Summer 2016 PUB LIS H E R Jerry Falwell SENIO R M A NAGIN G E D ITOR Mitzi Bible GRAP H IC D E SIGNE R Carrie Mitchell CO NTRIBUT IN G E D ITORS Becki Falwell Ronald Kennedy Amanda Stanley
L E S SC HOF E R
STA FF Ted Allen Diane Austin Rebecca Beem Heather Bradley Ron Brown Katie Davis Rachel Dugan Cheryl Job Leslie Keeney Drew Menard Dawn Neal Sarah Paulson Amy Price Josh Rice Melissa Skinner PHOTOGRA PH E RS Mitchell Bryant Joel Coleman James Hancock Kaitlyn Johnson Kevin Manguiob Jessie Rogers Les Schofer
ON THE COVER
New York Giants running back and Liberty alumnus Rashad Jennings (’09) was the youngest Commencement speaker in Liberty’s history. At the end of his speech, he made his way to the end zone and threw an autographed football into the crowd of graduates. Photo by: Mitchell Bryant
For more information about the Liberty Journal, email news@liberty.edu, call (434) 592-4955, or write to: Liberty University News Office, 1971 University Blvd., Lynchburg, Va., 24515. View a digital version and past issues at Liberty.edu/LibertyJournal. For information on Liberty’s academic programs, the admissions process, alumni, or athletics, call (434) 582-2000. Liberty University is not affiliated with the Department of Defense or any military service.
FEATURES
RAMPING UP RESEARCH Liberty is strengthening its emerging research culture as it joins the nation’s top 7 percent of schools that are designated as Doctoral Universities. — 4 KAREN KINGSBURY From visiting campus for the first time to seeing her children thrive at Liberty, the best-selling author shares her firsthand experience as an LU parent. — 12 A NEW GRIP ON INNOVATION Students team with local groups to produce 3-D-printed robotic hands for children. — 16 GOD’S COMPASS, THE MOVIE Cinematic Arts Department releases award-winning feature film. — 20 CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2016 The sights, sounds, and special moments from Liberty’s 43rd Commencement — 22
Liberty University was the title sponsor for the 2016 Lynchburg Regional Airshow, featuring the U.S. Navy Blue Angels May 21-22.
NEWS
An update on Liberty’s $500-million campus rebuilding — 36 Travel opportunities abound for students interested in disaster relief and in enriching their degrees through cross-cultural trips. — 40 Liberty students come out on top at academic competitions. — 42
ATHLETICS
Student-athletes from football, swimming, track & field, equestrian, and more will soon welcome new, state-of-the-art facilities. — 48 Head Basketball Coach Ritchie McKay earns Coach of the Year honors. — 50 Spring season accomplishments and highlights — 51
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Ramping up
Research Now designated as a Doctoral University, Liberty enters a new era of academic excellence B Y E M I LY WA L K E R H E A D Y, P H . D . Liberty University’s astonishing growth over its relatively short life span may be old news to those connected to the campus, but to the higher education community, it represents nothing less than a new paradigm for the future of higher education. And Liberty is making advancements in a way that is earning the
respect of more traditional peers. Once a small Bible college and now the largest private, nonprofit four-year college in the country, the nation’s fifth largest university, and the largest college in Virginia, Liberty takes its place among the only 7 percent of colleges and universities in the nation to achieve a Carnegie classification of
Austin Olson (left), Kasey Jackson, and Caitlin Parsons study on a balcony at the Jerry Falwell Library.
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“I pursued a position at Liberty because I wanted to experience what it would be like to teach at a Christian institution that emphasized teaching while still encouraging some research.” D AV I D S N E A D , p r o f e s s o r o f h i s t o r y has been used for more than 40 years by analysts, government officials, and academic groups as a way of understanding the differences between institutions of higher education. It is often used as a basis for rankings systems, U.S. Department of Education reports, financial aid, and grant expenditures. For example, Liberty’s new Carnegie classification will change its place in the U.S. News & World Report rankings from a “regional” to a “national” university with a “Doctoral/ Research University” label. Liberty, in short, is now swimming in a much bigger pond. Liberty attained this new classification in large part because of the size of its Doctor of Education degree program, which currently has more than 1,000 students enrolled. But having a significant number of graduates is only the first step; to advance within this new, more competitive set of rankings, Liberty will look to build on the strong foundation already laid in programs such as the Doctor of Education.
School of Education Dean Emeritus Karen Parker reports that the move to increase the size and influence of Liberty’s graduate programs in education created a need for significantly increased research activity. “It was determined several years ago that if we were to develop what is now one of the largest education doctoral programs in the country, we would also have to develop a culture of research among our faculty and students,” Parker says. “That culture now exists, and some of our faculty have developed into true experts in their areas.” Originally, Parker says faculty members were instructed on how to take major research projects (including dissertations and theses) and transform them into research presentations at conferences and articles for submission to professional journals. Their work had a direct application for students. The next — and more important step, she adds — was to build expectations for research into the faculty evaluation process. >> KAI TLYN JOHNSON
“Doctoral University” with a research designation. This 7 percent of schools packs a powerful educational punch, educating 33 percent of the students enrolled in institutions of higher education and shaping the future of industries worldwide. This new designation, announced in early 2016, positions Liberty with institutions such as Boise State, Hofstra, Kennesaw State, Seton Hall, Valdosta State, and Villanova, recognizing the size and span of the institution’s doctoral programs and the strength of its emerging research culture. Christopher Seitz, assistant professor of public and community health and a newly minted Fulbright Scholar, sees the new Carnegie classification as coming at exactly the right time to propel the university forward into a new era: “I think there’s a perfect storm brewing on campus that will push Liberty University to the forefront of the nation for training research-savvy students.” Liberty’s new designation as an R3: Doctoral Institution reflects the level of research activity on campus. This level is measured in a variety of ways, including the total dollars designated for research-related purposes, the number of faculty who conduct or supervise research, and the number of graduates in research-intensive fields. The Carnegie classification system Students enjoy a spring afternoon on the lawn in front of the recently completed Center for Music and the Worship Arts (right). The Jerry Falwell Library is pictured in the background.
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Research at a teaching university
Dr. Ben Kalu, an assistant professor of biology, mentors graduate biomedical sciences student Joseph Gosnell on the use of ultrasound technology.
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that emphasized teaching while still encouraging some research.” Gene Sattler, professor of biology and author of numerous articles, began his research on birds at the Smithsonian Institution, where he studied as part of his graduate program at the University of Maryland. Like Snead, Sattler was drawn to Liberty’s Christian worldview, and he quickly saw the opportunity to include students in his own research projects. His current project, which studies the migration dynamics of the northern saw-whet owl, involves students as integral parts of the team. “This project has been instrumental in giving many of our biology majors research experience,” Sattler says. “It is very valuable for these students to learn such things as the logistical challenges of carrying out research beyond the comforts and controlled settings of the laboratory in a field setting, the difficulty of accumulating meaningful sample sizes when dealing with wild animals, and how to handle these creatures in a manner that is safe for both the student and the animal. A number of the students associated with K E VI N M ANGU I OB
>> Typically, universities bill themselves as either “teaching” or “research” focused. Small, studentcentered institutions of higher education generally hire faculty who focus mainly on instruction, rather than on research, scholarship, or professional activity in their field. By contrast, research universities often have large numbers of faculty members who teach few, if any, courses, and whose primary responsibility is to conduct grant-funded research, often in isolation from the student body. Liberty has long billed itself — and rightly so — as a teaching-focused university. Students have consistently rated their interactions with faculty as among the most powerful aspects of their education; in a recent survey, over 97 percent of Liberty alumni touted the positive experiences they had with the professors in their programs. The new R3 designation does not indicate a change of focus away from classroom teaching, but rather a broader commitment to include more significant research
experiences as part of what students do on their way to a degree. At Liberty, research has long been understood as an integral part of teaching. Faculty conduct research to remain experts in their fields. Liberty’s faculty has won more than 75 research grants and has made more than 3,500 presentations at scholarly conferences since 2010, many of them on topics with direct application to what they teach in the classroom. David Snead, professor of history and author of four books on 20th-century American diplomatic and military history, moved from his doctoral program at the University of Virginia to a faculty position at Texas Tech. He made the move to Liberty, though, because of the way that teaching and research were intertwined. According to Snead, “I pursued a position at Liberty because I wanted to experience what it would be like to teach at a Christian institution
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Dr. Todd Allen, associate professor of chemistry, works with recent graduate Grant McClure on research related to the conversion of algae to biofuels.
the project have gone on to careers such as conservation officer and environmental impact assessor, or on to graduate school, studying animals in a field setting.” Integrating research into the classroom experience helps the university to fulfill its mission — Training Champions for Christ — to a greater degree than ever before, as research enables students to enter the “real world” with a more relevant skill set. Todd Allen, associate professor of chemistry, came to Liberty after 15 years with the Department of Defense (DOD), where he served as the analytical laboratory manager, completing a variety of projects, including one related to the conversion of algae to biofuels. Liberty University had already expressed interest in assisting with this DOD project and acquired the gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GC/MS) instrument needed to conduct this analytical work. Now, with Allen at the helm of this project, students use the GC/MS to determine the total content of oil present in algae samples received from the DOD, an essential step in determining their potential to be used as biofuels — a project that enables students to learn real-world, hands-on, marketable skills, while contributing to more efficient stewardship of God’s creation at the same time. >> Recent graduate Brittané Dodwell (from left), rising senior Abigail Long, and Dr. Brianne Friberg, associate professor of psychology, discuss a psychology research project.
KA ITLYN JO HNSON
Gene Sattler, professor of biology, tags a northern saw-whet owl as part of research into the migration of the species in Central Virginia.
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The Quality Enhancement Plan
to finish … and I loved it. I was thrilled to create new knowledge. Now that I’m a professor, I want my undergraduate students to have the same experience that I had when I was in their shoes.” If students’ successes to this point are any indication, Liberty will be right at home among the ranks of newly minted research universities. Last May, Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Gary Isaacs and four of his students received the J. Shelton Horsley Award at the Virginia Academy of Science’s Annual Meeting at Virginia Commonwealth University — the highest honor conferred by the
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K E VI N M ANGU I OB
ABOVE: Communication students Rachel Cruz and Garrett Sisson study in the Jerry Falwell Library. BELOW: Undergraduate biomedical sciences student Taylor Lonjin presents his poster on Biodegradable Microcarriers for Drug Delivery during a Research Week symposium.
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>> As part of its reaffirmation of accreditation every 10 years through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), Liberty develops a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) to improve or expand student learning in a specific area. The recently launched QEP, “Illuminate: Cultivating a Community of Research,” focuses on taking undergraduate students through all the steps of research, from developing basic competencies to designing experiments and projects, to disseminating results in a public forum. The QEP is being carried out through the newly created Center for Applied Research & Scholarship, which brings together many of the research-related efforts already occurring on campus and creates opportunities for more, including smaller research-focused classes
working on real-world research projects. When President Jerry Falwell addressed a meeting of all residential and online faculty in April, he congratulated them on making commitments to research and developing this plan across all disciplines. “There could not be a more appropriate topic for our QEP than research,” he said, “because at this stage in our history — we’re a young school, we’ve been mainly a teaching university for years — it’s time for us to take the next step, even at the undergraduate level, to get our students to develop a culture of research.” Faculty members are already clamoring to be a part of this initiative — in large part because they know how much of an impact these teaching practices can have. Christopher Seitz shares his own experience as an undergraduate: “During my last semester, my academic advisor took me under her wing on a research project. It was my first experience conducting a research project from start
academy for original research. Isaacs and his students have been conducting Alzheimer’s disease research for several years. Emily Armstrong, a graduate of Liberty’s Department of Psychology, won the PSI CHI Undergraduate Research Award, one of two undergraduate awards presented at the 2015 Association for Psychological Science Convention last May in New York City, for her work on parenting behaviors. Two Liberty University alumni received awards from the Phi Alpha Theta national history honor society’s National Paper Competition in 2014, with one, Karissa Marken (’14) winning the grand prize. Abigail Lenz (’14), who is currently
seeking her Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences, received Liberty’s first graduate student award at the Virginia Academy of Science’s Annual Meeting in 2015, the year Liberty started its graduate program in biology. Working with Dr. Andrew Fabich and Dr. Jeffery Tomkins, Lenz released the university’s first draft genome sequence, mapping the DNA of a common strain of E. coli bacteria in hopes of helping to find a cure for diseases caused by the strain. The QEP seeks to organize and expand similar efforts across the campus — just the sort of activity that a national university with an emerging reputation for research and scholarship
should undertake. Yet, ultimately, this new emphasis on research, like Liberty’s ever-expanding reach around the globe, contributes to far more than the advancement of the university itself. Rather, in giving students the ability to conduct real-world research that makes a difference in people’s lives, Liberty takes another step toward fulfilling the Great Commission. — Emily Walker Heady is Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, Dean of the College of General Studies, and a Professor of English.
KAI T LYN JOHNSON
Dr. Raymond Damadian, inventor of the MRI method, gives a lecture in the Science Hall on March 29, as part of Research Week.
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K EVI N M ANGUI OB
Question Investigate Experience Learn
Undergraduate and graduate students alike are able to participate in meaningful research opportunities across a broad range of disciplines. These are just four examples.
HISTORY
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Recent psychology graduates Joe Strasshofer, Danielle Novak, and Lauren Shier have been working under the direction of Dr. Tim Barclay, researching a new concept called “mental optometry.” This concept investigates the correlation between physical vision, body orientation, and mind’s eye perception in relation to emotions and behavior. Last semester, the students gathered data on subjects exhibiting various anxiety disorders — evaluating the sorts of images their eyes naturally gravitated toward as well as how their emotions and behaviors affected their ability to locate positive images within a set. This ongoing research has significant implications for those struggling with depression and mental illness, including military veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The students and Dr. Barclay published an article on their research in the Journal of Psychology.
JOE L COL EMAN
As part of a pilot course on digital history, two history majors — honors student Luke Dixon (a rising sophomore) and Mallory Walker (who recently graduated) — created an online exhibit for the Liberty Biblical Museum called “Weapons of the Bible” (lubiblicalmuseum.weebly.com). Donna Donald, assistant professor of history, and Craig Brigman, assistant professor of information technology, taught the course; Donald provided guidance on history and research and Brigman gave technological instruction. Collaboration was an important aspect of the class, and these particular students chose to work with the Biblical Museum. Graduate history student Christy Connell helped select pieces for the exhibit and provided additional background information. Dixon and Walker researched museum artifacts, took photographs, and then created the interactive, online exhibit. Museums and historical sites are increasingly using technology to engage their audiences, and future digital history students will have opportunities to create additional online exhibits, giving them valuable experience using everchanging electronic mediums.
PSYCHOLOGY
In the spring semester, 27 undergraduate Global Studies interns conducted ethnographic research across the world. JO EL CO LEM AN
BIOLOGY
ENGINEERING
Under the supervision of Dr. Gary Isaacs, associate professor of biology, rising juniors Caleb Schreiner, Christopher Schreiner, and Caroline Roberts have been engaged in an ongoing nutritional study on mice. The project compares the difference between mice raised on diets with and without folic acid to explore its effects on long-term health. The students are investigating the cellular response, including gene activity and DNA modifications, to natural folate sources at various developmental stages. In addition to learning to care for the animals, students are learning to collect tissue samples, perform behavioral and molecular tests, and analyze data. This study may provide valuable insight into disease progression in humans. It is well known that folate metabolism is important to human health, and an altered folate cycle can affect chemical markers in DNA. Modifications to DNA are associated with birth defects and a number of diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.
