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LIBERTY CHAMPION Today: Rain 46/37 Tomorrow: Cloudy 57/36
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
libertychampion.com
Volume 30 • Issue 8
Sandy slams Coast
Biden visits Lynchburg
Super storm impacts 60 million people
Melanie Oelrich moelrich@liberty.edu
Hurricane Sandy, dubbed “Frankenstorm” by forecasters, is expected to pose a major threat at the present time to the East Coast and increase in strength. According to the Weather Channel, Sandy threatens to hit anywhere between southern New England and New York to Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. Experts are uncertain about when exactly this storm will make landfall or how hard it will hit, but residents should still take precautions. According to the Washington Post, the monster clash of storm systems could be the worst to hit the northeastern United States in a century, affecting 60 million people and causing billions of dollars in damage. Accuweather.com reported that Sandy is not expected to be a typical hurricane. However, it could produce the strength of only a Category 1 or 2 hurricane. Tropical storm and hurricane-force winds could extend out hundreds of miles from the center of the hurricane, spanning from North Carolina to Maine. OELRICH is an asst. news editor.
Joe Biden rallies in Hill City Barack Obama’s vice presidential running mate brought the campaign close to home
Elections approach
Tabitha Casidy tcassidy@liberty.edu
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Melanie Oelrich moelrich@liberty.edu
With the presidential election quickly approaching, the candidates are continuing to persuade undecided voters to join their cause. Gov. Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama are traveling the country in hopes of gaining votes. Third-party candidates from the Green, Constitution and Libertarian Parties are also pursuing votes. This week, the Champion questioned the presidential candidates on student loan concerns, priorities for stimulating the economy and health care and social issues, among others. Presidential nominees Romney (R) and Constitution Party nominee Virgil Goode provided answers to the Champion’s questions. Incumbent President Obama, Green Party nominee Jill Stein and Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson failed to respond. To review their answers, see the stories on A4-A5. OELRICH is an asst. news editor.
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
BIDEN — V.P. Joe Biden visited Lynchburg Saturday, Oct. 27, to campaign for his presidential running mate, Barack Obama.
urrounded by swarms of secret service agents, Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, made their way into Lynchburg, Saturday, Oct. 27, to rally for the re-election of President Barack Obama and himself. According to a press release by the deputy fire marshal of Lynchburg, Thomas Goode, the Lynchburg City Hurricane Armory nearly Sandy has reached full capacity caused when 1,500 people gathered to hear both camremarks on women’s paigns to rights, foreign policy cancel and job growth in the United States by appearboth of the Bidens. ances in Groups of the week excited Democrats, leading Independents and interested Republiup to the cans gathered hours election. before they were expected to arrive to find places to stand to see the vice president. Rowdy fans hollered as Mayor Michael Gillette took the stage to introduce Joe Biden and fire up the crowd. “As Lynchburgers, we’ve always come together to advance the best and to ad-
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vance the common good for every one of our citizens here in Lynchburg,” Gillette said. “I am inspired by (Joe Biden and Obama’s) example, and we are fortunate (to have) their leadership.” The crowd cheered as the Bidens, unaccompanied by their son, Beau, made their way on stage. Jill Biden started off the rally, thanking Lynchburg residents for their part in her husband and Obama’s re-election campaign. Touching briefly on military affairs and education, she primarily focused on women’s rights. “I’m also involved in this election as a woman who cares about the direction of our country,” Jill Biden said. “I’ve seen Barack and Joe stand up for our rights, our freedoms, every single day. The very first bill President Obama signed was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair (Pay Act of 2009).” The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 amended the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include the 180-day statue of limitations in filing a lawsuit on pay discrimination for women to reset after each new paycheck that is in question. It was not the only women’s right issue that Jill Biden addressed. “The president and vice president know how important it is for women to make our own decisions about our own bodies,” Jill Biden said. “So many women of my generation have fought hard for Roe v. Wade, for access to contraception and for equal rights. We don’t want our daughters and our granddaughters
INSIDE THE CHAMPION News
Sports
LU Digital Media purchased a new high definition broadA2 casting truck.
The law school faced the seminary in the fifth annual Turkey B4 Bowl Saturday, Oct. 27.
Feature
Zombies terrorized Liberty‘s campus during the third annual zombie walk. B5
to have to go back and fight those same battles that we fought decades ago.” After being introduced by his wife, Joe Biden stood behind the lectern and touched on women’s suffrage, but not before messing up Senate candidate Tim Kaine’s name. “It’s good to be here in a state (commonwealth) that’s going to be represented by Tim Kaine. There isn’t a more decent, honorable man. That man has more integrity in most fingers than most people have in their entire body,” Joe Biden said. “I’m a big Tom Kaine fan.” Despite the slight slip up of Kaine’s first name, Joe Biden sang tunes from previous speeches of Gov. Mitt Romney’s “women in binders.” “Here’s the truth: They have made it very clear (that) they don’t have the same view on women’s rights as we do. I’m willing to tell (the Romney administration) wants to turn the power back … to the day where they could charge women 50 percent more than men for the same policy, where they can label pregnancy a pre-existing condition,” Joe Biden said. “When the governor was asked in the second debate, he was asked about how he felt about equal pay for equal work. What he’d do? He started talking about binders. Binders … of qualified women he learned were out there.” Moving past women’s rights, Joe Biden claimed that the Republican Party
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A2/Liberty Champion
October 30, 2012
obituaries
Liberty mourns LU Online student dies in action in Afghanistan Melanie Oelrich moelrich@liberty.edu
The Liberty University community is mourning the loss of Liberty Online student Sgt. Robert J. Billings, 30, who was killed Oct. BILLINGS 13 while deployed in Afghanistan. Billings is survived by his wife, Christy, and their four children, Isaiah, 10, Kayle, 8, Elijah, 5 and Naomi, 3. After graduating from high school, Billings moved to Virginia and pursued a career with the United States Army in 2006. Billings was deployed overseas twice and was on his second deployment when enemy forces in Spin Boldak, a border town in the southern Kandahar province of Afghanistan, attacked his unit. According to Emily Foutz, the director of the Office of Military Affairs, Billings began pursuing a Bachelor of Science online degree in criminal justice in 2010. At the time of his death, he was enrolled in courses for the fall semester. “We were saddened to hear of this tragedy,” Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. said. “Sgt. Billings is one of our own and part of our family. We are praying for his family and will be forever grateful for his courage, dedication and sacrifice for our great country.” According to a Morley, Mich. news report, where Billings’ family resides, he was just a short month away from returning back to the states. According to Foutz, Liberty will hold a candlelight tribute service for fallen heroes during Military Emphasis Week, where Sgt. Billings will be honored for his service. The Liberty community will also have a chance to take a moment to remember the sacrifices that people of the Armed Forces have made for our country Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. The service will be held on the steps in front of DeMoss Hall.
LU adjunct professor loses fight with cancer Michael Ocealis, 58, of Goode, Va., died Thursday, Oct. 25 after a fight with cancer that spanned over several years. He is survived by his wife, Sue, three siblings, seven children and eight grandchildren. Ocealis worked for Liberty University for eight years, most recently as an associate registrar for Liberty University Online students and also as an adjunct faculty member in the School of Religion. OCEALIS Previously, he delivered mail for the Postal Services on campus. An alumnus of Liberty, Ocealis obtained a Master of Arts in Religion (’04), a Master of Divinity (’07) and a Master of Theology (’08). At the time of his death, he was pursuing a Doctorate of Ministry. Larry Shackleton, Vice President for Administrative Information Management, described Ocealis as his hero. “He was such a selfless person of God,” Shackleton said. “His concern for others was touching and inspiring.” OELRICH is an asst. news editor.
Jeremy Angione | Liberty Champion
BROADCAST — Members of the production team use the new equipment in the broadcast truck at a lacrosse game.
COMS adds HD broadcast truck Jeremy Angione
jangione@liberty.edu
The Liberty University digital media program is expanding its potential for high quality television with the addition of a high-definition remote broadcasting truck. Previously, the Communication Department worked with a temporary truck that had video equipment inside. However, Chancellor Falwell approved a more specialized production vehicle in June, according to Bruce Braun, the executive director of the School of Communication’s Media Production Group. The truck’s first official use was Saturday, Oct. 27, at a lacrosse match on East Campus. “The new high-definition remote truck provides opportunities for communications students to produce events anywhere on and off campus in (High Definition) that may be aired live on our Liberty TV Channel,” Braun said. The truck is designed with
a wide array of production equipment, including four high-definition cameras, an audio mixing station, a robotic camera, video and audio routing and distribution, a built-in generator, and much more, according to Braun. With use of the truck, students will be able to produce content for events like club sports, concerts and NCAA basketball away games, according to truck manager Wes Albers. He is responsible for overseeing the proper use of all equipment while maintaining a smooth production environment. “We are so grateful for the addition of this new remote truck,” Norman Mintle, the dean of the School of Communication, said. “The truck provides our students with a hands-on opportunity to learn multi-camera production techniques. Many jobs in the media production world are studio-related.” The broadcasting department recently gained professor Pamela Miller, a veteran
Kendra Alleyne kralleyne@liberty.edu
Through various military workshops, seminars and other events, the Office of Military Affairs has a large impact on the Liberty University community by helping military students and vereans pursue their academic careers. Emily Foutz, the director of the Office of Military Affairs, said that she feels honored to work in the military offices. “The Office of Military Affairs considers it a privilege to assist service members, veterans, military spouses and dependents with many needs related to their military service,” Foutz said. “We provide benefit counseling to assist them with their financial and educational needs, act as a liaison between the stu-
dent and the military and veteran agencies, and provide military outreach activities for students throughout the year.” According to Foutz, Military Emphasis Week is the largest of all the events provided by the Office of Military Affairs. It runs from Nov. 5 through Nov. 10. During this week, military students will have the opportunity to participate in a resume workshop, a candlelight tribute for fallen heroes, a special military convocation, a luncheon for military veterans, the Valley View 5-Mile Military Appreciation Run at the Snowflex Centre, and a special tailgate and halftime tribute at a Flames football game. Foutz said that a lot of time and preparation goes into the events but that she is grateful for the support
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time shots of the game as the production crew switched between video and audio feeds. With the equipment already built into the truck, pre-production time is reduced and the overall ease and quality of production is increased, according to Liberty junior Stephen Fogleman. Additionally, a high-definition conversion of the Vines Center control room video systems is currently in the planning stage, according to Braun. “Our goal is to constantly provide all our students with learning opportunities that will serve them in their next calling, wherever God may take them,” Mintle said. ANGIONE is a news reporter.
