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LIBERTYCHAMPION.COM | TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 2018 | LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
Saturday of service Students aid community Bethany Kocik bekocik@liberty.edu
More than 2,000 Liberty students, faculty, staff and alumni took to the city of Lynchburg Friday, April 20, and Saturday, April 21, to serve alongside over 80 local organizations, share the love of Christ and support their community at Serve Lynchburg. “Christ’s love and his example was of humility — he was the greatest example of humility and sacrifice when he died for us,” Jessica Yoder, one of four group leaders serving at the Lynchburg Humane Society, said. “And so, carrying that (example) out means we sacrifice our time, our energy and our talents and show Christ’s love by putting these out into the community.” This year’s Serve Lynchburg was the second annual event of
its kind. An additional serve day was added on Friday this year to allow for a bigger impact on the community as well as to allow students and professors to work side by side. According to Chad Nelson, director of LU Serve — Local & Domestic Engagement, Serve Lynchburg is more than just a one-day event for students to help their community. The event is a starting place for students to learn their role in the Lynchburg community. “For Serve Lynchburg, it really serves as a catalyst for students,” Nelson said, “It is this one-day massive service initiative, but the idea is to get to know these organizations that we are helping out and see how you might want to help them out on a repetitive basis.” See SERVE A2
Deanna Drogan | Liberty Champion ACTION — Students took to the city to work on a variety of projects in the second annual Serve Lynchburg event.
Representing the Republicans
WHAT’S
NEWS
Liberty hosts debate with nominees to run for open Senate seat Ryan Klinker rmklinker@liberty.edu
While Democrat Tim Kaine will be running as an incumbent for the Virginia U.S. Senate seat, three Republicans
are chasing the position as the Republican nominee for Virginia’s open Senate seat. Those candidates took the stage of Liberty University’s Center for Music and the Worship Arts
concert hall Thursday, April 19 to debate topics such as the federal budget, foreign policy and immigration. The first of the candidates to be introduced was E.W. Jackson, bishop of The Called Church in Chesapeake, Virginia. In 2013, Jackson was the GOP candidate for lieutenant governor, marking the first African-American Republican nominee for a statewide position in Virginia in a quarter of a century. Next was Nick Freitas, a former Green Beret
Max Loth | Liberty Champion SENATE — Liberty hosted three Republican candidates.
who served two tours in Iraq and currently represents Culpeper County, Virginia, in the House of Delegates. Freitas has been considered to be more of a Libertarian, and he has the endorsement of Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, a notable “small government” Republican. Prince William County Board chairman Corey Stewart was the final candidate to appear. His aggressive campaign has been a major plot point thus far. Stewart failed to become the GOP nominee for governor last year
during the gubernatorial primaries, and prior to that he served as a leader in President Donald Trump’s campaign in Virginia. With Liberty’s Executive Director of External Communications Len Stevens and WSET’s Mark Spain moderating, the debate began with a discussion on the recently signed budget bill. All three condemned the action, citing both political parties as being responsible.
See SENATE A6
Unpresidented Counciling Page and Rockey win SGA election Kyra Thompson kthmpson36@liberty.edu
In a record breaking election, Jacob Page and running partner, Derek Rockey won the Liberty University Student Body Presidential election April 20 with more than 3,000 votes. Between the three tickets, students broke the previous record for total number of votes in an SGA student body election, with 6,196 votes for the 2018-2019 race. During the 2017 student body election, 4,006 votes were cast, according to SGA Head Election Commissioner Luke Broadway. The other campaigns, Caleb Fitzpatrick and Esther Lusenge received
2,681, and AJ Strom and Chris Porter garnered 277. After hearing the results, Page and Rockey were shocked at their win, and Rockey remarked on how running for student body vice president was an unexpected journey he never thought he would take. “I just can’t,” Rockey
said. “I literally can’t. I don’t even know what is going on, and I don’t get it at all. Honestly, we are so unworthy. When I first stepped on campus, there was no chance. I didn’t even know what SGA was, and now like — there is a God.” See SGA A7
Valerie Pors| Liberty Champion RISE AND SHINE — Page and Rockey won with 3,197 votes.
the people
Seven candidates run in Lynchburg election Jack Panyard jepanyard@liberty.edu
Lynchburg is seeking counsel as the elections for the new city representatives on Lynchburg City Council will be held May 1, inducting three new members for a fouryear term on the sevenperson board. The Lynchburg City Council makes decisions that affect the city’s budget, environment and building projects, among other things. The adage that
“every vote counts” is especially pertinent in Lynchburg, as 32 votes determined a council member in 2008, and one vote decided the 94th house district in 2017 where the winner was chosen by a drawing. Since the campaign cutoff March 6, there are seven candidates running who are addressing different issues that face Lynchburg residents.
Center for Engineering and Research receives GO Virginia state grant A6 for $300,000.
Opinion
Remembering former First Lady Barbara Bush and the legacy she left in A5 the White House.
Sports
Lady Flames Softball sweeps Charleston Southern in a threeB1 game series.
Liberty University Flames men’s golf captured its fifth Big South Men’s Golf Championship title since 2011 by 19 strokes on Sunday, April 22. Their victory allowed the Flames to advance to the 2018 NCAA Regional Play. Liberty’s School of Communication & Digital Content was honored at the Broadcast Education Association Festival of the Media Arts in Las Vegas April 7-10. Awards included “Best of Festival” and “Best of Competition” for faculty’s work in the Liberty-produced radio drama “The Encounter.” The Champion recieved four awards from the Virginia Press Association including first place for cloumn writing and first place for headline writing., and six from the Baptist Communicators Association, including second place for all around newspaper. Liberty international student Tram Nguyen paired her passion for psychology with her burden for sex trafficking victims to craft her honors thesis on the differences in perception of sex trafficking victims in the United States and her home country, Vietnam. Nguyen presented her research at both BigSURS and Research Week at Liberty University and won first and second place, respectively.
See COUNCIL A8
INSIDE THE CHAMPION
News
@ LIBERTY
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Profile on LU Shepherd Doug Damon overcoming personal hardship.
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Ramping up efficiency
On-ramp for Route 460 by East Campus under construction until August 2019 Rachel Van Tuyl rvantuyl@liberty.edu
New on- and off-ramps are being built to create another connector to Liberty University’s East Campus from Route 460. The on-ramp will shift about 50 feet north of its current location off of Liberty Mountain Drive across from David’s Place, and the new off-ramp will be a mirror image of the on-ramp. A traffic circle will connect the two ramps to Liberty Mountain Drive. Todd Carroll, Liberty’s corporate civil engineer, said that when the current on-ramp is moved, they will also raise the ramp’s grade slightly for the traffic circle. “By raising the grade, the vertical curve of the on-ramp will be raised and become a better situation,” Carroll said. While the current on-ramp has been closed for the construction, Carroll said that the construction should not have an impact on Liberty Mountain Drive traffic. The project is expected to be completed August 2019. The need for an on-ramp was discovered several years ago. Carroll said that often when Liberty wants to upgrade something, the university must first conduct a traffic study. The engineering firm SERVE continued from A1 Another new facet to this year’s event, according to Nelson, was a sister event held in Washington D.C. known as DC Serve — an event aimed at allowing both alumni and students attending the Washington Fellowship to serve their communities. Yoder believes that Serve Lynchburg is a good opportunity to get outside of campus and become a
that did this study showed Liberty several options that would ease traffic as the university and city continue to grow over the next few decades. Carroll said the project has not been without its challenges. “This has been an interesting project in that we’re dealing with the local governments and that we’re making sure we have all the i’s dotted and the t’s crossed,” Carroll said. “We’re dealing with (the Virginia Department of Traffic), we’re dealing with Campbell County and we’re dealing with the city of Lynchburg on one project. It’s not a bad situation, but sometimes there are delays.” However, Carroll said the project has been rewarding overall. “It’s really nice to see that we’re going to make the traffic situation better and safer,” Carroll said. “I lived overseas for a while, and I love traffic circles. I think they’re a great thing and help traffic move safely and efficiently.” Some other roads on campus will also be upgraded in the project. Previous upgrades to Liberty Mountain Drive, Phase 1 and Phase 2, involved roads to Liberty’s natatorium. Phase 3 will continue Liberty Mountain Drive to the Odd Fellows Road interchange that the city of Lynchburg is build-
ing across Route 460. According to Carroll, Liberty does not have any monetary involvement with the Odd Fellows Road interchange. Carroll said this is a positive change for the community. “Campbell County residents, Lynchburg residents and students will certainly gain an advantage by being able to use the Odd Fellows interchange and then come down to the pool or the track,” Carroll said. The project to ease traffic congestion around Liberty is being paid for through a revenue-sharing
part of the Lynchburg community. “I think it’s important, because I don’t ever want us to get into the mindset that we’re just here in this Liberty bubble to only grow within the university,” Yoder said. “I think its great that we have the opportunity to do that, but I think its important that we grow where we are planted and so we impact the community, and I think Serve Lynchburg is such a great opportunity to do that.”
This year was Yoder’s second year being involved in Serve Lynchburg. As a resident shepherd on campus, Yoder heard about the opportunity to be a leader with Serve Lynchburg and seized the opportunity to help the Lynchburg community. “I think serve Lynchburg opens students minds to the fact that we are a community, (and) Lynchburg is not just Liberty,” Yoder said. “Lynchburg is its own city … and
partnership between Liberty and the state and local governments. Liberty is covering half of the cost, while the governments are covering the other half and managing the project. “As part of that deal, Liberty provides the design for the road that we want to utilize on that side of the highway,” Carroll said. Because the roads will not be in the campus proper, Carroll said the roads will be maintained by the VDOT, Campbell County or the city of Lynchburg. Carroll said this is beneficial to Liberty because in
the long run, the maintenance of the roads over 30 or 40 years can often be more expensive than the initial cost of building them. “It’s a win for the city, and it’s also a win for the county as well,” Carroll said. “They get a new road that serves the community, not just Liberty.”
VAN TUYL is a news reporter.
Mary Obringer | Liberty Champion CONSTRUCTION — Drivers coming from Liberty Mountain Drive have to take a detour to get on Route 460. there are people here that really need help, (as well as) many organizations and businesses, and I don’t think we realize the impact we can make if we get out of our comfort zone and get involved.” Nelson believes that Serve Lynchburg is a confirmation to the community of Lynchburg that Liberty is a part of the community too. “Liberty exists inside this larger framework called Lynchburg
and the greater Lynchburg area,” Nelson said. “Serve Lynchburg is recognition that there is a lot to the surrounding area that transcends Liberty, in a sense. (There are) various needs and initiatives going on and Serve Lynchburg says that we recognize those, and we want to support those.”
KOCIK is a news reporter.
Deanna Drogan | Liberty Champion HELPING HANDS — Students at Serve Lynchburg worked at various service sites in the Lynchburg area, helping local nonprofits and assisting with tornado relief.
