Liberty Journal Fall 2019

FA L L 2 0 1 9

NEW SCHOOL OF BUSINESS BUILDING OPENS FOR THE FALL SEMESTER

MATTERS OF LIFE, NOT DEATH ALUMNI TELL THEIR STORIES OF FIGHTING FOR THE SANCTITY OF LIFE

MUSICAL MENTOR

MICHAEL W. SMITH IS TRAINING YOUNG MUSICIANS TO IMPACT THE MUSIC INDUSTRY

TOUGHER TOGETHER

HUGH FREEZE’S FIRST SEASON AS HEAD COACH

FA L L 2 0 1 9 PUBLISHER Jerry Falwell

INSIDE this ISSUE

S E N I O R M A N AG I N G E D I TO R Mitzi Bible GRAPHIC DESIGNER Carrie Mitchell

2 | BIG BUSINESS

CO N T RI B U T I N G E D I TO R S Kristin Conrad Becki Falwell Ron Kennedy Wendy Kennedy Scott Lamb Amanda Stanley

The new School of Business promises everything students could possibly need, according to Dean Dr. David Brat. Even more magnificent than the structure itself is the advanced training that happens inside.

STA F F Ted Allen Rebecca Beam Ron Brown Rachel Dugan Kerry Hogan Leslie Keeney Ryan Klinker Dawn Neal Josh Rice Jessica Short Kim Smith Logan Smith

O N T H E COV E R The new School of Business building is the latest addition in Liberty’s campus transformation.

With its stately Jeffersonian architecture, the building rises three stories and spans 78,000 square feet, providing multiple classrooms, offices, and collaboration space for three Centers for Excellence. Read more on Page 2.

(Photo by Joel Coleman)

For more information about the Liberty Journal, email news@liberty.edu, call (434) 592-4955, or write to: Liberty University Office of Communications & Public Engagement 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 admission process, alumni, or athletics, call (434) 582-2000.

Liberty University is not affil ted with the Department of Defense or any military service.

Liberty University does not engage in unlawful discrimination or harassment because of race, color, ancestry, religion, age, sex, national origin, pregnancy or childbirth, disability, or military veteran status in its educational programs and activities. Liberty University maintains its Christian character and reserves its right to discriminate on the basis of religion to the extent that applicable law respects its right to act in furtherance of its religious objectives.

Special guests on Liberty s Convocation stage this fall have ranged from CEOs and Ivy League professors to sports stars.

They all came to inform and inspire.

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P H OTO G R A PH E R S Luke Bobbey Gabrielle Calhoun Joel Coleman Joel Isimeme KJ Jugar Ross Kohl Jenna McKenney Ellie Richardson Andrew Snyder

8 | FALL 2019 CONVOCATIONS

12 | MUSICAL MENTOR

When the new Michael W. Smith Center for Commercial Music launched this fall, the artist himself showed that he is committed to training a new generation to impact the music industry.

18 | SCHOLAR’S VIEWPOINT

School of Nursing Dean Shanna Akers explains how building resiliency is necessary for the workplace.

24 | MATTERS OF LIFE, NOT DEATH

34 | PRESIDENT’S VIEWPOINT

48 | TOUGHER TOGETHER

30 | FAITH IN FOCUS

36 | NEWS & EVENTS

54 | BACK AT HOME

Alumni tell their stories of fighting for the sanctity of life, from efforts to save the unborn to giving those with terminal illnesses a chance to try experimental treatment.

The flame is still burning at Liberty University. Dr. David Wheeler shows how evangelism and the Great Commission remain a focus in students training.

President Jerry Falwell speaks out against the new anti-Semitism in America and calls for a renewed commitment to loving our Jewish brothers and sisters.

Read about students assisting immigrants at the border, a new cyber initiative, an original play that will honor the brave men of D-Day, and more.

When these words became the team slogan for Hugh Freeze s first season as head coach of Flames Football, the players and Freeze didn t know how much meaning they would actually hold.

Former LU basketball player Katie (Feenstra) Mattera was one of the tallest players in the WNBA, but now she s back as an assistant coach that the Lady Flames can really look up to.

The Spirit of the Mountain marching band takes the field t halftime of Flames Football's season opener against Syracuse University on Aug. 31. The game represented numerous fi sts for the Flames: it was Hugh Freeze's fi st contest as Liberty's head coach, the Flames' fi st game as a full-fledged FBS membe , and the fi st time Liberty hosted an FBS Top 25 opponent, an ACC squad, and a football team from any Power Five Conference. Read more about the Flames' historic season on Page 48.

Are we hitting the mark?

Let us know what kind of stories around Liberty interest you. Have a story idea of your own? Share it with us. Send your feedback to the Liberty Journal staff t news@liberty.edu.

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THE FLAME IS STILL BURNING BY

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DAVID

WHEELER

NEW BUILDING IS OUTFITTED WITH WORLD-CLASS FEATURES TO HELP LAUNCH CAREERS

BY LOGAN SMITH

ANDR E W SNYDE R

BIG BUSINESS

Liberty University s new $33 million School of Business, spanning three stories and stretching 78,000 square feet, is certainly spectacular, but the state-ofthe-art technological resources inside are equally impressive, accommodating students as they train for an evolving global business market.

The exterior mirrors Liberty s signature Jeffersonian architecture throughout campus, with large main entrances on two sides that are made of Indiana limestone, a premium building material found on some of our nation s signature landmarks, such as the Empire State Building, the Pentagon, and the Washington National Cathedral. Inside, a vast grand lobby, dotted with comfortable seating and tabletops, welcomes students. Hallways and staircases branch from the lobby to various classrooms, offices, lounges, conference rooms, and workspaces.

This building has everything students could possibly need, said Dr. David Brat, School of Business dean and a former U.S. congressman. The whole building is set up to incorporate technology across our programs to make students successful in the real world.

We have a technology foundation that you won t find anywhere else.

The Towns Auditorium, seating 500, boasts more space than any other room and will be used for entry-level courses, special speakers, and graduation ceremonies. Networking and computer labs, faculty offices, and student common rooms occupy the second and third floors.

Some of my favorite rooms are the huge student common areas, Brat said.

I m excited, as a dean, to walk out into the middle of the commons every day and meet with students to hear about their faith, what they need, what they >>

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AND R EW SNYD ER

ANDR E W SNYDE R

“The business school at Liberty University was amazing. It thoroughly prepared me for running my business and being able to even teach for the university I cherish. All of the professors were beyond helpful and taught me so much about business as well as keeping a Christian worldview.

I am blessed to have gone to this school, and I pray that when my wife and I have children, they will want to go to Liberty like we both did!”

JAMES BOWER ’15, ’17 Vice President, R. Coffee Ltd.

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>> are aiming for in their lives, and their career plans.

A stock market trading room on the ground floor is another highlight.

The room, made possible through a partnership with BB&T, features an LED stock ticker that wraps around the top of the walls and streams the latest market activity from Wall Street.

Several Bloomberg terminals grant students the ability to trade in real time, under faculty supervision.

The Bloomberg terminals have anything you can think of in the world, Brat said. You can get research reports on any firm anywhere. ... I can t imagine anything that s not on those terminals.

Advanced telepresence capabilities add to the building s technology network.

Students can make connections with people all around the globe.

We can communicate with the rest of the world, Brat explained. Our students will be able to get in a room and talk about entrepreneurship with 50 students in Spain. We can bring in CEOs of major corporations and government officials, and they can be on screens in real time with students.

We look forward to hosting business titans live and also interviewing members of Congress, secretaries under the president, and U.S. military leaders who have so much to share and teach.

Senior Britton Chomeau, who is pursuing degrees in project management and entrepreneurship, said these technological resources prepare students for the ever-changing shifts in the business world.

We ll be able to see plenty of uses of modern technologies beyond the realm of databases and Microsoft software, Chomeau said. The new building places the School of Business in a higher-quality environment that allows students to better equip themselves for the industry.

Three Centers for Excellence are a major lifeblood in the building: the Center for Entrepreneurship, the Center for Financial Literacy, and the Center for Cyber Excellence.

Because Liberty acknowledges that business principles complement all academic disciplines, students outside

the School of Business who need assistance in financial knowledge or want to begin their entrepreneurial journey as a business owner can receive training and guidance from the Centers for Excellence.

The centers and all of the student clubs that exist in the business school are very important because they all work together to help us communicate across disciplines, Brat said. It s just a great nexus for communicating and sharing with all of our students and faculty experts at the same time.

The Center for Entrepreneurship opens its doors to all students who are interested in crafting their own enterprise. Students receive training and feedback on their business plan and even collaborate with visiting mentors who assist in the process of launching and maintaining personal businesses.

There are many benefits and opportunities for students who come to the Center for Entrepreneurship, said Alexandru Barker, the center s assistant director. We offer free online courses and launched a minor for any student who wants to learn how to start up their own business.

The Center for Financial Literacy has a similar mission: to serve as the foremost leader in biblical financial stewardship. It is open to Liberty and

the surrounding community. According to Dr. Stacie Rhodes, executive director, curriculum on biblically based financial principles is embedded in all residential undergraduate programs.

We have the tagline, Educate.

Collaborate. Integrate., Rhodes said.

We educate our student body on all facets of personal finance through workshops, events, classroom visits, and coaching sessions. We collaborate with all university constituents using a discipleship model that involves accountability, which is built on the trust and relationship between the coach and peer. We further help the client integrate the foundational principles by coaching and crafting a personalized action plan for the individual or audience.

One of the fastest-growing business fields at Liberty is cybersecurity.

More than 300,000 cybersecurity jobs are currently open in the U.S., and Liberty is giving computer science students everything necessary to gain employment in the high-paying field. This fall, Liberty s computer science program, previously connected with the School of Engineering, was integrated into the School of Business.

A Center for Cyber Excellence room in the new building allows for a safe and collaborative space, whereby both new

and more experienced cyber students can interact and share with each other between and after classes, said Dr. Allen Harper, the center s executive director. The space is available for any student on the Liberty campus with an interest in cyber subjects. >>

“Every major decision for a business — launching a new product, expanding your marketing budget, hiring staff — can be modeled financially o determine whether the expected outcome is positive or negative.

Liberty’s professors taught me that type of financial modeling and et me on a path to attack business problems analytically. From establishing my career in operations roles with large tech companies like Google and Facebook, to launching out in a new direction as a tech entrepreneur in the real estate finan e space, I’ve kept that approach to model, measure, and make bold moves backed up by data.”

TIM MILAZZO ’11 Co-founder and CEO, StackSource

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>> It will be used to instruct and demonstrate industry products and the latest security techniques. It s also a space for students to tinker with and perform security assessments of common consumer electronic devices, such as drones, cameras, and robots.

In the summer of 2018, the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security formally recognized Liberty as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE), and in March, Liberty s cyber defense club snatched third place at the regional Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (MACCDC).

We are excited for the potential of our teams and desire to use the new cyber space to build an environment

that is conducive to our teams advancing their skills and winning these competitions, Harper said.

To students like Chomeau, the global markets of today can be readily and easily accessible in the palm of one s hand, and Liberty s School of Business is helping students navigate and understand the current business environment.

I am very grateful that Liberty saw the need for the School of Business to have a designated building, community, and environment to engage, grow, and educate its students, Chomeau said. The importance of the building goes beyond the flash and fanfare.

It s about creating an environment of professionalism, achievement, inspiration, and student innovation.

“Liberty’s School of Business taught me everything from critical thinking to negotiations. I have been able to move up in a company that I love and where I’ve grown exponentially. The ability I have to apply my Christian beliefs to my work has made working in the corporate sector something I’m passionate about.”

MORGAN BUHROW ’16 Recognition Program Administrator, Hendrick Automotive Group

GRAND OPENING

Nationally recognized economist Art Laffer joins ribbon-cutting ceremony Although the new School of Business building was open for classes at the beginning of the semester, the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 25 formally introduced the new structure to campus. Over 300 students, faculty, and distinguished guests attended.

This new building will serve as a source of inspiration for students both now and in years to come, to give them the necessary tools and skillsets needed not just to secure a job today, but to become the visionaries, innovators, and entrepreneurs of bright and powerful

“My degree has given me the knowledge I needed to quickly advance in my field ” JACOB DOWNER ’19 Product Specialist, Mercedes-Benz of Durham

ANDR E W SN YD E R

From left: Dr. David Brat, dean of the School of Business; Art Laffer, economist; Becki Falwell; President Jerry Falwell; Dr. Scott Hicks, university provost; Treney Tweedy, Lynchburg mayor; and Dr. Anita Satterlee, online dean for the School of Business

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new industries tomorrow, said Dr. David Brat, dean. It was built with the purpose and intention of becoming the incubator of tomorrow s servant leaders.

Liberty welcomed American economist and Presidential Medal of Freedom holder Dr. Art Laffer to the ceremony.

We desperately need people who are trained in business and economics to show the way, to create prosperity for our country, said Laffer, who is most celebrated for creating the Laffer Curve, a formula chart showing the effects of income tax changes in relation to government spending. It s wonderful to be here at the dedication and opening of the new building. (This is) what s really needed on this Earth: good business, good entrepreneurship.

Laffer, who served on President Ronald Reagan s Economic Policy Advisory Board, was also the architect of Reaganomics, the famous coined term referring to Reagan s free market financial policies.

Liberty President Jerry Falwell also addressed the crowd, sharing about Liberty s humble beginnings and how, thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit of his father, Liberty founder Dr. Jerry Falwell, the university has experienced the rewards that come from persevering

“Whether in an academic or professional environment, the greatest resource is always people.

My professors were the greatest value to me, with their wisdom, guidance, and support. Long after I left Liberty, the messages from my professors were the greatest treasure.”

N KO S A N A J U N I O R M OYO ’ 1 3 Global Brand Manager, Nike Sportswear

study, he said. I think this is an awesome step forward. The School of Business is gaining a lot of recognition and proves the academic legitimacy of Liberty.

After the ceremony, Laffer joined Falwell, Brat, and radio host Todd Starnes at Convocation, where they participated in a panel on business, religious freedom, and faith.

There s nothing more thrilling on Earth than doing well by doing good, Laffer told the students. There s no alternative to good economics, and you people are the ones who can bring it and make it really happen.

AND REW SNYD ER

We desperately need people who are trained in business and economics to show the way, to create prosperity for our country.

in business.

It s fitting that the most beautiful building on campus, maybe in the whole city of Lynchburg, is the School of Business, he said. I m so proud that this building is front and center, on the highway, because that s what built this school entrepreneurism and the willingness to take huge risks and persevere. We re thrilled that the business school will focus on entrepreneurism.

God has blessed us, and we re grateful.

Falwell recognized Doug Dalton, president and CEO of English Construction Co., for his work on the project and many other structures on Liberty s campus, including the Center for Medical and Health Sciences. English Construction has done work for Liberty since the campus was first formed in the 1 970s. Falwell called the Dalton family the most successful family in construction in Virginia since 1 909 and thanked them for their loyal support over the years.

Senior marketing student Matthew Bishop said the building will serve as a networking engine for all business disciplines, including marketing, economics, accounting, and cybersecurity.

It s definitely a place where we can concentrate on our major courses of

A RT L A F F E R Economist & a special speaker at the g ra n d o p e n i n g

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FALL 2019

CONV CATI LIFTING THE SOUL, CHALLENGING THE MIND B Y R YA N K L I N K E R Liberty University s Convocations, held three times a week, are designed for worship and fellowship with the student body, as well as forums for different perspectives to help inform the students worldview.

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This fall, Liberty has hosted pastors, musicians, business and political leaders, and others who are in the public eye for conversations and lessons on life and faith. Guests have shared examples of how students can take hold of their

passions to make a positive impact on the world.

While many of Liberty s guests each year are outspoken Christians, the university also frequently hosts guests from all spheres of society. Now, more

JOEL COLEMAN

NVO TIONS than ever, the Convocation stage is being used as a platform of ideas. As a Christian university, Liberty encourages its students to respectfully listen to different viewpoints to gain a better understanding of the issues that affect all of us.

The semester kicked off with MyPillow

inventor and CEO Mike Lindell, one of the most successful Christian businessmen today. Lindell surprised students with a gift of 12,000 pillows — a $600,000 value.

Lindell received an honorary doctorate from Liberty and spoke about his business successes and failures, including

overcoming a severe drug addiction.

Throughout the following weeks, Christians in the music industry, including country music artist Jo Dee Messina, Third Day frontman Mac Powell, Grammy Award-winner Michael W. Smith, and popular band >>

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Mike Lindell

Mac Powell

Tenth Avenue North

Dr. Cornel West and Dr. Robert George

Jo Dee Messina

Michael W. Smith

William Harvey

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Erin and Ben Napier

Ben Stuart

John Mark Comer

Brett Favre

Jon Tyson

LUK E BOBBEY

George and Candace Farmer with President Jerry Falwell, Becki Falwell, and David Nasser

>>Tenth Avenue North performed on stage and encouraged students with their personal testimonies.

William Harvey, the president of Hampton University in Virginia for 41 years and a close friend of President Jerry Falwell, spoke on Aug. 23 about the components that make up a successful leader, beginning with a devotion to Christlike servanthood.

With the fierce divisiveness that has developed in modern America, the ability to have a constructive and respectful conversation on opposing viewpoints is vital. On Aug. 30, Princeton University professor Dr. Robert George and Harvard University professor Dr. Cornel West outlined the necessary steps for such interactions, the first of which is modeling Christ. Coming from different sides of American politics and social issues, they brought a message of mutual respect and Christian love.

Pastors Jon Tyson from Trinity Grace

Church in New York City, Ben Stuart of Passion City Church in Washington, D.C., John Mark Comer of Bridgetown Church in Portland, Ore., and Robert Madu from Trinity Church in Cedar Hill, Texas, all delivered messages about the biblical guidelines of maintaining healthy, Christ-centered relationships. Comer also spoke at Campus Community and at ConvoSelect (special Convocations held on Thursdays).

On Sept. 6, newlyweds George and Candace Farmer visited Liberty while on their honeymoon to speak about their life as political activists. George explained the complex history of Brexit in his native England. Candace outlined her similarly named movement known as Blexit, an effort to educate black Americans on what she calls the manipulative, victimhood narrative that progressives use to lure black citizens to the voting booths a narrative she said the media perpetuates. Brexit

party leader and European Parliament member Nigel Farage was originally scheduled to speak, but in a taped video to students, he told them the battle for Brexit in the U.K. needed his full attention.

Working in the spotlight of the sports and entertainment world can be challenging, but HGTV stars Erin and Ben Napier of Home Town and NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre spoke about keeping their faith in the workplace. On Sept. 1 3, the Napiers explained how the home makeovers on their show are reflective of the way that God transforms lives, and they encouraged students to pursue their passions. In the spirit of the Napiers work, Liberty surprised three roommates with a renovated dorm room. During College for A Weekend on Sept. 27, Favre discussed the iconic moments of his record-breaking career and his life off the field.

To watch Convocation live, visit the Liberty University Facebook page and join the livestream. To watch past Convocations, go to Liberty’s YouTube channel.

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A PLACE IN LIBERTY’S WORLD Michael W. Smith starts new role as executive director of Center for Commercial Music

BY MITZI BIBLE

Multi-platinum recording artist Michael W. Smith told Liberty University music students that his best days are ahead of him. That s after 35 years of success in the industry, with three Grammy Awards and over 18 million albums sold.

I think my best days are ahead; I feel it. I m still passionate about what I do; I ve been doing this for a long time, and I just sense that God is stirring something.

I still have my ear to the ground, he told students at a special session in the Center for Music and the Worship Arts, Concert Hall.

Some of those best days could be at Liberty.

Smith is the executive director of Liberty s new Michael W. Smith Center for Commercial Music, which launched this fall. The artist visited campus on Sept.

18 to meet with university administrators, School of Music leadership, and students to set goals and cast a vision for the center. He was also a special guest at Convocation, leading worship and telling a few personal stories about how he has seen God s presence in his life.

In the Concert Hall, Smith addressed nearly 1,000 music students, campus worship leaders, faculty, and staff before enjoying a private time of worship with LU Praise, the School of Music s gospel choir.

Smith shared some of his personal and career challenges, imparting wisdom on everything from getting through a writing block and waiting patiently on the

Lord for the creativity to flow, to lessons on practicing humility as a celebrity and leaning on others faith when you have struggles with your own. He played parts of his favorite songs over the years, including cinematic scores, and told students that his next task to complete is a vibrant and fun symphony, which he has been working on for several years.

Senior Amber Taylor, a member of LU Praise, said students have been highly anticipating Smith s involvement with the School of Music.

I was really excited because he s a giant in the Christian music world, from way back. For me, it s a big deal because I one day want to do what he does, and now I m seeing how it plays out, she said.

To have people like him be so willing to come here and pour into us is wonderful.

It s not every day you meet someone that

I feel like part of my calling is to mentor young students, not only in the creative part but also hopefully in teaching them a little bit about life. I ll share with them my triumphs but also the missteps I took along the way.

M I C H A E L W. S M I T H

AND REW SNYD ER

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great who says, Yes, I ll sit down with your students and Yes, I ll come listen to your choir and sing with them and just love on them and that s a big part of what he does.

Smith said he plans to return to the university in the coming months, making the new center a priority even with his busy touring schedule of 38 shows before the end of the year. He ll also be talking to classes remotely through video calls and teleconferencing.

Pouring into the younger generation, he feels, is a personal duty.

I m kind of a father here, too I feel like it s really my responsibility. To whom much is given, much is required.

My responsibility is not to go retire and just hang out and play golf for the rest of my life I m just not going to do that. I feel like part of my calling is to mentor

young students, not only in the creative part but also hopefully in teaching them a little bit about life. I ll share with them my triumphs but also the missteps I took along the way.

He said spending time with students and seeing the growth of Liberty s campus and music program was a motivator for him.

It s great just being here, you just feel there s some energy here, and I think for everybody I ve talked to and know, there s a real pure heart here to do the right thing and want to see the Kingdom further advancing and we re going to play our part in doing that.

