Students plunge for Special Olympics
Women’s basketball plays for breast cancer B4
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LIBERTY CHAMPION Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Today: Rain 52/26 Tomorrow: Sunny 43/23
libertychampion.com
Volume 30 • Issue 15
Author inspires
global focus week
Tess Curtis tcurtis@liberty.edu
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
Liberty unites nations TOGETHER — Students raised the flags of their home countries Feb. 11 to kick off Global Focus Week.
Global Focus Week encourages students to answer the call to the mission field Jeremy Angione jangione@liberty.edu
Jessica Jordan jmjordan3@liberty.edu
Waving flags streamed down the Vines Center steps during convocation Feb. 11, held by students signifying their home nations. Cultural representatives marched through the rows of students with the Revelation Song as their universal cadence. According to Vice President for Communications Johnnie Moore, the theme of this
year’s annual Global Focus Week is “make your degree global.” “We believe the Great Commission is for people going into the ministry and the marketplace,” Moore said. “It is our responsibility to be concerned about the entire world.” To help convey that point, Jo Saxton, a representative of the mission organization 3DM, spoke about sharing the Gospel message with the unreached people of the world. “Every generation of Christians will have to decide how they will respond to the Gos-
pel,” Saxton said. “How will we respond?” Saxton went on to tell students that Christians are lacking in a passionate spirituality, meaning that most Christians do not pray, read the Bible or love Jesus as intensely as they should. She encouraged students to think of the unreached nations from the perspective of the cross and from the heart of Jesus to increase their devotion to mission work. Throughout the week, Liberty fostered the idea of the “global degree” by hosting several breakout sessions en-
couraging students to think more globally. Numerous mission organizations lined the walkways of DeMoss Hall, recruiting potential workers in the mission field. Familiar special events filled Global Focus Week’s schedule, such as the Children of the World concert and Taste of the Nations. The Children of the World returned to Liberty on their Rescue Tour in convocation, and in their own concert Tuesday, Feb. 12.
See GLOBAL, A7
Ivy Lake dam needs repair Melanie Oelrich moelrich@liberty.edu
Liberty University’s Ivy Lake property has been home to numerous crew team events and warm Saturday swims. It has also served as a serene backdrop to the surrounding neighborhoods. However, a recent discussion in a public meeting revealed that the lake’s dam is in need of immediate, costly repairs, which has some homeowners worried. According to the Virginia Department of
Recreation and Conservation, a deficiency in the original construction of the dam was discovered in its most recent inspection. Certificates are required of dam owners every six years, department spokesman Gary Waugh said. The Ivy Creek dam certificate expired in September. “The Department of Recreation and Conservation issued a two-year conditional certificate in the fall, requiring a series of actions by certain
See LAKE, A2
Karly Kryza| Liberty Champion
CAUTION — The Ivy Lake dam may receive some needed attention.
Liberty University will now offer American Sign Language as a major. A6
Sports
The men’s DI hockey team celebrated its seniors during their games, Feb. 15-16. B1
See SERIES, A6
Students
await CFAW Dylan Friberg dwfriberg@liberty.edu
Liberty University students are preparing for the semester’s first College for a Weekend (CFAW), Feb. 22-24. CFAW is one of Liberty University’s largest events. Twice a semester, thousands of high school students travel to Liberty’s campus to get a taste of the college life. This time around, college students will host more than 2,000 incoming visitors, according to the Student Advocate Office. “Spring CFAWs are always larger, because in the fall, it is only for juniors and seniors, and then in the spring, it opens up for sophomores,” recruitment event coordinator Ericka Morris said. “From September when they start, until April when they finish, (the groups) gradually get larger.” According to Morris, CFAW is an opportunity for students to talk to professors in their field of interest, attend campus activities and get a feel for college life from an inside perspective. “CFAW is our main and largest recruitment event, but a lot of times students also use it for a college preview weekend,” Morris said. “It’s kind of like
See CFAW, A2
INSIDE THE CHAMPION News
Liberty University students and faculty members alike packed into DeMoss Hall 1090 to hear author and speaker Leslie Leyland Fields talk about a new way for evangelical Christians to interact with the surrounding culture. Fields was introduced by professor Karen Swallow Prior, who had developed a relationship with the writer after hearing one of her lectures. “My specialty is 18th-century authors,” Prior said. “I’m used to studying dead people. To find one I like who’s alive and kicking — it’s very exciting.” Fields opened her lecture with a summary of the current evangelical trend regarding secular society. According to Fields, there has been enormous change in how Christians view their place in the culture. “We live in exciting times,” Fields said. “Christians are standing up, and sometimes being heard. Christians are engaging culture. Part of that started right here, back in the ‘70s. As Jerry Falwell (Sr.) said, we are part of the ‘moral majority.’ … Now, Christian colleges and universities are blooming.” However, Fields believes that altering the culture has proven nearly impossible to accomplish through human means. “Good things have happened and are happening because of this shift — but not-so-good things have happened as well,” Fields said. According to Fields, 79 percent of white evangelicals voted for Romney, but he still did not win the presidential election. Only 2 percent of people go to
Feature “Carousel” opened at the Tower Theater Friday, Feb. B6 15.
News Opinion Sports Feature
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NEWS
A2/Liberty Champion
February 19, 2013
Runners brave the cold during 5K Nearly 200 participants span Liberty Mountain to complete the 3.1-mile race hosted by Student Activities Jacob Tellers jtellers@liberty.edu
Despite some light snow flurries, almost 200 runners showed up to the Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre to participate in the Liberty Mountain 5K hosted by Liberty University Student Activities last Saturday, Feb. 16. The chilly morning did not stop those who showed up prepared to run the 3.1-mile race. Runners from 7 to 99 years old participated in the event, and top finishers in each age and gender group received medals and trophies. Sam Dangc took first place with a time of 21:06. Samantha Schreiber, 15, from Gladys, Va., was the fastest female runner, with a time of 25:47. Dangc, a graduate student studying exercise science at Liberty, was not deterred by the weather. He even said that he likes running in the rain and snow. Joel Gibson, a teacher at Heritage Elementary School, brought a group of elementary students to run the 5K. The students are part of a running club that he set up last year at the elementary school. “We had 16 race today,” Gibson said. “We were all in in 55 minutes. I think that was good. It was a hard course, and my winners were just over 30 minutes, which on that course is amazing.” The students involved from Heritage were all in second and third grade, with the oldest being 9 years old. Light flurries had started a few minutes before the race, and it snowed on and off throughout the event. However, many of the
LAKE continued from A1 deadlines, which includes submission of a permit application by July 31 that addresses the dam’s inadequacies,” a letter that Liberty sent to Ivy Lake homeowners stated. Officials and engineers representing Liberty held a public meeting with lake residents Monday, Feb. 4 at Williams Stadium to discuss options and answer questions. Bob Bashore, an Ivy Lake resident and former Forest District representative on the Bedford County Board of Supervisors, said that he knew Liberty was working to get the dam relicensed. “I wasn’t aware personally of the ‘ins and outs’ of the issue until I got the recent notice,” Bashore said. “Many of the Ivy Lake residents have boats or canoes, and they enjoy the benefits of its scenic beauty.” Various lake homeowners are concerned that the dam’s need for attention would have an impact on real estate value, according to Bashore. Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. said that Liberty received Ivy Lake in 2008 as a gift from local developers, including a Liberty alumnus. According to the letter sent to Ivy Lake homeowners, engineering costs of studying the dam and having it recertified have exceeded $100,000.
Jillian Springer | Liberty Champion
FRIGID TEMPERATURES — Runners don beanies, gloves and facemasks as they cross the starting line at Snowflex.
“I came here this morning tired, so I was surprised that I did as well as I did.” — GEORGIANNA ESTELL runners did not have a problem with the snow, and the crowd gathered before the race cheered when they realized that the flakes were falling. “It’s kind of nice, refreshing — although it got in your eyes a little bit,” third place finisher Joshua During the public meeting, Liberty offered three options for lake residents to choose from. The first option would be to repair the dam and expand the spillway to meet state standards According to the letter, repairs are estimated to be at least $2 million or more if the repairs require the purchase of land to widen the spillway. The letter also states that maintenance and repairs would need “proportional financial support” from residents, but it did not say how much would be needed. Another option would be to drain the lake and breach the dam, leaving road access available on Ivy Lake Drive. “If the dam is not recertified, the Department of Recreation and Conservation would order the measure,” the letter stated. “Draining the lake and lowering the dam, or installing culverts to ensure water is not impounded, would meet requirements and be much less expensive than repair.” However, according to the letter, options like draining the lake would negatively impact the ability of the university and homeowners to use and enjoy the lake and negatively affect the value of surrounding properties. The third option would be to build a concrete spillway. This option would be slightly more expensive than the first option, according to Falwell. Waugh said that it is rare for the agency to order a dam breached, and such a decision
Cromwell said about the snow. Cromwell, a junior at Liberty, said that he had been involved in running during high school, but had just picked it up again last year. Georgianna Estell, an avid runner who has taken part in usually comes after an impasse with the owner or if all possible options are exhausted. “It’s way too early in the process to determine what the department may or may not order,” Waugh said. According to Falwell, the university’s limited uses of the lake do not justify the expense required to repair it. “Because of the benefit that the lake brings to the community and Liberty’s desire to be a good neighbor to residents of Central Virginia, we would be willing to pay half the cost of enlarging the spillway if the Ivy Lake homeowners paid the rest,” Falwell said. “If the residents do not value the lake enough to help fix it, Liberty has the option of draining the lake and selling the land … for residential uses and conservation easements. We are very hopeful that the lake is saved, though. It is a beautiful lake and a real asset to Bedford County.” As a conclusion was not reached during the meeting, homeowners and Liberty agreed that no one wants to see the lake destroyed. According to university engineers, a decision needs to be reached by this summer. OELRICH is the news editor.
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hosted by Student Activities. It is the second race they have held this year. The next race in the series, the Bald Mountain 10K, will be held Saturday, April 27 at Camp Hydaway. TELLERS is a news reporter.
participate in the event and earn CSER credit this spring. “This semester, I believe we will be the largest Christian service opport u n i t y, ” Liberty Morris University said. While students the recruitment host high office is school always trying parto make C FAW ticipants bigger, a for two large part of the CFAW turnout is based on weekthe conends cert Friday night. every Accordsemester. ing to the C FAW webpage, the most recent CFAW was one of the largest to date, due in large part to the David Crowder Band playing in concert.
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FRIBERG is a news reporter.
The Champion encourages community members to submit letters to the editor on any subject. Letters should not exceed 400 words and must be typed and signed. The deadline is 5 p.m. Friday. Letters and columns that appear are the opinion of the author solely, not the Champion editorial board or Liberty University. All material submitted becomes property of the Champion. The Champion reserves the right to accept, reject or edit any letter received—according to the Champion stylebook, taste and the Liberty University mission statement.