CAMPUS CALENDAR 04/24 - Samantha Vazquez featuring ANX 8:00 p.m. | LaHaye Event Space 04/25 - Asian Open House - International Event 12:00 p.m. | DeMoss Hall Grand Lobby 04/26 - Pinterest Night with Commuter Student Life 6:00 p.m. | Green Hall Graduate & Commuter Student Life Center 04/27 - Spark! Tank 6:30 p.m. | Montview Student Union - Argo Teahouse 04/27 - Colony House 8:00 p.m. | LaHaye Event Space 04/28 - Paint-ting in Paradise 7:00 p.m. | DeMoss Hall 3020 04/29 - Theater Performance - Big Fish 3:00 p.m. | Tower Theater COLOR KEY:
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Liberty Champion | April 24, 2018 | A3
At Liberty to debate liberties Young Americans for Liberty hosts discussion panel on social reform discriminate against their clients. “If you tell someone that they cannot discriminate, that opens Liberty University’s chapter of up a really big can of worms,” John Young Americans for Liberty host- Reid, the Republican representaed a civil liberties debate Thurs- tive and avid blogger in the debate, day, April 19, where members of said. “Freedom of association is an the Republican, Democratic and imperative for Democrats, LiberLibertarian parties gathered to tarians and Republicans.” discuss pressing issues in social Libertarian representative Eli reform. McGowan shared a similar view Party repon discrimiresentatives Christianity is not one nation and debated a freedom of party. If we limit our association. series of five topics that thinking, we are going “Libertarrepresent the ians believe to limit our ministry. that you have most contested issues — McKinley Cardwell a fundamenin today’s tal, human political right to freeclimate. dom of assoTori Mabry, a Liberty senior ciation, and that you don’t have to who attends College Republicans associate with anyone … you don’t at Liberty University meetings, want to,” McGowan said. came to the debate to hear the LibMcKinley Cardwell, the Demoertarian and Democratic perspec- cratic representative, refused to tives on the topics. take a definitive side on the is“Often, we hear debates from sue due to its complexity. He also politicians, but we never hear ac- shared that it is up to the American tual student debates,” Mabry said. people to address issues of modern “Not everyone is a conservative, day discrimination. so to see the diversity of thoughts “I think that right now, it is and opinions I think will be a slippery slope to really pick a interesting.” side on this issue,” Cardwell said. Aaron Sobczak, president of “When it comes to something this College Libertarians at Liberty small, I think it is the job of the meUniversity, came in hopes that dia and the job of the people to go students would learn which party against that tide.” their opinions most reflect. Drug policy was another issue “I hope that we’ll get a great debated Thursday night. Each debate, and I hope that people party representative was asked to will more properly understand state their opinion on the war on where their beliefs come from drugs as well as lay out a definitive and what party they align with,” drug policy. Sobczak said. Libertarians hold that current After a short round of introduc- drug policy is infringing on the tions, the debate kicked off with its rights of citizens and exploiting first topic — discrimination. Panel- minorities. ist were asked if they believe that “It’s bolstering our gigantic businesses should have the right to prison system,” McGowan said. Will Evans wjevans@liberty.edu
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“It’s also unfairly impacting urban areas and minorities who make up the majority of drug arrest.” Cardwell’s opinion on the war on drugs was similar to McGowan’s, as he criticized the justice system for subjugating minority communities. “When it comes to the war on drugs, (the justice system) is a terrible institution that has ripped and stripped the lives of many people,” Cardwell said. “We can’t keep on throwing (African Americans) into prison because they were using (drugs) in the ghetto.” Reid believed that drug policy should vary based on the drug, saying that the penalty for marijuana usage should be a citation, not jail time. “They say ‘Let people have their autonomy, let people have their independence’ – I get it in prin-
ciple,” Reid said. “But at the same time, there is an interest in protecting the people.” The final topic of the night was immigration. Libertarians were in favor of scrapping the idea altogether, arguing that immigration is a benefit to our economy and that we should welcome anyone willing to make the sacrifice of immigrating to the United States. “Our economy grows during times of immigration,” McGowan said. “Anyone who is willing to leave their old life behind them, and come to America … we should be proud and honored that they are willing to spend their future with us,” Republicans and Democrats were both in favor of immigration reform, believing that our current system is broken and needs fixing.
“It’s very easy to say ‘come here legally,’” Reid said. “But if you don’t provide an opportunity for them to do that, then why are we saying it?” Reid and Cardwell agreed that a system creating an easier and more efficient path to citizenship is necessary if we are to continue the demand of legal immigration. After the debate, the panelists gave a few closing statements and then enjoyed some complimentary pizza with students. “Christianity is not one party,” Cardwell said. “If we limit our thinking, we are going to limit our ministry. We have to see Christianity as an unboxed place.”
EVANS is a news reporter.
Christianne Gormley | Liberty Champion IT’S DEBATABLE — Eli McGowan, McKinley Cardwell and John Wesley Reid discussed hot political topics.
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OPINION Let Google do it A4
Potential benefits of company's drone development John Vence jtvence@liberty.edu
Google recently unrolled a new advertising campaign across New York City, emblazoning subway station walls with minimalist posters, many suggesting that we should just “Let Google do it.” But while the newest tagline of the tech titan has been slowly swallowing the Big Apple, it’s the company’s much older motto that’s making headlines. “Don’t be evil.” An open letter from employees published April 6 in the New York Times asked CEO Sundar Pichai to pull Google’s hand from “Project Maven,” a collaborative endeavor with the Department of Defense focused on creating technology to analyze drone footage. The letter, signed by over 3,000, further requests that Pichai instate “a clear policy stating that neither Google nor its contractors will ever build warfare technology.” The antiwar sentiment is agreeable, but ultimately idealistic. The 3.5 percent of Google’s employees are singing “Give Peace a Chance” too loudly to realize their employer’s role in warfare tech is not only good, but necessary. To clarify, the artificial intelligence that Google has been creating since Project Maven was established April 2017 is non-offensive. Living up to the name of the venture (Maven is Yiddish for “accumulator of knowledge”), the technology will simply gather information in seconds, replacing the abysmally tedious job of reviewing hours of footage while risking human error. Could it lead to human death? Absolutely. Targets will be identified and subsequently eliminated. But by identifying innocent people, lives will be saved as well. Watchdog project Airwars recorded up to 6,000 Iraqi and Syrian civilian deaths in 2017 alone — all of them caused by
airstrikes, many involving drones. Refined technology might ensure we never see those numbers again. That doesn’t exactly sound evil. Would those protesting Googlers hold the same convictions toward Alan Turing and his invaluable help in World War II? Considered to be the father of artificial intelligence, Turing used AI in 1943 to decrypt German transmissions and ultimately help the Allies defeat the Nazis. Turing expert Jack Copeland, a University of Canterbury philosophy professor, posited in BBC that Turing’s collaboration with the military possibly shortened the war by at least two years, saving over 14 million lives. Computer technology has colossally evolved over the 75 years between then and now, but the motivation driving the need for minds like Turing and at Google has remained the same: combating the opponent’s advancing technology. The Department of Defense stated itself in an April 2017 letter that they must “integrate artificial intelligence and machine learning more to maintain advantages over increasingly ca-
pable adversaries and competitors.” China announced last summer its intention to become the head leader in artificial intelligence by 2030, according to ScienceMag. That goal doesn’t just stop with Chinese people paying via facial scanning (they can) or a robot passing the National Medical Licensing Exam (it did), but bleeds heavily into military projects. According to the Center for a New American Security, China is financially backing the development of artificial intelligence in autonomous weaponry and decisions made in the battlefield. Countries like China are investing in AI to change the face of warfare in the twenty-first century. When a recent AP-NORC poll is indicating that nearly half of Americans expect relations with China to worsen, we need to ensure that we have the best technology to defend ourselves if needed. The Department of Defense can’t do that without Silicon Valley. So, let Google do it. VENCE is an opinion writer.
Google Images
WEAPONS — In response to the letter from Google employees, Google has asserted that its role in the drone development is strictly “non-offensive” in nature.
To be a princess How Princess Week can help inspire girls in a #MeToo world Christianne Gormley cgormley1@liberty.edu
National retail chain Target, in collaboration with the Walt Disney Company and actress Julie Andrews, will host National Princess Week April 2228 — a week-long event for children to celebrate their inner princess through Disney’s Princess Line of movies, books, apparel and toys. With movements such as the #MeToo movement and the Time’s Up movement promoting women to speak up, National Princess Week can serve as a foundation that teaches young girls to speak up, embrace their worth, feel empowered by our modern-day princesses and Disney’s female characters and discover the many possibilities of what they can be when they grow up. According to the #MeToo website, the movement was established in 2006 by Tarana Burke to help survivors of sexual violence, particularly young
women, find pathways to healing and let other survivors know that they are not alone. National Princess Week coincides with the #MeToo movement because the event promotes ways for young girls to empower one another by using their voices to share the true meaning of being a modern-day princess. Andrews mentioned in her article “15 Tips to Be a Modern-Day Princess” for the Target Corporation that National Princess Week is more than the dresses and the tea parties. This event introduces children to practice humanitarian work by being charitable and encouraging them to volunteer at their favorite charities. Perfect examples of the modern-day princesses that have contributed their time in different countries doing humanitarian work are Princess Diana, Kate Middleton and upcoming Princess Meghan Markle, who was also vocal during the #MeToo movement.
In February, Markle spoke in her first Royal Foundation Forum. Markle said #MeToo should not be about women finding their voices but about empowering them to use it and that people should be urged to listen. In “Teatime with Julie Andrews” featured on Target’s website, Andrews said National Princess Week is a time for children to create muscle memory that encourages children to also expand their minds with possibilities of what they can be. Andrews, having portrayed numerous Disney characters herself, broke the traditional female character stereotypes through her portrayal of characters such as Mary Poppins and Queen Clarice Rinaldi in “The Princess Diaries.” As female characters in Disney movies have developed over the years, the common theme of Disney princess movies was that true love comes from loving what is on the inside — character. And in the process of Disney princesses and heroines such as Mulan, Belle, Moana and Jasmine finding themselves, they used their voices to defeat the norms, speak out and act upon what they knew they were called to do – much of what we as women in our nation are doing right now. Though many men and women in our nation are publically announcing their stories and helping our nation progress, there is still much to be done. National Princess Week is the week to let our girls know that we hear and care for them, to teach them to believe in themselves, to pursue the endless possibilities of what they can be and to give them the opportunity to not only look and act like a princess, but also feel like a princess.
Google Images
DREAMS — Disney’s “Dream Big, Princess” ad campaign highlights the strengths and unique aspects of the characters in the hopes of insipring young girls.
GORMLEY is an opinion writer.
April 24, 2018
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Will Young weyoung@liberty.edu
Like all people my age, I was not alive while former President George H.W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush were in the White House. And if I am going to be completely honest, it was not until recently when I read the various obituaries of the late Barbara YOUNG Bush that I really understood the impact she had in advocating for a more literate America. As someone who was taught not only how to read, but how to love to read at a young age in the public education system, it is possible that I reaped the benefits of Barbara Bush’s professional work without realizing it. In honor of the legacy of Barbara Bush, then, I have listed off the five books that have had the most impact on me in the past year in hopes that you, too, could fall in love with them. 1. H is for Hawk Helen MacDonald’s 2015 memoir follows her story of taking in and caring for a domineering yet stoic goshawk; it is a beautifully written narrative about using affection to overcome the fierce pains of heartbreak. After her father’s death, MacDonald, a falconer, finds emotional refuge in the bird of prey, which she trains over years to respond to her whistle and obey her commands. Throughout the read, I could not help but feel overwhelmed by MacDonald’s raw, honest emotion that she conveys throughout the book. Reading how MacDonald learned to live and love without her father, I came away with a greater understanding of the power of empathy and compassion. 2. There Are No Children Here A non-fiction account of life in the inner-city during the late 1980s, “There Are No Children Here” paints a gruesome picture of fervent street violence and pervasive racism. The author, Alex Kotlowitz, follows two young boys who grew up in deep poverty in the Henry Horner Homes on the west side of Chicago. In its entirety, the book is hard to read. Katlowitz’s stories are horrid; kids are coerced into joining gangs; the justice system is broken; the implications are incomprehensible. After finishing it, I do not believe it is possible for me to underestimate the hardships of the inner city. 3. The Bookseller of Kabul Norwegian journalist Asne Seierstand mixes in her historical account of the establishment of democracy in Afghanistan with a sobering and eye-opening story of misogyny and male dominance in the middle east weeks after the 9/11 attacks. Seierstand, disguising herself by wearing a burka, is able to live with a bookseller’s family in Kabul, Afghanistan, to document day-to-day life in the town. Other than being just a compelling narrative of life in a culture I am unfamiliar with, Sierestand’s book showcased the similarities in human emotion and societal power systems that are seemingly common in every culture. 4. Sully I’m going to be completely honest — I have not watched the Tom Hanks dramatization of U.S. Airways Pilot Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger. The book, though, was the first one I picked up at the store because it was on sale at Target, and I was intrigued. Along with giving readers an inside look into the much-publicized story of Sully ditching his commercial plane into New York’s Hudson River — saving the lives of everyone on board — it also tells the not-as-publicized story of the pilot’s haunted state after the incident. Sully later has dreams of the same plane crashing into a building; he cannot stop reliving the moment the plane crashed into the Hudson. For the rest of his life, Sully displays anxiety and a lack of confidence in his decisions; for me, it was a powerful revelation that there is so much underneath every story of triumph. 5. My Father & Atticus Finch Those who know me well know that “To Kill a Mockingbird” is one of my favorite novels. “My Father & Atticus Finch” is the true story of attorney Foster Beck’s defense of an African-American man in court in the 1930s that foreshadowed the court scene set up in Lee’s novel. Though Lee stated before her death that her novel was not based on any story she heard before, the similarities between Beck’s story and Lee’s are undebatable. The book showed how the pervasive racism seen in Lee’s fictionalized justice system was very real during the time period. I walked away from the book feeling encouraged by Beck’s recreation of his father’s courageous and righteous stand for racial justice . YOUNG is the editor-in-chief.
