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Caroline Sellers| Liberty Champion

PARADING AROUND — Liberty University President Jerry Falwell and Becki Falwell rode in a Corvette at Liberty’s 2016 Homecoming parade.

Campus crime

New report highlights 2015 crime statistics

Will Young weyoung@liberty.edu

Liberty University’s annual crime report released in early October showed a slight increase of on-campus alcohol and drug related violations, zero cases of burglary and no reported cases of rape or fondling on main campus in the 2015 academic year.

Since 2002 — the first year Liberty’s crime report was published online — crime records have consistently shown the most prevalent on-campus problem being liquor and drug-related offenses. In 2015, there were a total of 97 liquor law violations and 47 drug-related offenses, up from 57 liquor and 31 drug related offenses in 2014.

Never before has Liberty received more reports of drug-related crimes than in 2015, which could range from possessing illegal substances to having a pack of cigarettes, although none of the drug-related offenses led to arrests. The only other year Liberty saw as many liquor law violations was in 2009 when the university recorded 93 cases referred to campus discipline.

The report noted that five of the 97 alcohol-related offenses led to arrests, and 92 were referred to campus discipline. Liberty’s student honor code — better known to most at the university as the Liberty Way — prohibits the possession of alcohol by residential students both on and off campus, requiring Liberty University’s Police Department (LUPD) to report more cases of violations than most public universities have to report.

In the crime report there were no burglaries, a stark contrast from college campuses across the country. According to statistics from the Federal Bereau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Report, See CRIME, A8

Matt’s aftermath Hurricane Matthew and floodwaters take their toll, devestating homes and property of Liberty students Logan Price lprice7@liberty.edu

The combination of flooding in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in August and the recent rain and winds of Hurricane Matthew in the Caribbean and East Coast resulted in businesses and homes destroyed, widespread power outages and hundreds of deaths.

The damage is personal for several Liberty University students and their families who have stories within the statistics due to being caught in and affected by these natural disasters.

Zachary Ginn, a junior studying professional communications, is from Den-

ham Springs, Louisiana, which flooded.

He said that prior to the flooding, he was watching news coverage of other areas flooding without any concern. However, Ginn said the flooding reaching him and his neighborhood served as a wake-up call.

“Seeing your mother break down and cry because her great-grandmother’s chest is completely destroyed, I mean if that doesn’t change your empathy level, I don’t know what will,” Ginn said.

After hours of helping move neighbors’ furniture to higher levels as the water rose, Ginn and his friend Chandler Stobbs had the chance to leave with the National Guard, but Ginn’s mother

opted to stay. Ginn stayed with her and, as a result, slept with three feet of water beneath him.

“It’s a really eerie feeling knowing that there is a lake with a current beneath you, and that’s your living room,” Ginn said.

“You could walk downstairs and do a breaststroke if you wanted to.”

The next day Ginn’s neighborhood was completely flooded, and Ginn, his mother and Stobbs had to wait until two volunteers with a bass boat rescued them.

From there, Ginn spent the next few days with families from his church as his house required repair.

See FLOODING, A7

Top of the class LU alumna and teacher receives presidential award Valerie Pors vpors@liberty.edu

The room broke into applause after Jaunine Fouché’s lesson on Egyptian hieroglyphs. She saw that she had impressed her audience.

Fouché was a seventh-grader at the time, and her audience was her teacher and classmates.

“I really enjoyed researching for the

lesson, delivering the lesson, answering the questions from the students, and so really I was hooked from that point on,” Fouché said.

Today, President Barack Obama and the entire U.S. are her audience, and they are certainly impressed.

Liberty University Alumna Janine Fouché won the 2016 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the nation’s highest honor for math and science teachers, for her work

at Milton Hershey School.

“I was elated, blessed and humbled,” Fouché said.

Fouché was one of 213 other K-12 teachers selected for honor by Obama, rising from among over 10,000 applicants.

One of her dissertational committee members nominated her for the award by submitting her lesson on dark matter,

INSIDE THE CHAMPION

News

An overview of the construction of the indoor football facility next to A3 Green Hall.

Opinion

A student’s opinion of the importance of the vice president’s role in A5 the White House.

Sports

A profile of the Knoebel brother-sister soccer duo who both play for B1 Liberty.

Feature

A behind-the-scenes look into local entertainment company “LynchB8 burg’s Party.”

See FOUCHE, A2

News Opinion Sports Feature

A1 A4 B1 B5

news

A2 | October 25, 2016 | Liberty Champion

Beyond the classroom The CPCE office offers cheaper classes and certification courses at Liberty Lauren VonCannon lvoncannon2@liberty.edu

The Center for Professional and Continuing Education (CPCE) is a branch of CASAS and provides students with extra residential education in non-credit and for-credit courses. Liberty students can take these extra courses for under $100.

The CPCE office is flexible and willing to meet the needs students have and help them if they want to have an extra class to expand their education. All of these courses are for students who want to broaden the scope of their education and enhance their professional skills.

Many majors require extra classes outside of the degree completion plan, such as CPR, a course which fills up fast. The other courses that are widely offered are the conversational language classes, which teach a wide spectrum of languages from Spanish and Japanese to Farsi and Swahili.

According to Sherman, many students that are a part of LU Send or are going on mission trips will take the courses. Doing so will enhance their experience as they converse with people of that language without need for an interpreter.

“We bring in local, experienced teachers with real life experience for these courses,” the Director of CPCE George Sherman said.

“The instructor for the wilderness first aid course and intro to scuba course is a rescue and recovery diver for the state of Virginia.”

All of the language instructors are fluent either because they grew up in that culture, or they have a doctorate in that specific field.

“Also, most of our instructors will teach the basics in the target language of how to share one’s faith,” Sherman said. “The courses were priced friendly for students so that they can have easy access to these courses.”

Sherman also explained courses are not pass or fail, and everyone who completes the course will receive a certificate of completion.

A sought out class is the CPR and first aid certification course. For Liberty students, FOUCHE continued from A1 with which she used active learning methods to teach the challenging topic.

“It’s a very abstract concept because we cannot detect it directly with any of the technology we currently have, so teaching it is rather challenging,” Fouché said.

Criteria for the award included accuracy, support of active student learning, effective use of student assessments, personal reflection on successes, areas for improvement and personal commitment to lifelong learning and a solid history in leadership in education outside the classroom.

Dr. Scott Watson, one of Fouché’s professors at Liberty and a

the course is $65. This base price is to ensure students can easily take it without worrying about driving to other locations or paying more than necessary.

Many majors, such as nursing and exercise science, require a CPR certification.

All of the language courses are offered for seven weeks and meet once a week, usually on Tuesday nights to fit with most schedules.

The CPR courses only require one night of class for certification, and these courses are given every few weeks.

CPCE is looking to expand its course options to alumni and online students. The office is looking into adding continuing education courses for professionals, such as teachers. Alumni that graduate with degrees often need an institution to continue their licensure or skills, and Liberty is striving to open this platform.

Members of the CPCE are excited that they are now offering a Karen Kingsbury course for writing and publishing fiction. Sherman explained that this new course has been a hit.

“There are over 500 people enrolled in this course, and it has only advertised for three months,” Sherman said. “This is a huge turnout and shows that students are very interested in these types of classes.”

Many classes that the CPCE office provides are offered next semester, and the CPR courses are offered throughout the semester.

To sign up for courses and find out more about the classes the CPCE offers, visit their page under the Academics tab of Liberty’s website or email cpce@liberty.edu.

Joel Coleman | Liberty University News Service

STUDY — Resident graduate student Jon Bateman studied at the Jerry Falwell Library. The CPCE office offers classes from global studies to how to publish your own book.

Joel Coleman | Liberty University News Service

VONCANNON is a news reporter.

member of her dissertation committee, remarked that she had also received the Liberty University 2013 Quantitative Dissertation of the Year award during the time of his work with her.

“She had already won one award with us, so it was not a surprise to see her win the President’s Award,” Watson said. “That’s really what I’d expect from her.”

Fouché earned her educational specialist degree in educational leadership and her doctorate of education in curriculum and instruction with a concentration in science from Liberty as part of a blended degree which involved both residential and online classes.

She said she chose Liberty because she wanted a terminal degree

CLASSMATES — History graduate students Erin Yates and Ryan Vohringer studied together at the Jerry Falwell Library. With CPCE classes, both residential and online students can take extra classes to receive certificates in a variety of subjects.

program that would still fit into her life while she worked full-time.

“I wanted a program that was nationally accredited and very rigorous — so I didn’t just want a rubberstamped degree — I wanted one that was really rigorous and really meant something,” Fouché said.

Her criteria went beyond the academic, however.

“It was very important to me to have a program whose leadership focus was morally and spiritually grounded and had an emphasis on transformational leadership,” Fouché said.

Watson described his first encounter with Fouché during her time at Liberty.

“The first impression was that she is very professional and very se-

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rious about what she is doing, more than most, in terms of being so serious,” Watson said. “The thing that was really interesting was that she seemed to know exactly what she wanted to do from the very beginning. Most doctoral students don’t, particularly at that stage.”

When working with many doctoral students on the dissertations, Watson said he would need to make firm recommendations to guide their work. With Fouché, he said, his experience was different.

“It was always really interesting to work with her because I felt like I was working with a colleague, rather than a student,” Watson said.

“When we talked about her design for her study, it was a discussion.”

Watson spoke of her intelligence and her understanding of research and her subject area, saying she was outstanding, even for doctoral students.

“I’ve been in higher education for nearly 30 years,” Watson said.

“I’d rate her certainly one of my top five students I’ve ever worked with, maybe higher than that.”

Fouché currently works with Liberty on chair dissertations, reviewing dissertation proposals and serving as a consultant for other students, Watson said.

“It’s just been a gift having her work with us,” Watson said. “My experience with her was unlike any other, so I will never forget working with her.”

Fouché’s primary work lies in her role as the science curriculum supervisor at Milton Hershey School.

“I very much believe in student choice and student voice in the classroom,” Fouché said. “I believe it’s important to honor that, so we can’t always prescribe what students should learn.”

Fouché said she is also a proponent of the Next Generation Science Standards, structuring her whole classroom around the eight core science and

FYI According to the Milton Hershey School website, Fouché was one of 214 teachers that were selected nationwide to receive the presidential teaching award.

engineering practices.

The private school provides cost-free education to K-12 grade students from low-income backgrounds.

“When you teach here, it’s really important to embrace and feel a part of the mission of the school,” Fouché said. “So when you work here, the relationships that you develop with your students are essential. For all intents and purposes, we develop relationships just like family, and that is not a rarity.

That’s a commonality.”

Fouché said her favorite part of her job is the students she gets to work with.

“Our students are absolutely amazing, and I am blessed beyond measure to be part of shaping their future,” Fouché said. “It’s not just a job. It really is a calling and a mission.”

PORS is a news reporter.

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news

Liberty Champion | October 25, 2016 | A3

Michela Diddle | Liberty Champion

CRANES AND FLAMES — The indoor football practice facility during its construction phase.

Michela Diddle | Liberty Champion

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT — Liberty's football team played against Monmouth Oct. 22.

A first down facility

Indoor practice field next to Williams Stadium to be completed next summer Cassie Conley cconley20@liberty.edu

Liberty University has undergone major construction to its campus for several years and continues to expand with the indoor football facility that will feature 70-foot ceilings and a regulation field.

Vice President of Major Construction Alan Askew said the new facility will help during football season because weather will no longer dictate their practice schedule.

“This is a need and a want,” Askew said.

“A lot of the larger, high caliber schools have this type of facility, and it makes us that much more attractive in seeking a BCS conference invitation.”

Many other Liberty NCAA teams will be able to take advantage of the indoor facility due to the large space.

“It’s basically a big open space once the intricate structure is erected,” Askew said.

“This project is actually pretty exciting as it doesn’t have the major stress level because it doesn’t have all the intricacies inside the building that some of the other ones do.”

Head Football Coach Turner Gill said in an email that the practice facility will be beneficial to not only the program, but the entire athletics department.

“We are blessed to work at a university which continues to provide its athletics programs with world-class facilities and the tools it needs to succeed, both on and off the field,” Gill said.

With the current schedule of construction, the indoor football facility is expected to be completed before the start of the fall 2017 semester.

“We’re hoping to have it substantially complete under the expectation that one of the schools will want to have a graduation

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ceremony in there,” Askew said. “We think it will be finally complete probably at the end of June 2017.”

Askew said one thing that will make Liberty’s football facility unique is that it will have a lot of glass. The new facility will also feature four remote point-to-zoom cameras to capture practice and play clocks to simulate game-like scenarios.

“It is going to be a statement building, because it is right at the front door of campus,” Askew said. “It’s going to be a pretty spectacular building.”

Former Liberty football player Dylan Brucki said it was always the goal of Jerry Falwell Sr. to compete at the highest level in football, and with each new facility that is built on campus, the closer the university comes to achieving its goal.

“I think this was a great idea,” Brucki said. “It is something that will help assure all facilities in our athletics program are of

the highest quality. … Liberty is definitely achieving (its) goal.”

Brucki said the facility will be beneficial in many ways and will help with recruitment in the upcoming years.

“Recruits are always looking at the facility quality when they come to a campus to visit,” Brucki said.

Askew played football during his college years at Liberty before moving back to Texas and then returning to accept a position at Liberty. Throughout his football career, Askew said he never would have thought Liberty would have a facility like this.