Liberty announced the new center in June. It coincides with a major recording initiative that will attract new and already successful artists from across the country. Kevin Jonas,

father and original manager of the Jonas Brothers (he launched their music careers in 2005), will also play a pivotal role in working with students to introduce their talent to the world by publishing and recording music.

Serving as Liberty s newly appointed Commercial Music Industry Liaison, former Christian recording artist and music industry practitioner Al Denson has been a key player in securing Smith, Jonas, and others for this unique School of Music partnership.

Dr. Vernon Whaley, dean of the School of Music, said the goals of the center are to equip musicians for marketplace evangelism in today s music culture, reestablish the culture for God s glory, and become a top choice for the training and equipping of commercial music professionals.

It s not every day you meet someone that great who says, Yes, I ll sit down with your students and Yes, I ll come listen to your choir and sing with them and just love on them and that s a big part of what he does.

A M B E R T AY L O R , S E N I O R

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Al Denson (front left) with Dr. Vernon Whaley, Michael W. Smith, and LU music staff

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Why

A STUDENT’S STORY

“A crossroads of everything I desired”

BY ASHLEY SINGLETON

I grew up in a Christian home where I was led by the most incredible Christian leaders whom I call Mom and Dad. I was raised in church all my life and was saved at the age of 7. I consider myself blessed to have grown up in a Christian environment and did not face much spiritual opposition as a young girl.

High school, however, was a different story. I felt like the minority there. I went to a very large public school where I constantly felt as though I didn t belong.

Don t get me wrong I was an athlete and had a lot of friends. However, I never felt as though many others shared my values. On weekends, when most people would go out and party, I would spend the evening in. I was not surrounded by many people who desired to live out their faith.

At first, when I began to research different universities, I wasn t very excited about the college experience because I thought it would be an intensified version of my high school experience. This was when I decided I wanted to go to a Christian school.

As I began my search for a Christian university, no other college compared

ASHLEY SINGLETON

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a student-athlete, I have access to the highest level of athletic trainers, a nutritionist, and strength coaches who encourage us to achieve excellence with integrity. And through both academics and athletics at Liberty, the priority is to keep Christ at the center of all things.

I am in my third year here, and I can look back and see the growth in my personal life. I am not the same person I was when I came in as a freshman. I have made numerous lifelong friends whom I consider brothers and sisters. I have grown in my relationship with the Lord, and I have excelled athletically and academically.

Now, as I look back on the day that I teared up during my tour, I am amazed at what God has done in my life and on this campus. The culture at Liberty is indescribable, and I am so honored to be a part of this family.

Ashley Singleton is a junior from Cincinnati, Ohio, pursuing a degree in integrated communication. She is a Liberty University cheerleader and a student marketing representative.

JO EL COL EMAN

“Being here at Liberty feels much closer to home than any other school would have.”

with Liberty. It was a crossroads of everything I desired prestigious academics, the highest level of athletics, and a Christian environment. When I visited Liberty, I absolutely fell in love. I knew I belonged here and felt the Lord s presence surrounding this campus. I will never forget that as my tour guide prayed over my group, I began to tear up because I knew that this was where I was meant to be. Liberty was my first and last tour.

This was going to be my new home, and although I was unsure of what to expect, I was thrilled.

Growing up, I always said that I would attend college close to my home in Ohio.

Now, when I explain to people why I chose to live seven hours away, my answer is simple: being here at Liberty feels much closer to home than any other school would have. Coming to Liberty has been such a privilege in many ways. Not only do I have access to impeccable leaders who will walk through life with me, but I am also exposed to extraordinary facilities as well as new technology and modern hands-on learning opportunities inside and outside the classroom. As

NEW FINANCIAL REPORT SHOWS LIBERTY’S BUSINESS MODEL ADDS UP TO MORE RESOURCES AND AID FOR STUDENTS Recently released audited financial statements for fiscal year 2019 show that Liberty University continues to benefit from applying the consistent business principles of accountability and efficiency to every aspect of its operations in order to deliver a world-class experience to its residential and online students.

The results are staggering, showing continued financial growth at a time when other schools continue to struggle. Liberty s total assets grew by $31 7.5 million in just the last year, and the university now holds $3.1 3 billion in assets. The operating revenue earned last year grew by $92.7 million, while operating expenses grew by only half that rate. Furthermore, the university s investments rose by $237 million in the last year (from $1.668 billion in 2018 to $1 .905 billion in 201 9). By September 201 9, total investments reached over $2.029 billion.

Liberty s financial strength continues to translate into real resources for students as they benefit from new and improved facilities throughout campus.

In the last 1 2 months, the School of Business opened its new building and major investments were made in the engineering program, the School of Behavioral Sciences, the College of Osteopathic Medicine, and the School of Nursing, among other academic areas. Liberty is poised to open a new Veterans Student Center that triples the

square footage for military students.

While we understand that we will always have critics in the press and even some in the higher education community who just do not understand our business drive and vision, we are here to serve and focus on our students first, President Jerry Falwell said. We will continue to build Liberty s strength for our students, our alumni, and their long-term legacies.

Students are also reaping the benefits of institutional financial aid, which now exceeds $277 million per year. This school year, Liberty launched the largest need-based student aid program in university history, the Middle America Scholarship, representing another $1 7 million investment in students per year.

The scholarship is helping students from middle-income families who typically earn between $35,000 and $95,000 per year. For eligible students, the scholarship will bring them up to the equivalent of the full Federal Pell Grant amount. To date, Liberty has awarded over $5 million to 1,200 students.

This fall, Liberty also increased its investment in the local Stay Close, Go Far Promise Scholarship program, sponsored and funded by the nonprofit Lynchburg Beacon of Hope. The program pledges up to $8,000 per student (those who attended a Lynchburg City School from the ninth to 12th grades) over four years. Liberty is one of six colleges and

Tuition freeze in place for second straight year Liberty University is keeping its residential tuition rates the same for the second year in a row, effective for the 2020-21 academic year. The university has also frozen rates for its online program for the fourth year.

The move comes as college debt burden and tuition increases among public and private universities has emerged as a national issue for policymakers.

“We are meeting this issue head -on,” said Liberty President Jerry Falwell. “Liberty remains committed to provid ing a world class education within a Christian worldview, and assisting our stud ents financially is a large factor in that. Our graduates are making an impact all over the globe, from nursing to

teaching to engineering, and in many other disciplines. If we can help keep tuition costs down, they will meet their goals sooner and will have an even greater impact where they work and live.”

When most other schools are increasing their prices by up to 5 percent every year, Liberty’s tuition freeze translates to immed iate savings for families. Keeping tuition the same, in ad d ition to generous financial aid , makes a Liberty ed ucation more attainable than the majority of other private university d egrees and competitive with many in-state public colleges and universities.

For more, visit Liberty.edu/TuitionFreeze.

universities to take part but is going a step further by providing an additional $8,000 toward meal plans. For more on scholarships for Virginia residents, visit Liberty.edu/Admissions.

Liberty s online undergraduate students are also seeing savings of up to $975 per year with free digital textbooks and instructional materials. Visit Liberty.edu/Online/Scholarships for more information.

Student debt falls below national average A recent national study shows that stud ents at Liberty University are borrowing less than other stud ents while they complete their d egree.

Accord ing to Lend EDU, Liberty’s Class of 2018 has a low average d ebt per borrower of only $22,836 for their four-year und ergrad uate d egree, placing stud ents in the bottom 6th percentile nationally and about $6,000 below the national average.

When compared with almost 1,000 four-year public and private schools nationwide, Liberty students rank the 134th lowest in the country.

They also rank second for the lowest amount borrowed in Virginia, and they borrow less among private universities, ranking the 55th lowest.

All schools within the university weave an aspect of financial literacy into their course content. Since 2012, Liberty has provided a free financia literacy course to all students.

“Liberty University is always looking for ways to help keep a private, Christian e d ucation afford able, and we are thankful to see these efforts have real, impactful outcomes like the find ings from Lend EDU,” said Ashley Reich, vice presid ent of stud ent financia services. “Our students are choosing to attend Liberty University for the incred ible ed ucation they receive here, and we are, in turn, finding every possible avenue to keep our degrees afford able, no matter the stud ent’s income level or background.”

Sport management alumnus hits home run with career built on

SELLING FUN

BY MITZI BIBLE

© 2019 Hendrick Motorsports, LLC

Kevin Camper ( 93) was one of the first students in Liberty University s sport management program, but he never thought that his fascination with sports would eventually take him to Major League Baseball, the Olympics, professional bull riding, and now NASCAR. Camper is the senior vice president of sales and marketing for Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the world s most diverse motorsports facility. He manages several different events every day. In a city that never sleeps, it s no surprise that the facility hosts more than 1,400 events a year, from NASCAR tripleheader weekends and VIP driving experiences to large music festivals and multiple conventions.

We re not just a NASCAR track. We can host events for anywhere from 10 to 35,000 people, he said. Forty-five million people come into our city each and every year, mostly for conventions; the largest conventions in the U.S. are here.

And Camper keeps pace with all of it.

Anything in the day-to-day business

operations, I probably have my hands in the middle of it, he said.

Camper, originally from Salem, Va., played on the Flames Baseball team, so it was a natural fit when he landed a sales job with the Texas Rangers immediately after graduation. It was an exciting transitional year for the team, as it prepared to move into its new stadium, Globe Life Park in Arlington.

Camper was right in on the action; for three years, he coordinated season ticket sales for the new ballpark.

After graduation, I was focused on going to work in baseball and maybe had hopes of someday being a sports agent, and I even thought about law school.

But when I went to work at the Rangers, I decided I didn t want to leave sports the people were great. It was a great team, and we had a really neat time.

Camper also spent 20 days working with the Atlanta Olympic Committee and was assigned to the beach volleyball venue to manage customer service care.

Then he heard that another new sports facility was coming to town Texas Motor Speedway. Speedway Motorsports Inc., which currently operates eight speedways around the country, including Las Vegas, was building its first track in Dallas from the ground up. It was yet another chance for Camper to have a front-row seat to the opening of a new, major sports venue.

He was hired by the speedway to direct ticket sales and operations and worked his way up to director of business development and later served as vice president of sales and marketing.

Within a span of five years I was able

to be there in Texas to open two new sports facilities in the early 90s it was kind of a neat deal, he said.

In 2009, he left Texas Motor Speedway to become the chief revenue and marketing officer for Professional Bull Riders Inc. and lived in Colorado Springs for two years. Then, in 201 1 , he moved to Las Vegas to take the reins of the speedway s sales and marketing team. One of the first large-scale events he hosted was the city s first Electric Daisy Carnival the biggest electronic dance music event in the country. Now in its ninth year, the festival draws 450,000 people over three days.

Camper said Las Vegas is a place he never would have imagined his career would take him. But he and his wife, Meredith, and their two children, Chase, 16, and Emma, 14, have made the city their home and have found a strong faith community there.

He said sport management is a unique field where he gets to deliver a product to the customers that is unlike any other: fun.

When you re in the sports business, you re in the fun business. We re selling fun to people every day, he said.

It s also an exciting time to be a part of NASCAR, he added, especially when one of the drivers is a Liberty student who is racing a car on your track with your alma mater s name displayed on the hood.

Not a week goes by that I don t get a text message from somebody in our business saying, Hey, your school is out in front, Camper said. It makes me proud to see what s happening with Las Vegas Motor Speedway

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LU and NASCAR and what a great individual and ambassador William Byron is for Liberty. He s a great young man, he s in line with a great group of people at Hendrick Motorsports, and it s really exciting to watch his growth.

Camper said he also represents Liberty himself whenever he gets the chance.

I m able to tell people all the time about Liberty. I say, Look, here s a

great place to go get an education from and have a wonderful experience from a spiritual standpoint. I think there s no other place like it.

When he thinks about his college years, he has fond memories of his small group, a tight-knit baseball team, going to chapel service three times a week, and being inspired by some of the best speakers in the country.

I was surrounded by strong,

solid Christians, he said. We were grounded to where we didn t have to worry about getting into things we shouldn t be into. That s made me who I am today from a standpoint of making sure I die to myself every day and do the things I m supposed to be doing. It s not always easy, but there is a greater call and you hold on to the hope, and those thoughts will get you through.

Liberty renews sponsorship of William Byron and No. 24 team

© 2019 Hendrick Motorsports, LLC

Liberty University an d 12-time NASCAR Cup Series champions Hendrick Motorsports announced a two-year agreement in September to extend support of d river and Liberty stud ent William Byron and his No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 team for 12 Cup races in 2020 and 2021.

“We have been by William Byron’s sid e as he’s risen through the ranks at a young age, and it is an honor to continue to support one of our very own in his career,” Liberty Presid ent Jerry Falwell said . “William and Hend rick Motorsports have always been a perfect fit for Liberty University. We share the same values and are committed to the same mission that makes champions on the racetrack and champions in life.”

At NASCAR’s highest level, Byron earned 2018 Rookie of the Year honors followed this year by his fi st career playoff berth.

Liberty has supported Byron since 2014 when he drove late model stock cars, and the university has been a 12-race primary sponsor since his 2018 Cup Series d ebut with Hendrick Motorsports.

Byron, 21, is a junior working toward an und ergrad uate business communications degree through Liberty’s online program.

“Liberty University has been a big part of my racing career and progression through NASCAR from basically the beginning,” Byron said . “Their support on and off the track, includ ing with my stud ies, has been monumental. They’ve been with me through numerous accomplishments, includ ing race wins and championships,

Feb. 9:

March 15: May 24: June 21: July 5: July 19:

and I’m glad we were able to add to that list this season by making it into my fi st Cup Series playoffs. I’m excited about Liberty being back on board with the No. 24 team, and I look forward to what the future holds for us.”

Liberty has also continued its partnership with Hend rick Motorsports owner Rick Hend rick and the Hend rick Automotive Group, which owns over 100 d ealerships nationwid e. The company works closely with stud ents in Liberty’s Automotive Dealership Management d egree program through the School of Business, and several grad uates are working at its d ealerships.

Hend rick recently expressed to Falwell what a special place Liberty has become to him and how excited he is to hire Liberty graduates.

Daytona International Speedway (The Clash) Atlanta Motor Speedway Charlotte Motor Speedway Chicagoland Speedway Indianapolis Motor Speedway New Hampshire Motor Speedway

Aug. 29: Daytona International

d Spee way Sept. 6: Darlington Raceway* Sept. 12: Richmond Raceway* Sept. 19: Bristol Motor Speedway* Oct. 25: Texas Motor Speedway* Nov. 1: Martinsville Speedway*

*Playoff Race

VISIT LIBERTY.EDU/24 to read more about Byron, a Liberty University student and 2019 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff contender. Follow his progress at WilliamByron.com.

RESILIENCE IS A NECESSARY TRAIT TO CARRY INTO THE WORKPLACE S H A N N A W. A K E R S

She sat in her car, feeling the anxiety rise. Her whole life, she had seemed to easily overcome obstacles and challenges. Whether academically or in other areas of life, she had always succeeded. But now she was paralyzed.

The thought of walking onto the unit one more day made her stomach turn and brought feelings of inadequacy and fear.

This is where she found herself just one year after becoming a registered nurse in the high acuity critical care unit.

She never thought that being a nurse would be filled with so much stress and sadness. In the three months of orientation, she worked alongside nurses who expressed that they were burned out and tired of the politics

18

in healthcare. And when she began to care for patients alone, she experienced loneliness, feelings of incompetence, and fear that she would never make a good nurse. She had never had these feelings before, and when she lost the fifth patient in three weeks, she began to question her calling.

Resilience can be described as the ability to overcome difficult challenges or the ability to bounce back after a tough situation. You see it in the businessman who files bankruptcy only to become a millionaire a few years later, or in the woman who was let go from a job who later finds her perfect niche and goes on to become the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.

You also see it in nurses and physicians who work long hours to save a life today after losing a life just yesterday.

You can see it in the missionary who keeps preaching the Gospel every day for years even when not a single soul accepts Jesus as Savior. Each person has the ability to be resilient. But what are their secrets?

SCHOLAR’S VIEWPOINT

POSITIVE ATTITUDE A study by Zuzana kodová and L ubica Bánovčinová in the Journal of Nursing confirmed that nursing students with high levels of negative affectivity and social inhibition, both associated with maladaptive coping strategies, expressed lower levels of resilience. The ability to reframe a negative thought or negative perception of another s action has been associated with higher levels of resilience. One secret of resilient individuals is their ability to face challenges as an opportunity for personal or professional growth, realizing that one moment in life does not have to define who he or she is. It is the art of seeking the silver lining behind every storm cloud.

SENSE OF PURPOSE Individuals are called to serve the Lord and to work as unto Him (Colossians 3:23-24). A higher calling in life leads us to opportunities to impact the world around us. Finding meaning beyond self in the work is necessary to face overwhelming challenges. In an article Reexamining Resilience in the American Journal of Nursing, Hui-Wen Sato suggests that one can endure hardships by focusing on the purpose of the work. For Christians, this work should be seen as a high calling to serve others through the skills and talents the Lord has given us. A focus on improving the lives of others rather than on self allows one to face adversities with knowledge that the Lord s purpose is attainable.

CONNECT WITH OTHERS / SEEK HELP During times of adversity, individuals should have a support system to help process the difficult moments. Seeking a mentor is essential for building resilience. This mentor can be a more experienced colleague, a previous faculty member, or a church leader.

Professional help, such as a counselor, may be needed to help process major life hardships. Galatians 6:2 reminds us to bear one another s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Connecting with others and sharing adversity with them allows one to see the situation through a different lens, offering a perspective that may have not been seen previously. Knowing when to seek help, and who to seek it from, will help prevent burnout and anxiety.

FAITH Building faith is a key to becoming and remaining resilient. We are reminded in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 that, We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed.

We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.

When we have faith in the Lord and trust in His goodness, we realize that though we face insurmountable odds, God is with us, for He never leaves us (Deuteronomy 31 :6). How does one build his or her faith? First, be connected to the Word (Romans 10:17).

Second, remember the faithfulness

of God (Lamentations 3:22-23; Isaiah 49:23). Third, remember that faith only grows through facing challenges (1 Timothy 6:12). By growing one s faith, one is able to trust in the Lord. This trust builds resilience.

As she sat in her car unable to move, she began to count her blessings. Her faith began to grow as she remembered her calling and purpose in life: to invest in the lives of others through the art and science of nursing. She remembered that her professors had warned her to keep her faith in God, seek to work unto Him, and to remember His blessings to prevent burnout or disillusionment. It would take a while, but she knew she could change her attitude with a little help from her colleagues, her leaders, and her God.

Shanna W. Akers is the dean and an associate professor of nursing at the Liberty University School of Nursing.

She has taught at all levels of nursing, with a primary focus on leadership and management as well as critical care. Prior to joining Liberty, Akers was director of the Cardiovascular Service Line for a large hospital system in Louisiana, where she also practiced as a cardiac ICU nurse. Using the experience as a leader in both clinical practice and academia, Akers continues to present on topics such as building teamwork, communication, and resilience.

ILLUSTR ATION BY HANNAH BAR R

19

CP L. JO E JAKUBI C

LU STUDENTS AND ALUMNI CHAMBERSBURG (PA.) POLICE DEPARTMENT

CARING FOR THOSE WHO CARE FOR US

BY TOBI WALSH LAUKAITIS

The life of a first responder revolves around two things: sacrifice and service.

At Liberty University, the important role that these public servants play in our communities does not go unnoticed.

Liberty provides a special discount of 25 percent off tuition for eligible police officers, paramedics, firefighters, and other first responders as a thank you for taking care of our communities. Even with their demanding work schedules, Liberty s flexible and affordable online education program is helping them achieve their academic and career goals.

A CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW In Chambersburg, Pa., Police Chief Roland Camacho noticed an interesting pattern among his 34 officers: several attended or were enrolled at Liberty.

When I became chief in 201 6, I pushed for the department to really up the education, he said. It was one of my mandates when I came, but I didn t specify where these guys could take classes. They all chose Liberty, and a lot of it has to do with Detective Sgt. Jon Greenawalt.

Greenawalt decided he wanted to pursue a bachelor s degree to help gain more credibility when testifying on the

20

stand. His wife encouraged him to apply to Liberty after she completed her master s degree from Liberty s online program.

When I started my classes, I became hooked on the philosophy of the school, Greenawalt said. I wanted more from my education. Liberty teaches you how to take your chosen vocation, which for me is law enforcement, and connect it to a Christian worldview.

Greenawalt completed his degree in 2014 and went on to earn his master s in criminal justice and public administration from Liberty in 2016.

I learned a lot about administrating in a criminal justice environment, he said. Liberty gives you the basic background, and I was able to couple that with the training I ve received from the department. But a lot it I had already learned because of my training at Liberty.

It wasn t long before he was encouraging others in his department to consider Liberty, noting the school s significant discounts for first responders and veterans.

Chief Camacho was one of them.

After over 20 years in law enforcement, Camacho wanted to earn his master s degree.

Sgt. Greenawalt was very convincing

about Liberty and why I should go there, Camacho said. I got accepted, and it was a great choice.

Camacho was equally impressed with the online program and completed his master s in criminal justice in July.

As I was developing my leadership skills, I really fell in love with the idea of servant leadership and I got that from the classes and having to find Scripture that sort of meshes with what you re responding to and what you re writing about, Camacho said.

He added that his courses helped him develop his writing and led him to publish an article on emotional intelligence in a national publication.

I would have never had the confidence to do that had it not been for the writing in my courses and getting good feedback from the instructors, he said.

FLEXIBLE FORMAT Although Maurice Moe Bruce has been in the field of fire and rescue since 1 987, he felt compelled to pursue a bachelor s degree as he began to reach retirement age for the Lynchburg (Va.) Fire Department. After moving to Lynchburg in the early 1 990s, Bruce now works out of Fire Station 2 in

K J JUGAR

MAURICE “MOE” BRUCE, LYNCHBURG (VA.) FIRE DEPARTMENT

JEFFREY SCZERZEN GREENDALE (WIS.) FIRE DEPARTMENT

EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS: A wide variety of associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs are helping fir t responders advance in their careers or start a new vocation. Apply online at Liberty.edu/Online or call (800) 424-9595 (undergraduate) and (800) 424-9596 (graduate/doctoral).

downtown Lynchburg.