A team of both electrical and computer engineering students worked to transform a hexapod (six-legged robot) into an autonomous cyber-developmental platform. The team (comprised of recent graduates Dustin Bowe, Andrew Davis, and Josiah Nagel and supervised by Dr. Carl Pettiford and Professor Michael Miauzzo) applied sensors to the machine that use an algorithm to help the robot detect its surroundings and avoid obstacles, enabling it to move freely on its own. This process uses an embedded system and Wi-Fi to connect to the cloud, allowing the robot to be controlled from anywhere in the world. Future students will learn from this project, adding innovations from various disciplines and improving their ability to work on complex systems.
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The Liberty Difference
LEADING BY FAITH … NOT FEAR By Karen Kingsbury Kelsey was crying. Our family walked along behind a tour guide on our first-ever visit to Liberty University, and Kelsey had stepped off the path. Tears filled her eyes. “What’s wrong?” I stopped next to her and put my hand on her shoulder. Kelsey was 22 at the time, and up until that moment she had thoroughly enjoyed exploring Liberty’s campus. Her brother Tyler was about to be the first of our kids to attend Liberty. We had just seen the football stadium, just heard how Saturdays in the fall were full of Liberty students decked in red, white, and blue. I guess it all just piled up and now Kelsey looked up at me, her expression pained with regret. “How did I miss this?” She looked around. “Why didn’t we know about Liberty before?” Suddenly I knew exactly what she meant. Kelsey had attended a “Christian” university on the West Coast and the experience was deeply discouraging. Professors headed up underground clubs celebrating topics contrary to Scripture. Her English instructor had insisted that an ‘A’ wasn’t possible without using vulgar language in a short story. Just to keep it current. An artist featured on that West Coast campus talked about how Jesus would
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be a pot smoker if He were there. After a single semester, Kelsey transferred to a state school closer to home. What was the point of being at a “Christian” university if the leadership was counter-Christian? And now, Kelsey was getting a look at what a Christian university should be. That school was and is Liberty University. Quite simply, there is nothing like it. The tour continued, and Kelsey pulled herself together. She enjoyed the rest of the day. But time and again she repeated the same words. “I can’t believe I missed this. If kids would only come here and see for themselves!” she said. “They’d never go anywhere else.” Since then, four of our boys have become Liberty University students. Our youngest son, Austin, will be a freshman in the fall. Since that first time on campus, our family has often discussed the Liberty difference. What sets this university apart? Why is Liberty flourishing when so many schools are failing? First, Liberty University is real. Real is the word our family uses as the highest of compliments. Because of my work as a No. 1 New York Times best-selling author and public speaker, I spend a great deal of time
with friends in Christian music or publishing. One of my greatest thrills is getting to know the people who God has chosen to share Jesus on a very public level and finding out that they are “real” — meaning they truly love the Lord and live for Him. They’re not perfect, but they are perfectly sold out to our God and Savior. Their public platform is actually a personal passion. It’s a beautiful thing. That’s how it is with Liberty University. President Jerry Falwell and the people around him who lead this school are real. They love the Lord, they love their staff, and they love the students. It is their heart’s desire to train up Champions for Christ, and to value each student along the way. I’ve sat in meetings with President Falwell and his team. I’ve heard them talk about making a costly decision because it’s best for the students. I’ve seen them turn down lucrative possibilities because they were not of value to the Christian purpose and mission statement of Liberty University. Which leads me to another difference at Liberty. The very real faith at the administrative level is mirrored by an equally passionate >>
There’s no better school on earth. If heaven had a university, it would be Liberty. Come visit the campus and see for yourself.
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>> devotion to Jesus among instructors. With so many of my sons at Liberty, I have had ample opportunity to see faith in action through their professors. Josh needed to change majors, so he met with his advisor. Not only did the man help him switch to the major Josh wanted, but before Josh left the office, the man prayed with him. “Life can be confusing,” the advisor told Josh. “Let’s ask for the Lord to bless you and give you wisdom as you set out on this new path.” I could almost hear Kelsey all over again. I can’t believe I missed this. Liberty professors are the hands and feet of Christ on campus. A business professor assigned one of my boys a lengthy paper. Among the directions was this: “Please incorporate the Christian worldview wherever appropriate.” For a business paper. At a time when even Christian universities are running away from Jesus, Liberty is embracing Him. Then there are the Bible teachers. Professors like evangelism instructor Dr. David Wheeler, who learns the name of every student in every class. Every semester. He knows if they’re struggling, he knows if they’re
confused or bored. He makes it his point to pray over every desk, each student. Dr. Wheeler tells me there are always young people in his classroom who don’t have a relationship with Jesus. “Sure, their parents believe,” he said. “But they’ve never taken ownership of their faith.” Time and again, kids give their lives to the Lord because of Dr. Wheeler’s class. The professors aren’t just Christian. They have a real love for God and for their students. Every single professor. Every single student. It really is miraculous. I don’t know how they do it, but as Liberty University has become one of the most prestigious private universities in the nation, this personal touch remains. It’s the same way at the next level of leadership — the student resident assistants (RA) and prayer leaders for every dorm. These young men and women absolutely know your student. Where struggles arise, your son or daughter is prayed for. If that student doesn’t get involved as easily, these young leaders will personally invite them until the dorm is one big family. I spoke once to an administrator from another Christian university — one that
doesn’t require its professors to have faith in Christ. “We worry,” he said, “that if we ask our instructors to be Christians, we won’t have the strongest teaching staff. We’re mostly Christian.” Mostly Christian? See, that’s the thing. So many campuses are fraught with anxiety. Worry. Fear. Compromise. Words you will never hear at a Liberty University administrative meeting. And maybe that’s the greatest difference, after all. At Liberty University, from President Falwell to the newest RA, the school operates in faith, not fear. In faith they believe that by keeping Jesus No. 1, and by honoring His Word, God will bless the school. They believe that where reliance on the Lord is complete, His provision will be, also. President Falwell seeks excellence for Liberty University at every level. Why? Because it brings honor to Jesus Christ. Because he loves the students. Because he believes that if it’s Christian it should be better. Because he operates in faith, not fear. My boys love Liberty University. Everything about it. They love having speakers, like Tim Tebow and Ted Cruz,
Karen Kingsbury spends time at home with three of her sons, left to right, Sean, Joshua, and Tyler. Sean and Joshua are students at Liberty.
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More from
Karen Kingsbury: “A Time to Dance”
Karen Kingsbury with her daughter, Kelsey.
“At Liberty University, from President Falwell to the newest RA, the school operates in faith, not fear. In faith they believe that by keeping Jesus No. 1, and by honoring His Word, God will bless the school.” who come through Convocation three times a week. And they love the number of ways they can get involved and make a difference. They look forward to earning a degree from Liberty. It means a great deal to them. A friend of mine heads up a major Nashville record label. He told me this: “I’d hire a Liberty University grad over anyone else. That’s the caliber of young
people they turn out.” If you’re thinking about sending your son or daughter to Liberty University, let me make it easy for you. There’s no better school on earth. If heaven had a university, it would be Liberty. Come visit the campus and see for yourself. Take the tour. You don’t want to miss out on Liberty University. Just ask Kelsey.
#1 New York Times best-selling author Karen Kingsbury is America’s favorite storyteller. There are more than 25 million copies of her award-winning books in print. Several of Karen’s books have been made into Hallmark movies, and many more are under development with Roma Downey for The Baxter Family TV series. Karen is a public speaker, appearing at major national events each year. She is also a visiting professor at Liberty University. Karen is married to the love of her life, Don. Together they have an actress daughter, Kelsey, married to Liberty alumnus and Christian recording artist Kyle Kupecky. The couple had their first child this past fall, Hudson, making Karen and Don grandparents. They also have five sons, three of whom were adopted from Haiti. Karen, Don and their family live in Nashville, Tenn. The Falwell family attended the premiere of “The Bridge: Part 2” in Nashville, Tenn. Left to right: Laura and Wesley Falwell, Becki and President Jerry Falwell, Iris Tilley (Becki’s mother), Karen Kingsbury, actress Faith Ford, Sarah Falwell, Caroline Falwell, and actor Ted McGinley.
Several of Kingsbury’s books have been made into Hallmark movies. The latest release is “A Time to Dance,” starring Jennie Garth and airing in May and June on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel. “I prayed for a love story that would save marriages, and God gave me ‘A Time to Dance,’” Kingsbury said.
“The Bridge”
Part one of this movie, based on Kingsbury’s novel of the same name, premiered on the Hallmark Channel in December. Part two aired in March. The movie tells the story of Molly and Ryan, who share a profound friendship during their first semester of college. They spend hours at their favorite bookstore and coffee shop, The Bridge, studying and dreaming about the future. In part two, they reunite seven years later and are reminded of their unspoken love, remembering their dreams of a future together. The full movie will be available on DVD in time for Christmas.
COU RT E SY OF HAL LM AR K C HANNE L
“Once Upon a Campus”
This short e-series is set on Liberty University’s campus. It features members of the Flanigan family, characters from Kingsbury’s popular Baxter Family novels. The story can be downloaded for free at Liberty.edu/KarenKingsbury.
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A new grip on
INNOVATION Robotic hand project for children brings students and local organizations together BY DREW MENARD In Lynchburg, Va., an unprecedented fusion of higher education and local industry has resulted in a special gift that local children can use to improve their everyday lives. After three months of design and development by Liberty University students and other local groups, the BioMechatronic EXO-Arm project yielded its firstfruits: two custom-made, fully functional robotic hands for children with only one hand. They can use the hand as a tool to make daily tasks easier. Produced on Liberty’s 3-D printer, the hands are designed to respond to electrical impulses in muscles. The project involved nearly 30 individuals, including 13 Liberty University students, and laid the groundwork for future collaboration among local organizations. AMTI (Advanced Manufacturing Technology Inc.), a local
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LEFT: AMTI engineer Lindsay Davis (left) and junior engineering student Chad Calvert discuss a bionic hand prototype in front of Liberty’s 3-D printer. ABOVE: Maddie Rebsamen, an 8-year-old bionic hand recipient, gets a high five from rising computer engineering junior Adam Morrone. Recent biomedical sciences graduate Mitchell Reynolds and Davis help test electric signals from Maddie’s muscles.
electronics manufacturing firm, led the project. Liberty students from the School of Business, the School of Engineering & Computational Sciences (SECS), and the School of Health Sciences joined forces with Virginia Prosthetics and Orthotics, Lynchburg College, Sweet Briar College, and Jefferson Forest High School. Everyone involved volunteered their time, expertise, and energy without compensation.
AN AMBITIOUS DREAM
The idea was conceived within the SECS about a year ago, inspired by a similar project from a nonprofit personal bionics organization. Dr. Kevin Rawls, online chair for the School of Communication & Creative Arts, and Scott Pleasants, director of engineering technology, presented a group of
students (mostly freshmen at the time) with the opportunity to utilize Liberty’s new 3-D printer to help children who don’t have use of one of their hands. “It is about a way to give back to the community using engineering,” explained Katelyn Denyer, a rising junior in Liberty’s mechanical engineering program. “God gives each of us talents for a reason. We may have a disposition to go into engineering or health sciences — and there is a reason that it’s there. But it is ministry if you make it ministry.” The group learned that there were over 25 children who could benefit from a bionic hand in the Lynchburg area alone. With the goal of ultimately serving each one, three children were selected for the initial run. (One family decided to wait until next fall.) For Adam Morrone, a rising junior
studying computer engineering, this project was especially meaningful because prosthetics engineering is his intended profession. “I’ve always put a big value on contributing back to society,” Morrone said. “The thought of being able to use my passion for building and creating and then doing that for the medical world is an appealing idea.” In the fall, the team realized they needed more organization. “We had the ambition but needed more direction,” said rising junior Nick Losee, an industrial and systems engineering student. That’s when AMTI came on the scene. Larry Hatch Jr., AMTI’s director of strategic partnerships and marketing, provided the leadership and direction they were looking for. The project soon became about >> LIBERTY JOURNAL
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JOEL COLEM AN
The software and electronics team designs the EXO-Arm’s circuit board. From left: Nadirah Abdus-Sabur, a recent electrical engineering graduate from Sweet Briar College; Adam Morrone, a Liberty computer engineering student; Andrew Rodgers, a recent electrical engineering graduate from Liberty; AMTI engineer Lindsay Davis; and AMTI engineer Eric Tanner, a 2013 Liberty electrical engineering alumnus. BELOW: The team works in a lab at AMTI.
>> taking an ambitious dream and putting it into action, with a quick turnaround. “You cannot make an effort like this happen unless you are willing to throw everything at it, out of love,” Hatch said, noting that a project like this would normally require months just to plan. Lindsay Davis, an engineer with AMTI, added, “We just want to produce something for the greater good. This is education mixing with corporations in a way that is not selfish. It shows that Lynchburg can really make an impact, even though many of the team members are so young. It is about students interfacing with veteran engineers and being able to create something meaningful.”
and aesthetics — customizing the look of each hand to the personality of the child. Stratasys, a 3-D printing-solutions company, donated two spools of filament for the printing. From the outset, it was understood that no one held a more important position at the table; anyone could throw out ideas and contribute, provided they were willing to put in the work. “Just because they’re a professional engineer did not make them higher than a student at Liberty,” Losee said.
THE MOVING PARTS
The team started with open source (public) digital files that provided them with a basic 3-D design of a hand, but members quickly realized that the hand had to be completely redesigned to improve overall functionality. “We wanted to bring this to the next level,” said Chad Calvert, a Liberty junior studying mechanical engineering who works for AMTI. “We wanted superior functionality but (also) something that is very customizable, very user friendly, and relatively inexpensive.” Teams were formed to focus on attachment and usability, software and electronics, mechanics and grip,
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“Everyone worked together on a level playing field.” Some of the many improvements made to the hand included using springs to add grip power and allowing the hand to default in a closed, rather than an open, position to improve energy efficiency. Joints were improved for more realistic movement and, to support all of this, circuit boards were completely redesigned and built from scratch. The hand includes a USB charger and the ability to store memory, which is useful for making adjustments. Morrone wrote a software algorithm
relating to how the muscle’s electrical impulses control the hand, basing it on the rate of flexing rather than on strength. “The existing software was based on strength, which did not account for fatigue,” Morrone said, noting that after time the original hand design became more difficult to operate. While engineers crafted a prototype, physical science students added valuable input into how the body works. Exercise science and pre-med students worked with the children to ensure the design was not just practical and customized to the musculature of the individual but was comfortable as well. Alumnus Eli Rogers (’98, exercise science), a certified prosthetist and orthotist with Virginia Prosthetics and Orthotics, consulted on the project. “There are some really neat technological advancements out there,” Rogers said. “You can have the best stuff in the world, but if the portion against their residual limb is not comfortable, they are not going to wear it.” By using sensors, the team identified the muscles that would work best with the hand’s electronic nodes and then worked on ways to develop those muscles using various exercises, so that the children would not become too fatigued after long periods of use. “Each kid is going to be different,” said Kyle Beaumont, a rising biochemistry senior. “We have to adapt to whatever can work with them, as opposed to just
making a piece and forcing it to work.” “There is no such thing as ‘one size fits all’ in this world,” added recent biomedical sciences graduate Mitchell Reynolds. “It is ‘one size fits one.’”
