grew to love the Central Virginia area and knew that this was where she wanted to settle down and raise a family of her own. John had transferred to Liberty from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She went on to earn her master’s degree in administration and supervision from Liberty in 2015. She is now in her second year as an assistant principal at Altavista Combined School in Altavista, Va., a
community about half an hour south of Lynchburg. “There are days I miss the classroom, but my ability to connect with, counsel, and coach kids is so much broader than when I taught in a single classroom,” she said. “I have been better able to support teachers around me, and I work closely with parents and community members — I have the chance to celebrate the successes of many more children now in my current role.” John and her husband, Tim, bought their first house three years ago, and they had their first child, Preston, in September. “Lynchburg is a wonderful place to raise a family,” she said. “With my background and education, I am able to offer hope and options to kids. I
emphasize that their education is truly their ticket to the world and that no one can take their education away from them.”
DAN MANLEY
Senior pastor, Lakewood Baptist Church Dan Manley first learned of Liberty University before it even had a name. While he was serving as the first fulltime youth pastor at Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg in 1970, Manley was invited to a lunch meeting with his senior pastor, Dr. Jerry Falwell, and Dr. Elmer Towns, a preacher who was in town visiting. “I wondered why they both wanted to meet with me,” Manley said, “and when we met, Dr. Falwell told me, ‘By the way, we’re getting ready to start a college — and you’re going to be the basketball coach.’” A year later, Manley had assembled Liberty’s first sports team. He went on to coach six years at Liberty and, during that time, earned his B.S. in physical education, graduating in 1977. (Manley held an undergraduate degree in theology from Tennessee Temple University.) He left Liberty shortly after graduation, going on to attend Delta State University in Cleveland, Miss., to work on his master’s in physical education and serve as an assistant basketball coach. Other coaching and ministry jobs took him to Ohio, and
in 1986, he began preaching full time. In 1999, he and his wife, Gail, were called to the mission field to pastor an English-speaking church in Quito, Ecuador, giving one-on-one care to missionaries there. In 2002, 25 years after he had left Liberty, Manley returned to the Lynchburg area — though not under the best circumstances. While still in Ecuador, he received a call that his son (who was attending Liberty at the time) had been diagnosed with cancer. Manley quickly left to be with him in Lynchburg. His son’s treatment was successful. Through some friends they had met in the hospital, they heard about the need for a full-time pastor at a church in the area. God led Manley to Lakewood, and soon he was calling Lynchburg, Va. — where he had first started in the ministry — his home once again. It also didn’t take long before he found his way back to Liberty. He regularly attends sporting events on campus, and for four years he provided analysis during television broadcasts of basketball games. “Having given birth to the basketball program, it’s been neat to watch it grow,” Manley said. Manley also takes opportunities to impact students. Each semester, he
shares his experience during pastoral ministry classes and mentors interns at his church. Through his personal experience of being mentored by Dr. Jerry Falwell, he knows that learning from other pastors is an important part of a student’s education. “I learned so many things from him (Falwell) that you could never teach in a classroom,”
Manley said. “You learn that ministry is not just from the pulpit.” Manley, originally from Canada, has traveled to many places but doesn’t know “of a more beautiful place than Lynchburg.” “Nestled in the foothills, you have the Blue Ridge Mountains, and within three hours you can be anywhere you want: the beach, a major city, the countryside. Virginia has rivers, lakes, an ocean; to me Lynchburg is an ideal place to live because there’s so much within grasp.”
Growing and Giving Like Christ
A team of eight students and three staff members helped residents of Greenbrier County, W.Va., in the wake of tremendous flooding.
GROWING and GIVING LIKE CHRIST BY MELISSA SKINNER Through the LU Send Now disaster relief program, about 1,200 students are ready and able to respond quickly to tragedy. During the summer of 2016, students brought aid and encouragement to those who needed it most. In June, eight students and three staff members helped residents of Greenbrier County, W.Va., when the area was hit with tremendous flooding. Thousands were left without power. Many lost their homes. Liberty’s team helped with recovery efforts, cleaning homes and prepping them for demolition or repair. Later in the summer, LU Send Now deployed two groups to Baton Rouge, La., to aid in flood relief efforts after what the Red Cross called the worst natural disaster to strike the U.S. since
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Superstorm Sandy. In all, about 60 students and staff went to help. The piles of furniture, trash, drywall, and refrigerators along the side of the road were familiar sights for senior Kayla Yaeckel, whose family lost their home to Hurricane Isabel in 2003. “It is amazing to see how the Lord brought this full circle and allowed me to serve others who were going through what I experienced,” she said. Yaeckel was moved by an 89-yearold man whose house was damaged by four feet of water. The team was able to take down drywall and remove a bathtub from his home. “At the end of the job, we were able to present him with a Bible, and he told us he knew the Lord,” she said. “He told us that he has a place to stay
with his daughter. He asked us if we would pray for those who do not have those things that he has.” Fox News personality Sean Hannity featured the Liberty students on his program. He introduced the disaster relief team, saying, “These kids are all from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. I am friends with President Falwell. I am going to tell him to give all of these kids an A-plus.” According to Vincent Valeriano, LU Send Now coordinator, Liberty partners with humanitarian organizations on these trips — the top three partnerships are with Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia, Baptist Global Response, and Samaritan’s Purse. Following the Baton Rouge trips, Franklin Graham, president and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse, thanked
FEATURES Fox News personality Sean Hannity met with students serving in Baton Rouge, La.
As the serving arm of the university, LU Serve offers students domestic, local, and international engagement opportunities. This fall, students are participating in Christian Community Service at 366 nonprofit organizations and 326 churches. In addition, students are volunteering their time on Saturdays to interact with children, assist single mothers, help the elderly, cut grass, paint, or rake leaves. Every Friday, students offer coffee, water, snacks, and prayers to bus riders in Lynchburg through
Students worked to clean out homes in West Virginia.
President Jerry Falwell for sending help, adding that the students were an encouragement to everyone there. Valeriano said that while Liberty students are serving people affected by a tragedy, they are also serving the partner organization and learning from them. “In the first year alone, we have already seen many of our students doing internships and applying for staff positions with the partner organizations they served alongside on some of our trips,” he said. “We love that LU Send Now is having a longterm impact on our students’ lives.” Every student volunteer must undergo disaster relief training on campus and maintain a certain GPA to participate. All expenses are covered by the university.
Since launching last fall, LU Send Now teams have participated in flood relief efforts in Columbia, S.C., and during the aftermath of tornadoes in Mississippi. In the Spring 2016 semester, LU Send Now deployed its first local outreach team to Appomattox, Va., after a tornado. The first international team traveled to Greece to aid in the Syrian refugee crisis, and students traveled to Flint, Mich., to assist with a contaminated water emergency. Additionally, a team went to Orange County, Texas, to help after damaging floods. LU Send Now staff is currently looking into opportunities to help those affected by Italy’s earthquake in August as well as how to assist with the ongoing refugee crisis in Syria.
the Bus Stop Ministry. LU Serve also sends groups to work sites along the East Coast on the weekends. Campuswide events, such as Global Focus Week and the Global Engagement Conference, show students how their fields of study intersect with international Christian service. A new Service Training Portal allows students to sign up for classes that will teach them how to effectively interact with people across various cultures before going overseas. “Volunteering through LU Serve can enhance the value of students’ classroom experience, improve their résumés with practical experience, and provide significant opportunities for service and ministry,” said Lew Weider, executive director of LU Serve. “Upon graduation, these students will be more marketable than those who only have a degree, and they will be able to immediately use what they have learned in their careers and ministry.”
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LOOKING
This artist’s rendering shows a see-through view of stories 15-17 in the Freedom Tower.
Freedom Tower
275 feet
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UP
Construction is progressing quickly on Liberty’s iconic campus landmark, the Freedom Tower. Still on schedule to open in Fall 2017, the 17-story structure will be the tallest building in Lynchburg.
GREAT FORM: Crews are using the Doka Concrete Formwork System, which calls for pouring the walls and slabs (separately) into a form. Once the concrete cures, the form is raised up to begin the next level. It is the same concept as a spring form cake pan. INNOVATORS: Liberty has brought together the best minds in construction and design on the East Coast to build the Freedom Tower. VMDO out of Charlottesville is the lead architectural firm, working closely with Construction Management Associates. Both have been responsible for several projects in Liberty’s $500 million campus rebuilding. Fox & Associates of Richmond, Va., is the lead structural engineering firm. Owner Clive Fox has worked on projects ranging from schools and university buildings throughout the state to foundation and ancillary design work for rides at Kings Dominion amusement park.
HIGH IN THE SKY
Residential Commons II
140 feet
Bank of the James, Lynchburg, Va.
222 feet
Statue of Liberty
305 feet
Wells Fargo Tower, Roanoke, Va.
369 feet
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SHINING BRIGHT: A programmable light system will allow the tower’s exterior to be lit up in bands of different colors — imagine red, white, and blue for special holidays, or a flashing effect when the Flames score a touchdown.
Light show
STANDING FIRM: Tall structures have a certain rate of deflection (how far to the left and right they will sway in high winds). The Freedom Tower has been so robustly designed that even in 90 mph winds, there will only be a 3-inch deflection.
Big and strong
BRING ON THE RING: A carillon of 25 bells at the top of the tower will be protected from wind and rain by a glass panel enclosure and pyramidal glass roof. Bell sizes range from 10 inches to 30 inches in diameter. The bells will be electronically controlled from a remote keyboard. At the center of the assembly will be the university’s Liberty Bell replica. The Liberty Bell will ring again!
25 bells
17 stories
THE TALLEST BUILDING IN LYNCHBURG
GLASS CORNERS: The exterior corners of levels 7-15 are made of glass.
See-through
409 steps
TOP FLOOR, PLEASE: Two elevators with glass corners will transport people up and down the tower. There will also be stairs with 409 steps from top to bottom. The elevators are designed with a system that will allow them to be used as an exit in the event of an emergency. The tower will be one of only a few buildings in the country to use this system.
2 elevators
GET YOUR CAMERA READY: The tower will quickly become a favorite spot for picture taking. There will be two main observation areas: a patio-like space at the 15th story that opens up to the ceiling of the 16th story, and another at roof level. The roof observation level is a 3-to-6-foot-wide walk around the perimeter with observation points at steel frames on all four sides and glass guardrails about 8 feet high. Up to 50 people can gather on the observation deck at one time. The bell assembly will hang 22 feet above the walk.
Great views
275 feet
A NEW HOME: The Freedom Tower’s 17 stories and extended three-level base will house the Rawlings School of Divinity, the largest center for religious studies and ministerial training in the country. Freedom Tower is one of the facility’s architectural features. The base was designed to blend into the adjacent hillside, emphasizing the height of the tower, and will include a large rooftop terrace.
Training ground
BREAKING GROUND: 7,971 pounds of explosives were used, with 9,000 cubic yards of hard rock removed. The rock was so hard that contractors on site began to call the green granite “God’s Rock.”
Almost 8,000 pounds of TNT
STEADY PACE: Crews are completing one floor about every eight days. (At the time of publication, crews had just started on the 11th floor).
8 days
Watch construction of the Freedom Tower in real time at Liberty.edu/LiveCams.
FIRM FOUNDATION: The foundation is 60 feet square and 4 feet thick at its edges. It tapers to the center where its deepest point is about 11 feet. It took close to seven hours to pour 700 cubic yards of concrete. The total weight of the foundation is about 1,100 tons, which is equal to the weight of all of the structural steel that was used in the Jerry Falwell Library.
60 sq. ft. foundation
PILLAR OF STRENGTH: The tower itself is a “cast-in-place” completely reinforced concrete structure; no steel supports are being used, except for in the roof at the top.
No steel!