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an orientation, while also a recruitment event.” According to the CFAW webpage, many exciting events are scheduled to take place throughout the weekend, including a welcome rally and Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr.’s meet and greet. The first Liberty Flames baseball game in the new stadium and a concert featuring Third Day will take place Friday. The welcome rally Thursday night will also consist of a time of worship and an introduction to the weekend. “It’s just an awesome time to see all these students,” Morris said. “These thousands of people have travelled from all over the U.S. and Canada, and they’re all in one building, and we’re praising the Lord.” Morris also said that she hopes to see CFAW students coming away from the weekend with a positive outlook on Liberty and its student body. “I hope that students wouldn’t see it as a burden, but see it as a way that they are able to impact these prospective students lives, whether they come to Liberty or not,” Morris said. The CFAW weekend is not just an opportunity for high school students, according to Morris. Liberty students also have an opportunity to get Christian service credit for helping out. Between 150 and 200 student workers will
Ruth Bibby
Greg Leasure
OPINION EDITOR
CFAW continued from A1
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Andrew Woolfolk
many of the trail series events since she first came to Liberty, was the fourth place female runner, with a time of 26:56. “I came here this morning tired, so I was surprised that I did as well as I did,” Estell said. Student Activities provided refreshments before the race, and served pizza afterwards. They also raffled off several gift cards, including ones to Starbucks and Chipotle. The Liberty Mountain 5K is part of the Spring Trail series
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NEWS
February 19, 2013
Liberty Champion/A3
SAO moves to DeMoss Hall
campus events
Kara Smith kasmith8@liberty.edu
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
TOWED AWAY — According to Chief Richard Hinkley, the cones outside of DeMoss Hall were a temporary measure to prevent illegal parking during Global Focus Week.
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
BLACKOUT — An unplanned power outage over Main and South Campus cancelled afternoon classes Friday, Feb. 15. The only lights that remained on during the outage were those for emergencies.
The Student Advocate Office (SAO) will be moving Feb. 19 from Green Hall to the DeMoss Learning Center. Their new location will be on the second floor between the grand lobby and the computer lab in suite 2247, according to the SAO. “We decided to move to DeMoss Hall so that we could better assist students,� Director of Orientation and Retention Justin Mercer said. According to Mercer, most of the classes in Green Hall were moved to the third and fourth floors of DeMoss Hall last year. “We want to be where students are, so this is a natural transition for the (SAO),� Mercer said. According to Mercer, it was Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. and his staff who agreed to the move. The focus of the SAO is to help each resident student from their first day at Liberty to graduation, according to their website. SAO deals with problem solving, peer counseling, one-on-one appointments, financial aid guidance, scholarship assistance or just a helping hand and listening ear. The new location is where the International Student’s Center used to be, according to Mercer. “At our current location, the mission has been to help students academically, socially and spiritually so that they can graduate on time and be successful,� Mercer said. “At our new location, we will
utilize this same mission, but we will be in an area that will make us more available to the student population.� The SAO is presently sharing a suite with Resident Admissions, International and Graduate teams, and Liberty University Online. “We are very excited. Each member of our office shares a passion to help students be successful,� Mercer said. “We can’t wait to be in the center of student activity and to have the opportunity to work closely with faculty to help retain students.� The SAO reassures students and helps them remain confident during this important time in their lives. “College can be confusing, and we want to make sure our students don’t get lost in the shuffle. We’re a one-stopshop for helping you get your questions answered,� according to the SAO website. This move has sparked excitement in the team of workers involved with the SAO. “I think it’s fantastic,� Assistant Director of Orientation and Retention Joshua Haley said. According to Haley, he is looking forward to being closer to the students. “Being directly in the flow of student traffic will not only help retain current students, but it will provide wonderful access to retain the expected larger student body of the future,� Mercer said. “I believe that it will provide us the opportunity to be even more intentional in our approach to train champions for Christ.� SMITH is a news reporter.
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OPINION
February 19, 2013
State of the Union or state of confusion? Andrew Woolfolk
alwoolfolk@liberty.edu
When President Barack Obama spoke to the country for his 2013 State of the Union address Tuesday, Feb. 12, it was hard not to think to yourself, “Same old, same old.” In Obama’s speech, he touched on the topics we expected him to — from gun control to the budget — all the while stressing one theme that no one in politics seem to recognize anymore: compromise. “The American people don’t expect government to solve every problem, and they don’t expect those of us in this chamber to agree on every issue,” Obama said. “But they do expect us to put the nation’s interests before party. They do expect us to forge reasonable compromise where we can, for they know that America moves forward only when we do so together, and that the responsibility of improving this union remains the task of us all.” Obama continued his message of political togetherness, later adding that he would work to keep the government’s affairs more open to uphold the people’s faith in our country. The president is correct in his assertion that compromise is needed. Congress, which is composed of the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, has long lost its view on teamwork. A look at Congress’s offi-
WhiteHouse.gov
PROGRESS — Obama’s latest address to the nation called for leaders to resolve their differences and compromise. cial website shows that of the 100 members of the Senate, 70 percent vote with their party 90 percent of the time or more, with many of that 70 percent above the 98 percent mark. During a December 2010 interview, current Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner said, “I reject the word compromise.” In a 2012 interview with 60 Minutes, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was quick to rebuke Boehner’s comment, only to add later that “compromise is not what we do around here anymore.” Well, thanks to their views, Congress has not passed a budget in nearly four years. Thanks to their views, Congress’s approval rating has dipped down to
as low as 10 percent, and our country continues to add to its deficit of $16.5 trillion. Congress has not always been this way. Former Kansas Sen. Bob Dole, who served as the Senate’s majority leader for two years and the minority leader for eight years, was widely viewed as a leader who pioneered progress across party lines. Numerous politicians have spoken about how Dole would tell congressional members to meet in his office and be prepared to work it out. In a 2010 statement released through his spokesman, Dole said that sometimes people in Congress “fight you just to fight you,” rebuking Republicans for knee-jerk partisanship. In the early ‘90s, Presi-
dent George H. W. Bush bargained with Democratic House and Senate members to pass a budget for the betterment of the country. Even Ronald Reagan, who in recent years has become the face of Tea Party members hoping for a return to conservative values, compromised with Democrats on Medicare issues. These politicians knew what we have all figured out the hard way: that doing something, however small, is better than doing nothing. A sad few politicians realize their incompetence, but many of them too late to make a difference. “We should be individually and collectively embarrassed about our failures,” former Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe said. She
stepped down from her position Jan. 3, citing uncontrollable partisanship and a dysfunctional Congress as the main reason for her decision. Giving the same reasons, Evan Bayh, a senator from Indiana, also quit his position in 2010. “Everything is so shortterm politically tactical,” Bayh said in an interview with 60 Minutes. “It’s all about, ‘How do we win the next vote, the next election and the next news cycle?’” Perhaps Obama’s declaration for his fellow politicians to come together was inspired by a speech given at the National Prayer Breakfast Feb. 7. Before Obama’s address at the event, renowned Johns Hopkins Hospital pediatric neurosurgeon Ben Carson,
who spoke at Liberty University last March, bluntly discussed the government’s failings. “We have all these Democratic lawyers and Republican lawyers, and they all want to win,” Carson said. “We need to get rid of that. What we need to think about is how to solve these problems.” “I think particularly about ancient Rome,” Carson said. “Nobody could even challenge them militarily. They destroyed themselves from within, through moral decay and fiscal irresponsibility.” As Christians, there are obviously some issues, such as abortion, that we should not compromise on. There is no excuse for sacrificing morality for the sake of agreement. Yet on topics that pertain more to our society — such as gun control, healthcare and the economy — vastly different opinions will be held, and agreements must be reached. Obama began his State of the Union address with a quote from a 1962 John F. Kennedy speech: “The Constitution makes us not rivals for power, but partners for progress.” I hope that Obama, Congress and we as a nation take those words to heart.
WOOLFOLK is the opinion editor.
Obama prepared to put Jane on the frontlines Recent changes in policy to allow women to serve in combat roles has been called “distracting” by critics.
Jacob Tellers jtellers@liberty.edu
The Obama Administration has paved the way for women to be assigned to combat roles in the military. Some see this as just another step on the path to equality for women, while others view it as sacrificing the strength of the military on the altar of political correctness. Neither side is correct. So long as the same physical standards remain for the military, few women will see active combat roles, and the strength of the military will not be threatened. The reality is that while men and women are equal in intrinsic value, they still have physical differences. To pretend otherwise is to ignore obvious biological facts that need to be considered if women are to participate in combat situations. To be clear, this is about frontline service. Women have served courageously and competently in many other parts of the military and have been placed in dangerous situations. According to the Center for Military Readiness, more than 135 woman deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait have lost their lives since Sept. 11, 2001. It is certainly ironic that liberals who often claim to be proponents of science are so willfully ignorant of it when trying to involve women in combat situations. On average, men can carry more, lift more and are usually more physically fit than women. This is not
Provided that plans proceed as intended, Saturday mail might be a thing of the past starting August, 2013. Losing one day of mail might not seem like that big of deal to most people. However, if you are as avid a lover of getting
traditional mail — letters from friends and family, cards, invitations, etc. — as I am, then this change is just another reminder of how impatient society is becoming. For journalists and other professionals who rely on quick responses from
sexism, it is the truth. Study after study has shown that, on average, men have nearly twice as much upper-body strength than women. In war, soldiers will need to be able to carry or drag wounded comrades out of danger. They will have to travel long distances carrying heavy gear. It is impossible to ignore the importance of physical strength for soldiers on the frontlines. The Washington Times reported that the Marine Corps has had little success in getting female recruits for their Infantry Officer Course — only two out of the 80 eligible female marines volunteered for it. “Of the two female volunteers, one washed out on the first day, along with 26 of the 107 men, and the other dropped out two weeks later for medical reasons,” a Marine Corps spokesman told the Washington Times after the course concluded last November. According to USA Today, military officials stated that while physical requirements will be reviewed, appropriate standards would remain. This does not mean that Israeli Armed Forces | Creative Commons no women exist who are able to serve on the frontlines of the military. It does mean that they are the exception, TOUGH — Countries such as Israel have women on the front lines. not the rule. As long as physical standards are kept the same, allowing women to join will not be a problem simply be- scale, so it should not be damaging to the military. If qualified women are willing to fight and die for our cause few will, and those who do will be qualified. Since women already serve in other capacities, this will not be country, they should have that right. a completely radical change to how the military operates. While there will be complications, it will be on a small TELLERS is an opinion writer. sources halfway across the globe, email, social media and text messaging is like a gift from above. But for the rest of the world, those expected, quick responses seem to be lowering people’s ability to really connect to friends and family from across distances. When was the last time you called home and had a meaningful, long conversation with one of your parents? I know for me, it is difficult to talk to my family for long periods of time on our cellphones — the connection gets lost, static makes it difficult to hear, no one really has the time to talk for an hour, and I tend to mumble a lot.
So, instead of calling every day, I shoot my family a text message or comment on a Facebook post, telling myself that it is just as significant as a lengthy telephone call or letter. While technology does in- CASSIDY crease the amount of ways we can contact each other, it also makes us lazy, and it causes us to lose that connection we have with others. I know that before I got Facebook, before I had a phone to text people, and before I really used my
email addresses, I wrote letters on a weekly basis. I wrote to several international friends, family members who did not live close by, and even those friends who were right down the street. We grew closer through printed confessions that we could not admit out loud in fear of passerby’s taking a piece of our secrets. We wrote down our ideas and actually expressed them with clarity. We connected with each other, knowing that the other person took the time to compose this beautifully written letter. Now, I only ever write to my parents and my grandmother, who does not really have text mes-
saging or an email address to correspond with. The deep secrets shared between friends through traditional mail do not really exist anymore, and neither does the surprise of getting a letter from my friends in Korea, nor the anticipation of waiting for an answer about a party from my best friend down the street. Saturday postal service’s ending does not guarantee the cessation of mail altogether, but it does remind me of how much society has changed, and how much some of us need to write home. CASSIDY is the editor in chief.