MEANINGFUL IMPACT
Like all the team members, Alexis Love, a rising junior in the exercise science program, said the highlight of working on the project was seeing
the children receive their hands and watching them open up as they overcame their insecurities. “They should not feel like they need to hide this because God has made them for a purpose,” Love said. “The fact that they are willing to let us do this for them has been an honor.” Stephen McCombs’ 8-year-old son, Connor, received a hand. McCombs said that while children like Connor can be apprehensive to trust people, “It is a good experience for a child his age to see that there are people who care and are concerned out there.”
Connor’s mother, Rhonda, said the best part of the experience was seeing “all these people working together, giving their own time and energy and resources.” Watching the team come up with fun ways to do the muscle-strengthening exercises and simply spending time playing with Connor was meaningful to her. “(Connor) sees these students as just big kids; he looks up to them.” Bonnie Rebsamen’s 8-year-old daughter Maddie was the other recipient. “I’m just blown away,” Rebsamen said when she met the team members and saw the hand take shape. “It is really amazing to me that so many people want to help and put so much time and effort in.” AMTI CEO Larry Hatch Sr. said the project allowed college and high school students to contribute toward solving a real problem, transitioning from the theoretical, classroom teachings of their respective disciplines to “directly experiencing the positive difference” they can make. “An important aspect of being a valuefocused company is taking a leadership role in developing an experienced, passionate, STEM workforce,” he said. “The project gives students the ability to apply what they have learned, turning facts and figures into tangible meaning. It’s an opportunity to further unlock their capabilities so that they can make an even bigger and more profound
change on the world. I truly believe this is where a lifelong passion for a vocation is born, and I am very proud AMTI could be part of it.” The EXO-Arm project demonstrates God-given human creativity at work, with multiple individuals and entities coming together to add value to His creation. While Liberty students enjoyed working side-by-side with professionals, gaining valuable résumé experience, their favorite aspect was seeing the impact that their work can have. “People may feel that sometimes they don’t see a purpose (to their education). Then you actually see it in projects like these,” said Ben Schubert, a rising Liberty junior studying mechanical engineering. “These children’s lives will be changed forever.” The project is far from complete. The higher goal is to share the new, improved design so that people across the world can print the hands themselves, making it both more affordable and more accessible for families. Several Liberty students are committed to staying on the team until they graduate. Hatch Jr. is hoping to see the program grow, with more Lynchburg-area organizations getting involved. They hope to have a lasting global impact as the designs are shared and other groups adopt this regional model of collaborative innovation.
SEE MORE PICTURES AT LIBERTY.EDU/JOURNAL.
Biomedical sciences student Jonathan Dennis takes a measurement from 8-year-old Connor McCombs, an EXO-Arm recipient, with some members of the attachment and usability team. From left: Mitchell Reynolds of Liberty’s biomedical sciences program; Eli Rogers, CPO with Virginia Prosthetics and Orthotics; and Liberty students Trey Sowards (biomedical sciences), Nick Losee (industrial & systems engineering), and Kyle Beaumont (biochemistry).
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EARLY SUCCESS PUTS WIND IN THE SAILS OF LIBERTY’S LATEST CINEMATIC RELEASE BY DREW MENARD Before the Cinematic Arts, Zaki Gordon Center’s Class of 2016 crossed the graduation stage on May 14, their names had already rolled through the credits of a film featured on cable television and at a major film festival. “God’s Compass,” the third feature film produced in cooperation with the Cinematic Arts Department at Liberty University, debuted on the TV One channel on Easter weekend; it will continue to air through June. TV One has a viewership of over 60 million households. The film is gaining recognition in both mainstream and faith circles. It was awarded Best Screenplay by the International Christian Film Festival (ICFF) on April 30 and received 2016 ICFF nominations for Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Actor. “God’s Compass” opened the Bentonville Film Festival (BFF) in Arkansas on May 5. The festival, co-founded and hosted by Academy Award-winning actress Geena Davis, is a mainstream festival focused on women and diversity in filmmaking. And just in time for Mother’s Day, “God’s Compass” was given a wide DVD release on May 3 through Sony Pictures Studios and Provident Films. (It is being sold at Wal-Mart, Lifeway Christian
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Stores, Family Christian Stores, and other retailers. See special offer on opposite page.) “God’s Compass” features familiar faces from recent faith-based and family films, including “War Room” stars Karen Abercrombie and T.C. Stallings; Erin Bethea from “Fireproof;” and Robert Amaya of “Courageous” and “Mom’s Night Out.” The movie tells the story of a recently retired high school principal (Abercrombie) who takes in a delinquent boy and discovers a miraculous connection that brings her and her son’s family together through healing and a renewed faith journey. The film, made through the support of Working Title Agency (which funded and distributed the film), has received the Dove Family-Approved Seal and was endorsed by the American Family Association (AFA). “The importance of Working Title Agency’s financial support holds value well beyond the investment in making a movie,” said Stephan Schultze, executive director of Liberty’s Cinematic Arts Department and writer/director of “God’s Compass.” “Liberty’s cinematic arts program is a leader in cinematic
education by creating hands-on, real life experiences for students. The making of the movie created a lasting return in the lives of our students before it was even released.” While this is just the program’s third film, its reception demonstrates that Liberty’s Cinematic Arts Department — now in its fifth year — is achieving its mission. “No other film school in the country makes fully funded movies with its students,” Schultze said. “Liberty University’s cinema department is giving its students a tremendous gift.” During the film production, each student works in two different areas, rotating positions halfway through filming. Not only do students gain valuable experience, they earn two Internet Movie Database (IMDb) credits for their résumés. “If we can get our students to graduate, move through the ranks, and become the leadership of the industry because they are the best at what they do, we will have a global, lasting impact,” Schultze said. “That comes from creating excellence and demanding excellence. We set a very high bar, and it is high for a reason.” Marvin Diaz, a recent cinematic
Liberty’s cinematic arts program is a two-year immersion cohort system where students concentrate solely on filmmaking.
Recent cinematic arts graduate Marvin Diaz helps stage a scene for “God’s Compass” at a health care facility in Lynchburg, Va.
arts graduate, said his work on “God’s Compass” (as a grip and a production assistant) will greatly impact his career. “I learned a vast amount about how the industry works while on set, the way teamwork plays a huge role in achieving the art, and how hard work will allow you to succeed,” he said. “I was afforded the opportunity to grow in a learning environment; it was the best type of classroom for what I want to do.” Fellow graduate Sarah Gabert said her experience on the film (as a production sound mixer and in behindthe-scenes audio) has already led to job offers on film sets. “I learned so much about production audio and how the sound department works,” she said. “I didn’t know that audio was something I was good at and something I actually enjoyed (until I worked on the set).” Schultze said that to “earn an ear” from the world around them, students must strive for excellence in their art. And that is what he has been seeing. “Students are working on something
that is not just competing in the faithbased market — it is competing at the top of the faith-based market and in a secular festival, and it is only the third film we have done.” The program’s first two productions, “77 Chances” and “Altar Egos,” were made in partnership with EchoLight Studios. Liberty just wrapped up filming its fourth project, the biopic “Extraordinary,” based on the life of Liberty professor and famed ultramarathon runner Dr. David Horton. Kirk Cameron is among the film’s cast.
Use this code to receive a 20% discount off the purchase of “God’s Compass” at Family Christian Stores or at FamilyChristian.com: 136638344.
RAVE REVIEWS “‘God’s Compass’ portrays a kind of faith that seems out of reach to most of us and yet affirms its potential for all of us. Bold and brave in its story and its style, this is a film to applaud.”
Writer/director Randall Wallace (“Braveheart,” “Heaven is for Real”) “It is a powerful, uplifting, heartfelt Christian film, meeting the highest Hollywood professional standards. No other film school in the world, Christian or secular, makes its own feature films. Liberty University has become the UCLA, USC, NYU, and Columbia University, combined, of Christian filmmaking.”
Screenwriter Dan Gordon (“The Hurricane,” “Wyatt Earp,” “Highway to Heaven”) “The filmmakers achieve a perfect balance between emotion and action. “God’s Compass” offers an engaging cast of realistic characters who evoke sympathy without overdoing the emotional elements. Gripping plot lines are woven tightly together into a cohesive story that entertains and demonstrates how one family lives out their faith in the face of great challenges.”
Randall Murphree, American Family Association Journal editor
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A new
CHAPTER
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GRADUATES CHALLENGED TO INSPIRE OTHERS WITH THEIR STORIES As 19,430 graduates were honored at Liberty University’s 43rd Commencement on May 14, each brought with them their own story of persevering through trials to reach success. So it was only fitting that the event included a number of celebrities and accomplished figures known for inspiring others with stories. Hollywood writer/director Randall Wallace (“Braveheart,” “We Were Soldiers,” “Secretariat,” “Heaven is for Real”) told the graduates that “stories make us who we are.” Wallace, who grew up in Lynchburg, spoke briefly to the graduates about a local war
hero whose story is being made into a film by Mel Gibson. He then surprised the crowd by inviting Gibson to the stage. Gibson was inspired by the life of Desmond T. Doss, a World War II medic who became the first conscientious objector in American history to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. The film, “Hacksaw Ridge,” is written in part by Wallace. Gibson then had a surprise of his own, inviting Vince Vaughn, one of the film’s stars, to the stage. These celebrity guests challenged the Class of 2016 — the largest
graduating class in Liberty’s history — to use their own stories to inspire others. All three spoke about the power of Doss’ story and how impressed they were with Liberty during their time on campus. Liberty President Jerry Falwell mentioned that Gibson had spoken about his goal to make a sequel to one of the most iconic Christian films ever made, “The Passion of the Christ,” three years ago when Gibson invited the Falwells to his home for dinner in Malibu. The sequel would be about the resurrection of Christ. Gibson agreed to attend Liberty’s Commencement >>
KA IT LY N JOH NSON
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Willie Robertson, “Duck Dynasty”
Screenwriter/director Randall Wallace
>> when President Falwell invited him a little over a month before. Gibson later decided to bring Wallace and Vaughn with him to Liberty. Wallace became a close friend of Falwell and his wife, Becki, after delivering the keynote address at Liberty’s 2011 Commencement ceremony. Another celebrity guest making a surprise appearance was “Duck Dynasty’s” Willie Robertson, who charged the crowd to live out an infectious, positive attitude that reflects Christ. Robertson’s son John Luke and daughter-in-law Mary Kate just completed their freshman year at Liberty. All of this preamble — exciting in its own right — was capped by a memorable, entertaining speech by New York Giants running back Rashad Jennings (’09), a former Liberty
Actor/director/producer Mel Gibson
Flames standout player. Last year, Liberty was listed among “The 20 Schools with the Coolest Graduation Speakers of 2015” by lifestyle blogger Veronica Ruckh when former Governor Jeb Bush took the Commencement podium. Considering the volume of star power on Liberty’s stage this year, it is no surprise that Liberty’s 2016 Commencement created buzz on the web and on social media as well. An article by Jonathan Merritt of Religion News Service declared that, “The sleepy town of Lynchburg, Virginia, looked more like Hollywood … thanks to Liberty University, America’s largest evangelical college” and the talent gathered on the Commencement stage. “Liberty has been drawing political power brokers into its orbit for decades,” Merritt pointed out, noting that President Falwell is continuing his father’s legacy as the university grows in influence and prominence.
Actor Vince Vaughn
JESSIE ROGE RS
“The 2016 Commencement shows it can attract A-list Hollywood actors, television personalities, and sports stars, too. The ability to leverage influencers from both the entertainment and political sectors is impressive.” Before the creative forces behind “Hacksaw Ridge” highlighted Doss’ legacy at Commencement, President Falwell used part of his address to the graduates to honor another local war hero, World War II veteran and former prisoner of war George Rogers. Rogers served as the university’s chief financial officer from 1974-99. Falwell also recognized veteran Gene Falwell, his uncle and the twin brother of Liberty’s founder Dr. Jerry Falwell, as well as Purple Heart veteran Tim Lee, who spoke at Liberty’s Baccalaureate Service the night before (see Page 32). Rashad Jennings came full circle to deliver the keynote address at his alma mater — in the very stadium where he holds the record for most touchdowns. At 31, Jennings is the university’s youngest Commencement speaker in history. Seven years earlier, Jennings celebrated his own Commencement after being drafted into the National Football League. During each of his three seasons in a Flames jersey, Jennings rushed for 1,000-plus yards, and he scored
HONORIS CAUSA Honorary doctorates were awarded to the following individuals at Commencement:
President Jerry Falwell
a total 42 touchdowns while leading the Flames to two Big South Conference Championships and a combined conference record of 11-2. His professional career has included stops in Jacksonville, Oakland, and, currently, New York, where he is a starter and most recently rushed for 863 of his over 3,000 career yards. Throughout his rise to success, Jennings has focused on giving back. His nonprofit organization, the Rashad Jennings Foundation, provides mentoring and promotes literacy, health, and wellness to youth. Jennings’ speech was inspiring — and fiery, in a way — as pyrotechnics (normally used to celebrate at Flames Football games) illustrated his desire for graduates to live a life of “dynamic faith” and burn away the frivolous distractions and moral compromises that seek to snuff out their light. “Throughout life, you will be tested to walk with biblical truth, tested to have patience with Christ-like tolerance, and tested with temptation to hold your spiritual fortitude and your convictions, remembering that it is by and for a Holy God that you stand or fall,” he told the graduates. “And He is able to make you stand.” Jennings, who double-majored in business and sport management at Liberty, with a minor in biblical studies,
Rashad Jennings, New York Giants
told them that God delights in doing extraordinary things with ordinary people. He talked about how he had been inspired by Dr. Falwell, who envisioned Liberty as a world-class university in both its academic and athletic offerings. Today, Liberty is the world’s largest Christian university and is growing in prominence (read about its reclassification as a Doctoral University on Page 4). But building such a university is not without cost, and Jennings said that achieving greatness does not come without ambition. “I’m not supposed to be here, by any stretch of the imagination. Being a little short kid, overweight, 0.6 GPA in high school, 275-pound fifthstring running back — with asthma,” Jennings said. “But one thing I know for sure. When God has your back, you can dream crazy big.” Trials may burn, he said, but those who persevere are refined by those flames. “Go set this world on fire,” Jennings said, before stepping down from the stage and launching an autographed football into the sea of graduates. He closed with his signature touchdown celebration dance of drawing a box in the air and stepping through it — a symbol to graduates of their stepping forth into the world as Champions for Christ.
GEORGE ROGERS World War II veteran Honorary Doctor of Business
RASHAD JENNINGS (’09) NFL running back and philanthropist Honorary Doctor of Humanities
DEAN PARKER (’97) Chairman and CEO of Vita Capital Honorary Doctor of Business
PENNY YOUNG NANCE (’88) President and CEO of Concerned Women for America Honorary Doctor of Humanities
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RACH EL D UGAN
KAI TLYN JO H NSO N KAI TLYN JOHNSO N
Randall Wallace with Trey and Sarah Falwell.