“Dr. Falwell would always say that this was going to be a premiere university and campus,” Askew said. “I never would have anticipated this caliber, so it’s exciting to not only see his vision come to fruition, but also to be a part of delivering it.”

CONLEY is a news reporter.

OPINION

A4

Media mistrust The job of journalists grows more difficult amidst doubt

October 25, 2016

AT

WH S ’ T A

TH

Will Young weyoung@liberty.edu

In September, I had the great privilege of attending a Donald Trump rally in Roanoke, Virginia as a member of the press. It was my first time attending such a prominent event, and as I stood in line to get my media pass, I could not think of a time before when I was so enthusiastic about being a part of the press.

Trump’s rally speech was rife with catchy one-liners, big ideas and was constantly complimented with a hammering applause.

To me, the dialogue blended together up until the point Michael Flynn pointed his finger to the back of the room and criticized the press as biased and distorters of the truth, just as he has done in past speeches.

It was at this point in the speech that the Michela Diddle | Liberty Champion majority of the attendees at the rally turned around and booed at those in the press box BIAS — Public perception of the news has taken a hit with concerns of partisanship. just as they would if Hillary Clinton herself aisle have turned to blaming the media, not from a well-written, fact-oriented news arwere in the room.

It was not the booing that got under my because they have proof, but because it is an ticle. Instead, they will claim with no eviskin, but rather the stark realization that easy way out. dence that the event ever happened, and the It is a lot easier to say the media is lying facts are made up. journalists are some of the most disliked people in a nation where freedom of the about the polls than to accept that your preThis is not to say media outlets cannot be press is held so highly. In a Gallup poll, for ferred candidate is losing. It is easier to say biased. One only needs to watch a single clip example, 55 percent of respondents said the media is making up facts that disprove from Bill O’Reilly’s show to realize he leans your argu- to the right, just as Rachel Maddow leans to they have little or no than the left. The public should be smart enough, trust in the media to THE POPULOUS ON BOTH ment to accept however, to separate fact from fiction when be unbiased and fair.

SIDES OF THE AISLE HAVE that you are watching the news or reading the paper. It is Of course, I knew It the public’s job to decipher the news just as this beforehand.

TURNED TO BLAMING THE wrong. is easier to it is the reporter’s job to provide it.

One can only go through journal- MEDIA, NOT BECAUSE THEY stamp a “biThe fact that some journalists are biased ased” stick- does not give the public an excuse to stop ism school for so long before he or HAVE PROOF, BUT BECAUSE er on media consuming the news altogether and crawl she realizes they are IT IS AN EASY WAY OUT. outlets as under a rock. Instead, it should be viewed an excuse as the public’s duty in a democracy to read receiving a degree to not take news from multiple outlets in order to stay in “professional lying,” as I have heard before. The booing at anything they say into consideration. informed and find what truth they believe It is easier to do all of those things be- about the world and how it works. the rally was more of a wake-up call: This is for real. Here I am thinking, “What cause people are afraid to have their beliefs So please, pick up a copy of The New York put in question. This is why conservatives Times or Wall Street Journal and actually did I get myself into?”

The problem, though, lies in the fact that will only watch Fox News and liberals will read it. It is time to stop blaming the media these people have negative perceptions of only watch MSNBC. Instead of reading and as the problem when it is the ignorance of the media for no good reason. Of course watching the news through an objective the masses that has propelled society into there are those in the media who are biased, lens, people will switch off when they hear more problems than it can count. as that will always be the case. There are something they do not want to.

The result is an American population that those journalists that plagiarize, fabricate and lie. In a field of work that values the truth is uneducated and ignorant to those ideas The author refused to reveal which candidate he is suphighly, those are unacceptable, but they are that are not their own. The purpose of the porting for president. media – to inform – is becoming drowned not the case for the majority of journalists.

Rather, the populous on both sides of the out. People will not listen to and learn YOUNG is the news editor.

“

Condoning misconduct NFL treatment of domestic violence must be consistent

Google Images

COMMISH— Roger Goodell has been criticized for his handling of Josh Brown’s domestic disputes.

Cierra Carter cmcarter18@liberty.edu

Roger Goodell has got to go.

As if the NFL commissioner’s favorability could possibly take a hit following high-profile scandals like questionable concussion protocol and deflategate, here we are.

Last week, news broke that New York Giants kicker Josh Brown had been abusing his now ex-wife physically, mentally and emotionally. Brown himself admitted to feeling like he was God and his then-wife was his slave, according to ESPN. Given the league’s ongoing push against domestic violence following incidents involving Ray Rice and Greg Hardy, one

would think a strict punishment would be brought down by Roger Goodell because, after all, that’s his job. Sadly, that’s not the case.

Rice, a running back for the Baltimore Ravens at the time, was suspended indefinitely from the league and had his contract terminated. And rightfully so. TMZ infamously released a video of Rice assaulting his then girlfriend, sparking outrage.

Goodell’s incompetence takes the focus away from the welfare of the victims, puts their personal grief on public display, and shows a disregard for their well-being.

The disturbing reality is that Goodell does not care about the

league’s — and society overall’s) — ongoing problem of domestic violence as much as he has made us think.

Back in 2014, the NFL released a domestic violence campaign featuring a number of top athletes speaking out against the cowardly act. Progress?

That same year, Hardy was convicted of assaulting a woman, sentenced to probation and placed on the exempt list, according to ESPN. He was still paid. He was still able to be around his teammates — no progress.

Flash forward to 2016, and Brown has also been placed on Goodell’s exempt list.

What has been even more troubling has been the rheto-

ric surrounding the situation.

Teammates have brushed it aside as an off-the-field issue.

They have expressed great support for their teammate who is just going through a tough situation and needs help.

While Brown clearly has issues to work through, he is not the one who needs our sympathy — that should be his victim.

These same Giants teammates criticized an overlycocky and emotional Odell Beckham for his distracting antics on the field. Considering the fact that Beckham Jr. never physically harmed anyone or broke any rules, their responses are baffling.

It is my belief that Goodell, being the man in charge, sets the tone for the rest of the league. If he condemns certain actions, those who work under his leadership will as well, if only to remain in his good graces. Goodell is more concerned with outlandish touchdown celebrations than he is with the integrity of the men who represent the NFL and subsequently become role models.

Goodell has been inconsistent, missing key opportunities to do his job well and effectively. I guess he is only concerned with poor character when it becomes public.

CARTER is the opinion editor.

SAID

Sarah Rodriguez srodriguez70@liberty.edu

“It’s not whether you win or lose. It’s how you play the game” is how the old saying goes.

But for some reason, I just can’t jump on that bandwagon and be okay with that.

Maybe it’s my innate desire for everything in my life to have a winner or a loser, but what really is the point if there’s no winner or loser in a situation?

On Sunday night into early morning, I was reminded of how much I do not like ties, especially ties in football.

Heading into overtime, the Arizona Cardinals and the Seattle Seahawks were tied at 6 on Sunday Night Football.

After driving down the field in overtime, Cardinals kicker Chandler Catanzaro lined up for a 24-yard field goal. A sure guarantee in professional football — one may think. Yet, when the ball left his foot, it hit the left upright, resulting in a missed field goal.

The Seahawks then had a chance to break the 6-6 tie with a drive of their own. At the 10-yard line, Seattle kicker Steven Hauschka lined up for a field goal to seal the victory. What seemed like a win in the bag for the Seahawks, considering the recent unfolding of plays, was too good to be true. Hauschka’s kick was pulled wide left.

With seven seconds left on the clock in overtime, the score was still knotted at 6-6. A hail mary by Cardinals’ quarterback Carson Palmer was unsuccessful, leaving the game stuck in a tie.

Because of NFL rules, the 75 minutes of professional football would end in a tie.

Something should be done so fans who watch their team for more than three hours do not have to be disappointed with a mediocre result in which there was no winner or loser.

Maybe there should be two overtimes or some type of penalty shot scenario like soccer, but NFL contests can’t end in a tie.

As much as I can’t stand watching my favorite team lose, watching them end in a tie would be almost more frustrating, knowing that for some reason one team on the field could not be deemed any better than the other.

My inner competitiveness cringes at the thought of being content with a tie, but for the time being, the NFL is content to let games which may have audiences on the edge of their seats finish with identical scores for both teams.

Maybe what I really want is the NFL to adopt the saying, “Winning isn’t everything. It’s the only thing,” just so I don’t have to witness another tie game.

RODRIGUEZ is the editor-in-chief.

AT’S H T !

D ...AN E WROTE SH ALL

opinion

Liberty Champion | October 25, 2016 | A5

Much esteem due the VP? Often overlooked, the second in command serves a very important role Jordan Jarrett jjarrett4@liberty.edu

Classes were cancelled for the morning.

Secret service scans started at 7 a.m. in anticipation for Gov. Mike Pence’s arrival at Convocation.

Yet the expectation for a packed auditorium fell short.

If those seemingly empty seats two weeks ago gave any serious indication of the Trump campaign’s struggling state, then perhaps vice presidential nominee is not quite the saving gem that many conservative, Christian voters have desperately painted him out to be.

As a more comical symbol of the nation’s political cynicism, Saturday Night Live’s latest parody of the vice presidential debate this month lasted all of two minutes before getting cut off by a sketch of a special report on Donald Trump’s drama, the “real” news.

It is a wry depiction of the public’s general interest in vice presidential candidates and debates. It is also a telling representation of how we as voters tend to view the vice president’s place both in the election and the entire nation’s governance.

Yet Pence has seemed to be the linchpin holding many a grudging conservative vote for Trump. I know several people who choke out the words “Voting for Trump,” and quickly follow it with “but also Pence!” like a sigh of relief. A friend of mine stated the overall sentiment bluntly in a recent conversation of ours: “Pence is literally the only good thing Trump’s got going for him.”

How much esteem is actually due to a prospective vice president, especially for this election? Is it enough to garner votes for a less-than-stellar candidate? Or is the vice president simply, for lack of a more tasteful expression, political arm candy to a hopeful president?

According to a Wall Street Journal graphic depicting a mash-up of surveys throughout the election year, 74 percent of registered voters said “a presidential candidate’s choice of running mate has no effect on their vote.”

Politico magazine published an article in April discussing the overly-optimistic assumption that a vice presidential candidate attracts significant votes from his or her home state. But after analyzing states’ voting

trends and collecting survey data provided by the American National Election Studies, the authors concluded that while “presidential candidates typically enjoy a home-state advantage (approximately 3 points to 7 points), vice presidential candidates generally do not. … Statistically speaking, the effect is zero.”

The likelihood of the vice president later succeeding his or her running mate as president is never a completely far-off possibility, and with either one of our current candidates for commander in chief, the likelihood could be an even closer reality than we can imagine.

Seventy-year-old Donald Trump and 68-year-old Hillary Clinton are the oldest presidential candidates in American history.

They also happen to be some of our most scandal-ridden, and thus, potentially our most impeachable.

The White House website notes that the vice president’s primary role, aside from providing a tiebreaker vote in the Senate, is to carry on the president’s duties if the president is somehow unable to.

“This can be because of the president’s death, resignation or temporary incapacitation,” the website said, “or if the vice president and a majority of the cabinet judge that the president is no longer able to discharge the duties of the presidency.”

I find that the vice president serves a lesser-considered but deeply important role from his selection, throughout the campaign and up to the inauguration.

A president will only be as effective as those he or she surrounds himself or herself with. The selection of vice president is one of the first, rare glimpses we voters get into the actual administrative judgement of the president-to-be. While, it is often only an indication of the most minimal scope, let it not fall to the wayside of critical observation.

Vice presidents serve more purpose than just to wait around for the president to die.

Let us not relegate either Pence or Kaine to that one role, and let us take their presence in this campaign, in this chapter of history, almost as seriously as we do their running mates.

The author refused to reveal which candidate she is supporting for president.

JARRETT is an opinion writer.

Michela Diddle | Liberty Champion

RUNNING MATE — Governor Mike Pence visted Convocation Wednesday, Oct. 12.

14 3 vice presidents have become president of the United States, eight of which were due to the death of the sitting president.

times, Section III of the 25th Amendment has been invoked which is when the vice president becomes acting president.

2

vice presidents were not elected to the office: Gerald Ford and Nelson Rockefeller

Source: CNN.com

Dear Editor, Amidst the firestorm of opinions that we’ve seen flash and swirl these past couple of weeks regarding political stances and values, our Liberty community has experienced a lot of shifting and pulling as viewpoints clash.

Particularly speaking of the clash between the students of “Liberty United Against Trump” and our president, I believe there are some truths that we

would all do well to remember as we live through the turmoil of this season.

First and foremost, I would like to praise each side for their action during the ramblings of a system marked by talk. That said, all of us must remember who we are. The eyes of our country are on us, and how we behave now may cause us to lose all we’ve worked to prove.

As our leader, President Falwell deserves our utmost respect. The believing community is called to honor and pray for

those in authority, for they are divinely placed.

We do not and will not agree with his every choice, but we can disagree with reverence. And if we seem incapable of that, we must disagree in silence. Honor is mandated by heaven, and our opinions must fall in line.

I applaud Tyler McNally and his group for epitomizing the essence of higher education. Their statement was well-written and reflects a thoughtful reaction to differing opinions. What does

not bode well is the attempt to sever the student body’s ties with its leader over politics.

In fact, Liberty is not united against Trump. I believe that student rhetoric rather ought to be infused at its core with a desire for communal unity, while still embracing this movement’s opposing opinion. Unity can and does appreciate differences.