February 19, 2013
Liberty Champion/A5
OPINION / ENTERTAINMENT
Super Bowl MVP: The commercials
The downtime spent in-between the action of the big game gives companies the opportunity to leave their mark David Van Dyk dvandyk@liberty.edu
It occurred to me as I viewed the second mostwatched annual sporting event worldwide that the commercials capture the audience more than the greatest game-changing play. Nothing holds the attention of an audience more than a library being destroyed over America’s favorite cookie, or a GoDaddy technician having the best day of his life. As for me, the Wounded Warrior Project commercial was high on the list. As someone who would like to serve in the armed forces in the future, I am truly appreciative of how much Wounded Warrior does for the soldiers who have given a part of themselves just to keep this country free. However, one of the most talked, tweeted and texted about commercials for the Super Bowl was Dodge’s “God Made a Farmer.” According to Tim Nudd of Adweek, this commercial did what every commercial should strive to do. “In the forum of the Super Bowl, it’s all about leaving an impression,” Nudd said. “This ad’s beautiful craft held 100 million viewers rapt — a worthy beginning to a worthy campaign, and the night’s best spot.” Leaving an impression is colossal when it comes to success. It is the Holy Grail for advertisers in terms of
YouTube Screenshot
DODGE — By relating the toughness of farmers to their trucks, the company pulled off a successful commercial. profitable marketing, and Dodge did just that. In a time of political upheaval, budget cuts and tragic events, the simple message of good old fashion values found a niche in the hearts of millions. For the vast majority of viewers, advertisements make the Super Bowl what it is. Apple’s 1984 commercial, which introduced one of the most successful computers, is credited with changing the public’s perception of the once-failing company. Since then, characters such as the ETrade baby, the Budweiser Clydesdales and countless other characters have proved to be entertaining
Gabriella Fuller gfuller2@liberty.edu
Warning: the following article may contain disturbing content pertaining to undead corpses, apocalyptic plague and hunger for living human flesh. Sound like the precursor to another generic zombie movie? Well, think again. Though blood-encrusted, brain-eating zombies hardly seem to be the most promising premise for a romantic comedy, “Warm Bodies” manages to be surprisingly entertaining and touching. Clever and original, this zombie movie subverts traditional genre convention. For once, viewers are taken in a different direction and offered a perspective from the zombie’s point of view. Infused with wry, witty satire and exceptionally clever interior monologue, this film will quickly win you over. If I were to rate this movie based solely on morality, the review would drop in points.
and memorable. “For many viewers, staying tuned to the Super Bowl is far more about watching the ads than the game itself,” Norman Mintle, Liberty University’s dean for the School of Communication, said. “This year’s game provided great second-half drama and almost a comeback for the ages.” For sure, many will remember the enjoyable commercials that added a sense of levity and joint laughter to an otherwise tense and possibly divided room atmosphere. But do these commercials pay off in the end? “Beyond the question of
Though it received a PG13 rating by professionals, and therefore gained Liberty approval, there is significant language and a borderline suggestive scene where the female lead undresses. However, as most have come to accept, Hollywood ratings and movie glamor are never genuine, factual truths. Watch the movie for its entertainment value, and the ratings quickly soar. With a guarded heart and conscious mind, it is possible to be in the world but not of it. Directed by Jonathan Levine as an adaptation of Isaac Marion’s bestselling novel, the unconventional movie attempts to simultaneously incorporate romance and mortality. The screenplay features none-too-subtle echoes of Shakespeare’s tale of woe, Romeo and Juliet. From the name of the main characters, “R” and Julie, to the use of an inevitable balcony scene, great consideration was taken
any entertainment value, the mostly exquisite production values poured into these $4 million spots or the record-breaking cost of airtime, one must wonder about the overall effect on our culture,” Mintle said. Looking at the numbers, the money these companies fork out is incredible. According to Mental Floss, a bimonthly magazine, Apple’s Super Bowl commercial cost just short of $1 million. According to Business Insider, a Super Bowl commercial in 2009 cost $3 million. Within three years, that number jumped an extra $1 million.
to perfect the splicing of starcrossed romance and zombie action. The setting of the story is in a post-apocalyptic world where humans and zombies dare not intermingle. The human race is struggling on the brink of extinction, with increasing numbers converting to the undead population. As our hero and narrator soon comes to prove, however, not all infected and zombified humans are as mindless as they seem. Though gruesome and foul in appearance, somewhere beneath his gray, flaky skin lies a heart that beats with young love — even if that heart happens to be stiff with rigor mortis. In a generation of films and television shows where the human girl falls for the not-sohuman boy routine has been done before, “Warm Bodies” remains curiously moving amid the nearly endless parade of vampires, werewolves and ghosts. As a female who has never been
So what does this mean for our culture? Why are businesses willing to pay a premium for just 30 seconds? It has been proven to work. According to Mental Floss, Apple sales skyrocketed following the commercial, which critics say started the Super Bowl commercial craze as we know it. E-Trade has garnered a larger clientele than ever before with the “E-trade baby.” Not many can argue the effect that the Budweiser Clydesdales have on the American public, especially with the tribute they made to 9/11 during the 2002 Super Bowl game.
an enthusiast of the “Twilight” saga and will most likely never be able to work up the courage to watch “Dawn of the Dead,” I found that I was pleasantly able to sit through “Warm Bodies” with minimal grimaces of horror. As for the male audience, I think you will find that this movie injects much-needed life into the predominantly mushy Nicholas Sparks romance genre. In the end, the premise of this movie is a tad creepy, not to mention that the mere presence of the walking dead goes against all that we as Christians believe in. We should be wary and remember that acceptance by the world does not automatically mean acceptance by our personal convictions. Christians tread a fine line when we begin to accept basic principles that the Bible has clearly warned against. The normalization of the living dead and the convoluted sense of afterlife that zombie movies portray are dangerous if we allow
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Certainly, these companies put a lot of faith into their marketing teams, hoping that their creative juices are flowing like the Mississippi River. Some are blessed with a flood of ideas, while others can be caught up in a drought. Dodge’s idea to honor the farmers who work day in and day out spoke volumes to me. The saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” inadequately describes the imagery featured in that commercial. Paul Harvey’s commentary was powerful, striking a cord with the values that make up this great nation. The Super Bowl provides a unique challenge for marketing teams to put their heads together and whip up something original. The way they go about that is totally up to them. Whether they end up being successful depends entirely on the audience — forming the lovehate relationship between advertiser and buyer. So for now, Apple’s 1984 commercial is still regarded as the best. Year after year, companies show us all they have to offer in creativity and innovation. Thankfully, all we have to do is sit back, watch, laugh and maybe, just maybe, actually remember the company who made the commercial. VAN DYK is an opinion writer.
them to desensitize our beliefs and standards. Disregard the fact that the afterlife is consumed with devouring brains, however, and we arrive at a modern, nifty spin on a classic love story. Julie can feel protected in the arms of her idealized — though moderately decayed — knight, who proves to be both gentleman and protector through his kindness and faithfulness. Meanwhile, “R” can find sanity in his otherwise meaningless world as Julie begins to love and accept him. Is this a little too perfect of an ending? Perhaps. But it would not very well be a romantic comedy without a happy ending where the power of true and sacrificial love conquers all, now would it? Moral of the story: hope and kindness can be just as contagious as an apocalyptic plague. FULLER is an opinion writer.
NEWS
A6/Liberty Champion
February 19, 2013
Sign Language becomes major The Department of English and Modern Languages adds American Sign Language and Interpreting to course studies Jeremy Angione jangione@liberty.edu
Liberty University will become the first institution in the commonwealth of Virginia to offer a bachelor’s degree in American Sign Language and Interpreting (ASLI), according to the Office of English and Modern Languages assistant professor Nicole Thorn. The ASLI track will ensure that students meet the rising standards of interpreter certification, according to Thorn. “With supply not meeting the current demand, interpreters have become an invaluable tool in communication access between deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals,” according to the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID). The RID is responsible for the certification of sign language interpreters. According to Thorn, the RID recently added a bachelor’s degree as a prerequisite for taking the national certification exam. Thorn said that another major reason for creating the ASLI major is to increase relations between the Deaf and hearing communities. Director of the Office of Disability Academic Support Denny McHaney has pledged his support for the new degree. The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services is one of the components of the Office of Disability Academic Support. “We’re extremely excited about the American Sign Language and Interpreting major,” McHaney said. “Finding licensed, qualified interpreters is very difficult, but I can envision Liberty one day hiring its own graduates and doing internships in this field.” Thorn recognized the impact that a major like this one could have for the Christian community. “It has been estimated that as little as one percent of deaf people in the United States is churched,” Thorn said. “A major in ASL and interpreting at Liberty University means teaching a traditionally secular field from a Christian worldview.”
Jazmin Quaynor | Liberty Champion
SIGN — Nicole Thorn, program director for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services and the assistant professor of American Sign Language and Interpreting (ASLI), works at a showing of Carousel in Tower Theater. According to Junior Michael Fink, Liberty has already provided him with resources and opportunities to overcome the challenges of being deaf in an academic environment. “The ASLI degree will be a gift from God, an opportunity for those who are deaf to be able to communicate with those who are not deaf, but know ASL,” Fink said. “It’s a great need and a highly skilled one,” McHaney said. “It’s one thing to be able to sign, but what an interpreter does is listen
to somebody else and interpret it through (ASL).” Approximately 17 new courses will be added to the ASLI track, most of which are sign language and interpreting classes. One course for English, linguistics, sociology and theology will also be included, according to Thorn. The full degree completion plan is complete but has not been released as of yet. The program recently received full approval of accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and
Summer registration opens Lauren Creekmore lcreekmore@liberty.edu
Liberty University students may not be thinking about schoolwork in the summer, but for some, the chance to accelerate their education in summer school may be a good option. The resident summer school registration opened for students on ASIST Feb. 4. Liberty offers many different courses during the summer from desktop publishing to biology, among others, which are listed on Liberty’s website under “Summer Session 2013.” The most popular and in-demand courses taken over the summer at Liberty have been aviation, biology, communication, nursing and education, according to Kenny Rowlette, director for Liberty’s summer programs. Rowlette claimed that nursing students are the most common out of all the students to take advantage of these summer classes. “It really lightens the load for nursing students because (once) we start to go to the hospital, we don’t have as much time to study,” nursing student Courtney Fox said. “It is really beneficial to complete courses through-
out the summer because it enables us to get certain classes done to give us more time during the semester.” Aviation students also use the summer school program to get ahead in their studies. “I am excited to start my classes for aviation over the summer so I can start logging in my time to fly and not have to pay as much to do Students so, like enrolled I did in summer d u r courses will ing the semesonly pay t e r, ” $340 per aviacredit hour. t i o n student Daniel Hartman said. “Liberty’s summer school has opened up a lot of doors for me concerning aviation, and in the end, is saving me money.” “Depending on the department, we are trying to make as many two to three-week intensives available as possible,” Rowlette said. “Taking these summer classes will save the students time and money during college.” Plans for student housing and dining for summer school students are being
FYI
put into place, Rowlette said. According to American Student Assistance, an organization that provides neutral information about student loan debt, 20 million students borrow yearly to help cover the cost of college tuition and 37 million are buried with outstanding student loans — with most borrowers being under the age of 30. “Taking classes during the summer allows students to complete their degree faster and spend less time during the semester on classes,” Rowlette said. In addition to saving time during summer school, undergraduate students save money as well. Classes for summer school are paid for by credit hour. According to Liberty’s registrar’s office, students in summer school pay only $340 per credit hour. Rowlette said that he is fully confident that students will benefit from the summer programs not only academically, but financially as well. CREEKMORE is a news reporter.