opinion
Liberty Champion | April 24, 2018 | A5
Letter to the Editor
Praying for parking The positive impact of building a parking garage on East Campus Macy Hrncir mhrncir@liberty.edu
Any person who steps onto the campus of Liberty University can see evidence of Liberty’s rapid expansion. Construction projects are spread across the grounds, and cranes decorate the skyline. The loud beeping, whirring and clanging of construction machines has become the natural ambience of the Liberty experience. Most students grin and bear the inconveniences of constant expansion by telling themselves, “Well, at least this means that Liberty is growing a lot. That’s a good thing, right?” I typically find it interesting to see the ways that the campus has grown and morphed since I entered the grounds as a brighteyed freshman. However, my interest in the growing campus quickly turns into aggravation and disdain whenever I try to find a parking spot. The parking situation on campus is dismal. Have you ever tried to park in the LaHaye Parking Lot at Green Hall around dinner time? These days, I don’t even try. I’ve lived on East Campus during my time here at Liberty. Particularly in the Square, finding good parking is a challenge, so you can imagine my excitement when I heard that there may be plans to build a new parking garage on East Campus. “On the updated map, a ‘future
arena’ and ‘future parking garage’ sit on the site of the current Doc’s diner and its parking lot. The area is on East Campus, near several residence halls and across U.S. 460 from the campus bookstore,” the News & Advance said in an article about Liberty expansion. I remember pulling into the Square one sunny morning and looking for a parking spot. There was not a spot in sight, but as I approached my dorm, I noticed one glorious, empty spot located directly in front of my dorm. I was so happy. Maybe I wouldn’t have to walk from far away after all. I approached the parking spot, ready to pull in when out of nowhere a car raced around the corner. The tires of the car screeched as it swerved into my golden spot, and skidded to a stop. My mouth dropped open in disbelief at the time, but this is now the general behavior I have come to expect when I have to search for a parking spot. Good, convenient ones are limited; the demand is high. With the addition of a parking garage on East Campus, there would be a lot more parking spots to go around. Additionally, the parking garage would offer the most benefit for commuter students. According to Liberty’s website, 46.1 percent of students are commuters. This new parking garage would hopefully offer them a cheaper option for parking that is
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see the beautiful sunsets Liberty is blessed to experience. It would be hard to put a parking garage anywhere else on the east side of campus without ruining the view that the students have come to love so much. By planning to put the garage on top of an al-
Max Loth | Liberty Champion PARKING IS COMING — The proposed new parking garage would be located on East Campus near the current site of Doc’s Diner.
would be the best location to put another parking garage, at least on the east side of campus. The charm of East Campus comes from its location. It is nestled on the side of Liberty Mountain where there is an abundance of nature that makes the East Campus experience relaxing. My screen saver on my computer is still the view from my quad last year. From our window, we had a perfect view of the entire campus, and every evening, we were able to
ready existing parking lot, the atmosphere of East Campus will not be further compromised by construction projects. I would not be opposed to plans to erect yet another parking garage somewhere on campus in the near future, but with these current plans, Liberty is making a good step forward in making sure that the growing student population will have somewhere to park in years to come. HRNCIR is an opinion writer.
On behalf of the Alzheimer’s Association, I would like to thank the Liberty Flames baseball team, Tyler McNamara and his staff for hosting the Alzheimer’s Association for Alzheimer’s Awareness night April 3. We are grateful to the Flames baseball team’s support in helping us raise both awareness and funds for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. A special shout out goes to Liberty University graduates Vickie and Brian Runk, owners of Runk & Pratt Senior Living Communities. The 2017 Runk & Pratt team raised over $33,000 for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, and Vicki Runk threw the first pitch for Alzheimer’s Awareness night. Currently, over 5.5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, and it is the sixth leading cause of death among Americans. The Alzheimer’s Association is the trusted resource for reliable information, education, referral and support to the millions of people affected by the disease, their families and caregivers, and healthcare professionals. To learn more about Alzheimer’s visit alz.org, or to donate to the Liberty Flames Baseball Walk Team, go to lynchburgwalk.org Jane H. Massie is the Alzheimer’s Association Development Manager.
Legacy of literacy
THANK YOU When an EF3 tornado touched down in Lynchburg Sunday, April 15, members of the community immediately rallied together to support one another. In the days after the tornado, Facebook was filled with posts on the community’s response to the crisis. Several Liberty group pages featured posts from people offering their homes to tornado victims as places of refuge or simply as places to take a shower and have a hot meal. Thank you to all of you who opened your homes to help your neighbors. From opening temporary shelters at Thomas Road Baptist Church and the Residential Annex to volunteers going out to aide with the cleanup, Liberty students and faculty showed
closer to the Main Campus area. As the campus grows, more parking is needed, but one of the toughest decisions is where to fit more parking spaces into the tightly gridlocked composition of campus. In my opinion, the current Doc’s Diner parking lot
Barbara Bush’s lasting impact on family and education
their servant hearts by reaching out and helping the Lynchburg community. From the LU Send Now teams to the Serve Lynchburg event April 20-21, many students took time away from preparing for finals exams and projects to help members of the community. To all the students and faculty who helped with the clean-up from the storm, thank you. With the destruction of the tornado came so many stories of kindness and service, as those who were spared reached out to those who were not. Thank you to everyone who sought to help others recover from the storm. No matter how big or small, your actions helped show the Lynchburg community what it means to be a Champion for Christ.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child or a parent.
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BARBARA BUSH D U R I NG H ER 1 9 9 0 W EL L ES L E Y COLL EGE CO M M EN CEM EN T A D D R ESS
Elizabeth Lapp elapp@liberty.edu
Mother, grandmother, greatgrandmother, first lady and literacy activist. These are a few of the roles that former First Lady Barbara Bush held during her 92 years of life, and they are each an instrumental part of who she was. When Bush was campaigning with her husband, George H. W. Bush, for the 1988 presidential election, she presented herself as a quintessential American mother, grandmother and wife. Throughout the campaigns and her husband’s time in office, Barbara Bush highlighted family values and her role of running the household. Her matronly persona endeared her to the American public, so much so that a Gallup Poll found that 69 percent of Americans viewed her favorably just four months before her husband lost the election. While this “every woman” persona influenced future first ladies, it was her focus on promoting family literacy that left the biggest impact. According to her autobiography, “Barbara Bush: A Memoir,” Bush decided in 1978 that if she were to become first lady, she would promote issues that she cared about and leave her own legacy. She decided that to address issues of crime, homelessness, drugs and hunger, one must first address the issue of illiteracy and the lack of educational opportunities. While many first ladies have tried to take on social issues, what made Bush unique was that her solution to promoting education was not to expand government programs to tackle illiteracy. Instead, she chose to focus on promoting literacy in the family.
“The parent is the child’s first teacher,” Bush often said when promoting her literacy programs. Bush recognized that it is through the support and encouragement of their parents that children are equipped to succeed in school. In recent years, studies by the University of Oxford and the Orelena Hawks Puckett Institute increased the validity of her approach, as they found that the involvement of parents in a child’s education prior to age 7 has a direct impact on their educational achievements as adults. Long after leaving the White House, Bush continued to champion issues of literacy through the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. For three decades, the foundation has established literacy programs in all 50 states and reduced the number of preschoolers in their programs who were at risk of growing up illiterate from 50 percent to just 14 percent. Politicians should take note of the
effectiveness of Bush’s methods. When U.S. Senator James Lankford spoke at Liberty University’s Convocation, he described how issues surrounding a failing educational and criminal justice system stem from the collapse of families. He reiterated a point that Bush had made 30 years prior — to combat the ills of society, you must first go to the root of the problem, the deterioration of families. When Bush passed away on April 17, she left behind the legacy of a 73 year marriage to her husband and a love for reading that was instilled in her children and grandchildren. With the passing of Bush, we are reminded of the insight that came from being a mother, wife and the spouse of a politician. The impact that she made on American politics and education will not soon be forgotten. LAPP is the opinion editor.
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LITERACY— Bush saw reading as a key in solving issues of poverty and crime.
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A6 | April 24, 2018 | Liberty Champion
Living for the CERE and now Va. Gov. Northam awards Liberty engineering department grant for research Taryn Lammi telammi@liberty.edu
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced that the Center for Energy Research and Education at Liberty received a $300,000 grant as one of five projects funded by Growth and Opportunity for Virginia. According to the Virginia governor website, the five GO Virginia grants total $1,115,300. “We have industries who have stated that, based on the labs being created and skill sets our students will be acquiring, that they will hire every student who goes through Liberty’s program and develops these skills,” Executive Director of the Center for Energy Research and Education Richard Diddams said. Last spring, Liberty University bought the building that the Center for Energy Research and Education is now in. According to Diddams, if it had not been for the purchase of the building and the surrounding property, Liberty may not have received part of the GO Virginia grant.
SENATE continued from A1 “We promised the American people that if they sent us to Washington, if they gave us the House, if they gave us the Senate and if they gave us the presidency, we would get spending under control,” Freitas said. “We have failed to do so, and it is a leadership problem within the House.” As the questions continued, the candidates seemed to all be in agreement. All three lacked confidence in America’s nuclear weapons deal with Iran, supported further military strikes in Syria and saw the ongoing Mueller investigation of possible Russian
“If it weren’t for this building, we would have found another way to accomplish our work because it’s not about the building, it’s about Liberty’s vision,” Diddams said. Over the last weeks and months, the CERE has been in contact with other universities, industries and other entities that have expressed interest in involvement with Liberty’s vision. “This shows you there is a commitment,” Diddams said. “This is a catalyst for growing applied research in the energy field and adding value to the School of Engineering’s program.” As part of the project, four kinds of labs will be built: a chemical/ material lab, an EMC chamber or anechoic chamber, a calibration lab and a non-destructive testing lab. Industries will work alongside students in the labs and provide them with hands-on experience, making the industry more competitive. “It really is a big win,” Diddams said. “It raises our level of professionalism by having state-of-theart equipment and laboratories
that are very unique.” CERE is in the process of acquiring an electron microscope to be used by not only engineering students, but also by those going into medicine and other fields. The microscope has a higher magnification capability than other microscopes that allows researchers to capture high-resolution images of both biological and non-biological specimens. According to the Virginia governor website, the five projects under the GO Virginia grant will promote economic development. “What we want is to recognize industry as a customer and spark innovation based on the values and ideas that both (the) industry and Liberty University have,” Diddams said. According to Diddams, the CERE project supports Liberty University’s mission by “Training Champions for Christ” in the engineering field, research field and the applied research industries. “At Liberty, we focus on the opportunities,” Diddams said. “God has given us the opportunity to serve a higher purpose than
tampering with the 2016 election as an attempt to undermine the president. “(Mueller)’s on a fishing expedition ... to undermine the president of the United States because they could not defeat him at the polls in 2016,” Stewart said. Jackson used the topic to transition into a proclamation of how the Democratic Party has led minority voters astray. “We’ve got to have a candidate in the general election who is not only going to excite those evangelicals, and those veterans, and those Second Amendment activists, but is going to bring minority voters to our side,” Jackson said. “We need to expose the lie that Democrats
have told them that they are for them when they do nothing, and that we are against them when we have solutions.” The commonality began to dissolve as the candidates addressed the current Facebook controversy. While Freitas and Jackson agreed that a boost to the free market is the best means of reducing Facebook’s influence, Stewart mentioned the site’s censorship of online conservative stars Diamond and Silk, who visited Liberty’s Convocation earlier in the semester. He said he wants to involve antitrust investigators from the Department of Justice and break up the social media monopoly. Freitas responded by saying
Max Loth | Liberty Champion DEBATE — The candidates addressed a variety of topics such as budgets, weapons and security.