For the rest of us who have watched these two parties engage, we feel a tug in our souls to somehow engage as well. My con-

tention is that wisdom is needed.

Proverbs 19:8 says “Mockers stir up a city, but wise men turn away anger.” Let us be wise. Let us be exactly what both Mr. McNally and President Falwell call us to be. Let us be Champions for Christ.

KEITH ANDERSON, JR.

Graduate Student Assistant Liberty University College of General Studies

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SOCIAL MEDIA

Michela Diddle photography editor

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T. J. Davis asst. sports editor

Caroline Sellers asst. photography editor

Victor Canas web manager

Shannon Moyer feature editor

DESIGN

ADMINISTRATION

Sierra Franklin graphic designer

Deborah Huff faculty advisor

Alexander Doub graphic designer

Matt Pierce advertising director

Sarah Rodriguez editor-in-chief

Cierra Carter opinion editor

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Luke Dillard sports editor

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Katelyn Rutt asst. news editor

Kirkland Gee copy editor

The Champion encourages community members to submit letters to the editor on any subject.

Letters should not exceed 400 words and must be typed and signed. The deadline is 5 p.m. Friday.

Letters and columns that appear are the opinion of the author solely, not the Champion editorial board or Liberty University.

Send letters to: Liberty Champion Liberty University Lynchburg, VA 24515 or drop off in Green Hall 1565.

All material submitted becomes property of the Champion. The Champion reserves the right to accept, reject or edit any letter received—according to the Champion stylebook, taste and the Liberty University mission statement. © Copyright 2016 Liberty University, Inc. All Rights Reserved

news

A6 | October 25, 2016 | Liberty Champion

POLITICS On Nov. 8, Liberty students will get the opportunity to vote for their preferred candidate for president of the United States. Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, Republican candidate Donald Trump and Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson are the three candidates that are performing the best in national polls. Below are short biographies and the corresponding positions on various national issues for all three of the presidential candidates.

HILLARY CLINTON

DONALD TRUMP

GARY JOHNSON

Prior to her run for president of the United States, Hillary Clinton was best known for her time serving as first lady to President Bill Clinton, a senator representing the state of New York, and as secretary of state under President Barack Obama.

Throughout her tenure in the public sphere, Hillary Clinton, 68, consistently emerged as a champion for a number of nationally pressing issues. In 1993, Bill Clinton named her as head of the Task Force on National Health Reform, though the commission created a complicated plan and the project was abandoned a year later. In 2001 as senator, she served on the committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and consistently fought in Congress for more spending on health.

Hillary Clinton later ran for president in 2008, when she was defeated by Obama in the Democratic primary contest. She was then nominated as secretary of state shortly after Obama won the general election. In her four-years as secretary of state, Hillary Clinton used her position to bring both women’s and human rights to the forefront of the national conversation.

Also during her tenure, the state department came under investigation after a deadly attack on a U.S. diplomatic post

in Benghazi, Libya took place Sept. 11, 2012 and left four Americans dead. Clinton eventually testified to members of the House Foreign Relations Committee where she defended her actions while also taking full responsibility for the incident.

Four years later, Hillary Clinton is still burdened with the Benghazi attack that happened during her time as secretary of state. Throughout her 2016 presidential campaign, she has been questioned over her handling of the case and corresponding investigation.

As the democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton has created a domestic and foreign platform based on foundational progressive beliefs. She is a pro-choice candidate who supports firearm reform with comprehensive background checks.

Hillary Clinton has also stated that she largely supports open borders for immigration, and if president, she will fight for a path to full and equal citizenship for those immigrants who pass a background check.

Moreover, Hillary Clinton said she strongly supports taxing the wealthy – those who make more than $250,000 a year – more to pay for improvements to infrastructure and increases for social secu-

rity benefits. She supports the Affordable Care Act, or “Obamacare,” and said she plans to expand the law further in an effort to lower healthcare costs for those who cannot afford to pay for health insurance.

On foreign policy, Hillary Clinton said she will continue to enforce the Iran nuclear deal passed by Obama and current Secretary of State John Kerry. She maintains that defeating ISIS is the number one priority of her foreign policy agenda and said she will stand up to Russia’s advances in Syria and Ukraine.

If she becomes president, Hillary Clinton also said she will elect judges to the Supreme Court that will uphold gay marriage and the right for women to have an abortion. Just as she was the first woman to be elected to the U.S. Senate from New York, she seeks to be the first female president elected as president of the United States.

Donald Trump, 70, announced his campaign for president June 16, 2015 at Trump Tower, presenting a picture of an America “in serious trouble” that “(doesn’t) have victories anymore.”

Born in Queens, New York, Trump graduated with a degree in economics from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania before beginning his career in real estate. He claims to have started with a $1 million loan from his father, Fred Trump, who also worked in real estate, though the exact amount of the loan has been the center of controversy.

He succeeded in developing his organization, making a name for himself along the way. While at first he focused on the Manhattan area, Trump soon expanded to places such as Florida, Las Vegas and overseas locations while also entering the casino industry.

Trump further remained in the spotlight by starring in “The Apprentice,” a reality television show on NBC that began in 2004. The popular show ran for 14 seasons and featured contestants who worked to earn a position at one of Trump’s companies.

At times, more attention has been paid to Trump’s controversial remarks and

strong rhetoric than his policies, but as the Republican nominee, he generally holds conservative views on issues. One of the most contentious issues in the election has been the candidates’ selections of Supreme Court justices.

“The replacement of Justice (Antonin) Scalia will be a person of similar views and principles who will uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States,” Trump states on his campaign website, donaldjtrump.com.

Trump supports the Second Amendment and defends the rights of gun owners, receiving the endorsement of the National Rifle Association. He is pro-life, in support of school choice, and wants to “rebuild our depleted military,” according to his website. Trump hopes to gain peace through a strong military and also end the U.S.’s involvement in implementing regime change.

The Syrian refugee crisis, as well as immigration from the southern border, has placed high emphasis on the issue of border security. Trump has championed building a wall along the border that Mexico will pay for, ending sanctuary cities, and prioritizing American workers and their jobs.

Trump plans to stimulate the economy through reducing taxes, especially for the middle class. By lowering the tax rate on businesses from 35 percent to 15 percent, he hopes to keep jobs from being shipped overseas. Though the rich will “pay their fair share,” according to his website, their tax rate would not “destroy jobs or undermine our ability to compete.”

Trump scored the most votes ever in a GOP primary, and he hopes to carry that success into the general election Nov. 8.

After two terms as governor of New Mexico, Gary Johnson is now taking on a larger role by running as the Libertarian nominee in the 2016 presidential election.

Throughout his political career, Johnson, 63, has worked to reform the government and influence the larger American economy. According to his campaign website, Johnson served as governor of New Mexico from 1995 to 2003. Not only did he make significant improvements to local highways, buildings and schools, but his tight financial plan also brought a billion dollar surplus to the state.

Known as “Honest Johnson,” he was ranked as one of the most fiscally conservative governors during his time in office.

Not only did he veto more than 750 bills, but he also improved New Mexico’s economy without adding state debt.

In 2009, Johnson founded the American Initiative and served as the organization’s honorary chairman for a number of years. The American Initiative website said Johnson’s original goal was to protect personal freedoms, encourage a small government, and aid in controlling the country’s debt issues. With the support of individuals and small businesses, the

initiative has rapidly grown over the past eight years.

After his time as governor, Johnson attempted to run as the GOP nominee in the 2012 presidential election. Shortly after, he transitioned to the Libertarian Party because of his close similarities with the group. According to Johnson’s campaign website, the candidate still shares many of the same political beliefs as those in the GOP. During this year’s election season, Johnson has been working to carry his personal and political principles into his presidential campaign. Both Johnson and his running mate, Bill Weld, strongly value small government. In fact, the campaign website largely credits their success to the fact that their values appeal to all three parties.

One of the main topics Johnson addresses in his campaign is tax usage, as well as the debt problems in the U.S. According to Johnson’s campaign website, there is a large spending issue in America, and he hopes to salvage the country from its downward spiral.

Because Johnson values personal freedom, he supports marriage equality. He said the government should not have con-

trol in personal matters, and individuals must have the liberty to make their own decisions. Similarly, Johnson said abortion should be a personal choice the government should not be involved in.

Both Johnson and Weld hope to make changes to the current drug system. The campaign website said Johnson believes marijuana is one of the safest drugs and plans to legalize it in the hopes of less overall substance abuse. Additionally, the party will open a larger number of rehabilitation centers and give people a more active choice in receiving help.

According to USA Today, Johnson’s campaign focuses on the idea of helping the overall state of the country by directly helping its residents. He also believes that the Libertarian Party should be just as involved in the election as the Democratic and Republican parties.

WILL YOUNG is the news editor.

JACOB CLARKE is the managing editor.

KATELYN RUTT is the assist. news editor.

news

Liberty Champion | October 25, 2016 | A7

Fighting off the flu Liberty's Student Health Center offers preventative resources against influenza Kirkland Gee kgee10@liberty.edu

With flu season in full swing, the Liberty University Student Health Center is doing all it can to care for students, provide them with treatment, and educate them on how to prevent themselves from becoming ill.

The health center offers a variety of services, including standard physician, nurse practitioner and physician’s assistant visits, acute care, and in-office tests and diagnostics for students who think they may be getting sick.

Keith Anderson, executive director for the Student Health Center and Wellness Initiatives, said students should be very aware of their health and seek care if they at all suspect they may be sick.

While the health center can provide services for students with the flu, Anderson said the best thing they can do is get their flu shot now to prevent the illness before it starts.

“The best thing they can do is to make sure, annually, that they’ve received their flu shot,” Anderson said. “Flu viruses adapt so quickly, and strands can change from one year to the other. Our physicians suggest that they (get revaccinated).”

The $160 student health fee charged to every student’s ASIST account covers all services the health center provides, but students will be charged an additional fee for any immunizations or prescriptions, according to Anderson.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), most adults are prone to infect others with the flu one day before becoming ill and five to seven days after symptoms begin to develop. Symptoms can begin surfacing between one and four days after an individual becomes infected, so it is possible to infect other people without being aware of infection.

The CDC’s weekly influenza activity FLOODING continued from A1 While Ginn left for Liberty after a week, his parents still could not live in their house for more than a month after the initial flooding.

Ginn said this experience absolutely changed his perspective on tragedies from now on.

“I’ll never turn a blind eye to a tornado that hits a city in Kansas or

FYI According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, receiving a flu vaccination is "the first and best way to protect yourself and your family from the flu."

The CDC recommends a yearly flu shot for every adult and child by the end of October. report said activity in the U.S. was low for the week of Oct. 9-15, but in years past, the activity begins picking back up in the coming weeks. For the 2016-17 flu season, only “injectable flu vaccines,” meaning flu shots, should be used, according to the CDC. If a student has experienced a reaction before, Anderson said they should not get the shot again. However, if a student is worried about having a reaction, Anderson said the health center is equipped to care for that.

“Just like any inoculation or shot, there is an observation time before students are released from the health center,” Anderson said. “This is to make sure there is not an immediate reaction that the student or the physician was not aware of

a local flood because it is so much more than a house made of bricks,” Ginn said. “It is three souls that live inside that home. That’s what matters.”

Two people Ginn can now relate to better are Rachel Frost, a junior studying marketing, and Ashleigh Beckles, a graduate student studying marketing, both of whom were affected in some way by Hurricane Matthew.

Google Images

A-CHOO — Students can get a flu shot at Liberty's health center for an additional fee. prior to the inoculation."

Anderson said he and his staff are primarily concerned with the student’s well-being, and while the health center can handle most issues, they are always willing and able to move students wherever they need to be to get the care they require.

“We have the abilitiy to provide basic life-support services, but anytime there’s a threat, we are going to try to transfer them as quickly as possible to advanced life-support

Frost went to her home in Conway, South Carolina for fall break at the same time as her area began evacuating for the storm. Not expecting Hurricane Matthew to hit as hard as it did, Frost and her family stocked up water and batteries but decided not to evacuate.

Due to the house’s position, Frost’s home received minimal damage, and she said the lack of electricity actually encouraged her

systems that you would find in an emergency room or a specialty care unit in a hospital,” Anderson said.

For students wanting to get the flu shot, they can set up an appointment with the health center by calling 434-338-7774.

GEE is a copy editor.

family to interact and play board back on the experience, he said games. It was not until after the whatever was lost was worth what hurricane passed and Frost got to was gained spiritually and as a drive to see the rest of her neigh- community. Ginn said he saw Baborhood did she grasp the impact ton Rouge, a city filled with racial the storm had. tension and violence during the “The first time we drove through, summer and now broken through it was wild just seeing it,” Frost disaster, come together for a comsaid. “Seeing all the trees down, mon cause. some trees crushing people’s housThis renewed unity was evident es, that’s when it became so real to to Ginn during a day of rebuilding me.” when he went and offered a slice On the other hand, the hurricane of pizza to one of his upper-class did not sink in for Beckles by see- neighbors, expecting him to poing it, but by talking to and pray- litely decline. To Ginn’s surprise, ing for her family who is spread the man started crying and said yes. throughout the Bahamas. Beckles “I’ll never forget the look in his said the inconsistent communica- eye when I handed him the pizza,” tion throughout the unpredictable Ginn said. “He had so much gratistorm made her nervous, but she tude. I looked over at all of his shiny found comfort in her past hurricane red cars and it amazed me that pizexperiences. za, human connection, generosity “I was just hoping for the best and compassion had so much more and realizing that through every power than the engine in a candyhurricane we’ve been through, red mustang.” we’ve been blessed, protected and Frost said she also witnessed never sustained significant dam- people coming together, as age,” Beckles said.