Military affairs provides career help she receives from campus organizations. “Although we have military outreach events throughout the year, October and November are the busiest for us,” Foutz said. “The Office of Military Affairs partners with many offices around campus to make the week a success, including the School of Education, the psychology department, athletics, spiritual programs/ convocation team and many others. We greatly appreciate the contribution that is made by all to enable us to express our appreciation to our veterans.” Students can easily get involved with different events and organizations around campus that help military students. According to Foutz, there is a strong outpouring of support from students, but they could always use more.
LIBERTY CHAMPION Tabitha Cassidy
academic and media professional, whose experience will help accelerate learning opportunities for all broadcasting students. “The reality is that in this day of changing technology, we have to give as many hands-on opportunities for learning as possible,” Miller said. “The truck and other opportunities like crewing the weekly convocations will do just that. Students will leave with good resume material.” Communication majors and volunteers have the opportunity to operate the truck’s equipment during productions, which Braun said will be available as a practicum, internship or work study opportunity. During the lacrosse match against Lynchburg College, most of the coverage took place on the field, but the remainder was handled primarily from the truck. Inside the truck, student director Merrianne McLeod quickly called out camera directions. Large screens displayed several real-
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“The Student Veterans Group, led by student president Jared Delello, was created to connect veterans within our residential community,” Foutz said. “All students, whether civilian or military, can participate in the Students Behind Our Soldiers (SBS) group. Their mission is to support service members around the globe by sending notes of encouragement and care packages to deployed military. There is also a student group for military spouses and fiancés, called Silent Ranks with a Vision, to connect the women and men who stand behind those standing in harm’s way.” The Office of Military Affairs currently supports more than 18,000 military students. Approximately 200 of those students are residential, while
more than 17,000 attend online. Foutz has been at Liberty University for 13 years and said that she feels “privileged” to work with the men and women who serve our country. “My love and respect for our military students grows each year as I hear the testimonies of our students and the sacrifices they have made to serve our country,” Foutz said. “I am proud to work for a university who places a high priority on caring for service members and veterans.” The Office of Military Affairs continues to expand and will hold its first Veterans Career Fair Nov. 12. ALLEYNE 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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NEWS
October 30, 2012
Liberty Champion/A3
presidential election
Obama seeks Voting polls based on specific precinct View the graphic below to determine where to cast your vote Nov. 6. re-election Editor’s Note: All five presidential candidates on Virginia’s ballot, including President Obama, were sent the same questions and given an opportunity to answer. Had they responded, their answers would have been featured. Because he is the current president, we have included a brief biography of Barack Obama. The biographies of the third party candidates can be found online at libertychampion.com.
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Tyler Eacho
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EACHO is an asst. news editor.
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President Barack Obama, the incumbent Democratic candidate for president, was born in Hawaii Aug. 4, 1961. According to his biography, “Dreams from My Father,” Obama’s mother, Ann Dunham, grew up in Wichita, Kansas but moved to Hawaii after her father served in World War II. His father, Barack Obama Sr., was born in Kenya. He grew up herding goats in Africa but eventually earned a scholarship that allowed him to pursue his dream of attending college in Hawaii. President Obama did not OBAMA have a relationship with his father as a child. According to “Dreams from My Father,” his parents were divorced when he was 2, and his father returned to Kenya. His mother remarried to Lolo Soetoro, an East-West Center student from Indonesia, and the family moved to his home country. When he was 10, Obama was sent back to Hawaii to live with his maternal grandparents because his mother feared for his safety. According to his website, Obama worked his way through college with the help of scholarships and student loans. He studied at Occidental College in Los Angeles for two years before transferring to Columbia University, where he graduated in 1983 with a degree in political science. After college, he moved to Chicago, where he worked as an organizer to help rebuild communities that had been devastated by the closure of local steel plants. He went on to Harvard Law School in 1988, where he became the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review. While there, he met Michelle Robinson, an associate at the Chicago law firm of Sidley Austin. He graduated from Harvard, magna cum laude, in 1991. After graduating, Obama took a job as a constitutional law professor at the University of Chicago. According to his website, he also remained active in his community, leading a drive that registered more than 150,000 voters in Illinois leading up to the 1992 election. Obama was first elected to the Illinois State Senate in 1996. According to his website, he was able to pass the first major ethics reform in 25 years, cut taxes for working families, and expand health care for both children and adults during his time as a state senator in Springfield. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004. According to his website, he reached across the aisle to pass the farthest-reaching lobbyist reform in a generation, locked up the world’s most dangerous weapons, and brought transparency to government by tracking federal spending online. In February 2007, Obama made headlines when he announced his candidacy for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination. He defeated U.S. senator Hilary Clinton for the Democratic nomination and defeated Republican presidential nominee John McCain Nov. 4, 2008 to become the 44th president of the United States. He became the first AfricanAmerican to hold the office of the president. According to his website, in his first 100 days of office, Obama expanded health care insurance for children, provided legal protection for women seeking equal pay, passed a $787 billion stimulus bill meant to promote short-term economic growth, and completed an overhaul of America’s foreign policy. He has also signed his health-care reform plan, known as the Affordable Care Act, into law in 2010. As he did in 2008, Obama has focused much of his effort in this campaign on grassroots initiatives. Obama and his wife have two daughters, Malia, 14, and Sasha, 11.
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For more information, visit lynchburgva.org.
What to expect on Voting Day Review Virginia’s voter rules to assure a successful visit to the polls Nov. 6
Melanie Oelrich moelrich@liberty.edu
With Election Day quickly approaching, it is important for voters to be fully prepared when they arrive at the polls. In order to cast your vote Nov. 6, students and community members should be aware of the voter criteria put in place by the Commonwealth of Virginia. According to the Virginia Registrar website, changes
BIDEN continued from A1 candidates had very different views on foreign policy than he and Obama. According to Joe Biden, as governor of Massachusetts, Romney was called a pioneer in outsourcing jobs. “Mitt Romney has shown that he’s very good at sending jobs overseas,” Joe Biden said. “Well, I got news for the governor: the president’s job is different. The president’s job is to create jobs in America.” The vice president then transitioned to the topic of keeping the middle class strong and employed. After the booming cheers of the crowd quieted down, Joe Biden explained his and Obama’s plan of action if they were to be re-elected Nov. 6. Cutting the growth of college tuition in half in the next 10 years, creating 100 new math and science teachers in the next decade, and creating “decent jobs” for the middle class are just some of the goals that
were recently made to voter identification laws. State law requires all voters to provide an acceptable form of identification when they arrive at the polls. Acceptable forms of identification include the following: a Virginia voter registration card, a valid Virginia driver’s license, military ID, any Federal, Virginia state or local government-issued ID, employer-issued photo ID, concealed handgun per-
Joe Biden mentioned he and Obama were hoping to accomplish if re-elected. Muffling the chants of “four more years” from the crowd, he spoke on what he and Obama believed the America people stood for and what their opponents supposedly believed. “We believe as I think you do. The American people are so much better, so much stronger, take so much more responsibility than these guys give them credit for,” Joe Biden said. “Congressman Ryan writes about what he calls the culture of dependency in America. Gov. Romney constantly talks about the American decline. I don’t recognize the country they’re talking about.” According to Joe Biden, the United States is doing more now than before Obama took office. He also said that the U.S. is in a better position in the 21st century than any other nation in the world. “America is not in decline,” Joe Biden said. “Romney and Ryan are in denial.” Wrapping up his
mit, valid student ID, a current utility bill, bank statement, government check or paycheck that indicates the name and address of the voter, or a Social Security card. In terms of where to vote on Election Day, voters have two options. They can vote in person or, if eligible, by absentee. Students who will be absent from where they are registered to vote because they attend school in another locality are eligible
to vote absentee. However, a student registered to vote in the locality where they attend school cannot vote by absentee unless they are injured or hospitalized. On Election Day, polling locations will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. To see voting precincts in Lynchburg, review the voting precinct graphic above. OELRICH is an asst. news editor.
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
CAMPAIGN — Vice President Joe Biden greets citizens during the rally. speech, the vice president spoke over the chants of the crowd with words of encouragement for voters. “Virginia, we need you,” Joe Biden said. “We win Virginia, we win this election.” Liberty University students at the rally had similar reactions to the speech. “He was really raw, he really spoke to the people,” Victoria Lind, a Liberty student volunteer for the Obama campaign and
a registered Democrat, said. “He was very to the point. There wasn’t a lot of lofty rhetoric involved.” According to Liberty junior and intern for the Obama for America campaign Kourtney Lewis-Allen, Obama and Biden are more in line with her views than Romney and Ryan. “I think what attracts me most to Obama and Biden is the fact of giving not just equality, but fair-
ness to all people,” she said. “And it’s fairness as in everyone has the opportunity.” Joe Biden was expected to campaign in Virginia Beach before Lynchburg, but because of the threat of Hurricane Sandy, the rally was canceled. Romney also had a campaign stop in Virginia Beach canceled because of the storm. CASSIDY is the editor in chief.