NEWS & EVENTS Families donate large collection of paintings A 20-piece collection of paintings valued at more than $1 million was donated to the Liberty University Permanent Art Collection in honor of Dr. Troy L. Day and in memory of the late Alton H. Thigpen. The pieces are now on display in the new Montview Student Union’s Alumni Ballroom. (Thigpen’s grandson, Garrett Thigpen, is currently a sophomore at Liberty.) The massive oil on canvas paintings (most are 7-by-5 feet with some as large as 11-by-7) were created by artist Robert Wilson Sr. beginning in 1963 and focus on the life of Christ. Day and Thigpen, both from North Carolina, initially purchased about 10 paintings and were so moved by them that they commissioned the artist to
complete the visual story of Christ. Wilson has been an accomplished painter for over 40 years, and his life of Christ collection was admired by President Jimmy Carter during the 1978 National Prayer Breakfast. His historical paintings hang in the State House in Columbia, S.C. “I was awestruck by the beauty and size of these paintings,” said Liberty University President Jerry Falwell. “The Alumni Ballroom had exactly 20 open wall spaces, one for each painting, even though it was designed and built before the works were donated. Liberty is a young university but, thanks to the generosity of our donors, is well on its way to establishing a world-class art collection.”
Over the summer, another donor gifted a handcrafted crucifix from renowned sculptor Gib Singleton to the university’s art collection. Singleton is known for his work for the Vatican, including the bronze cross he crafted for Pope John Paul II’s crosier (ceremonial staff ). Artist Sandra Bowden also donated four paintings from her collection. Bowden is a founding member of Christians in the Visual Arts who, along with her husband, Bob, are dedicated collectors of sacred art and make their pieces available to churches, schools, and universities across the country through the Bowden Collections traveling exhibitions program.
the Baptist painting. The rendering, by Paul Geissler (known for his excellent copies of old master works), is of the original “John the Baptist, Resting” by Pompeo Girolamo Batoni (1702-1787). Geissler’s work is impressive in its own right, but the John the Baptist piece is especially significant because the original Batoni painting was destroyed by allied bombers during WWII when
it was in transit on a Nazi railroad car. The painting features John the Baptist sitting with a lamb before a grove of trees, gesturing to a figure in the background. The art was donated to Liberty in 1986 by Tennessee pastor L. Vernon Sisco. The library plans to display the restored artwork in the Caudell Reading Room.
John the Baptist painting restored The Jerry Falwell Library has restored a rendering of a famous John
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NEWS & EVENTS
Eye on the Arts
Liberty University nurtures a culture of artistic expression on campus. A wide variety of performances and exhibitions allow students to display their talents to the public and provide some of the most entertaining productions in Central Virginia. The following events occur after publication. Continue to check Events.Liberty.edu as more events are added throughout the school year.
ON THE STAGE
The Department of Theatre Arts offers large academic performances and smaller workshop productions (designed for underclassmen) throughout its main stage season at Tower Theater. The theater also hosts productions by Alluvion Stage Company, Liberty’s professional stage company, where professional talent (including alumni) work alongside students both onstage and behind the scenes. • “Quilters” (workshop) – Oct. 13-16 • “Over the River & Through the Woods” (academic) – Oct. 28-Nov. 6 • “Guys & Dolls” (academic) – Dec. 2-11 • “Seussical: The Musical” (academic) – Feb. 24-March 5 • “She Stoops to Conquer” (academic) – March 24-April 3 • “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” (Alluvion) – April 28-May 14 • Playwriting Competition Winner – May 25-28
Tickets can be purchased online (Liberty.edu/Tickets) or by calling (866) 447-2084. On the night of a performance, call the Tower Box Office at (434) 582-2085.
IN THE GALLERY
The Liberty University Art Gallery is located in Green Hall, Room 1855. The Fall 2016 season kicked off with an exhibition from Sandra Bowden, considered one of the most unique and inspiring Christian artists in the country. Her “Reflections of Glory” celebrates the visual history of the church with encaustic (wax-based) paintings, books, and drawings.
UNDER THE LIGHTS
Individuals and groups within the Liberty University School of Music have many opportunities to showcase their talents in a number of genres, from worship to classical and jazz. Guest professionals are hosted by the School of Music, as well. All events are held at the Center for Music and the Worship Arts, unless otherwise noted. • LiberTBones – Macel Falwell Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17 • Homecoming Concert (showcase from all School of Music groups) – Concert Hall, 7 p.m. Oct. 21 • Liberty University Symphony Orchestra/Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra Concert*– Concert Hall, 3 p.m. Oct. 23 • Gospel Music Association Concert – Towns-Alumni Lecture Hall, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 25 • Innovative Music Ensemble – Doug Oldham Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 27, March 24 • Chamber Brass – Macel Falwell Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 30, March 27 • Keith and Kristyn Getty* – Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31 • Chamber Singers – Macel Falwell Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 1, April 11 • LU Symphony Orchestra* – Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 3, March 7, May 2 • Guitar Ensemble – Macel Falwell Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 4, April 8, April 21 • The Gray Havens – Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5 • Clarinet and Flute Ensembles in Concert – Concert Hall, 3 p.m. Nov. 6, March 26 • Woodwind Quintets – Concert Hall, 4:30 p.m. Nov. 6, March 26 • Concert Choir and University Chorale – Towns-Alumni Lecture Hall, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7, March 2 • FUSION (student worship) – Concert Hall, 6 p.m. Nov. 11, Feb. 17, April 7 • CADENCE (showcase of diverse musical styles) – Concert Hall, 10:30 a.m. Nov. 12, Feb. 18, April 8 • String Chamber Ensemble Concert – Concert Hall, 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Nov. 13; 6:30 p.m. April 10 • Worldwide Worship – Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 14 • Jazz Band – Towns-Alumni Lecture Hall, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 15, Feb. 23 • Wind Symphony and University Band Concert – Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 17 • Christmas on the Boulevard* – Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6 • Opera: Amahl and the Night Visitors* – Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9, Dec. 10 • Lessons and Carols – Thomas Road Baptist Church Pate Chapel, 6 p.m. Dec. 14 • Opera: Die Fledermaus* – Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 20, Jan. 21, Jan. 27, Jan. 28 • Signature Artist Series II – Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 24 • Concerto and Aria Competition, Liberty University Symphony Orchestra – Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 4 • Christian Artist Series (guest professional) – Towns-Alumni Lecture Hall, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7, Feb. 28 • Faculty Concert Series – Towns-Alumni Lecture Hall, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14, March 21 • Wind Symphony – Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m. March 23 • Night of Worship – Thomas Road Baptist Church Sanctuary, 6 p.m. April 2 • Jazz Ensemble – Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m. April 18 • University Band – Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m. April 20 • Liberty Cello Project – Choir Room, 6:30 p.m. April 22 • Worship Guitar Ensemble – Doug Oldham Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m. April 24 • University Chorale – Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m. April 25 • Opera Workshop – Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m. April 28, Apr. 29 * Tickets required, visit Liberty.edu/Tickets or call (866) 447-2084.
The gallery is free and open to the public. Visit Liberty.edu/ArtGallery for current hours and exhibition information. • “Reflections of Glory” by Sandra Bowden – Sept. 8-Oct. 16 • Juried Digital Arts Competition – Oct. 20-Nov. 6 Opening and reception – Oct. 20 from 6-8:30 p.m. • Studio Art Exhibit – Nov. 10-Dec. 11 Opening and reception – Nov. 10 from 6-8:30 p.m.
School of Music students lead worship during Fusion, part of College For A Weekend, on Sept. 23.
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FALL 2016 CONVOCATION SCHEDULE Convocation is held in the Vines Center at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Watch it live at Liberty.edu/Watch. Past events can be viewed at Liberty.edu/Streaming or at YouTube.com/LibertyUniversity. This schedule is tentative and subject to change. Visit Liberty.edu/Convo for the most up-to-date schedule. 8/31: Jonathan Falwell – Senior Pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church 9/02: Mac & Aimee Powell – GRAMMY Award-Winning Singer & Orphan Care Advocates 9/05: Alternative Convocation* 9/07: Clayton King – Evangelist, Author, Pastor, and President of Clayton King Ministries (Spiritual Emphasis Week) 9/09: Sujo John – 9/11 Survivor & Founder of youcanfree.us 9/12: Chris Broussard – Sports Columnist & ESPN Sports Analyst 9/14: Vernon Brewer – President & CEO of World Help (Global Focus Week) Children of the World – International Children’s Choir 9/16: Darren Whitehead – Pastor of Church of the City 9/19: Brian “Head” Welch – Co-Founder of KORN & Bestselling Author 9/21: Dr. Ed Hindson – Dean, Rawlings School of Divinity 9/23: Tim Hawkins & Bob Smiley – Comedians (CFAW) 9/26: James Dobson – Psychologist & Founder of Family Talk 9/28: David Jeremiah – Founder of Turning Point Radio and Television Ministries & Senior Pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church 9/30: for KING & COUNTRY – GRAMMY Award-Winning Contemporary Christian & Gospel Band, Producers of Upcoming Motion Picture “Priceless” 10/03: Alternative Convocation* 10/05: Special Olympics Celebration, Ceremony, & Competition 10/10: Ralph Reed – Founder and Chairman of the Faith & Freedom Coalition 10/12: Mike Pence – Indiana Governor & Vice Presidential Candidate 10/14: Dinesh D’Souza – Political Commentator, Author, and Filmmaker Benny Prasad – Instrumental Guitarist & Missionary 10/17: Tim Tebow – Two-time College Football National Champion & Heisman Trophy Winner 10/19: Brian Littrell – Founding Member of WorldRenowned Band “Backstreet Boys” 10/21: Joe Theismann – Former Washington Redskins Quarterback & Super Bowl XVII Champion (Homecoming Weekend) 10/24: Bethel – Multi-Award Winning Worship Group 10/26: Jared Hall – Illusionist & Comedian 10/28: Darrell Scott – Senior Pastor & Co-Founder of New Spirit Revival Center 10/31: Alternative Convocation* 11/02: Levi Lusko – Pastor of Fresh Life Church | Author of “Through the Eyes of a Lion” 11/04: Tim Lee – Evangelist, Vietnam Veteran, and Liberty Board of Trustees Member 11/07: Jerry Thorpe – Pastor Emeritus of Temple Baptist Church & Liberty Board of Trustees Member, Michel Faulkner – Nominee for Mayor of New York 11/09: Karen Kingsbury – New York Times Bestselling Author 11/11: Larry the Cable Guy – Comedian, Recording Artist (Veterans Day Celebration, CFAW) 11/14: Sammy Rhodes – Author & Social Media Personality 11/16: Johnnie Moore – Author, Speaker, & CEO of The Kairos Company 11/18: Ayesha Curry – Celebrity Cook, Author, & Wife of Two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry 11/28: Louie Giglio & Passion Worship Band – Lead Pastor of Passion City Church & Award-Winning Worship Band 11/30: Michael Reagan – Bestselling Author & Chairman of The Reagan Group 12/02: Rosaria Butterfield – Author, Speaker, & Former Professor at Syracuse University 12/05: Alternative Convocation* 12/07: Steve Forbes – Chairman & Editor-In-Chief of Forbes Media 12/09: Ben Gutierrez – Liberty Vice Provost for Academic Administration, Vice President of Academic Affairs, & Professor of Divinity 12/12: Christmas Convo *Schools within the university host their own Convocations.
Worship Collective kicks off nationwide tour The Liberty Worship Collective is a group of students comprised of 45 worship leaders, musicians, songwriters, and other artists whose primary mission is to celebrate the name of Jesus across the globe. While members regularly lead Convocation and Campus Community services on campus, they also tour the country on weekends and breaks. The collective works on a rotational basis, meaning the same band is not at every event. Administrative staff works to match the performance location with the students who will minister most effectively there. The group formed in July, and they sing modern, congregational worship music. Louis Fabrizi, Liberty alumnus and director of the Worship Collective, said that the group has written six songs since forming, and they are in the demo process. Before accepting the job as director, Fabrizi lived in Nashville, Tenn., and toured as a guitar player with Vertical Church Band, Phil Joel of the Newsboys, and Steve Moakler. He has also shared the stage with Kari Jobe, Meredith Andrews, Jon McLoughlin, and other national recording artists. “Our hope is that we highly influence the worship culture here on campus and abroad,” he said. “Our goal is to stress the importance of a lifestyle of worship to those we minister to.” The Liberty Worship Collective will travel across the U.S. during the Fall 2016 and Spring 2017 semesters, partnering with Student Leadership University (SLU) to perform on the Lift Tour. SLU works together with churches and schools to provide teenagers with leadership training through a biblical lens.