I felt like it was a good opportunity, Bruce said. With the first responder discount and Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant (VTAG), Liberty made it affordable, and I wanted to take advantage of a way I could market myself after I retired.

Bruce, who is currently earning his B.S. in Fire Administration, said it was an easy decision to choose Liberty, especially with the convenience of the online program.

I have loved the program so far at Liberty, he said. It offers flexibility to help me complete my assignments, and I ve even been able to work on assignments while at work.

Even though Bruce is local to Lynchburg and Liberty s main campus, his online courses have allowed him to connect with other fire professionals from around the country.

We get to hear how other localities handle different situations and react, which is interesting, he said.

His degree program has even allowed him to branch out and dabble in new interests.

Right now, my favorite class is one I m taking on social media, Bruce said. Most of the students are younger, and I m a

little bit more old-school, but it s been great to hear from their perspectives.

CAREER ADVANCEMENT As Jeffrey Sczerzen began charting his career path, he realized that he was missing something: a degree.

I realized that if I wanted to move up the ranks and be better marketable for promotions, then I would need to have a bachelor s degree, Sczerzen said.

A full-time firefighter based out of Greendale, Wis., a suburban area outside of Milwaukee, Sczerzen started to research college programs that could work with his busy schedule.

The problem I kept running into was that a lot of these degree programs weren t accredited, he said.

That was until he came across Liberty s fully accredited online program, where he could earn a B.S. in Fire Administration.

I knew that if I wanted a biggerranking job, I was going to need a program like Liberty s, Sczerzen said.

One of the guys at work recommended Liberty, and it came down to price point.

Sczerzen said choosing Liberty was a no-brainer. He quickly received information, and an academic advisor walked him through the process,

answering all his questions.

The fire administration program really teaches you things that are specific to our industry, he said. You can apply what you re learning to real-life situations. You are able to learn things like policy through the Helms School of Government and connect with other professionals around the country.

Another major reason Sczerzen decided to continue his education was to help better train younger firefighters.

There have been mistakes made over the years that we have had to learn from, he said. I wanted to have the best knowledge to pass on to the next generation so they have good habits moving forward.

Liberty s First Responder Discount of 25 percent off tuition is open to students who are currently (or within the last five years) employed, volunteering full time, or retired from areas of law enforcement, emergency services, fire safety and rescue work, TSA, and Civil Air Patrol. The discount can be combined with Liberty s military benefit, leading to over 50 percent savings. The discount can also be stacked with Liberty s corporate affiliate discount of 1 5 percent for a 40 percent savings. The program considers transfer credits from a police academy as well as work experience and Continuing Education certificates.

Visit Liberty.edu/Online/Scholarships for a full list of eligibility requirements.

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LE ARNING UP CLOSE

FROM FAR AWAY Unique programs help students earn course credit abroad while being immersed in a different culture

BY LOGAN SMITH

Samuel Bohon had read about the Sistine Chapel and seen numerous textbook photographs, but nothing compared with observing the historic marvel in person.

Michelangelo s signature paintings, brushed during the 1 6th century, adorned the walls and arched ceiling. As a history student at Liberty University, the cultural significance of the art took his breath away.

No amount of studying or seeing it in pictures could have prepared me for the experience of seeing it in person because of its magnificence and importance to history, Bohon said.

It all started one year ago during an LU Send fair in the Jerry Falwell Library.

(The LU Send office handles all student, faculty, and staff travel opportunities.)

Several recruiting booths dotted the bottom floor, but one in particular stood out to Bohon: Rome with Purpose.

Curious, Bohon approached the table.

I really didn t know anything about studying abroad, Bohon said. I hadn t thought about it until I went to the fair.

He quickly learned that students can complete full academic semesters through the university s study abroad program at an approved foreign university or take courses from an approved LU faculty member who works abroad.

After pondering the prospect of studying in Rome and exploring Vatican City for three months, Bohon snatched the opportunity. During the next semester (last spring), Bohon pocketed 15 credits toward his history degree.

Lots of history originates from Rome and the Roman Empire, Bohon said. The biggest benefit about (studying abroad) is talking about certain things, then actually going to see them. When studying here in the states, you can read about it and look at pictures, but it s nothing like actually being there. It doesn t matter where

22

you are in Rome, it feels like you re in a really important place.

In Rome, Bohon toured cathedrals and basilicas, studied architecture and language, and even completed a course on historical artwork.

He gazed upon works by daVinci and Michelangelo at the Vatican Museums.

It s crazy to think that they actually made those statues, basically molding them out of one big piece of marble, Bohon said.

The program also allowed for two independent travel weeks for students to

It gave me the opportunity to experience another culture entirely and meet and learn from other people with different experiences. It truly changed my life.

ANDREA LITHERLAND Elementary school intern in Quito, Ecuador

explore locations of their choice. Bohon toured Athens and London.

Before I went to Italy, I was more interested in U.S. history, but it is 50-50 for me now, he said. My trip made me appreciate a wider area of history, rather than just U.S. history.

Unlike many college study abroad programs, LU Send doesn t limit students to a few typical disciplines like foreign languages or international studies; every student at Liberty has a unique opportunity to continue to study in their chosen degree program while overseas. There is at least one study abroad or international internship location for every field of study at Liberty, and most majors offer more than one option.

This school year, students will be earning course credit in more than 150 locations around the world. Some of

the top destinations for Liberty s study abroad program in the past two years have been Italy, Spain, Ecuador, South Korea, Australia, England, France, and Israel. The experiences range from two to six months, depending on the program and how many classes students want to take. The cost for many of the study abroad sites is surprisingly similar to the cost of taking on-campus courses.

We are really motivated by the incredible experience it gives college students to spend an extended period of time overseas, said Dr. Larry Peck, who directs Rome with Purpose, one of Liberty s signature study abroad initiatives. Students are not only accomplishing academics, but they re learning so much about a new culture and being immersed in the language.

Studying abroad was one of the greatest experiences of my college career, Bohon said. It allowed me to learn from and appreciate other cultures. I would encourage anyone who is considering studying abroad to do it because it will greatly improve your education and will help you make friends and memories that will last a lifetime.

Many students also take advantage of international internships facilitated by the LU Send office. Living and Learning International is one of Liberty s signature programs in Quito, Ecuador, that offers an internship option.

Living and Learning definitely enhanced my education and really put everything into perspective, said Virginia Peay, a senior journalism student. I was able to see for the first time what my major would look like post-grad as well as what being in a totally new culture entails with both its challenges and rewards.

Peay worked as a photojournalist intern at Compassion International, a humanitarian aid organization focused on child sponsorship. She also worked with its public relations team.

The internship was amazing and the staff at Compassion was incredibly hospitable and loving, Peay said. But I think my favorite part was just exploring Quito with the other students.

Andrea Litherland, a junior elementary education student pursuing a minor in global studies, worked as an assistant teacher at an elementary school in Quito.

The internship broadened my cross-cultural awareness and allowed me to see how education is done in another country, Litherland said. It gave me the opportunity to experience another culture entirely and meet and learn from other people with different experiences. It truly changed my life because it challenged me and helped me grow in so many ways.

In addition to study abroad and international internships, Liberty students can earn course credit overseas on short-term trips during Winter Break, Spring Break, and over the summer.

These programs are also diverse in locations and academic disciplines. This year, psychology students will go to Denmark to learn about the application of positivist psychology in Danish life; biology and chemistry students will travel to Germany and Switzerland for CHEM 301 ; divinity students will travel to Calcutta, India, and Kathmandu, Nepal, to study apologetics, religion, and theology; and nursing and pre-med students will learn about healthcare in a rural hospital in Togo, Africa. And that s just a sampling of the offerings.

While LU Send s objective in all these opportunities is to allow students to see the world and gain an international perspective, safety is also an important consideration. All programs are vetted through Liberty University, and faculty members accompany students on every short-term excursion.

Thanks to the leadership of President Jerry Falwell and the tremendous cooperative spirit between the Office of the Provost and our team in the Office of Spiritual Development, student travel at Liberty has never been more robust than it is now, said Josh Rutledge, vice president of Spiritual Development. Whether it is study abroad or short-term trips, Liberty is quickly establishing itself as a model for student travel in higher education.

Dr. Brian Shelton with students ROME, ITALY

Colton Tucker ATHENS, GREECE

Constance Schneider MALAGA, SPAIN

Ethan Spadino LONDON, ENGLAND

Alex Donley HONG KONG

Andrew Lenehan JERUSALEM, ISRAEL

Anastasia Kingsley GRANADA, SPAIN

LU Send has created an online interactive map that allows you to view all the locations for trips that have been planned around the globe. You can search opportunities by specifi academic programs or schools. Visit Liberty.edu/LUSend.

Zac Sicher VITERBO, ITALY

Emily Camplejohn COLOMBIA

M AT T E R S O F

LIFE NOT

DEATH L I B E R T Y A L U M N I S TA N D FIRM IN THEIR BELIEFS O N A N AT I O N A L S TA G E

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CAR LOS UBI NAS/ LOVE LI F E

From left: David Benham, Love Life founder Justin Reeder, and Jason Benham at the Aug. 31 prayer walk in Charlotte,

DAVID AND JASON BENHAM (’98) TWIN BROTHERS HELP CREATE A NEW WAVE IN THE PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT

BY TED ALLEN

Due in part to the mobilizing efforts of Liberty University alumni David and Jason Benham ( 98), the pro-life movement is alive and kicking in Charlotte, Raleigh, and Greensboro, N.C., and a heartbeat is now being detected in Manhattan, N.Y., where the Love Life initiative is expanding its outreach this fall.

Love Life started three years ago and is gaining momentum through its weekly prayer walks at abortion clinics in North Carolina. Forty walks were planned from Feb. 1 6 through Nov. 1 6; the duration of the outreach corresponds with a baby s average gestation period from conception to birth. The Benham brothers have teamed with other Charlotte-area entrepreneurs to pioneer the movement that has activated more than 50,000 Christians and encouraged more than 1 ,500 mothers to choose life for their unborn children.

When we travel across the country to speak, Jason and I say it s one thing to be against abortion; it s another thing to be pro-life, said David Benham, who along with his twin brother is a real

estate entrepreneur, best-selling author, former Flames and minor league baseball player, social activist, and family man.

Compassion without action is not true biblical Christianity. It s just feeling sorry for someone. There s no loving, practical way we can be biblically pro-life and not do something about it.

Building on the groundswell of church support that the brothers galvanized for the Charlotte71 4 solemn assembly that drew 9,000 people from 1 50 churches in and around Charlotte to pray for the nation during the 201 2 Democratic National Convention, Love Life has enlisted 250 churches in North Carolina to charge their congregations to advance the pro-life movement through Saturday morning prayer walks.

On any given week, we have 1 0-1 2 churches from Baptist to charismatic, of all different races adopting these clinics, David Benham said. The diversity is unbelievable. On Week 40 last year, nearly 1 0,000 people came together, and David expects this year s final walk to be even larger.

The focus of the ministry, he said, is to give families facing an unplanned

pregnancy a viable option to help care for their child through the support of the local church.

We don t fight just to make abortion illegal; we fight to make it unthinkable, David Benham said. We are saying to expectant mothers, Don t go to Planned Parenthood or any abortion facility. Come to us first. That way, you don t just save a baby, you help save the soul of a mom.

Love Life encourages partnering churches to become Houses of Refuge that commit to preach pro-life messages from the pulpit as well as offer hope and healing for women who are considering or have gone through an abortion.

We have all of our churches plugged in so people inside the churches can bring healing, which is huge, David Benham said. Healed people heal people. That s the key.

Working with North Carolina s Division of Social Services, Love Life has also connected with more than 90 families seeking to adopt or foster children. In addition, Love Life s mentor network has grown to more than 300 families who support young mothers and fathers throughout the pregnancy and >>

25

CAR LOS UB I NAS / LOVE LI F E

CAR LOS UB I NAS / LOVE LI F E

David Benham and his family participate in one of 40 prayer walks planned in Charlotte, N.C., this year as part of the Love Life initiative, which encourages mothers to choose life for their unborn children.

>> into the child's first years of life.

Ultimately, the end goal of this is discipleship and the Great Commission, David Benham said. We want to create a discipleship culture of love and life, as Christ commanded.

In North Carolina, the Benham brothers have also helped train sidewalk counselors through their Cities4Life initiative and have set up mobile RV sonogram units outside abortion clinics so expectant mothers can see their unborn child, often a turning point in their decision not to abort.

Planned Parenthood and some elected leaders try to demonize us as much as they can, but churches are seeing the true love and the theology behind the movement, and they are welcoming us with open arms, David Benham said. When we continue to mobilize with love in our hearts, there s no way our message can be silenced.

He said it takes sacrificial love akin to that of the Good Samaritan.

We have to go down into the brokenness of abortion-minded and abortion-determined women and realize it is not just an unborn child in the ditch; it s a desperate mother and maybe a desperate father running from responsibility, or a friend who is bringing them to the clinic.

Like the Good Samaritan who not only bandaged the wounds of the Jewish man, but also carried him to a nearby inn and paid for his stay while he recovered there, volunteers provide ongoing care.

We have a follow-up strategy that we call From Womb to Tomb, or From Conception to Graduation, and then ultimately, we plug them into the church so that they can be discipled in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, David Benham said.

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In the wake of awareness brought about by Focus on the Family s Alive From New York live 4D sonogram screening in Times Square in May, David Benham and Justin Reeder, founder of Love Life, decided this summer to take the platform to New York City. The first prayer walk there was held on Oct. 5.

Their staging ground was the Margaret Sanger Center, a place David Benham calls the head of the monster because it is Planned Parenthood s biggest clinic in the state and aborts around 1 1 ,000 babies per year.

The brothers, who live on the same street in Charlotte, participate in Love Life with their families. David and wife, Lori ( 98), have five children, and Jason and his wife, Tori, have four.

The brothers newest book, Bold and Broken: Becoming the Bridge Between Heaven and Earth, discusses a Christian approach to faithfully engaging hot-button issues such as abortion.

We grew up in the pro-life movement, said David Benham, whose father, the Rev. Flip Benham, founded pro-life organizations in the 1 990s.

Formerly a pro-choice, alcoholic saloon owner, the Rev. Benham became an outspoken pro-life advocate after his wife, Faye, refused to have an abortion when she found out she was pregnant with their twins in 1975.

The night we were born, he was passed out drunk from an all-night poker party, David Benham said. Three months after we were born, Mom convinced Dad to come to church near Orlando, and he got radically saved that day. He walked home from church and he said it was on that walk he surrendered his life to be a pastor.

Flip Benham was instrumental in leading Norma McCorvey known as Jane Roe from the infamous Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the U.S. in 1973 to Christ and baptizing her in 1995.

Visit LoveLife.org for more information.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE: Jason Benham has recently taken the point in launching Benham Coaching, serving as a business impact coach for leaders across the country. He travels with his brother to speaking engagements around the U.S. to promote Christian principles that help entrepreneurs achieve significan e as well as success in their business ventures.

To learn more about the Benhams, visit BenhamBrothers.com.

Liberty University founder Dr. Jerry Falwell was a strong prolife supporter. He often preached against abortion and, in quoting the old saying that "it's better to light one candle than curse the darkness," he established the Liberty Godparent Home in 1982 near campus. The residential maternity home provides an alternative to abortion by offering care for mothers in unplanned pregnancies. The ministry continues to save lives every day.

NATALIE HARP (’15) RIGHT TO TRY LAW MEANS A CHANCE AT LIFE FOR YOUNG GRADUATE WITH CANCER

BY LILLIAN ABBATACOLA

Liberty University alumna Natalie Harp has been an outspoken supporter of the Right to Try Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump in May 2018.

A Stage 2 bone cancer fighter from California, Harp was accidentally infused with sterile water in 2015 and became so ill that she was housebound. She suffered through two failed chemotherapies and was denied clinical trials as one of the youngest patients with this rare form of bone cancer. Her healthcare providers offered medical marijuana, opioids, Death With Dignity, and even instruction in the voluntary stopping of eating and drinking (VSED).

Then she learned about Right to Try, which gives patients with terminal illnesses the chance to try experimental drugs not yet fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Harp said that while her doctors could not offer her any options, the new legislation could.

We now have a president who is broadening the pro-life movement to encompass life at conception to natural death, Harp said. Right to Try empowers the terminally ill to fight with dignity for life-saving experimental treatments and potential cures rather than be forced into pain clinics and death with dignity.

She said that since using the experimental drug, her numbers and pain level are stabilizing.

Harp first caught the news media s

attention when she posted an opinion piece on LinkedIn, where she shared her story of getting cancer and how the experience with Right to Try has changed her mind on being involved in national politics.

When a nation invests not in resources to end life but to save it, patients like me will know pain is worth the fight to rally to cure childhood cancer, end the opioid epidemic, and make every option available to the terminally ill, she wrote.

She appeared on Fox & Friends two days later to share her journey as a beneficiary of Right to Try. A week later, she was invited to join President Trump on the stage at the Faith & Freedom Coalition s Road to Majority annual conference in Washington, D.C. She lit up the television screen, Trump said when he introduced her at the event.

Harp thanked the president personally for giving her lifesaving hope in her battle with cancer and related her own story to the biblical story of the Good Samaritan.

What you don t know is that I was that forgotten person on the side of the road, the victim of medical error the No. 3 cause of death under the previous administration and left to die of cancer.

Harp said that the medical establishment was the first to pass by her.

They wrote me prescriptions for opioids, and they walked on. Next, the political establishment saw me there, and they stopped just long enough to

come over and tell me how to die, how to speed up my death so I could somehow die with dignity. But then an outsider, my Good Samaritan, President Donald J. Trump, he saw me there and he didn t walk by; he stopped.

Trump said it was because of Right to Try that many people have a medicine that wouldn t have been approved for years.

Harp earned her M.B.A. from Liberty in 201 5 and speaks fondly of that experience, noting that her classes challenged her worldview and helped her develop as a Christ-centered woman in the workplace.

What I especially appreciate about Liberty s vision is that every field of knowledge is treated as a mission field whether in education, business, or politics. Doing God s work is not limited to ministry in churches or foreign countries but deep in the heart of our own neighborhoods and yes, even the D.C. swamp, she said.

Harp, who recently joined the Advisory Board for Donald J. Trump for President, said she appreciates that Liberty encourages students to be politically active because so many Christians end up abstaining from the world as they try to set themselves apart from it.

Jerry Falwell s leadership and unwavering support of our president is inspiring to witness as he exemplifies to people of faith that belief in the afterlife propels action during this life, Harp said.

ERIN GRA NZOW

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P H OTOS P R OVI D ED BY TH E WI LD FAM I LY

“ God’s amazing creation IN THE RAW” For this online student, the jungles and islands of Indonesia provide unique opportunities to live out the Great Commission

BY LOGAN SMITH

Kian Wild and his brothers use drones to film s enes like this one from their home in the Raja Ampat islands for their vlog, “Highlands to Island.”

Imagine growing up in a remote jungle without roads, schools, or restaurants.

Modern avenues for communication and entertainment are scarce. Solar panels deliver trifling amounts of electricity to fuel lamps and other basic appliances.

The closest hospital is a day s journey.

For many, this lifestyle is unfamiliar and may seem daunting, but for Liberty University student Kian Wild, the remote jungles of Indonesia were the perfect home.

Growing up in the highlands was awesome, Kian Wild, 1 7, said. I will

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The Wild family (from left): Hudson, Morgan, Libby, Mike, Asher, and Kian

always remember my childhood with fond memories. We lived in the middle of virgin jungle. I enjoyed this because it allowed me to see God s amazing creation in the raw and go to places where it is doubtful that any person had ever gone before.

Last year, he moved west with his parents and three brothers to Indonesia s Raja Ampat islands, a thick, tropical stretch of exotic landmasses surrounded by beautiful coral reefs and the most recorded species of marine life in the world. Here, stronger internet signals

provide an opportunity for Kian and his siblings to pursue college degrees online.

I do my online schooling in a number of places, Kian said. If it is a beautiful day and I can t keep myself inside, I study on the porch or beach.

His family s story dates back to 2003, when his father, Mike, made a humbling decision. He was operating a charter business in Florida and had a young family. But after watching a short documentary about a missionary family who shared their faith to a remote people group, Mike and his wife, Libby, took a

leap of faith and joined the mission field.

This video was my first exposure to the fact that there are many peoples on the earth that have no access to the Gospel and do not have even one verse of the Bible in their respective languages, Mike Wild said. I was instantly convicted in my heart of hearts, knowing that I could not remain in the USA where there are plenty of lost people, but all having opportunities to read the Bible, attend a church, listen to Christian radio, watch Christian programming or rub shoulders with Christians in the workplace.

Following four years of missionary training in Florida, the Wild family now with three sons relocated to Indonesia, where unscathed jungles and rugged misty mountain ranges painted the landscape. It is home to about 1,500 Wano, the native people group. They live in small, round houses and survive off whatever vegetation sprouts from their gardens. They use basic tools like axes and fire rakes to cultivate the ground.

(The Wano) live incredibly hard lives, Kian said. And the worst part was that they were without the Good News of Christ Jesus. But through all of

Students are pursuing degrees in Liberty’s online program from their homes around the globe, representing all 50 states and over 130 countries.

nature provided a wonderful playground.

There was never a shortage of fun things to do, Kian said.

According to Mike Wild, although the family saw sickness, suffering, and death among the Wano, his children also learned the value of love and self-sacrifice. They experienced spiritual warfare and saw how God was truly all-powerful and in control. When their family moved to the Raja Ampat islands, leaving a flourishing Wano church to others oversight, they began helping a friend with mission work and had new opportunities for outreach.

The Wilds visit America on an eightmonth furlough once every three or four years. It was while they were on furlough three years ago that Kian discovered Liberty University. He learned how diverse the student body was, and when he attended a Convocation, he knew Liberty was for him.

I was very impressed with what I saw, he said. Since then, I have had

The Wild family lived among the Wano in the jungles of Indonesia for over a decade.

this, (the Wano) were so sweet and kind to us a generous people, even though they were poor.