“This is the best book on election in print.” “For any believer that wrestles with Calvin’s opinion on election, this book walks you through every verse wrongly interpreted by Calvinism. It is an absolute must read!” “This book removes the confusion surrounding election, and shows you what election is and how you can know why God elected you.”
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ourselves, and he is opening these doors for Liberty University.” Diddams encouraged students to come out and see the new facilities at 1173 Research Way, Forest, Virginia. “This is just the beginning of
the development that CERE and other centers of excellence will be bringing to Liberty University,” Diddams said. LAMMI is a news reporter.
Samantha Tirado | Liberty Champion EXPANSION — CERE will be building four new labs with the grant.
the government cannot be trusted with this power. “If you want to see someone dominate and manipulate speech, hand it over to the government,” Freitas said. “If you haven’t been paying attention for the last 100 years- when you give the federal government more power, it tends to abuse it.” Not long after this, Freitas and Stewart faced off when immigration policies were addressed. Following Freitas’ statement of support for a border wall and other conservative solutions, Stewart sprang at the chance to bring up an interview in which Freitas said he “can’t quite commit to the wall.” Freitas rebutted by mentioning the publicized conversation with his daughter when she asked Freitas what is wrong with their Portuguese last name after she saw a meme published by Stewart affiliates proclaiming, “Freitas sounds like something more on the dollar menu at Taco Bell than it does a U.S. Senate candidate.” “I fought for my country,” Freitas said. “I am every bit as much a citizen as you are, Corey Stewart,
and I don’t appreciate it when my kids have to ask me that question in this country.” Stewart did not show any denial or surprise at the accusation, and he countered by accusing Freitas of not having thick enough skin for what awaits in the general election. “If all it takes is to make a little bit of fun of your name by some supporters out there of mine, if that’s all it takes to get under your skin, you’ve got some major problems if you were ever to get this nomination,” Stewart said. “I don’t think you’re gonna do it, but if you did, (Kaine is) going to eat you up and spit you out.” The candidates then gave their closing statements to roughly 400 in attendance, and, while both Stewart and Freitas shook hands with Jackson, they refused to do so with one another. The primary election for the GOP nominee is set for June 12, and the general election against Kaine is Nov. 6.
KLINKER is a news reporter.
news
Liberty Champion | April 24, 2018 | A7
Brody and Lamb booking it CBN White House correspondent and Special Literary Projects VP address students Samantha Tirado slaughlin@liberty.edu
Christian Broadcasting Network White House Correspondent David Brody and Liberty University Vice President of Special Literary Projects Scott Lamb spoke to students at Convocation April 20 about their new book, “The Faith of Donald J. Trump: a Spiritual Biography.” “The book has gotten a lot of cheers and jeers right off the bat,” Senior Vice President for Spiritual Development David Nasser said. Lamb said they did not write the book that discusses the faith of Trump for fame, but rather to be “servants of Christ.” Lamb said he helped write the book because he enjoys serving God through the ministry of writing and because he has genuine curiosity about each president’s family background. SGA continued from A1 Both candidates said they attribute their success to God and that the entire campaign was one miraculous encounter after another from how they met to the people that the Lord placed in across their paths to support the campaign.
“It was fascinating to find out the religious history of our president’s parents and grandparents,” Lamb said on stage. The men had 17 different interviews with Trump during the making of their book. “To work with Scott on this book has been just wonderful,” Brody said. “It’s been a wild experience. It is all God. I love God.” Lamb also encouraged students to ask God how they can serve him through the ministry of writing. The Convocation topic became primarily about the validity of Trump’s faith and the influencers of his religion. “Donald Trump in private moments will ask Mike Pence to pray with him, but that is not something you see on CNN,” Brody said during Convocation. Brody said, as an example of Trump’s faith, during one of his
“From the very beginning, that’s why I got in, because I felt like that is where God was calling me,” Page said, “And then people just came around us and God just put people in our paths to fill every position we needed. We couldn’t have done it without the team.”
casual phone conversations with the president, he asked Brody to send him scripture verses. Trump later told Brody they were printed out and on his desk. “Trump is curious about God, and God can work with curiosity,” Brody said. Nasser commended Brody’s place of spiritual influence with Trump. “This is an act of worship for you,” Nasser said. Brody has not only interviewed Trump, but also several Democrats like former President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton several times. Nasser told students that they have to have hearts of compassion for presidents of varying religious beliefs to have an effective influence and a platform. “Until you take your very last breath, there is grace for you with Christ,” Brody said.
The president-elect said they are preparing to serve the student body and work with Liberty athletics to do the things they promised in their campaign, which put emphasis on establishing school spirit, pride and tradition by creating a unified culture through tailgating, promoting class rings and
Valerie Pors | Liberty Champion
STUMP SPEECH — The candidates participated in a debate the night before election day.
Brody said he understands that Trump is far from perfect. “Breaking news, Trump is not a Boy Scout,” Brody said jokingly. “But clearly God uses
imperfect people to carry out his perfect will.” TIRADO is a news reporter.
Max Loth | Liberty Champion
TALK — Brody and Lamb discussed the book“ The Faith of Donald J. Trump.”
creating an event calendar for clubs. The two discussed this vision at the SGA presidential debate on April 19 and had to defend some of these policies under the criticism of the other candidates who felt their policies were irrelevant to students’ needs. During the debate, Page directly addressed these concerns, saying they were receiving backlash because their policies had never been presented before. However, student body presidential candidate Fitzpatrick said that presenting policies during the debate is not enough. “The reason you guys received flack for your policies is not because it’s different, new or innovative — the house is burning
down, and you guys want to rearrange the living room furniture,” Fitzpatrick said during the debate. As remarks got more heated, Page and Rockey pulled back instead of retaliating. After the debate, they said they felt it was best to stay quiet. “We knew our policies could speak for themselves,” Rockey said. Other topics that were discussed at the debate included club funding and marketing, community outreach and representation of minorities on campus. Now, as Page and Rockey prepare for the upcoming year, Rockey said they are making a list of everything they said they would do and will be checking it off as they go.
“That way, we have tangible stuff to look forward to,” Rockey said, “And then we plan on going above and beyond.” They know they have a lot of work to do, but they said their biggest encouragement is knowing that there are so many people who have already expressed that they will support them and partner with their cause. “I cannot wait to just work with people and be able to tell them, ‘Hey, student government has got your back,’ and connect with all the different departments,” Page said.
THOMPSON is a news reporter.
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A8 | April 24, 2018 | Liberty Champion
The DIRT on campus climate Center4ME hosts discussion on seeking and promoting campus diversity Janelle Porman jjporman@liberty.edu
aware of diversity on campus, but to also making ourselves available to it. Engaging with those different from us is one way that Liberty students can create a positive climate on campus. “Campus climate is a measure — real or perceived — of the campus environment as it relates to the interpersonal, academic and pro-
The Center for Multicultural Enrichment hosted its last Diversity, Integration, Reconciliation and Transition Talk of the school year by discussing and encouraging “Student’s Responsibility for Positive Climate Change.” The DIRT Talk was not solely focused on racial and ethnic diverWithout DIRT Talks, sity, but also the diversity of back- much of the student body grounds, gender roles, denomi- (as well as the executives) national preference and political would be unaware of the views. plethora of perspectives “A place like Liberty is so beauhere at the university. tiful because it brings all of us (students from all over the world) — Jeremiah Torres together,” Constance Schneider, a co-leader of a discussion group, said. “Even though we are differ- fessional interaction,” Jose Herent, that’s what makes us stron- nandez, the director of the Center ger.” for Multicultural Enrichment, said Although Liberty has diversity as he explained the significance of in the population of students, the the event’s title. leaders of the discussion groups “The goal with this DIRT remarked that there is not much Talk was to create a positive diversity within groups of people, environment at Liberty University because it is easy for someone to where ‘individuals and groups surround themselves with other generally feel welcomed, respected people like them. and valued … (and where there “Make an active effort ... to is) respect for others, nurtured reach out,” Robinson said. “It may by dialogue between those of put us in an uncomfortable situa- differing perspectives, and is tion, but God calls us to be uncom- evidenced by a pattern of civil fortable. He doesn’t like it when we interactions among community,’” sit inside our boat and be compla- Hernandez said. cent where we are.” The leaders of the discussion Robinson also emphasized groups also stressed the importhe importance of not only being tance of creating culture change
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COUNCIL continued from A1 Al Billingsly – Independent Considered the token conservative of the running candidates, Billingsly is a long-time resident of Lynchburg and has been involved in numerous aspects of the city. He has served on Lynchburg school boards and in a variety of neighborhood and philanthropic organizations. “I’d really like to reduce the tax burden on the citizens right now,” Billingsly said. “In my mind, the tax burden is pretty heavy on home owners and also on people who like to eat out. There’s a meals tax that is quite cumbersome, I believe, so I’d like to start rolling some of that back.” Billingsly said his conservative standpoint is a benefit to his campaign, bringing a different perspective to the council, if elected. “I was looking at the people running and realized there were no conservatives that were running this time,” Billingsly said. “I think that just bringing a different point of view, a different mindset if you will … (would) give more of a balance on council that would force the council to look at things with a different mindset.”
Katie Webb Cyphert - Democrat Cyphert, a native of Lynchburg, has also made deep roots in the Lynchburg community and believes that she can make positive changes as a councilmember through building bridges between the working class of Lynchburg and the city council. “I just feel like this community has a real disconnect between the great hardworking people we have in the city and some of the solutions the city is proposing,” Cyphert said. “I want to do a better job of connecting people — engaging them in the process to make sure we get good solutions when it comes to infrastructure, economic development and education.” Growing up, attending Lynchburg College, working as a middle school teacher and raising a family in Lynchburg, Cyphert said she knows the viewpoint of the citizens and can use that experience to better represent the community. “I have seen this community from a variety of perspectives, including that of a working college student,” Cyphert said. “I’ve had a variety of experiences, and I hope I can bring those voices to the table.”
on this campus — not for students to remain passive and unaware, but to be active and enthusiastic. He said he believes that community on Liberty’s campus will only change if people are working to change it. Hernandez’s also made a point that one residential student on Liberty’s campus is about 1/15000 of the student body. Hernandez stressed that regardless of the seeming insignificance of that number, one student can make a difference in the world and on this campus. DIRT Talks are meant to provide an open and safe place for students to come and share their opinions about controversial topics without fear of backlash, arguments or exclusion. “Without DIRT Talks, much of the student body (as well as the executives) would be unaware of the plethora of perspectives here at the university,” Jeremiah Torres, a Leadership Excellence and Academic Development Fellowship student, said. “Many students are shocked at the presence of individuals who are not Christians. DIRT Talks bring out the differences and expose the campus, student and faculty to a larger sea of opinions.”
PORMAN is a news reporter. Johnson’s basis for running for city council is the idea of bringing experience to the table. Having served 12 years on the council before, with six of those as the vicemayor, Johnson is familiar with the governmental side as well as the residential side of the area; he is the pastor of Spring Hill Baptist Church in Brookneal. With this in mind, Johnson believes Lynchburg residents should be familiar and comfortable with him by now. “They should have a comfort zone with me,” Johnson said. “They should know my leadership style, and they should know that I care a lot about the city of Lynchburg. I’m not in it for the glory, I’m in it because it is what it is — serving my fellow citizens.”
Photo Provided INCLUSION — Participants made pledges to prioritize inclusiveness.
Photo Provided CHANGE — The talk challenged students to be aware of diversity. Nelson said during the Women’s League of Voter’s forum for the candidates. “I think the question should be, ‘What priority would have the greatest effect on most people and interests in Lynchburg?’ To that, I would say it would be to remove the generational cycle of poverty.”