“I was just prayTHE FIRST TIME WE ing, ‘Lord protect them again.’”

DROVE THROUGH, IT WAS Just as in previWILD SEEING IT. SEEING ous hurricanes, the Beckles’ homes ALL THE TREES DOWN, were largely intact, SOME CRUSHING PEOPLE'S but they had to wait weeks for water and HOUSES, THAT'S WHEN IT power to be restored, along with the rest of BECAME REAL TO ME. the islands.

— RACHEL FROST Other homes were not as fortunate, as Beckles said some families watched churches reached out by helping their furniture float out to sea. Oth- with people’s yards and housing ers have just the foundation left, people as well. and some lost everything. This “It reminded me that God destruction motivated Beckles to is always in control, and we gather relief supplies to aid those know that through all of this affected, even though she cannot there is good to come out,” go help.

Frost said.

“I can say all day that my thoughts As the rebuilding continues, and prayers are with the Bahamas, those looking to help provide aid and praying isn’t a bad thing, but can do so through the American what am I doing about it?” Beckles or International Red Cross, Salvaasked. “Am I putting action behind tion Army, World Vision, UNICEF what I’m saying? I just really want- and a variety of other organizations ed to see what I could do to help to contributing to the relief effort. not just be a talker, but a doer.”

More action is still necessary in Baton Rouge, the East Coast and the Caribbean because while the water has receded, the rebuilding will continue into the months ahead.

Throughout the flood, Ginn said it was easy to doubt, but looking PRICE is a news reporter.

“

Photo Provided

A COLLECTIVE EFFORT — An LU Send team was sent to Louisiana in September to help efforts in cleaning up rubble and destroyed houses after a flood damaged much of the area.

Photo Provided

RELIEF — Liberty students partnered with groups in Louisiana to haul away damaged property from houses.

news

A8 | October 25, 2016 | Liberty Champion

Waste not, want not Sodexo campaigns to raise awareness about food waste on and off campus

Christianne Gormley | Liberty Champion

HOT N’ READY — Students waited in line to order a meal from the Rise & Shine Breakfast Bar & Grill at the Reber Thomas Dining Hall.

Jack Panyard jepanyard@liberty.edu

Sodexo is refining methods to reduce food waste in dining facilities around Liberty University’s campus, such as the Reber Thomas Dining Hall.

With an operation as big as Liberty Dining Services, a lot of food is wasted daily.

Sodexo is making efforts to encourage students to stop wasting so much food, while they are also finding ways of putting excess food to good use.

One way Sodexo is using wasted food is through the Morris Campus Farm. Sodexo marketing specialist, Ryan Wheeler said Sodexo sends scraps from food preparation to the campus farm for compost to use as fertilizer.

“On our side, we try to repurpose a lot of food waste that comes out, so that way it

CRIME continued from A1 burglary and larceny makes up approximately half of the nearly 28,000 crimes that were confirmed on campus property across the nation.

The recent crime report is the first one since 2002 that a burglary was not reported to have happened on campus at Liberty.

The highest amount of cases of burglary in one year was in 2009 when 15 burglaries were recorded to have happened on campus and non-campus property.

Non-campus properties are locations such as the Residential Annex or Equestrian Center that the university owns but are not attached to or adjacent to Liberty’s main campus.

Compared to surrounding schools, Liberty has historically recorded fewer cases of robbery and burglary than any other. Liberty, Lynchburg College, James Madison University and the University of Virginia together recorded 87 burglaries on campus in 2014, more than any other crime between the four universities. In 2014, Liberty recorded five burglaries, or a mere six percent of the cumulative share of reported burglaries between the four schools.

For the first time since 2005, Liberty’s crime report also listed no cases of rape and fondling on Liberty’s main campus, with one case of rape and two cases of fondling on non-campus properties.

According to the report, one case of fondling was recorded at the Residential Annex and no cases of rape or fondling were recorded at

doesn’t have to go into some big landfill, but it’s going back into the earth,” Wheeler said.

According to Wheeler, another step Sodexo has taken to reduce waste is by annually celebrating Earth Day at the dining halls in May. During the event, workers take unfinished plates right off of the dish return and showcase them in the dining hall to show how much food is being thrown away.

“A lot of these are full meals that haven’t even been touched by students,” Wheeler said. “We use that day to showcase how we as a whole can get better at using our footprint on earth and being better with food waste and … not taking things for granted.”

Sodexo is also encouraging students to form different habits while dining to avoid having to throw away as much food while dining.

“If you’ve been in the dining hall recently, there’s that mural above the (dish) return

the Equestrian Center.

It is common, however, for victims of sexual assault to not report their case out of fear of having their information become public or retaliation from the assaulter.

A campus climate survey from the National Center for Victims of Crimes found that only 12.5 percent of rapes and 4.3 percent of sexual assaults are reported to any school, healthcare or law enforcement official throughout campuses nationwide.

Director of Liberty’s Title IX Office Brittney Wardlaw noted

“

WE RESPOND REALLY QUICKLY TO REPORTS OF RETALIATION. — BRITTNEY WARDLAW the Title IX Office at Liberty takes specific precautions anytime their office receives a report of sexual assault. The office uses a checklist that all reports of sexual assault must go through to ensure anonymity and protection of the victim against retaliation throughout the entire process.

“We respond really quickly to any reports of retaliation, because the problem with that is it really discourages people from coming forward out of fear of how people are going to respond,” Wardlaw said. “It’s not something that we tolerate, and it’s not something that is accepted because we want this to be an environment where … you are heard.”

Another way the Title IX Office encourages reports is through its amnesty policy. With it, those students who have knowledge of

area,” Wheeler said. “It has some of our food facts about the Reber Thomas Dining Hall.”

The mural highlights food waste statistics in the Reber Thomas Dining Hall, saying five pounds of French fries and cereal are wasted daily due to spillage.

“Even though it is the dining hall and it’s ‘all you care to eat,’ we want to encourage them to live a healthy lifestyle,” Wheeler said. “One thing we’ve suggested is take smaller portions.”

Sodexo is also advising students to wait 10 to 20 minutes before grabbing another plate of food.

“It really takes 10 to 20 minutes before your body catches up with your brain,” Wheeler said. “Just wait 10 minutes before you go get that second plate.”

Sodexo District Manager Anthony Delligatti said waste situations have improved since Sodexo introduced the Freedom Dining plan, which allows students to enter

a sexual assault but were separately in violation of the Liberty Way will not be punished for their violation of the honor code if they share their information with a Title IX representative.

“An amnesty policy is something that you would want to have at a faith-based institution because we function with a student honor code that prohibits things like alcohol and pre-marital sex,” Wardlaw said. “If (someone) is in violation of the honor code, and they come forward with something to do with sexual violence, (the violation) is no longer the focus of attention.”

Below the on-campus crime statistics on the report is a detailed list of offenses that took place during university trips — including those taken by LU SEND and sports teams — though no crime was reported at any of the universitysponsored trips. Trips taken by the football team and cheerleading team were excluded from the report, as a trip was only required to be included if the group traveling was gone more than one night.

Also in the report, it stated there were no recorded cases of arson — the first time since 2012 where there were no such cases — despite three on-campus fires. Out of the three, a fire in the laundry room of Commons I was the most substantial, requiring $250 in repairs to replace the property.

The campus crime report is released every year at the beginning of October by LUPD in compliance with the Clery Act, a federal statute signed in 1990 that requires colleges and universities to report crime statistics that happen on campus.

YOUNG is the news editor.

the dining hall hourly.

“Students are getting better in the amount of food that they’re not consuming because they’re able to come back every hour,” Delligatti said.

To benefit those in need in the city of Lynchburg, Sodexo donates much of the unused food to the local soup kitchen, Lynchburg Daily Bread.

“If it’s a product that (Daily Bread) can cool and then reuse, they’ll do that,” Delligatti said. “Otherwise, what they’ll do is they’ll call Lynchburg Daily Bread for pickups.”

According to Lynchburg Daily Bread Executive Director Tracey Dixon, the organization serves 50,000 to 55,000 meals per year.

“Daily Bread has been around for 30 years, and it’s really a win-win,” Dixon said.

“We’re helping grocery stores and colleges reduce their landfill fees, and we’re getting great food to people who are in need.”

According to Dixon, all the food that Lynchburg Daily Bread serves is donated by various organizations around Lynchburg.

“We are seeing more families come in for help, and I think in our community, situations are getting tougher on the working poor,” Dixon said. “Many of our guests are actually working, but just struggling to make ends meet, so it’s great that people are bringing their children in and getting the help that they need.”

According to Dixon, awareness of food waste and hunger has increased in recent years.

“I believe that food waste and hunger are rising on the radar, and I’m really glad for that because the USA is a country with so much extra food available that there’s no reason anyone should go hungry,” Dixon said. “We just have to figure out the systems to get it from one place to the other and get the food to people who need it.”

Wheeler said in recent years students seem more aware of food waste and are willing to do something about it.

“I would say they’re much more interested this year than prior years about how to be better stewards in all aspects of their life, and I think that carries over into food as well,” Wheeler said.

Despite the rising awareness, students need to change their habits to fully benefit the community, according to Wheeler.

“If students really took it to heart to do smaller portions and wait that time limit, I think we would see a lot of change happen in the dining hall,” Wheeler said.

PANYARD is a news reporter.

2016 CRIME REPORT

HIGHLIGHTS

The 2016 crime report was compiled by the Liberty University Police Department with crime data from the 2015 calendar year.

SPORTS

October 25, 2016

This week in Flames history

It’s always good that we’re not relying on one person scoring and (it’s) just a confidence boost for the team.

- Junior Midfielder Natalie Barr

2014

B1 Natalie Barr helped the Lady Flames field hockey team clinch the NorPac East division title with a 5-1 victory over the Pacific Tigers.

on the run

Siblings in the spotlight Brother and sister share success TJ Davis adavis331@liberty.edu

It is one thing to attend the same university as your sibling, it is another to both be stars on your respective sports teams. Jennifer and James Knoebel are the brother and sister duo that have become key components of Liberty’s soccer program.

Jennifer Knoebel is a junior forward for the Lady Flames soccer team and is one of the best forwards in Liberty women’s soccer history. Since joining the women’s soccer team in 2014, Jennifer Knoebel has led the Lady Flames attack, whether she is setting up a goal or putting it in the net herself.

The Lady Flames forward led the team in points during the 2015 season when the women’s soccer team captured its 5th Big South Championship, according to libertyflames.com. Jennifer Knoebel’s performance consisted of six goals and eight assists, which helped her earn Big South first team all-conference, Big South all-tournament team and VaSID all-state second team honors. Along with these impressive statistics, Jennifer Knoebel was also a Big South all-freshman recipient for the 2014 season. Jennifer Knoebel is also the Lady Flames 4th all-time leader for most assists in a season with eight.

In just two years, Jennifer Knoebel set a high standard for the Knoebel name. So it was no surprise that there were big expectations facing her brother.

“Since I was the second one to come here, everyone’s like, ‘Oh you’re Jen’s brother,’” James Knoebel said.

James Knoebel is a freshman goalkeeper for the men’s soccer team, and has started all but one game for the Flames this season, according to libertyflames. com. In his first 11 games, James Knoebel already has 55 saves and three shut-outs. He also posted a career high on Sept. 16 against American University when his 10 saves helped the Flames end the game with a tied score.

Along with his impressive opening season statistics, James Knoebel also started in goal for the DC United U-18 team, according to libertyflames.com. James Knoebel was listed in the top 150 players in the country in 2014 by TopDrawer Soccer.

See SIBLINGS, B4

caroline SellerS | liberty chaMpion

FOCUS — Jennifer Knoebel has four goals this year.

Football Monmouth Liberty

28

52

WE’LL SEE YOU AT THE GAME

Michela DiDDle | liberty chaMpion

HOT — Running back Todd Macon finished the game with 271 all-purpose yards, tied for fifth most in one game in school history.

Welcome home Liberty remains undefeated in Big South play Luke Dillard mdillard1@liberty.edu

The Liberty University Flames football team (4-3, 2-0) extended its win streak to three with a 52-28 victory over Big South conference foe Monmouth (4-4, 0-3) Saturday, Oct. 22 in front of a homecoming crowd of 16,687 at Williams Stadium.

The Flames tallied a season high of 681 yards of total offense in front of the largest home crowd of the 2016 season.

For Flames Head Coach Turner Gill, it was nice to see his team come out and maintain control of the contest against the visiting Hawks.

“I like the direction we’re headed,” Gill said. “We’re moving in the right direction. We still (have) some things we need to work on, but I love the way we’re improving as a football team. We’re now getting better every single week.”

The Flames offense was led by the arm of freshman quarterback Stephen “Buckshot” Calvert, who made his third career start under center for the Flames — going 27-34 throwing for 350 yards and three touchdowns along with two interceptions.

“When my teammates are playing as good as they are, it’s easy to come out with a win,” Calvert said. “We came out and did what we had to do. It felt good. We stuck to the game plan. All we had to do was execute. We’re definitely getting into

M. Soccer GWU

a groove, but we can’t settle for anything less. We’ve got to keep pushing forward and continue to fight each week.”