NEWS
A4/Liberty Champion
October 30, 2012
presidential candidates
Virgil Goode bids for presidency Constitutional party nominee plans to boost employment rates, repeal Obamacare and defend religious liberty Nearly every department and agency will face significant cuts and some will face elimination. Veterans’ benefits is an example that will not be cut. Examples of programs to be eliminated include the National Endowment for the Arts, No Child Left Behind and Foreign Aid, etc. Reducing regulations and becoming energy-independent will also mean more jobs for America. The Canada to Texas pipeline needs to be built and operational expeditiously and not delayed or stopped as the current administration is doing. Another way to reduce unemployment, reduce the deficit, and provide more jobs for U.S. citizens is to reduce legal immigration. In recent years, about 1.2 million green cards have been issued annually, and more than 60 percent go to foreigners who come to the United States and take jobs from American citizens. I have proposed a moratorium, with a few minor exceptions, on issuing green cards until our unemployment rate is under five percent. America has one of the most liberal immigration policies in the world, and it is time for the citizens of this
1. According to finaid. org, the current total student loan debt is at over $1 trillion. What is your plan to help students obtain the quality education they need in order to help them better compete in the job market? Until the budget is balanced as outlined in the following question, new subsidized student loans will likely be halted or significantly reduced. 2. What will be your top three priorities for getting the economy moving?
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Tyler Eacho tpeacho@liberty.edu
Virgil Goode, a former six-term U.S. congressman from Virginia, has positioned himself as a true conservative, running as the Constitution Party candidate in the 2012 presidential race. Goode was born in Richmond, Va. Oct. 17, 1946. According to the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, he graduated from Franklin County High School in Rocky Mount, Va., in 1965. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Richmond in 1969. Goode attended the University of Virginia School of Law immediately following his undergraduate career and graduated in 1973, according to his website. Goode also gained military experience as a member of the Army National Guard from 1969 to 1975. According to his website, Goode worked as a lawyer with his own private practice from 1973 to 1977 while also serving as a member of the Virginia state senate. He was unsuccessful in his candidacy for nomination as a United States senator in 1982 and 1994. However, he was elected as a Democrat to the 105th Congress and to the succeeding Congress. According to the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, Goode changed his party affiliation from Democratic to Independent Jan. 27, 2000. He was elected to the 107th Congress as an Independent but again changed his party affiliation to Republican Aug. 1, 2002. As a Republican, Goode was elected to the 108th Congress and the two succeeding Congresses. All in all, Goode served in Congress from Jan. 3, 1997 to Jan. 3, 2009. He ran unsuccessfully for re-election to the 111th Congress in 2008. Goode highlights three issues in his presidential campaign in a USA Today article. He defines marriage as a union of one man and one woman, and he claims to be the only candidate to establish a moratorium on green card admissions to the United States. Finally, he limits campaign donations to $200 to make a point about what he sees as a problem with the involvement of Political Action Committees (PACs) and Super PACs in partisan politics. According to his website, Goode qualified for the ballot in Virginia despite a petition-fraud investigation by the Republican state attorney general. He has qualified to appear on the ballot in 26 states but could appear on as many as 42 state’s ballots as a write-in. Prior to his presidential campaign, Goode had been out of politics since his unsuccessful campaign for re-election to Congress in 2009. Goode and his wife, Lucy, have one daughter, Catherine, who is grown.
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EACHO is an asst. news editor.
Under the Obama administration, unemployment has soared to over eight percent. Our debt has increased by more than $4 trillion under the Obama presidency, which has also given us trilliondollar deficits. The United States cannot borrow its way to prosperity. It is incumbent on our next president to propose a balanced budget upon taking office and not 10 years down the road. There will be pain, but the old saying that one will not get out of the hole by digging the hole deeper is accurate.
country to be at the head of the line for jobs. We also need to totally end diversity visas (50,000 per year), reduce chain migration and dramatically reduce asylees and refugees and their costs to the U.S. taxpayer.
I oppose abortion. National Right to Life commended me on my 100 percent voting record during my years in Congress. I favor and cosponsored legislation and constitutional amendments to define marriage as being between one man and one woman. I fully support religious liberty and the right to pray and to assemble.
3. Health care is an important issue for college students, especially given the Affordable Health Care plan that extends coverage for these students — even those who are married and attending a university. What other issues of the health care program will impact college students now and in the future?
5. Many students have enlisted in a branch of the military in order to pay for college. With the recent defense cuts and force reduction, how are you planning on protecting student veterans, National Guard members and ROTC cadets?
I support the repeal of the Affordable Health Care Plan but would support requiring coverage of students on a parent’s policy until that student reaches age 26.
Such programs can not be expanded until the budget is balanced. 6. Why should a college student vote for you?
4. What focus would your administration give to social issues where public policies go against strict religious beliefs, such as abortions, marriage amendments and religious liberty?
I am the only candidate with the courage to make the cuts necessary to balance the budget now and to start reducing the debt so today’s students will not face calamity in future years.
Electoral college votes by state N.H. 4
12 3
3 7
10 29
10
3
4 3
9
6
11
N.J. 14
18
11
20
55
Del. 3 5
9
6 9
6
38
Md. 10 D.C. 3
15 11
5
13
8
10
7
R.I. 4 Conn. 7
20
6 6
11
16
6
5
4
4
Vt. 3
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8 29
Romney leads Leaning toward Romney Obama leads Leaning toward Obama
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Electoral Votes
Electoral votes from 2012 swing states Colo. Fla. Iowa Nev. N.H. N.C. Ohio Va. Wis.
Obama
0
Romney
0
6
6
4
0
18
0
10
9 29 0 0 0 15 0 13 0 This poll was updated from politico.com as of Oct. 29. According to the site, Obama has a narrow edge over Romney.
NEWS
October 30, 2012
Liberty Champion/A5
presidential candidates
Mitt Romney prepares to reform Republican presidential nominee hopes for new job creation, tax breaks and reduced stress on the military 1. According to finaid. org, the current total student loan debt is at over $1 trillion. What is your plan to help students obtain the quality education they need in order to help them compete better in the job market?
Tyler Eacho tpeacho@liberty.edu
Republican presidential candidate and successful businessman Mitt Romney was born to humble beginnings in Detroit, March 12, 1947. According to Gov. Romney’s website, his father, George Romney, apprenticed as a lath and plaster carpenter and sold aluminum paint before beginning a career that led him to become the head of American Motors and, eventually, the governor of Michigan. Mitt Romney learned from his father’s hard work. Romney married his wife, Ann, in 1969. The two were acquaintances in elementary school but met years later at a friend’s house and began a long-lasting relationship. According to his website, Romney graduated from Brigham Young University in 1971 and went on to earn degrees from Harvard Law and Harvard Business School. He began working as a business consultant before he cofounded the investment firm Bain Capital in 1984. According to mittromneycentral.com, Bain Capital has helped to launch or rebuild more than 100 companies, including Staples, Bright Horizons and The Sports Authority. With the Salt Lake City Olympics on the verge of collapse in 1999, Romney was asked to take over because of his exceptional business background. According to his website, the games had been involved in a bid-rigging scandal, sponsors were fleeing, and the budget was in the red. The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 created a security nightmare and had some officials questioning whether to even hold the Olympics in the United States. Romney set out to straighten things out. According to his website, he revamped the organization’s leadership, trimmed the budget and restored public confidence. He also oversaw an unprecedented security mobilization to assure the safety of the athletes and the millions of visitors. Romney was elected Governor of Massachusetts in 2002, according to his website. The state was in disarray, its budget was out of balance, spending was soaring, and taxpayers were paying more in taxes for diminishing services. According to mittromenycentral.com, with the state economy in a tailspin and businesses closing or cutting back on investments, Romney brought state spending under control, restructuring and consolidating government programs. Facing a state legislature dominated by Democrats, Romney vetoed more than 800 bills in an attempt to bring conservative principles to the state government. He was able to eliminate a $3 billion deficit without borrowing or raising taxes. According to his website, the financial discipline provided under Romney’s leadership was essential for an economic recovery in Massachusetts. During his term, which ended in 2007, the state unemployment rate fell from 5.6 to 4.7 percent, and Massachusetts gained tens of thousands of new jobs. According to his website, Romney and his wife have five sons, all of whom are grown men. They also have 18 grandchildren.
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EACHO is an asst. news editor.