classes will begin in the near future. According to Thorn, she will officially become the director of the program in the fall and will teach many of the courses. The ASLI department will be located within the English and Modern Languages Department. The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services is located within CASAS and accommodates students that are deaf and hard of hearing, according to Thorn. Classes will be conducted fully in ASL, which encourages stu-
SERIES continued from A1 church, and hardly any of them read the Bible. A number of actors are professed Christians, she said, but there has been no significant change in the culture at Hollywood. “This string of bad news, we hear it almost every day. We are losing. We’re losing the culture wars,” Fields said. “Maybe changing the world isn’t our job. Maybe we haven’t been called to greatness. Maybe we’ve been called to something else.” Fields also related the problems of the modern evangelical to the plight of the prophet Ezekiel. According to her, the Israelites had sinned to such an extent that Ezekiel’s efforts had no effect on the hardened hearts of the people. “Nobody repented. The city was completely destroyed,” Fields said. “(Ezekiel) failed to be heard by his culture — he failed even though God equipped him specially for the task.” According to Fields, the prophet fulfilled God’s command knowing that he would probably not have any impact on his society. “He was responsible to obey God. He wasn’t responsible to change the world. That’s God’s responsibility — that’s His burden. God doesn’t need our help.” Fields also mentioned the story in Matthew 18, when the disciples asked Jesus who would be the greatest among them. According to Fields, Jesus called a child to him and told his disciples that in order to be first in heaven, they would have to take on the lowly position of a child. “Maybe we should change our approach and our goal,” Fields said.
dents to think and learn more visually, according to Thorn. “Although ASL is not an international language, the learning of a signed language often prepares the learner to more readily learn a second or third signed language,” Thorn said. “Signed languages may not be international, but Deaf culture does span the globe as a similar and united community.” ANGIONE is a news reporter.
“Not to be great, but to be small. Not to be served, but to serve. Give up the culture wars, but don’t give up on the culture — or on culture making.” According to Sigma Tau Delta Secretary Carley Meyers, the food was almost entirely gone by the end of the event. The room was packed during the lecture, and members of Sigma Tau Delta as well as various graduate students in the Department of English and Modern Languages brought in chairs from the surrounding classrooms to provide extra seating. “I was very pleased with the turnout,” Prior said. “It was good to see people across sections from the university — various majors and faculty members from different disciplines.” According to Prior, Fields’ lecture removed an undue weight from the shoulders of evangelical Christians, but it also managed to apply to Liberty’s aim to train champions for Christ. “The message that it’s our responsibility to save the world is not only not quite biblical, but it puts an unnecessary burden on us,” Prior said. “It is God’s responsibility to redeem creation, and we just get to be used in that process in whatever way He sees fit. It’s a refreshing and important message that applies equally to all disciplines and professions.” CURTIS is the copy editor.
NEWS
February 19, 2013
Liberty Champion/A7
Phone usage becomes primary offense Police can now stop drivers whom they believe are texting behind the wheel Lauren Creekmore lcreekmore@liberty.edu
According to the Virginia General Assembly, eight lawmakers put a stop to texting while driving Monday, Feb. 4, with the passing of the bill that allows police to stop drivers who appear to be texting. Delegate Richard L. Anderson presented the “texting while driving” bill at the State Capitol in Richmond. The bill, which passed through the Virginia House of Delegates, made texting while driving a primary offense. Statistics show that drivers are 23 times more likely to get into an accident while texting, according to textinganddrivingsafety.com. “Distracted driving accidents have become an epidemic,” Virginia Beach attorney Rick Shapiro said. “We’re even handling a case where an ambulance ran a red light because the operator was on the cellphone.” According to textinganddrivingsafety.com, a car travels the length of a football field within five seconds at 55 mph. Texting delays a driver’s reaction time as much as having a blood alcohol content level at the legal limit. Eighteen percent of drivingrelated fatalities occur because of distractions caused by cellphones. “I think texting while driving has a bigger and more dangerous impact than drunk driving, because most people have cell-
Jenny House | Liberty Champion
DANGER — Roughly 5,870 people died and about 515,000 were injured from accidents attributed to texting while driving in 2012. phones, and it can cause fatal distractions,” Liberty University junior Kevin Serapiglia said. The legislation that bans texting while driving includes a public education campaign notifying people of the fines that will be implemented, according to the eight lawmakers who sponsored the legislation. Rockbridge County delegate Ben Cline orchestrated the legislation. “It’s an issue that affects everybody, because most everybody has one of these (cellphones),”
Cline said to the Washington Post. As stated by the lawmakers who sponsored the legislation, certain fines will be enforced for texting while driving. According to the bill, the first offense will cost drivers $250, and $500 for any future occurrences. Virginia’s current texting law only demands a fine of $25. Nearly all of the lawmakers said that much of the credit for ushering the bill through the House of Delegates should go to Cline, whose district includes
part of Amherst County. The House version of the bill was adopted in the Senate, where Democratic senators George Barker and Don McEachin spearheaded the legislation, according to distracteddrivinghelp. com. The News & Advance reported that a driver from Fairfax County received seven text messages in 10 minutes and killed a teenager due to the distraction last fall. That accident started the action toward the bill proposed last week.
Statistics from the National Safety Council show that 1,600,000 accidents and 330,000 injuries occur per year, and there are 11 teen deaths everyday due to texting while driving. “We’re heading in the right direction,” Barker said in an interview after the 9-6 bipartisan vote to approve the bill. “Texting is a tremendous traffic risk.”
CREEKMORE is a news reporter.
80,000
2000
2010
70,000 60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000
Lynchburg
Amherst County
Appomattox County
Bedford City
Bedford County
Campbell County
Liberty Champion
POPULACE — This chart shows how much Lynchburg and the surrounding counties grew between 2000 and 2010.
DIVERSITY — Students celebrate cultures from around the world.
‘Burg population grows
GLOBAL continued from A1
Cecilia Hines
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
The young group of 14 praised God and represented their home nations of Nepal, Uganda and the Philippines. “I simply wanted students to remember Jesus as they performed,” Doreen Nambirwe, a performer from Uganda, said. The children’s performance was jubilant but for a serious purpose, Vice President of World Help Noel Brewer Yeatts reminded students in her convocation message. “You’re gonna be hit over and over again with things that will open your eyes to the needs of the world,” Yeatts said. “Opportunities that you have to get involved, ... to restore hope. But I hope that it lasts longer than a week, that it can be something that permeates every area of our life.” Yeatts urged stu-
dents to help restore hope by embracing issues such as poverty, disease and slavery. Students were able to grab a taste of the various cultures represented at Liberty during Taste of the Nations, Wednesday, Feb. 13. More than 20 nations and their signature dishes were present at the event. Multilingual music and aromatic appetizers pervaded the air as students gathered in the new Schilling Center. Esther Dii had the opportunity to present a portion of her culture as she bore the flag of Papua New Guinea in convocation and served its food at Taste of the Nations. “It’s great to represent my country,” Dii said. “Global Focus Week is a time where we can share and not be wrapped up in our own little world.” Liberty’s first graduate, Vernon Brewer, also spoke to students in convocation about
the current issues facing the international church. Brewer is the founder and president of World Help. According to Brewer, World Help is a global outreach program that seeks to make disciples of the unreached people groups and addresses issues like poverty and disease. Brewer highlighted the nations of India and Syria as ones in dire need of intervention by the church. He challenged students to be deeply committed and get involved. “We desperately need everyone on the frontlines in every profession and on every corner of the globe,” Brewer said. “Don’t be afraid to pursue the passion and the calling that God has uniquely given you.”
ANGIONE is a news reporter. JORDAN is a feature reporter.
Numbers continue to increase in and around Hill City chines2@liberty.edu
In a recent report from the Weldon Cooper Center in Charlottesville, N.C., the City of Lynchburg and the surrounding counties saw their populations increase by a combination of about 3,180 residents since the 2010 Census. The report estimated that the City of Lynchburg had the biggest change in numbers — 1,635 additional residents —pushing Hill City to more than 77,000 residents. The increase of a community’s population can be contributed to a number of factors, including cost of living, job opportunities and entertainment. In Lynchburg’s case, multiple colleges in the area attract people to the region, according to City Manager Kimball Payne. Liberty University, Lynchburg College, Randolph College, Virginia University of Lynchburg and Central Virginia Community College are all within the city limits. Sweet Briar College is also located in nearby Amherst County. While the multitude of colleges attract a younger genera-
tion to the city, college students are not the only people settling down in the Lynchburg area, according to Payne. Even so, Payne believes the growth of Liberty is a major cause of the expansion in the city because of the students and staff coming in. “There is a large support staff at Liberty who are all living in the city with their families, and we also have a great medical network here that draws a lot of retirees in,” Payne said. “As the city grows, more people want to relocate here.” With the continuing development of Liberty, people like Payne want students to graduate with their degree and fill vacant job positions in the Lynchburg area. “We hope that students will want to raise a family here after graduation,” Payne said. Junior Solianna Berrios transferred to Liberty last year because she wanted to be part of the worship program, but she also mentioned other factors involved in her decision to come to Lynchburg. “Liberty University is what brought me to Lynchburg, but Lynchburg’s local culture has truly improved my
college experience,” Berrios said. “Campus offers all the academic and spiritual growth I need, while the town offers museums, festivals and local restaurants with history and character. It’s an ideal place for a college student to live.” According to Payne, the growth in population has also led to an increase in projects around the city. A branch of the popular clothing store Francesca’s recently opened in downtown Lynchburg. There are also plans in place for an Ann Taylor, Fresh Market and second Panera in Lynchburg. Payne said that the construction of these new businesses around the city also brings in new apartments and living spaces for people. According to the City of Lynchburg website, the population increased from approximately 65,000 to more than 75,000 people from 2000 to 2010. Based on this recent report and the consistent growth of the area’s college community, it seems like the opportunity is there for Lynchburg to sustain this growth for years to come. HINES is a news reporter.