TOUR SCHEDULE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Oct. 14 and 16: Lovingston, Va., Camp Crossroads Oct.14-15: Ridgeview, S.C., Camp Longridge Oct. 21-22: Ridgeview, S.C., Camp Longridge Oct. 23: Dobson, N.C., Salem Baptist Church Oct. 28-29: Leesburg, Va., Harvest of Hope Believers Conference Oct. 30: Lancaster, Pa., Harvest Bible Church Nov. 11-12: Augusta, Ga., LIFT Tour; Kansas City, Mo., LIFT Tour Nov. 12-13: Overland Park, Kan., Grace Church Jan. 6-8: Sandusky, Ohio, Kalahari 2017 Jan. 13-14: Huntsville, Ala., LIFT Tour; Benton, Ark., LIFT Tour Jan. 20-21: Chattanooga, Tenn., LIFT Tour Jan. 27-28: Texarkana, Ark., LIFT Tour Feb. 3-4: Columbia, S.C., LIFT Tour Feb. 10-11: Calhoun Country, Ala., DNOW United; Dothan, Ala., LIFT Tour Feb. 17-18: Tulsa Okla., LIFT Tour; Oklahoma City, Okla., LIFT Tour; Orlando, Fla., LIFT Tour Feb. 24-25: Nashville, Tenn., LIFT Tour, Memphis, Tenn., LIFT Tour March 3-4: Tampa, Fla., LIFT Tour; Fayetteville, Ga., LIFT Tour March 10-11: Dayton, Ohio, LIFT Tour March 10-12: South Hill, Va., DNOW March 17-18: Greenville, S.C., LIFT Tour March 31-April 1: Potterville, N.Y., LIFT Tour
NEWS & EVENTS
University constructing new bridge over U.S. 460 To help improve traffic flow on campus, Liberty began construction in August on a new bridge over U.S. 460 that will connect East and South Campuses. It will stretch from the
parking lots near the Liberty Lacrosse Field on East Campus to the south end of campus. The bridge will have two lanes for traffic, as well as a pedestrian lane protected by a steel barrier. The project is scheduled to be completed by Fall 2017. Liberty Mountain Drive is being extended near the site where the bridge will connect to East Campus, giving people another access point onto campus from U.S. 29.
Student club provides body cameras for K-9 officers The Lynchburg Police Department (LPD) K-9 unit has implemented the use of body cameras, thanks to a gift from the Liberty University Criminal Justice Club. The club raised $1,100 to purchase
the equipment — four GoPro body cameras and mounts — and presented it to the LPD in May. “We are humbled by the students,” said Sgt. Brian Smith, who oversees the K-9 unit. “This is an opportunity to see what capabilities we have with this in training, and we are excited about it. Officers wearing body cameras is certainly a trend of the future.” The club has developed a strong relationship with the LPD; officers have spoken to the group and allowed students to participate in some training exercises. Many job opportunities for students after graduation were made possible because of the local department’s involvement.
Commonwealth Games sports success in first year at Liberty Liberty University’s first year as title sponsor of the Virginia Commonwealth Games has been a grand slam. A record number of athletes came to the Lynchburg area to compete in over 55 Olympic and Pan-American sports. Over 12,000 athletes will have competed in this year’s games once all the events have taken place (indoor track will be held at Liberty’s new indoor track facility in December). Previously, most of the events were located in Roanoke. The 2016 Games were held in cooperation with Liberty, the city of Lynchburg, and Virginia Amateur Sports (VAS), a nonprofit organization based in Roanoke. Games Weekend, held on Liberty’s campus and at sites around Lynchburg July 22-24, had the largest compilation of events, with over 3,200 athletes participating. Liberty’s championship-caliber athletics facilities were used for numerous competitions, including ice hockey, basketball, indoor soccer, lacrosse, tennis, softball, archery, paintball, and track. Liberty offered a top-notch atmosphere for guests, providing housing for about 400 athletes and officials in an Olympic Village. More than 80 percent of those surveyed said that they would return to Lynchburg.
The university opened its campus dining venues and hosted a Community Farmer’s Market with vendors from markets across the region. When averaging in money spent on lodging and meals, the economic impact of the Games is substantial. Numbers will be finalized later this year, but projections show an impact of over $1.6 million. This was Liberty’s first year to host the games as part of a five-year contract with VAS.
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Law professors serve on American Bar Association committees Two faculty members from Liberty University School of Law are lending their expertise to the American Bar Association (ABA).
Associate Professor Caren Harp was invited during the summer to serve on the Juvenile Justice Standards Task Force committee. There she will help to keep the standards and accompanying commentary relevant in light of important legal developments, ABA policy initiatives, and scientific advances in child and adolescent development. Professor Scott Thompson, also invited this summer, is now a member of the Competitions Committee’s National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC) subcommittee. Thompson is the coach of Liberty’s
nationally ranked Moot Court team and now has a seat at the table that oversees the practical skills competitions for the ABA. The NAAC subcommittee manages six regional competitions and administers the national championship tournament. Harp and Thompson will serve for terms of two to three years.
students in December, where another excavation at a cave south of Qumran is planned. He has also planned a tour for June 8-24, 2017, and welcomes Liberty alumni, current students, and faculty to join him. Visit Liberty.edu/ BiblicalMuseum for more information.
Professor recognized for 100th trip to Israel
Liberty University’s Investment Committee authorized its first Israelifocused endowment in May. The $5 million initial investment focuses on venture capital in the health care sector, backing Israeli companies in strategic fields, including oncology, biopharmaceuticals, and digital health, with a strong focus on cancer immunotherapy. The investment was sourced by the university’s investment manager, Permanens Capital. Additional Liberty investments in Israel will focus on cutting-edge development projects in technology, medicine, and defense. This financial commitment is consistent with the university’s continued strong support of Israel. “Since its founding in 1971, Liberty University has supported Israel,” said Liberty President Jerry Falwell. “Scores of Liberty students and faculty have visited Israel and collaborated with Israeli academic institutions.” Liberty’s student government passed an amendment to its constitution in 2015, forbidding legislation that would support the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. This effort to disavow the BDS movement stands in contrast to Israel divestment resolutions recently passed by other colleges and universities.
Dr. Randall Price, distinguished research professor at Liberty University and curator of the Liberty Biblical Museum, was recognized by Israel’s Ministry of Tourism this summer for making his 100th trip to the country. Price was presented with a plaque and named a “true friend of Israel” and an “ambassador of goodwill for tourism.” Since coming to Liberty in 2007, Price has been teaching an annual seminar in Israel and has led students through sites in Israel, Jordan, Turkey, and Greece. As a professional archaeologist, Price has also taken Liberty students and faculty on excavations at Qumran (the site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered) and Jerusalem. Students often get to meet native Israelis (both Jewish and Arab), Palestinians, and Messianic Jews. Artifacts amassed from his many trips have been placed in the Liberty Biblical Museum, located in the Jerry Falwell Library. Price is returning to Israel with
Liberty University bucks trend of divestment in Israel
Students receive industry certification to fly drone aircraft In June, the Liberty University School of Aeronautics celebrated its first group of students to receive full operator certification for the Aerosonde Small Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). Eight students flew the drone aircraft while training at the Textron Systems Unmanned Systems Service &
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NEWS & EVENTS Support Center in Blackstone, Va. The Aerosonde, which has a 12-foot wingspan, is currently being used by a number of agencies, including the U.S. Department of Defense and NASA.
shielded by a structure. Students will have opportunities to gain experience outside the classroom by providing drone services to the university, including aerial photography (such as at Flames athletics events), search and rescue (if needed to support Liberty University Police Department), and data collection (including air testing and weather).
Third high-rise residential hall under construction The university broke ground on Commons III at the end of the summer. The two-wing residential hall will have five floors with 778 beds. It is expected to be completed by Fall 2017. Commons IV is currently in the design phase, with tentative plans to include a dining hall.
Through an agreement with Textron Systems, a leader in UAS development and operations, Liberty has become the only college in the country with an industry partnership that allows students to gain UAS certification (the same certification that Textron requires of its employees). Many students are then offered jobs with the company upon graduation. Liberty’s UAS program continues to stand out by becoming the only one in the country to offer students training that leads to full operator certification on a medium-sized UAS aircraft. Drone Training HQ ranked Liberty among the Top 10 best drone training colleges that offer degrees specific to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) or UAS. In June, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released its first regulations regarding commercial use of drones, so Liberty students are flying UAS (under 55 pounds) on campus for the first time. They are using fixed-wing and multi-rotor small UAV, flying within regulations that stipulate the aircraft must be flown within the operator’s line of sight, within 400 feet of the ground, and not over the heads of individuals who are not
Liberty completed the 9-story Commons I in Fall 2014 and Commons II in Spring 2016 (though a wing of it opened the previous fall).
Law school faculty member travels to Africa to help develop Nigerian university curriculum Anthony Ikwueme, director of the Ehrhorn Law Library at Liberty University School of Law, traveled to the University of Nigeria in May to
help its law faculty develop curriculum and scholarly resources to enhance their law education experience. He
was awarded the summer trip as part of the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program. Ikwueme helped set up legal clinics and worked with Nigerian professors and law students as part of a project aimed at helping the latter sharpen their legal research skills and graduate ready to practice. He also helped faculty develop curriculum focused on experiential learning.
Liberty University to hold first-ever Fulbright Week, Oct. 31-Nov. 4 Liberty University is dedicating a full week to promoting one of the most unique and respected educational opportunities in the world — the Fulbright program. Fulbright scholarships allow students to travel the world for education, to conduct advanced research, or to teach. Students can choose from more than 125 countries and can live there for up to a year. Fulbright grants cover travel, room and board, and incidental costs. From Oct. 31 through Nov. 4, the Fulbright Committee will be providing information, answering questions, and guiding interested students through the application process. The Fulbright experience is invaluable — and really stands out on a résumé. In 2014, Liberty University student Cheryl Walton traveled to Malaysia planning to simply teach English, but she found that she accomplished so much more. “My experience was about promoting the United States culture and understanding to the students in Malaysia,” said Walton, “as well as providing the United States with an understanding of Malaysian culture,” she said. “I want to promote diplomacy and assist in bridging the gaps that can so easily become uncrossable.”
Those interested in attending Fulbright Week can contact internationalexchange@liberty.edu.
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LUCOM STUDENT-DOCTORS BEGIN WORK IN AREA HOSPITALS Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine (LUCOM) saw the firstfruits of its commitment to reach the medically underserved in Southern and Southwest Virginia when student-doctors began their clinical rotations this semester in hospitals throughout those regions, where about 67 percent of the population lacks immediate access to medical care. LUCOM is collaborating with LifePoint Health — which operates Danville Regional Medical Center (DRMC) and Memorial Hospital of Martinsville and Henry County, as well as hospitals in Clinch Valley, Galax, and Wytheville — through a six-year
renewable partnership agreement. Twenty members of LUCOM’s thirdyear class are living in these assigned areas for the remainder of their time at LUCOM. This training will develop their clinical knowledge and skills and prepare them for residency. Studentdoctors are expected to be on-call for 12 hours a day. Ronnie B. Martin, D.O., FACOFPdist, founding dean of LUCOM, said that working with the DRMC (which hosts over 25 medical specialties and 14 surgical services) allows studentdoctors to train for a wide range of medical specialties upon graduation. “These opportunities not only advance the student-doctor’s education and provide for improvements in health care access for patients in the region, but they will have a major economic impact as well,” he said. LUCOM has also established affiliations and clinical partnerships throughout the state and in Texas and Illinois, including Centra Health, a regional nonprofit health care system based in Lynchburg, Va.; Bon Secours DePaul Medical Center, Norfolk, Va.; Chesapeake Care Clinic,
Chesapeake, Va.; Johnson Health Center, Lynchburg, Va.; LifePoint Palestine Regional Medical Center, Palestine, Texas; Piedmont Access to Health Services Community Medical Centers, Danville and Martinsville, Va.; Sentara Halifax Regional Hospital, Halifax, Va.; and Saint Anthony Hospital in Effingham, Ill. These sites will train LUCOM student-doctors and assist in the development of graduate medical education opportunities, such as residencies, internships, and fellowships. (Like an M.D., every osteopathic physician [D.O.] must also complete an additional three to seven years of continued clinical education after graduation from medical school to gain full practice rights, certification, and the ability to practice independently.) Student-doctors are also in clinical training with members of the LUCOM faculty at the Liberty Mountain Medical Group (LMMG), a comprehensive primary care facility located just minutes from campus. The clinic is a joint venture between LUCOM and Central Virginia Family Physicians.