BECKI FALWEL L
JOEL COLEMAN
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FRONT: Debora Galloway, Laura and Wesley Falwell; BACK: Caroline Falwell, Joel Coleman, Vince Vaughn
JO EL CO LEM AN
KAI TLYN JO H NSO N
ABOVE (left): President Jerry Falwell recognized a grandmother who graduated with three of her grandchildren. The Trezvant family completed their degrees online and traveled from Houston, Texas, to attend Commencement. It was their first visit to campus. From left, Michael Trezvant, 16; Amia Young-Trezvant, 15; Linda Trezvant, 60; and Malachi Trezvant, 14, who was Liberty’s youngest graduate this year. All four earned an Associate of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies. ABOVE (right): One lucky graduate caught the football thrown by speaker Rashad Jennings of the New York Giants.
K E VI N M ANGU IOB
LEFT TO RIGHT: Jeffrey Rogers, President Jerry Falwell, Mel Gibson, George Rogers, and Vince Vaughn
LEFT TO RIGHT: Mel Gibson, Randall Wallace, President Jerry Falwell, and Vince Vaughn on Falwell’s farm.
JOE L COLEMAN
JOE L COLEMAN
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FROM HOLLYWOOD TO LYNCHBURG When celebrities Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn joined screenwriter Randall Wallace in Lynchburg the day before Liberty’s Commencement, they had a chance to visit campus and spend time with President Jerry Falwell and his family — while keeping their presence a secret from the thousands of friends and family members who were converging on the city at the same time. They toured campus by van before venturing to Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre, the university’s yearround ski slope, for some nighttime tubing, and they swung by the local Cook Out restaurant for burgers. Late on Friday night, the group (whose body clocks were still on California time) also visited some locations named for local war hero Desmond T. Doss. Doss’ life is portrayed in the upcoming film, “Hacksaw Ridge,”
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directed by Gibson and written in part by Wallace. (Vaughn plays a starring role in the film.) Doss was a World War II medic who became the first conscientious objector in American history to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. The guests were taken to a local school and a highway that bear Doss’ name. After Commencement, a private screening of the film, hosted by the stars, was held at Liberty’s THX surround-sound theater, part of the Cinematic Arts Department. The audience included conservative leaders and special guests Penny Nance, Dean Parker, David Lane, Willie Robertson, Michele Bachmann, General Dave Young, and war heroes Tim Lee and George Rogers, as well as members of Liberty’s administration. President Falwell joined Gibson,
Vaughn, and Wallace in a Q-and-A after the showing. Randy Smith, Liberty’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, said the film was “a moving experience.” He didn’t realize until the film was shown that it depicted a battle his father participated in and survived — a battle where he lost many of his friends. “It wasn’t until then that I was able to understand what he faced and why he seldom talked about it,” Smith said. “I don’t know if the filmmakers grasped the impact they would have on a generation that has never had to experience a battle like that, but I am grateful to finally understand.” After the screening on Saturday, the visitors from Hollywood spent some leisure time riding ATVs and dirt bikes on Falwell’s farm in nearby Bedford County and enjoyed dinner there.
ON SOCIAL MEDIA Tweets and posts about Liberty’s exciting guest speakers
JOE L COLE M AN
Special Commencement guests spend time with President Jerry Falwell and his family at their farm in Bedford County. Left to right: Rosalind Ross, Mel Gibson, Debora Galloway, Randall Wallace, Wesley and Laura Falwell, Caroline Falwell, Becki and Jerry Falwell, Sarah and Trey Falwell, and Vince Vaughn.
19,430
RECORD NUMBER O F G R A D UAT E S
87 percent
STUDIED ONLINE MORE THAN
35,000 attended
THE CEREMONIES
5,803
M I L I TA RY T I E S ( V E T E R A N S, AC T I V E D U T Y, & M I L I TA RY S P O U S E S )
549
D O C TO R A L DEGREES
8,364 M A S T E R’S DEGREES
8,464 B AC H E LO R’S DEGREES
WITH HONORS
1,143 4.0 GPA
W I T H A PE R F E C T
KEVIN MAN GUIOB
5,167 graduated
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M I TCH ELL B RYANT
JOEL COL E M AN
A salute to Liberty’s
MILITARY GRADUATES While honoring them for the dedication required to complete their degrees, Dr. Steven Keith (Chaplain, Colonel USAF Ret.) challenged Liberty University’s military graduates to live out their faith and answer God’s calling on their lives during the fifth annual Military Graduate Recognition Ceremony, held May 13 in the Vines Center. The event, attended by approximately 350 active duty, retired, and reserve graduates, was organized by Liberty’s Office of Military Affairs. Over 5,800 military service members, veterans, and military spouses made up about 30 percent of the Class of 2016. “We can train you to be a Champion for Christ, and you’ve put in the commitment, but the decision is yours to be all in for Jesus Christ,” said Keith, who
serves as director of Liberty’s Center for Chaplaincy in the School of Divinity. “In Mark 8:34, Jesus said, ‘Take up your cross and follow Me.’ He’s King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He’s the God of the Universe. He’s the Commander-in-Chief. He wants you to be all in and follow Him with all of your heart.” The ceremony concluded with the presentation of challenge coins — engraved with images of the Bible, the American flag, and a graduation cap — to the graduates, honoring their service in the military and completion of their respective degrees. Another 150 spouses of military members were honored at the second annual Military Spouse Graduate Recognition Ceremony held earlier in the day. Liberty also held two
special commissioning ceremonies for graduates of its Eagle Battalion Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps and Air Force ROTC Detachment 890, who were sworn in as second lieutenants in their respective branches. Kyle Seeger, who served in Afghanistan from February 2012 to February 2013, was recognized as the second recipient of the Major Michael J. Donahue Award. Named in honor of the former Liberty alumnus and instructor who was killed Sept. 17, 2014, in a Taliban attack on a U.S. military base outside Kabul, Afghanistan, the award is presented annually to the second- or third-year Army ROTC cadet who has provided leadership and inspiration to others through his or her unmatched selflessness, work ethic, and integrity.
“We in the military understand what personal sacrifice is. The valor, the character, the selflessness, the commitment that we all must give to our country is what you brought to the education process. There are people all around the globe right now, military members, taking the God-given character that you have and applying it to their education, and we are so proud of you.” DR. STEVEN KEITH
(Chaplain, Colonel USAF Ret.), director of the Liberty University Center for Chaplaincy
CLASS of 2016 GRADUATE PROFILES Every graduate has taken their own unique path toward moving their tassel. Here are just a few of their stories. The Liberty Journal congratulates all 2016 graduates who have now entered the world as true Champions for Christ.
SERVING THE DEAF COMMUNITY
Perseverance and commitment are two traits Bethany Steele will take with her as a member of the first graduating class from Liberty University’s undergraduate program in American Sign Language and Interpreting (ASLI). Steele moved from the British Virgin Islands to Virginia during her sophomore year of high school.
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As she came across many hearing impaired children — at both her school and her church — she began to develop the desire to become a sign language interpreter. Her older brother had graduated from Liberty, and she wanted to follow in his footsteps. In 2013, shortly after she enrolled, Liberty launched a Bachelor of Arts in American Sign Language degree program, which trained students to meet the requirements for the National Interpreter Certification exam and become professional interpreters. Steele was one of the first students to enroll in the ASLI program and found it rigorous — requiring commitment in and out of class. In order to improve her interpreting skills, Steele started attending a local deaf church. She also completed her Christian service hours (a yearly requirement for all sophomores,
juniors, and seniors) at Jill’s House in Vienna, Va., a full-service, overnight respite center that provides a safe, fun environment for children with intellectual disabilities. “My journey has been amazing, and looking back I can’t help but see the Lord’s hand guiding me through every step,” she said. “I am extremely proud of my accomplishment as a member of the first graduating class of the ASLI program, and I could not have done it without my professors, who became far more than teachers — they were more like role models to me.” Steele has accepted a full-time job as an interpreter at a public middle school. She will also continue her work at Jill’s House. “As one of the very first graduates of the ASLI program, I get to be one of the first to tell people about Liberty’s program at my new job,” she said. “Coming from Liberty, I know that I am grounded in a solid foundation of truth and skill. I know how to shine the light of Christ in this field.” Just 39 other schools across the country offer an ASLI degree, and Liberty is the only school in Virginia to do so.
‘WALKING, TALKING, LIVING, BREATHING MIRACLE’
On April 7, 2015, Eric Hickson, studying through Liberty University’s online program, underwent emergency brain surgery. He had suffered a massive subdural hematoma (bleeding in the brain), the result of a fall at work that left him unconscious in November 2014. Hickson, an Army veteran from Portsmouth, Va., endured two subsequent surgeries, one of which bruised the right-side sensory nerve section of his brain, leaving him unable to feel the left side of his body. “The blessing is that there was no
paralysis,” said his wife Donna Hickson, who retired from the Navy in 2001, the same year Eric retired from the Army. “He can move; he just can’t feel where his left foot lands.” Hickson is left-handed and had to relearn balance, walking, and writing skills, using speech recognition software to write his papers and emails. He earned a Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling with a specialization in Military Resilience, graduating with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.16. “Not bad after a couple of brain surgeries,” Donna Hickson said, noting that Eric suffers from short-term memory loss. “All I did was remind him, daily, to double and triple check his syllabuses to stay on time with submissions of his assignments, papers, and tests.” Hickson began his coursework at Columbia Southern (Ala.) University, earning his Bachelor of Science in
Business Administration in 2012. Coincidently, the last class Hickson took to finish his master’s degree at Liberty this spring focused on traumatic brain injuries (TBI). “He wants to be able to counsel PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and TBI patients in the military,” Donna Hickson said. “He can definitely relate to them.” The 54-year-old retired U.S. Army Sergeant First Class has been a model of perseverance and an inspiration to many. His wife considers him a “walking, talking, living, breathing miracle.” “I get emotional when I think about it because it’s been a long journey,” she said, noting that the setbacks only made him more determined to complete his degree. “He’s got a new normal, but he’s healing, getting better every day, and he’s where God wants him to be. He’s just an example — an encouragement to everyone he meets.”
WOUNDED HERO, CONQUERING CHAMPION
An explosion in April 2003 left more than a destroyed military vehicle in its wake. The improvised explosive device (IED) thrown by two insurgents in Iraq forever altered the life of Liberty graduate Nicola Knox. Though the former sergeant from New Jersey (originally Jamaica) survived the attack, it left permanent physical and emotional damage. The explosion left shrapnel in both of her eyes and required spinal surgery. “That was where my real battle in life began,” said Knox, who has been awarded the Purple Heart. “I had two choices: give up or keep pressing on.”
By God’s grace, she chose to press on. Today, she is a proud college graduate, having earned an interdisciplinary degree from Liberty University, specializing in Christian counseling, social science, and business. Not every day is easy, though. Knox has a rod in her spine and often gets headaches. But her faith in God helped her to overcome her physical and mental scars. “I try not to let those things define me; I just always look at the positive and keep pressing on each day,” she said. Knox added that her family — including her mother Winifred Dennis, husband Roderick Knox, 3-year-old daughter Abishai, and stepdaughters Alexis and Amber — has been a source of strength and encouragement. “I am one of the lucky few because I have a good support system,” she said. Knox served in the Army from 2001 until she received an honorable discharge for medical reasons in 2009.
She also recently retired from a career in firefighting. She credits her late grandmother, Elizabeth Henry, with having the greatest influence on her life. Henry emphasized the importance of a relationship with God and biblical wisdom, which Knox said ultimately led her to choose Liberty. Throughout her studies, Knox said she developed a deeper faith and learned to apply biblical principles to her life. She said Liberty also helped her to broaden her horizons and develop analytical thinking, which led to incorporating the disciplines she did into her degree. She said her education has helped her lead a women’s support group and has opened doors for more ministry. Knox said the convenience of Liberty’s online education program made earning her degree possible and that she is thankful for Liberty’s staff, who supported her and prayed for her.
INSPIRE
Speakers who have succeeded in the arts, sports, politics, ministry, entertainment, or business — among other areas — address the student body at Convocation, providing insight into a variety of issues and giving students a broader vision of themselves and their world. Usually held three times a week during the academic year, Convocation is the world’s largest weekly gathering of Christian young people. Below are some of the featured guests from the spring semester.
VIEW PAST CONVOCATIONS ONLINE AT LIBERTY.EDU/STREAMING OR YOUTUBE.COM/LIBERTYUNIVERSITY. “MANY THINGS HAVE CHANGED OVER TIME, BUT THE IMPORTANCE OF INTEGRITY HAS NOT.”
FRANK BEAMER
Legendary Virginia Tech Football Coach
“GOD HAS PUT SO MUCH POWER IN OUR HANDS TO EITHER BUILD UP OR TEAR DOWN ANOTHER PERSON … WE HAVE TO LEARN TO USE THAT POWER RESPONSIBLY.”
“THE IRONY IS THAT WHILE GOD DOESN’T NEED US BUT STILL WANTS US, WE DESPERATELY NEED GOD BUT DON’T REALLY WANT HIM MOST OF THE TIME.”
SHAUNTI FELDHAHN
FRANCIS CHAN
Social Researcher, Author
COMING IN THE FALL: 9/12 – Chris Broussard, ESPN analyst 9/19 – Brian “Head” Welch, musician 9/23 – Tim Hawkins, comedian 9/26 – James Dobson, author, radio show host, and family expert 9/30 – Steve Forbes, publishing executive
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Pastor, Church Planter, Author
10/12 – Steven Furtick, founder and lead pastor of Elevation Church 10/21 – Joe Theismann, legendary football player 10/26 – Susan Gore (of Gore-Tex fabric in The North Face jackets) 11/2 – Levi Lusko, pastor and author 11/4 – Tim Lee, evangelist 11/9 – Karen Kingsbury, best-selling author 11/28 – Armstrong Williams, political commentator
“IN A MIDDLE EAST STEEPED IN DARKNESS, ISRAEL WILL CONTINUE TO STAND TALL AND PROUDLY HOLD HIGH THE TORCH OF LIBERTY.”
“KEEP GETTING UP EVERY MORNING AND FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM EVERY DAY.”
“WHAT MATTERS IS NOT WHAT I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT MYSELF, BUT WHAT GOD HAS TO SAY ABOUT ME.”
RON DERMER
WAYNE LAPIERRE
CEO and Executive Vice President of the NRA
ALISTAIR BEGG
Israel’s Ambassador to the United States
Pastor and Author
GUEST ARTISTS ARE ALSO REGULARLY INVITED TO LEAD WORSHIP DURING CONVOCATION.
MATT MAHER
SHANE & SHANE PHIL WICKHAM
JESUS CULTURE
REND COLLECTIVE
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NEWS & EVENTS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS Debate Team takes two first-place national titles
Students win state athletic training quiz bowl
Quiz Bowl Team wins conference championship
Liberty University’s Debate Team continued its tradition of being named one of the country’s top college teams, earning first place in two national tournaments — the Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) and the National Debate Tournament (NDT).
A team of students from Liberty University’s Athletic Training Program (ATP) won the Virginia Athletic Trainers’ Association (VATA) Quiz Bowl Jan. 9 at the VATA Annual Meeting and Clinical Symposia in Williamsburg, Va.