Randy Nelson – Independent – Incumbent Nelson has served on the Lynchburg City Council since 2010. Having practiced law in Lynchburg for 42 years and served 28 years as a special justice in the 24th judicial circuit, Nelson brings much experience to his campaign. A key point Nelson’s campaign has focused on is how the quality of life in Lynchburg can be improved. “Quality of life, to a certain degree, is a subjective question,”
Derek Polley – Democrat Polley has prioritized the poverty rate in his campaign, emphasizing financial education as a solution. Liberty graduate Polley said his stance is unique because of his experience living below the poverty line. “I know what it’s like to not have food on the table, not be able to make ends meet, so to bring that type of compassion, to bring that type of urgency is a reason why I am a good candidate for the city of Lynchburg,” Polley said. “These are some of the hurdles people come across on a daily basis, so I know that financial literacy is a big part of helping people out of poverty.” Polley said he wants to focus on the quality of employment rather than the number employed. “Instead of being gainfully employed, a lot of people are painfully employed,” Polley said. “There’s no reason you should be working
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Ceasor Johnson – Independent
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50 to 55 hours per week and still not have enough money to make your basic needs and make ends meet.” Treney Tweedy – Independent – Incumbent Elected in 2014 and serving as vice-mayor since 2016, Tweedy is running again because she is seeing the growth of the city. “I’m running to continue the progress of our city,” Tweedy said. “We have a great city that is growing, we have business development, we have people moving here who have decided to open businesses here, and so I think it’s important as part of our quality of life to have a great neighborhood revitalization plan to consider all of our students.” Tweedy sees the poverty rate as one of the main detriments to the growth of the city, and believes education is the solution. “While we have a lot of success, we also have a high poverty rate,” Tweedy said. “I believe training and education are important, so a trained workforce keeps businesses happy and employers wanting to hire folks. We want people to get the advanced skills and credentials needed to higher wagering jobs.” Beau Wright – Independent Wright, a Lynchburg native with experience as a financial planner in the Obama White House is running on three ideas — stronger jobs, stronger schools and better quality of life. “We’ve got to be successful in each of them, we’ve got to be pushing on all three or we’re going to flounder,” Wright said. Wright also hopes through his campaign to bring a younger perspective to the council. “I think I’ve got (my youthful perspective) to contribute, and I think that my campaign offers something we don’t have on city council, what a lot of Liberty students are – we’re all millennials,” Wright said. “Now, 50 percent of Lynchburg’s population is under 35. That’s a big deal, and city council is making decisions that will affect this community 10 years down the road.” Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on May 1. Anyone with questions can call the Voter Registration Office at 434-477-5999.
PANYARD is the news editor.
SPORTS Keeping up with McKay April 24, 2018
B1
Liberty University men’s basketball coach reflects on the past three seasons Emily Baker egbaker@liberty.edu
Kaitylyn Becker Johnson | Liberty News Service
CHEESE — After three seasons back with the Flames, head coach Richie McKay holds a winning record of 56-48 and an overall conference record of 33-21.
Three years ago Ritchie McKay was an assistant coach to Tony Bennett, one of the most decorated coaches in college basketball, for the University of Virginia, one of the most successful teams in the ACC. Despite having secured an assistant coach position at one of the premiere teams in college basketball, he left UVA to return as head coach at Liberty University, which had only one winning season in the six years that he was gone. McKay served as head coach for the Flames during the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 seasons before joining UVA as associate head coach for six years. He returned to Liberty in 2015 as head coach and has since revived the Flames basketball program that was 85-110 during the six years that he was gone. The 2017-2018 season highlighted the basketball program’s turnaround, as the Flames were literally seconds away from the Big South Championship when they fell to Radford. The Flames also earned the title of Jim Phelan Classic Champions in the CIT.
“I think we accomplished some really good things, and I feel like we experienced a ton of good growth, both athletically and spiritually, and I like the upward trajectory that we are on,” McKay said. McKay said championships and trophies are not his career’s main focus. His main goal is to build strong Christian athletes and a healthy culture within the men’s basketball program, regardless of success or fame. According to sophomore guard Caleb Homesley, this translated in the locker room. He noted that McKay is just as much a coach as he is a mentor to the team. “He has had a big impact. Not just in basketball but as a person. He is a big influencer who grows you mentally, physically and spiritually,” Homesley said. “I look at him as a mentor and I do not see him just as a coach, but I see him as a friend and as someone that I can go to.” McKay said he aims to develop great men out of the players that come through his team and to sponsor a culture of teamwork.
See MCKAY, B4
No price is too great Liberty Flames pitcher overcomes critical injury David Chhum dchhum@liberty.edu
The conference matchup between Liberty University and Presbyterian University Thursday, March 29, was just like every other game. The score went back and forth, and Liberty held a one-point lead following the fifth inning. But in the sixth inning, everything changed. As routine, Liberty’s sophomore pitcher Garrett Price briefly surveyed his surroundings before starting his wind-up. Presbyterian’s outfielder Nick Guimbarda stood at home plate, ready to make an explosive play on the ball. Following Price’s pitch, a loud crack rang throughout the stadium. Then, silence.
“I got smoked in the face by a linedrive,” Price said. “It was on the same exact plane as I released, and it hit me.” Despite the close encounter, Price refused to let this change the way he played or doing what he loved. His split skull and broken nose would not deter him from pursuing his favorite sport. During his high school career at Liberty Christian Academy, Price earned LCA Defensive Play of the Year Honors as a shortstop in both 2015 and 2016 before winning LCA Player of the Year in 2016. His senior year, he was also named first team all-region and second team all-state. “I wanted to focus on baseball because that was my true passion,” Price said. Despite participating in many sports growing up, Price found home on the diamond field.
“I’m just going out to play baseball,” Price said of the honors. “I just wanted to have fun with it and get better and (be) the best I could be.” His first collegiate appearance came as a relief pitcher against The Citadel when he threw two scoreless innings. He would repeat this feat in his home debut against the University of Kentucky. Price also has experience as a closer, earning his first save after not allowing a run in two innings against Bryant University. He would earn his first win not even a week later, pitching three scoreless innings of relief and striking out five. Price would eventually be named a starting pitcher. Nathan Spencer | Liberty News Service
See GREAT, B4
STRIKE — Sophomore pitcher Garrett Price sends the ball flying toward home plate.
Buccaneers walk the plank Lady Flames softball sweeps Charleston Southern “I am really pleased with the game today. To sweep a team in conference is not an easy feat to accomplish,” Lady Flames head coach Dot Richardson said. “It is really difficult to be able to sweep, and particularly a double header. That’s why a lot of conferences have gone to one game on Friday, one game on Saturday, and one on Sunday, because it is tough to come back and play that second game to win.”
Peter Gooch, Jacob Couch, Emily Baker
Nathan Spencer | Liberty News Service
ROUTINE — Outfielder Jaclyn Amander throws to first.
Baseball
The Lady Flames softball team (36-12, 15-3) swept the Charleston Southern University Buccaneers (25-27, 6-12) in a three-game series Friday and Saturday. The series consisted of one game Friday evening and a double header Saturday afternoon. Liberty dominated the series by a cumulative score of 18-4. The three wins pushed the Lady Flames to first place in Big South play and extended their win streak to a total of six games in a row. The Lady Flames won the final game Saturday afternoon 8-2 after winning the first game of the double header 5-2 and Friday’s game 5-0.
Softball
Game 1 - Friday, April 20
Peter Gooch
Fireworks exploded into the Friday night sky above Liberty Softball Stadium’s Kamphius Field April 20 following a 5-0 Liberty University win over the Charleston Southern Buccaneers in the opening
M. Lacrosse
contest of a three-game weekend series. Less than an hour earlier, in the game’s fifth inning, Lady Flames second baseman Amber Bishop and catcher Kaitlin McFarland each smashed home runs to center field that sent the crowd to their feet. “When she hit it, there was no doubt,” Richardson said of McFarland’s homer. “It was like, ‘Oh, that’s gone.’” McFarland’s two-run blast hit the middle of the scoreboard beyond center field and provided Liberty ace Julia DiMartino with a five-run cushion. Not that DiMartino would need it.
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WE’LL SEE YOU AT THE GAME
Softball vs. UNC April 25 @ 6 p.m.
Baseball vs. Longwood April 27 @ 6 p.m.
Baseball vs. Longwood April 29 @ 2 p.m.
Softball vs. UVA May 1 @ 4 p.m.
Softball vs. UVA May 1 @ 6 p.m.
sports
B2 | April 24, 2018 | Liberty Champion
Nathan Spencer | Liberty News Service
POWER IN PRAYER — The Lady Flames softball team gathered with Charleston Southern University’s softball team for a moment of prayer after their 5-0 victory on Friday, April 20.
PLANK continued from B1 A junior from Brockport, New York, DiMartino (20-7) threw 92 pitches, completing her seventh shutout of the year and lowering her ERA to 1.97 on the season. As the reigning Big South Pitcher of the Year, DiMartino is the first pitcher in Lady Flames history to win 20 games in back-to-back years as well as have at least seven shutouts in three consecutive seasons. “She’s just that good of a pitcher,� McFarland said. “It’s so much fun to catch her and be able to watch her produce like she does for us.� DiMartino was hardly tested except in the top of the fourth inning, when Charleston Southern put runners on second and third base with only one out and the Lady Flames holding on to a 2-0 lead. “This year we’re really focused on not letting pressure turn to stress — pressure is good, stress is bad,� McFarland said. DiMartino handled the pressure when she needed to and was sharp overall, giving up four hits and a walk while striking out seven. “There’s one thing where you’re a thrower and another thing where you’re a pitcher,� Richardson said. “She was making the ball move. She was going in and out, and high and off-speed. She was really keeping them guessing and off-balance.� Liberty pushed across an unearned run in the first inning on the strength of a single, a dropped fly ball to left field and a fielder’s choice. They grabbed a 2-0 edge by scoring another unearned run. A two-out double by center fielder Jasmeen Click drove in left fielder Alexis Erich, who reached first base on an error to start the bottom of the second inning. For Click, who is hitting .224 with 14 runs scored in 35 games, it was both her first double and her first RBI of the season. “She’s been battling,� Richardson said. “When she actually swung away and hit that ball the way it was spinning, I knew she minimally had a double.� The teams traded scoreless frames until the bottom of the fifth, when a one-out liner by Amber Bishop just cleared the fence for her team-leading eighth home run of the year. After an out and a walk to shortstop Sarah Robertson, McFarland stepped into the batter’s box and launched her third home run of the year to effectively seal the Lady Flames victory. “When I heard it, I was like, ‘Don’t break the scoreboard,’� Richardson said. McFarland’s contributions were only a part of her role in the team’s victory, with both Richardson and DiMartino noting her phenomenal catching abilities.