Third-year student-doctors (from left to right) Ernesto Enrique, Jeffrey Collins, and Nia Hemraj are working at the Danville Regional Medical Center, completing their clinical rotations.
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NEWS & EVENTS
LUCOM founding dean retires Ronnie B. Martin, D.O., FACOFPdist., founding dean of Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine (LUCOM) retired in September after four years of service.
During his time at LUCOM, Martin advanced the medical school’s mission to provide care for the medically underserved in Southern and Southwest Virginia by holding health clinics and establishing partnerships with local hospitals, thus encouraging student-doctors to remain in these disadvantaged areas upon graduation. Martin also worked to create affiliations and partnerships with health systems throughout the state. He worked closely with Central Virginia Family Physicians to form the Liberty Mountain Medical Group, a primary care clinic near campus where Liberty student-doctors receive training. Martin also led outreach trips for student-doctors and LUCOM staff in Guatemala. Martin helped LUCOM receive provisional accreditation from the American Osteopathic Association Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation — the programmatic accreditor for colleges of osteopathic medicine in the United States
— making it eligible to receive full accreditation prior to graduating its first class of student-doctors in 2018. According to Dr. Ronald E. Hawkins, Liberty’s vice president of academic affairs and provost, “Dr. Martin played an indispensable role in setting the medical school on a good course. He led us through the initial phases of accreditation, hired a highly competent team of faculty and staff, and established the med school curriculum.” Martin was also instrumental in seeing the four-story, 144,000-squarefoot Center for Medical and Health Sciences through to completion, making sure it was outfitted with state-of-the-art labs and equipment. “My time at LUCOM was the highlight and the peak of my career,” Martin said. “God had been leading me to Liberty for many years — I finally listened and followed. It has been absolutely a joy to myself and to my family.” Dr. David Klink, D.O., chair of the Department of Specialty Medicine and associate professor of ophthalmology at LUCOM, is serving as the interim dean. The university has retained Carter Baldwin, a professional search team, to initiate a national search for a new dean.
Doctor of Nursing program receives national accreditation In May, the School of Nursing received full accreditation for its Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredited the program for the maximum 5-year period allowed for new programs. CCNE is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a national accreditation agency and serves higher education institutions and acute care hospitals throughout the United States. CCNE ensures the quality and integrity of nursing programs by assessing and identifying curriculum that engages in effective educational practices. Liberty’s DNP program trains nurses to become leaders, family nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists. Two pathways are available: an online post-Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and a residential post-Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Both incorporate additional clinical training to prepare students for advanced careers in nursing. The residential program also prepares students to take a national certification examination for family nurse practitioners. Liberty’s BSN and MSN are also accredited by CCNE.
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Alumni pair strive to “help up” their fellow men Two of the first students to attend Liberty University in 1971, Bob Gehman (’74, ’80) and Gary Byers (’74, ’80), have dedicated about two decades each to seeing broken lives transformed in the greater Baltimore area. Gehman is the CEO and executive director of Helping Up Mission (HUM), which has been helping men fight addiction and homelessness for over 130 years. Byers is HUM’s deputy director and teaches spiritual life classes in addition to his administrative duties. Together, they have helped HUM become a national model for faith-based drug treatment. The HUM campus is an entire renovated block in downtown Baltimore. Just about every night, all 500 beds are full. Annually, HUM provides 438,000 meals (1,200 per day) and distributes over 155,000 items of clothing. A yearlong in-residence recovery program transforms lives, impacting the city as men learn to make positive contributions to society. A sign of its success is that now approximately 75 percent of the HUM staff are graduates of the program.
VOTE
Gehman (left) and Byers (right) both earned bachelor’s degrees in pastoral ministry from Liberty, as well as master’s degrees in Christian education. Gehman began putting his leadership skills into practice while at Liberty — he taught a Sunday School class, orchestrated a bus route, started Liberty’s first Christian service department, and managed a residence hall of 400 students. After graduation, he started a church in the Baltimore area, which he pastored for over a decade, and eventually started a church capital campaign fundraising business. Now Gehman oversees a ministry with an annual budget of about $9 million, which has grown substantially (from about $350,000) under his 21 years of leadership. Tens of thousands of donors support the mission. “My gift of leadership allowed me to see what needed to be done for HUM and the city,” he said. “Bad conditions did not scare me. In fact,
ELECTION DAY NOV. 8
REGISTER IN VIRGINIA:
Deadline: Oct. 17 In person: Local DMV or voter registrar’s office* Online: Vote.Virginia.Gov By mail: Download the form online; postmark by Oct. 17
CAN’T MAKE IT TO THE POLLS ON ELECTION DAY?
VOTE EARLY WITH ABSENTEE BALLOT DOWNLOAD AND PRINT an absentee ballot application at Vote.Virginia.Gov or call (804) 864-8901 to request one by mail. MAIL, FAX, OR EMAIL your absentee ballot application to your local voter registrar’s office. Absentee ballot applications must be received by Nov. 1 at 5 p.m. VOTE EARLY WITH MACHINE IN PERSON Go to your local voter registrar’s office on weekdays during business hours. Offices are also open on two Saturdays (Oct. 29 and Nov. 5). Some locations may offer additional dates (contact your local voter registrar’s office for details).
NON-VIRGINIA RESIDENTS:
Deadlines and voter information can be found on your state’s government site or at USA.gov/Register-To-Vote. *Liberty residential students can register online at Liberty.Turbovote.org; in person at the Dean of Students Office, Green Hall 1830, or SGA, Montview 3560. Questions? Email vote@Liberty.edu or call (434) 592-7398.
just the opposite. (Because of my time at Liberty) I knew how to pioneer and change things. … I’ve learned how to endure and stay positive through faith no matter what happens, knowing all of life has a purpose.” Byers, who has been serving HUM for about 18 years, also answered God’s call to pastoral ministry after graduation. He founded a church in Frederick, Md. He has also served as a high school track and field coach and executive director of the Associates for Biblical Research, a ministry focused on archaeological research in the Holy Land. (He still participates in archaeological digs and serves on the board of directors.) Working at HUM has given the friends another way to serve God together. “Every day I have the opportunity to share what God is teaching me to a couple hundred men desperately looking for answers in their own lives,” Byers said. “Every day, I’m able to see guys dealing with their own attitudes and making life-changing decisions.” For more information or to get involved, visit HELPINGUPMISSION.ORG.
NEWS & EVENTS
2009 alumna named Pediatric Nurse of the Year
NATH AN S P ENCER
Working as an oncology nurse in a children’s hospital, alumna Julie Swee (’09) is fulfilling her lifelong dream to serve others. Swee was recently recognized by the Society of Pediatric Nurses as its Pediatric Nurse of the Year. She received the award for “Excellence in Clinical Practice” while working at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando, Fla. Swee’s desire to help children with cancer began when her best friend’s child was diagnosed with the disease. “I wanted to learn and understand what they were going through, so I chose to take an oncology class to help with that. I believe God put me in that situation to find my true calling in nursing,” she said. “I love taking care of children in what I consider to be one of the most difficult situations in life, and I learn so much from them. I am blessed every day to care for them and love on them.” After graduating from Liberty with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Swee
worked for a pediatric urgent care facility, where she soon learned she was the only new graduate to ever be hired there. “I think that Liberty gave me a great foundation for the success I have had in my professional nursing career so far,” she said. “I believe that the skills taught by Liberty allowed for my success both in that job and in my current job. The nursing teachers and the level of knowledge taught by Liberty is really wonderful.” Swee is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing Education through Liberty’s online program, a degree she hopes to use to educate others around the world.
“I love to teach, and I hope eventually that I can take the teaching experience I have gained and make a difference in places that do not have access to as much knowledge and schooling as I did,” she said.
Jerry Falwell Library honored by Library Journal The Jerry Falwell Library was included on a list of academic libraries “destined to become classics,” according to the Library Journal. The publication’s September 2016 issue featured eight libraries in its annual New Landmark Libraries listing, which celebrates innovation and excellence by identifying libraries that are “must see” destinations. The Jerry Falwell Library, which opened in January 2014, received honorable mention for its “usercentered approach” and stunning design, which includes 80,000 square feet of interior and exterior glass.
Liberty ranked among best colleges for campus housing Liberty University was recently listed among the 30 Best College Dorms in the U.S. in a ranking by The Street, a leading digital financial media company. Liberty ranked No. 12, based on its “spacious and comfortable” residence halls complemented by a “solid A” campus dining experience. Liberty outranked Harvard University (No. 24), Wheaton College-Illinois (21), and Stanford University (20) on the list that also included Yale University (5) and High Point University (4). Additionally, Liberty recently ranked among the 2015 best campus housing options in the nation by Niche.com.
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Student Activities hosts diverse lineup of musical guests From some of the biggest names in Christian music — NEEDTOBREATHE, Relient K, and Switchfoot — to Liberty University’s talented student artists, the Student Activities Office has planned a full, eclectic lineup of concerts this fall. The semester kicked off with visits from Dave Barnes and Colony House at the annual Block Party (see page 10) and will end with Christmas Coffeehouse, the largest student showcase of the year. Visit Liberty.edu/StudentActivities for ticket information. Oct. 18: Singer-Songwriter Night, 8 p.m., LaHaye Event Space Oct. 20: Switchfoot and Relient K (Looking for America Tour) 7:30 p.m., Vines Center Oct. 25: Open Mic, 7 p.m., LaHaye Event Space Nov. 12: NEEDTOBREATHE, featuring Mat Kearney, Parachute, and Welshly Arms (Tour de Compadres), 7:30 p.m., Vines Center. (College For A Weekend concert; to register, visit Liberty.edu/CFAW.) Nov. 15: C.J. King, featuring Clay Finnesand (SWRVN Tour), 8 p.m., LaHaye Event Space Dec. 3: Christmas Coffeehouse, 11:30 p.m., Vines Center Dec. 6: Open Mic, 7 p.m., LaHaye Event Space Dec. 9: Comedian John Crist, 8 p.m., LaHaye Event Space
Liberty acquires rare hymnal collection This past summer, Liberty University’s Jerry Falwell Library and School of Music acquired a special collection of nearly 2,000 hymnals, some dating as far back as the 18th century and worth hundreds to thousands of dollars. Included in the collection is an original John Newton Hymnal, one of the earliest to feature “Amazing Grace,” printed in England in 1779. There is also a first edition of the hymnal in which “Jesus Loves
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Me” first appeared as well as an evangelistic rally hymn book signed by Billy Sunday. The collection was assembled over five decades by Jim Lutzweiler, a singer/songwriter and former archivist at Southeastern Theological Seminary who comes from a family of musicians. Most of the collection will be stored in the Archives and Special Collections Department of the Jerry
Falwell Library, while a display in the Center for Music and the Worship Arts will more prominently feature selected books, with some rotating out of the archives to give students a chance to view pieces from several different periods of evangelical music history. The School of Music will use the collection as primary resource material for those doing historical research in music education, worship studies, and hymnology.
NEWS & EVENTS
Military Emphasis Week Set for Nov. 5-12 Liberty University has a longstanding tradition of honoring its military students. The university will
host Military Emphasis Week, Nov. 5-12, an event that raises awareness and appreciation for those who have
Liberty joins national campus health initiative
programs while challenging colleges and universities to do more. Participating schools must achieve certain benchmarks within three years. Liberty plans to meet these benchmarks through a free firstsemester orientation to the LaHaye Recreation & Fitness Center for all incoming students, personal training services, outdoor equipment rentals, and non-academic cooking classes. Liberty has already been promoting healthy lifestyles on campus through its Live Healthy Liberty initiative, which educates, motivates, and empowers students, faculty, and staff to maintain spiritual, mental, and physical wellness. The initiative involves collaboration between multiple departments, including the LaHaye Recreation & Fitness Center, Outdoor Recreation, and Dining Services, which has recently placed decals on vending machines to identify healthy snack choices. To learn more about Live Healthy Liberty, visit Liberty.edu/LiveHealthy.