Joining Calvert in the backfield was junior running back Todd Macon, who had one of his best games in a Flames uniform.

FYI

Flames Head Coach Turner Gill and assistant coach Ron Brown were suspended one game each for a selfreported secondary recruiting violation.

The St. Petersburg, Florida native racked up a career high 271 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns. “(Macon)’s done a great job,” Gill said.

“He runs with great determination, has good vision and knows how to run over people and make people miss.”

After battling an injury to his foot, Macon said he was more than happy to get back out on the field with his team.

W. Soccer

“The big key for me was getting in a rhythm and being patient,” Macon said.

“Once I was patient, the offensive line was able to get to their blocks, and the holes opened up.”

The Flames wasted no time on offense to start the game, with Calvert taking the offense on an 11-play, 74-yard opening drive in 4:29 that was capped off with a perfectly thrown back-shoulder pass to senior wide receiver Dante Shells for the first score of the afternoon.

The Hawks fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and the Flames recovered inside the Hawk’s 10-yard line. The Flames were not able to capitalize, turning the ball over on downs after the Hawks defense stood tall on a fourth down on the 1-yard line, stuffing Flames junior running back Carrington Mosley for no gain.

Taking over a few inches from his own goal line, Hawks sophomore quarterback Cody Williams faked the handoff in his own endzone and threw a deep post route to senior wide receiver Darren Ambush, who made it 77 yards down to the Liberty 22-yard line before Flames sophomore cornerback Chris Turner stripped the ball out of his hands as he was tackled. The Flames recovered and took possession at the 22.

Volleyball

See HOME, B2

Field Hockey

Liberty

Radford

Liberty

GWU

Liberty

UNC

Liberty

3

0

2

2

3

5

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2 Volleyball vs. Radford Oct. 25 @ 7 p.m.

M. Soccer vs. High Point

Oct. 26 @ 4 p.m.

Field Hockey vs. Temple Oct. 28 @ 4 p.m.

Volleyball vs. UNCA Oct. 29 @ 2 p.m.

Football vs. GWU Oct. 29 @ 3:30 p.m.

Follow @LUChampSports for Flames athletics coverage

sports

B2 | October 25, 2016 | Liberty Champion

Bulldogs break Joy in the pool Women’s soccer adds to win streak Julie Deutsch jdeutsch@liberty.edu

The Lady Flames (10-7) defeated the University of North Carolina Asheville Bulldogs (8-11) at Osborne Stadium on Senior Day by a final score of 2-0, keeping them in third place for the Big South Conference rankings.

The game was expected to be a tough one for Liberty, but they kept their energy high in a much-needed win.

“This was a huge game for our conference rankings, and we knew it was going to be a tough game,” senior goalie Holly VanNoord said. “They always push us to do our best.”

The momentum through the first half of the game was slow. The Lady Flames quickly fixed this after returning for the second half.

“There were times our momentum dropped, but then we picked it back up pretty quick,” junior midfielder Bertha Martinez said.

Liberty attempted nine shots the first period, and Asheville’s goalie, Keller Dixon, saved five of them. The Lady Flames also received seven corner kicks in the first half.

“They were going to pressure us, and we were going to have to move the ball a lot quicker while being on our toes,” Martinez said.

Liberty kept its game strong even though they ended the first 45 minutes without a goal. The winds were strong at Osborne Stadium — 15 mph — which did not help the teams on the field.

“The wind made it more challenging, but we put in the work and made sure to get those 50/50 balls,” VanNoord said. “That is what set us apart from Asheville.”

UNC Asheville attempted three shots the first half, and VanNoord saved one. They also received two corner kicks.

“I think all the girls were so excited be-

fore we stepped out on the field,” VanNoord said. “That’s when I knew things would lay out on the field.”

Freshman forward Gabrielle Farrell scored in the 60th minute when she tipped the ball into the left corner. Farrell was assisted by forward Jennifer Knoebel, who kicked it into the top of the box for midfielder Isabella Habuda.

“The momentum changer was when we scored,” VanNoord said. “We kept possession better after that.”

The second goal was scored unassisted in the 66th minute. The Bulldogs defender knocked it in their own goal, putting the Lady Flames at two and Asheville remaining at zero.

VanNoord said Liberty went into the game with high energy, and that is what they needed to take the win. She said they stayed relentless the entire game even when they knew Asheville would be tough.

Asheville attempted seven goals in the second half, and VanNoord saved six. They received two corner kicks as well while the Lady Flames only earned one.

VanNoord said the most stressful parts of the game were the moments they had a few shots and could not clear the ball out of the box. They didn’t track back all the time, and there were a few times Asheville almost scored.

Martinez said the team loves VanNoord, and she was excited to see how well the team switched the field and checked the ball while keeping it moving.

The Lady Flames next game is Oct. 25 against Charleston Southern in Charleston, South Carolina at 3 p.m.

DEUTSCH is a sports reporter.

Caroline Sellers | Liberty Champion

FINESSE — Isabella Habuda assisted Gabrielle Farrell to help the Flames take the lead.

HOME continued from B1 “That’s a big play,” Gill said.

“That’s an effort play. Chris Turner didn’t give up on that play even though it wasn’t his responsibility. He kept running, and that’s why you always play hard every single play.”

Calvert led the offense back on to the field, but they didn’t stay very long. On 1st-and-20 at his own 24, Calvert audibled to a screen pass, connecting with Macon out of the backfield, and Macon charged down the sideline for a 76-yard touchdown to give the Flames a 14-0 lead with 5:59 left in the first quarter.

The Monmouth offense retook the field on the ensuing possession, going three-and-out, but a muffed punt from Flames sophomore returner B.J. Farrow recovered by the Hawks gave them possession in Flames territory for the first time in the game. The Flames secondary tightened up, forcing three straight incomplete passes and a Monmouth punt.

The Flames finished the first quarter with 251 total yards compared to 85 for Monmouth.

With 11:21 left in the second quarter and the Flames driving in Hawks territory, Macon got the handoff from Calvert and bounced outside, scoring his second touchdown of the day from 11 yards out, giving the Flames a 21-0 lead. The run was set up by a long pass from Calvert to freshman wide receiver

Antonio Gandy-Golden on a third down conversion.

Monmouth got the ball back, and finally started putting an offense together. A 34-yard run from senior running back Lavon Chaney got the Hawks into Flames territory at the 45. The Hawks moved at an up-tempo pace, never allowing the Flames to set up properly for the next play, as Williams lofted a 45-yard touchdown pass to a wideopen Ambush for the Hawks’ first score of the game.

Calvert led the offense back onto the field and produced more points. Three straight completions of 19 yards or more moved the Flames deep into Hawks territory.

Mosley took a handoff and pounded into the endzone from 6 yards out to give the Flames a 28-7 lead with 8:13 left in the second quarter.

The Flames added a field goal from freshman kicker Alex Probert later in the quarter to take a 31-7 halftime lead into the locker room.

After forcing the Hawks to punt on their opening possession of the second half, the Flames offense picked up right where it left off. On 1st-and-10 from his own 31, Macon took another handoff straight through the interior line and burst into the secondary for a 65-yard gain to the 3-yard line — the longest run of his career. Calvert found Gandy-Golden in the back of the endzone two plays later for his third touchdown of the day through the air, giving the Flames their largest lead of the day with a score of 38-7.

Freshman diver already winning Logan Smith lcsmith1@liberty.edu

Liberty University freshman Jenna Joyal’s love for diving began after suffering a knee injury that forced her to quit gymnastics in middle school. Little did she know, the injury would lead her to discover a whole new passion: diving.

Fast forward to freshman year of college, Joyal was named the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) Diver of the Week, making her the third women’s diver to receive the award in Liberty’s program history.

“I still had that love for flipping,” Joyal said. “I thought, ‘Why not look into diving,’ because it shares the same techniques for flipping, twisting and knowing where you are in the air.”

Joyal said that her sophomore year in high school was when she realized her love for the sport.

“There was a youth program in my town (New Fairfield, Connecticut), and I started diving there a couple days a week,” Joyal said. “Then, I took a couple years off, but I picked it up my sophomore year in high school.”

Diving isn’t the only sport Joyal is passionate about. She is also a midfielder and attacker on the Lady Flames lacrosse team.

“I was at a lacrosse recruiting camp,” Joyal said. “I was even involved in a recruitment Leah Seavers | Liberty University News Service DIVE — Jenna Joyal is a two-sport athlete. group with the lacrosse coach at Liberty.”

According to Joyal, the Liberty lacrosse coach invited her to look at Liberty’s cam- mountains.

“The outdoors have always been a peacepus. After stepping on campus, Joyal instantly knew Liberty was the place she want- ful spot to get away,” Joyal said. “I just love adventuring around.” ed to use her talents.

Currently, Joyal has not decided on a ma“I was originally looking at Liberty for lacrosse,” Joyal said. “I love both sports for jor, but is considering psychology.

“There’s definitely so many ideas in my different reasons. I love the competitiveness with lacrosse, yet I love the pressure I have to head of what I think I could enjoy doing in life,” Joyal said. “Psychology is something I put on myself for diving.”

Joyal said unlike lacrosse, where team- would really like to do.”

After graduation, Joyal said she aspires to work and comradery are involved, diving is a single-person sport that requires focus to be a coach in either lacrosse or diving.

“Immediately after graduation, I want to get a good score. “(The sports) are so different in many travel around,” Joyal said. “I want to find a ways,” Joyal said. “I don’t know if I have a job that I’m passionate about that allows me to raise a family.” favorite.”

The next Liberty swim meet will be Nov. Despite being nervous for her first collegiate meet, Joyal finished thirteenth in the 15 — day one of the Frank Elm Invite in Pis1-meter diving and fourteenth in the 3-me- cataway, New Jersey. ter diving.

“I tend to do well under pressure,” Joyal said. “I tell my nerves not to get the best of me. (Diving) is something I’ve been doing for a while. I don’t typically get too nervous.”

Joyal said Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson was a role model for her growing up, and she and her mother would watch eagerly when Johnson performed on TV. “(Johnson) was always so strong and so determined,” Joyal said. “I wanted to be like her when I grew up.”

Aside from sports, Joyal enjoys traveling, hiking, kayaking and whitewater raft- SMITH is a ing. In particular, she enjoys being in the sports reporter.

Monmouth went three-and-out on their next possession, and the Flames found themselves faced with a 4th-and-3 at the Hawks 32yard line. Calvert rolled out, and his pass was tipped and intercepted by senior free safety Teddie Martinez at the 28.

The Hawks brought in redshirt freshman quarterback Kenji Bahar to lead the offense for the rest of the game. The next two Monmouth drives resulted in 2-yard and 1-yard touchdown scores from senior running back Zach Welch to make the score 38-21 with 1:56 left in the third quarter.

After a Flames punt in the ensuing possession, the Hawks found themselves with a 4th-and-1 from their own 47-yard line. Bahar took the snap and handed the ball to senior back Lavon Chaney who ran, untouched, through the line for a 53-yard touchdown to make the score 38-28 with 12:48 left in the fourth quarter.

Three straight scoring drives from the Hawks grabbed the Flames attention. “(Monmouth) made some adjustments,” Gill said. “We had linebackers and safeties that didn’t put the gaps where they needed to be. It took us a little bit too long to make our own adjustments.”

The Flames responded with a 9-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Macon’s second rushing touchdown of the day and extended the Flames lead to 45-28.

On the next Hawks drive, Bahar was intercepted by Flames corner-

Michela Diddle | Liberty Champion

STUFFED — Flames defense held the Hawks to 7 points in the first half. back Tyrin Holloway, who made a one-handed catch and returned the pick down to the Monmouth 46yard line.

The Flames put the game out of reach with a 13-play drive that took almost six minutes off the clock, ending with an 8-yard touchdown run from Mosley to mark the final score 52-28.

“It was a very good win,” Gill said. “I’m very proud of our coaches. They did a great job of preparing our players. Now we’re going to move forward and prepare for

Gardner-Webb.”

Gill, along with assistant coach Ron Brown, was suspended one game for a self-reported recruiting violation. Brown served his suspension against the Hawks. Gill will serve his at a later date, according to the News & Advance.

The Flames take on the Runnin’ Bulldogs (3-5, 1-1) Saturday, Oct. 29 at 3:30 p.m. at Williams Stadium.

DILLARD is the sports editor.

sports

Liberty Champion | October 25, 2016 | B3

Row, row, row your boat Liberty’s crew team brings home the gold in dominant men’s 4-person match Lindsey Ball lcbal1@liberty.edu

Liberty University’s crew team recently rowed in the Head of Ohio Regatta in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where the men’s novice team of four took home the gold.

“Two years ago, they had a seventh-place finish at nationals,” Coach Debbie Prowse said. “Last year, they had a fifth place, so I told them, ‘This year, someone is going to medal.’ Whether it is an eight, a four, a double, a single — I just told them to keep that in their sights.”

The rowers are no strangers to success.

Prowse created different teams within the larger team to compete in these races. Recently, she placed sophomore rower Spencer Barrett in the stroke seat for the gold-medal winning boat.

“Last year, I medaled in all of my races,” Barrett said. “I can’t wait to get back to spring sprints, because those are so important in collegiate rowing. From there, I hope to win some gold medals and get back up there for nationals.”

Reaching these goals requires deliberate conditioning and preparation. The rowers keep a rigorous training schedule to prepare for regattas.