America’s traditional community and four-year colleges are the heart of our nation’s higher education system. However, a flood of federal dollars is driving up tuition and burdening too many young Americans with substantial debt and too few opportunities. Meanwhile, other models of advanced skills training are becoming ever more important to success in the American economy, and new educational institutions will be required to fill those roles. Mitt Romney’s proposed reforms will spur the access, affordability, innovation and transparency needed to address all of these challenges. First, he would work to strengthen and simplify the financial aid system by consolidating duplicative and overly complex programs within the Department of Education, and he would focus the Department on giving students and families with financial need the appropriate information about completion and persistence, loan repayment rates, future earnings and other indicators. This will help families intelligently weigh the risks and benefits of the many options available to them, rather than limiting choices through punitive regulations. Second, he would welcome private-sector participation instead of pushing it away, and third, he would replace burdensome regulation with innovation and competition. This will encourage market entry by innovative new education models, emphasize skill attainment instead of time spent in the classroom, and support research and development. We must repeal confusing and unnecessary regulations that primarily serve to drive costs higher and replace them with common-sense reforms that ensure appropriate student outcomes. 2. What will be your top three priorities for getting the economy moving? The first priority of a Romney administration will be to strengthen the middle class by creating 12 million new jobs and getting our economy going again. Mitt Romney will rebuild the foundations of the American economy on the principles of free enterprise, hard work and innova-
tion. His plan seeks to reduce taxes, spending, unnecessary regulation and ineffective government programs. It seeks to increase trade, energy production, human capital and labor flexibility. It empowers states instead of claiming that the federal government has the solution to every problem. Any American living through this economic crisis will immediately recognize the severity of the break that Mitt Romney proposes from our current course. He is calling for a fundamental change in Washington’s view of how economic growth and prosperity are achieved, how jobs are created and how government can support these endeavors. It is at once a deeply conservative return to policies that have served our nation well and a highly ambitious departure from the policies of our current leadership. In short, it is a plan to get America back to work. 3. Health care is an important issue for college students, especially given the Affordable Health Care plan that extends coverage for these students — even those who are married and attending a university. What other issues of the health care program will impact college students now and in the future? President Obama enacted a $2 trillion federal takeover of our nation’s health care system, driving up costs, lowering quality and reducing access. The law imposes massive tax increases on middle class families, slashes reimbursements for doctors and hospitals and limits choices for patients. Expansive federal mandates and costly government regulations will force millions of Americans out of their health coverage while enrolling millions more in a crumbling Medicaid program. Ultimately, the law fails because it is built on the idea that Washington politicians can more compassionately and efficiently manage health care decisions than can patients, families and doctors. Gov. Romney rejects this bureaucratic, Washington-knows-best approach, and he is committed to repealing the president’s health care law beginning on his first day in office. But that is not enough. The challenges facing our nation’s health care system will exist even after Obamacare has been repealed. That is why Gov. Romney has put forward a plan to replace the president’s fundamentally flawed law. His plan focuses on greater patient choice and control, lower
costs and better access for every American. His plan empowers patients and families and reforms insurance markets to emphasize fair competition and strong consumers. Our health care challenges can be fixed without a federal takeover of the entire system. Gov. Romney’s plan preserves what is working while reforming the areas that are broken. 4. What focus would your administration give to social issues where public policies go against strict religious beliefs, such as abortions, marriage amendments and religious liberty? Limited government is fundamental to individual freedom. Time and time again, however, President Obama has shown a blatant disregard for the rights of religious institutions to act in accordance with their convictions and issued regulations that violate these institutions’ religious freedom. For example, the Obama administration actually said that it had the power to tell a church whom it had to accept as a minister and that it could secondguess a church’s reasons for deciding someone was not qualified to be a minister. This was so outrageous that the Supreme Court voted unanimously against the president’s position, 9-0. And President Obama has issued Obamacare rules that force religious institutions to pay for contraception and the morning-after pill, which violate the tenets of their faith. President Obama has also forced millions of Americans who have deeply-held religious objections to abortion to subsidize abortion providers and advocates — both in America and overseas. As president, Mitt Romney will work to repeal Obamacare and, in the interim, revoke Obamacare’s mandates on religious institutions. He will also, by executive order, reinstate the Mexico City Policy and end federal funding for Planned Parenthood. Mitt Romney will bring America back to the constitutional ideal of a limited federal government that does not intrude on individuals religious freedoms. 5. Many students have enlisted in a branch of the military in order to pay for college. With the recent defense cuts and force reduction, how are you planning on protecting student veterans, National Guard members and ROTC cadets?
President Obama’s massive defense cuts have hit the Armed Forces hard. The cuts affect everyone who is in uniform or has worn the uniform, including students, National Guard and Reserves and veterans. Mitt Romney will reverse the president’s defense cuts and add 100,000 troops to the military. That will help ease the strain on those groups in some important ways. First, it reduces stress on the National Guard and Reserves, which have frequently been called to service during the past 10 years. It allows guardsmen and reservists more time at home with their families and to continue their careers and education. It allows those cadets in the ROTC with better opportunities to commission in the military and earn ROTC scholarships. Most importantly, stopping the president’s defense cuts will prevent massive troop layoffs, which would harm all three of those groups and especially strain a Department of Veterans Affairs that is already buckling under an influx of new VA (Veteran Affairs) “customers.” 6. Why should a college student vote for you? President Obama wishes we would forget about the last four years and the toll they have taken on everyday Americans. It is no wonder — his four years in office have been a disappointment for all of us, and they have been a catastrophe for some of us. Mitt Romney believes in America. He believes that liberty, opportunity and free enterprise have led to prosperity and strength before and will do so again. America, however, must take decisive action to roll back the misguided policies of the last four years, empower our citizens and restore the foundations of our nation’s strength. The foundations of our nation’s strength are a love of liberty and a pioneering spirit of innovation and creativity. These values — inherited from our founders and embodied by all who came to our shores seeking opportunity — have made the United States the most powerful nation in the history of the world. These are the values Mitt Romney believes will restore our nation to prosperity. Editor’s Note: These answers were prepared by Mitt Romney’s Election Committee.
OPINION
OCTOBER 30, 2012
Romney says ‘bye’ to Big Bird
Jacob Tellers jtellers@liberty.edu
“I’m going to stop the subsidy to PBS.” This statement from Mitt Romney has caused uproar among Sesame Street supporters nationwide. However, once the rhetoric is ignored, the context of Romney’s statement helps provide the bigger picture. “I will eliminate all programs by this test, if they don’t pass it. Is the program so critical it’s worth borrowing money from China to pay for it? And if not, I’ll get rid of it. Obamacare’s on my list,” Romney said during the first debate. “I’m sorry, Jim,” Romney continued. “I’m going to stop the subsidy to PBS.” Romney’s criteria for cutting spending is solid, and “Obamacare” is an example of a program that would save a lot of money if cut. PBS was just a side note in the context of the debate, and not the focal point of Romney’s economic reforms. Likely PBS was brought up not because Romney wanted to use it as a scapegoat, but because the debate moderator, Jim Lehrer, had been a news anchor for PBS, and it made sense to talk about it in that situation.
Instead of debating the facts and the main points, Obama’s response to Romney’s statements included an attack ad featuring Big Bird of Sesame Street. “Big, yellow, a menace to our economy — Mitt Romney knows it is not Wall Street we need to worry about, it’s Sesame Street,” the ad narrator said. Brian Montopoli and Steve Chaggari of CBS News reported that PBS even asked for the advertisement to stop because they did not want the show to be politicized. One fact that has been missed by both sides is that Big Bird is in no danger of going extinct. Amy Bingham of ABC News reported that nearly all funding for Sesame Street is from private sources. Obama did not debate Romney’s criteria for managing spending or the major cuts Romney proposed. Instead, Obama chose to go the route of emotional appeal and straw man attacks to distract voters from the real issue, how to manage the debt crisis. Despite this, there were some slightly more legitimate concerns about the PBS spending cuts. Backers of PBS note that the amount of spending that would be cut is minimal compared to the rest of
Creative Commons
BLUE AND YELLOW — Will Big Bird soon be gone? the U.S. budget. The budget for the Public Broadcasting Commission that funds PBS and National Public Radio is $445 million, according to Elizabeth Flock of U.S. News. The idea that something is just a small part of the budget is what got the U.S. into this mess in the first place. Every cut to the budget counts, and PBS will certainly not be the only casualty. Another objection is about the affect PBS cuts would have on television stations. “The vast majority
of taxpayer funds for PBS ($1.35 per person per year) goes to local stations, many of which serve rural areas, where losing funding would mean stations going dark,” LeVar Burton said in an article on CNN. Even if true, this statement only shows that the government should not fund PBS. One of the key aspects of this nation is the existence of a free press. A primary purpose of the media is to hold the government accountable. This is not done when the
government pays the bills. The media has no incentive to bite the hand that feeds it. “PBS programming, from ‘Teletubbies’ to ‘NewsHour,’ has been criticized for its supposed liberal bias,” Meredith Blake of the LA Times said. It is certainly worth wondering whether government subsidizing adds merit the public’s perception of PBS. Despite claims to the contrary, Big Bird is not in any imminent danger. Democrats, in an attempt to distract voters from the real issues, are simply using him as a blatantly false scare tactic. On the broader scale, PBS itself does not have any inherent right to exist. The basic principle of capitalism and free market enterprise is that businesses must face the consequences of their decisions. If a business is run properly, it will most likely succeed. If not, it will most likely fail. It is not the government’s job to play kingmaker in the business world. In this time of massive debt, PBS must be allowed to either sink or swim, and Romney is correct in saying that the government needs to step out of the way. TELLERS is an opinion writer.
Ads are annoying, not aiding, voters Campaigns are now having to find alternative methods to reach out to their audience Whitney Rutherford wrutherford2@liberty.edu
This campaign season has featured inescapable Internet advertising, leading a July 2012 University of Pennsylvania study to announce that more than 80 percent of American adults detest being targeted by Internet political advertisements. Such hatred of political advertising has generated a small change, however. Campaigns have been forced to discover a new way to appeal to Americans: entertaining rather than attacking. Few political advertisements use humor or narrative exclusively, but those that do are successful, grabbing voter attention anew. Political advertisements based on humor and narrative reveal hope for future campaign techniques but remain as dishonest as their attacking counterparts. Devoid of scrolling statistics or narrators suggesting impending doom, entertaining political advertising allows
From the
Desk Tabitha Cassidy tcassidy@liberty.edu
Being an adult sometimes means doing certain things that we sometimes do not wish to do.
humor to pave the way for argument and relatable stories to spur discourse. Leonie, an internationally renowned communication campaign firm, asserts that humor makes individuals more susceptible to any argument. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) employed humor Oct. 16, placing a new spin on a prickly campaign issue: tax policy. Instead of presenting viewers with mathematical evidence, the DNC offered a website with one instruction: click the red button to learn more about the Romney tax plan. As soon as your mouse clicks the button, it dodges away. The more you click your mouse, the faster the button leaps. Since Oct. 16, Romneytaxplan.com has been tweeted more than 73,000 times and boasts more than one million Facebook “likes,” outpacing video advertisements addressing the same plan. Furthermore, humanizing political advertisements It seems to me that many people these days do not realize this simple fact of life. Most of my old acquaintances before my college years are still stuck in that high school mentality, complaining about how they have no jobs or no extra cash to spend despite constant inactivity. Is it any wonder that the majority of people in my generation seem to be lazy and underappreciative? Getting out of the “I
also leads to more productive discourse. For instance, the Obama campaign debuted “The Life of Julia,” an interactive website, in May 2012. The website follows fictional Julia as she leads a healthy, productive life thanks to the Obama administration’s policies. The day after Julia appeared online, the Heritage Foundation revealed “A Better Life for Julia,” copying the Obama campaign’s storybook format and character to propose conservative values for Julia. These sites contradict each other, but strive to remain relatable. Chasing a red button or reading a story is a refreshing break from the incessant attack ads, but the new approach does not aim for truth. “Julia’s happily-ever-after tale is remarkably void of reality,” former U.S. secretary of education William Bennett said in May 2012. “Nowhere in her fictional life is it mentioned that Head Start has done little, if anything, to im-
deserve everything for doing nothing” mentality seems to be hard for most of my CASSIDY peers. I must confess that sometimes I even struggle with that mindset. But who can really blame us? This sense of entitle-
prove elementary education, that she will likely graduate with $25,000 in student loan debt, that she has a 50 percent chance of being unemployed or underemployed after college.” Given that these ads present humor before detailed information and narratives leaving out crucial details, they can be more dangerous than attack ads. Viewers jump to share the interesting sites with their social media circles before researching the policies presented. Americans will soon cast their ballots for the next president, but the verdict it out on traditional campaign advertisements. If campaigns expect Americans to move forward, believing in their country, it is time to spend the final few days offering revolutionary arguments through new advertising avenues.