Liberty University was one of six new colleges and universities to join the Partnership for a Healthier America’s (PHA) Healthier Campus Initiative in the spring. The campaign, backed by First Lady Michelle Obama, is focused on proactively encouraging students, faculty, and staff — over 1 million people across the 44 partner campuses — to make healthier decisions in their daily lives. The colleges were officially recognized at the “Building a Healthier Future” Summit on May 19 in Washington, D.C. Working with a group of the nation’s leading nutrition, fitness, and campus wellness experts, PHA developed a set of guidelines to build healthier environments for college and university students. These guidelines addressed many aspects of health — including diet as well as physical activity — and credited the efforts of existing wellness
served and are serving in the United States military. The Valley View/Major Mike Donahue 5 Mile Trail Race will kick off the week and will pay special tribute to Donahue, a former Liberty ROTC instructor who was killed in action in Afghanistan on Sept. 16, 2014. Other highlights include men’s and women’s ice hockey games, a veterans’ appreciation reception, and a special military Convocation. Military Emphasis Week will conclude as the Liberty University Flames Football team takes on Charleston Southern at 3:30 p.m. in Williams Stadium. A patriotic halftime show will honor military members and their families. Additionally, the winner of the 2016 George Rogers Champion of Freedom Award will be announced and recognized during this time.
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K E VI N M ANGU I OB
BIG SOUTH CONFERENCE DOMINANCE Liberty University’s NCAA Division I athletics program is consistently a leader in the Big South Conference (BSC) — and the 2015-16 school year was no exception. By winning the George F. “Buddy” Sasser Cup, awarded annually to the most successful BSC athletics program, the Flames regained the all-time lead for most Sasser Cups in conference history with 12. The Sasser Cup, awarded in June, is based on a points system for both regularseason and tournament finishes in each
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of the league’s 19 championships. Liberty secured its 12th cup by capturing six BSC championships on the year: men’s golf, women’s soccer, and men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track & field. With the Sasser Cup, the Liberty University Athletics Department swept all three year-ending awards, including the Women’s All-Sport Award (the third
time for Liberty) and Men’s All-Sport Award. Student-athletes continue to set the bar high in competition and in the classroom, taking the conference’s top academic honors. Read the full list of Liberty’s Big South accolades on page 49. Follow the Flames at LibertyFlames.com.
LIBERTY LEADS IN ACADEMIC HONORS Big South’s first-ever three-time Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award winner for women’s basketball. Based on her performance both on the basketball court and in the classroom, she was also selected as Liberty’s fifth Big South Woman of the Year, automatically nominating her as a candidate for the NCAA Division I Woman of the Year award (this had not been announced at the time of publication). Rininger graduated with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 2014 and a master’s degree in human services counseling, specializing in crisis response and trauma, in 2015. She recently completed her Master of Science in Criminal Justice.
Ashley Rininger ('14,'15,'16) Big South Female Scholar Athlete of the Year
KAI TLYN JO H NSO N
As a whole, Liberty’s Athletic program led all Big South schools with 239 student-athletes named to the 201516 Big South Presidential Honor Roll by maintaining a grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better (on a 4.0 scale) for the recently completed academic year. It also led the conference with 23 student-athletes who maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA. On that note, Liberty has received a record 20 George A. Christenberry Awards, the highest academic honor given to Big South senior studentathletes who have maintained perfect 4.0 GPAs throughout their collegiate careers. Lady Flames graduate forward/ center Ashley Rininger became the
WINNING SEASONS ARE A HALLMARK OF LADY FLAMES BASKETBALL The women’s basketball team won 20 games or more for the 15th time in Head Coach Carey Green’s 17 seasons at the helm, narrowly missing its 17th BSC Championship with a double-overtime loss to tournament host UNC Asheville in the final in early March.
At an awards banquet in 2009 celebrating the conference’s first 25 years, Liberty received the Best Achievement award for its 10 consecutive Big South women’s basketball titles from 1996-97 through 2005-06. The Lady Flames claimed their 16th championship in 2015 before
falling to the University of North Carolina in the first round of the NCAA Division I Tournament, 71-65. Green, a five-time BSC Coach of the Year and four-time VaSID Coach of the Year in women’s basketball, has guided the Lady Flames to 13 NCAA tournaments in 17 seasons. M I TC HE L L BRYANT
M I TC HE L L BRYANT
Head women’s basketball coach Carey Green has been named Big South Coach of the Year five times.
Sadalia Ellis, a senior guard on last year’s women’s basketball team, drives against High Point in the Vines Center on Jan. 30.
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Men’s basketball Head Coach Ritchie McKay received BSC Coach of the Year accolades in March.
ATHLETICS
BIG SOUTH AWARDS
BIG SOUTH INDIVIDUAL HONORS
SASSER CUP 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2001-02, 2002-03, 200708, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2015-16
BIG SOUTH HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES Anthonia Akpama – Class of 2013 Peter Aluma – Class of 2008 Jerry Edwards – Class of 2012 Katie Feenstra – Class of 2016 Elena Kisseleva – Class of 2011 Ryan Werner – Class of 2007
WOMEN’S ALL-SPORTS AWARD 2007-08, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2014-15, 2015-16 MEN’S ALL-SPORTS AWARD 2003-04, 2004-05, 2007- 08, 2008-09, 2011-12, 2015-16
BIG SOUTH CONFERENCE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS BASEBALL 1993, 1998, 2000, 2013 MEN’S BASKETBALL 1993-94, 2003-04, 2012-13 MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY 1991, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 FOOTBALL 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 GOLF 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016 MEN’S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 MEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 MEN’S SOCCER 2007, 2011 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2014-15 WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY 1991, 1992, 2000, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012 WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016 WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2016 WOMEN’S SOCCER 2000, 2001, 2005, 2013, 2015 SOFTBALL 2002, 2011 VOLLEYBALL 1997, 1999, 2001, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012
BIG SOUTH HOWARD BAGWELL MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Keith Butler – 1999-2000 Sam Chelanga – 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11 Josh McDougal – 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 BIG SOUTH MEN’S SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Pat Kelly – 2012-13 Bruce Kite – 2000-01 Trey Lambert – 2013-14 BIG SOUTH MEN’S CHRISTENBERRY AWARD Jeremy Anderson – 2010-11 Daniel Darnell – 2005-06 Jeremy Graves – 2003-04 Pat Kelly – 2012-13 Panashe Nhekairo – 2010-11 Matt Pennington – 2014-15 Mats Persson – 2003-04 Karl Shoemaker – 1992-93 Patrick Walker – 2008-09 BIG SOUTH FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Anthonia Akpama – 1999-2000 Katie Feenstra – 2003-04, 2004-05 Megan Frazee – 2007-08, 2008-09 Ednah Kurgat – 2015-16 Heather Sagan – 2001-02 BIG SOUTH WOMEN’S SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Megan Frazee – 2008-09 Danielle McNaney – 2004-05 Ashley Rininger – 2014-15, 2015-16 BIG SOUTH WOMEN’S CHRISTENBERRY AWARD Natalie Beale – 2015-16 Holly Deem – 1997-98 Brooke Garman – 2002-03 Becca Haraf – 2013-14 Madi Long – 2015-16 Danielle McNaney – 2004-05 Lora Randolph – 1996-97 Megan Robinson – 2014-15 Lauren Stell – 2012-13 Cathy Williams – 1998-99 Brittany Yang – 2014-15 BIG SOUTH WOMAN OF THE YEAR Karyl Bacon – 2010-11 Karen Blocker – 2012-13 Allyson Fasnacht – 2007-08 Arlene Zelinskas – 2006-07 Ashley Rininger – 2015-16
The women’s soccer team celebrates its second Big South Championship in three seasons on Nov. 8, 2015.
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ATHLETICS NEWS NEW WOMEN’S SOCCER COACH CHALLENGES TEAM TO BECOME CHAMPIONS AND SERVANTS
The first order of business for Nate Norman, who was hired as Liberty University’s new women’s soccer head coach in April, was to develop a level of trust with the Lady Flames. “It’s tough to ask anyone to do something really hard or difficult until they trust in you, until they believe in you, until they believe you care about them,” Norman said. In the offseason, leading up to this fall’s debut, he built relationships and raised expectations for a program that is coming off its second Big South Conference Championship crown in three seasons. His goal is to create a culture of service that starts with himself as coach. “I believe true leaders are servant leaders, and true leaders want to serve their teammates,” Norman said. “You don’t lead by ruling over someone; you truly lead by serving under them.”
Growing up in St. Louis, Norman was a high school All-American as a senior defenseman before going on to start on attack for the University of Notre Dame. The theology major led the Fighting Irish to the NCAA Division I tournament four years in a row before he was drafted 21st overall by Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire in 2007. He started his coaching career back at Notre Dame, which reached the NCAA Elite Eight in his first season as a graduate assistant, and went on to lead Western Michigan University to Mid-American Conference titles as head coach in 2013 and 2015. “The opportunity to work at a faithbased school intrigued me initially, and the chance to share my faith more openly is something I’ve always had a passion for,” Norman said of his decision to come to Liberty. Norman is eager to help his team transition from a conference champion to a national contender. He has learned not to rush after success or to produce players who win at all costs but to shepherd them and cultivate a healthy atmosphere in which they can flourish. “If you’re in coaching for the right reasons, you’re obviously focusing on (student-athletes’) success in the classroom, developing them as people, and creating a selfless servant attitude,” Norman said. “We want to win a conference championship. We want to advance in the NCAA
tournament. But more than that, we’re really asking, ‘Can we work hard every day? Can we serve each other? Can we inspire each other? Can we truly care about each other more than ourselves?’” Liberty was ranked No. 1 in the BSC preseason poll with junior forward Jennifer Knoebel and redshirt senior goalie Holly Van Noord receiving Preseason Attacking and Defensive Player of the Year honors. The Lady Flames dropped their season opener to the No. 4-ranked University of Virginia, 4-0 at home, and their next two games by 1-0 scores on the road. They rebounded by notching their first win under Norman, 3-2 over Appalachian State on Sept. 2, and their first-ever triumph over James Madison University, 1-0 on Sept. 4, with both games played at Osborne Stadium. Regular-season action concludes with three of Liberty’s last four games at home against BSC opponents, capped by an Oct. 22 clash with UNC Asheville, before the Lady Flames begin defense of their conference tournament title on Oct. 30. (See the Lady Flames’ 2016 schedule on page 54.) Watch the webcast of Matt Warner’s interview with Norman featured on “Game On,” a 30-minute weekly television sports program produced by the Liberty Flames Sports Network, on GameOnLU.com.
FORMER PITCHING COACH RETURNS TO LEAD FLAMES BASEBALL
Scott Jackson, a former Liberty University pitching coach who has spent the past eight seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of North
Carolina, was named the seventh head coach in Flames Baseball history on July 17. Jackson, a 1998 graduate of Campbell University, served as pitching coach at UNC Wilmington from 2003-07 before his one season at Liberty in 2008. He went on to help the Tar Heels make three College World Series appearances (2009, 2011, 2013) and advance to six consecutive NCAA Regionals (2009-14). Before North Carolina captured the ACC Championship in 2013, Jackson
was recognized by Baseball America as one of the nation’s top assistant coaches. “He’s somebody who understands what Liberty is about and embraces our mission, (and) he is a great developer of talent,” Liberty Director of Athletics Jeff Barber said. “We want to get to Omaha (Neb., site of the World Series) and win it just like everybody else does. We feel like if anybody can get us there, Scott Jackson can do it, and we’re excited to see it happen.”
ATHLETICS
FOOTBALL TEAM HELPS FAMILY, FIRE DEPARTMENT DURING LOCAL HOUSE FIRE During the early morning hours of July 16, members of the Liberty University Flames Football team helped the Lynchburg Fire Department put out a 2-story house fire on Campbell Avenue. The 10 student-athletes had seen the fire and were already on the scene when the department arrived. The student-athletes aided a 13-year-old boy, who had to jump from the roof to escape the blaze, and they helped the department get water to the ladder truck.