NEWS
A8/Liberty Champion
February 19, 2013
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SPORTS
FEBRUARY 19, 2013
M. Lacrosse
Softball
W. Lacrosse
M. Tennis
W. DI Hockey
Liberty 12 Charleston 6
Liberty 5 IUPUI 2
Navy 15 Liberty 7
William & Mary 4 Liberty 2
Liberty 6 Chatham 3
Seniors victorious
busy weekend in sports
Kyle Harvey kharvey@liberty.edu
Liberty University’s Head Hockey Coach Kirk Handy always wants his team to score first. Winning teams score first. Winning teams put their opponent in a hole quick and keep them pinned down for the entire contest. After struggling lately in the first period, the Flames got on the board Saturday, Feb. 16, against West Virginia University — really early. It was only fitting that Liberty’s early charge was led by its three seniors, Scott Morongell, Rick Turner and Brent Boschman, who were honored in a pre-game ceremony. Less than two minutes after the initial faceoff, Morongell deflected Tyson Street’s shot in behind West Virginia’s goalkeeper to give Liberty an immediate advantage. “I think we knew we won before we got on the ice,” Morongell said. “All of the boys were pretty pumped for senior night. Everybody was going hard for us. It’s a pleasure to have everybody buy into a situation The ACHA like this.” “Us scoring National early was key,” Tourney Handy said. “I begins in find sometimes that it’s such a Chicago key thing for us March 1. — especially to build confidence early.” The Mountaineers rallied to answer and tied the score with 10:40 left in the opening period. However, Turner reclaimed the lead for the Flames less than a minute later, slapping in a shot on an assist from Kyle Garcia. Following Turner’s score, Liberty goalkeeper Clayton Brown stood tall against a barrage of shots and preserved his team’s one-goal lead during back-to-back West Virginia power plays. After the Flames two penalty kills, Boschman scored on an assist from Ryley Egan with 2:49 left in the period. However, less than 30 seconds later, West Virginia struck back, scoring on a high-traffic play that left Brown in a mangled heap in front of the net. The first period ended with Liberty up 3-2. Boschman’s two goals against the Mountaineers leave him just two shy of the century mark for his career — a number he will attempt to eclipse in the postseason. The second period belonged to Turner. Less than five minutes in, Turner received the puck from Danny Logan on a breakaway. With just the keeper to beat, Turner put the puck in the back of the net to give Liberty a two-goal lead, 4-2. “After we got the two-goal lead, had a cushion, we just had more energy than them,” Boschman said. “We carried that in and had a big second period that sealed the deal.” After the score, Liberty found itself in some foul trouble, but Brown rescued the Flames from a few tight spots in power plays, snaring several
FYI
See SENIOR, B2
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
FLURRY OF ACTIVITY — It may have been snowy outside last weekend, but the winter athletic season was heating up all over campus. Students and fans enjoyed a men’s and women’s double-header basketball game Saturday, Feb. 16 at the Vines Center. The men hosted the Big South North Division leading High Point University Panthers, and the women hosted in-state rival Radford University. At the LaHaye Ice Center, the men’s DI Hockey team concluded its 2012-13 regular season with a two-game series against West Virginia University.
Gamecocks take series Flames outhit No. 5 South Carolina 20-17, but drop weather delayed series 2-1
Greg Leasure | Liberty Champion
ENDURE — Liberty lost the series against South Carolina, but won game three, 3-2. Greg Leasure gleasure@liberty.edu
Game 1 The Liberty Flames baseball team kicked off their new season in dramatic fashion with a 4-3 loss against the No. 5 South Carolina Gamecocks Friday, Feb. 15. National champions in 2010 and 2011, the Gamecocks jumped out to a two-run lead and held the Flames scoreless through the first seven innings before allowing a three-run rally in the eighth inning. Despite outhitting the Gamecocks 8-5, the Flames
left 14 runners on base, which proved too much to overcome. “We did well with getting guys on base, obviously,” Liberty center fielder Ryan Cordell said. “You win games with two outs and runners in scoring position, and we weren’t able to do it today.” Gamecocks starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery faced multiple Flames scoring chances during his six innings on the mound, each time escaping unscathed. The Flames finally scored their first runs of the season with a two-run double by Cordell in the eighth inning and an RBI groundout
by Bryan Aanderud, but it was too little, too late. “I told our guys that I’m proud of them, other than the bases loaded situations where we didn’t drive them in,” Liberty Head Coach Jim Toman said. “It was 4-3 against a team that’s won more games in the last three years than any team in the country.” Flames starting pitcher Carson Herndon turned in five solid innings of work, allowing only a solo home run in the second inning. After his exit, the Liberty bullpen surrendered three more runs. “We were just trying to get
(pitchers) out there, use as many as we can and get guys out,” Toman said. “It’s good experience early in the year to see what they’re going to do and how they’re going to react.” Played at Carolina Stadium in Columbia, S.C., the game began with a ceremony honoring former Gamecocks Head Coach Ray Tanner, a mentor to Toman during their time at South Carolina and North Carolina State Universities. “I’ve known him a long time, and he’s a good friend,” Toman said. “He deserved everything he got today, and I thought (that) it was a great deal that South Carolina honored him in that way.” Tanner, the school’s current athletic director, watched as his jersey was retired, and former players recounted their favorite memories of their coach in videos played between innings. Rain caused Saturday’s rematch between the two teams to be rescheduled, resulting in a Sunday doubleheader. Game 2 The Flames bullpen woes continued in the second game of the series Sunday afternoon. Liberty’s offense exploded for six runs in the sixth
See OPENER, B2
We’ll see you at the game W. Tennis vs. Longwood Feb. 20 @ 1 p.m.
M. Tennis vs. Morgan State Feb. 22 @ 2:30 p.m.
Baseball vs. Penn State Feb. 22 @ 4 p.m.
Baseball vs. Penn State Feb. 23 @ 1 p.m.
Basketball vs. Austin Peay Feb. 23 @ 4 p.m.
SPORTS
B2/Liberty Champion
February 19, 2013
Flames fail to win consecutive games
After defeating Campbell 82-80, Liberty fell to Big South North Division leader High Point 73-68 Tom Foote tfoote2@liberty.edu
The High Point Panthers men’s basketball team (15-10, 10-3 Big South) held off the Liberty Flames (9-18, 5-8 Big South) 73-68 Saturday, Feb. 16. Liberty junior guard John Caleb Sanders scored a game-high 23 points. The Flames were fast out of the gate, claiming an early 11-8 lead after a 3-pointer by junior guard Davon Marshall. High Point answered with a 10-0 run to open up an 18-11 lead. Liberty responded with a small run of its own, managing to cut the margin to 25-22 after a fast break dunk by senior Tavares Speaks. The Panthers size and strength in the paint was a major factor throughout the game. This was orchestrated by forwards Allan Chaney, who recorded a doubledouble with 16 points and 13 rebounds, and John Brown, who led the Panthers with 17 points on the night. “(The Panthers) have two exceptionally good post players that came out very physical and aggressive,” Speaks said. “(They) kind of hit us in the mouth and caught us off guard.” High Point was able to close the first half on a strong run and carry a 35-24 lead into the locker room. “You give them credit,” Head Coach Dale Layers said. “They came out with a lot of fire and did what they were supposed to do. Chaney and Brown are loads inside, and we knew that going in, and I thought they dictated everything
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
ONSLAUGHT — John Caleb Sanders attempts a lay-up. He finished with 23 points. in the first half.” The Panthers did not leave Liberty without a strong opposition as the Flames battled their way back in the second half. “We played so much better in the second half,” Sanders said. “When High Point gets you down like that, they are not going to let you back into the game without a fight.” In the second half, Liberty was much more aggressive and was led by Sanders’ play, who scored 19 of his 23 in the
second half. “We showed a lot of character in the second half,” Layers said. “We battled, and that’s the way we should have played for 40 minutes.” Redshirt sophomore forward Sommy Ogukwe blocked a dunk, and the crowd erupted, helping spark a 9-2 Liberty run. Sanders capped off the run with a three, which led to a Panthers timeout. However, the tie game would not last for long, as the Panthers opened up a
57-47 lead, one that they would not surrender again despite a resilient comeback attempt by the Flames. “We did not make enough shots down the stretch,” Layers said. “We got to give them credit. …When you spot a good team 11 points, it’s hard to battle back.” Liberty was able to close the gap to two after a pair of 3-pointers by junior guard Casey Roberts ignited a 10-2 run. However, costly mistakes by the Flames in the first half and excellent free-throw shooting by the Panthers down the stretch were the ultimate deciding factors of the game. “We play 10 better minutes in the first half instead of a bad 20 minutes, and we might get a win here,” Sanders said. “It hurts to lose a home game no matter how good the team is.” Although the Flames had a tough loss, they are already preparing to bounce back. “We are going to sit back down, look at this loss and go to the chopping board again,” Speaks said. “We definitely lost a close game, but it just gives us that much more motivation to come back and fight harder.” The Flames will return to action when they travel to take on the Longwood Lancers Tuesday, Feb. 19. Their next home game will host Austin Peay as a part of the Ramada Worldwide BracketBusters at 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23. FOOTE is a sports reporter.
Senior Portraits: Hockey
BOSCHMAN
“Brent is a very offensive player and shows up to play consistently. ... Brent started out as a winger and ended up as a centerman. He’s someone that’s been a part of a pretty successful program for four years.” — Coach Handy
MORONGELL
“(Morongell) is someone who definitely embodies what I like to consider a team player. ... He started as a defenseman and then went up to forward and then this year we’re short on defensemen again. I asked him to go back and he went back with a willing attitude.” — Coach Handy
TURNER
“Rick’s obviously been a key player for us offensively. Rick’s first year he was effective, but his second and third year he has been dominant — especially this year. He’s in the top three scorers in the ACHA.” — Coach Handy
By the numbers Brent Boschman — played in 14 games, recorded 17 points and scored 13 goals. Scott Morongell — played in all 38 games, recorded 17 points, four goals and 13 assists. Rick Turner — played in all 38 games this season, has led the team with 72 points, 41 goals and 31 assists. SENIOR continued from B1
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
FAREWELL — Rick Turner scored a hat trick in the final home game of his career at Liberty.
OPENER continued from B1 inning, only to see the 7-0 lead vanish in the ninth inning of an 8-7 loss. Senior starting pitcher Brooks Roy threw five scoreless innings, allowing only one hit before turning the ball over to the bullpen. The Gamecocks pushed three runs across in the eighth inning and faced a 7-3 deficit going into the bottom of the ninth. Liberty pitcher Danny Grauer walked in a run, and Josh Richardson entered the game with the bases loaded, no outs and a score of 7-4. Richardson walked
in another run, struck out one batter and induced an RBI groundout to bring up pinch hitter Kyle Martin with two outs and the winning run on second base. Martin hit a line drive up the middle, which hit Richardson and rolled back toward the plate. Catcher Trey Wimmer fired the ball to first base, but his throw moved too far into the baseline for first baseman Alex Close to catch, which scored both the tying run from third base and the winning run from second. “We played great,” Wimmer said. “I mean, we had the No. 5 team in the country, and even the games we lost,
brilliant glove stops to give Liberty some needed penalty kills. About 10 minutes later, Turner completed a hat trick. He snuck his third goal in through a mess of skaters collected in front of the net. Liberty ended the second period up 5-2. “I couldn’t have done it without my teammates,” Turner said. “They set me up with good passes.” Turner’s three goals brought his career total to 88. During the third period, the game was in a constant power play as referees ramped up the number of fouls called against both sides. “When the score started to get up,
we lost by one run.” Game 3 The Flames wasted no time jumping out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning during the third game of the series Sunday night, earning their first win by a score of 3-2. Designated hitter Justin Sizemore led the team on offense by hammering a solo home run to left field, part of a two-run fourth inning that put the Flames ahead for good. This time around, the Flames relief pitchers found a way to hold off the Gamecocks when it mattered most.