“In the fall, we try to get as much water time as possible,” Prowse said. “We work on technique, long pieces and building endurance. They do land workouts twice a week with our trainer Chris Kerr.”

An average Monday morning for a rower starts with a 4 a.m. alarm.

“I leave my house at 4:30 to get to the bus at Docs’ (Diner),” senior rower Josh Elliot said. “We drive for an hour to Smith Mountain Lake. At 6 a.m. we get off the bus and walk to the boathouse to start training.”

The new boathouse in Mitchell’s Point Marina was finished in the middle of July in preparation for this season. It houses all the team’s equipment, including oars, boats, head lamps and suction navigation lights that illuminate the lake before the sun comes up.

“We usually row for an hour and a half,” Barrett said. “We get on the bus, go to class and go to weightlifting. Then the next day, we

start all over again.”

Although Prowse believes the best practice for rowers is on the water, the temperature drop in the winter limits their time in the boats.

“Once we get off the water for winter season, we do a lot of running and erging (indoor rowing machines),” Prowse said. “Last year, we were even able to use the cycling room once a week to get some cross-training.”

Currently, there are 20 members on the team. When Prowse is looking for new members, she takes into consideration that most students have never rowed before.

“Since I can’t expect them to know the basic form without ever rowing, I rely on basic physical fitness testing,” Prowse said. “I ask myself, ‘Do they walk like an athlete, talk like an athlete and look like an athlete?’”

The crew team held tryouts Oct. 14, and Prowse is looking forward to inviting new members to join this season. Novice rower Dave Jensen joined the team before tryouts in late September and will be rowing in the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta.

“This coming race, we will have brand new rowers in our novice four (set), so I want to see how far we can go,” Jensen said. “I lift with the guys every day in practice and outside of practice, so we are pushing ourselves.”

Prowse encourages each rower, novice or varsity, to focus on the basic stroke and form.

However, the coxswain has a different set of responsibilities. Junior rower Lydia Miller was a coxswain before transitioning to fullfledged rower.

“It is the strategic aspect of the sport,” Miller said. “It is the coxswain’s job to pick out the competition. You have to know your rowers and when they give up on themselves and each other. You encourage them individually with their specific strengths and weaknesses. It is about knowing the lineup.”

The coxswain steers and coaches the boat.

During training, he or she tracks and calls the pieces designed by the coach. Miller described them as the so-called “middlemen.”

“It is like being the jockey on a racehorse,” Miller said. “We have a race plan that includes when to hold them back or tell them when to sprint.”

Lindsey baLL | Liberty Champion

SCENIC — The Liberty crew team practiced at Smith Mountain Lake in Moneta, Virginia.

Although each position on the boat has different demands, the boat must work cohesively to be successful.

“In crew, you can’t succeed individually,” Elliot said. “You follow the person ahead of you at all times. You have to worry about more than yourself in the boat.”

The basic form and movements of a stroke are multi-faceted, and the rowers must be

SODEXO SPOTLIGHT DUKE DAVIS

synchronized. As Prowse came alongside of the boat of eight as they rowed across Smith Mountain Lake, she reminded them of this.

“Roll up together, catch together and finish together,” Prowse said. “This is why we wake up every morning — so enjoy it.”

BALL is a sports reporter.

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sports

B4 | October 25, 2016 | Liberty Champion

The call for Callison Former Flame left the football field for ministry Timothy Cockes tlcockes@liberty.edu

Kevin Durant to the Warriors. Dwyane Wade to the Bulls. Kobe Bryant retiring. Tim Duncan retiring.

That is the 2016 NBA offseason in a nutshell. As the season begins this week, I can’t help but feel like this one is going to be different from previous seasons.

One of the NBA’s most well-liked and well-respected players, Durant, DILLARD jumped ship from the franchise that drafted him No. 2 overall in 2007 to join the Golden State Warriors, a team still reeling from blowing a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Some believe Durant could be as hated as James was when he bolted Cleveland to join Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. Durant has a certain humility about him, so I don’t think he will be. He will probably just be the most hated player in Oklahoma.

On the positive side for Oklahoma City, Russell Westbrook is poised to have the best season of his career.

Wade left Miami to join the Bulls. Yes, the same Wade that carried Miami on his back during the worst season in the franchise’s history during 2007-08 with a 15-67 record. Gone. Poof. Just like that, the heart and soul of the Heat is no longer a part of the franchise. Instead, he chose to go back to his hometown in Chicago and play with fellow all-star Jimmy Butler and some guy named Rajon Rondo.

I wonder if Wade will be the go-to guy when games come down to the wire or if Jimmy Buckets will continue to be the main threat in the Bulls offense. No way Rondo passes to both Butler and Wade. If we’re being honest, he probably won’t pass to either one.

Also, this player named Kobe will not be playing professional basketball this season. I have never been a big Kobe fan, but he has been a staple of the NBA ever since I started staying up late with my dad watching his games on the West Coast in the Staples Center.

The “Mamba” won’t have any late-game heroics this year. He won’t have the vintage Kobe look in his eye from when he scored 81 points against the Raptors in one of the best performances in NBA history.

But now he’s gone, and the only hope for the Lakers is Luke Walton. Good luck with that, Jack Nicholson.

You can’t forget about Tim Duncan. “The Big Fundamental” played his entire 19-year NBA career with the San Antonio Spurs and Gregg Popovich, one of the best coaches in NBA history. Duncan always seemed like a nice guy. He just seems like the kind of guy that people cheer for, even if his coach is a cranky old man that didn’t eat his oatmeal that morning.

Two future hall-of-famers change teams. Two future hall-of-famers hang up the towel on great careers.

Regardless of these moves, the NBA is still the NBA, and it is so fun to watch because it can be so unpredictable. But I feel like I have to make some predictions anyway because this is a column, and that’s what columns do. Two things stick out to me about this coming NBA season.

My first prediction is that the Warriors will not win the NBA championship this season. Call it bold, but I just don’t think bringing in another superstar to an alreadyloaded Warriors team instantly makes the team perfect.

It’s going to take a season or two, just like it did for James, Wade and Bosh in Miami.

My second prediction is that Russell Westbrook will have one of the best seasons for a point guard in NBA history. Yes, Durant was great, and he did a lot for the Thunder as a franchise, but Westbrook was never able to truly play to his ability under the shadow of Durant and his 7-foot wingspan.

That being said, I could be 100 percent incorrect with my predictions, but I’m fine with that. That’s the NBA. Here’s to another great NBA season.

Ethan Callison saw the ironic headline on the Liberty University coach’s desk that read, “Callison chooses youth ministry over football,” while he was being offered a preferred walk-on tryout for the Flames.

Little did Callison know that the article’s headline would ultimately ring true in the future.

Callison, a 6-foot-5, 315-pound lineman, had been recruited by Liberty in 2012 and was interested in playing football there but was lost in the shuffle as Liberty underwent a coaching change.

Callison said that in an interview for a hometown paper that he planned to go to Liberty regardless of his football status to study youth ministry.

The article in the local paper with the headline broadcasting his choice of career over football came out a week before Callison received a call from Dennis Wagner, Liberty’s offensive line coach.

Photo Provided

BIG — Ethan Callison ran during play.

≈

Wagner brought Callison into his office to talk about the upcoming football season.

Callison said Wagner apologized that he was lost in the chaos of the offseason, but they wanted to extend him an offer to attend their spring camp as a preferred walk-on. Callison ended up making the team and redshirted his first season, beginning his career with the Flames in 2013.

Callison played in eight games during the 2013 season and made his first career start against Brevard, according to libertyflames.com.

After completing his freshman year, Callison said he felt a different calling for his life.

Callison told his girlfriend — now his wife — and family that the next year playing football would most likely be his last.

At the time, Callison was serving as a student pastor at his home church. Callison said he felt like he was cheating his home church by playing football.

“I was selfishly pursuing playing football,” Callison said. “I know I’m called to ministry, so why am I dabbling in other things that are taking me away from my calling?”

In a meeting before Callison’s junior year, Wagner told him that he was penciled in as the starting center for the next season. It was in that meeting that Callison broke the news that he wouldn’t be playing football next season.

“His jaw just dropped,” Callison said. “He was just dumbfounded.”

Callison said both Wagner and Head Coach Turner Gill wished him the best of luck in his ministry pursuits when he left the program.

Callison said that he knew that he wanted to be in ministry ever since his high school years.

“One of the pastors at my church, John Hamric, really took me under his wing while I was in high school,” Callison said. “He showed me a lot of things about ministry, and I really developed a passion for lost souls.”

Over time, Callison decided he want-

ed to work in the ministry. He decided to ask his head pastor for council.

“My pastor said to me, ‘Ministry is the hardest thing that you will ever do in life, but it can also be the most rewarding thing you’ll do in life,’” Callison said.

The spring after Callison decided to stop playing football, he applied for an internship at the Fellowship Community Church in Virginia. Callison said that he wanted to expand beyond serving at his home church even though he loved the people there.

Callison was accepted as an intern in the student ministry of the North Campus of the Fellowship Community Church in Roanoke, Virginia in April of 2015.

In June of 2015, Callison accepted a position as student director of the North Campus while also finishing classes at Liberty.

After he finished his degree at Liberty, Callison began serving full-time as the student director at the North Campus from January 2016 until September 2016. As of October 3, 2016 Callison has transitioned into a fulltime position as the Campus Pastor of the North Campus.

Callison said he gives God all the glory for working out the smallest details of his life.

“Our God is not a God of coincidences,” Callison said. “Our God is an intentional God.” Callison encourages athletes at Liberty to look to Christ and find purpose in him and not athletics.

“If your identity is found in sports and not in Christ, then sports are your God and sports are your idol,” Callison said. “There are no ifs, ands or buts about it.”

Callison looks forward to the work that God will continue to do in his life and his ministry.

“No matter what position, no matter what job I hold, my calling is to be a servant of Christ.” Callison said.

COCKES is a sports reporter.

achilles heels

DILLARD is the sports editor.

MicheLa diddLe|Liberty chaMPion

NOT ENOUGH — The Liberty Flames field hockey team lost 5-1 to the No. 5 North Carolina Tar Heels Sunday, Oct. 24.

SIBLINGS continued from B1 The siblings said that playing for the same college has allowed them to encourage each other’s performances. In the games on Oct. 1415, both teams played Campbell University. Both James Knoebel and Jennifer Knoebel were deemed “player of the game” for their respective roles on the teams.

“It’s cool because we do play such different positions too, that he’s like ‘oh, I had the most saves this week in the Big South’ and I’m like ‘Oh, I scored two goals this week’ it’s kinda different,” Jennifer Knoebel said.

However, the Knoebel siblings admitted that while growing up they competed in virtually every-

thing. Competition started early as the two made a field at home.

“Actually, in our backyard we had this huge fence. He was a goalie and I was a forward so we would like, pretend like the fence was a goal and try to score on each other.

Our parents made us stop when we were older because we would start breaking the fence,” Jennifer Knoebel said.

Playing for the same school has also made it easy for the siblings to watch each other’s games. James Knoebel said that he’s made it to all of Jennifer’s home games. Jennifer Knoebel said that playing for the same school was a great feeling.

“It’s a really cool dynamic, playing for the same college now.

We’ve played for the same club, but that’s different,” Jennifer said.

Being at the same school has also helped the siblings to share an appreciation for Liberty.

“It’s really different.” James Knoebel said. “Everyone here is more friendly. Even just the students interacting with other people. Here it’s like everyone is friends, and the different teams encourage each other.” “(I like) being able to play at a Christian university where it’s not perfect, but it’s definitely set apart from other universities,” Jennifer Knoebel said.

With both siblings excelling in their positions, the Knoebel name will be on the forefront of soccer news in the season to come.

DAVIS is the asst. sports editor.

Jessie rogers|Liberty University news service

POWER — James Knoebel cleared the ball against UNC Asheville.

feature

Liberty Champion | October 25, 2016 | B5

Let’s get this party started Lynchburg entrepreneurs aim to bring music entertainment to the city Rachel Ali rmolly@liberty.edu

Lynchburg, Virginia is a historical town that is home to multiple universities. Four young men have recently introduced an entertainment side to the city by bringing renowned musical guests such as DJ Pauly D and country icon Chase Bryant.

Four Liberty students and friends Jonathan Slye, Mark Cloutier, Michael Fiedler and Evan McHugh did not waste any time when the idea of Lynchburg’s Party presented itself.

“We just realized that this was something that we could really run with,” Cloutier said.

They immediately began taking the necessary steps to break into Lynchburg’s business scene as serious, young entrepreneurs.

“Once we had the concept of the company we just went for it,” Fielder said. “We booked venues and artists, and before long, we had a whole list of shows.”

While breaking into the entertainment industry did not present many obstacles, they explained how their age (which ranges from 20-22 within the group) and youthful appearance left some shocked.

“It’s always tough walking into a meeting and seeing the person’s face change when they realize you’re only 22,” Cloutier said.

“It can be a negative factor because it automatically makes people doubt your ability.”

The four business-minded students do not get discouraged easily and strive to use their youth to their advantage.

“There’s an obstacle up front, but as we get our names out in the city people realize we’re young but we’re not here to play,” Fiedler said.

Any negative feedback is used as motivation to do bigger and better things in the community.

“This only gives us more motivation to prove them wrong and show them just how much we can do,” Cloutier said.