“She hypes us up a lot and makes us want to get batters out,� DiMartino said. “She’s different from a lot of catchers, because she just cares about everybody else but herself.�
Game 3 - Saturday, April 21, 1p.m. Emily Baker
Nathan Spencer | Liberty News Service
SAFE — Junior infielder Sarah Robertson slid into second base. Game 2 - Saturday, April 21, 1pm Jacob Couch
As the crowd at Kamphuis Field grew in the fourth inning, so did the Lady Flames lead against the Charleston Southern Buccaneers early Saturday afternoon, April 21. Liberty’s fiery four-run fourth inning propelled them to a 5-2 win, the first of two wins that the Lady Flames tallied on their Saturday double header. The Lady Flames accomplishment was nothing short of stellar, as the Buccaneers were unable to generate any type of momentum outside of the two runs that came in the fifth inning. Despite having played the evening prior, the Lady Flames looked as if they had come off a lengthy time of rest. “It was super awesome just to see everybody start hitting the ball really well,� junior Jasmeen Click said. “Everybody’s getting hype in the dugout, having fun. I think that brings a lot of positivity onto the batting area when you’re having a lot of fun in the dugout.� The Lady Flames passionate style of play gave junior pitcher Julia DiMartino confidence from the pitcher’s mound. “We knew that this weekend we were going to take it,� DiMartino said. “I felt pretty confident on the mound. I knew that the oth-
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er pitchers were going to get the job done.� The Lady Flames are at the top of the Big South and are in the driver’s seat to finish in first place. But Richardson has no intention of allowing the team to ease up. “The character of the team really shows at this time,� Richardson said. “As a coach all I can do is be an encourager, but it really comes down to them and the training that we’ve brought them through.�
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During the final game of the series, junior Jasmeen Click and junior pitcher Julia DiMartino both shined for the Lady Flames. Click played one of her best series yet, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI, a stat also shared by freshman Madison Via. Click credited her performance to her teammates and her faith. “I struggled for the beginning of the season coming back from an injury, but I have really relied on my teammates these past few weeks and leaned on them for encouragement and sought out God, and I trusted in him to let me have peace on the field whether or not I played well,� Click said. Liberty opened strong in the final game, with pitcher Chase Cassady striking out five of the first seven batters she pitched against
and scoring two runs in the 2nd inning. DiMartino closed the game after the top of the 4th inning, allowing only two hits and striking out five batters in the final few innings of the game. She added 3 2/3 innings to her shutout streak, reaching 28 2/3 innings total. DiMartino’s arrival on the pitcher’s mound provided a much-needed momentum shift in the Lady Flames favor after a slow 3rd inning and two CSU runs in the top of the 4th inning. Despite having the bases loaded, CSU failed to score a run with DiMartino pitching. “I felt pretty confident on the mound. I knew the other pitchers were going to get the job done, but I had to be ready one way or another,� DiMartino said. Liberty responded to CSU’s two runs with three of their own in the bottom of the fourth, then one run in the fifth and two in the sixth. The game ended after DiMartino struck out all three batters in the seventh inning. The Lady Flames return to Kamphuis Field for their next home game against North Carolina University Wednesday, April 25, in one of their final regular season games.
sports
Liberty Champion | April 24, 2018 | B3
By the ‘Grace’ of God
Freshman Lady Flames tennis player credits her success to team atmosphere Siani Null snull@liberty.edu
Fighting is what the Liberty women’s tennis team does best, according to freshman Grace Hashiguchi. In her opinion, the team has been successful this season because each athlete is not simply fighting to win a match for themselves; they fight for each other, too. This freshman tennis standout’s favorite thing about her first year in college has been experiencing the unity and closeness of her team. “When we’re in matches, we’re really engaged and cheering for each other and encouraging to other people on our team,” Hashiguchi said. “I just love that. We’re not there to compete individually for ourselves, Andrew Snyder | Liberty News Service we’re there to compete for the team.” CELEBRATE — Hashiguchi cheers after Hashiguchi made her mark at Liberty ear- earning a point against Winthrop University. ly on in her college career, claiming two Big South Tennis Freshman of the Week awards ferent for Hashiguchi and Liberty’s team, this spring. however. Last year, in her senior year of Hashiguchi accredited much of her suc- high school, Hashiguchi had been commitcess this season to ted to James Madison her connection with University until the her partner Anderson spring when she reI withdrew my and the way their play versed her decision. application and told and personalities “I withdrew my clicked so quickly application and told the coach ‘No,’ and so I after testing out difthe coach ‘No,’ and was in this last-minute so I was in this lastferent partners in the fall season. hurry to go find a school. minute hurry to go “In the spring, I find a school,” HashiAnother school fell started playing with guchi said. “Another Becca and we just school fell through through too, so I ended work well together,” too, so I ended up up coming to Liberty Hashiguchi said. “A coming to Liberty lot of doubles is trustbecause I just felt like because I just felt like ing your partner, and it was something God it was something God Becca and I have a lot wanted me to do.” of trust in each other. Hashiguchi said wanted me to do.” We started playthat even though it ing when we went to has been a crazy jour— Grace Hashiguchi Texas and played a ney, she is now able doubles match there to understand why and, I mean, I just felt it.” God brought her here. According to her, This year could have looked very dif- she would not be doing as well as she is to-
day without the team she is surrounded by. “Team culture and connection just helps a lot, because obviously we’re all trying to do it for God, and that has a lot of impact on how we play,” Hashiguchi said. “We’re fighting for God, for our team, for our coaches. I feel like, as a team, just because we love God and are doing it for God, that definitely brings us closer and that just helps us do better.” Hashiguchi and the rest of the Lady Flames continued their journey with a 4-0 victory at the Big South Conference Championships versus No. 3 seed Campbell April 20. Her mindset going into the final tournament was to do her best and help her team reach their goal of winning conference for the first time. Hashiguchi said a tough match against Marshall April 12 prepared the team to compete at the championships. There was a lot of pressure in that match
because there were a lot of games going on with crazy wins and the girls were good,” Hashiguchi said. “There were a lot of factors going against us, but in those kind of matches you kind of have to stay mentally tough. I think going into conference, we all learned from the Marshall match and throughout the whole entire spring season.” At her first appearance at the Big South tournament, Hashiguchi said it was challenging not having the advantage of familiarity with the opposing teams the same way upperclassmen might. However, she and her coaches navigated this hardship through preparation of watching video and creating a game plan. The Flames fell 4-3 to No. 1 Winthrop University Saturday, April 21, in the Conference Championship, concluding the end of Hashiguchi’s freshman season. NULL is a sports reporter.
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Andrew Snyder | Liberty News Service
FOREHAND — Grace Hashiguchi positions herself to return the ball to her opponent.
sports
B4 | April 24, 2018 | Liberty Champion
Jamaican me crazy
Lady Flames track star shares her motivation Jessie Pirro jlpirro@liberty.edu
Track star Kimone Green has done a lot to impress people since transferring from Abaline Christian University this past year, including running a program-record of 59.12 in the 400 hurdles. But to the Jamaican native, it is not just about accomplishments. “I just love running,” Green said. “I guess I was born with it, and I’m the only one in my family who runs, so I don’t really know where I get my inspiration from.” Growing up, the Jamaican native used running as a means to relax and escape difficult situations.
“I grew up loving track and field, because I think I used that to escape family drama that I had in the past,” Green said. “I use it as a source of relief.” Green said the changing weather in America was the biggest culture shock. “In Jamaica, we do not have a change of weather – we are in the tropics,” Green said. “We always have the sun and even if we get a little wind it’s not that heavy.” At home, Green is surrounded by fruit trees, which is something she misses while in the United States. “You can’t be hungry in Jamaica,” Green said. “Where I live, you can just go and pick any fruit. My
Tom Brady has lost three Super Bowls, LeBron James has lost four NBA Finals, Kendrick Lamar’s “Good Kid, m.A.A.d City” album lost out the 2014 best rap album Grammy to Macklemore, even Air Bud lost the 1998 Kids Choice Award for Favorite Animal Star to Salem the Cat from Sabrina the Teenage Witch. What I’m getting at is that all the “greats” are subject to getting dethroned. Well friends, even I was dethroned from my reign as the Champion of the office March Madness bracket. Because of my loss, I have forfeited my column for the week to a very worthy Champion. She’s my colleague, my copy editor, my friend, my crown succesor and she’s the next feature editor for the Champion – ladies and gentleman, without further ado, I present Sarah Jackson: As the newly-crowned Champion of the Champions (thanks, Villanova), it is my privilege to gloat over my entirely unprecedented win with a little sports coverage. I bring to you the Uplifting Sports Story of the Week. While the New York Yankees might be on the mediocre side of the 2018 baseball season thus far, they have certainly stepped up their social media game – and their fight against bullying. Cassidy Warner, a 10-year-old elementary school student, has been bullied for years but finally took a stand. She released a video detailing some of the bullying she has experienced and ended it with a plea to end bullying. The video went viral, according to an article in the Washington Post, and caught the attention of an unexpected ally: the New York Yankees. A post Wednesday, April 18, on the Yankees official Facebook page showed the team’s heartfelt response to the young girl’s video. Twenty-four Yankees players, along with manager Aaron Boone, shared their support on social media for Warner, according to an article from ABC News. The players held up signs with encouraging sentiments, validation for her experience, and the video finished with multiple players holding signs stating, “Got your back.” The Yankees might be known as the team everyone loves to hate, but I think their likability points just spiked. Their support for a young girl struggling with being bullied has shown the humanity of the team – and the desperate need for anti-bullying campaigns driven by powerful people. Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center states that one in five students report being bullied, yet less than half of those bullied report their experiences to someone who can help. One brave girl stood up for herself, but so many more are too afraid to speak. Sometimes, it takes a village — or a baseball team — to start real change. Players of various sports have always quietly supported the causes they hold dear: Tim Tebow’s Night to Shine ministry and David Beckham’s UNICEF support are just a few examples. Now, the Yankees have the opportunity, as a team, to take on bullying together. They have the money and the platform. Now, it seems the Yankees also have the drive to stand up for those less fortunate. Celebrities possess the ability to make an enormous impact on the lives of their fans; this includes sports celebrities. Despite the many stories of famous athletes who abuse their power, acts of kindness are still found among the rich and famous. Even among the (possibly) most-hated baseball team, the Yankees. And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for: sports predictions from your resident (non) expert and predictor of the Office March Madness Championship Winner. NFL: Eagles Thanks to a restructuring contract, Nick Foles will once again be joining the Eagles. Get ready, Eagles fans, Super Bowl round two is coming your way. MLB: Phillies Though they only have two World Series wins to their name, the Philadelphia Phillies are No. 2 in their division. Let’s hope we don’t have to wait another 28 years for the next Commissioner’s Trophy. NHL: Flyers Despite losing the Penguins in the first round of the playoffs, the Flyers were still able to defeat expectations and make it to the playoffs for a run at the Stanley Cup. Is my Philadelphia bias showing? JACKSON is a copy editor.
Andrew Snyder | Liberty News Service
STARTING BLOCKS — Green got ready in her stance as she prepared for the start of the relay.
MCKAY continued from B1 “Our goals are to be developers, to shepherd love so that our young men are prepared to be great husbands, great fathers, great friends, great sons and great teammates. And when I see that pursuit, that is what brings me joy,” McKay said. The Flames have already seen quite a lot of growth since his return to the team. The players have learned to
Andrew Snyder TALENT — Green was named outstanding track performer.
family, we own our own animals and grow our own trees. I definitely miss the food.” When Green is not running or studying, you can find her exercising her athletic abilities or entertaining her friends. “I love to sing, I love to play soccer and I love to make people laugh,” Green said. “I like volleyball. It’s not only competitive, but bouncing the ball over the net is so fun. If I played a sport other than track and field it would be volleyball.” Green runs a few events in track and is good at all of them, but she favors hurdles. “I’m not a big fan of the 400,” Green said. “And everyone’s like ‘Kimone, you’re a 400 person’ and I’m like ‘people, people I’m a hurdler.’” After graduation Green has a few things in mind. She
Homesley has been a part of that growth and experienced it for himself during his time on the team. He said the team is all-in, and each player is playing for the team instead of himself. “Coach McKay was trying to figure out what guys were really invested in the team. He really made that big approach and said that he wanted guys who were all in,” Homesley said. “Our success was not just because we were playing for ourselves, but we were play-
Jerome Sturn | Liberty News Service
COMMUNITY — Coach McKay played basketball with a student at a 2008 camp. play as part of a team and pursue the same goal. “Our desire is to be knitted in the fabric of who Liberty is, and we have got guys who are pursuing that on a daily basis,” McKay said. “One of our pillars is to be we over me, and I think our guys have embraced that and are pursuing it on a regular basis.”
GREAT continued from B1 “It was tough to settle in,” Price said, recalling his first collegiate start against Bethune Cookman last season.