(the referee’s) calls were more game management calls, trying to keep the game from getting out of line,” Handy said. Fortunately for Handy, his team seemed to play nearly as well with only four skaters as it did with five. Liberty continued to punish the visiting Mountaineers in the third period, finishing with an 8-3 victory. The win provided the Flames with a much-needed confidence boost on their way into the national tournament, which will take place the first week of March in Chicago. The Flames (23-13-2) earned a No. 13 seed for the tournament and will face No. 20 John Carroll University (28-3-1) in their first game. HARVEY is the sports editor.
According to Wimmer, he considers the Flames bullpen to be one of the strongest parts of the team despite their struggles in the opening series. “We didn’t see that coming,” Wimmer said. “I think it was a fluke, to be honest. I’m not worried about our bullpen one bit.” The Flames will travel to Radford University for one game Tuesday, Feb. 19, before breaking in their brand-new stadium Friday, Feb. 22 against Pennsylvania State University. LEASURE is the feature editor.
SPORTS
February 19, 2013
Liberty Champion/B3
Lady Flames keep on winning
Liberty earns its seventh straight win and sixth straight 20-win season with a 69-60 victory over Radford
Emily Brown erbrown@liberty.edu
Dominant post play and solid contributions from the bench propelled the Liberty University women’s basketball team to a 6960 win over in-state rival Radford University, Saturday, Feb. 16. Liberty, which is now 20-6 overall and 12-2 in the Big South, extended its winning streak to seven straight games with the victory while securing its sixth consecutive 20-win season. Liberty also clinched a first-round bye in the upcoming Big South Championship tournament. In the first half, the Flames went on an early 6-0 run capped off by a short hook shot from redshirt freshman Ashley Rininger to gain a 12-8 advantage over the Highlanders. Rininger came off the bench and scored eight of her 14 points during the first half. The Highlanders answered with five straight points of their own, giving them a 13-12 lead. Liberty answered, scoring two points on an offensive rebound to reclaim the lead, 14-13. The Lady Flames kept their lead for much of the first half, but both teams headed into the locker room at halftime with 29 points each. The bulk of Liberty’s first half scoring came low, with 20 of 29 points in the paint. Post players Jasmine Gardner and Tolu Omotola contributed six points apiece for the Lady Flames. “I just knew that we had to be really physical the whole time, and no matter what, just make sure we focused on the important things, like finishing inside,� Omotola said. The Lady Flames shot only 33.3 percent (11-for-33) from the field in the first half and came up short on all eight of their threepoint attempts. The Highlanders put up similar numbers in the scoring column, hitting 37.5 percent (12-for-32) of their field goals. Although the Lady Flames shot poorly in the first half, Liberty proved its dominance in the second half of play. “It really came down to the players wanting it and executing a little bit better in the second half, both defensively and offensively,� Head Coach Carey Green said. Liberty came out of the locker room and gained momentum by drawing an offensive foul on the first possession of the half. The ensuing possession, Liberty scored an easy layup to gain the lead, 31-29. The Lady Flames did not trail the Highlanders for the rest of the game. Radford tied the score for the last time at 34 on a second-chance jumper just before the first media timeout of the half. Liberty
then went on a 13-2 scoring spurt to break the game open. Sophomore point guard Emily Frazier capped the run with an endto-end layup to bring Liberty ahead, 47-36. Radford continued to eat away at the lead, coming within eight points before Liberty guard LaKendra Washington hit back-toback threes to put the game nearly out of reach for Radford, 60-46. The Highlanders cut the lead to six in their last attempt to come back at the end of the game, but were unable to overcome their deficit. Liberty put the game away by making free throws and improved to 11-3 at home for the season. In the second half, the Lady Flames shooting accuracy improved to 52 percent from the field, including three of six from beyond the arc. Liberty finished the game shooting 41 percent. Despite losing the rebounding battle, Liberty used a 24-8 advantage in bench points to secure the 69-60 win. Liberty also capitalized on Radford’s miscues, posting 18 points on 20 forced turnovers. In addition to Rininger’s 14-point performance, three other Lady Flames scored in double figures. Omotola and Gardner as well as senior guard Devon Brown scored 13 points apiece. Brown’s ability to break down defenders to get into the lane was key to the Lady Flames offensive assault. “I love to attack the basket,� Brown said. “I felt like it would help our team a lot to get our post open more, so that was my goal for tonight.� Brown’s 13 points bumped her up to 1,869 career points and into the sixth position on the all-time Big South scoring list. Green said that he was pleased with his team’s effort and win in the tough conference game. “When Liberty and Radford play each other, then you can throw out the records,� Green said. “You better come to play.� Saturday’s game was Liberty’s annual Play 4Kay event. The Lady Flames wore pink warmup shirts, socks, shoelaces and headbands as a part of the initiative, which raises support and awareness for breast cancer research. The event is associated with the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. Liberty will travel to the University of North Carolina Asheville Thursday, Feb. 21 before returning home to play its last two regular season games.
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
STRUGGLE — Redshirt senior Brittany Campbell looks to pass out of a trap.
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
PLAY 4KAY — Lady Flames sport their pink breast cancer awareness gear.
BROWN is a sports reporter.
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After the Lady Flames defeated Radford 69-60 (see B2), the “Vines Furnace Center� turned into a “Panther Den� in the second game of the doubleheader as Liberty fell to the High Point Panthers 73-68. The Panthers came into the game with the type swagger that the No. 1 team in the North division of the Big South Conference should play with. While Liberty fans watched silently, High Point’s bench players yelled and celebrated, claiming Liberty’s house as their own. “They were a real physical team,� John Caleb Sanders said. “They are built. They got easy entries into their big men, who are the two best in the conference. We didn’t apply enough ball pressure to keep them from getting the ball.� Winners of six games in a row, the Panthers controlled the game from inside the paint with forwards John Brown and Alex Chaney. The duo ultimately combined for 33 points and 19 rebounds. Not only did High Point suck the life out of the Flames defense, but Brown, Chaney and the rest of the Panthers drained the entire arena of energy as
they headed into the locker room at halftime up 35-24. “We battled back, but we should’ve played that way for the whole 40 minutes,� Head Coach Dale Layer said. “They threw the first punch in the first half, and we were back on our heels.� Liberty was able to stay in the game by going to the free-throw line. Sanders scored eight of his 23 points from the charity stripe, and as a team, the Flames were 23-29 (79.3 percent) from the line. But the free-throw line would also become their Achilles’ heel heading down the stretch. The Flames missed three free throws with under five minutes to play. Liberty has been not able to put back-to-back wins together since December, when they won a seasonhigh three games in a row. “You can’t overlook a team in the Big South,� Sanders said. “Anybody can beat anybody. Longwood has won two of their last three. They beat Winthrop and Radford, and they play good when they’re at home.� With four games left in the regular season, Liberty looks to build momentum heading into the Big South tournament in March. BATTLE is the asst. sports editor.
SPORTS
B4/Liberty Champion
February 19, 2013
Football, basketball and track, oh my!
Junior Walt Aikens excels in not one, not two, but three sports at Liberty University Derrick Battle dbattle2@liberty.edu
Many student athletes have speed, physicality and athleticism, but producing on a high level in three different sports settings is a rarity at the NCAA Division I level. A redshirt junior from Charlotte, N.C., Walt Aikens has been a three sport athlete in Liberty University’s athletic program since 2011. Last season, he played for Head Coach Dale Layer on the basketball court and was a contributor coming off the bench. This spring, Aikens works with Head Coach Brant Tolsma as a long and high jumper for the track and field team. Football, however, has been an essential part of his life. “I started playing football around the age of 6 or 7, basically as soon as you can play,” Aikens said. “I fell in love with the game after that.“ After the 2011-12 football season, Aikens joined Layer’s basketball program and played in 14 games during the season. He averaged 4.4 minutes a game, but
when he came onto the court, the crowd would chant and cheer. In warm-ups, he would normally perform between the legs dunks, showing off his leaping ability. “Actually, basketball was my first love,” Aikens said. “I started playing it when I was 2. My dad was a basketball player and played pro ball in Brazil, so it has always been a key part of my life.” Instead of returning back to the court this year, Aikens decided to join the track and field team, along with football teammate running back D.J. Abnar, to stay in top shape for the football season. “I decided what was best for me this year was to run track,” Aikens said. “I need to get a little faster for football and the NFL combine for scouts. They always look for speed and big corners, so it was a career decision.” Aikens last competed in the Liberty Quads Feb. 8, where he finished first in the men’s long jump with a mark of 7.15m and tied for fourth in the men’s high jump with a height of 1.94m. Earlier in the year, Aikens led
Liberty’s defensive backs after the season-ending injury to Kevin Fogg under first-year Head Coach Turner Gill. As a cornerback, Aikens finished the season with 51 total tackles, an interception and three forced fumbles. “Coach Gill has a whole different scheme,” Aikens said. “I like the way he thinks, I like the way he works. He has a lot of personality once you get to know him.” Since transferring to Liberty from the University of Illinois, Aikens has become a polished allaround athlete. With the support of the university sports programs and students, Aikens said that he feels comfortable in the Liberty atmosphere. “I’m loving it here,” Aikens said. “The people here are real easy to talk to — they love me and I love them. I just love the support they give week in and week out. It doesn’t matter if it is basketball games or football games, or even now into track.”
BATTLE is the assistant sports editor.
Lauren Adriance | Liberty Champion
BALLER — Walt Aikens is one of a select few three-sport athletes.