While the music industry is famously linked to drugs, sex and alcohol abuse, Cloutier and Fiedler hope to change this perspective and remain true to their morals as godly, hardworking businessmen.

“Our company is founded on good Christian morals,” Fielder said. “A company goal of ours is to grow businessmen and women

for Christ. Because the music industry is looked down upon by many Christians, we are trying to change that.”

When asked specifically how they plan on remaining true to their Christian roots they stated that opening all of their meetings with prayer and continuing to follow God’s leadership and direction in this business is one of the main reasons for their success.

Lynchburg’s Party has come on the scene with what seems like overnight success. The first event was the Lynchburg Paint Party which had an audience of more than 1,500 this past April.

“It’s been really good.” Cloutier said.

“People seem to really enjoy it. We’ve had a lot of people tell us that this is exactly what downtown Lynchburg needs.”

They offered advice to fellow upcoming entrepreneurs.

“Don’t give up,” Cloutier said. “Stay focused on your mission and your goals. Put God first and let him lead you.”

Agreeing with his co-worker, Fiedler said persistence and pushing past failures is a major key in being a successful, self-employed businessman.

“Don’t give up,” Fiedler said. “Persistence is the key to any entrepreneur of any age. There will be times where others tell you to give up and get a more stable job. I personally don’t like the idea of having a company tell me what I’m worth in dollars. I want to be able to pay myself whatever I want to get paid.”

Fiedler mentioned how being selfemployed raises the bar of success to a limitless standard.

“Another note for young entrepreneurs is that you get what you give,” Fiedler said.

“This is huge in starting up a company. You have to be willing to put in more than eighthour work days. Down the road I can promise you that you will be glad you put in those 20- hour days back when you first started your business.”

With special guests such as Howie Day, Decyfer Down and Vacation Manor on the agenda for this month, Lynchburg’s Party has taken over the social media pages and the snapchats of students all over town.

Their next event, Lynchburg’s Halloween Party is Oct. 29 at the Benchmark Parking Lot. “We are very excited for our upcoming

Photo Provided

CONCERT — Lynchburg’s Party currently plans to bring over 10 entertainers to Lynchburg. events,” Fiedler said. “We have Far East Movement Oct. 29, followed by Rev Run of Run-DMC on Nov. 11, B.O.B. Dec. 10, and a personal fan-favorite, Josh Garrels and John Mark McMillan coming this February.”

“Music is a form of expression no matter what genre it is, and we want to use that

freedom of expression as a too l— not just to entertain, but to unite the community,” Fiedler said.

To purchase tickets and view a complete event schedule, visit lynchburgsparty.com.

ALI is a news reporter.

Living in a whole new world Liberty’s global studies program allows students unique travel experiences Kylie Kehrman kkehrman@liberty.edu

At about 5 a.m., four Liberty Students stepped off a plane and into a different world where they would be making their home for the next three months.

Traveling the world and getting to live in new cultures is a dream that many people share.

Through Liberty’s global studies program, this dream became a reality for JoAnn Little and three other students.

Little is a senior majoring in global studies. In spring 2016, she had the chance to live in Central Asia as an intern.

The internship is a requirement for students who are majoring in global studies. Students spend a semester in another country and receive 15 credits for their academic work and service in their location.

The internship is a requirement for students who are majoring in global studies.

“I’m so glad, though, that they require it,” Little said, “It’s so much fun.”

Students who are minoring in global studies have the opportunity to intern overseas as well but are not required to.

Before leaving, the department of global studies had to prepare Little and her team for the cross-cultural experience.

“When we consider the student internships in global studies, we see that extending far beyond the semester they spend in another country,” Director of Global Studies Internships Chesed Dent said. “It’s a process that begins with the entry-level academics that build a foundation for a worldview that rightly reflects God’s global heart and continues beyond the internship.”

“

It was still dark when Little’s team landed, and Little said she remembered the cold January air.

“I remember hearing how cold it was, but not understanding until I stepped off the plane,” Little said. “That was my first impression.”

Bordering the mountain range of Russia, the country where Little and her team spent

YOU CAN SEE THEY’RE SEEKING SOMETHING MORE THAN THE ATHIESM OF THEIR SOVIET GRANDPARENTS AND THE ISLAM OF THEIR PARENTS. — JOANN LITTLE

the semester was a clash of cultures between atheism and Islam.

“When you’re walking down the street, people don’t look you in the eye,” Little said.

“They don’t smile. It’s a very cold feeling,” While they may have visited a country that predominantly follows a religion other than Christianity, Little said this was a great opportunity to share her faith.

Little’s team was sent into Central Asia to teach English to the students there.

Her day would typically begin around 7:30 a.m. with breakfast and a quiet time.

Around 9:00 a.m. they would leave for language class. Little and her team would have to walk about a mile to class. According to Little, the sidewalks were covered in 2-3 inches of ice.

Following language class, the team would go to lunch. They were located in a large city and had a variety of options.

“We tried to find a unique place every day,” Little said.

After lunch, they would go back to the

apartment where they were staying and work on their online classes.

Around 2:30 in the afternoon, they would go to either an English class or club. Little said it would vary depending on the day.

After English class, the team would hang out with students from various classes. According to Little, some of the students would even spend the night at their apartment.

Through moments like these, Little said she had the chance to develop deep relationships with the students.

“I think the reason for that is because most of our conversations were centered around Christ,” Little said.

She said the students there were genuinely interested in hearing the Word of God. “Eventually, it got to the point where they’d ask what we believed and why we believed it,” Little said. “The student generation is so thirsty for truth. You can see they’re seeking something more than the atheism of their Soviet grandparents and the Islam of their parents.”

Other than the friendships she developed overseas, Little said some of the things she misses most is the Bazaar (a market place) and seeing the mountains.

“These (Blue Ridge Mountains) are like little hills compared to theirs,” Little said.

Little’s adventure is an example of what a student’s life overseas may be like. However, each individual experience is unique.

The department of global studies’ internship program offers many opportunities for students to travel overseas, see new places and experience different cultures, and serve those cultures as representatives of Christ.

“Our hope is that our students are walking away as effective cross-culture champions for Christ,” Dent said.

Editor’s Note: JoAnn Little’s name was changed for security purposes.

KEHRMAN is a news reporter.

Michela Diddle | Liberty Champion

GLOBE — Students can travel across the world in the global studies program.

feature

B6 | October 25, 2016 | Liberty Champion

Gabbing Just keep swimming Natatorium offers 50-meter pool and new opportunities & gaming Discussion event explores the stigma around video games Ryan Klinker rmklinker@liberty.edu

The popularity of video games is hardly breaking news to the average college student, but the culture that has developed due to their popularity is a conversation topic that few seem to engage in.

Such was the idea behind “Rise of the Gaming Culture,” the Center for Cultural Studies’ first “Grub and Gab” discussion event of the semester held Oct. 13. Led by English professor Nathaniel Valle, an avid gamer himself, this event aimed to break the perceived stigma surrounding the community of people who enjoy video games.

The group began by questioning why engaging in video games is commonly seen by culture as a negative activity.

While violence or some other form of inappropriate content are sometimes cited, the major issue the group agreed upon was the highly immersive and layered nature of video games. For sophomore Briana Tabler, the complexity and energy necessary to complete these game has deterred her from playing.

“I don’t really enjoy them because they require too much effort to do them and pay attention,” Tabler said.

In addition to the varying difficulties, the character development, lengthy plotlines and almost endless list of achievements and objectives within the games make it all too easy to spend countless hours with a controller in hand and in isolation from other people.

Valle, who has played since the moment he could hold a controller, knows this fact from his 25 years of experience.

“One of the things that always struck me was how much time you have to put into these games,” Valle said. “Unless it’s a phone game or something that’s designed so that just about anyone can play, chances are you have to spend countless hours to be good at it.”

With this necessary investment of time, Valle said that some players almost take on a protagonist role in the game.

Valle cited a line in William Shakespeare’s “As You Like It,” “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players,” (Act II, Scene VII).

However, not every game requires such dedication and time, and the group decided that the same amount of time and emotional investment given to gaming can be just as easily used watching movies and television or reading a book. As such, all four mediums offer nearly the same dangers of time consumption and isolation.

“When people talk about the negatives of gaming culture, perhaps it’s because games demand exorbitant amounts of time and can isolate individuals,” Valle said. “They do and certainly can, but, like so many other things, that’s not their original intent and certainly not the only way we can view and enjoy them.”

Once the group had settled on the negative aspects of gaming, Valle and many of the students agreed that this engaging form of entertainment is a unique experience. Video games offer players the chance to interact firsthand with others from across the globe through different online features, as well as the opportunity to connect in person with others who enjoy gaming. This allows players to develop relationships that can even turn into a form of outreach.

“When played and viewed responsibly, gaming is an ecosystem where we can see a distinctly modern approach to life that shows us how to understand how to connect with others, belong with them in communities (both in digital and real realms), and — for the Christian — ultimately model Christ,” Valle said.

“Rise of the Gaming Culture” offered students the chance to discuss this social issue with their peers. A similar “Grub and Gab” event focusing on climate change and celebrity culture in the church will also be held this school year, according to Dr. Kevin Rawls, the online department chair for the school of communication and creative arts.

“The Center for Cultural Studies seeks to provide opportunities for faculty and students to engage in relevant and interesting dialogue about cultural issues based on a biblical worldview,” Rawls said. “Students are most likely having these types of discussions among themselves. We just want to bring the conversations into the open so that we can grow and learn from each other as we navigate these issues.”

KLINKER is a feature reporter.

Siani Null snull@liberty.edu

Danielle Boothe and the rest of the women’s swimming and diving team have been swimming for years in the public LaHaye Aquatics Center nonregulation sized pool. Boothe, a junior at Liberty University, is excited about the prospect of being able to train in a new facility during her senior year.

Coming in August 2017, a new natatorium will be added to the list of upgrades Liberty’s campus has undergone. This addition will be a high-quality facility, providing greater opportunity for new and current activities as well as bringing more visitors to Liberty.

For Boothe, the upgraded pool will positively affect the women’s swim team.

“We’ll be able to train in a worldclass, 50-meter pool,” Boothe said.

“It will have a lot of natural lighting in it, which will bring a cheerful, happy mood verses the dark LaHaye pool.

It affects us a lot when we’re there 20 hours a week.”

Since the start of the women’s swimming and diving program seven years ago, the 25-person team has been training in this lackluster environment.

Despite this, The program is 34th in the nation and swimmers have gone to Division I NCAA Championships while practicing in this pool.

The future facility will be a complete turnaround. There will be a weight room, a “wet” classroom, a team room and men’s and women’s locker rooms.

Plans also include a juice bar, the latest air filtration systems and an endless pool for technique work.

Boothe said she is most anticipating the team room and locker rooms.

“It will be nice to have a space separated where we can relax and be to ourselves,” Booth said.

The pool itself will be 50 meters long and 25 yards wide, and is being

Michela Diddle | Liberty Champion

BUILD — The natatorium’s construction is anticipated to be completed in 2017. built under the Monogram on Liberty Mountain alongside the new indoor track facility. It will have the ability to hold 20 practice lanes and nine lanes for racing. The plans also include a separate diving well with springboards and a regulation platform diving tower.

Jake Shellenberger, women’s swimming and diving head coach, is looking forward to the future and the possibilities the new pool will bring to the swimming program.

“It will be the nicest college facility on the East Coast,” Shellenberger said.

“The best is yet to come.”

Some unique features of this facility include the bowl spectator seating and the curved roof which will maximize the noise of the crowd.

Shellenberger said the goal for Liberty women’s swimming and diving is to be a top-25 program nationally. In order to reach that goal, he needs to recruit top swimmers who often look for a university with an Olympic-sized pool.

“It will be a good recruiting tool and attract a lot of fast recruits that are

looking for a Christian atmosphere and good facilities,” Boothe said.

The new pool will not be useful only to for the swimming and diving team.

According to Shellenberger, the natatorium will be open to recreational swimmers, kinesiology classes, the triathlon club team and future men’s swimming and water polo club teams.

YMCAs and high schools will be able to rent out the pool for team practices, and high school swimming state championship meets will be held at this facility.

Liberty will draw the attention of many in and out of the swimming world, according to Shellenberger, because the pool will be a place teams will want to utilize. This improvement will draw many to Liberty’s campus.

“Big meets will be hosted here,” Shellenberger said. “Twenty thousand visitors are expected to come to Liberty yearly just for meets.”

NULL is a feature reporter.

Hope on a string

Jars of Hope helps raise awareness against trafficking

Jenna Solomon

GLITTER — The jars are sold as necklaces. whatever He wants to do,” Alexandra Ramey Tartini said. aramey3@liberty.edu Tartini then decided to paint the mason jars and For every jar of broken sell them on the Facebook and glittering pieces of glass page entitled, “Only Girls she sells, Jennifer Tartini, LU,” before she realized she junior global studies ma- could use the proceeds to jor at Liberty University, give to charity. spreads awareness and hope Tartini then proposed an for girls in human-traffick- idea that each month, she ing in nations all over the would sell the jars and the world through her non- proceeds would go towards profit organization. a different organization.

The idea for Jars of Hope Each month, the inside of came a week before the the jars hold a bit of informaFall 2015 semester when tion about that need, why the Tartini, her mother and need is there and what other sister were sitting together organizations were doing at a diner while Tartini re- on the front line to help, searched mason jars.

Tartini said.