RUTHERFORD is an opinion writer.
ment was enabled by our parents. While most of our parents worked hard for everything they have, they did so in order to provide for their families and give them the things that they themselves did not have in their youth. This is a good philosophy, but somewhere along the line, children being handed their heart’s desire and not having to work for what they want out of life turned into the belief that the world owes them something.
OpenSourceWay | Creative Commons
My two cents Andrew Woolfolk
alwoolfolk@liberty.edu
Being the editor of the Champion’s opinion page this semester has been quite the privilege. Each week, I am allowed to share some of my wide-ranging thoughts and opinions — which hopefully readers do not find too radical — to the entire student body. Writing opinion pieces comes with a great amount of responsibility. Analyzing the world around us is the editorialist’s job, and without an ample amount of respect and research, our columns can quickly fade into the category of a rant instead of a thought-provoking piece of journalism. But perhaps the biggest WOOLFOLK pitfall that can plague the opinion section is to construe our job description as a whole. We often feel as though it is our job to simply analyze. Perhaps it is just me, but when I think of the word “analyze,” a negative connotation seems to surround the word, as if analyzing only involves listing off all the qualities that are wrong with the topic at hand. Webster’s Dictionary defines analyzing as “the studying or determining of the nature of parts for the purpose of explanation and interpretation.” Too often, we spend our time pointing out what we think is wrong. There is nothing inherently incorrect about that, but our responsibility as well-rounded journalists is to highlight and analyze the positive sides of the world around us. To fulfill my roll as a responsible reporter, allow me to relay an event that happened to me this past week. My girlfriend and I went out to dinner at the Depot Grille, and as with every meal, we said a short but concise prayer beforehand. As we finished up our meal, a middleaged couple who sat nearby got up to leave, and on the way out, the gentleman commended us for our commitment to praying in public. I tell you this not to draw attention to my actions, but to draw attention to his. Little did we know that the gentleman had also paid for our meal and bought us dessert, which the waitress did not tell us until the couple had been gone for some time. The man’s good deed caused me to consider — excuse me, analyze — just how often I take the time to lift up those around me. Too often, we get stuck critiquing instead of commending, breaking down instead of building up. It is astounding how great something as simple as a good deed can make you feel. There is a saying that says “The way to develop the best that is in a man is by appreciation and encouragement.” The Word also commands us to edify one another. In 1 Thessalonians 5:11, we read, “Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as you are doing.” In 1 Peter 4:8-10, Peter writes, “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling..” Think about how much you spend uplifting those around you, even those who you have never met before. A kind act can go a long way. So to the couple who paid for my meal, I thank you again. Most likely, I will never know who you are, but you have made quite the impact on my life. No matter how much you paid for that meal in my place, your gift of providing a Christian example was worth much more. You did not just pay for my meal, you gave me something to think about, something to smile about, and something to learn from. You taught me a lesson. After some analyzing, I would say that is pretty encouraging. WOOLFOLK is the opinion editor.
The fact of the matter is, no one owes you anything. The world that we live in generally only promotes people for going above and beyond the call of duty. Even then, you might not get anywhere. But the point of it all is, you will get nowhere if you do not do anything. Even if you are passed by for a promotion or get a bad grade despite studying for hours on end, at least you put forth the effort to succeed.
Those who sat back and watched the world do all of the work stayed just there, idly sitting on the edge of victory wondering why their time in the limelight has yet to appear. So buck up, put your nose to the grindstone and get to work on the things you want out of life. No one is going to serve them to you on a silver platter. CASSIDY is the editor in chief.
NEWS
October 30, 2012
Liberty Champion/A7
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
FRIGHT — Liberty students volunteer to be a part of a recently-expanded Scaremare that aims to share the gospel with those who come through.
Scaremare celebrates 40th year The Center for Youth Ministries rallies hundreds of students every year to aid in spreading the Gospel Amanda Fortner afortner@liberty.edu
Scaremare has returned to Lynchburg to spook thousands of inquisitive guests from across the region. The ministry is celebrating 40 years of using its haunted fun house to present the gospel to thousands in the Lynchburg area. According to their website, Scaremare had one of its biggest weekends yet Oct. 12 and Oct.13, with more than 6,500 attendees. “We were packed Saturday night. The recorded decisions as of Saturday night were 1,025 people,” Steve Vandegriff, the director of Scaremare, said. “We’ll figure out why the numbers are higher. Was it the new building or the clarity of the message? Probably a combination
of those things.” Sponsored by Liberty University’s Center for Youth Ministries, the Scaremare ministry started in 1972. Since its inception, more than 300,000 people from several states have attended the house, according to Vandegriff. Vandegriff spoke about the history of Scaremare and how the ministry got its unique name. “It was built by a bunch of youth pastors over at TRBC (Thomas Road Baptist Church),” Vandegriff said. “They were looking for an outreach in the month of October. The name first started with the name nightmare. They didn’t like that name, so they combined the words nightmare and scare.” For Vandegriff, there is something about Scaremare that separates it from other ministry opportunities.
“I love the combination of the fun element and a message. I’d be the first one to say that Scaremare is not for everybody, and I think only a chosen few should even attempt it,” Vandegriff said. “For whatever reason, the history is there. People know that there is a message of life after death, which is what the whole theme of the building is, and they either put up with it or they tolerate it or they’re anxious to see how we combine it, and it seems to be working.” Vandegriff says that pastors of various churches have used Scaremare as an event for their church youth groups. “The ministry of Scaremare has been a major blessing to our students and their friends,” Mike Camire, student pastor at Parkway Baptist Church, said. “Scaremare is a great opportunity to challenge your students to bring friends because of
the life-changing message that it gives. Over the years, we have seen God radically change lives because of the creative way that Scaremare presents the Gospel. Our students are excited about Scaremare all year, and we appreciate all of the hard work that goes into making Scaremare happen.” Vandegriff hopes Scaremare can continue to be a quality event put together by Liberty students to help steer thousands of kids away from an eternity in hell. “I would feel really good about that, that we have diverted kids from eternal punishment and they’ll be found in the kingdom because of this unusual event,” Vandegriff said. FORTNER is a news reporter.
Communications career fair draws students Tracie Hearne thearne@liberty.edu
The School of Communication had its first exclusive career fair Oct. 25 at the Williams Stadium pavilion. The Career Center organized the fair to provide Liberty University School of Communication students and alumni the opportunity to network, apply and interview with local and national companies. Some of the organizations that attended to recruit interns and employees were Clear Channel Communications, Innovative Faith Resources, The Washington Fellowship, WSET-TV (ABC 13) and Gleaning for the World. Students were required to dress professionally and were encouraged to talk to any of the employers or recruiters who had a table. “It’s exciting because they tell you what they’re looking for, and I’m really excited to know there are opportunities for me,” Tyler Brown, a video broadcasting major, said. The recruiters expressed their reactions to the students who attended the event. “I think they’ve been prepared
really well. They check out the website and come in ahead of time,” Jeff Woolard, the representative of Primerica, said. “I think the students have been very professional. I’ve enjoyed the questions they’ve asked. I’m intrigued with their background, their enthusiasm with finding an internship,” Ishmael LaBiosa, media specialist for Innovative Faith Resources and Liberty University alumnus, said. The Career Center held two professional workshops, including topics such as resumes, networking, interviewing and follow-up techniques prior to the event to prepare students to speak with the employers. Melissa Calloway, the event coordinator for the Career Center, explained how the office prepares the students who plan on attending. “We have professional development workshops for each school,” Calloway said. Students were urged to come prepared to speak to the organizations that attended the event. “The students who came to my table have been very prepared,” LaBiosa said. “Many have told me they researched the organization. They knew where
Joel Coleman| Marketing
CAREER — Professionals talked at the career fair Oct. 25. we’re located, they know what we do — it’s very impressive.” Jenny Marshall, the Human Resources Director for ABC 13, explained why the broadcasting company comes to recruit. “They have good communications students, and we have a number of current employees that are Liberty graduates,” Marshall said. “Also, it’s a great resource to have close by stu-
dents that are interested that can work part-time jobs while they’re students.” Many of the recruiters encouraged students to attend career fairs when they can. “This is huge,” LaBiosa said. “Every student who has an opportunity to come to an internship fair and doesn’t come is really wasting their time in college. When I was a student at Liberty
1. GARY JOHNSON AND JILL STEIN RUN AS THE CONSTITUTION AND GREEN PARTY CANDIDATES.
University, I attended every internship fair, because I knew the opportunities there. They’re looking for help in the office, but they’re also looking to hire down the road.” Some students come to career fairs without even knowing exactly what they are looking to pursue as a career. “It’s a good way (students) can see what is available,” Marshall said. Marshall added that it is important to consider every organization because most have job opportunities that students might not have anticipated were available. Calloway stressed why it is important to attend the career fairs and network with employers. “With networking, you never know who you’re going to meet, and you never know where God really wants you,” Calloway said. “Sometimes, you may go to a table with no intention of ever working there, and you meet someone and say ‘Wow, this is a dream job I never knew I wanted.’ So just keep your mind open.” HEARNE is a news reporter. switchfoot.com
2. CENTER FOR WORSHIP AWARDED THE TITLE “BEST OF THE BEST” IN WORSHIP LEADER MAGAZINE. 3. SWITCHFOOT SET TO PLAY THIS FRIDAY IN THE VINES CENTER.