Editorial: Turf trumps tradition at new field Greg Leasure gleasure@liberty.edu
Baseball is a sport that relies heavily on tradition. To a fan of America’s pastime like me, nothing compares to the nostalgic sights and smells of the ballpark, and the smell of freshly-cut grass is almost as essential to the game as the crack of a wooden bat. But anyone who has heard the sharp, metallic ping of a bat at a college baseball game knows that professional and collegiate baseball are two different ballgames. After 34 years at Worthington Stadium, the Liberty Flames baseball team is set to play its first home game of the 2013 baseball season at the brand-new Liberty University Baseball Stadium Feb. 22, home of this year’s Big South Conference Championship Tournament. According to Liberty Athletic Director Jeff Barber, the new stadium will feature upgraded facilities across the board, including 2,500 chair-back seats, two suites, a club room, a 3,000 square-foot student patio with a fire pit and a playground for children. “I think we’ll see a lot of jaws dropped from people walking into the stadium,” Barber said. “I just think it’s going to be so fantastic and beautiful that nobody really has an idea of how nice it is.” Barber made it clear that the new stadium will be first-class, but there was one unconventional choice that puzzled me and other fans of Flames baseball. Instead of the traditional grass field with dirt basepaths, the new stadium will feature green and brown turf — making the pitcher’s mound the only real dirt on the entire field. Although the trend in Major League Baseball has favored natural grass — there has not been a new stadium built
featuring turf since 1990 — college baseball seems to be moving in the opposite direction. In a game where effort is sometimes measured by the amount of dirt on the uniform, artificial turf has begun to take over. According to Barber, who readily admits his love for baseball tradition and natural grass, he considered other schools that have tried out Astro Turf ’s product made specifically for baseball, and he liked what he saw. Virginia Tech, Wake Forest University, baseball powerhouse University of Texas and nearby James Madison University have all installed turf at their home field. “We played Virginia Tech last year,” Barber said. “Before the game, I had one of the parents tell me that the (Liberty players) weren’t real crazy about the turf. So I went down there after the game and talked to them, and they had all changed their mind. Everybody I talked to said ‘Mr. Barber, we love this turf.’” Major League Baseball allows more flexibility to play around bad weather due to its 162-game schedule, but for collegiate teams like the Flames who only played 60 games last year, every opportunity to pick up a win is crucial. According to Barber, turf can help alleviate those weather concerns, as well as allow for more preseason practice time and make field maintenance significantly easier and less expensive. With four years of experience playing on natural grass at Worthington Stadium on his résumé, senior catcher Trey Wimmer said that he was apprehensive when he first heard about the decision to lay down turf. “I kind of had mixed emotions because, personally, I love the traditional dirt, where you slide and get dirty,” Wimmer said. “But, at the same time, we’re going
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
TURF WARS — Like it or not, Liberty baseball will be played almost entirely on artificial turf. to have a lot fewer rainouts, a lot fewer delays (and) a lot less field maintenance, so it is a plus.” Wimmer also said that the rubbermolded cleats that the Flames will wear during games will make it much easier to move around on the turf, as opposed to the usual metal cleats. The Flames will also have to adjust to different types of bounces off the turf, but once they get acclimated to the new surface, they will have a considerable homefield advantage, according to Wimmer. “I think it was the right decision, especially with the winters we’ve had here, with all the setbacks and the games we didn’t get to play in the spring,” Wimmer said. “In the long run, it will be the better
choice than what we have now.” As a former baseball player and an avid fan, a small part of me will still cringe when I see a baseball take a spring-loaded bounce off brown infield turf this coming season, but for the most part, my reservations have been resolved. In my opinion, grass and dirt are part of what makes baseball tradition great, but, like many players in Liberty’s dugout, I will willingly accept a turf field if it means getting the chance to see the Flames play 10 more games each year. LEASURE is the feature editor.
FEATURE
February 19, 2013
Liberty Champion/B5
Blush Network leads conference
Lynchburg and Liberty women learned what it means to be appointed by God during the weekend event Sara Warrender sewarrender2@liberty.edu
Hundreds of women gathered in the Towns Auditorium Feb. 9 to attend a day of worship and fellowship with the Blush Network. As an official partner with Liberty University’s women’s ministry, Blush spiritually challenges the way young women think, according to the ministry’s website. The conference began at 9 a.m. with Janette…ikz, an artist who spreads God’s word through music, poetry and dance. She greeted the women by performing a poem entitled “I will wait for you.” “When God started showing me my ability and when the Holy Spirit started to do this work in me, I was like, ‘No, I want people to know what I went through,” Janette…ikz said. “But how could I do that in a creative way? The times we live in, people want to be entertained. I’m just using that as a gateway to talk about my savior.” Many of the speakers at this year’s conference used their personal trials to shed light on issues that today’s women struggle to overcome. According to Autumn Miles, the founder of Blush, break-in sessions were added this year instead of the typical break-out sessions of past Liberty conferences. This change allowed women to hear each speaker’s message instead of being required to choose certain sessions to attend. Miles spoke to the women several times, highlighting what it meant to be appointed by God and gain His vision in their lives as well as what is required to face challenges such as eating disorders, suicide or abuse. “You have to push through trials to assume God’s reality,” Miles said. “Bonds broken, captives free, what would that look like?” Liberty junior Chelsea DeWolf spoke to the women about an eating
disorder she struggled with and how she overcame the negative view she had of herself. “I started asking God how He viewed me,” DeWolf said. “I asked God for the beauty he saw in me, and that’s when my life changed. God did not mess up when he made me and you.” During the conference, women confessed to dealing with the same hardships in their own lives, raising their hands when Miles asked for their feedback. “It’s really cool to see other people dealing with the same things or the same mindsets,” Liberty sophomore Lauren Edds said. “How God helped them through that struggle is really encouraging.” Directly before the concert, a meet and greet session was offered to introduce the women to the talent featured throughout the Blush conference. “My favorite thing is the interaction afterwards, just talking to people and finding out, ‘Wow, this specific thing really spoke to me,’” Janette… ikz said. Other speakers for the conference included Lakreisha Chennis, Monica Rose Brennan, Erika Fuller, Kate Long and Tiffany Redman. The conference ended with a concert at 7:30 p.m., also in the Towns Auditorium. Hosted by Rachel Jackson and Dave Barnes, both men and women were invited to attend the concert. “A lot of the points touched aspects of my life,” Edds said. “I’m not alone.” This three-year-old ministry started by Miles grew quickly to a worldwide outreach. According to Miles, although founded in Texas, Liberty is Blush’s second home.
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BREAK IN — Many of the sessions led by Blush featured women from Liberty who provided encouragement to students.
WARRENDER is an assistant section editor.
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SPOTLIGHTS — Dave Barnes (right) wraps up the conference with a concert.
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Kyle Milligan | Liberty Champion
FIRE-GRILLED — Arosto orders are prepared and delivered by kitchen staff.
Introducing Arosto
Angela Swinson
ajswinson@liberty.edu
The City of Lynchburg is home to more than a dozen pizza restaurants. The newest addition is Arosto Fire Grilled Pizza, which opened Saturday, Jan. 19. Arosto is owned by the AOP restaurant group in Lynchburg. According to Amanda Moore, a manager at Arosto, the opening also featured a drawing to win an iPad Mini. Instead of the typical restaurant setting, where customers are served at their tables, Arosto offers faster service without the use of waiters. Customers order their food, receive a number, then sit down while the kitchen staff brings the order directly to the table. “I loved this pizza, and I definitely plan on coming back for more soon,” Christian Givens, a junior at Liberty University, said. The menu includes salads, sandwiches, classic and specialty pizzas, as well as the option to create your own pizza.
Creating a pizza gives customers the option to choose which type of cheese, toppings and sauce they prefer. According to Moore, no pizza on the Arosto menu costs over $7.95. Arosto also does not charge extra for additional pizza toppings. Managers Matthew Fauste and Moore typically sit and chat with customers during their visit to the restaurant. “Arosto is good casual dining,” Fauste said. “My favorite part about it is the casual style, the service and the great, fresh ingredients.” A note next to the counter informs customers that the charred edges of the pizza slices are the work of the 800-degree ovens behind the counter. As a new addition to Lynchburg, the fire-grilled aspect of Arosto sets the restaurant apart from others in the area.
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FEATURE
B6/Liberty Champion
February 19, 2013
Liberty alumnus sets career path in D.C. Former government major Kyle Klein works as part of the House Committee of Homeland Security
Sophia Hahn shahn3@liberty.edu
After a long day at work, Kyle Klein, a former Liberty University student, looks back at the sunset behind Capitol Hill and can hardly believe his fortunate circumstances. Ever since Klein was a child, he knew that he wanted a career in either politics or government. In December 2011, his dream became a reality when he was offered a job at the House Committee of Homeland Security. “I mean, a career is pretty much what every student is working toward, so for me to step into mine right out of school was, and is, an incredible blessing,” Klein said. Before he was hired, Klein interned with the committee through the Washington Fellowship for a semester. According to him, it was one of the greatest opportunities for a government major: living in Washington, D.C. and getting experience. However, he said that the internship was still nerve-racking. “I was definitely nervous about whether I was really qualified,” Klein said. “I quickly discovered that Liberty had given me an excellent education in my field and that my excitement far outweighed any nervousness.” Klein’s internship came to a conclusion when a job position opened up. He submitted a cover letter to the chief of staff and was hired. “Several members of the staff put in a good word for me based on their experi-
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WASHINGTON — Klein finds his home on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. ence with me as an intern, and a few days later, I was told that I had the job,” Klein said. “It was the best Christmas present ever.” Stephen Bowers, one of Klein’s government teachers, was delighted when he heard that the committee had hired Klein. “It’s important for our students to make an impact, and I’m proud to be a part of it,” Bowers said. Klein became the new staff assistant for the House Committee of Homeland Security. This committee, which was established after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, helps provide “congressional oversight for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and better protect the American
people against a possible terrorist attack,” according to the committee website. “While terrorism is probably the most notable threat, DHS also has components that deal with natural disasters, border security cyber-security and even human trafficking,” Klein said. Staff assistant Klein has many new responsibilities in the office. According to him, these include administrative work, researching and writing for members of Congress and the committee, preparation for legislative hearings and legislative mark-ups. “The goal of keeping America safe, however, is a huge part of why I love my job,” Klein said. “The notion that I am playing even a small role in strengthening
the state of our homeland’s security is very rewarding.” According to Klein, with this new responsibility came a lot of stress, but there are many ways that he chose to deal with it. Washington, D.C. is a big city with unending possibilities, and when Klein got overwhelmed, he said that he took to the museums with friends and thanked God for his supportive coworkers. “I am blessed to work with amazingly qualified and wonderful individuals who never cease to be an encouragement to me,” Klein said. Although Klein does not consciously make an effort to share the Gospel at work, he feels that he is an example of Christianity in his workplace. According to Klein, because his coworkers know that he is a Liberty graduate, whenever he does something positive, they attribute it to his faith. “I strive to conduct myself in a manner of God’s love, and I hope that the people around me recognize the source of that love,” Klein said. He has been working on the committee for a little more than a year and looks forward to many more years in government. According to Klein, though this career is still new to him, one day, he hopes to work more directly with legislation. “Oftentimes, I still cannot believe where I find myself,” Klein said. “It may sound cheesy, but sometimes I’ll tap a column in the Capitol as I walk by just to remind myself that it is real.” HAHN is a feature reporter.
‘Carousel’ musical in full swing Shelby Sayer
ssayer@liberty.edu
The cast of “Carousel” filled the stage as the audience watched the opening performance Friday, Feb. 15 at Liberty University’s Tower Theater. The play takes place in a small seaside town in New England and follows the love story between carnival barker Billy Bigelow, played by Joel Ledbetter, and local factory worker Julie Jordan, played by sophomore worship major Heather Reed. “I hope this show really ministers to people,” Reed said. “There are some serious undertones, but I hope
that people take hope, faith and courage with them as they leave the show.” Although the Liberty Department of Theatre Arts did not recommend “Carousel” to children under 12 years old due to “subtle adult themes,” the cast chose to highlight the positive overall message of the play. “The production is really a broken love story about redemption and hope,” Camryn Stahlman-Dwyer, who plays the character of Billy and Julie’s daughter, said. “A young girl falls in love with a rough and rugged carousel man. A few months into their
marriage, he’s been beating her, and she tells him she’s having a baby. So, in hearing the news, he joins with his friend to rob for money and ends up getting caught and (killing) himself instead of going to jail. He goes to heaven and is given a chance to help his daughter, who is now 15.” According to Nelson, the original story written by Rodgers and Hammerstein is considered to be one of the best musicals of the 20th century. “The literature of the writing is wonderful,” Director Christopher Nelson said. “It is real, and it is hypnotizing, with a
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Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
BALLET — Carousel uses ballet to highlight serious undertones in the play. 15-minute inclusion of ballet.” The show includes popular melodies such as “If I Loved You,” “June is Bustin’ Out All Over” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” “At the end of the day, love is spoken and love is realized, but not in the way most people would
expect,” Nelson said. According to Nelson, this is by far his favorite production. “Ultimately, the script got me,” Nelson said. “Every time I watch it, I am affected by the journey of Billy and Julie. This is the most powerful script I have ever worked with. This has challenged me to
challenge my cast to rise to the occasion.” The play will continue Thursday, Feb. 21 and Friday at 7:30 p.m. and will finish with two showings Saturday at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. SAYER is a feature reporter.