“I basically told God that, Around 200 likes and 60 that summer, I’m ready for comments encouraged Tarwhatever He has for me and tini and supported her idea. completely available for Once October came

around, Tartini said she focused on creating jars to help those in human trafficking. Tartini said she and her friend Hannah Sherlacher came up with the idea for the pendant-sized glitter jars that are sold as necklaces, as well as anklets and bracelets, according to the Jars of Hope Instagram page. From there, Tartini and Sherlacher’s ideas kept growing.

“It actually expanded so much and grew so fast I had trouble keeping track of … what was happening,” Tartini said. “People were coming to my dorm at times when I wasn’t even there to buy necklaces.”

According to Tartini, the necklaces started as short jars hanging on the end of a strand of rope, and evolved to short and long jars hanging on the end of chains.

In February 2016, Tartini’s goal of raising at least $2,000 for different charity organizations was reached.

Jars of Hope donated $1,500 to a non-profit organization in New Jersey called Love True, Tartini said.

Jars of Hope gives money to organizations who Tartini has a web connection to or personally knows. Some of these organizations include Exodus Cry, The Exodus Road, Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.), Cherished, Freedom 4/24, Sheer Love International, and Street Ransom.

Tartini did not set any goals, yet the organization grew quickly. Despite not setting any initial goals, she did know that she wanted to donate jars to different safe homes.

“Operation Underground Railroad is moreso focused

on rescue and then they connect with the … safe home to donate to,” Tartini said.

“Some of these organizations are in the process of building their safe homes, and some people actually just go on the streets and talk to girls. … It just varies on whats their mission right now.”

Tartini recently received an approval to offer CSER credit for those wanting to be involved with the organization, and is wanting to expand Jars of Hope to local fairs and farmers markets, including the Fall Festival Oct. 28.

Tartini said she expects to see Jars of Hope grow into a worldwide business, and Tartini is in the process of getting the papers necessary to legalize the business. With all the big events coming up, she expects Jars of Hope to raise more than $10,000. Any organization that raises this amount or more must be a registered, legal business.

According to Tartini, it is easier for an organization to get into closed countries when it can call itself a business rather than a nonprofit. Tartini said she wants to hire girls who have been rescued from trafficking so that they can affect their own communities. “(I’m) expecting big things … but really just being open to whatever God has,” Tartini said.

For more information on how you can help Tartini fight human trafficking visit jarsofhope.love.

RAMEY is a feature reporter.

feature

Liberty Champion | October 25, 2016 | B7

Amber Tiller| Liberty Champion

NEVER BORED — Whitney Logan (left) and her husband Patrick currently host board game nights in the Toolry downtown on Thursdays, with an average turnout of 40 people.

Getting on board (games) Liberty alumni seek to open “Meeples,” Lynchburg’s first board game café Leah DePiero ldepiero@liberty.edu

For many people, board games are a fun party activity or a way to ease boredom on a rainy day.

But for Patrick and Whitney Logan, who graduated from Liberty in 2016, board games are more than just entertainment – they are a hobby. Both played what Patrick Logan calls “classic Hasbro and Parker Brothers games,” such as Monopoly and Apples to Apples growing up, but began to view board games as a hobby once they got to college and friends introduced them to more complex board games like Settlers of Catan and Dominion.

Last fall, Whitney Logan, a current Liberty grad school student, started talking with her husband Patrick Logan, who works at Liberty’s IT department, about opening Lynchburg’s first board game café which will be called Meeples.

“I had heard about (board game cafés) on the Internet, and I got a chance to visit some when I went to Europe,” Whitney Logan said.

HOUSE continued from B8 “Helping women heal so they can be empowered to help others is another focus of the conference,” Olson said.

McCarty said every time she tells her story, at least one woman approaches her and confesses her own similar experience. She hopes this conference will reach out to women who have dealt with sexual abuse by giving them hope and healing.

“Every time I speak, everywhere I go, there’s always one or more than come up and say ‘me too,’” McCarty said. “‘Me too,’ I was sexually abused. ‘Me too,’ I was trafficked and can’t talk about it.”

Brown said she wants this conference to be a space where women can be vulnerable about their struggles and experiences.

They realized that Lynchburg would be a prime location for a board game café due to the amount of college students and young professionals in a city without much activity in the evenings.

“Currently nearby there are both cafés and hobby shops that sell board games, but there are no board game cafés,” Patrick Logan said. “The way a board game café differs from a retail hobby shop is that it doesn’t focus on selling the games themselves, but instead on selling entertainment – providing an environment for people to enjoy each other’s company and a large library of games for people to try without needing to buy any of them.”

In addition to having board games to play, Meeples will sell food, tea and coffee, which Whitney hopes to source locally.

Those interested in going to Meeples will have the option to either pay to play or be able to play for free if they buy a certain amount of food and drink.

When open, Meeples will serve as more than a place where friends can go and buy a snack and coffee and play board, card or role-playing games. Whitney and Patrick Logan hope to have space for homeschool

“It doesn’t matter if you’re an 18-year-old freshman at Liberty, or an 18-year-old graduating from public school in the lower end of town,” Brown said. “Abuse is abuse. These women are addressing it, and they’re facing it headon. And so I applaud them for what they’re doing, and I’m just grateful that we can have a small role in helping this community right here.”

Olson, who is organizing the Broken & Beautiful Conference, is coordinating another conference on Oct. 28 that is geared towards professionals and students in the fields of social work and counseling.

Empowering Survivors of Domestic Sex Trafficking will provide in-depth training from both Allert and McCarty about working with victims.

“This is where they’re going to get into the nitty-gritty of what trauma care looks

co-ops, book clubs, script read-throughs, video game design groups or other creative endeavors to meet. They also hope to support the community and host charity events such as Extra Life.

“Our vision is to have a strong creative community space where creative groups can meet up to work on projects,” Whitney Logan said.

“Meeples is going to be a place for people to play games, get together, have fun, and push themselves and each other toward their goals,” Patrick Logan said, echoing Whitney Logan’s sentiment. “We want to host exciting events and competitions, create groups to help people pursue dreams like writing and game design, and provide a generally enjoyable atmosphere for families during the day and an older crowd later in the evening.”

Whitney Logan said she eventually would not mind emulating the environment of European board game cafés, which typically target those who play board games as a hobby. She wants Meeple’s atmosphere to be welcoming in order to introduce amateurs to gaming.

“I want this place to be people’s first thought of where to go hang out,” Whitney

Logan said.

The Logans are currently waiting for the funding to acquire a physical location, which they hope to receive by the end of the year.

To promote Meeples in the mean time, they host game nights on Thursdays at the Toolry in downtown Lynchburg. Whitney is pleased with the turnout for the game nights and said they have an average of 40 people each week. They are also hosting an event with Good Karma Tea and an Extra Life event for charity. Word about these events is spread mostly through word of mouth, according to Whitney Logan.

In the long-term, Patrick Logan says they would like to franchise. For now, the Logans are focused on getting Meeples established and on its feet with the hopes of introducing people from all walks of life to the joys of gaming.

DEPIERO is an opinion writer.

SAFE PLACE — The Abigail House is aiming to purchase a more permanent home in the near future. like,” Olson said. “This is geared towards professionals, but it’s also geared towards long-term students that want to eventually do this.”

This conference offers a student rate of $50,

and students who attend this event can attend the Broken & Beautiful Conference for free.

Olson said she is praying that the Broken & Beautiful Conference will inspire students to take action.

“I don’t think it’s about numbers — it’s about impact,” Olson said. “We really have been praying for whoever the Lord wants to come, whoever is going to be impacted to actually do something and take the in-

Photo Provided

formation and say, ‘I want to be part of the solution.’”

RAMEY is a feature reporter.

FEATURE

B8

October 25, 2016

Michela Diddle| Liberty Champion

CONCERT — Relient K played to a packed audience Oct. 20 at the Vines Center alongside Switchfoot on the “Looking for America” tour. Both bands released new albums in July of this year.

Looking for America Nationally-known bands Switchfoot and Relient K play at the Vines Center Nathaniel Fraticelli nlfraticelli@liberty.edu

Liberty University’s Vines Center played host to alternative rock groups Switchfoot and Relient K Thursday night for the Lynchburg leg of the “Looking for America” tour Oct. 20.

“So we’ve been on this tour, ‘Looking for America,’ and it feels like America’s kind of looking for itself right now,” Switchfoot frontman Jon Foreman said. “I love my country, but my hope is not in the United States of America. My hope is without borders. My hope cannot be shot down. My hope is in my maker himself.”

Switchfoot and Relient K kicked off the tour Sept. 17 in Houston, Texas. The tour brought them to two locations in Virginia, the first being Lynchburg, and the second in Richmond Saturday night.

The tour follows Relient K’s eighth studio album release, “Air for Free,” and Switchfoot’s 10th studio album release “Where the Light Shines Through.” Both were released July of this year.

“We just came out with a record called ‘Where the Light Shines Through,’” Foreman said. “The way I see it is, we’ve all got wounds, and the full title is ‘The Wound is Where the Light Shines Through.’”

Foreman spoke to the audience of students and fans about themes that are included on the album such as pain and suffering.

“We live in a generation that does not want suffering, which is obvious,” Foreman said.

“Who wants to suffer? But in reality, most of the things I’ve learned have come through the hard times, and every single one of these songs was usually written with a little bit of pain involved, or a lot of pain involved.”

Foreman expanded on his message by recounting his flight from a wildfire in San Diego several months ago that nearly burned the band member’s studio and home to the ground.

“You realize how much you worked for these physical objects that mean nothing,” Foreman said. “Throwing what I could grab from my house in five minutes into the car and driving away with the people I love the most made me realize I didn’t need any of that stuff.”

At one point during the concert, Foreman jumped off the stage to join the crowd.

He walked through crowds of people on the Vines Center floor, hugging and taking selfies with fans.

“The first time I saw (Switchfoot) in concert was at CFAW … like four years ago,” Junior Zack Lazo said. “Switchfoot literally lives the dream. They surf when they’re not

Michela Diddle| Liberty Champion

ROCK OUT — Jon Foreman encouraged students to put their hope in God and be brave. on tour and then they go on tour as rock stars.

If you want to aspire to be anything in life, try to be like Switchfoot—men of faith and awesome rock stars.”

Switchfoot and Relient K will be continuing their tour of the U.S. through early December. They will continue to deliver their music and message to the country and to the fans who find themselves facing the fire, reminding them that there’s always a light that will shine through.

“Nobody wants to walk through the fire — the dangerous parts of our lives, the parts that burn us,” Foreman said. “If you’re in the middle of the fire — if you’re in the middle of the storm — don’t walk away from the things that scare you. Walk forward. Be brave. The light’s going to shine through.”

FRATICELLI is a feature reporter.

Safe house saving lives Abigail House aims to offer victims of sex trafficking long-term shelter and care Alexandra Ramey aramey3@liberty.edu

As co-founder of the Lighthouse Community Center, Martha Brown already knew what it was like to serve those who are trapped in the darkest corners of society.

About two years ago, the Lighthouse Community Center, a nonprofit organization that serves the physical and spiritual needs of those in downtown Lynchburg, was contacted by another ministry asking if it had shelter for victims of sex trafficking. At the time, the Lighthouse did not have a ministry specifically for these victims, Brown said.

“It ended up convicting me,” Brown said. “I wondered, is there a need for shelter for women in rescue outside of the domestic violence shelter and a regular women’s shelter? Is there really a situation happening where we’ve got sexually trafficked women here?”

Out of that conviction sprung the Abigail House, a ministry founded

by Brown to support young women who are survivors of sex trafficking.

The Abigail House opened in spring of 2015 as a temporary shelter for women in these situations. Brown, along with professional counselor Josie Olson, plan to expand the Abigail House into a safe house that can provide long-term shelter and therapy to trafficking victims.

“We aren’t currently operational,” Olson said. “There (are) different layers of services, and we’re currently focused on awareness and education and prevention more than the residential that will come later as funding allows.”

In order to raise funds and promote awareness of the ministry, the Abigail House is hosting the Broken & Beautiful Conference on Oct. 29.

The event, which will be held from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Tree of Life Ministries, is open to women from all walks of life who are interested in becoming involved in the fight against sex trafficking. The cost of admission is $25, and women can register for the conference online at www.abigail-house.org.

The Broken & Beautiful Conference will feature two guest speak-

ers: Jeanne Allert and Tajuan McCarty. Allert is the founder of The Samaritan Women, an anti-trafficking organization and safe house in Baltimore, Maryland. McCarty is the founder of The WellHouse, a safe house in Birmingham, Alabama.

At the conference, McCarty hopes to educate women about the realities of trafficking.

“People have a misconception about trafficking,” McCarty said.

“They tend to look at it as the movie “Taken,” which is about 1 percent of what it is. They Photo Provided don’t understand that HELP — Abigail House offers temporary shelter for trafficked women. prostitution, strip clubs and pornography are all to volunteer by serving the victims it.’ I’m not sure if it’s craziness trafficking. What God has given me themselves. or courage.” the ability to do is put a face to what “If we don’t do hands-on serThe goal of the Broken & Beautiactually happens.” vice, I think we’re really missing ful Conference is not limited to edAs a survivor of sex trafficking the point,” McCarty said. “The ucating women about the issue of herself, she believes that those Lighthouse, Abigail House and sex trafficking. who want to become involved in Martha and Josie have all stepped the battle against trafficking need up to the plate and said ‘I’ll do See HOUSE, B7