The Quiz Bowl Team swept all competition en route to its secondstraight Big South Conference Championship in February. Liberty hosted the event for the first time. With the win, Liberty has claimed nine conference titles over the past 11 seasons.
Liberty came in second at the American Debate Association (ADA) national tournament. Liberty has finished as the topranked school in the ADA for the last 12 years, in the CEDA for the last seven years, and in the NDT for six out of the last seven years. Liberty remains the only school to finish first in all three rankings in a single year.
The team, comprised of seniors Christopher “Dan” Brown, Kevin Macintyre, Joshua Valentine, and Tyler Amburgey, claimed its first championship at the state level in only its second year participating in the event.
Liberty secured the title with a 355point margin of victory against Radford University in the finals. Two Liberty team members made the All-Tournament team: junior Mikah Sauskojus and sophomore Leah DePiero.
2016 PRESIDENT’S AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING These prestigious awards recognize faculty who are committed to outstanding teaching in both the residential and online classrooms. Several areas of teaching are considered, including the use of instructional technology, the integration of faith into learning, innovation, pedagogy, student support and involvement, student assessment, and a commitment to the personal growth of each student. Winners are selected based on peer recommendations, deans’ endorsements, nominee responses to specific prompts, and student letters. Recipients were formally honored at the April 29 Convocation and received monetary gifts. Winners are:
RESIDENTIAL UNDERGRADUATE:
CYNTHIA A. GOODRICH, ED.D., M.S.N., B.S.N. Professor, School of Nursing
ONLINE UNDERGRADUATE:
HANNAH LORRAINE SCHULTZ, J.D., M.A., M.B.A., M.A.R. Adjunct Instructor and Subject Matter Expert, College of Arts & Sciences
RESIDENTIAL GRADUATE:
MATTHEW D. TOWLES, PH.D., M.A. Professor, Department of English
Government students finish in top 16 at Moot Court nationals Two members of the Helms School of Government Moot Court Team placed in the top 16 nationally at the American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Championship Tournament Jan. 15 at California State University at Long Beach.
The team of senior A.J. Colkitt and junior Nathan Wilson was one of 80 two-member teams that qualified for nationals out of 400 teams. The team was coached by government professor Dr. Robert Robertson, who was assisted by Benjamin Rathsam, a third-year student at Liberty University School of Law.
Law Moot Court Team ranked among nation’s top 10 Liberty University School of Law’s Moot Court Team finished No. 9 in the nation, qualifying for the 2017 Andrews Kurth Moot Court National Championship. This top 10 finish follows Liberty’s first national championship appearance in January, where the team reached the semifinals after qualifying for the tournament for the first time in school history with an 11th place finish in the 2014-15 season.
Cyber Defense Team competes at nationals
Student artwork garners nine awards in regional ADDYs
A team of seven students from the Cyber Defense Club competed in the 2016 Raytheon National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition April 22-24 in San Antonio, Texas. The tournament is considered the “Big Dance of Data Defense.”
Students from the Department of Studio & Digital Arts (SADA) received nine awards, including the Student Best of Show, in the American Advertising Federation’s (AAF) District 3 ADDY Awards. Liberty received four gold ADDYS (out of nine) and four silver ADDYs (out of 12) in the collegiate portion. District 3 represents clubs in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Gold winners automatically advance to the national finals June 7 at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif.
The team qualified for nationals after winning the regional competition at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab in Laurel, Md., in March. At that event, the team outscored the University of Maryland, West Virginia University, Radford University, Towson University, Capitol Technology University, Bloomburg University, and the University of Maryland (Baltimore County).
Magazine features Liberty Law grad Recent Liberty University School of Law graduate Jaime McGuire was honored as a finalist for Law Student of the Year in the spring issue of The National Jurist magazine. McGuire was recognized for her work with the local Department of Social Services, assisting with about 35 cases in front of the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, as well as for her work in Thailand with victims of sex trafficking. National Jurist also recognized Liberty Law as a Best School for Practical Training for the second year in a row. National Jurist’s sister publication, preLaw Magazine, featured Liberty in its Best Schools for Public Service for public defender/ prosecutor training.
Liberty students earned more than 70 awards at the local level earlier in the spring.
Ad Team wins top awards Liberty University’s Advertising Team from the School of Communication & Creative Arts finished third and took home the awards for Best Presenter and Best Plans Book in the 2016 District 3 National Student Advertising Competition, hosted by the American Advertising Federation April 8 in Raleigh, N.C.
Best Presenter went to junior Katie Clinebell. The team finished just behind the University of Virginia and Washington & Lee University.
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LET THE 2016 COMMONWEALTH GAMES BEGIN … JOEL COLEM AN
Liberty University will officially open its inaugural year as title sponsor of the 27th annual Virginia Commonwealth Games during Main Games Weekend, July 22-24. The university will host a parade of athletes, speakers, and a lighting of the cauldron at opening ceremonies in the Vines Center. “I don’t believe we could have found a better title sponsor than Liberty University,” said Pete Lampman, president of Virginia Amateur Sports, based in Roanoke where the Games have been held since 1990. “Thank you for giving us this opportunity to provide our athletes the chance to compete at a Division I school and empowering them to dream big.” The Games expects to entertain as many as 10,000 athletes of all ages and skill levels in 2016. The state’s largest annual multisport festival invites Virginians from around the
commonwealth to participate in more than 65 sports. Competition is also open to those living in Tennessee, West Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. Registration information can be found at CommonwealthGames.org. Liberty has already hosted 2016 competitions in baton, judo, and ice hockey. In 2015, Liberty showcased two of its professional-grade facilities when it hosted skateboarding at the Liberty Mountain Skate Park and a first-ever ski and snowboard rail jam at the Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre (LMSC). A tailgate party will be held for athletes, friends, and families prior to opening ceremonies on July 22. Athletes are invited to skate, ski, snowboard, and tube for free at the LaHaye Ice Center and LMSC and can reserve trail rides at the Liberty University Equestrian Center.
LIBERTY PLAYS ROLE IN REVITALIZING LOCAL MALL Liberty University announced in March that it had purchased 75 percent interest in the nearby River Ridge Mall. New restaurants, retail stores, and entertainment are planned, possibly incorporating an open-air concept. CBL & Associates, the former owner, retained 25 percent interest and remains responsible for leasing and management. CBL began talking with Liberty officials in 2015 about the possibility of sharing ownership of the mall — after the university decided to move its online operations out of the former Sears building there. (Liberty had purchased the building in 2012.) About 600 Liberty University
Online call center employees have relocated to their new offices in the former Nationwide building in Lynchburg, which Liberty purchased last fall. The remaining 400-500 employees will continue to work at River Ridge until demolition begins in about 16 months. Liberty President Jerry Falwell said the university’s investment committee saw the mall as a sound investment that would bring an economic boost to the area. “Liberty University has an economic impact on the Lynchburg region of more than $1 billion annually and is committed to the success and economic vitality of the region,” Falwell said. “The university
is pleased to help implement CBL’s exciting vision for the mall and to assist in bringing new and improved services to the region.” The mall, which opened in 1980, is part of an intentional diversification of Liberty’s investment portfolio. Falwell said Liberty’s commercial real estate holdings have performed well in recent years and noted that it is common for universities with endowments to dedicate a certain percentage to commercial real estate. River Ridge Mall is Liberty’s third investment in a local shopping center. Liberty owns Candlers Station Shopping Center, also located near campus, and The Plaza in midtown Lynchburg. DAVID D UNCA N
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PUBLIC AND COMMUNITY HEALTH PROFESSOR RECEIVES FULBRIGHT GRANT TO TEACH IN IRELAND Dr. Christopher Seitz, an assistant professor of public and community health, has received a six-month grant from the Fulbright Scholar Program to conduct research on health issues and to teach at University College Cork (UCC) in Cork, Ireland. Seitz will travel to Ireland in September of 2016 and return to the United States in March of 2017. Seitz will supervise a “photovoice” project, in which his students will take photographs to document issues regarding the UCC campus tobacco policy. They will then advocate for tobacco restrictions on their college campus during an exhibit of their findings. “My research interest is the process of how college campuses become tobacco-free and the impact
of tobacco policies on the campus community,” Seitz said. “Ireland has cutting-edge tobacco policies — with the exception of their universities. Because Fulbright is an educational exchange program, I intend to learn from Ireland’s policies while also applying my knowledge to how their universities could become tobacco-free.” Seitz said he developed an interest in tobacco policies after watching his grandfather lose his life to lung cancer. The Fulbright Scholar Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Liberty’s Fulbright Program is administered by the Liberty University School of Law dean’s office.
PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM LAUNCHES NEW BACHELOR’S DEGREE Beginning Fall 2016, Liberty University will offer a Bachelor of Science in Public Health degree, replacing the current B.S. in Health Promotion and broadening course content. The degree will still include a concentration in health education and promotion, but core classes will
now include other areas of public health, such as environmental health, disaster management, and health administration. Changes are designed to enhance graduates’ job skills, making them more competitive in the current marketplace, while also meeting the requirements needed for accreditation
from the Council on Education in Public Health (CEPH). The university currently offers a Master of Public Heath (M.P.H.), which gives students a foundation in epidemiology and biostatistics and offers concentrations in health promotion, global health, and nutrition.
Dr. Annette Florence teaches a lesson on diabetes with students Shiloh Reeves, Daniela Ortega, and Norshanti Bain.
MITCH EL L B RYANT
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MINISTRY TEAMS LEAD WORSHIP ACROSS THE COUNTRY In April, Liberty University’s Worship Collective sent a 10-member band to lead worship for more than 5,000 youth pastors at Student Leadership University’s (SLU) Youth Pastor Summit at Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla. The two-day event featured prominent speakers, including author and church planter Francis Chan, author/speaker Brent Crowe, and David Nasser, Liberty’s senior vice president for spiritual development. The band also played
for SLU events in Dallas and Nashville last spring and is scheduled for a 20-city tour with SLU’s Fall 2016 and Spring 2017 events. Another traveling music ministry, the Sounds of Liberty, performed on April 17 in Washington, D.C., at the Center for Christian Statesmanship’s 20th Anniversary Celebration. Over the summer, Liberty’s Worship Collective and the Sounds of Liberty will travel to numerous churches and youth camps to lead worship.
“DUCK DYNASTY” LANDS AT LU When the Season 9 finale and 100th episode of A&E’s “Duck Dynasty” aired in March, Liberty University students had the unique experience of watching it with two of the show’s stars — fellow classmates John Luke Robertson and his wife, Mary Kate. Students joined them in the Vines Center for the largest “Duck Dynasty” watch party in the world, eager to see their campus featured on screen. The one-hour episode, “RV There Yet?,” featured members of the “Duck Dynasty”
clan on a road trip from their home in Louisiana to Lynchburg, Va., where they dropped the couple off at Liberty for the first time last fall. The TV crew spent a full day filming on Liberty’s campus last August. The episode spotlighted a few familiar locations, including Hancock Welcome Center (where alumni Trey and Sarah Falwell took the Robertsons on a guided tour), DeMoss Hall, and the Residential Commons (Liberty’s highrise residence halls).
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JOEL COLE MA N
President Jerry Falwell and his wife, Becki, spend time with Korie and Willie Robertson during the filming of ‘Duck Dynasty’ on campus.
During commercial breaks at the watch party, John Luke and Mary Kate offered behind-the-scenes tidbits about filming on campus and the reality TV production process. Liberty students also had the chance to see more stars of the show, as John Luke Robertson connected with his family through FaceTime and projected it onto the videoboard. John Luke and Mary Kate are both pursuing degrees in Christian Leadership & Church Ministries through Liberty’s Rawlings School of Divinity; John Luke is specializing in adventure leadership and outdoor ministries, and Mary Kate is studying women’s leadership. Other Robertson family members have returned to campus since the filming. John Luke’s mother, Korie, and sister Sadie came for Fall Family Weekend in September, where they spoke at Liberty’s Convocation, and Willie, his father, surprised guests at Commencement.
ALUMNA SERVES AS AMBASSADOR TO EL SALVADOR Liberty University alumna Jean Elizabeth Manes (’92) was sworn in as ambassador to the Republic of El Salvador on March 17. She serves as a personal representative of President Barack Obama to negotiate and advance U.S. policy within the Republic of El Salvador. She also serves as CEO of the U.S. embassy in El Salvador, overseeing immigration, education, and security. Manes’ career in foreign policy began with an internship with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington, D.C., during her junior year at Liberty. She went to every hearing, every day. “It was a wonderful moment when, 26 years later, it was me sitting at the table in that same room during my confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,” she said after being sworn in as ambassador. “That early experience of learning how Washington works has been fundamental throughout my career.”
While at Liberty, Manes played volleyball for one year and helped coach the men’s club volleyball team for two years. After graduating with a B.S. in Foreign Policy, Manes joined the State Department as a secretary and worked her way up, eventually joining foreign services. During her career, she has traveled to more than 120 countries, including Afghanistan, where she worked as counselor for public affairs at the U.S. Embassy. This post required her to lead a team while liaising with the press, promoting education initiatives, and campaigning for increased opportunities for women. She also served as principal officer at the U.S. Consulate in the Azores, Portugal, where she led negotiations regarding the U.S. military presence in the Azores as well as environmental and educational programs. In her various roles in Washington, D.C., she has focused on large-scale management of resources and policy formulation. Under President Bill Clinton, Manes traveled overseas for two years as part of the advance team for the White House press. From the very beginning of her career, Manes said she was fortunate to be
Liberty’s Washington Fellowship, a semester-long internship program, offers students of all majors an opportunity to live and work in the nation’s capital.
surrounded by talented people who were willing to invest in her. “I paid attention, and I watched and learned,” she said. “Early on, from each leader, I would take away something and try to incorporate it into my own leadership style.” In all of her travels, Manes said that one thing has always stayed with her. “Nobody chooses where they are born and at what time in history,” she said. “When I see refugees or other desperate situations, I think, ‘That could have been me,’ and I start from there. I approach these issues as a human being who is fortunate and has a responsibility to give back.” Manes said the most rewarding part of her new role is the opportunity to make a real difference in people’s lives. “It is the ability to have an impact that makes me jump out of bed each morning,” she said. “In this job, I have the privilege of meeting upcoming leaders in so many fields. I heard someone say, ‘I am an ordinary person in an extraordinary job,’ and that is exactly how I feel.”
ALUMNI SHARE STEPS TO SUCCESS A panel of accomplished Liberty University alumni offered wisdom and encouragement during the annual Senior Convocation, hosted by the Alumni Relations Office in April. Panelists included Penny Nance (’88), president and CEO of Concerned Women for America, the nation’s largest women’s public policy organization; D.J. Jordan (’02), communications director for U.S. Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.); and real
estate entrepreneurs David and Jason Benham (’98). The event was moderated by alumna Alison Howard (’11), director of alliance relations for the Alliance Defending Freedom. Howard has been named a rising star by the Republican National Committee and among Christianity Today’s “33 under 33” list of emerging leaders. Alumni answered questions about their career paths and discussed the
essential habits needed to thrive in any area of life. Daily Scripture reading was the No. 1 habit practiced by all participants. After Convocation, the alumni interacted with students. Nance and the Benhams signed copies of their books, “Feisty & Feminine” and “Whatever the Cost,” respectively. Tyler Falwell, director of Alumni Relations, said that he is grateful these distinguished alumni took the time to speak to the senior class. “This shows that they really have a passion and a love for Liberty University and Liberty students and that they want to give back.”