Do you love music? Interim music position open Beulah Baptist Church, a growing local SBCV Church in Lynchburg, Va., is seeking an interim choir director and worship leader for Sunday morning, Sunday evening song service and choir practice on Wednesday evening. The candidate’s responsibilities will include: working with the pastor in selecting music and scheduling special singers. Must be a born again believer in Jesus Christ. Experience in leading music preferred. Pay to be determined. Send a cover letter, resume and reference list to office @ beulahsbc.org.
FEATURE
February 19, 2013
Liberty Champion/B7
Life after Liberty: The Rachel McCormick story One 2012 alumna uses her communication skills to turn an internship into a job working on Katie Couric’s show
Daniel Bartlett dbartlett@liberty.edu
For every student about to graduate from college, there is the anticipation that what was learned in school will lead to a remarkable career — the hope that four or more years of education, thousands of dollars spent and countless hours tirelessly burning the midnight oil might not be in vain. Rachel McCormick, a spring 2012 Liberty University graduate, received the opportunity of a lifetime to pursue an internship in broadcasting, which turned into a full-time position. “How I ended up here is a total God story,” McCormick said. According to McCormick, her passion for the communications field first began in high school, where she was involved in theater and public speaking. “One of my (high school) teachers came up to me one day and said, ‘Rachel, you are an amazing communicator, you should really think about doing something in that field someday,’” McCormick said. “I think that was God’s little nudge and confirmation for me, because I had always thought I was interested in news and journalism, so I decided to run with it.” According to McCormick, upon graduation, she went off to do a summer internship at NBC’s Rock Center with Brian Williams. Finishing in August, she wanted to find another job opportunity, preferably in the broadcasting field. A friend of McCormick’s introduced her to an individual who worked for Katie Couric. This presented her with the chance to interview for “Katie,” Couric’s newest talk show on ABC. Couric, a journalist and author, has hosted many well-known television programs. Two days after completing her internship with NBC, McCormick was accepted to Couric’s show. According to McCormick, after being hired on as an intern, things started slow, mostly running errands and getting people coffee, but she said that it was mostly for celebrities, so that made the task exciting. Through her internship, McCormick had the opportunity to meet pop idol
Photo Provided
BEHIND THE SCENES — McCormick has met celebrities at work, such as Taylor Swift.
“How I ended up here is a total God story” — MCCORMICK Taylor Swift, one of her favorite artists. “I know how much Rachel loves Taylor Swift, and the day Taylor came on the Katie show, I told her she had to meet her,” a close friend of McCormick’s, Alexandra Black, said. “Of course she did. Meeting Taylor Swift had to be one of the best moments of her short career at Katie.” According to McCormick, her role working on the Katie show has grown to include involvement in guest relations and heavy work with production. The show hired her to work with the audience department as a page, which is the next
step above an intern. “As you can imagine, a live audience is a crucial part of a daytime show,” McCormick said. “No audience equals no show, so our job is pretty important. I am learning so much and having a lot of fun.” According to Liberty professor Bruce Kirk, McCormick is a godly woman who has a tremendous work ethic and is willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. McCormick said that Kirk, along with professors Deborah Huff, Amy Bonebright and Amanda Carver, were
some of her biggest influences at Liberty. “The (communications) professors at Liberty were a huge component in leading me to where I am today,” McCormick said. Kirk described McCormick as a bright student who had a lot more skill than she probably gave herself credit for, and that she knows what she is talking about. According to Kirk, McCormick is not a student who needs to brag about her abilities. “She reminds me of a young lady that I hired in television a number of years ago, who I think, much like Rachel, sort of just said, ‘This is what I want to do, and I’m going to find a way to go do it,’” Kirk said. According to McCormick, Liberty has so many great opportunities to get involved with that look great on a résumé and give people practical, hands-on experience. “Liberty is truly a one-of-a-kind place in every way,” McCormick said. “I will never forget the friends that I made and the experiences I had at Liberty.” McCormick urged all those in communications, or any other major, to take advantage of any and all opportunities presented while they are still in school. She said that there is no such thing as too much experience in today’s job market. McCormick currently lives in New York City and continues to work on the Katie show. She said that although this is a stepping stone in her career, she knows that students have to start small, for even Couric did not become who she is overnight. “The real world is definitely not easy, and sometimes I do have moments when I wish I could just be 10 years old again and run to my mommy and ask her to make all my decisions for me,” McCormick said. “But God is faithful in every area and will never fail to take care of you even when things may be scary.” BARTLETT is a feature reporter.
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FEATURE Lynchburg makes list
FEBRUARY 19, 2013
step right up
Bible Minded? Emily Webster ewebster@liberty.edu
The American Bible Society ranked America’s most Bible-minded cities in a recent study, and Knoxville, Tenn. secured the first spot. However, Lynchburg and Roanoke also broke the top 10, coming in at No. 8 out of 96 cities. According to the American Bible Society, the ranking was determined by a combination of regular Bible reading and a belief that the Bible is accurate. Johnnie Moore, Liberty University’s vice president for communications, was not surprised to hear that Lynchburg and Roanoke made it into the top 10. He said that he believes Liberty’s impact on its community is one of the primary reasons that Lynchburg and Roanoke placed as high as they did. “Liberty University is at the heartbeat of Christianity — not only in America, but around world,” Moore said. “So, surely, it ought to be at the heart of Lynchburg.” Liberty has a tremendous impact on the community of Lynchburg, according to Moore. Not only are students instilled with a strong foundation of biblical knowledge in the classroom, but students are also encouraged to put this knowledge into practice in the community and in their professions. “Every student (who) attends this university leaves with a better understanding of Scripture and a greater idea of how it should be integrated in their life and career,” Moore said. “We are not only proponents of a Biblecentered life and society, we are among those contributing the most to make this reality in our nation and around the world.” According to the news release, the American Bible Society works to ensure that the Bible is available to any and all who desire to read it. This mission is similar to Liberty’s aim to train champions for Christ, a desire that originates from a belief in the Bible. For four years in a row, senior psychology major Jenna Kidd has experienced firsthand the impact that Liberty makes on the community and around the world. Kidd has participated in community service and two mission trips through Liberty. “We do a lot of community service, so we’re able to share Christ out in the communities,” Kidd said. She also added that she is thankful for the way in which Liberty is preparing her to embark into the world of psychology. Because Liberty provides students with the proper tools for biblical-mindedness, Kidd said that she has more confidence as graduation looms around the corner. “All of our majors … are geared to help us integrate our faith into our workforce and career,” Kidd said. “So, they’re giving us the tools to effectively be able to show that we’re following Christ.” Kidd is not the only student who thrives on biblical knowledge. Junior Kessley Carlson said that she is grateful for how Liberty equips students for the real world and for spreading the Gospel. Like Kidd, Carlson has travelled with Liberty to other countries, allowing God to use her across the world. “(Liberty) gives you that solid foundation. … In college, you kind of define who you are more, and at Liberty, you’re defined (by) your relationship with God,” Carlson said. “It’s hard to be out in the world because it’s easy to get discouraged, but when you have the foundation … (it) is always helpful.” Understanding the significance of this foundation, Moore believes that it is essential that students focus on becoming more biblically minded. “The single most important thing you can do for your spiritual health is to read the Bible regularly, but we have to live too what we read,” Moore said. “When that happens, the Bible’s transforming of us will transform our world, too.” WEBSTER is a feature reporter.
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
CARNIVAL — “Carousel” is the first of three shows to be performed in the spring theater season. See the story on B6.
PRSSA plunges for Special Olympics Liberty students combine to raise nearly $15,000 for local charity
Sara Warrender sewarrender2@liberty.edu
Snow flurries silently fell into the frigid water at Camp Hydaway as 150 participants of the Polar Plunge waited for their turn Saturday, Feb. 16. Groups of 20 participants ran screaming into the lake to benefit the Special Olympics. For the fifth consecutive year, Special Olympics Virginia has teamed with Liberty University’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) to offer the Polar Plunge, an event during which participants raise $50 each for Special Olympics Virginia before plunging into the lake to show their support. “My brother’s autistic, and he’s an athlete, so it’s really personal to me because I’ve seen how my brother has grown,” Lynchburg College sophomore Kelsey Hoffman said. “He had been picked on growing up, and when he came into the Special Olympics, his confidence grew. I love my brother. I don’t think of the cold, I think of the cause.” Beginning at 10 a.m. and ending at 2 p.m., the community was invited to spend the day at Camp Hydaway. Three local bands played, and local businesses such as Starbucks and Sodexo offered food and refreshments. “(This event) has grown a ton over the past few years,” Matt Camire, the director of Special Olympics Virginia, said. “We’re right where I thought we’d be, and we’re really encouraged to see all the students here.” According to Camire, Liberty’s athletic department is the top sponsor for the Polar Plunge. Liberty donates each year for the activities and gives event tickets for prizes. Liberty also brings many of their athletes to participate in the plunge. “I was an athlete at Liberty, and when I went to my first Special Olympics event, I was completely changed,” Camire said. “Liberty has been a great partner, and it’s great to see these other athletes out here since I’ve moved on.” Participants registered online for the
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
FLURRIES — Snow falls as participants race into Lake Hydaway. event, and by agreeing to plunge, they also agreed to raise $50 for Special Olympics Virginia. According to Olivia Witherite, PRSSA firm director and Special Olympics Virginia intern, most participants sign up online and then link their registration to Facebook or Twitter, where the participant’s friends and family can support the cause through online donations. Those who sign up can take the plunge alone or with a group. “A lot of my sorority sisters helped support me because they know my special tie with the Olympics,” Hoffman said. “Our team has raised almost $1,500.” Door prizes were offered, with larger prizes such as a Samsung Galaxy S III going to those who were able to raise the most for the cause. According to Camire, he expects the event to have raised $15,000 or more toward Special Olympics Virginia. Most of the money will stay in the area and be sent to a group of 40 local Special Olympics athletes. The money provides funding for the team’s uniforms,
travel expenses and sporting event fees. The remaining money will benefit the state’s general fund that sponsors multiday Special Olympic events. “There’s a lot of planning and organizing that goes toward this event,” Witherite said. “When you see the athletes and an event like this, you realize that it’s all going toward an amazing cause and amazing people.” Those in attendance played basketball or mini golf, or huddled around bonfires as they waited for the plunge. “It was awesome,” Liberty junior Selena Beale said. “Everyone has to do it at least once.” After the plunge, participants immediately left camp Hydaway to dry off. Many, including Hoffman, planned to return next year to further support the cause. WARRENDER is an assistant section editor.