Kevin Manguiob
Fans at that game would find this hard to believe; Price would not allow a
ing for each other.” After the success of the 2017-2018 season, as well as a number of skilled new recruits joining, Homesley has high hopes for the 2018-2019 season. “It is a big season coming ahead. We have got some good guys coming in, and once we build the foundation and let them know how things go here and
single run in the five innings he pitched. He would remain in the rotation as a starting pitcher for the rest of the season. Price ended his freshman season with a 5-1 record, a 3.99 ERA and 57 strikeouts over 58 2/3 innings. “I just followed what coach Gaines wanted us to do,” Price said, deflecting praise to his pitching coach. “He has stuff set up for us to be successful.” Despite a successful freshman year, Price started the current season as a closer and eventually a reliever, but that was not necessarily a demotion. “We had a couple strong arms that we had starting this year at the beginning of the year, but we needed somebody that had experience,” Price said.
is a grad student in the sports management program here at Liberty, and coaching at the collegiate level is one of her aspirations. “I’m still planning as I go,” Green said. “I love track and field, and I have learned a lot since I came here, and I just want to coach. (I want to) impart my knowledge on younger folks that come up who love running.” Green already has a head start on coaching. She is a leader on the track team and does everything she can to leave an impact and set an example for the younger players. “I’m a motivation for the young athletes here and I definitely want to go there (the track and field championships),” Green said. “Being the Big South Athlete of the Week definitely gives me that motivation and strength to finish my season.” Green has already competed for Jamaica as a youth, and after graduating she thinks it could be an option for her once she takes a short break. “I’ve been going through school and track, so after this season I want to take a break,” Green said. “I definitely feel like I have a lot more to put in hurdles and I definitely can compete back for my country.” PIRRO is a sports reporter.
the culture that we try to instill here, I think that our season is going to be really good,” Homesley said. The Flames are also looking forward to the construction of a new arena, which is planned to be completed by the first basketball game in 2020. The arena will seat up to 4,000 spectators and will be used for men’s and women’s basketball games as well as volleyball games. It will provide a smaller, more intimate venue for students and other spectators to enjoy the sport. Both McKay and Homesley said they are excited for the completion of the arena. “It is the trend of college basketball programs to have a more intimate setting. My desire is to have the kind of people that our students want to come and support, and I think we have that,” McKay said. “Our student body can have such an impact on our program, and the atmosphere that they create is especially valuable. Hopefully we can generate enough interest and do our part so that people will be lined up to get into the new arena.” For Homesley, the arena will provide a setting for the team to succeed and feel more connected with the student fanbase. “It is going to be good. I think that is something we need here, and the atmosphere is going to be something that is really great,” Homesley said. The Flames are looking forward to the 2018-2019 arena and are already training hard in preparation. BAKER is a sports reporter.
Price said that before becoming a starting pitcher again this season, he had by far his worst outing this year. “I come out of the bullpen, bases loaded,” Price said. “I threw a first pitch slider. The second pitch, I threw a changeup, hung it – grand slam.” He gave up a base hit in the next pitch. Price threw a strike right after that, but he hung the following pitch – and he paid for it. The ball split his head open and broke his nose. “I had blood gushing from my head, but I was okay,” Price said. “I’m talking to (the trainer) and making jokes.” He did not have to sit out a full week before being offered the starting pitcher role on his first day back.
He has been starting every game since. At the time of publication, Price leads the Big South Conference in ERA. In his two starts, he has only allowed one run in the 14 innings. If the sophomore keeps up this high level of play, his long-term goal is in reach. “I want to go to the Majors,” Price said. “Everybody throwing in college wants a chance, but it’s difficult.” The next chance to see Price in action will be during the Flames three game series against Longwood University April 27, 28 and 29 at the Liberty Baseball Field.
CHHUM is a sports reporter.
feature
Liberty Champion | April 24, 2018 | B5
Hold the SAUCE Humble Tip hosts SAUCE ‘18 at bookstore to celebrate new song release Jessica Hales jdhales3@liberty.edu
Humble Tip was a name that had not been spoken around Liberty University in a long time, The rapper, whose real name is Jason Lewis, returned to Liberty to host SAUCE ‘18 and to intrduce his new track “Fake Friends” to his student fanbase on Saturday, April 21. Humble Tip began his career around 2009 with hit singles such as “S.P.F” and “DJ turn it up.” In 2010 Humble Tip created the “Liberty University Anthem” song, which got played at every football game and other sporting events to pump up the crowd. Since 2010 Humble Tip has created multiple other tracks. Another song to rouse audiences made the scene in 2015 called “This is Liberty,” which took the place of the LU Anthem song at sporting events. Humble Tip finally released a new single in March of 2018 called “Fake Friends.” To debut his new track, Humble Tip decided to host a free block party event called Sauce ’18 that was held in the Barnes & Noble bookstore parking lot Saturday, April 21. Humble Tip had a booth set up at the front of the bookstore where he gave away free Tshirts, hats and popcorn. Along with Humble Tip’s booth, a few food trucks — including Nomad Coffee Co. and the The Waffle Company — joined the festivities. Everyone at Sauce ’18 brought out their good vibes the entire night with a variety of events. The first act was a hip-hop dance crew called D-Trex. D-Trex got the crowd to dance along with them as they performed on stage to music played by the DJ. Soaring through the crowd came LU’s Soar Dunk Team. The basketball players had their
own net that they brought along with a mat and trampoline. The dunk team got the crowd engaged and brought them out on their feet to participate along with them. After the dunk team Christian Kessinger and the Peacemakers wowed the crowd with their breakdancing and hip-hop moves. The poet Atlas then inspired the crowd with his words of encouragement and love. As it began to get quiet Czar Josh, the rapper, broke the quiet of the crowd and put on an energetic performance with fellow rapper Khan. CJ King brought a few audience members up on stage to dance with him toward the end of his act, continuing to rouse the crowd for Humble Tip. Though Humble Tip had not had a new hit single in a few years, he had not forgotten how to perform well on stage. Humble Tip encouraged the crowd that no matter who tells you that you cannot do something, if you put your faith in the Lord, the Lord will provide and make it possible. “Never allow anybody’s opinions or what anybody may say about you, put you out,” Humble Tip said. Humble Tip then debuted his new song “Fake Friends.” The audience got excited as King joined him to help with two songs. Lauren Sheetz enjoyed the show and said it was great that Humble Tip was so engaging with the audience. “He was so enthusiastic, and I really enjoyed his performance,” Sheetz said. “I saw him perform once before and he always seems to impress a crowd no matter the size.” HALES is a feature reporter.
Kyra Thompson | Liberty Champion
CUTTING LOOSE — Humble Tip (top) and The Soar Dunk Team (bottom) joined students at SAUCE ‘18, held at the LU bookstore.
Secret church, loud mission Liberty hosts live simulcast of David Platt’s Bible study and prayer session
INTENSIVE PRAYER — Students gathered to hear David Platt preach via live simulcast and pray together for the people of Malaysia. Lauren Osterhoudt losterhoudt@liberty.edu
Every year, people all around the world tune in to a nearly six-hour live Bible study simulcast led by David Platt called The Secret Church. In DeMoss Hall at Liberty University, more than 200 students gathered together to watch the broadcast, which was streamed April 20. The mission of Platt’s Secret Church is to focus on praying for the persecuted church and to equip Christians to be able to reach those who have not yet heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. Every year, a new message is presented along with an emphasis on a specific country that deals with persecution. This year’s focus was on the people of Malaysia, and Platt’s teaching was on learning how to recognize cults and false gospels. “The Bible doesn’t call out false teachings
or teachers just for the fun of it,” Platt said. “But it is so that these false teachings would be silenced by the truth of the gospel.” Department Chair for Global Studies Melody Harper spoke about the impact that bringing The Secret Church to Liberty has on students. “It is an opportunity for our students to come together and to be a part of something that is happening in churches all across the world,” Harper said. “It also raises awareness of the realities that our brothers and sisters around the world are facing just to stand up for their faith while living out the gospel.” After hearing about The Secret Church event from their global studies class with Professor Harper, senior Jonathan Arnold and sophomore Hattie Underhill did not want to miss out on any part of it. “It is definitely worth sitting through until the end, and I’m trying to soak in as much
as possible,” Arnold said. “Honestly, within the first hour of the broadcast it felt like it had only been about 10 minutes.” For Underhill, the livestream opened her heart up to things she was not aware of before. “Tonight has changed something inside of me,” Underhill said. “It made me realize the needs that the people of Malaysia really have there.” As the night progressed, a special time of prayer was devoted to praying for the people of Malaysia. With heads bowed, students prayed fervently together in groups for specific prayer requests that would continuously pop up on a screen for almost 20 minutes total. Partnering with The Secret Church, the Spread Truth organization was also promoted during the livestream to bring attention to a short film they produced called The Story, which effectively shares the story of
Kharen Martinez | Liberty Champion
the Bible and the gospel message. Working together, they were able to translate the film into Bahasa Malay, which is the heart language of the Malay people. The Story is also available to be watched in 19 other languages including English. Throughout the simulcast, Platt continued to passionately pour his heart out to all who were watching, urging them to share the love of Jesus with others. “I hope that in the process of all of this that you’ll be compelled to love the people around you enough to want to share the one true gospel and the one true God with them—no matter what it may cost you,” Platt said. For more information about The Secret Church’s mission and how to help this cause, visit radical.net/sc18 OSTERHOUDT is a feature reporter.
feature
B6 | April 24, 2018 | Liberty Champion
From wounds to victory
LU Shepherd Doug Damon shares his story of overcoming emotional scars Ryan Klinker rklinker@liberty.edu
Vitriolic. Hateful. Venomous. These words should never describe someone’s upbringing, and yet they are just three of the words used by LU Shepherd Douglas Damon to convey his childhood home. Coming from the turbulent home life of his childhood and to his life now as an on-campus minister to Liberty University students, Damon has experienced the extraordinary things that come from trusting God. Until he was 18, Damon lived in the same house in Flint, Michigan. But because of its toxic atmosphere, he experienced the most peace at his grandmother’s house when he would go on the weekends. Damon witnessed his grandmother’s devotion to kindness and a prayerful lifestyle firsthand. He once found a collection of dozens of journals, each one written front-to-back with prayers for him, his family, missionaries and the church. “(I remember) getting up in the wee hours of the morning to go to the restroom, which was by her bedroom, and hearing her praying for me and my family,” Damon said. “She was the first person that I ever met whose life was centered around Christ.” Over the course of his childhood, his grandmother’s church became a place where he would go for Christmas, Easter, and other holidays. At the age of 15, he joined the church on a youth group retreat after his older sister used the recreational portion of the trip to convince him to join. The retreat’s speaker talked about peace and its abundance in God, and Damon realized this as something he desired after seeing how God had used his grandmother in his life. “I recognized that the only place I really felt at peace was at my grandma’s house, and having spent that time there, and realizing that the peace he’s talking about was present at my grandma’s house, I wanted that peace in my life,” Damon said. That night, he walked up to the altar, the sounds of the room muffled by the moment, and he felt waves of peace flowing over him. “It’s what the Lord knew I needed in that
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MADE WHOLE — Douglas Damon (far right) with his wife Mindy and their four sons. moment, because my home life was so tumultuous and so violent and crazy, that peace was very appealing, and so the Lord was just pouring it over me.” In this explosive household, even though his older siblings protected him, Damon told himself on multiple occasions that he would not end up like his father. The key moment that set him on the path to make such a change came just one year after he accepted Christ, while on the same retreat, when he felt the call to ministry. “Instead of running away from the enemy, I was running toward my hero: Jesus,” Damon said. Damon decided to study at what is now Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida. During his fourth year of studying church ministries and missions, he met his future wife Mindy on a missions trip in Zimbabwe. They decided to give one another some distance to pray, especially since they had known each other for less than three weeks. In his time alone, Damon said he told God that he would accept whatever answer came next. Damon got his answer. “Sure enough . . . the peace that I had when I was at my grandma’s house, the peace that I found at salvation, and the peace I found (now) was all the same,” Damon said.