“As a team, we are always encouraged to help others out,” sophomore Javon Frazier said. “Helping out during the fire meant that we were coming together as a team and serving our community in a way that will make a lasting impact on their lives and ours.” In August, members of the fire department visited Liberty’s campus to thank Frazier and the nine other football players: Damian Bounds, Juwan Wells, Will Brown, Rion Davis, Mitchell Lewis, Malik Matthews,
Korell Evans, Michael Anderson, and Cameron Jones. The mother of the boy also met the players and thanked them for their assistance to her family. “We cannot say enough about how thankful we are to these players for helping us,” said Greg Wormser, Lynchburg’s deputy fire chief. “They were helpful with assembling the equipment, and more importantly, helping the occupants affected by the fire.”
FORMER FLAMES REPRESENTED WELL IN NFL, CFL Rashad Jennings (’08) is coming off a career-best 863-yard season as a running back for the New York Giants. That brings his career totals to 2,316 rushing yards with another 127 catches for 972 yards, 13 kickoff returns for 297 yards, and a total of 17 touchdowns in seven years with three teams (Jacksonville Jaguars 2009-12, Oakland Raiders 2013, New York Giants 2014-present). He returns as the Giants’ starting running back this season. Walt Aikens (’13) has served as a gunner on special teams since being selected by the Miami Dolphins in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Pro Football Focus website named Aikens to
its Pro Bowl team as one of the league’s top two special team players. For those who follow football internationally, Kevin Fogg (’14), who nearly made the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 53-man roster in 2015, is now a starting defensive back for the Canadian Football League’s (CFL) Winnipeg
JENNINGS
AIKENS
Blue Bombers and ranked second in both tackles (55) and interceptions (3) through 10 games. Hunter Steward (’13), a guard from Calgary, also plays in the CFL for the British Columbia Lions. Jonathan Burgess (’16) plays for the North Coast Heat in Australia’s National Gridiron League (NGL).
FOGG
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TAKING SHAPE
MULTIPLE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT WILL ELEVATE LIBERTY UNIVERSITY’S ATHLETICS AND CLUB SPORTS PROGRAMS TO NEW HEIGHTS ARE WELL UNDERWAY. ACADEMIC AND PERFORMANCE CENTER
Steel framework was completed in August, and crews have begun working on the roof deck. The 60,000-square-foot project is on schedule to open next August. It will feature academic offices, tutoring centers, and study halls, as well as an Olympic sport weight room and space for short- and long-term rehabilitation of NCAA Division I student-athletes.
FOOTBALL INDOOR PRACTICE FACILITY
Towering above the nearby Football Operations Center and nearly as tall as the Williams Stadium Tower itself, the massive building has quickly become a dominant structure at the north end of campus. The first steel columns went up in late August. The $20 million structure is on schedule to be completed in May.
COOK TENNIS CENTER/SOCCER FIELDS
Six new courts and new elevated grandstands were recently added to the Cook Tennis Center, bringing the total number of courts to 18. The courts are located beside two new practice fields already being heavily used by Liberty’s men’s and women’s soccer teams.
INDOOR TRACK & FIELD CENTER/NATATORIUM
Roof and masonry work continues on the 169,000-square-foot complex below the LU Monogram on Liberty Mountain. Plans call for the facility to be completed in time for the indoor track & field events of the 2016 Commonwealth Games Dec. 2-4. Land has been cleared for work to begin on the 75,000-square-foot natatorium that will connect to the track complex. That project is expected to be completed by the middle of next summer.
LE AH SEAVERS
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ATHLETICS
BIG SOUTH NETWORK TO STREAM LU HOCKEY GAMES Liberty’s American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Divisions I, II, and III men’s and Division I women’s hockey teams will become the first Club Sports programs from any of the Big South Conference’s (BSC) 10 member schools to have live action streamed on the Big South Network (BSN). Starting this season, the network will pick up the Liberty Flames Sports Network’s (LFSN) productions of more than 50 hockey games streamed live from the LaHaye Ice Center. Watch
live action and archived games at BigSouthSports.com. LFSN’s track record for delivering professional webcasts of live sporting events was a selling point for the BSN to expand its range of collegiate coverage outside of conference play. Kirk Handy, Liberty’s Club Sports athletic director and head coach of the Flames’ ACHA DI men’s hockey team, said LFSN’s high production quality will help attract new fans to Liberty’s ice hockey programs.
“Lynchburg, Va., is not necessarily a hockey hotbed, but we’ve been able to create a market here, and having our games available on the Big South Network will help to grow that market,” he said.
MEN’S, WOMEN’S ROCK CLIMBING BECOME NEWEST CLUB SPORTS TEAMS Men’s and women’s rock climbing debuted this fall as Liberty’s 36th and 37th Club Sports programs. Elliot Gaunt will serve as head coach of both teams. Gaunt earned a degree in exercise science from Liberty in May and is planning to pursue a master's degree in sport management with a specialization in outdoor adventure. The Flames and Lady Flames will be members of the Capital region of USA
Climbing’s Collegiate Climbing Series (CCS), which includes 10 schools from Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. They will compete in three different disciplines: bouldering, sport, and speed climbing. Liberty will use the rock wall in the LaHaye Recreation & Fitness Center as its home base and may host collegiate events there in the near future. The season runs from Oct. 1 to March 4. The
15- to 20-member travel squads will go to five events before potentially qualifying for regional and national competitions in late March and late April.
THREE ATHLETES WITH LIBERTY TIES MAKE BIDS FOR OLYMPIC TEAMS One current Liberty University student-athlete, one alumnus, and one Liberty University Online Academy (LUOA) student competed against the country’s best athletes in their respective sports in an impressive showing at the United States Olympic Trials. LUOA senior swimmer Michael Andrew, 17, who has broken close to 100 National Age Group records and won five medals at the 2015 World Junior Championships, placed fourth in the finals of the 100-meter breaststroke in 59.82 seconds. That broke his own world
ANDREW
junior record time, set in the preliminary heat, but it was one place behind and 0.64 seconds off the pace needed to secure an Olympic team bid. He also placed 15th overall in the 100 butterfly, his second-strongest stroke, in 51.26 and qualified for the 200 Individual Medley finals with a sixth-place finish. In 2013, at age 14, Andrew became the youngest U.S. swimmer to turn professional. Liberty sophomore Alicia Finnigan became the second active competitor on the Lady Flames’ swimming and diving team to compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials, following the path of
FINNIGAN
Brye Ravettine in 2012. She posted a program-best 44th-place finish in the 200 butterfly in 2:15.46, missing the semifinal qualifying time by less than three seconds. Kenyan-born distance runner Sam Chelanga (’11), who became a U.S. citizen last summer, placed sixth in the 10K at the U.S. Olympic Trials, with a time of 28:56.12 (the top three made the U.S team). While at Liberty, Chelanga set the NCAA Division I record in the 10,000-meter run and won back-to-back NCAA cross country championships in 2009 and 2010.
CHELANGA
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SPORTS SCHEDULES This listing only includes events occurring after publication. View results from earlier in the season at LIBERTYFLAMES.COM.
FOOTBALL
MEN’S SOCCER
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Oct. 15 at Kennesaw State, 7 p.m.* Oct. 22 Monmouth, 3:30 p.m.* Oct. 29 Gardner-Webb, 3:30 p.m.* Nov. 5 at Presbyterian, 2 p.m.* Nov. 12 Charleston Southern, 3:30 p.m.* Nov. 17 at Coastal Carolina, 7 p.m. Nov. 26-Jan. 7 NCAA FCS Playoffs *Big South Conference game
Oct. 14 Campbell, 7 p.m.* Oct. 21 at Gardner-Webb, 5 p.m.* Oct. 26 High Point, 4 p.m.* Oct. 29 Presbyterian, noon* Nov. 2 at Longwood, 7 p.m.* Nov. 6-13 Big South Championships, TBA Nov. 17-Dec. 11, NCAA Division I Championships, TBA *Big South Conference game
Oct. 12 Winthrop, 4 p.m.* Oct. 15 at Campbell, 7 p.m.* Oct. 19 Radford, 4 p.m.* Oct. 22 UNC Asheville, 11:30 a.m.* Oct. 30-Nov. 6 Big South Championships (Semifinals and Final in Greensboro, N.C.) Nov. 11-Dec. 4 NCAA Division I Championships, TBA *Big South Conference game
VOLLEYBALL
FIELD HOCKEY
CROSS COUNTRY
Oct. 11 Campbell, 7 p.m.* Oct. 14 at Presbyterian, 7 p.m.* Oct. 15 at Charleston Southern, 2 p.m.* Oct. 21 at Winthrop, 7 p.m.* Oct. 22 at Gardner-Webb, 2 p.m.* Oct. 25 Radford, 7 p.m.* Oct. 29 UNC Asheville, 2 p.m.* Nov. 1 at Campbell, 7 p.m.* Nov. 4 Presbyterian, 7 p.m.* Nov. 5 High Point, 2 p.m.* Nov. 12 Charleston Southern, 1 p.m.* Nov. 18-20 Big South Championships (Lynchburg, Va.), TBA Dec. 2-17 NCAA Division I Championships, TBA *Big South Conference game
Oct. 15 at Connecticut, noon* Oct. 21 at Providence, 7 p.m.* Oct. 23 North Carolina, 1 p.m. Oct. 28 Temple, 4 p.m.* Oct. 30 Wake Forest, 1 p.m. Nov. 4-6 BIG EAST Championships (Philadelphia) Nov. 12-20 NCAA Division I Championships, TBA *BIG EAST Conference match
Oct. 15 Indiana State University Pre-National Invitational (Terre Haute, Ind.), 11 a.m. Oct. 28 Big South Championships (Swannanoa, N.C.), 10:30 a.m. Nov. 4 Virginia Tech Hokie Open (Blacksburg, Va.), 4:30 p.m. Nov. 11 NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships (Earlysville, Va.), noon Nov. 19 NCAA Division I Championships (Terre Haute, Ind.), noon
ACHA DIVISION I WOMEN’S HOCKEY
Serena Barr
Jeremy Lee
Stephon Masha
Oct. 14-15 Michigan, 6 p.m. Oct. 21-22 Massachusetts, 9:45 p.m., 2:45 p.m. Oct. 28-29 Ohio State, 9:45 p.m., 2 p.m. Nov. 4 vs. Grand Valley (at Amherst, Mass.), 6 p.m. Nov. 5 vs. Michigan (at Amherst, Mass.), 7 p.m. Nov. 6 vs. Michigan State (at Amherst, Mass.) 9:30 a.m. Nov. 18 at Davenport, 8 p.m. Nov. 19-20 at Adrian, 3 p.m. Dec. 2-3 Lindenwood Belleville, 6 p.m., 7 p.m. Dec. 10-11 at Chesapeake Bay Lightning (Laurel, Md.), 2 p.m., 9:30 a.m. Jan. 13-14 Rhode Island, 6 p.m., 7 p.m. Jan. 19-20 Miami (Ohio), 7 p.m., 2 p.m. Jan. 27-28 at Penn State, 10:15 p.m., 9:15 p.m. Feb. 3-4 McKendree, 9:45 p.m., 2:30 p.m. March 9-13 ACHA Division I Championships (Columbus, Ohio)
ACHA DIVISION I MEN’S HOCKEY Oct. 14-15 at Rhode Island, 7 p.m., 4 p.m.* Oct. 21-22 Niagara, 7 p.m. Oct. 28-29 Ohio, 7 p.m. Nov. 4-5 Stony Brook, 7 p.m.* Nov. 11-12 Delaware, 7 p.m.* Nov. 17 at Davenport, 8:30 p.m. Nov. 18-19 at Oakland (Mich.), TBA Dec. 2-3 at West Chester, 9:15 p.m., 4:45 p.m.* Dec. 4 at Rutgers, 3 p.m.* Dec. 9-10 Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 11:59 p.m., 7 p.m. Jan. 7-8 at Stony Brook, 8:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m.* Jan. 13-14 at Alabama, 8 p.m., 7 p.m. Jan. 20-21 Oakland (Mich.), 7 p.m. Jan. 27-28 at Delaware, 9:15 p.m., 5:15 p.m.* Jan. 29 at Rutgers, 3 p.m. Feb. 3-4 Davenport, 7 p.m. Feb. 10-11 Rutgers, 7 p.m.* Feb. 17-18 Rhode Island, 7 p.m.* Feb. 24-26 ESCHL Playoffs March 9-14 ACHA Division I Championships (Columbus, Ohio) *Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League (ESCHL) games
WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING Oct. 15 at James Madison, 11 a.m. Nov. 18-20 at Frank Elm Invite (Piscataway, N.J.), 10 a.m. Jan. 7 at Florida Gulf Coast, 10 a.m. Jan. 14 at UNC Asheville, 11 a.m. Jan. 20 Campbell, 5 p.m.* Jan. 27-28 at Davidson Duals, 6 p.m., 11 a.m. Feb. 15-18 CCSA Championships, 10 a.m. March 15-18 NCAA Division I Championships, 11 a.m. *Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association Conference meet