Kian and his family quickly adapted to the culture, interacting with the Wano daily. They gradually overcame the language barrier, created an alphabet for the Wano s unwritten language, and began translating the Bible for them. In 201 0, the Wild family planted a church in the highlands, the first Christian sanctuary for many Wano.

The four Wild brothers frequently interacted with Wano kids their age, and

several friends go, and the reports I hear are always amazing. I have learned so much from the classes I have taken so far. The professors have all been great, and I love how every class points back to God. Even though a class might have a secular textbook, the professor in his posts is pointing to truth. Online classes can be difficult with being so far away, but Liberty has done a great job bridging that gap. Overall, I ve had a really good experience.

The digital communication world wasn t totally new to Kian when he

started classes. He and his three brothers had collaborated with Answers in Genesis, a nonprofit apologetics ministry, to produce a video series about growing up as missionary children in a remote area. Most recently, they have created a YouTube vlog, Highlands to Island, which chronicles their lives in Indonesia.

We wanted to make high-quality, clean entertainment that would be fun and suitable for all ages and would give glory to God, Kian said. Through this vlog, we want to encourage others in their faith and give awareness for the Great Commission, show good family values, and really exhibit God s amazing creation that we see here.

The Wild brothers release several vlogs each month and partner with Answers in Genesis during postproduction. Each video typically garners between 2,000 to 5,000 views.

My brothers and I saw that there were not many Christians our age creating content that was fun and entertaining, but also had a solid Christian message, Kian said. We wanted to make something to fill that void. God has also blessed us with amazing surroundings and an interesting history, so we thought that with these things combined, we could make a vlog that would be unique, and not like many of the other YouTube channels out there.

Kian recently started his second college term through Liberty s online program, pursuing a degree in apologetics.

I have always loved apologetics and science, and working with Answers in Genesis has grown my love for sharing and defending the Gospel, Kian said.

By earning this degree, I want to obtain a strong foundation in God s Word and become more able to proclaim it.

For more information about the Wild family and “Highlands to Island,” visit TheWildBrothers.com.

For more information about Liberty’s online opportunities, visit Liberty.edu/Online.

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THE FLAME IS STILL BURNING BY I did not have the privilege of attending Liberty University; however, I like to tell people that I arrived here as quickly as I could. For the last 14 years, I have taught over 30,000 students how to share their faith and how to engage a largely unsaved world through the power of the Gospel.

It would be an understatement to say that I love what I get to do at Liberty.

Let s be honest for a minute. Not to

D R. D AV I D

WHEELER

be critical, but in this present time of seeking entertainment and emotion over mission in many churches across North America, the idea of evangelism is not a popular concept.

This is one of the reasons why I am so passionate about the fact that Liberty University continues to require a Christian Life and Evangelism course for all incoming freshmen. It may appear

to be countercultural to some, but emphasizing evangelism and the Great Commission has been part of Liberty s spiritual DNA from the very beginning.

This goes hand in hand with our motto, Knowledge Aflame.

Anyone who knew our founder, Dr. Jerry Falwell Sr., can affirm how passionate he was for evangelism. His ultimate desire was to build a world-class

While many Christian institutions no longer understand the importance of emphasizing evangelism and the Great Commission as part of their required curriculum, trust me when I say that the flame is still burning brightly on Liberty Mountain.

JOE L ISIMEME

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FAITH IN FOCUS university and, at the same time, raise up well-educated professionals who would intentionally view themselves as Christian missionaries regardless of their vocation. Some people might consider that to be a little old-fashioned and out of touch, but not Dr. Falwell. He once said, While I have no problem with the church adapting to the culture, we must ensure that we remain painstakingly true to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that we remain obedient servants to His truths.

He firmly believed, and I concur, We can only change the world if we evangelize the world! And by the way, just in case you are wondering, this same passion remains very much alive and well on campus through our classes, Convocations, student leadership, campus community, and faculty.

Recent statistics related to this generation of Christian students reveal why it is so important that we continue to provide a strong foundation in evangelism and the Great Commission. In a recent 201 8 article by George Barna titled Translating the Great Commission, when asked if they had previously heard of the Great Commission, half of U.S. churchgoers (51 percent) said they did not know this term. This was a particularly disturbing revelation for this generation of college students.

When asked if they have heard of and remember the Great Commission, only 10 percent of millennials responded in a positive manner. And if these statistics are not alarming enough, consider that in a 2019 article, Barna revealed that Almost half of millennials (47 percent) agree at least somewhat that it is wrong to share

one s personal beliefs with someone of a different faith in hopes that they will one day share the same faith.

I recall visiting a sister university a few years ago and speaking with the campus pastor who also served as a vice president related to spiritual growth and discipleship. Somehow we ended up discussing the use of the word evangelism in our modern church culture and especially as it relates to the students on our campuses. While I defended the term evangelism and the deep theological implications that I feel go along with it, he simply blew it off and told me that he felt the word evangelism would be too negative for his students. I remember thinking, Wow. How could they stop mentioning the word evangelism and still call themselves evangelicals?

I am proud to say that this is NOT the situation at Liberty University.

While many Christian institutions no longer understand the importance of emphasizing evangelism and the Great Commission as part of their required curriculum, trust me when I say that the flame is still burning brightly on Liberty Mountain.

Every semester, I speak with students who come into these classes a little apprehensive, but they change when they see their friends and family come to Christ as they boldly share the Gospel.

One of my favorite stories occurred a few years ago when one of my 1 8-yearold freshmen who had been praying for his grandfather s salvation for many years took the challenge of Scripture and called his 83-year-old grandfather on the

phone. Believe it or not, after nervously asking him about his spiritual beliefs and eventually stumbling through the Gospel, the Holy Spirit blessed his efforts and his grandfather responded by surrendering his life to Christ! Can you imagine how life-changing that was for this young man, his family, and especially his grandfather?

I often deal with the question, What makes Liberty different from other universities? To me, this student s story exemplifies the difference.

While I can assure you that Liberty students receive a world-class education from some of the most influential thinkers in our culture, what makes Liberty different is that we do not stop at seeking to influence the students minds. Because we are all more than just intellectual beings, our sincere hope is to impact the whole person not only the mind, but also the students hearts and hands to live out the Great Commandment of Jesus as stated in Matthew 22:37-39: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.

This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.

This approach of passionately living out our faith in the marketplace, being on fire for God and unashamed of the Gospel, has always defined the spiritual focus of Liberty University and it still does today.

Dr. David Wheeler is a professor of evangelism in the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity and is the senior executive director of LU Shepherd under the Office of Spiritual Development. He has served at Liberty University since 2006.

LUKE BOBBEY

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JO EL CO LEM AN

GABR I E LL E C AL HOU N

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TO GOD BE THE GLORY Students and members of the Liberty University family participated in two special praise and worship events this fall.

On Friday, Aug. 16, just before classes began the following Monday, the lawn in front of Montview Student Union was filled with orshippers who kicked off a n w school year by remembering God’s provision. On Sept. 15, crowds gathered for a gorgeous sunset view of campus from the Liberty Mountain Snowfl x Centre while singing songs led by the Liberty Worship Collective and praying for revival and healing.

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THE DANGEROUS RISE OF THE NEW ANTI-SEMITISM IN AMERICA

BY P RESI DEN T J ERRY FA LW ELL In March, House Democrats passed a shallow resolution condemning antiSemitic rhetoric, but failed to identify offenders by name. It was concluded by the house speaker that statements were made, but they weren t based on any anti-Semitic attitude.

Not based on any anti-Semitic attitude? There is a severity and consequence to this kind of moral reasoning. There are historic lessons we cannot ignore. Anti-Semitic demagogues like Adolf Hitler were able to assume power by first speaking in only figurative and euphemistic terms, then creating false historic narratives and warping the moral conscience of Germany. The Jewish Holocaust didn t begin with guns and gas chambers, but with false anti-Semitic tropes and tales.

These recent comments by freshman congresswomen have called attention to another radical movement on the left, called the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement (BDS). The movement was organized by antiIsrael activists in an effort to create a propaganda machine used to delegitimize the state of Israel and stigmatize the Jewish people. Their ultimate agenda is to isolate Israel and systematically weaken it by whatever means necessary.

Never without a sense of irony, the BDS movement defines itself as a vibrant global movement made up of unions, academic associations, churches, and grassroots movements across the world.

While this issue is gaining a foothold in the United States, this anti-Semitic movement has been violently escalating in the Middle East for years.

The current tension and hostility in

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the United States as a result of this movement has opened the door to even more radical anti-Semitic ideologies.

But this is just the tip of the iceberg; these radical ideologies have been growing and spreading across the

I believe teaching tolerance to all views is extremely important. Liberty is a Christian university, and inherently our views on God and religion differ from those of the Jewish faith, but that doesn t mean that the Jewish people deserve hate or persecution. God has called us to love one another, and that includes our Jewish brothers and sisters.

world for decades, waiting to explode into conflict. It is just a matter of time.

Now imagine for a moment if the shoe were on the other foot. A movement focused on boycotting, divesting, and sanctioning Muslim people and a Muslim state? The public outcry would be at a pandemonium level and rightly so but there is no such movement.

As House GOP Conference Chair Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) said, We ve seen a rise in anti-Semitic violence globally over the course of the last several years.

And we are now seeing a rise in the very halls of Congress in the kind of vitriolic and vile anti-Semitic comments like the ones you ve seen from Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib.

But I believe that Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) said it best: We need to send a strong statement as a body that we stand against all this anti-Semitism, all of the anti-Israel hate. Israel is our greatest ally in the Middle East.

And it s a relationship we should be strengthening, not weakening.

In a speech delivered in Green Bay on April 27, President Donald Trump responded to the synagogue shooting at Chabad of Poway in the suburbs of San Diego, saying, We forcefully condemn the evil of anti-Semitism and hate, which must be defeated.

The president s words are not only an appropriate response to one tragedy, but a timely challenge to a rising and pervasive attitude among the left.

The cultural and political left are moving full steam ahead in the opposite direction, and the media is only exacerbating the issue further.

The New York Times international edition published a shocking cartoon on April 25 that depicted President Trump wearing a yarmulke and being led by a dog in the likeness of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with a neck collar donning the Star of David.

It took several days of public outcry for the New York Times to respond with a printed apology and disciplinary action for the production editor. Peddling the soft language of the cultural left, the New York Times vowed to remedy the error with unconscious bias training a solution that Band-Aids the problem and does nothing to fix the

PRESIDENT’S VIEWPOINT

hateful rhetoric spewed by many of our nation s largest media outlets.

President Trump s commitment to Israel, however, has been praiseworthy and admirable, keeping a campaign promise by moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Under the president, the U.S. continues to foster a healthy relationship with one of our strongest allies while condemning anti-Semitism and hatred from the left.

Last year, tens of thousands of Palestinians, supported by Hamas, gathered at the Israel-Gaza border in protests known as the Great March of Return. American media coverage was embarrassingly biased against Israel and against President Trump s decision to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem. Palestinians were not protesting the embassy; they were, instead, protesting the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the state of Israel. Their main means of protest was violence burning tires, Molotov cocktails, and even explosive devices, endangering Israeli troops and provoking them to use force.

Some of the major supporters of the Palestinian protestors and the BDS movement are, in fact, terrorist groups. Now, why would ANY selfrespecting American willingly choose to follow a movement that is backed by terrorist organizations, direct enemies of the United States? The same terrorist groups that supported 9/1 1 . Recently, John Walker Lindh, the American Taliban fighter, was released from prison after serving a 1 7-year sentence. He was one of the first enemy combatants captured in the Afghan War at age 20. His story served as a shocking, early reminder that homegrown terrorism can even begin in the United States. These terrorist groups are targeting the young and impressionable. Allowing these movements to gain a foothold in our country is dangerous and threatens the freedom we have worked so hard to preserve.

Some of the most impressionable people in America are the millennial generation and college-age students today. Statistically speaking, college campuses have the potential to be

the most dangerous places for radical and violent ideology. In 201 6, Jewish Americans were the target of 1 ,267 incidents of hate-based crimes, but that number rose by 57 percent in 2017.

And it has been on the rise ever since.

On college and university campuses in 201 7, the number of hate-based crimes against Jewish community members rose by 89 percent. College students are statistically even more intolerant than the community as a whole. This cannot continue. Numerous colleges have backed the BDS movement, including Barnard College, George Washington University, and the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Some students at these universities are furthering hatebased policies, boycotting anything that

Our country needs to wake up and take hold of the freedoms and ideals so valiantly protected and preserved on our behalf.

We cannot pick and choose which hatred to confront and which to ignore. We cannot keep our values and freedoms if we cannot confront our vilest offenders.

Anti-Semitism cannot and should not be tolerated.

has to do with Israel. There have even been students who were openly hostile toward the Jewish community and have had little to no accountability for their actions. These universities need to take a good look in the mirror and evaluate if they are truly practicing what they preach. Are they really holding constructive, respectful discussions, or are they furthering the divide in our nation? It all starts with tolerance and accountability, a platform that many of the nation s most renowned educational institutions stand behind.

Our current college students are the next generation that will be running this country, and we cannot have hatebased ideologies instilled in the minds of the future doctors, lawyers, senators, and leaders of our communities.

As the president of Liberty University, I believe teaching tolerance to all views is extremely important.

Liberty is a Christian university, and inherently our views on God and religion differ from those of the Jewish faith, but that doesn t mean that the Jewish people deserve hate or persecution. God has called us to love one another, and that includes our Jewish brothers and sisters.

Our country has forgotten the beliefs that the United States was founded upon. Our founding fathers fought for the right to religious freedom and to be free from persecution. We cannot allow our country to return to the Dark Ages, and the rise of anti-Semitism is doing just that.

I am glad to see Christians speak out against these atrocities. We must continue to do so.

Like white supremacy, antiSemitism must also be rooted out and destroyed. History cannot repeat itself.

Recently in June, the nation celebrated the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion for the liberation of Europe from Nazi Germany. In most towns and cities across our nation, only a small contingent of brave men remain who experienced that day. They were all hardly more than boys. They didn t sacrifice their lives for conquest or glory, but for freedom and liberty to defend those who suffered and lost tragically.

Our country needs to wake up and take hold of the freedoms and ideals so valiantly protected and preserved on our behalf. We cannot pick and choose which hatred to confront and which to ignore. We cannot keep our values and freedoms if we cannot confront our vilest offenders. Anti-Semitism cannot and should not be tolerated.

It has no place in America. It has no place in the world.

To my Jewish friends: we are with you. We will not stay silent. We will fight back.

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NEWS & EVENTS Students conduct medical research in professional lab in Jerusalem Joseph Bantseev

Nicholas Minner

Thanks to a new partnership between Liberty University and Hebrew University, one of the most prestigious universities in Israel, two Liberty premed students spent part of the summer conducting tests for treating cancer and brain trauma.

Seniors and best friends Joseph Bantseev and Nicholas Minner interned at the Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem, Hebrew University s hospital and medical research institute. They worked in collaboration with Yale University and with acclaimed Hebrew University scientist Dr. Tal Burstyn-Cohen, who heads the Jerusalem Brain Community.

Bantseev and Minner conducted tests on mice to understand the mechanism of inflammation in humans.

I look back at the things God enabled us to do, and I m blown away, Minner said. We were thankful to be able to represent our university in such a highcaliber collaboration, and it was amazing to be part of that work and to know that our names will now be published on it.

Both Minner and Bantseev spent much of their childhoods overseas with

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their missionary families Minner s to Thailand and Bantseev s to Russia and they both chose to study biomedical sciences after seeing health crises in those countries. They want to work in the medical field to treat others, serve God, and, as Bantseev said, be there for people in some of the most critical moments of their life.

Bantseev went on an LU Send trip to Israel during the summer of 201 8, and months later, after hearing about the progress that Israel is making in cancer treatments, he became enamored with the idea of returning and playing a role in that. One day, he prayed that God would take him there again, and the next day, he was asked by David Welch, executive director of LU Send, if he would be interested in going to Israel through the new partnership with Hebrew University.

Meanwhile, Minner was searching for an internship between his junior and senior years and crossed paths with Welch at the campus post office. He asked him the same question. The friends applied and received their lab placements.

Although their time in Israel centered around scientific research and long hours in the lab, the students did find opportunities to enjoy national landmarks. They often packed their swimsuits for visits to the Dead Sea after work or went on a sunrise hike to Masada before clocking in for a full day of lab time.

Second to the lab work, what really characterized our time there was being able to see Israel itself by walking where Jesus walked, seeing the tomb, and witnessing all of these sites that we ve read about in the Bible, Minner said.

Another opportunity that they did not waste was with their colleagues, when the topic of conversation would move from the test subjects to the origins of the cells they saw under the microscope.

As scientists, we were able to share how biology and archaeology confirm the stories in the Bible, Minner said. This enabled us to speak on creation, the fall, and the life of Christ as it gives us hope for the future.

They said they hope to have sparked curiosity in the hearts and minds of their peers.

We believe we were there to plant some seeds, and it s those things that I treasure, being able to witness for Christ in that environment, Minner said.

We want to exemplify Christ in everything we do, and we want to allow Him to direct our lives, Bantseev added.

We want to excel in our field and make major progress in medical sciences, but it s all about how we can use our work to point back to God.

In a November 2016 travel interest survey conducted of over 6,000 participants, Liberty University students chose Israel over all other international destinations to visit.

International Relations graduate sets to work building a career — and bridges — in Israel

Liberty University graduate Rachel Prusak ( 1 8) has turned her education in politics, love for Christ, and passion for Middle Eastern cultures into an opportunity to impact the people of Israel.

After graduating from Liberty with a B.A. in International Relations with a specialization in international politics and policy, Prusak moved to Israel to begin her graduate studies in security and diplomacy at Tel Aviv University. In April, she started an internship at the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus, which seeks to build relationships and cooperation between Israeli parliament and Christian leaders in various fields from around the world.

Israel is really the only free democratic nation in the Middle East, and as Christians, I believe it s important to support that principle, Prusak said.

Modern Israel is not the Israel of the Bible, but there are aspects that show that Christians are still related to Israel, and we think it s important to rally around our similar causes. We re trying to protect the Jewish people who are targeted around the world, and there are complicated relationships in this country, and Christians should be aware of that.

As Israel recovers from the government impasse following April s election, Prusak s job will start to include more hands-on projects and the chance to hear from various political voices. In the meantime, Prusak has been coordinating the caucus social media presence and writing press releases.

Before the government shut down, I got to go to the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast and hear from different speakers from politics, Prusak said. That was my first

and last big event, although I did go to others, but now I m excited to get started with the government back in session, and my job picks up in a lot of major ways now.

While completing her internship, Prusak is also enrolled at Polis: The Jerusalem Institute of Languages and Humanities in a one-year Near Eastern Languages program. She hopes to use this linguistic knowledge to reach people she could not reach when she first arrived in Israel.

When I came here, I had what I call an American curse in that I could only speak one language (English), so I want to learn to communicate with the people more effectively, Prusak said. I want to work on peace processes, and I have a heart for the population and want the relationships to improve, but I need to have a handle on the language first.

She said that she commonly receives both positive and negative reactions to her choice to live in Israel. The people she frequently comes in contact with are rarely the militant or aggressively partisan people some may expect, she explained.

Some people say it s an amazing opportunity and place to be, and other people say that it must be scary to live in a place they see as dangerous, that they hear about on the news, Prusak said.

Despite the political issues, people just want to live their life in most cases, and as much as you hear the worst news, it s the extremists on both sides that you re hearing about.

To learn more about the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus, visit http://CAC.org.il/Site.

HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE An annual alumni trip over the summer took over 80 people from Liberty University and Thomas Road Baptist Church to Israel. One highlight of the trip was a Holocaust remembrance ceremony at Yad Vashem, Israel’s National Holocaust Memorial and Museum.

The trip was led by Dr. Ed Hind son, d ean of the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity and a professor of religion, and Dr. Rand all Price, an esteemed archaeologist and distinguished research professor at Liberty. Hind son and Price placed a “Liberty University” wreath on a stone above the ashes of Holocaust victims. Hind son read from Psalm 121, and LU Send Executive Director David Welch, an American-Israeli, sang a rend ition of Psalm 21 in flue t Hebrew.

The ceremony was organized and led by Sari Granitza, d irector of the Christian Friend s of Yad Vashem. The night concluded with a guided tour of the site.

Liberty has d eveloped an ongoing relationship with Yad Vashem, where stud ents have completed service projects for the museum archives.

Believing that God ’s covenants with Israel still stand strong, Liberty is seeking to increase meaningful engagement with the Jewish state through university and business partnerships. Liberty has also been long engaged with Israel through its active Stand with Israel Club, by presenting the biblical significan e of Israel at the Liberty Biblical Museum (head ed by Price), and by offering faculty enrichment trips and multiple short-term, faculty-led trips for students.

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Liberty joins network of institutions to bolster nation’s cyber defense

K J JUG AR

Digital and wireless communication is connecting the world like never before, but with it comes increased criminal activity and extreme efforts to keep businesses and individuals safe from attacks. Liberty University will play a critical role in helping Virginia to become a global leader in cybersecurity research, technology development, and the training of cybersecurity professionals through the new Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI).

Liberty was recently designated a

member of one of CCI s four regional nodes, serving alongside nine other institutions in the Southwest region.

Faculty from Liberty s Center for Cyber Excellence have also been selected to serve on the leadership council for the region.

Liberty faculty will work closely with faculty from Virginia Tech, which is serving as the program s lead for the Southwest node.

CCI aims to unite the best minds in cybersecurity through a network of

320 faculty members across 39 higher education institutions, as well as 65 private companies, four federal partners, and 45 other regional partners.

The commonwealth committed to invest $20 million annually from 2020 and beyond for this unprecedented collaboration of top researchers, educators, and industry leaders. The network will provide the connective platform necessary for Virginia s cybersecurity experts to work together in positioning the state as a leader in cybersecurity as well as data analytics, machine learning, and autonomous systems.