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OLYMPIC-SIZED POOL
WILL COMPLEMENT NEW INDOOR TRACK FACILITY A state-of-the-art natatorium — connected to the new indoor track complex currently under construction on Liberty Mountain — will elevate Liberty University’s NCAA Division I women’s swimming & diving team and Club Sports program, while also attracting students and community members of all ages. “It will be one of the top swimming facilities on the entire East Coast,” said Lee Beaumont, Liberty’s senior vice president for Auxiliary Services. The natatorium is expected to be completed by July 2017, in time to host the Commonwealth Games’ longcourse swim meet. Located beneath the LU monogram at the base of the mountain, the facility will feature an eight-lane, 50-meter pool with a bulkhead and a separate 17-footdeep diving well with a full tower that includes 1- and 3-meter springboards and 1-, 3-, 5-, 7.5-, and 10-meter platforms. Like the adjacent track, it will be equipped to host regional, state, and even national meets for high school, collegiate, YMCA, and USA Swimming programs, as well as offer training opportunities for professional athletes. “This will be a fast pool,” Beaumont said. “There are fast tracks for running, and there are fast pools for swimming. The fast pool is due to all of the physics involved,” he explained. The consistent depth (9 feet) reduces turbulence underwater while an overflow gutter system drains, rather than rebounds, waves off the pool’s edges. The stateof-the-art lane dividers spin to dissipate energy created by swimmers. With
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the pool and diving well separate, he said, they will each be maintained at optimum temperatures. “Divers like the water a little warmer than swimmers.” At 75,000 square feet, the natatorium will be much larger than the current LaHaye Aquatics Center pool, which will continue to be used for recreational purposes. The new building will feature a barreled roof and plenty of glass to allow for natural lighting. It will have a seating capacity of 1,300, with 900 permanent seats in wraparound stands located along the 25-yard portion of the pool where collegiate competitions will take place — a unique feature for a swimming venue. There will also be room for an additional 400 spectators and competitors in bleachers on deck. “It’s going to be an impressive facility,” said Jake Shellenberger, head coach of Liberty’s NCAA Division I women’s swimming & diving program. “When you have a bowl seating configuration, it can make 900 people sound like 4,000.” The facility will have multiple uses. Liberty’s Student Activities and Intramural Sports programs will be able to host events there, and students taking kinesiology classes in swimming will be able to walk from the pool to a “wet classroom” with drains in the floor. The pool will also be available to outside organizations, from high school to community club programs, giving youth- to masters-level swimmers a chance to train, compete, and play in the new facility. It will also be used for Learn to Swim classes and training in scuba diving, lifeguard skills, and first responder water rescue.
At the NCAA level, Shellenberger said the natatorium will allow him to recruit more swimmers and divers with Olympic potential. “When you have a high school athlete who has Olympic dreams, they want and need to train in the Olympic longcourse 50-meter format,” he said. Over the past seven seasons, Shellenberger has handled hundreds of inquiries from prospective men’s swimmers wondering why Liberty doesn’t offer a men’s team. This facility will allow for the addition of two new Club Sports — men’s swimming in 2017 and men’s water polo in 2018. “I foresee men turning down scholarship offers from NCAA Division I programs to swim for the club team here,” Shellenberger said. “They’re going to have their own locker room, their own team room; they’re going to have a nicer facility than men who swim at some Division I institutions.” The 25-yard wide pool can be divided into 20 lanes for short-course training, with an additional six lanes in the diving well, allowing teams to practice concurrently. With its proximity to the track, it will be able to host indoor triathlons as well. The entire natatorium and indoor track complex will share a 6,554-square-foot weight room and a 2,400-square-foot training room that includes a 1,000-square-foot hydro room with two plunge pools kept at 57 degrees. There will also be a media station wired for live broadcasts of meets and a juice bar/smoothie station to provide student-athletes with protein shakes.
Construction is progressing on four new building projects that will enhance Liberty’s Athletics and Club Sports programs. INDOOR TRACK
M I TCH ELL B RYANT
Steel and concrete work are ongoing at Liberty’s new indoor track & field center. Expected to open in January 2017, the 169,000-squarefoot facility will feature a hydraulically banked 200-meter oval track, making it a premier location to host age group, high school, collegiate, and even professional indoor competitions.
FOOTBALL INDOOR PRACTICE FACILITY
M I TC HE L L BRYANT
Site work began in April on the 95,000-square-foot domed practice facility, located in front of the Williams Football Operations Center at Williams Stadium. The facility will replace the team’s grass practice field. When its doors open in May 2017, Flames Football and other athletics teams will be able to hold practice, regardless of the weather, on a turf field covered by a curved roof with 70 feet of clearance.
ACADEMIC AND PERFORMANCE CENTER
M I TC HE L L BRYANT
Currently under construction between the Liberty Baseball Stadium and Osborne Stadium, the terraced, 3-story, 60,000-square-foot APC is being built into the existing hillside, its architecture curving along the bank of the Matthes-Hopkins Track Complex. Scheduled to open in August 2017, approximately one-third of the space will be used for academic offices, tutoring centers, and study halls. It will also feature an Olympic sport weight room and space for short- and long-term rehabilitation of NCAA Division I student-athletes.
EQUESTRIAN CENTER
KAITLYN JOH NSON
Additions to the Liberty University Equestrian Center, due to be completed in late June or early July, will turn it into one of the largest venues of its kind in Virginia. Construction of a steel arena to cover the 120-foot by 300-foot riding ring started in April. Simultaneously, the outdoor ring is being expanded to the same dimensions and a second wooden barn — nearly identical to the one located on the opposite side of the indoor arena — is being constructed, doubling the total number of stalls to 80. Located on nearly 400 acres on Liberty Mountain, the facility has the most acreage of any college equestrian program in the state. It will also have the state’s second largest collegiate indoor arena. The indoor and outdoor rings will be completed in time for Liberty to host the July 30-31 riding events in the 2016 Virginia Commonwealth Games.
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COACH OF THE YEAR MCKAY RECEIVES CONFERENCE HONORS IN FIRST SEASON BACK AT HELM
Despite featuring one of the youngest rosters in NCAA Division I basketball, Liberty University’s men’s team experienced a revival under Ritchie McKay, who was named Big South Conference (BSC) Coach of the Year by the league’s head coaches and a media panel. The Flames were predicted to place 11th in the Big South Preseason Poll, but McKay led the team to a fifth seed and first-round bye for the BSC Championships with a 10-8 conference record, its most Big South wins in five seasons. Liberty won nine of 11 games from Jan. 6 at Coastal Carolina (where it celebrated its first road triumph since Feb. 22, 2014) to Feb. 13 at Longwood.
MITCH EL L BRYANT
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During that midseason stretch, the Flames recorded a seven-game conference winning streak — their fourth longest in program history — and upset the conference’s top three teams: No. 1-seeded High Point (at home and away), No. 2 Winthrop, and No. 3 Coastal. McKay implemented the pack-line defense he learned during his six seasons as Tony Bennett’s associate head coach at the University of Virginia, and the Flames used it to rank second in the Big South in scoring defense, holding opponents to 68.0 points per game. They also ranked 60th in the nation in three-point field goal attempts (774), making 36.6 percent. “We’ve kind of established a way we’re going to play — an identity, if you will,” McKay said. “There’s an expectation that our guys have of themselves and one another that is really beneficial for our program’s advancement.” After inheriting just four returning lettermen and no starters from the 201415 team, McKay has high aspirations for a 2016-17 squad that will again be one of the youngest in the nation, with no seniors and eight new players on the roster. He will look to redshirt sophomore guard John Dawson for
leadership (Dawson earned All-Big South Conference honorable mention recognition despite sitting out the first 11 games of the season due to the NCAA transfer rule), along with rising junior guards/forwards Ryan Kemrite and A.C. Reid, redshirt sophomore forward Ezra Talbert, sophomore guard Lovell Cabbil, and sophomore forward Caleb Homesley. He is equally excited about an incoming class of recruits that includes 6-foot-4-inch forward Myo BaxterBell, 6-foot-7-inch forward Josiah Talbert (Ezra’s younger brother), 7-foot center Hayden Koval, 6-foot-7-inch guard/forward Brock Gardner, and 6-foot-1-inch guard Xzavier Barmore. “We’re going to add some depth on the post, and that’s going to help, but we also have some better players on the perimeter,” McKay said. “We’ll be a lot deeper next year, and there will be a great fight — it’ll be really competitive in practice — for minutes. “I’m anxiously awaiting the start (of the 2016-17 season on Nov. 11),” he added. “It can’t come soon enough for me.” Watch a postseason interview with Ritchie McKay at Liberty.edu/Flames and a “Game On” episode featuring John Dawson at GameOnLU.com.
ATHLETICS NEWS LADY FLAMES SENIORS CONCLUDE CAREERS AS SCORING LEADERS M I TCH ELL B RYANT
SADALIA ELLIS
Liberty’s women’s basketball team graduated one of its most talented classes in recent history — five seniors who accounted for more than 4,000
points and nearly 3,000 rebounds in their careers. Ashley Rininger, the conference’s first-ever three-time Big South Conference (BSC) ScholarAthlete of the Year for women's basketball, scored a game-high 22 points in the BSC championship game. At the fifth annual Flamespy Awards, Rininger received the Rock Royer/ Mac Rivera Award, recognizing her as Liberty’s top graduating studentathlete. She earned the Flamespy for Best Female Athlete in 2015.
The Lady Flames (20-13) were also led by fellow forwards/centers Katelyn Adams and Catherine Kearney as well as guards Jaymee Fisher-Davis and Sadalia Ellis. Kearney and Ellis were selected to the BSC all-tournament team. The Lady Flames lost in double overtime in the BSC championship to top-seeded UNC Asheville, 64-62. They went on to play in the WNIT Tournament against Villanova, falling 67-51.
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD TEAMS SWEEP CHAMPIONSHIPS JOE L COL E M AN
STEVE FEISTER
Every time that Liberty has hosted the Big South Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships, it has swept the men’s and women’s team titles. The Flames and Lady Flames did it for the eighth time May 10-12, each dominating runner-up Coastal Carolina by more than 100 points. Steve Feister threw the javelin 234 feet,
11 inches to set the facility record and lead the men to their 10th straight crown and their 21st in the meet’s 23-year history. Mychelle Cumings’ shot put victory of 49 feet, 6¼ inches helped the women defend their title. Cumings became the first female in Big South history to win the same event four times indoors and four times outdoors at the conference meet. Fellow senior Erika Jackson led a 1-2-3 Liberty sweep in the heptathlon, defending her Big South title with a meet-record 4,921 points. The Lady Flames’ 1,600-meter relay team’s winning time of 3 minutes,
41.92 seconds also set a facility record, and senior Ansley Gebben established a new meet record in the women’s 800 (2:08.41). Rising junior Ednah Kurgat, who shattered the 20-year-old Big South 5,000-meter mark by nearly 38 seconds in 15:48.63 in April to qualify for the May 26-28 NCAA Division I East Preliminaries, became Liberty’s first women’s 10K Big South champion since 2011. Brant Tolsma was honored as Big South Coach of the Year on the men's side and shared the women's honor with High Point’s Mike Esposito.
GOLF TEAM WINS BIG SOUTH, QUALIFIES FOR NCAA REGIONALS The third-seeded Liberty men’s golf team fended off charges from secondseeded Campbell and top-seeded Charleston Southern on April 19 to clinch its fourth Big South Conference (BCS) Men’s Golf Championship title in six seasons at the par 72, 7,120-yard Patriot Golf Club in Ninety Six, S.C., the
site of the last nine championship events. The Flames posted a winning score of 11-under par 853 (286-281-286), carding sub-par rounds each day of the three-day event, to win by 12 strokes over Campbell. It was their secondbest total at a BSC Championship event and secured them an automatic bid
to the May 16-18 NCAA Regionals in Albuquerque, N.M. Liberty’s Isaiah Logue (70-69-70) finished tied with Winthrop’s Zach Seabolt (70-70-69) for runner-up honors at 7-under 209, which tied for Liberty’s second lowest individual total in championship history.
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BIG SOUT H CONFERENC E
(LEFT TO RIGHT) Head Coach Jeff Thomas, Isaiah Logue, Hutson Chandler, Gabe Lench, Payton Taylor, Mickey DeMorat, and Assistant Coach Ian McConnell
JOEL COLEM AN
SAM MATHESON
MATHESON REACHES NEW HEIGHTS FOR TENNIS PROGRAM Men’s singles player Sam Matheson, a rising senior from New Zealand, has earned the highest national recognition for any Liberty tennis player. He became the first Flame in program history to qualify for the NCAA Division I men’s singles championship, set for May 25-30 in Tulsa, Okla. He also became Liberty's first tennis player to make the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Top
125 national ranking and was ranked No. 93 in early May. He finished the spring regular season at 18-1 and broke the Flames' record for overall victories (including fall play) with 28. Liberty hosted the Big South men’s and women’s tennis championships for the first time, April 13-18 at the Cook Tennis Center. The Lady Flames went 8-1 in
regular-season conference play to earn the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. The team advanced to the championship match for the first time in program history, falling to secondseeded, No. 70-ranked Winthrop, 4-3 in a dramatic final. The fifth-seeded men’s team ended its season with a 4-3 semifinal loss to top-seeded Coastal Carolina.
WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING TEAM TAKES SECOND IN CONFERENCE MEET JOE L COL E M AN
HANNAH WAKELEY
Liberty went 8-5 in dual meets this season, including 5-1 against Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) opponents. The Lady Flames, who defeated Texas Christian University (TCU) on Oct. 9 in Fort Worth, Texas, for their first win over a Big 12 opponent in program history, finished second out of 11 teams in the Feb. 17-20 CCSA Championships
in Athens, Ga. Senior Kendall Hough capped her career by swimming a school-record time of 49.06 seconds in the 100 freestyle. Liberty was honored with the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Scholar All-America Team Award, setting a program-record 3.47 team GPA during the Fall 2015 semester.
CHEERLEADING FOURSOMES FINISH IN TOP FIVE AT TWO NATIONAL EVENTS Two partner stunt groups from Liberty University’s cheerleading squad experienced an exceptional semester of competition at two separate national championships in Florida. At the 2016 UCA College National
Championship held Jan. 15-17 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., the team of Colby Hall, Kyle Minder, Cassidy Hall, and Laken Hendron placed second to North Carolina State in the Partner
Liberty University cheerleaders (from left) Colby Hall, Kyle Minder, Cassidy Hall, Laken Hendron, Dani Blasini, Lizzie Edmondson, Chelsey O'Connell, and Matty Hogan competed at the 2016 UCA College National Championship and the April 7-9 NCA College National Championship in Florida.
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Stunt Girls “4” Championship. The Lady Flames’ other partner stunt group of Dani Blasini, Lizzie Edmondson, Chelsey O’Connell, and Matty Hogan finished sixth in the same competition, featured on ESPN3. The same two groups placed in the top five at the National Group Stunt Competition of the April 7-9 NCA College National Championship, the most challenging competition of its kind in the country, held outdoors in Daytona Beach, Fla. The team of Blasini, O'Connell, Edmondson, and Hogan placed fourth, followed by Cassidy and Colby Hall, Minder, and Hendron, who came in fifth.