The next night, which was their first chance to shower in a week and a half, Damon got up in front of the group in his pajamas and carried through with what God had given him peace about. “I just dropped down on one knee in front of the 18 people and asked her to marry me and spend the rest of her life with me, and she was crazy enough to say yes,” Damon said. Eight weeks later, in Mindy’s home back in the United States, the Damons were wed after returning from the trip in Zimbabwe and embarked on the journey that God had laid before them. In the years that followed, Damon filled numerous ministry positions in Florida, San Diego and Charlotte until Mindy was offered a job at Liberty University’s School of Music. Leading up to the family’s move to Lynchburg, Damon struggled to find a job, bringing a time of stress and anxiety for the family. However, the oldest of Damon’s four sons, Chad, said that this time allowed him to see what trust in God really looked like. “To see the leader of my family just say, ‘ok God, I don’t know what you have in store for me, but you have shown me that this is where my family needs to be,’ it really helped my walk,” Chad Damon said. This anxiety finally got put to rest the
day the family moved into Lynchburg, as Damon found a job at Liberty Christian Academy (LCA). Just two years later, as Damon prepared for his third year as Bible teacher and football coach at LCA, he received a call from David Nasser, Liberty’s current Senior Vice President for Spiritual Development. Nasser’s daughter Grace had been in Doug’s Bible class the year before, and when she heard that her father was looking for a new Campus Pastor, she suggested Damon. Damon accepted the job offer and became a Campus Pastor, which later was revamped into the position of LU Shepherd he holds now. “It has afforded us to all be on the same campus at the same time, and as a man who values his family above everything else in life outside of salvation, that’s hugely important to me,” Damon said. “I’ve been able to see (Chad) grow, and see the young man he continues to become as a product of this environment.” Chad is currently a Resident Shepherd in his dorm. He said that his father has been a major mentor to him in life, leadership and servanthood. “He’s taught me to see the need and meet the need; if something needs to get done, just do it,” Chad said. “People tend to follow me regardless of whether I’m leading or not, so I need to make sure that I’m living a life that if someone were to follow me down that path they would only be getting better.” While he uses words like “vitriolic” and “venomous” to describe his past, Damon now sees his present life in a new light. With an essence of a quality leader and a kind smile that can comfort anyone, Damon seeks to use the things with which God has provided him. “I have always had this very simple faith that the Lord is going to take care, he’s going to provide, and as long as I continue to put myself at his feet and say Lord, wherever you want me, whatever you want me to do, I’ll go and I’ll do,” Damon said. “As long as I’m putting myself in the path of his will, it’s going to be all right.” KLINKER is a news reporter.
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Liberty Champion | April 24, 2018 | B7
Finding home away from home Caribbean Student Association meets to unify, serve LU Caribbean community
SHADES OF HOME — Caribbean students gathered for a series of cultural community events to honor and remember their respective home countries. Lydia Poindexter lgpoindexter@liberty.edu
Coconuts and cruises, reefs and reggae, beaches and boats – all these come to mind when one thinks of the Caribbean. The Caribbean Student Association (CSA), recently founded by sophomore Benjamin MoultrieGrant, stepped into the spotlight with its partnership with the Reber-Thomas Dining Hall for the Caribbean Cruise Night on Tuesday, April 17. Its self-hosted own “Paint-ting in Paradise” event will occur April 28. According to Moultrie-Grant, the president of the CSA, the association is intended to be a community for students who are either culturally or ethnically Caribbean. In the “home away from home” atmosphere the group provides, Caribbean students can meet other students from their same countries: the Bahamas, Jamaica, Haiti, Virgin Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos among others. Before the CSA, Moultrie-Grant said it was challenging for Caribbean students to find each other. Senior Dejah Pratt, public relations officer for the CSA, said that if they had had the group when she was a freshman, it would have made the transition to a new country and a new college a lot easier. “Just walking around campus, you wouldn’t
know that a person is from the Bahamas, or Jamaica or whatever. You wouldn’t know that unless you have friends in common,” Pratt said. “So with the Caribbean Students Association, it just helps for all the people to basically touch base with each other, because otherwise we wouldn’t.” The CSA has weekly meetings filled with games, discussions and other activities, with about 40 members total. One of the members saw an advertisement for the Caribbean Cruise Night and brought it to Moultrie-Grant’s attention. He then met with Duane Davis, the general manager of the Reber-Thomas Dining Hall, to discuss partnering with Sodexo Dining to put on the event together. Davis agreed and the CSA members jumped on board with menu ideas, crafts, hair braiding and other entertainment. Pratt was thrilled at the opportunity, especially considering that this is the organization’s first semester. “It has definitely surpassed what I thought it would be this semester, especially the cruise night that just passed, I did not expect that,” Pratt said. “I did not expect to actually be a part of that, so that was exciting for our association.” Alexis Ferguson, a member of the CSA from
the Bahamas, tried to encourage her friends to attend the event. “You are going to taste things you never thought you could imagine,” Ferguson said. “The Caribbean food is the best food out there honestly. It is super different from American food … even if you are not an adventurous eater, just go and see what other cultures are doing with their food.” Before the dining hall opened at 5 p.m., there were around 100 students eagerly waiting for the doors to open and the event to begin. “I didn’t expect for students to be into it as much as they were. I saw some guys wearing floral shirts and shorts and I was like ‘Wow, I really feel like I am on a cruise!’” Pratt said. Pratt was especially proud of the fact that the food was authentic since some of the Caribbean students assisted and made some of the dishes themselves. Beyond the CSA community, the association hopes to share the treasure of their culture with the Liberty community. The CSA is planning its first independent public event called “Paintting in Paradise,” hoping to provide non-Caribbean students with a unique experience. “We wanted to do something that would interest the public, and we didn’t want to do something that is really common and we
Atang Agwe | Liberty Champion
thought it would be really cool to do a paint and sip,” Pratt said. Moultrie-Grant promoted the event as another way to engage with diversity. “Our upcoming painting night is something like that where we want people who aren’t from the Caribbean to come in and try the drinks and taste the food and listen to the music and just experience what we have grown up with,” Moultrie-Grant said. Moultrie-Grant has been pleased with the awareness the Caribbean Cruise Night and the upcoming “Paint-ting in Paradise” event have generated for the CSA. Ferguson hopes that by attending these events, people will be more culturally aware. “I want people to be more aware of the different types of people around them, because a lot of people don’t really consider the Caribbean when they think of diversity and multicultural things because we are so small and so close to the U.S., we often get overlooked,” Ferguson said. “We are just a bunch of friendly people, honestly. We are different. Just like every nationality, every ethnicity has their own culture, but the Caribbean culture is something special and really something you should go out and experience because we love it.” POINDEXTER is a feature reporter.
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April 24, 2018
setting the stage
Leah Seavers | Liberty News Service
TALL TALES — Alluvion’s latest stage production was first a 1998 novel by Daniel Wallace, then adapted into a 2003 film directed by Tim Burton.
‘Big Fish’ splashes onto stage Sentimental coming-of-age fantasy opens at Liberty University’s Tower Theater Leah DePiero ldepiero@liberty.edu
You can only see 10 percent of an iceberg above water – the majority of it remains hidden in murky uncertainty underneath the water. In Alluvion Stage Company’s production of “Big Fish,” which is running at Tower Theater until May 6, the character Will Bloom compares his traveling salesman father, Edward, to an iceberg with unknown depths. Growing up, Will listened as his father spun tall tales about his encounters with various creatures: a witch who told him how he would die, a once-reclusive giant who joins Edward on his journeys, and his time at a circus wooing his future wife. Will becomes frustrated that he feels that he only knows this heroic version of his father and believes that his father might be telling the stories to cover up sordid parts of his past. Upon the brink of fatherhood himself, Will returns to his rural Alabama hometown after hearing about his father’s cancer, and his search to separate fact from fiction leads him to some surprising stories from Edward’s life that had been previously
unmentioned. “(Big Fish is) just a wonderful reminder that relationships between fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, siblings, neighbors, are so important because that’s what keeps people connected,” Linda Cooper, director of the show, said. Big Fish is based off of a book by Daniel Wallace, which was made into a 2003 movie directed by Tim Burton and a Broadway musical with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and script by John August. Alluvion’s production is a bit different than the one audiences might see on Broadway, though. “We’re the Central Virginia premiere of what’s called Big Fish small cast version, so it is a different script from the Broadway script, which had a cast of 40-some – so we have a cast of 20,” Cooper said. “The script has been adjusted to be a more intimate type of feeling, so it’s been a challenge to bring the intimacy of the story in script to a theater that’s this big.” Actor Brandon Shawl, who plays the circus ringmaster Amos Calloway and is a member of the ensemble, the cast’s small size helped the cast grow close to each other. “Since we have such a small cast and crew, it was so easy to create a community,” Shawl
said. “So many times, there are so many people that are involved in a show that it is hard to get to know everyone personally. It has been such a joy to meet everyone and get to know them on a personal level.” Teagan Cooper, daughter of director Linda Cooper, played a friend of Edward’s wife Sandra and was also in the ensemble. She has appreciated the intimacy a smaller cast and crew brings. “Big Fish is different from the other shows I have done at Liberty since it is a smaller cast and crew than a typical musical here,” Teagan Cooper said. “I think it has made us all closer as a cast. It is also a show that is not as well known, so it’s exciting to share a story that no one knows.” The tale of a father and son’s relationship plays out against a backdrop of an elaborate set that transforms the Tower Theater stage into rural Alabama, with moss and leaves draping down the sides of wooden docks where generations of Bloom men teach their sons how to fish. “Not only are the sets, costumes, lights, sound, music and choreography just outstanding, but the story is the best part,” Shawl said. “I have never been in a show that has such a compelling story that has touched
my life as much as this one has.” Linda Cooper said she believes the story is particularly important for graduating seniors. “I think it’s an appropriate show for the generation of students who are graduating to be reminded of their heritage as they’re about ready to go on a journey into adulthood, and that it’s so important to remember our parents, to remember our hometowns, to remember the beliefs that were instilled in us as kids, to remember the stories of our hometowns so we can pass them on to the next generation to keep the regional areas of America alive,” Cooper said. The story is not one that just graduating seniors can relate to, though; everyone can take away a tale of family and love with “Big Fish.” “I hope the audience walks away from this show reminded of the significance of family, and I hope everyone is encouraged to create a legacy of joy and love in their own lives,” Teagan Cooper said. “I don’t want to give too much away but expect to leave the theater with a very full heart. And probably a few tears.” DEPIERO is the contributing editor.
‘Commander’ is taking action
Liberty University’s latest feature film project persists despite prior controversy Jenna Crenshaw jmcrenshaw@liberty.edu
Joel Coleman | Liberty News Champion
MAKE IT HOT — Crew members for “Commander” utilized a number of special effects to simulate a house fire scene.
The heat is on for cinematic arts students. They are hard at work on Liberty’s fifth feature film project, set to be released Oct. 2 to 1,200 theaters. The film “Commander” is under the direction of Stephan Schultze, executive director of the cinematic arts program. Schultze has worked in Hollywood on several major motion pictures. According to Schultze, the film focuses on a portion of the book “The Trump Prophesies” written by Mark Taylor. “It’s really not about that entire book — it’s about a portion of the book that relates to a fireman, which is really the (impetus) for the book being created in the first place,” Schultze said. The story surrounds Mark Taylor, a Florida firefighter who struggled with PTSD. “In his 20th year (of working with the fire department), he started seeing the effects of years of dealing with difficulty that you witness of people not making it out of the fire,” Schultze said. “This one particular time, he found a young boy that didn’t make it out—and it really just shattered him. He start-
ed developing PTSD, and in the process of figuring out how to deal with it, he realized he couldn’t be a firefighter anymore.” After PTSD stole his confidence in his abilities, Taylor retired and started to seek counseling to work through the tragedies he had faced. The storyline follows the spiritual warfare Taylor experienced through dreams and visions. While listening to Donald Trump speak at the Republican National Convention in 2011, Taylor experienced a premonition in which he “witnessed the future President of the United States,” according to Schultze, who holds that the power of prayer is a central theme in the story. “When you’re dealing with PTSD, I think that not recognizing the spiritual battle that exists in that process of healing is a mistake,” Schultze said. “That often ends up being in this kind of situation, about understanding forgiveness, and love and God’s peace within you.” Although the making of “Commander” has caused controversy among Liberty’s students, Schultze says the project is moving forward, calling the process “seamless.” Cinematic arts students have
the opportunity to work in different roles in the filmmaking process under the direction of the various department heads. Danielle Waardenburg, a junior cinematic arts major, explained how working on the set of “Commander” has given her confidence in pursuing her passion for film. The experience has also helped her discover her options available within her field. “The kind of work we do is what we will be doing when we graduate, so we’re able to see firsthand what it will be like in the ‘real world,’” Waardenburg said. “For me personally, working in the camera department has confirmed for me that I want to work as an assistant cameraperson.” The hard work of the students will be displayed when the film receives a theatrical release. “Probably less than 1 percent of movies that are made actually get a theatrical release, if that many. So it’s a great opportunity for the students who are working on a movie that’s actually going to get a theatrical release,” Schultze said.
CRENSHAW is a feature reporter.