Research opportunities will keep Liberty on the cutting edge of technology related to data analytics, artificial intelligence, and engineering projects, said Dr. David Brat, dean of Liberty s School of Business. This initiative will help the School of Business collaborate with the School of Engineering and ultimately provide valuable skills for our students as they enter the job market.

Page from original Gutenberg Bible on display in Rawlings Scriptorium

Liberty University recently received a single page from the Gutenberg Bible, dating between 1450-1455 and valued in excess of $100,000.

The original leaf is the first page of the Book of Acts and was provided to the university s Rawlings Scriptorium by The Rawlings Foundation and brothers Harold, George, Herb, and Carrol Rawlings.

According to the scriptorium curator Gene Albert, the page is one of several known to collectors as Noble Fragments individual pages sold from an original copy by noted bookseller and antique dealer Gabriel Wells.

It was defective; the book had about 20-30 pages that were messed up, so he sold the other pages off one by one, around 1920 for $150 each, he said.

The Gutenberg Bible, originally printed in Latin, is one of the most valuable printed books in the world; only 49 of the 180 original books exist today. With Johannes Gutenberg s invention of movable type, the Bible became the first printed book in Europe and revolutionized printing in the West.

There aren t many places where the public can view the Gutenberg Bible; some are in collections and some are

in institutions but aren t accessible, so it s important to have that page here, Albert said. We are so appreciative of the Rawlings family and their support of Liberty.

The page is the latest addition to the scriptorium, which is located at the base of Liberty s Freedom Tower in the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity.

Visitors to the scriptorium can learn more about the Gutenberg Bible in a special display that includes a life-size replica model of the Gutenberg Press.

The scriptorium is free and open to the public. The latest feature exhibit, Women and the Bible, includes information and items from women throughout history who helped further the Gospel message.

For more information or to schedule a visit, including group tours, email scriptorium@liberty.edu.

AROUND LU

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WELCOME ABOARD: The incoming class for Fall 2019 is one of the largest in school history, with freshman and transfer enrollment peaking to almost 4,500 (3,678 freshmen, 794 transfers).

They are part of the sea of over 15,000 residential students.

DOCTORS IN TRAINING: Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine honored the 150 members of the Class of 2023 on Aug. 17, during the sixth annual White Coat Ceremony, a tradition for medical schools across the country that marks the beginning of a student’s transition into the medical profession.

NEWS & EVENTS

New deans lead Helms School of Government

ROBERT HURT

RON MILLER

Former U.S. Congressman Robert Hurt (Virginia s 5th District) is the new dean of the Liberty University Helms School of Government, and Ron Miller is serving as the new online dean.

Hurt, a lawyer and former citizenlegislator from Southside Virginia, served in local government and in the Virginia Senate before serving in the U.S. House of Representatives from 20 11 20 1 7.

During his 1 6 years in public office, he demonstrated an abiding commitment to the Constitution and was always a strong voice for common-sense policy designed to make it easier for small businesses, farmers, and Virginia families to be successful.

At Liberty, Hurt previously served as

the executive director of the Center for Law & Government, where he developed programs that give students exceptional opportunities to engage with influential leaders from Washington, D.C., and across the country.

Over the past two years, I have loved working with our students and with my colleagues, but, above all, I have loved being a small part of an institution with a great mission, Hurt said. I am thankful for this opportunity and am looking forward to continuing to help prepare our students for service during this critical time in the history of our nation.

Miller previously served as interim dean and associate dean of the Helms School of Government. Prior to joining Liberty, he was a commentator, author, and consultant. During the Bush Administration, Miller served at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Small Business

Administration. He has also served as a senior technology and strategy executive in the private sector and with the American Red Cross National Headquarters in Washington, D.C. After a distinguished career in public service, the military, and the private sector, Dean Miller brings a wealth of experience to his new position, and I have every confidence that he will lead the school s online programs to new levels of excellence, said Online Provost Shawn Akers.

Since 1 971 , Liberty has been devoted to promoting the founding principles upon which our nation was built selfgovernment, free markets, and the Rule of Law. The Helms School of Government has been a vital component in preparing Liberty graduates for successful careers in government, public policy, law, criminal justice, international relations, intelligence, and homeland security.

Moot Court Team moves up to No. 6 in the nation

Coach Robert Robertson with Moot Court teammates Tyler Shannon (left) and Alyssa Rumbuc, who placed third at an international human rights moot court competition in Geneva, Switzerland, in July.

One year after being named the ninth best program in the country by the American Moot Court Association, Liberty University s undergraduate Moot Court Team from the Helms School of Government recently advanced to No. 6.

I continue to be blown away at the successes Professor Robert Robertson (coach) and his Moot Court Team have had across the country and overseas in recent years, said Robert Hurt, dean of the Helms School of Government.

This new ranking is hard-earned

and well-deserved. It is another great example of Liberty University giving its students the edge when it comes to the practical education needed to be successful after graduation.

Liberty s team has advanced to the national tournament several times, and this past summer, two members excelled on an international stage at the Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Court Competition in Geneva, Switzerland, where they placed third.

The team of senior Alyssa Rumbuc and recent graduate Tyler Shannon was one of only two American teams at the competition; the other was from Yale Law School. In the team s final round, before being unable to advance to the finals by a margin of .12 points, they were the only undergraduate team left in contention.

Liberty was one of 48 schools from all U.N. regions around the world to be selected for the Geneva tournament. The trip was partially funded by Liberty s Center for Research & Scholarship and

STATE PRIDE: Liberty hosted over 10,000 athletes at the 2019 State Games of America. Athletes represented 35 states, including Virginia, and participated in more than 30 Olympic-style competitions. Liberty’s state-of-the-art athletics facilities make it a prime location for the games.

supported by the Provost s Office.

Moot Court competitions involve simulated courtroom appellate arguments, in the manner of the U.S. Supreme Court, between two student teams who stand for one side or the other of a law s interpretation before a panel of judges. Team members spend hours preparing for tournaments each student must be able to read, comprehend, and apply legal concepts from a number of constitutional cases.

Liberty s current team is now pushing for a place in the top 5, and by striving to win multiple regional championships and sending the maximum number of teams possible to nationals, they believe this goal is well within reach.

If we continue to walk with the Lord and teach our underclassmen the things we have been learning, we will continue growing our team in an upward direction, said senior Eric Meinerding, a 2019 national competitor.

KICKING OFF THE FUN: A Colony House concert, carnival rides, a magic demonstration, and other attractions greeted over 9,000 Liberty students on Aug. 24 at the annual Block Party, a free event sponsored by Liberty’s Student Activities department.

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Former Harvard Medical School professor brings expertise to new respiratory therapy program Over the summer, Liberty completed a 2,700-square-foot respiratory therapy lab in the Center for Natural Sciences.

The facility features cardiopulmonary function lab equipment, mechanical ventilators, breathing simulators, aerosol generators, and high-fidelity mannequins.

The lab is vitally important and is a requirement for specialized training prior to clinical or patient interactions,

GABR I ELLE CALHOU N

growing by 23 percent by 2026, much faster than average for all occupations in the medical field. Since respiratory therapy programs are only available at approximately 20 percent of fouryear degree programs in the country, Liberty graduates will be highly sought after when entering the workforce.

In addition to the residential program, Liberty also offers an online Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy post-licensure degree program for registered respiratory therapists who have an associate degree. Both the residential and online degree programs are accredited through the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC).

Walsh said. Respiratory therapy is a pretty specialized field, but it is actually one of the fastest-growing fields in the medical profession. We are more hospital-based, so we largely work in the critical-care environment.

The U.S. Department of Labor anticipates respiratory therapy positions

We are continuing to grow the program offerings within the School of Health Sciences to develop Champions for Christ in the field of healthcare.

GABRIEL L E C ALH OUN

Before coming to Liberty University last summer to develop the new Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy, program director Dr. Brian Walsh spent eight years as an associate professor of anesthesia at Harvard Medical School and served as clinical research coordinator at Boston Children s Hospital.

Respiratory therapy is the latest undergraduate degree program to be offered through Liberty s Department of Allied Health Professions, which also includes athletic training, exercise science, and physical education & health as well as a master s degree in human performance.

We are continuing to grow the program offerings within the School of Health Sciences to develop Champions for Christ in the field of healthcare, said Walsh, who holds an M.B.A. from Liberty, a bachelor s in respiratory therapy from Old Dominion University, and a Ph.D. in health sciences with a concentration in respiratory therapy from Rush University in Chicago.

Known for his clinical expertise in the management and education of pediatric respiratory disorders, Walsh was the editor for the fifth edition of Neonatal and Pediatric Respiratory Care. He has been a fellow on the board of the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) since 2006 and served as president from 201 7-1 8. Former board fellow John Lindsey has joined Walsh as director of clinical education for the new program.

The program is preparing students to assess and treat patients who have a dysfunction of the cardiopulmonary system. That includes the treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) the third-leading cause of death in the United States. Respiratory therapists also provide emergency care to patients suffering from heart attacks, trauma, drowning, or shock.

Students receive hands-on learning in seminars and lab experiences before performing clinical training in hospitals.

AROUND LU

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RADIO NOMINATION: WRVL/The Journey FM was named a finalist in the 2019 National Association of Broadcasters Marconi Radio Awards. The Journey was one of five stations nominated for Religious Station of the Year.

FIELD TRIP: Students on the Formula SAE team flew with Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick to Detroit on Sept. 17 for a custom tour of the General Motors Milford Proving Grounds and the facility where electric cars are made. The team is currently working on an electric car design for competition.

NEWS & EVENTS

Faculty and Staff Achievements  COUNSELING TODAY: Two counseling professors, Dr. Kevin Hull (top) and Dr. Brad Imhoff (bottom), were featured in the August 201 9 issue of Counseling Today magazine in an article focused on social anxiety, a treatable condition commonly mistaken for shyness or awkwardness. Hull, a licensed mental health counselor, specializes in autism spectrum disorder and has written several books on play therapy.

He advises children, teenagers, adults, and families through his multidisciplinary counseling practice in Lakeland, Fla. Imhoff, also a licensed professional counselor, specializes in addictions counseling, specifically as it relates to the opioid epidemic. His expertise also stretches to mood and anxiety disorders, as well as grief and group counseling. Read the article at CT.Counseling.org.  FUTURE OF LAW: B. Keith Faulkner, dean of Liberty University School of Law, has been appointed to the Future of Law Committee of the North Carolina Bar Association for the 2019-20 fiscal year. The committee tracks and analyzes the impact of leadingedge technology in the law.  SPARKING INTEREST: Engineering professor Dr. John Vadnal presented a Special Interest Session on why students should become engineers at the 2019 National TSA (Technology Student Association) Conference in Washington, D.C., to middle and high school students, parents, and coaches. Vadnal also represented Liberty during a meet-andgreet session and served as a judge for the

national TEAMS (Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics, and Science) competition. Close to 4,000 students participated in this year s conference, held June 28-July 2. Vadnal is in his 14th year at Liberty and previously worked with the distance learning program. Before his administrative and teaching career, Vadnal worked for Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Duke Power Company, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

and develop a Western-based curriculum for its administrators and students.

At LUCOM, Behnke teaches internal medicine and endocrinology, specializing in nutrition and diabetes. In addition to teaching, Behnke sees patients as an endocrinologist at the Liberty Mountain Medical Group. He is a member of the Lynchburg Academy of Medicine, Medical Society of Virginia, and American Diabetes Association.

 ART AT OXFORD: Todd Smith, chair of Liberty s Department of Studio & Digital Arts, went to Oxford University on an academic visitorship in June to conduct research related to the 1 9th century Oxford Movement, its leaders, and the impact it has had on the arts in American Christianity. The research builds on his book, A Creative Church: The Arts and a Century of Renewal.

Smith was also commissioned by Oxford to create a sculpture of St. Hugh of Avalon, which is on permanent display at St. Hugh s College, University of Oxford. The sculpture is highlighted on ArtUK.org, a repository of all major artwork in England.

 AWARD BOARD: The U.S. Department of Commerce s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) named Anita Satterlee, online dean for the Liberty University School of Business, to the Board of Examiners for the 2019 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. The award is the nation s highest honor for organizational innovation and performance excellence. Satterlee also served on the Board of Examiners for the 201 9 U.S. Senate Productivity and Quality Award (SPQA) for Virginia and Washington, D.C.

 FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR: Dr. Andrew Behnke, assistant professor at Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine (LUCOM), received a Fulbright grant to advance medical education in Moldova, a small European country neighboring Romania. The prestigious Fulbright Scholar Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Only 800 grants are awarded each year to allow professors to teach and conduct research abroad.

Behnke will teach at Moldova s primary medical school, Nicolae Testemiţanu,

TASTY VICTORY: The Student Advertising Team placed second in the National Student Advertising Competition at the American Advertising Federation’s annual ADMERICA Conference in Hollywood Beach, Fla., in June. The team presented a ‘Top Dog’ campaign that promoted the fastfood chain Wienerschnitzel.

 CHILD ADVOCATE: Dr. Judith Reisman, research professor at the Liberty University School of Behavioral Sciences, spoke to the Polish Parliament on June 7 and at the Parents Rights Rally on June 8. As an author and child advocate, Reisman has focused much of her work on fighting pornography as a pandemic and exposing eugenicist Dr. Alfred C. Kinsey s fraudulent research and education. She is the founder and director of The Reisman Institute, which is dedicated to educating the public about the dangers children face from the onslaught of explicit sexuality and sexual exploitation. Her book Kinsey: Crimes and Consequences was recently translated into Chinese.

CHAPTER AWARD: The Liberty University chapter of the Alexander Hamilton Society was named Best New Chapter of the Year in May. Liberty’s chapter is one of over 50 on college campuses across the country.

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TULSA, OKLA.

IN TIMES OF NEED

DIS A STER RELIEF TE A MS STEP UP TO SERVE IN OKL AHOMA AND TE X A S Summer is a time of vacation and relaxation, but team members with LU Send Now, Liberty University s disaster relief initiative, spent part of their school break serving those who needed it most.

LU Send Now deployed two teams during June and July one to serve flood victims in Oklahoma and the other to help migrants on the U.S./Mexico border in Brownsville, Texas.

In May, Tulsa, Okla., suffered the worst flooding since 1 986. Storms flooded the Arkansas River and stressed the levee system. The area suffered 85 tornadoes. LU Send Now partnered with Samaritan s Purse to get Tulsa homes contractor ready by removing debris, nails, carpeting, flooring, and drywall.

Students also ministered to local

42

homeowners and helped them reclaim valuable personal possessions. One Tulsa homeowner accepted Christ.

Serving people in their hour of utmost need is a small reflection of what Christ did for us in our hour of need, said team member Catherine Morales.

The physical work we did was nothing compared with the blessing of being a part of showing God s love to others.

Seeing the hope and perseverance of the homeowners during their suffering really pushed us to see how much we need Christ as our solid foundation, student Taylor Swartz added.

The Oklahoma team was later publicly recognized by President Donald Trump at the Faith & Freedom Coalition s Road to Majority annual conference in

Washington, D.C. A month later, LU Send Now sent eight students and five leaders to Brownsville, Texas, to work alongside a local church to serve migrants at the border.

Every day, migrants make the journey to various ports of entry along the southern border and await authorization for legal entry; some will then find their way to respite centers in America, like the one at Iglesia Bautista West Brownsville, where volunteers serve by meeting their physical needs. Iglesia Bautista provides lodging, meals, showers, fresh clothes, and hygiene products to immigrants who have claimed asylum in the U.S. Liberty s team managed the shower facility, helped asylum seekers contact their families, and coordinated

NEWS & EVENTS

travel plans to the immigrants final destinations. They also ministered to children by engaging them in art projects and teaching them English.

Student Carlo Trombley, who immigrated to the United States from Costa Rica as a teenager, said that many members of the team spoke Spanish, which allowed them to build better relationships with the people and share the Gospel.

I don t think I have ever seen God more present than in this week serving with the LU Send Now team, Trombley said. It was beautiful to see how passionate everyone was about sharing the Gospel and coming together in fellowship for the migrants.

The immigrants they met had just completed processing at an overcrowded border detention center with limited resources. Most had not showered in days, they said, arriving in dirty clothes and weary from their long journey.

When they would get out of the vans that brought them to the church, they would look tired, scared, nervous, and even mad, Trombley said. For them, stepping into this church would be one of the first times they experienced care and love from others in weeks. When it was their time to leave, men, women, and children would be filled with nothing but joy in their faces and hearts.

Senior Vice President for Spiritual Development David Nasser thanked Liberty President Jerry Falwell for fully funding and empowering LU Send Now teams, which are dispatched to crisis-stricken places around the world.

This year alone, our teams have served refugees on multiple continents, he said. The students and staff who go on these trips might have different political and philosophical views as it relates to the refugee and immigrant crisis, but they set those

secondary issues aside to simply show up and serve people and to share the Gospel.

In September, following the devastation from Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas, LU Send Now committed to sending a team to the country as soon as they receive clearance from the authorities. The majority of the LU Send Now team will be comprised of Liberty students from the Bahamas so that they can serve their homeland.

At the beginning of the Sept. 4 Convocation, just after the hurricane swept through the Caribbean, Nasser invited a group of students who call the Bahamas home to join him on the stage, and the crowd prayed for the group and their families. It was also announced that President Falwell has approved a $25,000 donation to Camp Bahamas ministries, a Christian youth camp in the Bahamas that orchestrates mission opportunities.

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS

Praying for the Bahamas, Liberty University Convocation KJ JU GAR

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‘BEDFORD BOYS’

THEATRE PROJECT PAYS TRIBUTE TO LOCAL HEROES, DELIVERS MESSAGE OF FAMILY AND HOPE

Ray and Roy Stevens

When 35 young men from Bedford, Va., were called to join the Allied recovery of western Europe in 1944 as a spearhead for the D-Day invasion, their story of loss and sacrifice became local, national, and international history.

Their unforgettable actions are still affecting the region to this day, and in November, their story will be brought to the Tower Theater stage at Liberty University with Bedford Boys, an original play written and performed by students.

The Bedford Boys, as they have come to be known, were from Company A of the 1 1 6th Regiment of the 29th Division in Bedford and were among the first wave of soldiers to hit the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944.

The small town of Bedford experienced a larger loss of men per capita than any other town; 1 9 men died that day and in the three days that followed.

Thirteen survived. The National D-Day Memorial is located in Bedford for this reason, about 25 minutes from Liberty s campus.

The play s production process began in January, when a team of 14 students

Bedford and Raymond Hoback

from the theatre department s Writing Project collaborated to tackle the storytelling task.

According to Theatre Arts Department Chair Linda Nell Cooper, who served as the writing facilitator and will direct the show, much of the research came from interviews with local historians, people who knew the men, and even letters from the soldiers.

We got a lot of our research from personal letters that they wrote back home to their sweethearts and mothers, and some of those letters are actually in the script, so audiences will get to hear the exact words and hear how eloquent they were, Cooper said.

Senior Laura Falcione, who helped write the script and will be the stage manager, said the show connected her to this important part of history in a different way.

I studied World War II extensively in high school, and I thought I knew so much about that period, but I didn t know anything about their specific story, the laws that were created because of what happened to them, and that the D-Day Memorial is right down

Students working on the “Bedford Boys” theatre project present Act 1 in a public reading at the Bower Center in Bedford, Va.

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the road, Falcione said. It s such a beautiful story of sacrifice, but it s also a testament to home, what that meant during that time, and what it still means today for the people of Bedford.

Throughout the research and writing process, the team found itself unfolding a story of true heroism in the real lives that epitomized an important era in American history. Cooper said that as the group pored over their sources, clear themes of patriotism and dedication emerged as the soldiers sought to protect their homes and families.

All of them were so patriotic, and it s so clear in their letters that they all wanted to do this and felt it was their responsibility and honor to protect their loved ones back home even when they knew they were going into essentially a suicide mission, Cooper said.

Senior Joel Hadden was part of the writing team and is now preparing to step into the role of Ray Stevens, a soldier who joined Company A with his brother Roy. The Stevens brothers

Students visited the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Va., to gather information and talk to those who knew the real Bedford Boys.

NEWS & EVENTS

were one of three sets of brothers in the unit, so there was an obvious familial bond between the men. Hadden was fascinated by their civilian lives before they were drafted and the lives they had planned to return to.

These are boys that represent hometown America at that time, Hadden said. There were a lot of baseball players who could have played professionally, other guys loved working on cars, and for me and the other writers, one of the coolest things about the process was finding out what their dreams and aspirations were.

For some of the students who have

taken part in the Writing Project, the experience has sparked a passion for the craft.

Being a part of the project has actually opened up a passion for playwriting that not a lot of us from the team realized, and now I want to do it either as a hobby or career, and I never would have known that without this project, Falcione said.

The Writing Project is funded by a grant from Liberty s Center for Research & Scholarship. This is the second year for the project, after last year s Bloodroot, which told the story of women from Virginia s Clinch Mountain. Bloodroot was nationally recognized by the Kennedy Center.

As part of the 75th anniversary of D-Day, the students presented the first act of the show in a public reading on May 31 at the Bower Center in Bedford.

Both Falcione and Hadden feel that this show will especially resonate with the local community.

Seeing research being put into a show like this that has a true story is really valuable, and I think the people who come to see it, especially those from Bedford who have that connection, will see that come through, Falcione said.

Bedford does everything they can to remember those boys, Hadden added, and we want to come alongside that community and help people remember their sacrifice.

SHOWTIMES Nov. 15, 16, 21, 22 – 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 16, 23 (ASL-interpreted performance) – 2 p.m.

Nov. 17 – 3 p.m.

Nov. 18, 20 (School Groups Only) – 10 a.m.

Purchase tickets at Liberty.edu/Tickets or call (434) 582-7328. Tickets are available 90 minutes before showtimes; call the Box Office at (434) 582-2085. You can also visit the Ticket Office in Williams Stadium, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

H O N O R I N G T H E B R AV E went over and fought and d ied were fig ting against the Nazis who were just brutal and authoritarian. When I see all of the anti-Semitism around the country and the move toward progressivism and authoritarianism, it remind s me of the Nazis they were fig ting.”