FLAMES FOOTBALL WILL OPEN 2016 SEASON AT VIRGINIA TECH State, the 2015 FCS national championship runner-up, on Sept. 24, and defending Big South Conference champion and FCS quarterfinalist Charleston Southern on Nov. 12. Homecoming Weekend will be highlighted by an Oct. 22 rematch with conference foe Monmouth. To purchase tickets, call 434-582SEAT (7328).
K EVI N M ANG UI O B
Liberty's 2016 football schedule features road games against two FBS powers — a season-opening, firstever meeting with Virginia Tech, Sept. 3 in Blacksburg, Va., and a Sept. 17 showdown at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas. The Flames’ home slate includes two games against 2015 NCAA FCS playoffs participants — Jacksonville
2016 FLAMES FOOTBALL Sept. 3 at Virginia Tech, TBA Sept. 10 Jacksonville, 7 p.m. Sept. 17 at Southern Methodist, TBA Sept. 24 Jacksonville State, 7 p.m. Oct. 1 Robert Morris, 7 p.m. Oct. 15 at Kennesaw State, TBA Oct. 22 Monmouth, 3:30 p.m. Oct. 29 Gardner-Webb, 3:30 p.m. Nov. 5 at Presbyterian, TBA Nov. 12 Charleston Southern, 3:30 p.m. Nov. 17 at Coastal Carolina, TBA Nov. 26-Jan. 7 NCAA FCS Playoffs
LUNSFORD, WOODRUM, PETERSON SIGN AS FREE AGENTS IN THE NFL LUNSFORD
Shortly after the conclusion of the April 28-30 NFL Draft, senior Flames Football standouts John Lunsford (kicker), Darrin Peterson (wide receiver), and Josh Woodrum (quarterback) each signed free agent contracts with NFL franchises. Lunsford signed with the San Francisco 49ers, Peterson with the Chicago Bears, and Woodrum with the New York Giants, joining a roster that features former Flames' All-American
WOODRUM
PETERSON
running back Rashad Jennings, who is entering his third season with the Giants. Woodrum, a four-year starter and three-time All-Big South selection, finished his career as Liberty’s alltime leader in passing yards (10,266), completions (833), and attempts (1,304) and ranks second in Big South history with 10,690 total offensive yards. Lunsford was a three-time AllAmerican during his four years with the Flames and finished as the NCAA FCS
career record holder with 12 field goals of 50 yards or longer, including a Big-South record 60-yarder in the Homecoming game against Richmond on Oct. 4, 2014. He is Liberty's all-time leader in extra points made (150) and ranks second in field goals (48) and career scoring (294 points). Woodrum and Lunsford were two of 22 FCS players invited to the Feb. 23-29 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Ind. Peterson was a three-time All-Big South selection, earning first-team honors during his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons. He finished his career as Liberty's all-time leader with 3,170 career receiving yards, 215 receptions, 27 receiving touchdowns, and 15 career 100-yard receiving games.
PAINTBALL PLACES THIRD AT NCPA CHAMPIONSHIPS IN FLORIDA For the first time in four years, Liberty University's paintball team reached the Final Four of the Class A division of the National Collegiate Paintball Association (NCPA) Championships, April 15-17 in
Kissimmee, Fla. The Flames finished 3-2 overall, scoring wins over Navy (10-4), Miami (5-3), and Perdue (7-4 in the Ocho Finals) before being eliminated by eventual champion Texas A&M, which had dealt them their only previous loss. "The tournament really tested our
guys and gave them an opportunity to share their faith," Flames Head Coach Brian Davidson said. “We prayed with every team we faced after every match and multiple teams came up to us and said they were refreshed by that — it’s something that's not typical in a paintball match.”
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AANDERUD FIRST LADY FLAMES SOCCER PLAYER TO SIGN PROFESSIONALLY she helped the Lady Flames capture two Big South Championships (2013, 2015) and a pair of regular-season titles (2014-15). Liberty totaled 54 wins in Aanderud's four years, making her class the winningest in program history. In 2013, Aanderud earned Big South Tournament MVP honors.
TY H ESTER
In February, Liberty senior Brittany Aanderud signed with Tierps IF, in Division I of the Swedish Club League, becoming the first Lady Flame in program history to compete professionally. Aanderud concluded her collegiate career as Liberty's and the Big South's all-time leader in assists with 30, and
BASEBALL TEAM BATTLES IN MORE THAN ITS SHARE OF ONE-RUN AFFAIRS JESSI E R OGE R S
Of Liberty’s first 44 contests (through May 2), 20 were decided by one run, including 13 of its 22 defeats. The Flames scored one-run wins at Duke (1-0 on Feb. 27) and at home against UNC Asheville (7-6 on March 24, the second game of a three-game Big South Conference-opening sweep) and Maryland (5-4 on April 5) before losing an April 20 rematch with the Blue Devils, 8-7. The Flames featured freshman outfielder D.J. Artis in the leadoff spot, who batted a team-high .381 with 65 hits, 48 walks, and 47 runs scored and has stolen 22 bases in 26 attempts (as of May 15).
D.J. ARTIS
Liberty played six games against ACC opponents — three against Duke, two against Virginia Tech (including a 22-7 triumph March 15 in Blacksburg, Va.), and one against defending NCAA Division I champion Virginia on May 3 at home, which drew a record turnout of 4,024 fans at Liberty Baseball Stadium. The Flames also faced BSC rivals Coastal Carolina and reigning conference champion Radford eight times, six at home. The Flames swept Radford in a three-game home finale series over Commencement Weekend.
SOFTBALL TEAM SETS PROGRAM RECORD WITH 16 BIG SOUTH WINS The Lady Flames (30-26, 16-8 Big South) capped the regular season with a three-game sweep of GardnerWebb, April 29-30 at Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium. That clinched their first 30-win season since 2011 and set a new program record for wins in Big South play. Freshman pitcher Julia DiMartino tossed her second no-hitter, and first
JOE L CO LEMAN
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by a Lady Flames pitcher in Liberty Softball Stadium history, in the opener against the Runnin’ Bulldogs. The two-time BSC Pitcher of the Week tied Leslie Inge's (1997) freshman mark of 16 wins and set a new freshman record with six shutouts and 174 strikeouts. Chandler Ball pitched a three-hit shutout, the seventh of her career, in the regular-season finale, bringing her
RYLEE REYNOLDS
career wins total to 44, tied for fifth at Liberty all-time. With 12 freshmen and six sophomores on their 24-player roster, the Lady Flames have a solid foundation in place under third-year Head Coach Dot Richardson, who brought in the largest recruiting class in program history.
DIVISION I MEN’S HOCKEY TEAM JOINS EASTERN STATES CONFERENCE JAM ES H ANCO CK
ZAK HAYES
Liberty's ACHA Division I men's hockey team, which has been independent since moving up from the Division II level in 2006, will join
the Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League (ESCHL) this fall. The Flames will join defending league champion Stony Brook and Delaware — two teams they faced four times each in recent seasons — as well as Rhode Island, Rutgers, and West Chester. Liberty will host 23 games next season in the LaHaye Ice Center, which underwent major renovations last summer, doubling the seating capacity. The team will play a 20-game league schedule (plus 18 non-league games) — with two home and two away contests
against ESCHL foes determining the regular-season champion and automatic ACHA DI National Championships bid. The ESCHL playoffs will take place in February. "It's a great opportunity for us to play for a conference championship," Flames Head Coach Kirk Handy said. "The league playoffs will give us a nationals-type setting before nationals to get in that mindset. It's do-or-die. You win, you stay; you lose, you go home. So we're looking forward to that."
LADY FLAMES MAKE FOURTH STRAIGHT ACHA FINAL FOUR APPEARANCE Liberty’s DI women’s hockey team went unbeaten against ACHA competition during the regular season and maintained the No. 1 ranking for all four ACHA DI polls. In the semifinal rematch of last year's ACHA Division I Women's Hockey National Championship game, the top-seeded, defending champion Lady Flames (23-4-1) battled second-seeded, 2014 champion Miami of Ohio (24-5-1), March 12 in Kalamazoo, Mich. Liberty tied the game late in the third period on a goal by Nikki McCombe before the
RedHawks netted the game-winner in the final two minutes of overtime for a 3-2 upset. The Lady Flames were led by senior forwards and team captains Carrie Jickling (28 goals, 24 assists) and Catharine Burrell (20G, 27A). Liberty’s defense was anchored by senior Brittany Hymers and two goalies — freshman Kelly Hutton (11-1, 1.53 goalsagainst average, 92.6 save percentage) and sophomore Rosie Kelly (10-0, 1.50 GAA, 90.6 SP), who ranked among the ACHA’s best.
LAUREN MCDONALD
DIVISION II MEN REACH FIRST ACHA CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL IN 10 YEARS Liberty's ACHA Division II men’s hockey team made its third consecutive trip to the National Championships and its first Final Four showing since 2006. The team lost to Florida Gulf
Coast University, 4-1, in the March 22 championship game played in West Chester, Pa. The Flames (30-4, ranked No. 1 in the South Region) had won three of
four regular-season meetings with the second-ranked Eagles, who were appearing in their third straight championship final after losing the previous two.
MEN’S LACROSSE UPSETS VIRGINIA TECH FOR NORTHWEST REGION TITLE JESSIE ROGERS
BRETT BERNARDO
Senior midfielder Brett Bernardo netted five goals and senior attack Ryan Miller added four goals and three assists to lift Liberty’s men’s lacrosse team to a 15-7 regular-season-ending triumph over rival Virginia Tech on April 15. The Senior Night victory at the Liberty Lacrosse Field extended the Flames’ home winning streak to 23 games and clinched their second Northwest
Region championship in three seasons competing at the MCLA Division I level. The Flames (9-4, 4-0 in Northwest Region play) defeated South Carolina before being eliminated by secondranked Georgia Tech in the April 23 semifinals of the SELC Division I Championships near Atlanta, narrowly missing their first MCLA DI Championships bid.
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L E AV I N G A L E G A C Y I N E D U C AT I O N
In her 15 years as dean of the School of Education (SOE), Dr. Karen Parker has seen Liberty University’s education programs grow from less than 2,000 students to more than 12,000. But the numbers aren’t the only evidence of the major impact she has made at Liberty. “Karen Parker personifies the elements critical for competence, professionalism, and a Christlike spirit. She has participated in the training of literally thousands of public and Christian school educators,” said Dr.
Ron Hawkins, Liberty’s provost and vice president for academic affairs. “We cannot measure or express the depth of her contributions to our School of Education in the past, in the present, or in the future.” Parker will be transitioning into a new role as dean emeritus of the SOE and special liaison to the dean for accreditation. But she won’t be far from the classroom; she will remain a professor of education, a job she has enjoyed since joining Liberty in 1986. When Parker became dean, her goals for the SOE were to obtain National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) accreditation and approval for teacher licensure from the Virginia Department of Education for the SOE’s growing online programs. Both goals were met in 2003. “The SOE was one of the first schools at Liberty to obtain accreditation from a professional licensing agency, and it has been a model NCATE school from the beginning,” said Emily Heady, vice provost for undergraduate education. “Dr. Parker has a wealth of knowledge in this field and is widely recognized as
an authority on many issues related to accreditation. In her new role, she will focus not only on helping Liberty to maintain its standard of excellence, but also on training the next generation to continue that into the future.” As the No Child Left Behind accountability movement continues to impact the accreditation requirements of educator preparation programs, Parker’s role will become especially vital. She will ensure that Liberty’s program meets new NCATE standards and increased federal and state requirements for preparing students for jobs in public schools. As the executive director of the Association of Teacher Educators in Virginia, Parker will continue to advocate for accreditation in collaboration with other institutions across Virginia, the Virginia Department of Education, and national organizations. Parker was honored during the SOE’s degree ceremony at Commencement, and a classroom will be named after her. Heather Schoffstall, a senior associate dean in the SOE, will assume the role of dean beginning in the Fall 2016 semester.
S T U D E N T S R A I S E $ 6 0 , 0 0 0 , B U I L D H O U S E F O R LO C A L FA M I LY
In April, Liberty University’s Habitat for Humanity Club presented a local family with the keys to a house that was built by more than 50 student volunteers.
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Through various fundraisers, students raised the $60,000 needed to build the house for the recipient and her three daughters. The project began in February 2014, and students have worked almost every weekend at the site. Donna Vincent, director of Habitat for Humanity, said that the project would have been impossible to complete without Liberty students. “We are so privileged to have Liberty students involved in our ministry and our mission to demonstrate God’s love in action by bringing people together, and you have done that,” she said.
“There is absolutely no way we could have done this without them.” Vincent presented students with an award of appreciation for their commitment to Habitat’s mission and to the families they serve during the April 22 Convocation. She also recognized Alison Pettit, assistant professor in the College of General Studies and the club’s faculty advisor. “God had so many things come along the way, and He opened so many doors for this project,” Pettit said. “I had an amazing group of students who made all of this happen, and now, two years later, we have a house entirely constructed.”
A L U M N A F I G H T S 4 F R E E D O M , $ 24 AT A T I M E
Alumna Christine Gelatt (’10) discovered her calling to fight human trafficking when she was a 19-year-old Liberty student on a trip to Bangkok, Thailand, in 2010. Gelatt witnessed the reality of sexual exploitation firsthand, seeing women being purchased for $24 in the city’s red light district. For many
of them, it was a last resort to feed their families. “I was broken by the reality of their situations, which forced many of them to choose prostitution as a last option,” she said. “Others were tricked, trafficked, or sold by their own parents into the sex trade. The images of the trip were seared into my mind, and turning the other way was simply not an option.” When Gelatt returned to the United States, she started building a global ministry dedicated to bringing freedom and justice to trafficked and exploited women. She named it Freedom 4/24, encouraging people to purchase an exploited woman’s freedom “for” $24. “The goal has always been to focus on the one life rescued, the one life restored, and the one life redeemed,” Gelatt said. “And more than that — to focus on the power that one individual
has to make an eternal difference in the lives of those still in need of rescue.” Freedom 4/24 also operates “Christine’s House,” a restoration home in Uganda, and financially supports several reputable organizations battling the issue domestically and around the world. One of Freedom 4/24’s largest events is the “Run For Their Lives” race series. Thousands have participated in the races over the past eight years, with the series growing to more than 20 races held in 10 states. On April 30, a race was held on Liberty’s campus (people who were not able to join the race on campus were invited to run from any location they chose). More than $17,000 was raised, and runners wrote the name of a rescued woman on their arms to remind them of the difference they can make in one person’s life.
B U S I N E S S S U CC E S S I N S P I R E S A LU M N U S T O P U R S U E D R E A M O F B E C O M I N G A D O C T O R
Dr. Will Cheatwood is living the childhood dream he nurtured while growing up in Lynchburg, Va. “I grew up around medicine and doctors,” Cheatwood, the son of a longtime operating room nurse, said. “Becoming a doctor was always something I wanted to do.” Since 2002, he has served as a hospitalist — a physician who works exclusively in hospitals — in Lynchburg, representing Medical Associates of Central Virginia.