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NEWS
October 30, 2012
T
he legacy we leave behind for our children, grandchildren,
and this great nation is crucial. As I approach my 94th birthday, I realize this election could be my last. I believe it is vitally important that we cast our ballots for candidates who base their decisions on biblical principles and support the nation of Israel. I urge you to vote for those who protect the sanctity of life and support the biblical definition of marriage between a man and a woman. Vote for biblical values this November 6, and pray with me that America will remain one nation under God.
Billy Graham MONTREAT, N.C.
PAID ADVERTISEMENT BY THE BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION
SPORTS
OCTOBER 30, 2012
Football
Field Hockey
Volleyball
Women’s D1 Hockey
Women’s D2 Hockey
Men’s D2 Hockey
Liberty 12 Coastal Carolina 36
Liberty 3 Davidson 2
Liberty 3 Radford 2
Liberty 4 Michigan State 2
Liberty 0 Maryland 4
Liberty 5 Maryland 2
Men’s soccer plays to draw
toppling a giant
Jay Sir ysir@liberty.edu
Ruth Bibby| Liberty Champion
SPLIT DECISIONS— Freshman Tyson Street (61) battles for position against an Ohio Bobcat defender.
Flames take game from No.1 Coach Handy’s crew splits series with ACHA-leading Ohio U. Courtney Tyree cntyree@liberty.edu Hannah Kearney hlkearney@liberty.edu
Liberty University’s Division I men’s hockey team fell just short Friday Oct. 26, losing 3-2 to No. 1 Ohio University at the LaHaye Ice Center. “We needed to play a physical game and get on the puck hard, win battles and stay out of the penalty box,” Liberty forward Christian Garland said. The Bobcats started fast, scoring within the first three minutes. The goal was scored by Nathan De La Torre, who was
assisted by Nicholas Hudeck. Several minutes later, Ohio scored again, increasing the lead to 2-0. The Flames got on the board later in the first period on a power play, with a goal by Cam Bakker making the score 2-1. Ohio came back after the break when Tom Whetsel scored in the first two minutes of the second period, extending Ohio’s lead to 3-1. Halfway through the second period, Liberty’s Rick Turner scored with an assist from Kyle Garcia to bring the goal deficit back to one. Flames fans rose to their feet at the start of the final period in hopes of a
Flames comeback against the top club hockey team in the country. But with 30 seconds remaining, the Flames final shot from Andrew McCombe rang off the crossbar — preserving the win for the visiting Bobcats. “There are a lot of positives we could take out of the loss,” Scott Morongell said. “Everyone on the team was focused that they were No. 1, and we probably played one of the best games of the season because everyone was on focus.” Ohio goalie Fedor Dushkin made 32 saves, while Liberty’s Blair Bennett had 26.
See HOCKEY, B2
The Gardner-Webb defense faced a lot of pressure from the Flames offense as Liberty defenders Greg White and Sam Duininck ran box-to-box across the field to compel their opponents. The Liberty Flames were unable to capitalize on their chances, and the match ended 0-0 after the second overtime. “It’s a good result because we found a way to get a tie,” Liberty Head Coach Jeff Alder said. “I felt we generated enough opportunities to score. Their keeper made some really good saves, but I don’t think we took care of the ball like we should have taken care of the ball.” The Liberty Flames outshot the Bulldogs 15-7 and managed to win nine corner kicks throughout the game. Gardner-Webb had five corner kicks and only managed to force one save from the Liberty goalkeeper. “I thought we had some trouble connecting, but we did pretty well attacking freshman,” Tyler Bullock said. “In the final third (segment of the field), we just didn’t do well finishing.” The Liberty offense also came close to breaking the tie six times during the game, but diving saves by Gardner-Webb goalkeeper Scott Krotee and a strong performance by the Bulldog defense kept the ball out of the net. The game was closest to seeing a goal in the 65th minute. Liberty forward Sachem Wilson dribbled the ball and cracked a shot at the Gardner-Webb goal within the 16-yard box. Krotee punched away the inbound shot, but the rebound rolled over to an eager Kyle Breitmeyer who shot the ball back toward the goal. Not skipping a beat, Krotee once again stretched his arms to deflect Breitmeyer’s shot out of bounds. The Liberty Flames are now 5-1-2 in the conference, with an overall record of 7-6-2, and will play against Radford University Tuesday, Oct. 30, before playing their last conference game against University of North Carolina Asheville. Liberty’s last conference game will also be their senior night, which will commemorate the graduating seniors’ careers during their stay at Liberty University. After their senior night, the Flames will look to make a run at the Big South Championship. If the Flames are seeded in the top four teams in the tournament, they will have a chance to host another game at Osborne stadium. SIR is a sports reporter.
Lacrosse sweeps tourney Derrick Battle dbattle2@liberty.edu
The Liberty Flames men’s lacrosse team routed two Lynchburg area universities in their third annual Liberty Lacrosse Tournament, Saturday Oct. 27. The Flames outscored Lynchburg College and Southern Virginia University by a total of 25-5, beating the LC Hornets 13-1 and later overpowering the SVU Knights 18-4. “It was a good opportunity for us to put into practice a lot of new things we have been working on,” Head Coach Kyle McQuillan said. “We would like for it to be more competitive, but there are a few things we are able to learn from … At the end of the day, it was a good learning experience for us.” The Flames strong defensive performance was key in both victories in the double-header. Sophomore goalie Ethan Kamholtz tallied multiple saves and allowed only one goal in his first start with the Flames. “I thought we played well,” Kamholtz said. “It’s fall ball, so there are a lot of
things we can work on. I have a lot to work on myself. It’s a team effort. I do not play well if my defense doesn’t play well, and I thought our defense did outstanding today.” In the first game against the Hornets, the Flames defense forced Lynchburg College into wild and erratic shots on goal. This helped the Liberty offense, which scored in bunches. Consistent ball movement was essential in keeping the Hornets defense off balance. Within the first five minutes of the first quarter, the Flames scored four goals. By halftime, Liberty led 8-0. “We just kept up pressure and kept intimidating them,” midfielder Miguel Lozada said. “We kept them to only taking shots to the outside. That is what happens when an offense cannot penetrate our defense.” This trend continued in the second half as the Flames scored four more goals to end the game. Junior midfielders Derek Haywood and Lozada handled the scoring load. Junior attacker Kurt Tobias and freshman Ryan Miller also contributed
See LACROSSE, B3
Ruth Bibby| Liberty Champion
NOTHING BUT NET— Kurt Tobias scores a goal against SVU.
SPORTS
B2/Liberty Champion
October 30, 2012
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
AIR TIME —(Top) Bram Erickson looks to gain possession of the puck. (Bottom) An Ohio player is slammed into the Liberty goal box early in Friday night’s game.
HOCKEY continued from B1 LU steals victory from top club Liberty’s D1 hockey team came through with a 4-3 win against the No. 1 ranked Ohio University Bobcats Saturday, Oct. 27 at the LaHaye Ice Center. The win broke a six-game losing streak for the Flames. “Tonight went great,” senior starter Rick Turner said. “We were able to beat the No. 1 team, so it’s safe to say it was a pretty good night, and we couldn’t be happier. We were stumbling a bit up until this point, but this game could be setting us up for a winning streak, so hopefully that happens.” Coming back from a loss of 3-2 against the Bobcats Friday night, the win was a great accomplishment for the Flames. “The win feels even better, seeing as yesterday we knew we were right there, but it was just a few, small mistakes that got us the loss. We knew today that if we fixed those mistakes that we’d be on the winning side and that’s exactly what happened,” senior Scott Morongell said. The game began somewhat slow, remaining 0-0 through the first period. The Panthers attempted many shots, but goalie Blair Bennett made 12 saves during the first. Sophomore Ryley Egan scored first for the Flames within the first minute of the second period. Freshman Steven Bellew
scored shortly thereafter to give the Flames a 2-0 lead. The goal was his fifth of the season. With nine minutes left in the second period, Ohio scored its first, and then tied the game two minutes later. The Flames came back with passes from Matt Sherry and Luke Baumgarten, setting Turner up for his 22nd goal of the season. Bennett made another great save before Ohio scored its last goal, making it 3-3 at the end of the second period. Bakker broke the nerve-racking tie with only a minute and 16 seconds left in the game, which pushed the score to 4-3, giving the Flames the pleasure of beating the highest-ranked team in the nation. “The puck wasn’t bouncing our way early in the period,” Morongell said. “But we got our hitting lines going and we took it to them, and basically in the end, we had better endurance and they couldn’t skate with us.” “We were off to a good start and then got into a rough patch,” sophomore Ryley Egan said. “We lost six games in a row so it’s nice to finally get a win.” The Flames next game against the Stony Brook University Seawolves is set for Friday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. at the LaHaye Ice Center. TYREE is a sports reporter.