MEN’S BASKETBALL Nov. 11 Cairn, 8:30 p.m. Nov. 15 Virginia Commonwealth, 8 p.m. Nov. 19, 21, 23 at Indiana Classic (Bloomington, Ind.) vs. Indiana, TBA; vs. UMass Lowell, 6 p.m.; vs. Mississippi Valley State), 2 p.m. Nov. 26 at William & Mary, TBA Nov. 29 Central Penn, 7 p.m. Dec. 3 at UNC Greensboro, 7 p.m. Dec. 6 Furman, 7 p.m. Dec. 10 Princeton, 2 p.m. Dec. 16 Clarks Summit, 7 p.m. Dec. 19 at Lamar (Beaumont, Texas), 8 p.m. Dec. 21 at Houston, 8 p.m. *Dec. 29 at Presbyterian, TBA *Dec. 31 at Charleston Southern, 4 p.m. *Jan. 3 UNC Asheville, 7 p.m. *Jan. 7 Campbell, 2 p.m. *Jan. 11 at High Point, TBA *Jan. 14 at Radford, TBA *Jan. 19 Gardner-Webb, 7 p.m. *Jan. 21 Winthrop, 7 p.m. *Jan. 26 at Longwood, 7 p.m. *Jan. 28 at Campbell, 2 p.m. *Jan. 31 Presbyterian, 7 p.m. *Feb. 4 Radford, 7 p.m. *Feb. 9 at Gardner-Webb, TBA *Feb. 11 Charleston-Southern, 2 p.m. *Feb. 14 High Point, 7 p.m. *Feb. 18 at Winthrop, 2 p.m. *Feb. 23 Longwood, 7 p.m. *Feb. 25 at UNC Asheville, TBA Feb. 28-March 5 Big South Championships, TBA March 14-April 3 NCAA Division I Championships, TBA *Big South Conference game
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Nov. 11 Duke, 6 p.m. Nov. 15 James Madison, 5 p.m. Nov. 18 Appalachian State, 7 p.m. Nov. 25 at Valparaiso, 6 p.m. Dec. 3-4 at Navy Classic (Annapolis, Md.) vs. Richmond, 2 or 6 p.m.; vs. Navy, 4:15 p.m. Dec. 10 West Liberty, 11 a.m. Dec. 19-20 at UTSA Tournament (San Antonio, Texas) vs. Central Arkansas, 5 p.m.; vs. UTSA, 7:15 p.m. Dec. 28-29 at Virginia Cavalier Classic (Charlottesville, Va.) vs. Dayton, 4:30 p.m.; vs. UMBC, 4:30 p.m. *Jan. 3 at Charleston-Southern, 7 p.m. *Jan. 7 High Point, 7 p.m. *Jan. 10 Presbyterian, 7 p.m. *Jan. 14 at Gardner-Webb, 2 p.m. *Jan. 17 Longwood, 7 p.m. *Jan. 21 at UNC Asheville, 2 p.m. *Jan. 24 at Radford, 7 p.m. *Jan. 28 Winthrop, 2 p.m. *Jan. 31 at Campbell, 7 p.m. *Feb. 4 Gardner-Webb, 4 p.m. *Feb. 7 Radford, 7 p.m. *Feb. 11 at Presbyterian, 2 p.m. *Feb. 14 at High Point, TBA *Feb. 18 Charleston Southern, 7 p.m. *Feb. 21 at Longwood, 7 p.m. *Feb. 25 at Winthrop, 1 p.m. *Feb. 27 UNC Asheville, 7 p.m. *March 4 Campbell, 2 p.m. March 9-12 Big South Championships (Lynchburg, Va.), TBA March 17-April 2 NCAA Division I Championships, TBA *Big South Conference game
Dates and times are subject to change. Complete schedules can be viewed at LIBERTYFLAMES.COM.
Oasis Hernandez
KK Barbour
Watch live coverage online at LIBERTYFLAMES.COM/TV. View a list of TV affiliates at LIBERTYFLAMES.COM.
Ryan Kemrite
Grant Garvin
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CHAMPIONS for CHRIST Rangers coach battles cancer with encouragement Diagnosed with rectal cancer before spring training, former Liberty University and Minor League Baseball middle infielder Tony Beasley (’89), now in his second season on the Texas Rangers’ coaching staff, hasn’t let his condition get him down. “I never went into a mode of sorrow or pity or anything negative,” Beasley told the Liberty Flames Sports Network (LFSN) during an interview for its weekly “Game On” TV show that aired before his Aug. 22 surgery in Houston. “I know God’s in control, and I walk by faith not by sight, and I know He has great plans for my life, so I went into that mode of ‘Let’s just beat it.’” Selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 1989 Major League Draft, Beasley
Theatre student volunteers with special needs program Over the summer, Maria Reginaldi, a sophomore in the Department of Theatre Arts, spent two weeks volunteering with a theatre program in her hometown of Greensboro, N.C., that gives special needs performers the chance to showcase their talents on stage. “The participants don’t normally get opportunities to do theatre,” Reginaldi said. “They have a talent that often gets overlooked. These people have never been a main character, have never gotten the spotlight, and then all of a sudden they get to be the star. It is so special.” Individuals of all ages with a variety of needs,
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spent parts of nine seasons in the minor leagues, making it as high as AAA, before finding his true calling in coaching. “I fell in love with the teaching aspect — the impact on kids’ lives. That’s what really drove me,” Beasley said. “I felt like I could make a difference in people, and that was enough for me.” After ending his playing career in 1998, when he was a player/coach with the Pirates’ Class AA affiliate, the Carolina Mudcats, and its Class A club, the Lynchburg (Va.) Hillcats, Beasley spent a season as the Hillcats’ full-time hitting coach in 2000. He went on to land his first major league coaching job with the Washington Nationals in 2006 before serving as third base coach with the Pirates from 2008-10 and with the Rangers, starting in 2015. He has learned to rejoice through the blessings and the trials, even one as daunting as cancer. “I’ve been a man who’s always telling people about the goodness of the Lord and walking by faith, professing Christ
in my life,” Beasley said. “This is an opportunity to be really true to that. I just want people to be inspired ... because God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. I think if we can stand on that and just face everything we have to face, walking through it in faith, this, too, shall pass.” Rangers’ players have taken note of Beasley’s positive outlook on life, even after his cancer diagnosis. “His perspective on the situation, his consistency and his joy, how he goes about his day — it doesn’t change anything about him,” Texas pitcher Shawn Tolleson said. “It’s just a condition that he has, and that’s how he views it. It’s just something he has to go through and he sees God’s purpose in everything. We’ve tried to offer as much encouragement as we can … but he’s the one encouraging us and motivating us through the situation.”
including Down syndrome and physical handicaps, are welcome to participate in the Community Theatre of Greensboro’s annual Onstage and Inclusive program. Volunteers partner with one or two special needs individuals and help them to rehearse and perform an act of their choice. Reginaldi teamed up with Kayla Usry, who is wheelchair bound, to stage a rendition of “For Good,” a song from the Broadway sensation “Wicked” (Usry’s favorite). After two weeks of rehearsals, performances were held for three nights. “(Audiences) were really affected and moved by the production,” Reginaldi said. In particular, they were touched by Usry’s performance of the deeply emotional song about friendship. “Every night people would look at her and say, ‘You made me cry; that was very beautiful.’”
Reginaldi also worked with the theater’s youth camps during the day. “Theatre and working with the special needs community are my two passions,” Reginaldi said, noting that she volunteered with a special needs day camp as a high-schooler. “That was awesome, serving through my passion. … I didn’t have a lot of time to think about myself, and, honestly, those were some of the best weeks of my life because I was not self-focused.” Recently, Reginaldi was among the cast of Alluvion Stage Company’s professional production of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” which ran Sept. 16-30 at Liberty’s Tower Theater. While she hopes to advance her career as a performer, Reginaldi will continue to serve those with special needs as opportunities arise. She said she may even want to run her own inclusive program someday.
Watch Beasley’s story at GAMEONLU.COM.
CHAMPIONS for CHRIST
To the surface: Alumnus storyteller seeks to give underground church a voice As the underground church holds firm amidst a climate hostile toward its faith, alumnus Daniel Bowden (’11) is looking to bring its story to the eyes of Western believers. He is
currently living in Asia and has been traveling across China working on a documentary film that he hopes to see distributed on major streaming platforms. Bowden, a Dallas native, studied philosophy and religion at Liberty while working as a writer and photographer for World Help, a humanitarian organization based in Forest, Va. He traveled all over the globe with World
A story of hope in a shoebox of love For alumna and current M.B.A. student Natasha Ivanova (’14), growing up in Belarus, a small country on the outskirts of Russia, was much different for a child with special needs.
The Russian government at the time classified her as having a disability and required her to live in a state-run orphanage instead of attending regular public school. She was diagnosed with Duane Syndrome at birth, a disorder that doesn’t allow her to move her eyes from side to side and includes some hearing loss in one ear and fused vertebrae in her neck. At the age of 9, during Ivanova’s
Help, becoming especially interested in China’s underground church. His work experience included documentary writing, which led to a few jobs penning scripts for faith-based films. Soon after graduation, Bowden teamed up with a U.S.-based nongovernmental organization (NGO) that provides humanitarian aid to China and serves the church there. “There is a lesson and a message that the house church in China can teach us: how to glorify Christ through persecution and how to endure to the end,” Bowden said. His goal is to produce media that will raise awareness about Christian persecution and “raise up a new generation of people who want to support the house church in China.” “There is not a doubt in my mind that someday … there are going to be restrictions on preaching (and) evangelism (in America),” he said. “We have to know how we are going to react, what we are going to do.” The documentary, “The Biggest
Little Band in China,” tells the story of a group of farmers who formed a marching band to play Gospel hymns. Though these Central China natives did not know how to read, they hired a tutor to teach them to read music and play the old brass instruments they acquired. Now, marching in handmade uniforms, they perform at various events, using the opportunities to reach others with the Gospel. Bowden will be working on the film over the next year as he seeks more fundraising support. He has also been working on two books about the Chinese underground church. More information can be found at BiggestLittleFilm.com. As a storyteller, Bowden plans to continue finding unique tales of the church from around the world. He is eyeing a future project in Africa.
second Christmas at the orphanage, she received an Operation Christmas Child (OCC) shoebox from an American family. OCC is a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse that distributes shoeboxes filled with toys, school supplies, hygiene items, and copies of the Gospel to poverty-stricken children worldwide. Ivanova said that her shoebox was the first Christmas present she had received in years. “It meant the world to me,” she said. “From the moment I picked up my box, I knew that I was not alone anymore. The shoebox was a symbol of the hope, joy, and love that I needed.” Ivanova had visited the U.S. for the first time a year before through an organization that provides medical care for children in need of routine eye, dental, and physical examinations. She returned for six more summers, and during her seventh, she was able to stay in the country to receive regular health care. Ivanova stayed with an American woman who took her in as her own daughter.
“Living in the U.S. has changed my life for the better,” she said. “It has given me a chance to grow in my walk with the Lord and to be part of an amazing family who not only supports me physically, but continuously reminds me that no matter what happens in life, God will always see me through.” Ivanova decided to attend Liberty after participating in College For A Weekend. When she graduated with her B.A. in Business Administration, she knew that she could make the greatest impact serving with OCC — the same organization that impacted her life as a child. She is now a spokesperson, traveling to churches and sharing her personal experience with OCC. “Being able to travel and share my story is a wonderful way for me to show others how God works through these simple, yet powerful boxes,” she said. Ivanova will complete her M.B.A. in Project Management at Liberty this fall.