Liberty offered bus shuttle service from the parking lots to the monument and opened Williams Stadium for a live simulcast of the ceremony.

Dr. David Snead , an associate professor of history, was one of 100 d istinguished aca d emic guests invite d to give a presentation at the Normand y 75 Conference in Portsmouth, U.K. The presentation focused on WWII Seabees (Unite d States Naval Construction Battalions), a group of non-combat construction workers who supplie d ammunition, food , and other provisions d uring the Normand y invasion. Snead ’s fascination with Seabees ignited years ago after hearing his grand father-in-law reminisce about working in the Construction Battalions. Snead hopes to publish his research, shed d ing light on the unsung heroes of D-Day.

JOE L COLE MAN

Liberty University President Jerry Falwell, stud ents, and staff took part in events to honor the 75th anniversary of D-Day in June.

A group of 10 stud ents and two staff members who were on an LU Send trip to France with the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity attended a ceremony at Omaha Beach in Normandy, France, on June 6. The group heard from President Donald Trump and French Presid ent Emmanuel Macron and visited the American cemetery that overlooks Omaha Beach.

Vice President Mike Pence and President Falwell were among the guest speakers at “The Final Salute” ceremony at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Va. Falwell read an excerpt from the journal of the Rev. R.M. Hickey, chaplain of the North Shore Regiment that invaded Juno Beach.

As a resident of Bedford County for many years, Falwell said he has heard a lot of inspiring stories of the Bed ford Boys. Next door to his farm is an old school house that was once the home of Bed ford Boy Capt.

Taylor Fellers.

“I was honored to be here and it had special meaning to me; it’s so close to home,” he said . “Those veterans who

Above: President Jerry Falwell and his wife, Becki, at a ceremony for the 75th anniversary of D-Day at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Va. Below: Liberty students on an LU Send trip walk through the Normandy American Cemetery in France on June 6.

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Campus upgrades greet students for new school year In addition to the new School of Business, students were met with many improvements when they arrived on campus for the Fall 2019 semester. Over the summer, Liberty renovated and upgraded facilities, announced new dining options, and worked on current and future construction projects.

THE HILL RESIDENCE HALLS

LIBERTY MOUNTAIN GUN CLUB LODGE

DAVID’S PLACE

The Hill housing area, which includes seven residence halls, received substantial renovations and improvements throughout the summer, including new roofing, floors, fresh paint for the rooms and hallways, and an updated water system. Crews also created more central outdoor recreation space featuring a new lawn area with hammock posts and patios with firepits.

The 6,000-square-foot lodge opened this fall to offer gun storage, an armory, awards station, and a team room for Liberty s collegiate shooting sports.

The lodge complements the gun club s Olympic-style shooting sports venues, which include multiple rifle, pistol, and shotgun ranges, sporting clays fields, and a bunker trap.

A recreation venue that has long featured billiards, table tennis, and gaming was converted into a fitness facility offering equipment for cardio and strength training as well as a cycle studio and multipurpose studio. The heated outdoor pool remains in operation.

Students are encouraged to use the Montview Game Room, on the second floor of the Montview Student Union, as the main site for billiards and gaming.

ONGOING CONSTRUCTION > Liberty Arena

> Parking garage

EL L IOT MILL ER

Einstein s Bros. Bagels opened on the bottom floor of the Jerry Falwell Library, between Pizza Hut and Auntie Anne s.

The national chain, commonly located in airports and malls, specializes in breakfast foods and serves a wide variety of coffees, including Caribou Coffee.

Students also have two new eateries in the Tilley Student Center in Green Hall: Fuego, offering Latin-inspired meals, and Umai, featuring Asian cuisine. At The Food Court at Reber-Thomas, Liberty s main dining hall, students now enjoy Bistro 71, which was moved from David s Place but features the same menu of deli sandwiches and flatbreads. The dining hall has also introduced a more diversified global station.

E L LIOT MIL L ER

EINSTEIN BROS. BAGELS AND MORE

Progress continues on a new 1 25,000-square-foot sports arena next to the Vines Center. The arena will host women s volleyball games and men s and women s basketball games. Along with the 4,000-seat stadium, the Liberty Arena will include expanded office and locker room space. The opening is scheduled for Fall 2020.

With two residence halls on East Campus demolished at the beginning of the summer, ground was broken for the new parking garage expected to open by August 2020. It will span nine floors with 2,000 parking spaces and connect directly to the pedestrian tunnel that accesses main campus.

AROUND LU

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DESIGNING AND DONATING: Senior graphic design student Danielle Lowder, who frequently visited the Bahamas during her childhood, has created and sold stickers to raise money for hurricane relief after the devastation caused by Hurricane Dorian. Lowder has raised over $600.

ENCOUNTERING CULTURES: Global Focus Week, a semiannual campus event, was held Sept. 16-20 and featured a Samaritan’s Purse shelter experience, a Colombian meal, special speakers, vendors, visits from global organizations, Children of the World International Children’s Choir, and more.

NEWS & EVENTS

Renowned UK engineer teaches course in product design

Just before classes began for the semester, engineering students took part in a two-week intensive course taught by world-renowned engineer Dr. Stuart Burgess, professor of engineering design at Bristol University, U.K., and an external examiner at Cambridge University.

Burgess has worked with the European space agency helping design

spacecraft since the early 2000s. He has also assisted the British Olympic Cycling Team with bike designs that will be used at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Burgess is well-known for his work in bio-inspired design using the superior design in God s creation as a model for designing products and on his first visit to Liberty in the summer of 201 4, he worked with the biology department to publish research related to the design of certain birds.

In his recent course at Liberty, Engineering 497: Special Topics in Engineering, Product Design, he focused on a particular aspect of systems each day. The students put into practice the different engineering approaches they learned by designing a model of a vehicle.

Burgess said seeing the students creativity and initiative was his favorite part of teaching the course.

It s been really stimulating and fulfilling for me, being with very good students, he said. Every one of the students I ve had in this class has surprised me with a really interesting, exciting idea. It s a reminder that we re all made in God s image; we all have that ability to be creative. I m trying to inspire the students to make the most of that creativity and that s been the most enjoyable thing, seeing the creativity of the students.

Senior engineering student Tim Arcuri said he was inspired by Burgess faith and how he expresses that in his work.

My favorite thing has been his overall focus on design, from the standpoint of God being the ultimate designer and design being present within creation.

Then, for us as engineers, he teaches us how to draw inspiration from that and basically model our designs after God s designs.

Mechanical engineering program receives ABET accreditation

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Liberty University s Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering has recently joined other School of Engineering degree programs in receiving accreditation from ABET, the recognized accreditor of college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology.

The mechanical engineering program launched in 201 4 and is the largest degree program in the School of Engineering.

This accreditation is very big, and

it adds a lot to our program, said Dr. John Vadnal, professor of civil engineering and the university s ABET accreditation coordinator. We are planning on starting a master s and a Ph.D. in engineering in January, and this will feed right into that.

The two postgraduate programs are pending approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

Liberty s B.S. degrees in both Electrical and Industrial & Systems Engineering received initial accreditation in 201 2, followed by Computer Engineering in 201 3. These three programs were re-accredited in 2018.

We re really, really happy with this accreditation process taking such a short period of time, and that we received it with flying colors on our first attempt, said Dr. Hector Medina, a mechanical engineering professor

STARS ON STAGE: The Tony-nominated musical “Bright Star” was the first Alluvion Stage Company production of the school year. The show featured a storyline and music by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell.

who has led the development of Liberty s Human-Powered Vehicle Competition project.

More than 4,000 programs at nearly 800 colleges and universities in 32 countries have received ABET accreditation, which is a requirement for many federal student loans, grants, and scholarships.

At the end of the day, what we want for our students is job opportunities, and this helps them meet those goals, Medina said. In addition, it helps us to see how our program compares with others in the nation.

One recent mechanical engineering graduate is working at the aerospace company Lockheed Martin in Cape Canaveral, Fla., and two graduates are pursuing Ph.D.s.

The school s newest degree offering is civil engineering, which started this fall.

SERVING SPIRITUAL NEEDS: Twenty students graduated from the Army’s Basic Officer Leader Course to become military chaplains during a special ceremony at the Fort Jackson U.S. Army Training Center in Columbia, S.C., in August. They made up 20 percent of the course’s graduating class.

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F I R S T-Y E A R H E A D COAC H H U G H F R E E Z E L E A D S F L A M E S F O OT B A L L I N TO N E W E R A A S O F F I C I A L F B S M E M B E R Every team needs a motto, a motivating catchphrase for coaches and players to rally behind as they take the field especially a team that is about to make history for their school.

At Liberty University, the words Tougher Together appear on football posters and press conference backdrops.

You can hear them chanted proudly in the locker room and see them used as a popular hashtag on social media.

Head Coach Hugh Freeze said he chose the theme to build on the program s Rise With Us motto used the past two seasons as Liberty prepared to make its debut as a fullfledged FBS member this year. (Over the summer, Liberty received notification that it had become the 1 30th fully certified FBS team in the nation, after successfully completing a two-year FBS reclassification process. Liberty is now

players a very vivid, though unexpected, example and it happened, ironically, when he and his team couldn t technically be together.

The entire program was caught off guard when Freeze experienced painful back spasms and had to undergo emergency surgery, which was complicated by a potentially lifethreatening staph infection. He took a leave of absence from fall camp. During recovery, he moved to a hotel overlooking the team s indoor practice facility, where he watched a live feed of the practices and held his regular staff meetings. He sat out most practices before the first game of the season.

But even then, the team knew the motto still stuck their coach was still behind them, still hard at work planning, preparing, and finding unique ways to offer encouragement. One day, he made

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JOEL IS IME ME

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fully eligible for all postseason bowl games.)

Tougher Together, Freeze said, would be about humility.

Outside of our core values, my deal about tougher together is being selfless, he explained in a video filmed in his office just as fall camp began. I ve learned through the course of my life, and over the last few years, that the times when we make selfish decisions, they cause pain and difficulty and discourse and chaos.

The times when I ve been selfless and gave myself to something bigger than me, joy and peace have followed. That doesn t mean success necessarily does, but man I tell you, you just feel good about the way that you went about things and that s what I will share with them, what I will bring to this team, to be tougher together.

Only a few days after he first introduced the motto to the team, Freeze gave his

R OSS KOH L

a surprise, though brief, visit to practice.

He rolled up in a golf cart as the team swarmed around and hugged him. He addressed his team, inspired them to continue to work hard, then blew the whistle to end practice early as the place erupted into cheers.

Then the time came for Liberty to host its first game of the season, a milestone for the program not only because it was the Flames first game as an officially certified FBS member, but also because it was the first time in school history a Power Five opponent and a Top 25 team at that would march into Williams Stadium.

The Aug. 31 game against No. 22 Syracuse attracted one of Liberty s largest crowds ever. The energy and excitement was paramount. But it was also an unusual return to football for Freeze, a former coach at Ole Miss, and an unusual season opener for the Flames, too; the man at the helm was nowhere to be seen on the sidelines.

National news outlets, from ESPN to the Washington Post to USA Today, used words like bizarre and most absurd to describe the moment when Freeze appeared at the game. Yes, he had his coach s headset on, but he was lying in a hospital bed in a press booth high above the field. He conducted a pregame interview with ESPN, looking up as a reporter stood over him. He spoke to his team via video feed before the game, during halftime, and afterward. A hole was cut in the wall so he could directly communicate with coaches in the >>

"Toughe r Toget her" a rtwor k by Isaac Ap on

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This one means a lot to me, he said about the ball in a postgame press conference. I don t in any way think that I deserve a game ball from our players.

They are the ones that make the plays.

What I do mean is that this university and this opportunity (has given me) the chance to be back doing what I love, in the fire. I have had a lot of first ones with these, and they are all mantled somewhere, but this one will mean a lot.

It will have a lot of special memories to it.

I am happy for our kids, our coaches, our administration, and our university.

As of press time for this issue, Freeze would witness his team rack up four more straight wins over Hampton, New Mexico, New Mexico State, and Maine.

LIBERTY FOOTBALL CENTER:

Following Liberty’s fi st season as an FBS program last year, a $25 million renovation project was started at the Liberty Football Center, located at the north end of Williams Stad ium. Work continued this past summer to expand the build ing by an ad d itional 18,000 square feet with a new-and -improved 122-player locker room (which opened to players this season), training and nutrition centers, and a theater-style team meeting room. The entire project is expected to be completed

by January 2020.

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>> adjoining booths. Photos of his unusual coaching location went viral.

I m sure some people out there probably think I was doing it for attention, but I can promise you it s not that, he told ESPN. It wasn t any fun, but it was important to me to be there for my players, my coaches, and all of the people at Liberty who have done so much for me.

Liberty lost against Syracuse and also lost its next game, against Louisiana, in its first road contest (Freeze coached from a medical chair in the press box). But when Freeze finally made it to the sidelines for the Flames second home game, against Buffalo, the team used the momentum of their coach s presence to beat the Bulls and earn Freeze his first Flames victory. The players gave their coach the game ball.

FOLLOW THE FLAMES AT

LIBERTYFLAMES.COM.

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LIGHT ’EM UP, A-G-G After Liberty’s win at home against Hampton on Sept. 21, senior wid e receiver Antonio Gand yGolden sat at No. 1 in the FBS for receiving yards.

Gandy-Golden made his 28th career touchdown reception in the Flames' next home contest against New Mexico, breaking the school’s record previously held by Darrin Peterson.

During the Flames' 59-44 Homecoming win over Maine on Oct. 19, Gand y-Gold en became the program's all-time leader in career receiving yards.

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ATHLETICS

LIBERTY AND ESPN EVENTS ENTER BOWL AGREEMENT FOR 2020-25 Liberty University and ESPN Events entered a new secondary bowl game agreement in September that could place the Flames in one of at least six bowl games during the 2020 to 2025 bowl game cycle: Boca Raton Bowl (FAU Stadium; Boca Raton, Fla.), Camellia Bowl (Cramton Bowl; Montgomery, Ala.), Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Albertsons Stadium; Boise, Idaho), Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl (Toyota Stadium; Frisco, Texas), Myrtle Beach Bowl (Brooks Stadium; Conway, S.C.), and New Mexico Bowl (Dreamstyle Stadium; Albuquerque, N.M.).

Liberty enjoys a strong and vibrant

partnership with ESPN Events, and this new agreement provides a wide array of attractive bowl opportunities in exciting destinations for future Liberty Football teams and Flames Nation, said Director of Athletics Ian McCaw. The agreement extends Liberty s longstanding working relationship with ESPN, which has an exclusive, multiyear agreement to broadcast Liberty s home football games. Over the past two years, Liberty has produced more than 250 live sporting events for ESPN+, including football. Liberty also has a broadcast agreement for all of its ASUN Conference events (home and away),

as well as field hockey, ice hockey, and other Club Sports events, to be carried on ESPN+.

The recent bowl agreement is Liberty's second for its football program. Last year, Liberty announced an individual secondary bowl agreement with the AutoNation Cure Bowl (Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Fla.) for 2018 and 2019.

In the event that a conference affiliated with the aforementioned bowl games does not have enough deserving teams (six qualifying wins are required), the secondary bowl agreement allows ESPN Events and its bowl game partners to place a bowl-eligible Liberty team.

FLAMES FOOTBALL JOINS ANGEL ARMIES TO ASSIST FAMILIES IN CRISIS Liberty University Football is the first college football program to partner with Angel Armies, a nonprofit created by singer/songwriter Chris Tomlin to confront the foster care crisis in the U.S. More children come into foster care each year than exit, and Angel Armies works with partners to keep children out of the foster care system by offering support to families.

With leadership from Head Coach Hugh Freeze and his wife, Jill, Flames Football aims to serve as many as 1,000 children during the 2019 season.

In just over three weeks after the program was announced in September, the team s efforts had already resulted in serving 149 children and 44 families across the U.S. Liberty Football has formed 1 0 huddles that include players, their position coaches, and the coaches wives who meet weekly to review a list of real-time needs of at-risk families across the country. The list is provided

through CarePortal, an online platform where child welfare workers can enter information about families and their immediate needs. The needs range from clothing and bedding, to money for bus passes or an electric bill. Each position group reads the families stories, prays for them, and then, through generous donations from Liberty and other personal contributors, decides which families they will help and how to best designate their portion of the donations.

CarePortal connects the huddles with a partnering church in the family s area, which uses the money to carry out the request. The players receive updates every week on how their decisions have greatly impacted the families.

Coach Freeze said he was looking for a way his team could serve children together. We got this crazy idea of a college football team meeting the needs of kids and helping kids to stay out of the foster care system. Immediately (after learning of Angel Armies), I knew God

had answered our prayers, he said.

The program is also building character in the student-athletes.

This is a privilege that we get to be a part of building young men to be great husbands, great fathers, and great men of their community, said Jill Freeze.

LETTERWINNERS ASSOCIATION LAUNCHES

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The Liberty Flames Letterwinners Association started this fall as a way to recognize, honor, and grow the rich trad ition of Flames Athletics. It is open to all former stud ent-athletes, coaches, team managers, cheerleaders, and athletic trainers, from the d epartment’s humble beginnings at the NCCAA level through its current status as a thriving NCAA Division I program.

While all former stud ent-athletes and team members are still welcome at all alumni games, reunions, and tailgates, members of the Letterwinners Association may receive complimentary ad mission, reduced costs, and priority access to events.

Membership is $71 per year, which includ es an Eagle Level Flames Club membership ($120 value), home and away seating priority, 10 Flames Club Loyalty Points ($1,000 value), red uced -cost season tickets, and more.

To join, contact the Flames Club at FlamesClub@liberty.ed u or (434) 582-CLUB (2582).

LUK E B O B B EY

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LUK E B O B B EY

BRING ON THE BAND

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LU K E BOBBE Y LUKE BOBBEY

KJ JUGAR

Liberty University’s marching band , The Spirit of the Mountain, is comprised of 265 stud ent musicians and is led by Dr. Stephen Kerr, who has d irected Liberty’s band s for the past 20 years.

The Spirit of the Mountain has brought a new halftime show to home football games titled “Take Me Home,” which Kerr describes as an Americana celebration that features songs related to the home states of some of the band members. The song list includes classics such as “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd and Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind ,” but also more modern tunes like “Party in the U.S.A.” by Dr. Luke and Jessie J. The band recently participated in the Tournament of the Band s and USBand s Exhibition show in Bergenfield , N.J., where they served as the show band for high school band s to mod el. The band was also sched uled to host and perform in two major events: the Band s of America Regional on Oct. 26 and the Virginia Band Cooperative State Championship on Nov. 2.

To help fund a student scholarship for membership in the band , email rstegall@liberty.edu.

JOE L COL EMAN

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ATHLETICS

LIBERTY RETIRES NO. 83 JERSEY OF FORMER COWBOYS PLAYER

KELVIN EDWARDS

BY RON BROWN

Since early childhood, Kelvin Edwards ( 86) learned that God can make all things possible for those who believe.

Edwards overcame poverty to achieve a college education and land on an athletic journey that took him from street ball to an NFL career. He became an All-American football player at Liberty University and a wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys, his childhood dream team.

Edwards and his four siblings were raised by a single mother in a one-room apartment in a public housing project constructed on top of an abandoned cemetery in Atlanta. He played games with the neighborhood children on makeshift fields, using rocks or empty water jugs as balls.

He said his mother, Patricia, taught them to never dwell on the material things but to focus on the spiritual abundance they had in the Lord.

I was so honored and blessed to have a mother who provided us with what we needed, Edwards said.

She also taught her children that perseverance and forgiveness were two of God s greatest attributes and that boundless blessings belong to those who believe in Jesus Christ. Edwards said he tried to mirror her Christian values and strong work ethic.

As a young man, he slept with a Bible on his chest to protect him from the slings and arrows of the world.

It was my steel, Edwards said.

In high school, he became a decorated star athlete in multiple sports and said if it were not for athletics, he might have dropped out. In his senior year, he began understanding the value of an education after college recruiters told him that they admired his athletic ability but his grades could be a stumbling block to getting into college. He set to work and became the first in his family to graduate from high school.

When considering her son s college options, Patricia Edwards was intent on her son receiving a Christian education and, as a supporter of Liberty s founder, Dr. Jerry Falwell, she wanted him to attend Liberty.

Edwards helped Liberty Athletics flagship program make the move to the NCAA ranks. The wide receiver shined during a star-studded four-year career (1 982-85). A 1 985 Associated Press Little All-America first-team honoree, Edwards finished his career as the program s all-time leader in receiving yards (2,546) and receiving touchdowns (22). Both records stood for 26 seasons before they were eclipsed by Chris Summers in 2011.

Morgan Hout, former Flames head

coach, said Edwards stood out because of his dedication to the football craft.

He was very inquisitive and wanted to know about his opponent and the team we were playing, Hout said. His attitude was one of pure joy.

After graduating from Liberty, Edwards was selected in the fourth round of the 1986 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints, and he went on to play with the Dallas Cowboys from 1 987-89 before his pro career was cut short by injury.

Edwards was inducted into the Liberty Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009, and this year, on Oct. 19 during Liberty s Homecoming football game, his No. 83 jersey was retired.

Edwards family operates a luxury car dealership in Dallas. He and his wife have nine children; their son Kyler is a member of Texas Tech s basketball team, which competed against University of Virginia for the 201 9 NCAA Division I Men s Basketball Championship last spring.

Looking back at his days at Liberty, Edwards said the time was pivotal to his life and career.

It changed my walk, he said. It started off being all about ball. It ended up being all about God.

Kelvin Edwards is only the second Flames Football player to have his jersey retired. The fi st one was tight end Eric Green (No. 86).

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BACK ATHOME F O R M E R L U A N D W N B A P L AY E R KAT I E ( F E E N ST R A) M AT T E R A R E T U R N S A S A N A S S I STA N T COAC H T H E L A DY F L A M E S C A N T R U LY L O O K U P T O

BY PAUL CARMANY

Watch an interview with Katie Mattera on "Game On," the weekly TV sports program from the Liberty Flames Sports Network, at GameOnLU.com.