Editorial: Football’s comeback improbable, not impossible Kyle Harvey kharvey@liberty.edu
For the first four non-conference games of the season, the Flames played the role of a large underdog — and lost four times. The next three games, they played the role of a large favorite — and won three times. Saturday’s contest against conference rival and perennial Big South powerhouse Coastal Carolina (CCU) was supposed to be the most evenly matched game of the year to date. But Turner Gill’s hot and cold team came out cold, losing 36-12. In soggy conditions resulting from Hurricane Sandy, a Flames offense that had run the ball for
an average of 261 yards in each of their three wins, was held under the century mark. Woodrum threw three interceptions, one of which was returned for six points. The game was sweet revenge for Coastal, who had been hammered in Lynchburg last year, 63-27. Not unlike most games this season, the Flames won the time of possession battle. But despite their ability to control the clock, Liberty was not able to control the scoreboard. They had more first downs than the Chanticleers, but turnovers ended three potential scoring drives. Senior wide receiver Pat Kelly was one of the bright spots for
the Flames. Kelly’s 16 receptions set a new school record for most in a game. His 13th catch was the only touchdown of the day. Another positive for the Flames was the return of kicker John Lunsford who had been out with an injury. Lunsford booted field goals of 44 and 50 yards. Big South Championship Scenarios In other Big South action over, Charleston Southern University (CSU) defeated non-conference opponent Edward Waters 427, Gardner-Webb beat Virginia Military Institute (VMI) 38-7 and Stony Brook hammered Presbyterian 56-17. With their win Saturday, Stony
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Brook has all but clinched the 2012 Big South title. The Sea Wolves, who are 4-0 in the Big South, have built a substantial lead with just two games left in conference play. Because Stony Brook has already defeated CSU and CCU, they own the tiebreaker in the unlikely event that they lose their last two games and either CSU or CCU is able to get to four conference wins. The Flames, who have three games left in conference play (CSU, Stony Brook and VMI, in that order), have backed themselves into a corner. With their loss to the Chanticleers, they have lost control of their playoff destiny. Not only will the Flames have to win out, they will need
help from other teams. Were the Flames able to win out in their remaining three contests, they would need Coastal to lose at least one of their remaining games. If the Flames lose to CSU, the only way to win the conference would be to beat Stony Brook and hope that Stony Brook then also lose to VMI in their season finale. The Flames would also need CSU to lose both of its remaining games and Coastal to lose two out of their last three. Although mathematically possible, the odds are astronomical — but I guess that is why they play the game. HARVEY is the sports editor.
SPORTS
October 30, 2012
X Country sweeps Big South tourney
Liberty Champion/B3
Derrick Battle dbattle2@liberty.edu Research contributed by:
Ashley Thomas athomas21@liberty.edu
The Liberty Flames men’s and women’s cross country team swept the Big South Tournament Championships Saturday, Oct. 27. Along with the sweep, Head Coach Brant Tolsma won his 52nd Big South Coach of the Year award. Led by redshirt senior Jennifer Klugh, the Lady Flames were able to capture their fifth championship in seven years. Klugh also won her third consecutive Big South Runner of the Year award. The men’s team eclipsed its record eighthstraight Big South Championship win. Senior David Ricksecker led the Flames in a secondplace finish with a time of 24:39.62. Junior Caleb Edmonds and the Men’s Freshman of the Year winner N’Getich Kipchirchir finished third and fourth. The Flames finished with seven in the top 15. Liberty scored 28 points and defeated rival High Point University by 21. In the women’s 5K, Liberty tallied only 40 points while Coastal was a distant second with a score of 72. “Our team as a whole is looking really fantastic,” Klugh said. “The Lord has really blessed us with girls that are just dropping times, and we all are trying to keep our focus in the right spot.” Liberty had six top 20 finishes, which included Klugh’s first place time of 17.18.72. Senior Khristina Kanagy, sophomore Jacy Christiansen and Betel Yosef finished seventh, eighth and ninth — all set personal bests during the event. “Even if we do not make nationals, it will still show how we stack up to all the Division I programs in the southeast,” Tolsma said. “I would say we have an outside shot at that, but it’s not something we can count on.” The NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships will be Nov. 9 in Charlotte, N.C. BATTLE is the asst. sports editor.
Ruth Bibby| Liberty Champion
SMOOTH — Derek Haywood looks for an opening against Southern Virginia University.
LACROSSE continued from B1 multiple goals. Kamholtz had 11 saves and allowed his only goal in the tournament with 14:14 left in the third period. “I wish we would’ve had a shutout,” Haywood said. “There are a lot of good things to take away from this game. The offense moved the ball like we were supposed to, and the defense did their job. It was a good first performance and a good team effort.” Against SVU in the second half of its double-header, the Flames exploited a major flaw in the Knights defense. Liberty took advantage of below-average play at goal and porous defense throughout the entire game. Tobias and sophomore attacker John Farris connected within the first minute of the game and later at the 9:30 mark in the first period. Both Tobias and Farris stayed active in the first period and they provided goals and assists. Miller also added a couple of goals, widening the margin to an 11-0 lead by halftime. Farris finished the game with
four goals and one assist, while Tobias scored once and had five assists. The Knights had trouble advancing the ball against the Flames starters. On multiple occasions, their passes were picked off, which converted into Liberty goals. By the beginning of the second half, McQuillan rested most of his starters, including Kamholtz, who had another impressive showing in goal. The Knights made a change at goalie as well, but to no avail. “Ethan is a diamond in the rough,” McQuillan said. “He’s played some college lacrosse out in Oregon and had an opportunity coaching. By chance, his sister is a teacher here, and it got him thinking about Liberty. We’ve been in contact with him for the last two years. He grew up in upstate New York and has lacrosse in his blood. He is just an athlete. We are expecting big things from him this upcoming season.” Even with those changes, the Flames were able to stay aggressive. Midfielders freshman Bryce Mrakovich and sophomore Craig Darling contributed to the
scoring load for the majority of the second half. Junior midfielder Skyler Sipe also chipped in with a goal. “We did well,” Sipe said. “It felt good to knock some rust off. It helped us work on our offense and get our timing down. Overall, it was a successful tournament.” While Liberty had an impressive showing in the annual tournament, its ability to work younger talent in with veteran leadership will determine the success of the Flames. “Our freshmen have fulfilled huge gaps on the team — not just filling in just backup roles, but they are starting,” Captain Nathan Lowmaster said. “Half of our starting squad is freshman, and they are performing beyond expectation. They are more then what we asked for this year.” The Flames begin their regular season in February when they host the Citadel College Bulldogs at the Liberty Lacrosse Fields. BATTLE is the asst. sports editor.
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B4/Liberty Champion
SPORTS
October 30, 2012
School of Law wins fifth-annual Turkey Bowl
Students in both seminary and law school took to the field at Williams Stadium to raise funds for the Liberty Godparent Home Olivia Witherite ogwitherite@liberty.edu
Routes were run, passes thrown and whistles blown at Williams Stadium Saturday, Oct. 27. Men and women donned in red and blue T-shirts lined up against each other on the gridiron, fighting for the Turkey Bowl title to see which team would emerge as victors — seminary students or law students. With all profits benefitting the Liberty Godparent Home, Liberty University Baptist Theological Seminary and School of Law students took the field in a game of flag football to compete for a trophy and bragging rights. Entering this year’s contest, the series was 2-2 overall. The School of Law won in 2011, and while seminary students looked to have the trophy returned to their halls, they fell short. The law students won 26-6. “It was good to see the law school take the lead in the series, 3-2,� law student James Johnson said of his team’s victory. The event raised more than $600 during the night and will continue to raise more through the week from various donations, Turkey Bowl organizer Melissa Smith said. “Although it was nice to see the law school get the win, it was actually the Liberty Godparent Home that won,� un-
Photo Provided
JUSTICE IS SERVED — The School of Law has a 3-2 lead in Turkey Bowl series. dergraduate student and spectator Josh Gummo said. Working around the Flames football schedule, the event was put together by the School of Law and seminary students so that the graduate students had the opportunity to play under the lights at Williams Stadium.
“We both put it on together,� Smith said. “It’s a big thing. We put posters in the law school, and the law school put fun trash-talking signs (in our halls) to get everyone pumped up. I just think it’s a fun thing for a good cause.� Humor from the game’s announcers included input such as, “There’s a lot of
negotiating and a bit of preaching,� and “I have no idea what the penalty was. I can’t even see from up here.� However, the players took the game seriously, running routes before the game and executing passes mirroring a legitimate game. According to Smith, the players had been practicing the entire month of October. “I think the players take it more seriously than anyone else does,� Smith said. The event drew a sizeable crowd, with rows of bleachers filled with players’ families and fans — including Dr. Elmer Towns. After the game, spectators took part in a chili tasting, sampling different concoctions that people had submitted to a chili cook-off contest earlier in the day. Overall, the event was “a good way to bring people together,� Smith said. “Because we’re both grad schools ... especially the students who come from other undergrad (universities), it’s a good way to gather together and have that community,� Smith said. Beyond the $2 admission fee to raise money for the Godparent Home, shirts were sold for $10.
WITHERITE is a sports reporter.
Lady Flames make quiet exit from Big South Tourney Jay Sir ysir@liberty.edu
Spectators who watched Liberty University’s Big South Championship Tournament game against Longwood University Saturday night, Oct. 27, may have experienced dÊjà vu. Besides the fact that the two sides played against each other four days before, Longwood captain Lindsey Ottavio made a similar challenge at the Liberty goal around the 13th minute in both games. Likewise, the Lady Flames barely missed out on a game-changing goal that hit the crossbar in both games. Both shots occurred in the 42nd minute. Unfortunately for the Lady Flames, the
similarities ended there. After being down early, Liberty salvaged a late goal to force overtime — but lost in the penalty kick shootout. The Lancers won 4-1 after scoring three goals in the shootout. The Lady Flames did not score on any of their attempts. Ottavio scored the first goal of the night in the 56th minute when she shot from 25 yards out. Five minutes before regulation ended, Liberty junior Casey Norris redirected a ball from Kelly Henion to send the match into overtime. Formidable opponent After officially becoming a member of the Big South Conference July 1, Longwood has been making big strides in its
inaugural season. Its women’s soccer team has a record of 8-2-1 in the Big South Conference and a 13-5-2 record overall. The Lancers have been seeded third in this year’s Big South Championship. Karen When Liberty played Blocker Longwood just four days before the quarterfinal finished match, the Lady Flames with 86 seemed to have the edge statistically outshooting saves this the Lancers 12-8. Howev- season. er, Longwood turned the tables on Liberty Saturday night, out-shooting the Lady Flames 18-7. Liberty goalkeeper Karen Blocker had a busy night between the posts, pro-
FYI
ducing seven saves through the course of the game. End of the season Since they have been knocked out of the Big South Championship, Liberty is ineligible to participate in the NCAA Division I Championships. The Lady Flames ended the season with a conference record of 5-4-2 and an overall record of 11-7-3. Though they may have suffered an early exit from the Big South tournament, this season has been far from unsuccessful. According to libertyflames. com, the 2012 Lady Flames have tied the 2001 squad for third most wins in a single season. SIR is a sports reporter.