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Advocating for those with only a bark or a meow When she visited her local animal shelter 10 years ago, alumna Jurnee Carr (’16) noticed cages overcrowded
with cats and dogs. At 12 years old, she founded Jurnee’s Journey with a mission to promote the importance of pet adoption and neutering. To date,
Alumna’s career soars as she follows God’s leading Since junior high, Lindsey Gray knew God had called her to be a missionary pilot. She soloed an airplane by age 17 and earned her pilot certification at 18. By 19, she was a flight instructor.
After three years of working as an instructor, Gray, originally from Las Vegas, decided to further her education. “I held a bachelor’s degree but needed technical training to meet missionary aviation requirements,” she explained, adding that she
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Carr has raised more than $50,000 for animal shelters around the country. Since graduating with her B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies, Carr has seen her passion for animals flourish into a career. As a district leader for the Humane Society of the United States in Tennessee, she works to advance and accelerate the adoption of federal and state laws for animal protection. Carr’s previous work with the Humane Society involved serving on the group’s youth advisory board, speaking at conferences in Washington, D.C., and interning at its corporate headquarters near D.C. In 2012, she helped close a loophole in the Animal Welfare Act regarding puppy mills by collecting signatures for a petition at the International Animal Care Expo in Las Vegas, Nev.
Carr has also taken her cause to the pageant stage. She placed third runner-up and won best evening gown in the Miss International Pageant in July 2016 as Miss Tennessee International. In 2011, she was crowned Miss Teen International, and animal protection was her interview platform. “I am reaching an international audience that is hungry for ways to be more compassionate toward God’s creatures,” she said. Carr said that when she was growing up, she dreamed of attending Liberty. “I grew into the woman I am today because of the spiritual growth that Liberty fosters,” she said. “I am truly grateful for my time at Liberty. It is a blessing to forever be a Liberty Flame.”
was drawn to Liberty’s Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Program because of its affordability and accelerated structure. She began the one-year program in January 2011 and earned her Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) certification. She then worked at Liberty as both an airplane mechanic and flight instructor for three years before joining AIM (Africa Inland Mission) AIR, a Christian missionary aviation team that serves the needs of over 50 Christian organizations in East Africa. Her time at Liberty helped her to gain valuable career experience before she set off to raise financial support for her missionary position. After a few months, at age 26, she was serving on the field. This year, Gray, who is now 28, was named AIM’s chief pilot. Her current role involves overseeing the team of pilots and coordinating training to improve proficiency and safety. She continues to fly out of AIM’s base in Nairobi, Kenya. AIM also operates
flights in Uganda, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, and Congo. “I absolutely love what I do,” Gray said. “I get to fly in service for those who have not yet heard the Gospel. … Sometimes, I find myself in a remote location — over 100 degrees outside, fueling the plane with a pump — while a herd of camels walks by. Some days, I look at the passengers in the seat behind me and know that I’m carrying people who are going to share the Good News. Other days, I’m in the office catching up. In every situation, at the end of the day, I know the hours I spent working that day played some small role in furthering God’s Kingdom.” She added that while not everyone is called to be a vocational missionary, all Christians can use their talents to further the Kingdom — in their communities and abroad — by building relationships. “I’m convinced that if people all over America would intentionally use their skills in their given vocations to serve relationally, America would look different than it does now.”
CHAMPIONS for CHRIST
Crossing the finish line for a good cause Former Liberty University triathlete and current men’s and women’s cycling and triathlon Head Coach
Parker Spencer (’12) traveled to Roth, Germany, in mid-July to compete in his first-ever Ironman-distance event, the Challenge Roth Triathlon. One of the most prestigious races in the world, the event draws over 5,000 triathletes and 300,000 fans. Spencer finished the 140.6-mile course, which featured a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile cycling stage, and a 26.2-mile run, in 10 hours, 6 minutes, 23 seconds, placing 326th out of 2,458 men. But his main focus was not on his individual performance. He raced as part of a 12-member team that raised awareness and funds for the Cameron
Training up health workers at home and abroad Teaching people to become educators on community health has become the goal of alumna Monterey Starkey (’14), who founded the nonprofit International HELP in November. The organization provides education about ending preventable diseases in underprivileged areas in Washington, D.C., and in Nicaragua, Honduras, and other Central American countries. After earning her Master of Public Health degree, Starkey moved to Nicaragua, where she trained local people to become health workers. The experience fueled her desire to implement that same model in other places throughout the world.
K. Gallagher Foundation, which was formed in honor of a 16-year-old Richmond, Va., runner who died from an undetected heart defect after completing the 2014 Shamrock Half Marathon in Virginia Beach. “As Christians, we always have a bigger mission behind what we’re doing, and this was another opportunity to have an impact on people,” Spencer said. Gallagher had already begun her own mission before she died. Having battled and overcome depression, she organized a “Speak Up” 5K race to raise money to help those who suffer from anxiety-related disorders and give them an outlet to talk about their problems. Today, the foundation holds “Speak Up” 5Ks across the United States. The Germany race was the first time the organization gained international exposure. The team raised $80,000, which the foundation will use to implement after-school suicide prevention programs in 12 Richmondarea schools as well as to support the
Children’s Mental Health Resource Center in Richmond. “It feels so good to have a really important mission doing something that I’m passionate about — racing — and to know it’s having an impact and saving lives,” Spencer said. “To be given that opportunity is incredible.” Spencer said the foundation’s mission became personal to him last year when a close friend told him of plans to end his own life. His friend received help through the Gallagher Foundation. “I have learned throughout my life that God can take a tragedy and use it to make an immense impact for a positive purpose,” Spencer said. “I firmly believe that Cameron Gallagher’s death has saved more lives than anyone could count.” Spencer also traveled to Aviles, Spain, on June 5, where he placed 17th in the 25-29-year-old male division of the International Triathlon Union (ITU) Duathlon Sprint Championships, his fifth ITU World Championship event.
As the CEO of International HELP, Starkey provides skill training and resources for community health workers. They learn how to filter water, prevent diarrhea, and take vital signs. They also learn the principles of proper hygiene and sanitation practices and basic first aid techniques. “International HELP is unique because its focus is on local partnerships and on empowering communities in sustainable ways,” she said. “Rather than being an organization that simply distributes products, we take a community-based approach that shares decisionmaking and responsibility with the local people to result in long-term improvements.” Starkey said that her Liberty education prepared her to lead such an organization.
“I learned why public health matters from a biblical perspective. Furthermore, I had professors who invested in me and showed me from their own lives what a Champion for Christ in the public health field looks like.” She added that she has been encouraged to see the continued results from International HELP’s partnerships with communities. “When I went back to visit Nicaragua, one of the health workers had gotten a job working for the sugar cane company in the fields, helping the men stay hydrated and bandaging small wounds,” Starkey said. “She excitedly shared that she got the job because she was a certified community worker from my program. That is what this is about — empowering people to be healthcare leaders in their communities.”
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Surprise bedside graduation honors Pennsylvania man Sometimes graduation ceremonies are held in stadiums filled with thousands of people waving from the stands. And sometimes really special ones happen in a small bedroom with family and friends huddled close by your side.
Jason McIlwain, 39, graduated from Liberty University on Friday, Sept. 2, receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in Religion at his home near Grove City, Pa. Tim Fair, Liberty alumnus and associate pastor of New Life Baptist Church in New Wilmington, Pa., sent the following email to Liberty President Jerry Falwell shortly before noon on that Friday:
“We have a young man that attends our church who is near the end of his life and his battle with cancer. He literally is days away from entering heaven. He is one class away from graduating from Liberty. He wanted nothing more than to graduate Liberty and become a pastor. I want to share with you that this young man has had an incredible ministry because he has been sick with cancer for 12 years. He has gone into remission 10 times! He has given more people hope in our church than anyone else that I know of. Is it possible to [give him credit for his ministry work in lieu of completing the last class]? This would be incredible for him and his family. He is leaving behind two boys, a 10-year-old and 11-year-old. Also, if this is possible, would someone be able to call him and congratulate him on graduating from Liberty University?” Fair was shocked to learn that McIlwain would be receiving his diploma that evening. Dr. Ben Gutierrez, Liberty’s vice provost for academic administration, made the hour-anda-half flight in a private plane from Lynchburg, Va., to Grove City, a rural area about an hour north of Pittsburgh. When Gutierrez arrived about
6 p.m., he was met by a crowd of family members, friends, and church members. They listened as Gutierrez congratulated McIlwain for graduating Magna Cum Laude. Then Gutierrez formally conferred his degree before praying with the family and sharing a special time of fellowship together. McIlwain’s church family watched it all live on Facebook. McIlwain’s second dream, to become a pastor at his home church, came true immediately after the ceremony: senior pastor John Bailey licensed him as a pastor. McIlwain went home to be with his Lord two days after he received his degree. His obituary read, “Pastor Jason R. McIlwain,” and noted that he was “known to everyone who knew him as being a faithful follower of the Lord. His passion was sharing the Lord with others, even while facing many difficulties.” “When I first heard Jason’s story, I was impressed by how he had already ministered to so many people with his display of faith and courage despite his terminal condition,” said President Jerry Falwell. “He truly exemplified what it means to be a Champion for Christ.”
IN MEMORIAM Dr. Tim LaHaye: Faithful supporter, board member, and friend Noted evangelical leader and pastor Dr. Tim LaHaye died July 25 at age 90. LaHaye and his wife, Beverly, have been friends of Liberty University since its early years. They have served together on Liberty’s Board of Trustees and generously provided funds for the LaHaye Ice Center and the LaHaye Recreation and Fitness Center. Dr. Tim LaHaye always shared his biblical wisdom and encouragement with Liberty’s administration, faculty and staff, and students during his visits to campus. The university would not be where it is today without the LaHayes’ prayers, friendship, leadership, and generosity.
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The LaHayes were both noted authors, counselors, and television commentators. Tim LaHaye is most known for his international best-selling book series “Left Behind,” which he co-wrote with Jerry B. Jenkins. He was also a minister, a nationally recognized expert on Bible prophecy, the founder and president of Tim LaHaye Ministries, and the co-founder of the Pre-Trib Research Center.
Sherwin Cook: A partner in the mission Former Liberty University Board of Trustees member Sherwin Cook died on June 10 at the age of 91. He and his wife, the late Lora Cook, shared a strong belief in the importance of Christian education and were longtime supporters of the university. In 2014, the Liberty University School of Aeronautics named its aircraft
mechanic training center the Sherwin Cook A&P Center, in honor of Cook’s longstanding support of the aeronautics program. Cook funded the equipment needed to begin the aircraft mechanic training program. Cook also believed in providing worldclass athletics at Liberty. Even in his later years, he was an avid tennis player and supported Liberty’s tennis programs. In 2010, he and his wife provided the lead gift for the Cook Tennis Center, the operations center for Liberty’s men’s and women’s tennis programs. Sherwin Cook also donated a local tennis and racquetball facility, The Sports Racket, to Liberty. Cook lived in the Lynchburg area since the 1960s and was a successful restaurant owner.
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Submissions will be published online and may be featured in an upcoming edition of the Liberty Journal.
Official University Seal updated Liberty University has updated its Official University Seal, combining the strength of Liberty’s traditions with an exciting vision for the future. The new seal incorporates a number of elements from the original President’s Seal, including the Bible, 1971 (the year Liberty was founded), the octagon (representing the Jeffersonian architecture of campus), and the flame (signifying the university motto “Knowledge Aflame” and the light of the Gospel that students take with them into the world). Each new component of the updated
seal was carefully chosen to reflect the university’s character. The seal now includes laurels (awarded to victors in ancient Greece and representing the mission of Training Champions for Christ); Freedom Tower (Liberty’s forthcoming campus landmark); and the Liberty Bell (which will sit atop Freedom Tower and proclaim the university’s dedication to the founding principles of our nation). The Official University Seal is reserved for use by the president, provost, and formal university functions, such as Commencement.
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