JOEL COLE MA N

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ATHLETICS Arguably the greatest player in Liberty University Women s Basketball history has returned to the program in a new role.

Katie (Feenstra) Mattera ( 05) will serve as an assistant coach for the Lady Flames during the upcoming 2019-20 season.

We are so excited to have Katie back, said Lady Flames Head Coach Carey Green, who is beginning his 21st season at the helm. She coined the phrase Why not Liberty?! during our 2005 NCAA Sweet 16 run when asked why she chose Liberty when she could have gone anywhere in the country. Katie is one of the faces of success in our program, but none stand any taller. She brings a passion for Liberty and for the basketball program.

Mattera previously served six seasons (201 2-1 8) as head coach of Cornerstone University Women s Basketball in her hometown of Grand Rapids, Mich. She posted a 1 1 2-78 coaching record and guided the Golden Eagles to a pair of NAIA National Tournament appearances (2014 and 2018) and the 2018 WolverineHoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) Tournament title. Mattera was named the WHAC Champions of Character Coach in both 2017 and 2018.

The way that the Lord has unfolded every single piece of the puzzle and revealed them to me, He clearly showed me this was the spot where He wanted me to be, Mattera said. I truly believe Liberty has shaped and molded me and how I am as a wife, mother, and basketball coach. I grew in my faith through interactions with my professors, Coach Green, and my teammates. I was challenged daily to stand up for what I believe in and why I believe it.

Before Green reached out to her this past spring about an opening on his coaching staff, Mattera spent the 201 8-1 9 season as an assistant coach for the Liberty Christian Academy girls basketball team in Lynchburg, Va. I got into coaching because I wanted to be a mentor, Mattera said. I wanted to give back.

I don't believe there is anyone who could be a better representative and recruiter for our women s basketball program, Green added. We expect Katie to have a major impact on the development of post play for our team.

She will faithfully provide spiritual guidance to our team as a mentor.

On the court, Mattera led the Lady Flames to four straight Big South Conference titles and NCAA Tournament appearances, culminating with the program s first and only NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 run in her senior season (2004-05). She played alongside older sister Meribeth (Feenstra) Anderson during her freshman and sophomore campaigns.

The 6-foot, 8-inch center became the Lady Flames first NCAA Division I All-American, earning Associated Press honorable mention recognition as both a junior and senior. She was the first-ever three-time Big South Women's Basketball Player of the Year (2003, 2004, and 2005) and was also named Big South

tournaments in Spain and Russia, helping her team win a silver medal in the 2007 FIBA World League Tournament.

Mattera is a member of three halls of fame: Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame (201 2), Liberty Athletics Hall of Fame (2015), and Big South Conference Hall of Fame (2016).

This season, Mattera will primarily work with the Lady Flames post players as she attempts to guide the team to its first ASUN Conference title and its 18th NCAA Tournament appearance overall.

She is excited to witness the return of 201 7-1 8 Big South Player of the Year Keyen Green, a redshirt junior forward/ center who missed the entire 201 8-1 9 season due to injury.

Championship MVP during each of those seasons.

Mattera led the nation in field goal percentage in both 2003-04 and 2004-05, on her way to scoring 1,845 career points.

She owns program records for career field goals made (764), field goal percentage (62.2), and blocked shots (257).

After graduating from Liberty, Mattera embarked upon a successful professional career. She was selected with the No. 8 pick in the first round of the 2005 WNBA Draft and went on to be a unanimous WNBA All-Rookie Team selection for the San Antonio Silver Stars. Mattera played five seasons in the WNBA, totaling 1 ,000 career points and helping the Detroit Shock reach the 2007 WNBA Finals.

Mattera s five-year professional career also included time in China and South Korea. She represented Team USA in

I think she can be a dominating force inside, Mattera said. She is so ready to get out there, be successful and help her team.

The Lady Flames post player corps also features junior Bridgette Rettstatt, who stepped up as an All-ASUN performer in Green s absence last season.

Bridgette can do anything, Mattera said. She can play inside or outside and is so mobile.

In all, Liberty returns five of its top six scorers from last year s squad, which reached the ASUN Conference championship game. The 2019-20 season will tip off Nov. 5 with a visit to Norfolk State. Three nights later, the Lady Flames will host ETSU as part of a doubleheader with the reigning ASUN champion Liberty Men s Basketball team.

View the full schedule at LibertyFlames.com.

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MEN’S BASKETBALL REACHES NEW HEIGHTS Twenty-nine victories. A win in the NCAA Tournament. It certainly was a historic 201 8-1 9 season for Liberty University Men s Basketball after winning the ASUN regular season crown and the ASUN Championship title in just its first season in the conference. Flames Nation experienced some of the most memorable wins in school history, defeating UCLA at the historic Pauley Pavilion and defeating Lipscomb in the ASUN Championship.

The historic season continued in the NCAA Tournament with the program s first-ever win in the Big Dance, upsetting Mississippi State in the First Round to advance to the Round of 32. For building something special in Lynchburg, Head Coach Ritchie McKay was named the 201 9 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year, which recognizes the best coach

in NCAA Division I men s basketball.

Another exciting season lies ahead for McKay's squad. The team was chosen to win the 2019-20 ASUN men's basketball title as voted by the ASUN coaches and media in a preseason poll, and Caleb Homesley was picked as the Preseason Player of the Year. Scottie James was named to the Preseason All-Conference Team. Many familiar faces return to the court, as 74 percent of Liberty s offense is back from last year s squad, including Elijah Cuffee, Darius McGhee, and Keegan McDowell. Liberty will bring back arguably one of its best senior classes in school history in Myo BaxterBell, Homesley, James, and Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz. The Flames also welcome their highest-rated recruiting class in school history in Marten Maide, Shiloh

Robinson, and Kyle Rode.

The Flames will host 1 4 games in Lynchburg that include renewing an in-state rivalry with Radford and also welcoming Navy to campus. Fans will want to fill up the Vines Center one last time (before the Liberty Arena becomes the Flames new home next year) to witness another exceptional season at home. The Flames won 29 games at home over the last two years, including a school record 16 games last season.

The first game is set for Nov. 8 at home against Radford. Season tickets will be in high demand, so do not lose out on your opportunity to catch the Flames in action.

Purchase tickets by calling the Flames Ticket office at 434-582-SEAT (7328).

View the team s full schedule at LibertyFlames.com.

HIGHLIGHTS

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TENNIS TOPS: Nicaise Muamba began the year ranked at No. 65 in the country for singles players, the highest ranking in school history. The native of Laval, Quebec, Canada, was the 2019 ASUN Men's Tennis Player of the Year and became the second player from LU to individually qualify for the NCAA Men's Tennis Championship.

SOCCER FIRST: In non-conference play this season, the Lady Flames posted a 3-2 double overtime win against in-state foe James Madison University and a 1-0 shutout victory at Pittsburgh, giving the program its first-ever win over an ACC opponent.

ATHLETICS

OLYMPIC DREAMS

A number of Liberty University student-athletes and alumni are Olympic hopefuls, and two are already solid contenders for the 2020 Summer Olympics, set for July 24-Aug. 9 in Tokyo, Japan.

Championships in Stanford, Calif., in August. Finnigan will challenge for Olympic bids in the 100- and 200-meter butterfly, while Keiner will compete in both the 100- and 200-meter backstroke.

 Modern pentathlete Charles Fernandez, a senior economics major who has dual U.S. and Guatemalan citizenship, clinched his second bid in four years to represent Guatemala at the Summer Olympics by defending his gold medal at the Pan Am Games, held in late July in Lima, Peru. Fernandez placed 15th in the 2016 Summer Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, after becoming the youngest Pan Am Games pentathlon gold medalist at age 18. He is the first to win gold at back-to-back Pan Am Games.

 Two Lady Flames swimmers, Alicia Finnigan, who graduated in May, and junior Payton Keiner, qualified for the Olympic Trials, set for June 21 -28 in Omaha, Neb. Finnigan qualified based on her performance at the Winter National Championships in Greensboro, N.C., in December, and Keiner earned her chance with her times at the U.S. National

 Senior men s track standout Alejandro Perlaza Zapata represented his native Colombia in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio and is headed to Tokyo in 2020. He earned his second bid to the Olympics after winning the 4x400 meter relay at the World Championships in Qatar Oct. 5-6. He ran the opening leg of the relay. In August, he also ran the opening leg of the gold medal-winning 4x400 meter relay at the Pan Am Games in Peru and placed sixth in the 400 meter. In June, he placed fifth for the Flames in the 400 meter final at the NCAA Outdoor National Championships in Austin.

 Flames freshman men s swimmer Matt Davidson will compete for a bid to next summer s U.S. Olympic Trials in the 1 00-yard backstroke and

STICKING TO IT: Field hockey opened the season at No. 20 in the country and climbed to as high as No. 13 during non-conference play. Liberty is predicted to finish in second place in the BIG EAST Conference standings, opening the year with wins in its first five contests.

50 and 1 00 freestyle at the Dec. 4-7 Toyota U.S. Open at Georgia Tech, formerly known as the Winter National Championships.

 Jonathan Healy ( 1 7), a two-time National Collegiate Taekwondo Association (NCTA) heavyweight black belt champion at Liberty, is a near lock to make his second consecutive U.S. Olympic Trials after moving up to No. 1 in the U.S. rankings in his over-80-kilograms division and striking gold at his first Pan Am Games in July.

 Victoria Hendrix, a first-year recruit on Liberty s shooting sports team and 201 8 Junior Olympic champion for Team USA in the ladies bunker trap event, competed in the first phase of qualifying for the USA Shooting Olympic Trials from Sept. 1 0-1 4 in Texas. Although she did not reach the finals, she will contend for a bid to the world championships in February.

NEW HOCKEY HOME: The ACHA Division I women's hockey team is one of six founding members of Women’s Midwest College Hockey this fall, joining a handful of national powers in the new conference. Liberty comes in as a two-time defending national championship team.

Spirit-filled trad itions were renewed on Liberty Mountain on Oct. 18-19, as the Liberty Flames of the past joined the Flames of tod ay to build new memories with families and friends.

Fri d ay's events feature d Convocation with “Dirty Jobs” TV host Mike Rowe and James Gol d en (“Bo Sner d ley”), executive prod ucer for the Rush Limbaugh Show. The School of Business held an open house and alumni panel, and the School of Music hosted its annual Homecoming Concert with a special tribute to Liberty founder Dr. Jerry Falwell. Student Activities closed out the evening with a bonfi e and live music.

On Saturd ay, alumni had many events to choose from, including the Deep Hollow Half Marathon & 5K at Hyd away Outd oor Recreation Center, Scaremare, the men’s Division I hockey game, and alumni games for men’s soccer, women’s lacrosse, and volleyball. The annual parade was held in the afternoon, followed by a large Alumni Tailgate with food , music, and

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games leading up to the Flames Football game against the University of Maine. Fireworks ignited as a Homecoming crowd witnessed Liberty secure its fift straight win of the season.

Liberty Athletics also used the special weekend to honor a former coach and a former player. On Saturd ay morning, a ceremony was held for the naming of Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stad ium, recognizing the baseball program’s all-time winningest coach, Al Worthington. During the football game, Liberty Athletics retired the No. 83 jersey of Kelvin Ed ward s, a former member of the Dallas Cowboys.

Throughout the weekend , many alumni took the opportunity to go on a guid ed tour to see fi sthand the amazing transformation that has taken place on campus in recent years.

Follow #LUHC19 on social media to see videos and pictures from this year’s unforgettable Homecoming on the Mountain.

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CLASS NOTES S H A R E Y O U R N E W S AT L I B E R T Y. E D U / C L A S S N O T E S

1970s ’79 BRIAN DONOVAN is Vice President of Commercial Lending at Mascoma Bank in Keene, N.H.

1980s ’80 RICK SCHARMANN is President at Pro Sound & Video in Miami, Fla., which provides audio/video and lighting to venues across the U.S., including Liberty’s Center for Music and the Worship Arts, Concert Hall. ’80 ROGER WEBB is a real estate agent in Huntington Beach, Calif., with First Team Real Estate. He previously owned and operated VIP Limousines & Coaches, one of the largest limousine and coach companies in Southern California, for 30 years. ’83 NORM WESTERVELT is Chief Executive Officer of Wealth Factory, a personal financia education and implementation program for entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals, and small business owners in Salt Lake City, Utah.

’84 DIANNE STAINS recently earned a Ph.D. in Business Management from Walden University. She now serves as the Director of Human Resources for the Mountain Division for Vitalant, a national nonprofit ommunity blood services provider that supplies comprehensive transfusion medicine services to nearly 1,000 hospitals and healthcare partners for patients in 40 states. ’85 DIANA FERRELL is a missionary/teacher in Uganda for Compassionate Women Initiative, training rural women in Uganda in Bible, discipleship, and functional adult literacy. Diana also serves on the Board of Directors for Global Outreach Uganda. ’89 BUCK BURCH is taking on the role of Missions Catalyst for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board. He previously served with the International Mission Board for 13 years and has been with the Georgia Baptist Mission Board for the last eight years.

1990s ’91 GORDON RENSHAW is Chief Development Officer for Cross Link Consulting, an IT

consulting/cybersecurity company in Augusta, Ga. ’91 ANDREW SULLIVAN is Vice President of Sales for Adobe, Inc. in Boston, Mass. ’92 TIM SMITH is Vice President of Operations for the Shashi Group, LLC, a hotel ownership, development, and management company with active properties in the San Francisco Bay Area. ’93 SKIP PEEL released a seasonal novel titled “A Halloween Hymn,” a reverse adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” The tale is about a righteous man who must struggle against a triad of temptations warned about in Scripture. ’95 DAVID SCHWARTZ is an attorney and partner in the Corporate and Securities Group of Patzik, Frank & Samotny, Ltd., a law firm i Chicago, Ill. ’95 TIM WAGNER is the Executive Director for Strategic Technology Sourcing and Roadmap Realization at Sony Pictures Entertainment in Los Angeles, Calif. He completed his master’s at Dallas Theological Seminary and his doctoral

Rifle ompany CEO builds on his ministry background

Adam Weatherby (’03) is in his third year as president and CEO of Weatherby Inc., a company that has manufactured rifles, shotguns, ammunition, and accessories for the past 75 years. It is the oldest family-owned rifle company in the U.S. and one of the most prestigious brands in precision rifles and shotguns.

“My father took it over from my grandfather (Roy), who founded it in 1 945, and I took it over from my father (Ed), so it is truly a generational business,” said Weatherby, who earned his Master of Arts in Religion through Liberty’s distance learning program (now Liberty University Online Programs).

But before operating the family business, Weatherby served as a youth pastor at Atascadero (Calif.) Bible Church for 14 years, leading mission trips around the world, speaking at youth events, and

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serving on the main teaching team.

“I never knew when I was in ministry if I would ever come back to run the business, but I have followed God’s calling on my life,” Weatherby said. “This is an incredible opportunity to combine my passion for the outdoors and ministry and to use my gifts and talents to be a light unto the world. It is a different challenge to show up to work every day in the business world, but I still try to love people and minister to people the same way.”

He has incorporated his spiritual leadership skills into the workplace, where he now oversees a staff of 71 employees.

“What I do is take what I learned in ministry — working with people, communication, leadership, vision, and a passion for success — and I hire people who are experts in engineering, manufacturing, accounting, sales, and finance, whatever it takes to run a business,” Weatherby said. “I call people to a vision and communicate that vision.”

The company was based in coastal California for 74 years but recently relocated to Sheridan, Wyo., where it

opened its new 1 00,000-square-foot headquarters and manufacturing plant in March.

“Moving to Wyoming, which is an outdoor haven with excellent big-game hunting, has provided a place where we can better flourish as a business,” he said. “There are more guns per capita in Wyoming than in any other state and its government and people are committed to upholding the Second Amendment.”

As he carries on his family’s legacy, Weatherby works passionately to assure the quality of his company’s merchandise.

“Every product we send out of our factory has my name on it, so I don’t take that lightly,” he said.

Weatherby said studying with Liberty while living on the West Coast proved helpful in both careers and that the delivery method was well ahead of its time.

“Liberty is a pioneer, and its distance learning program is second to none, even when I was in it,” Weatherby said. “Now, the technology is even better and I have recommended the online program to a number of people in various fields.”

ALUMNI work in preaching at Biola University. He has planted two churches and is currently the lead pastor at Mercy Chapel, a church plant in Westlake Village, Calif. He and his wife, Tonya, have four boys and live in Thousand Oaks, Calif. ’96 DEENA FREEMAN-PATTON was recently named Deputy Athletic Director and Chief Operating Officer for the University of New Orleans. ’97 MATT HAHN recently joined Compassion International in Colorado Springs, Colo., as USA Director of Radio Marketing. ’97, ’08 LAURA SIPPLE is head of Oncology and Women’s Wellness Marketing at St. Elizabeth Healthcare in Cincinnati, Ohio. ’99 DEREK DEGRAAF serves as a Lieutenant with the Alaska State Troopers in Anchorage, Alaska.

2000s ’09, ’12 JESS BARRE is Manager of Recruitment and Account Management at TRU Staffi Partners, Inc. in Atlanta, Ga. ’09 NATE HIBBEN was recently appointed by Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon to serve as Circuit Court Judge in Torrington, Wyo.

’09 PHILIP LEINEWEBER was recently promoted from Student Pastor to Family Pastor at Berean Baptist Church in Mansfield, Ohi .

2010s ’10 RAFAEL RISO is Product Line Global Controller for Electrolux in Stockholm, Sweden. ’10, ’13 TONY STIMSON is an attorney for the multinational law firm aker McKenzie at its U.S. operations base office in Tampa, Fla. ’11 ANNA GOMEZ is Assistant Controller for the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys in Frisco, Texas. ’11 MICHAEL LARSSON is Human Resources Coordinator for the NFL’s Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, N.C.

’13 JEFFREY HOOGHEEM of Austin, Texas, has been reappointed to the Texas Health Services Authority Board of Directors by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Hoogheem is the Director of Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Section at the Texas Department of State Health Services. A retired Army Blackhawk helicopter pilot, Hoogheem is responsible for coordinating all public health and medical preparedness and response activities in Texas. ’13 AMY TRAVIS recently published “You Can Visit, but You Can’t Live There: Keys to Living Free from Fear, Anxiety, and Guilt.” This work focuses on how we can build resiliency in our lives.

’12 CONNOR FORD is Player Manager for the NFL Players Association in Washington, D.C.

’13 PETRINA WILLIAMS recently celebrated her fi e-year anniversary at the Susan B. Anthony List, a pro-life voter education and issue advocacy organization. She currently works as Advisor to the President at the organization’s headquarters in Arlington, Va. She previously served as Deputy State Director and as a pro-life/religious freedom lobbyist in North Carolina, where she also managed campaigns for N.C. Sens. Thom Tillis and Richard Burr.

’13 CHARLES DECUIR was recently hired as Staff Chaplain t Vitas Healthcare in Dallas, Texas.

’15 BETHANY BRADY has been named the Marketing and Event Coordinator for the city of Adairsville, Ga.

’11 KATLYN SAVILLE was recently awarded a federal position of Legal Instruments Examiner with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Filmmaker lends his talents for Discovery Channel’s Shark Week

Kody McCormick (’15), an adventure filmmaker and entrepreneur from Chicago, lives by a simple statement: “Once you believe your story matters, you start living beyond your limit.”

In his case, that even includes swimming with sharks.

Kody, along with his brother, Kyler, were recently featured in a commercial for Southwest Airlines, which sent them to Nassau, Bahamas, in July to go behind the scenes of the filming of Discovery Channel’s Shark Week. The brothers swam with sharks in Stuart’s Cove with a trained crew and spent the rest of their time exploring Nassau’s unique landmarks.

“Diving with sharks was a very surreal experience,” Kody said. “You

just float on the water and try not to move much or splash around because that attracts the sharks and that could end up in a shark bite. … There were some moments of fear for sure.”

Kody and Kyler are the founders and producers of the cinematic storytelling company The Outbound Life, which specializes in travel, tourism, and outdoor industries, servicing clients such as Southwest Airlines, Hilton, Camping World, and Vail Resorts.

When they don’t have cameras in their hands, the brothers enjoy sharing about their filmmaking ventures during presentations at high schools and colleges across the country.

Their inspirational talks encourage young people to live “a life of passion, intentionality, and purpose.”

“Beyond storytelling through film and photo, we feel we have much more to share to a younger generation as we had to overcome many hurdles to get here,” Kody said.

Just like many of their own filming adventures, overcoming fear is often a theme in their talks, especially when it comes to the challenge of graduating

and landing a job.

“Fear really limits us,” Kody said.

“It puts a veil on us that we end up not being our true ourselves. Once you can push past that, once you believe that your story matters, you’re really going to go after it in a new way and take whatever life throws at you.”

Part of their message is that failure leads to strength. In that spirit, they created an “anti-highlight reel,” a compilation of failures throughout their work experience.

“So many people are putting out on social media their beautiful fantasy life and everything’s perfect,” Kody said.

“We believe there is so much more to the story that we want to share.”

Kody earned his business entrepreneurship degree online with Liberty.

“Taking online courses allowed me to build my business while getting my degree,” he said.

View the McCormicks’ videos, including a TEDx Talk, on YouTube and TheOutboundLife.com

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’15 ROD EASTMAN has been serving as Spiritual Growth Pastor at First Baptist Church in Roseau, Minn., since 2016. He has also been employed with Marvin in Warroad, Minn., for 28 years and currently serves as a Senior Continuous Improvement Specialist. ’15 BRANDON MATEO of Wake Forest, N.C., is a Recruiting & Retention Section Chief with the North Carolina Army National Guard. This past summer, he studied the force of evolutionary, geologic, and social change as he helped to contribute to sustainable solutions for the Galapagos archipelago. ’15 MARY TEAL MEDINA was recently hired as legislative aide for Paul D. Corderman, member of the Maryland House of Delegates. ’16 NANCY FOLK recently published a book, “Fire Vision,” through WestBow Press. The book is a tale of strength, resiliency, and empowerment. ’16 FAMATTA GIBSON is a Program Coordinator for Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn. Famatta is also a graduate candidate at the Nyack School of Social Work in Manhattan, N.Y., and will be completing her studies in 2020. ’16 BRIAN MILLER traveled to Nepal over the summer to support Hope Academy through classroom work, providing teacher/ administrator training workshops, and conducting outreach programs in communities across Nepal.