Even before coming to Liberty University in the late 1980s, Cheatwood was deeply connected to the school. He grew up attending Thomas Road Baptist Church, pastored then by Liberty founder Dr. Jerry Falwell. Cheatwood was also a student at the Falwellfounded Liberty Christian Academy (LCA — then called Lynchburg Christian Academy) before coming to study at Liberty, and Falwell officiated at the wedding of Cheatwood and his wife, Tara. Although Cheatwood ultimately chose to study accounting at Liberty, his desire to become a doctor never waned. He had a natural talent for business, and after graduating from Liberty in 1990, went on to take Virginia’s Certified Public Accountant exam — where he received the highest score of the 2,500 test-takers. Cheatwood worked as an accountant for PricewaterhouseCoopers, a national consulting firm servicing Liberty in
those days. The confidence he gained from that success inspired Cheatwood to take a shot at his dream and apply to medical school. In 1999, he graduated from the University of Virginia School of Medicine. “I give God the credit for getting me through,” Cheatwood said. He completed his residency with Centra Health in Lynchburg, then got his current position as a hospitalist in 2002. His favorite aspect of his job is daily interaction with a diverse range of people. “I love meeting people and hearing their life stories,” he said. “It is, by far, the most interesting part of the job.” Will and Tara Cheatwood have three children who all seem to be following an educational path similar to their father’s. Their son, Will IV, 19, is currently attending Liberty after graduating from LCA. Their daughters, Caroline, 17, and Ally, 14, are both LCA students.
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A LU M N U S F I G H T S T H E G O O D F I G H T F O R S A LVAT I O N A R M Y Louis Woolley believes that the foundation of true Christian faith is love for all people, especially those who have been marginalized by society. He believes in the eternal hope of faith in Jesus Christ. It is a message that resonates with those he serves as the chief counselor of a rehabilitation program at the Salvation Army in Cleveland, Ohio. Woolley, 55, works with people battling addictions or other serious mental health issues. He holds a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Liberty University, which he earned in 2013, and is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity degree from Liberty. He has been recognized by the Salvation Army as Counselor of the Year for the Eastern United States. “I have never been so happy in ministry,” he said. “Holistic ministry has always been the passion of my
heart. Jesus grew as a man — mentally, spiritually, physically, and socially. In my opinion, if He grew in all those arenas, we should too.” Before moving to Cleveland — where he was soon recruited by the Salvation Army — Woolley got his start as a youth pastor. For several years, he trained students as mimes and puppeteers, taking them on ministry trips across the Southern United States. “I figured if I could instill (the importance of ) evangelism into our youth, they would carry that with them for the rest of their lives,” Woolley said. And many of them did — one of the great blessings of his life has been to see his former students go on to start their own careers in Christian ministry. Working with youth was just the beginning; eventually, Woolley transitioned into helping church members, not just with theological
questions, but with the practical problems they faced, as well. Woolley also went on to play a key role in the development of the Christian Life Center near Youngstown, Ohio, and the ministry has blossomed into a hub for many community events, including meetings for Alcoholics Anonymous.
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When Mattea Wilber, a Master of Public Health student in Liberty’s online education program, learned about the impact that LU’s residential students were making on various disaster relief and educational trips around the world, she was inspired to travel overseas herself. “I am halfway through the M.P.H. program, but I knew I was equipped enough to help,” she said. “Due to the nature of online learning, I spend every day in front of the computer or on the couch with my textbook, but I wanted a way to implement
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what I was learning into a real-world learning scenario.” Two years ago, Wilber went on a short-term medical trip to the Dominican Republic, where she joined Friends of Colegio Moriah, an organization that primarily serves Haitian refugees and operates a school for refugee children. Wilber said the refugees are often discriminated against and denied medical care by public hospitals, so she set out to make a difference in their lives. It didn’t take long for Wilber to notice their lack of hygiene products, and she began planning a return trip to the country so she could take the children toothbrushes and teach them about oral hygiene. While Wilber was still planning the trip, the director of Friends of Colegio Moriah asked her to teach hygiene to more children and make a presentation to parents and churches. Wilber returned to the Dominican Republic in March, where she taught
24 classes at Friends of Colegio Moriah and gave four presentations to community groups and churches. In preparation for the trip, Wilber, a New York native, visited local dentists’ offices to collect donations of oral hygiene products. She also raised funds at her church and collected financial support to help create basic hygiene packs for adults. Wilber is continuing her work in the Dominican Republic by raising money for new school bathrooms; currently, 400 students share six toilets. She is also working to improve the quality of food that is sold in the school’s cafeteria. “The entire world is hurting,” Wilber said. “There is spiritual darkness and sickness everywhere we look. I chose the Dominican Republic because it is the place God gave me access to. When God grants access and the Spirit leads, you go. When there is opportunity to share the gifts He has given you, you use them.”
F O R M E R F L A M E S F O OT B A L L P L AY E R S H O W S C A R E F O R H I S T E A M , C O M M U N I T Y
Over the past four years as head coach at nearby Appomattox High School, former Flames wide receiver Doug Smith (’86) has taught life lessons through both triumph and tragedy. The Raiders celebrated their first high school state championship on the gridiron this past fall, finishing 15-0 under Smith’s leadership.
When a Feb. 24 tornado narrowly missed Appomattox and destroyed or damaged more than 200 homes near the historic town, Smith united his players again to help clean up the debris. It was their way of giving back to a community that had supported them throughout an unforgettable season. “I’m not surprised about what God is doing through Doug because of the patterns, the godly habits, and the biblical foundation that he established and continues to build upon,” said Dr. Ed Gomes, director of spiritual development for the Flames Football program. Gomes was one of the first people Smith met on his initial recruiting visit to Liberty in the early 1980s. “He consistently uses that platform to honor God and help student-athletes in a public school setting. He has been a father to many of his players, and they know that
he loves them, he cares about them, and he encourages them to reach their potential.” When the Raiders fell behind perennial state power Richlands by two touchdowns in the fourth quarter of the Virginia 2A West playoff game at Appomattox, Smith called a timeout and, in a full team huddle, rallied his players around the “Power of One” battle cry that motivated them to work as a team. Appomattox battled back and tied the game in the final eight minutes of regulation before winning in overtime and going on to claim the first state football championship in school history. “It was just a neat thing to see how God once again honored faith, and then their hard work along with it, because we know that faith without works is nothing,” Smith said. “I think they’re going to carry that with them for the rest of their lives. I know I will.”
C H I N A B A S K E T B A L L S TA N D O U T A N D L U A L U M N U S T U R N S T O C O A C H I N G Former Liberty University men’s basketball player Jason Dixon (’95) helped spark the Flames’ first-ever run to the NCAA Division I tournament in 1994. After a two-year career at Liberty, he went on to play 16 seasons of professional basketball overseas, including 10 seasons in China, where he led the Guangdong Southern Tigers to five Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) championships and earned two league MVP awards. In 2009, the 6-foot-9-inch center became one of only two players in CBA history to have his jersey (No. 15) retired. He is in good company — the other is former 7-foot-6-inch center Yao Ming of the Shanghai Sharks, who went on to become an eight-time NBA All-Star with the Houston Rockets. Like Ming, Dixon is a legend; he played 369 games for Guangdong, the most ever by an American import to the CBA, and ranks among the league’s top
three all-time rebounders and top 10 scorers. Dixon also played in Turkey, Israel, France, Argentina, Cyprus, and Australia, and he served as an assistant coach for Guangdong after retiring in 2011. He recently returned to Aurora, Colo., near his hometown of Denver, to serve as head coach of Gateway High School’s varsity boys’ basketball and JV baseball teams. The transition from professional player to high school coach hasn’t always been easy. “My cousin is my assistant coach, and he’s always pulling me back down because he says I’m teaching like a pro (using terminology his young players don’t understand),” Dixon said. “I have to get back to the very basic fundamentals, catching the ball and being strong with the ball.” Dixon understands that fundamentals are important in faith
as well. He quickly realized — both overseas and back in the United States — that the faith he developed at Liberty was critical. It empowers him to live a life that not only is pure but also can transform a culture and a new generation of basketball players. “When I got into the world and got around people who are not in that life — who are not saved, who are not in the Word — I realized, ‘I want to go back to what I was taught at Liberty,’” Dixon said. > Watch a “Game On” episode featuring Dixon at GameOnLU.com.
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E XE RC I S E SCIEN C E P RO F ESSO R BR IN GS FA I T H A N D E X P E R I E N CE TO N E W G RA D UAT E P ROG RAM What started as a childhood aspiration to become a professional athlete turned into a successful career in the exercise science field for Dr. Andy Bosak, director of Liberty University’s
new M.S. in Exercise Science degree program. Housed under the Department of Health Professions, the degree officially launched in Fall 2015 and is offered both residentially and online. “It was crucial that Liberty added this degree. In order to land a job such as head coach in a bigger school, you have to have a master’s degree,” Bosak said, adding that although Liberty was not the first school to offer a master’s degree in exercise science, it is the first to offer it from a Christian worldview.
“We are training strength and conditioning coaches not only for the high school and collegiate level, but we are putting our graduates on career paths that never used to exist, where they can combine their love of Christ with their job, in turn reaching all corners of the world with the Gospel.” The degree offers four areas of study: human performance, nutrition, community physical activity, and clinical training. Students study exercise physiology, biomechanics, sports nutrition, statistics, and research methods. When Bosak was in high school in Canada, he was a distance runner and a soccer player. He took his athletic abilities with him to Southern Illinois University, eventually transferring to Western Kentucky University, but numerous injuries prohibited him from advancing his athletic career. “This was when the Lord stopped me from becoming an elite athlete,” he said. “He humbled me and, instead of pursuing a career as an athlete, I turned my focus to exercise science.” Bosak felt the Lord directing him to become a professor. He has taught exercise science at Western Kentucky, Armstrong State, West Virginia Western
College, Brock College in Ontario, Life University, and Georgia Southwestern State University. He also worked for three years as an assistant sport scientist with the Professional Referee Organization (PRO), which provides referee training programs in North America as well as for the Confederation of North Central American and Caribbean Association Football (soccer), and FIFA (world cup) competitions. In that role, Bosak worked at PRO training camps, where referees from around the world regularly gather for physical training. Bosak also maintains his own referee license. Bosak’s experience has helped students secure key internships, including two with PRO. Although his career has been full of many accomplishments, he said teaching at Liberty is the highlight. “To be able to talk to my students about Christianity along with exercise science is incredibly rewarding,” he said. “There is nothing greater than seeing my students get the internship or the job they wanted. My greatest reward in my life is being here at Liberty, being able to use the gifts God has given me to impact my students’ lives.”
A LU M N U S H E A D S N AT I O N A L A R C H E RY O R G A N I Z AT I O N
Benjamin Summers (’97) was recently elected chairman of the Archery Trade Association (ATA), which represents over 500 archery manufacturers and thousands of archery retailers worldwide. Summers has served the ATA for
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more than 16 years on both the board of directors and on the board’s international relations committee. “It was a great honor to be elected for this position,” he said. “As a chairman representing my company worldwide, I routinely meet people from completely different cultures and backgrounds.” Summers’ interest in archery began when he was in high school. His father started T.R.U. Ball Archery in Madison Heights, Va., which supplies products to major sporting goods stores. Their products were used by medalists in the 2012 London Olympics and will be used in this summer’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. While he was a student at Liberty,
Summers worked for his father. After he graduated, they traveled across the country to various archery tournaments, selling products out of their company truck. In his new position, Summers said he aims to make archery more accessible to both beginners and professionals, as well as increase sales of small archery shops across the country. “I genuinely care about the people who make a living and enjoy life through the sport of archery,” he said. “There are still several family businesses in the archery industry that are providing a good living for their families. I value every minute of my life in archery.”
N AT I V E A M E R I C A N C H I E F B R I N G S G O S P E L T O T R I B E S A C R O S S U . S . Alumnus Reynard Faber (’90), an honorary and traditional chief of the New Mexico Jicarilla Apache tribe, has traveled to 45 reservations over the last 14 years as a Native American outreach coordinator for Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian organization that provides spiritual and humanitarian aid to people around the world. Faber earned a B.S. in Religion and a minor in journalism as a residential student. He has played a key role in Operation Christmas Child, a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse that provides poverty-stricken children worldwide with shoeboxes filled with toys, school supplies, hygiene items, and copies of the Gospel. Since 1997, Faber has distributed 139,043 shoeboxes on Native American reservations to children who are the only shoebox recipients in the United States. Faber said that God has used his
background to help him build a relationship between Native American tribes and Samaritan’s Purse. “I am a Native American, and I know to a certain degree the native culture, traditions, and various degrees of poverty,” he said. Before Liberty, Faber said he was at a low point in his life. After attempting college once, he found himself returning home to his reservation in New Mexico, where he began to read from an old Bible his grandmother kept in her home. “I opened that old ragged Bible, peeling the pages apart, and read by the kerosene lamp. That is how I came to know the Lord,” he said. Faber said that his time at Liberty not only strengthened his relationship with God, but also prepared him for his current ministry. “I tell people that the time I spent at
Liberty was the springboard for my life, my career, and the ministry that God has given me,” he said. “If I did not go to Liberty, I do not know what my life would have been like.”
A LU M N U S E A R N S ‘ S U P E R L AW Y E R ’ H O N O R S
Steve Snyder (’82) has been named a South Carolina Super Lawyer for 2016 by Super Lawyers Magazine, which recognizes the top practicing attorneys in each state. (He also earned the honor in 2015.) Snyder is a partner in the Greenville, S.C., law firm of Davis, Snyder, Williford & Lehn, P.A. and specializes in representing physicians, hospitals, and other medical providers in medical malpractice litigation and risk management. He has been named each of the past few years to Greenville Business Magazine’s annual list of Legal Elite of the Upstate: Greenville’s Top
Attorneys, which is determined by peer recognition. He was also named to Columbia Living Magazine’s 2016 list of Top Attorneys in South Carolina, based on peer recognition and professional achievement. Snyder is a member of the Liberty University Board of Trustees. He earned his B.S. in Broadcasting Communications from Liberty and went on to attend University of Virginia School of Law. He worked with the Old Time Gospel Hour (a radio and television ministry of Liberty founder Dr. Jerry Falwell) in the 1980s and was news director of Liberty’s radio station. He grew up on the mission field in Liberia, where his parents were involved in interdenominational radio broadcasting. His family moved to Lynchburg when he was 16, and his parents were among Liberty’s first faculty members; they taught for 18 years. His father, Al, was a professor in the School of Communication and was instrumental
in starting Liberty’s radio network. Steve Snyder is also the founder and president of Global Adapt, a nonprofit organization that provides education, training, and consulting to mission agencies and international schools and businesses on living and adapting across cultures. He and his wife, Patty Glenn Snyder (’85), live in Tigerville, S.C., just outside of Greenville. Patty runs an evangelistic and discipleship ministry in their local public middle school called Released Time, through which more than 400 students are transported off campus each week to learn about the Bible. She recently received a Bolts of Brightness award, selected by regional business and community leaders, in special recognition of her service and contributions to the community. The Snyders have a daughter and sonin-law, who married in December, and two sons, the youngest of whom plans to attend Liberty. LIBERTY JOURNAL
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