’17 JILL LEY-ALVARADO is the Manager for Events and Logistics for the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee in Colorado Springs, Colo.

’18 COREY CLAYBORNE is Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer for AIA Virginia, the state chapter for the American Institute of Architects, in Richmond, Va.

’17 JUSTIN BAKER is Financial Analyst at Northrop Grumman in the Baltimore, Md., area.

’18 NANCY JALBERT recently began writing a weekly blog, Moving4ward.blog, that looks at applying biblical truths to walking out our faith.

’17 HANNAH COVINGTON is Recruiting Coordinator for Hendrick Automotive Group in Charlotte, N.C. She also serves as Connections Pastor for United Wesleyan Church in Charlotte. ’17 SUZANNE JACKSON has been named Director of Population Health for Southeastern Health, a nonprofit healthca e system including Southeastern Regional Medical Center hospital, based in Lumberton, N.C. She will continue her ongoing role as Director of Care Coordination and assumes the leadership role for Southeastern Hospice and Southeastern Hospice House. ’17 CHRIS MCMANAMA is Vice President of Operations at Abilene Motor Express in Richmond, Va. ’17 IAN TEMPLETON is an advisor at Valbridge Property Advisors in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, area. ’17 KALEIGH OLSON TOUW was blessed with a baby girl, Madeline, in December.

’18 SHANE LOHMANN is Senior Health Systems Engineer at the Mayo Clinic Health System in Rochester, Minn. ’18 DARNICIA SMITH is a detective at the City of Suffolk Police Department in Suffolk, Va. ’19 CHRIS HOBBS was named Top 40 Under 40 Leader in the sports industry by Coach & AD Magazine and was named the Varsity Brands Spirit Awards National Athletic Director of the Year. ’19 MICHAEL TODD PAYNTER was awarded The Franklin Award at the United States Department of State Consulate Affairs Awards Ceremony. Named for Benjamin Franklin and his service as an international diplomat during the American Revolution, the award recognizes achievements in performance, innovation, crisis management, and leadership.

’17 MICHAEL WILLIAMS is a Financial Management Analyst at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va.

Miss Maryland 2019 uses her platform and faith to impact others

When Caitlyn Stupi (’1 9) first competed in the Miss America Organization (MAO) two years ago, she saw the program as a perfect combination of everything she had set her sights on from an early age: using her talents as a cellist and dancer, speaking out on social issues, volunteering, and being dedicated to academic excellence.

On June 23, Stupi found herself center stage wearing a crown.

Stupi has earned $20,000 in scholarships through MAO, allowing her to take full advantage of opportunities at Liberty. In her graphic design class, she wrote and illustrated a

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children’s book on financial literacy for her Social Impact Initiative with MAO; she received elective cello lessons at the School of Music to support her talent portion; and she was a member of the Liberty Flamettes dance team, which helped her learn how to create a bond between young women who share her interests.

Stupi graduated with honors in May, earning a Bachelor of Science in Studio & Digital Arts: Graphic Design.

“At Liberty, I was constantly surrounded by professors who supported and mentored me both as an individual and as an artist,” she said. “I wouldn’t be who I am now without the continued support of the faculty in the SADA Department, School of Music, and Honors Program.”

Leading up to December’s Miss America competition in Atlantic City, N.J., Stupi has been making public appearances, meeting with national leaders, and sharing her initiative, “Common Cents,” which teaches

children the value of financial literacy at a primary level. She attended Financial Literacy Day on Capitol Hill on June 26.

“It’s my vision that every child will learn the basics of financial literacy — regardless of their socioeconomic background — and have access to an education that empowers their futures,” she said.

A large part of being Miss Maryland, Stupi explained, is being a servant leader and having an intergenerational impact on those she meets.

“Even though Miss Maryland gets to wear a crown and sash, her role is to make other people feel like the most important person in the room,” she said. “I have continued to grow as an advocate — not only on behalf of myself, but of others and the organization. I feel extremely blessed to have the opportunity to serve the state that shaped me into the woman of confidence and authenticity that I am today.”

THE PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE 2019 The resident’s Circle recognizes donors whose giving to Liberty University qualifies for one of the foll wing categories.

This list ecognizes donors from Jan. 1-Sept. 30, 2019. $1,000,000 - and above Organizations The Rawlings oundation, Inc.

$100,000 - $499,999 Individuals Steve Brooks Dan Crockett Gary A. Frame Peggy Payne* M. Clarke Thoma Dorris D. Williams Organizations BB&T Charitable Fund George Jenkins Legacy Gift

$50,000 - $99,999 Individuals Melvin W. Buster* Barry & Pam Clarkson John & Eatha S. Gallagher* Gilbert & Mary Margaret Tinney Organizations ExxonMobil Foundation Educational Matching Gift Program Framatome, Inc. The umprecht Law Firm TheTazewell Community Foundation Scholarship Fund

$25,000 - $49,999 Individuals Henry & Doris Bridges Ernest & Amber Carter Beatrice L. Dickinson* Linda H. Handy* Norman K. A. Hoffe Jon & Margie Lienemann Richard & Karin Osborne Marlene Senner William D. & Sylvia S. Stevens* Organizations Permanens Capital

$10,000 - $24,999 Individuals Ralph & Joan Campbell Jasen & Brandi Cassady David & Kristi Dolan Paul M. & Philene M. Ware-Dunn Mark & Michelle Hiepler Carroll & Nancy Hudson Johnny & Patricia Hunton Louis & Joan LaMay Michael & Christina LaFleur Paul & Kelli Marten Geraldine E. Moose Gene & Joyce Myers Robert A. Novinger* Edward & Judith Pahl Ben & Donna Patterson Phillip & Debbie Rine Regan J. Starner Lois Wells Webb* Organizations Boxley Church Mutual Ins. Co. Homestead Creamery, Inc. Mississippi Annual Conference of The nited Methodist Church, Inc. Nutramax Laboratories Consumer Care, Inc. Patel & Dalrymple Attorneys at Law Peter & John Radio Fellowship Inc. dba Peter & John Ministries

ResCare, Inc. The Bolick oundation W. P. Malone, Inc. Wired Ministries, Inc.

$5,000 - $9,999 Individuals Tony & Polly Byrd Junessa A. DeBiasi Epperly Hugh Freeze Carey & Denise Green Douglas & Julietta Hershberger Scott & Melanie Hicks Laura Elizabeth Higginbotham* James Larry Ingram Ron & Rachel Justice Linda F. Kay Reynold F. Keller Ira Stephen Kennedy Connie Kesler Dr. John & Mrs. Jennie Kim B. A. Langley Ingeborg Marcum* Ian & Heather McCaw Ritchie & Julie McKay Wallace and Mayme Miller* Perry & Roberta Nelson Rachel Polley Jim & Patsy Sanders Jake & Lorin Shellenberger Todd & Rachelle Sorensen Jimmy & Rhonda Thoma Faron & Linda Thompso Roy Unsin* Barry & Robyn Woodard Organizations American Association of Christian Counselors Bater Orthodontics BB&T Blue Ridge Chronic Pain Center Blumenschein Living Trust Bob Goodlatte for Congress Committee Brookneal Poultry, Inc. Chesapeake RV Solutions Christian Leadership Alliance Dominion Foundation Environmental Options, Inc. Fill the Gap Concerts Franklin Heights Baptist Church Gentle Shepherd Hospice, Inc. Houston Safari Club Foundation Hurt & Proffitt, nc.

Jones & Roberts Accounting & Financial Law Office of esus Reyes PLLC Minnick Enterprises, LLC Runk & Pratt Health Care Enterprises, Inc. ServPro Of Lynchburg/Bedford & Campbell County Shikar-Safari Club International Foundation TheBoyd & Joan Kelley Charitable Foundation Virginia Law Foundation WACH Marketing, Inc.

$2,500 - $4,999 Individuals Dr. & Mrs. Gregg Albers Carla Allen Rob & Susan Andrews Tashaa C. Annas Anonymous Carter County OK* Jay & Mary Bachar Linda Beard David & Pam Bell David & Lori Benham

Jason & Tori Benham Angela Bowers Andy & Linda Bowling Elden & Dixie Brammer Constance E. Bredenberg David & Pamela Brown Cole Candler Tim & Julie Clinton Ron Cooper Joseph Copeland Johnny & Anne Crist Walter H. Crumling Chris & Cindy Cruz Mark L. D’Arezzo Olive M. Eckmann* H. Glenn & Rachael Esbenshade Tina Friar Rodney E. Gladfelter Lee & Tonja Hall Kirk & Jannie Handy Joel & The esa Hesch Dan & Amy Hodges Rick & Debbie Huff James Larry Ingram Scott & Sara Jackson Trevor & Jane Johnson Dwayne & Gail Kamphuis John Kenney Ronald & Bernice Kidd Stewart Langley Dr. Jon & Sissie Lenzen Steve & Kathy Lloyd Paul Lokey Kim Magnano David & Linda Martin Perry & Laurie Maze Kathy McCavanagh Jeff & Cindy cCaw Mark McClure Mark G. Minar Stephen & Tricia Mock J. Arthur Moore* William Morgan Debi Myers Mallory Neff Scott & Kelli Overton Sean Owen Bill & Vida Parker Mike & Donalyn Parker Linwood & Trudy Parker Amy L. Peavley John Petrozelli Craig & Cindy Petry Bob Pinto & Dot Richardson Mike & Helga Pryor Todd Ramsey Karl C. Salz Jack Schewel Gary & Traci Schmincke Troy & Hollie Schultz Archie & Carlita Smith Tim & Martha Stoudnour Bo & Kipplyn Summers Glen & Teresa Thoma Gene & Debbie Walker Darrell Wargo Lori Watkins Duke & Carlene Westover David & Deborah Wheeler Scott & Shelly Wolf TheWooldridge Family Organizations A. J. Blosenski, Inc. Trash & Recycling Service Arkansas Youth Conference

Arms of Love Blue Eagle Credit Union Blue Ridge Vein Care, PC C12 Virginia Blue Ridge LLC Compassion International Inc. Crossroads Family Dentistry, PLLC Delta Air Lines Foundation English Construction Company, Inc. Fidelity Charitable First Bank & Trust Company First Baptist Church of Columbia First Baptist Church of Woodbridge, Inc. First Baptist Church-Perkasie First Baptist Cleveland G. F. Walls Agency, Inc. HealthWorks Clinic, LLC Holston Baptist Association HSC Wealth Advisors Human Kind Ignite Men, LLC Impact Living Services Lynchburg Ready Mix Concrete Co, Inc. Media Partners, Inc. Musser Lumber Company Neal Agency, Inc. OrthoVirginia, Inc. Precision Marble & Tile Prime Events, LLC Alex Richards-Richards Insurance SBC of Virginia Foundation Sonny Merryman, Inc. State Farm Companies Foundation Temple Baptist Church Texas Arms of Love The rook Total Packaging Services, LLC UBS YourCause, LLC TTEE for Medtronic

Foundation Volunteer Grant Program YourCause, LLC Trustee for Pfi er Annual Giving Campaign

$1,000 - $2,499 Individuals Mona Ables Bob & Sue Anderson Darin & Caroline Andreas Steve Andrews Barry & Linda Armstrong Dr. & Mrs. William R. Armstrong Doward F. Austin Phil & Lois Ayers Christie Bailey Brenda Baird Ray & Laura Baldwin Lori Barnett Fred N. Beason Rodney & Marlee Beckom Timothy I. Bergstrom Al & Lisa Billingsly Dale & Tina Birdsall Jeff K. Boettge Jerome & Kathy Bogacz Rex A. Bonar Bob & Brenda Bonheim David Bostic Jimmy R. Bowden, Jr. George Brandon Rich & Carla Bryan Janice E. Buckley Brad & Claudia Butler Erica Butler Raphael de Chiara Cardoso Dean & Ginger Cole

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Larry & Barbara Compter Frank & Jessica Corley C. Lloyd Cox Tom F. Craven, Jr. Richard A. Daniels Michael & Constance Davis Bob & Sandra Day Rick & Angie DeBoard Dennis & Sharon Delisle Andrew & Karie Dickinson Doug & Sheila Diehl Thomas & lizabeth DiPaolo Nancy D. Dodd David & Buffy onahoo Derck & Stacy Doss Greg & Mary Dowell David C. Dudley Drew Ellenburg Robert Ellis Howard J. Embert Glenn & Lois Enderud Tracie M. England Brad & Annie Fairchild Linda L. Farver Sherry Ferello Lois E. Fergerson Kenneth E. Ferry Chris & Pam Ficco Christopher E. Fogal Instructor Linda Freshwater Cherie Fricks Bryant & Riley Gaines Robert W. Garthwait, Sr. Max Gasser Marcus W. Goldman Cindy Goodrich David S. Graziotti The esa H. Green Brittany Grissom Lydia Guthrie Steven D. Hall Marlana L. Hancock Bob Handwerker Gene & Ann Hatcher Richard Hegarty Jeff & Allison elgeson Charles & Shelvie Holmes Pete Horstman Dr. Michael G. Hueber Dominic & Alessandra Ingemi Leslie L. Jacoby, Jr. Paul & Jacquelyn Johnson Tamara L. Johnson Levi & Alison Johnston

Roy & Melinda Jones Marsha Justice Michelle Kimlick Harry & Mary King Diane Kippes Dr. & Mrs. David Klink Scott & Pearl Lamb Jennifer Lehman Betty Lewis Randal & Debbie Linville James & Deborah Livingston Tom Lougheed Lance & Stephanie MacKenzie James & Megan Mason Herbert E. Maxey, Jr. Ronald R. McDaniel Denny & Jane McHaney Andrew Meadows Sam & Linda Metts Keith & Michelle Middleton Russell & Terry Millner Michael Misjuns Kay Mitchell P. H. Mitchell, Jr. Andrew Moore Laura Morris Dr. James Nalley, M.D. Rosaleen Neely Arthur Nicholson* Yvonne Norman-Rice Mr. Bradley Owen & Dr. Pamela Zimmerman-Owen Gerald Owens Cory Pate Rory & Cheryl Patterson Gary G. Pearson Billy Crystal Peele Scott & Cindy Phillips Mark & Christine Probst Jeff ey D. Raub Chris & Lara Rayborn Edward & Karin Renner Dr. & Mrs. James L. Rhoades Lance Riggs Brandt Riley Gloria Roakes Jim Roller Mike & Kelli Rosas Wes & Robbin Ruiz Charline Russell Margot S. Sample Mary Ann Saunders Bob & Pam Schmidt Barry & Debbie Schmitt

William J. Schnarr Sig & Gwen Seiler Ray Sellers Charmy Shrode Dave & Kim Smith Ray Smith John A. Snider Paul & Sara Spinden Roger H. Stiles Tom G. Stinson, Jr. Stef S. Stoltz John W. Strother Scott R. Strum Brian & Amanda Summers Gary Swenson Gary & Jackie Tedder Troy & Karla Temple Jeff & eidi Thoma John & Anne Thompso Brant & Nancy Tolsma Edgar & Allison Tuck Freda Ann Voorhis Aaron R. Wheeler Sonny & Sharon White Paul & Andrea Williams Jim & Kathy Williams Jewel E. Wilson Wyatt & Gwen Wilson Dr. Lian-Tuu & Mrs. Arlene Yeh Stephen Zimmerman Organizations A.G. Jefferson pticians Alpha-Omega Training and Compliance, Inc. Anadarko Petroleum Corporation Bean Tree, LLC Blue Ridge Apothecary BWX Technologies, Inc. C12 Virginia, LLC C3 Church NC Cardinal Environmental Consultants, LLC Centra Medical Group, LLC Charter Properties of Virginia, LLC Christ Chapel Mountain Top Church of the Redeemer Citation Oil & Gas Corp Come Alive International, Inc. Cornerstone Baptist Church Dayrich Enterprises Deck n Yard LLC Doyle’s Florist, Inc. East Pointe Baptist Church, Inc. FBC Mt. Juliet Garber-Lowe Fence, Inc. Global Partners in Peace & Development

Grace Community Church Grace Fellowship Berean Christian School Highmark Matching Funds His Generation John & Linda Muckel Foundation Johnson Health Center Jump Gardens, LLC Jump Lynchburg, LLC Jump Lynnhaven, LLC K & J Enterprises, Inc dba McDonalds Kelly Ayers, Inc. Lakeside Baptist Ministries Lamb Exterminating Lynchburg R. Training, LLC Merrill Lynch Miller Farms Mt Olive Baptist Church Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia Novo Nordisk, Inc. NVUS1129 LLC dba Massage Envy Parker Dental, PC Parkwood Baptist Church, Inc. Peace FWB Church, Inc. Perimeter Roofing, L C Pregnancy Resource Center of Metro Richmond, Inc. Professional Plumbing R. Coffee, Lt Rejoice Ministries, Inc. Robert & Jacqueline Lewis Foundation Royal Restrooms LLC S&R Cleaning and Floor Service of Roanoke Stephen W. Bennett T/A Bennboro Farm Summit Mortgage Tate Springs Baptist Church Temple Free Will Baptist Church The idstate Group TheWoodsman Todd Builders, Inc. Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah Twin City Baptist Temple, Inc. Verizon Foundation Virginia Amateur Sports, Inc.

* Estate Gift If we have omitted, misspelled, or misplaced your name, please accept our apologies and notify our office y calling toll-free (866) 602-7983.

For more information on planned giving to Liberty University, visit Liberty.edu/Giving or call (800) 543-5309.

Get your Liberty gear at Liberty.BNCollege.com and learn how your child can cheer on the Flames as part of the Flames Kids Club at

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/FlamesKidsClub.

Send your photo to news@liberty.edu for a chance to have your little one included in the next Liberty Journal.

IN MEMORIAM George Rogers leaves heroic legacy as true Champion for Christ

George Rogers was a decorated World War II hero who spent 25 years as an administrator at Liberty University. He worked closely with both Liberty s founder, Jerry Falwell Sr., and current Liberty President Jerry Falwell.

In 1 974, Rogers started as Liberty s chief financial officer and also served as chief executive officer for Falwell Sr. s television and radio production of The Old Time Gospel Hour. He later served

as Liberty s vice president of finance and administration.

Rogers received the Purple Heart and Prisoner of War medals for his service in World War II. He was one of 75,000 American and Philippine troops captured by Japanese forces while serving in the Philippines and was among the survivors of the Bataan Death March.

President Falwell said his family and the Rogers family were close friends.

Rogers was a mentor to Falwell when Falwell started at Liberty as its general counsel. He said Rogers financial wisdom and frugality helped navigate Liberty through some of its most trying economic times.

He was like an iron fist, Falwell said. I don t think Liberty would be nearly as successful financially if it had not been for George Rogers. He was the tough financial guy we needed to survive all those difficult years. He was a good

friend, and he ll be greatly missed.

Rogers retired in 1999, but he remained a loyal supporter of the university. Rogers was presented with an honorary Doctor of Business at Commencement 201 6 and was saluted by President Donald Trump at Commencement 201 7. Most recently, Rogers was an honored guest on Liberty s stage during a military-themed portion of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) this past March.

In 201 0, Liberty established an annual award in Rogers honor the George Rogers Champion of Freedom Award presented to a U.S. Armed Forces veteran who went beyond the call of duty in demonstrating extraordinary heroism while in the service and then continued to be an outstanding ambassador in their community.

Rogers passed away on Aug. 1 7 in Lynchburg, Va., at age 100.

Dr. A. Pierre Guillermin remembered as founding leader, cherished friend

Dr. A. Pierre Guillermin (left) served as president of Liberty University from 1 971 -1 996 and as president emeritus since his retirement in 1996.

Dr. Guillermin, affectionately known as Dr. G, worked with Liberty s founder, Dr. Jerry Falwell Sr. (right), and current President Jerry Falwell in implementing the original vision of creating quality, affordable, Christian education in the form of a national university. He served as a voice of wise and trusted counsel for faculty, staff,

and students. His roles consisted of everything from hiring faculty and forming new academic programs to even performing premarital counseling for students. Dr. Guillermin also played a monumental role in the young college by helping it to gain regional accreditation from the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in nearly record time in 1 981 . Dr. Guillermin s daily management allowed Falwell Sr. and, later, current President Jerry Falwell, to focus on the original mission, financing, fundraising, recruiting, and pioneering of distance education programs now known as Liberty University Online Programs.

President Jerry Falwell invited Dr. Guillermin to speak at Commencement in May, along with keynote speaker Vice President Mike Pence.

He did a phenomenal job at the 201 9 Commencement, delivering the official charge of the university to the

graduates and conferring degrees to 20,700 graduates, Falwell said. We remember him telling the graduates that they could move their tassels one last time, as he had done so many times before. We have lost one of our founding administrators, a work colleague, and a cherished friend.

Dr. Mark Hine, senior vice president for student affairs, remembers him as a kind, caring, and compassionate individual.

His gentleness made him great, he said. My conversations with him always left me encouraged and energized. I loved his steady, unswerving loyalty to God, his family, and Liberty. I loved this man and his family. He will be greatly missed.

Liberty recently renamed the former TRAX building on Fort Avenue to the Liberty University Guillermin Financial Center (GFC).

Guillermin passed away on July 16 in Lynchburg, Va., at the age of 82.

We want to lower the cost so you can

R AISE THE B AR .

e’ve frozen tuition for two years in a row w y h w s ’ t a Th

and created the Middle America Scholarship.

FREEZE WARNING

MIDDLE AMERICA SCHOLARSHIP

Why should college cost more next year than it does this year? We are making tuition as affordable as possible by freezing our residential tuition rate for the second year in a row and online tuition for its fourth.

Incoming residential students from families who typically make $35,000-95,000 annually may earn up to $5,195 per year from the MAS.

For more information, visit Liberty.edu/MiddleAmerica