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FEATURE
October 30, 2012
Liberty Champion/B5
Photo Provided
UNDEAD — Students terrorized Liberty’s campus Sunday.
Zombies invade Students hold third zombie walk Greg Leasure gleasure@liberty.edu
Terror recently swept across the campus of Liberty University, and it had nothing to do with a hurricane. Zombies assembled on the front steps of DeMoss Hall before invading popular places on campus, searching to satisfy their hunger for human brains. Liberty students dressed up as a zombies and roamed the campus during the third annual zombie walk the night of Sunday, Oct. 29. “(My favorite part is) seeing the looks on the faces of students that have no idea that it’s coming, especially in the c-lab,” Liberty student Jake Holland said. Students working on homework in the computer lab looked up from their work to stare at the groaning, limping pack of zombies making their way through the room. Throughout the night, the zombies also terrorized the new rooftop terrace of DeMoss Hall, a Liberty bus and the Tilley Student Center. “I feel like zombies are hot right now,” Holland said. “It’s a thing, especially with ‘The Walking Dead,’ and some of the zombie movies are everywhere right now. It’s easy to dress up like a zombie.” The group of undead invaders included a zombie bride and a zombie version of Michael Jackson from his music video for the song “Thriller.” Holland, who often dresses up like Waldo from a “Where’s Waldo?” book, put on makeup and turned into a zombie for the event. “I like dressing up anyway, so it’s just an excuse to dress up even more,” Holland said.
Holland said that the event attracted 80 people when it began two years ago, but only about 20 zombies were able to attend this year. “It’s a tough night because it always seems to be on a pretty busy night,” Holland said. “There are always a million other things going on. Schoolwork usually takes precedence.” Savannah Hughes helped come up with the idea for a zombie walk two years ago when one of her friends organized one near her home city of Dallas, Texas. Hughes immediately created a Facebook group promoting it, and she also started writing on white boards in classrooms to get the word out about the student-organized event. Some highlights from the first year’s zombie walk included walking to Sonic on Wards Road and frightening an unsuspecting couple in the Vines Center. “There were some couples in there hanging out, just trying to be by themselves,” Holland said. “It ended up being the girl’s worst fear, being surrounded by zombies, so we took advantage of that. That was when we had like 80 people, so that was probably my favorite moment.” Hughes said they always try to coordinate the zombie walk with Halloween, which is one of her favorite holidays. “You get to dress up and be somebody that you don’t normally get to be,” Hughes said. Liberty students breathed a sigh of relief as the zombie invasion subsided. No unsuspecting students were harmed during the attack. LEASURE is the feature editor.
Photo Provided
SIGNING — Callista Gingrich read her children’s book before autographing with her husband, Newt.
Gingriches visit LU Customers fill the LU Bookstore for Newt and Callista Gingrich signing Melissa Terry mterry3@liberty.edu
Saturday, Oct. 20 Newt Gingrich and his wife Callista visited Liberty University. Newt Gingrich signed copies of his books which included while his wife Callista promoted her second children’s Gingrich book called of also spoke “Land the Pilgrim’s to students Pride.” Caland lista signed faculty at copies of her book as the Helms well as held a School of story time as Gov. she read her book to chilFriday, dren. After Nov. 19. Callista’s first New York Times children’s book bestseller Sweet Land of Liberty, she proceeded to write her second book. “Land of the Pilgrim’s Pride,” is the story of Ellis the Elephant learns about our nation’s founding, enthusiastically teaching children about the 13 colonies. Ellis discovers the colonies and teaches children about the individualities of each one. Children get to experience living the life of a Colonial American through the vivid narrations and
FYI
“We went through about 300 books. Around 600 people were in line. ... It was a very good turnout.” — BRIAN DIGIA brightly colored pictures. The book focuses on the importance of teaching children about our countries history, in a way that is exciting and fun. Included in the back of the book is a section with further information to research more about our nation’s history. “We went through about 300 books, around 600 people were in line and we had a lot more people shopping around while that was going on as well. It was a very good turnout. They were great to work with. They were extremely friendly, extremely great with the customers, just took pictures with anyone and everyone who wanted a picture,” Trade Book Manager Brian Digia said. “They took the time to personalize each and every one of the books for the customer, even if they had a few. They made sure that they were there for the customer. Callista
did a great job reading her story, the original event was her coming and reading her story which was great, we loved having them here.” After attracting quite a crowd, parents and fans admired the patience and kindness of Newt and Callista by their willingness to take pictures with anyone who wanted one taken, and taking the time to sign each individual book for the customers. “Newt’s visit created a lot of buzz at the LU bookstore. He seemed to be enjoying spending his day on campus. He even went to the Flames football game after his book signing,” Liberty University Senior Josh McGhee said. Liberty University staff worked hard to promote this event through many different mediums. “We worked with Liberty Marketing, put things on the splash page, we worked with the parents’ office and got on their page, put it on our Facebook, got it on the signs on 460 just put a lot of marketing out there to make sure people knew he was coming,” DiGia said. Liberty University was honored to have hosted this event and given the Lynchburg community the access to meet Newt and Callista Gingrich while helping to promote their books. TERRY is a feature reporter.
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FEATURE
B6/Liberty Champion
October 30, 2012
Professor designs for NEEDTOBREATHE David Meyer excels in and out of the classroom, working as the creative director for the band Chase Smith csmith13@liberty.edu
One of Liberty University’s own professors, David Meyer, works as a teacher and creative manager for the band NEEDTOBREATHE. Meyer received his degree in graphic design from Liberty in 2009. “I was a bit of a major jumper for a while, going from business to missions to graphic design,” Meyer said. “Each aspect of my ‘major jumping’ has been beneficial to me. I’ve been able to have my own business in graphic design and also use it as a platform for reaching others for Christ.” Meyer said that students who frequently change career paths in college might not be wasting their time. “I would encourage each student to realize that even though they may not be sure what they’re going to do as a career at first, God can always use the things you learn along the way to connect you to others in the most unusual ways,” Meyer said. According to Meyer, he moved to Nashville, Tenn. after graduation, where he worked with a historical preservation organization to create images for advertising. He also worked with a Fortune 500 company, Hospital Corporation of America, where he created a number of mass email campaigns, branded a new energy department and created a variety of infographic-type pieces. Shortly after his creative ventures in Nashville, Meyer began working closely with the rock band NEEDTOBREATHE. “As the creative manager for
Lauren Adriance | Liberty Champion
ROCK AND ROLL — Liberty professor Meyer works as NEEDTOBREATHE’s creative director. NEEDTOBREATHE, I do a wide variety of work for the band,” Meyer said. “Most importantly, I oversee all outgoing artwork representing the band, making sure it sticks to the band’s mission and purpose and reflects the image they wish to portray.” Meyer has worked with the
band, designing everything from T-shirts, single albums and website design to photography, filming and packaging. “I most recently finished a project that was a behindthe-scenes film of the band at Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival sponsored by Kodak,”
Meyer said. Meyer is currently teaching several classes at Liberty, such as Digital Imaging, Art as Communication, Digital Photography and Interactive Multimedia. While working as a professor at Liberty, Meyer continues to serve as the creative manager for
NEEDTOBREATHE. “My teaching career at Liberty has been great,” Meyer said. “I feel I am who I am today because of the guidance I received while a student at Liberty. I find it extremely fulfilling to share with students things I have learned along the way and teach them things about the industry that they will be facing in a few years. I’m grateful to still be able to be in the industry while teaching so that I can keep my own design repertoire fresh and relevant.” Meyer’s experience in the professional world has aided his teaching style at Liberty. “One of the things that is really nice about having Professor Meyer as a teacher is that he focuses his assignments off of things he has had to do in the work place,” Liberty student Kristen McCoy said. “As students, we know that we are getting assignments that will be given to us when we get out in the real world. I really enjoy knowing that I am being taught by someone who has his credentials.” Although Meyer has enjoyed success in the professional world, he said that he will still follow wherever God leads him and his family. “There’s no better place than being right in the center of God’s will,” Meyer said. “My wife and I are excited about what God wants to do in and through us in this new chapter He has for us at Liberty University.” SMITH is a feature reporter.
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FEATURE
October 30, 2012
Liberty Champion/B7
‘Barefoot professor’ stands out
Daniel Howell encourages students to ‘go natural’ by defining the benefits of shoelessness Greg Leasure gleasure@liberty.edu
Tucked away in the Liberty University Science Hall, the office of Daniel Howell appears similar to any other college professor’s work space. A couch entices visitors to sit down, and family pictures are proudly displayed on bookshelves. As Howell sits at his desk on a sunny Tuesday morning, it is not the presence of something that makes him unique, but the absence of two things — his shoes. Although Liberty’s “barefoot professor” wears shoes while teaching his biology and anatomy classes, a plaque on his bookshelf reading “Bare Feet Welcome” reveals Howell’s true feelings. In his estimation, he has not worn shoes off campus in more than two years, except for special circumstances such as a conference he attended during the summer and extremely cold or snowy winter days. “For me to put on shoes and walk around is kind of like me asking you to put on a football helmet and walk around,” Howell said with a smile. Howell first began his life without shoes for multiple reasons. Growing up on a farm in Central Virginia, Howell often went barefoot, and he occasionally did so as a student at Old Dominion University. When he wore closed-toed shoes at Liberty, he noticed how uncomfortable it was to wear them all day. Around that time, Howell also had started trail running to get more exercise and noticed that his shoes were causing him ankle injuries when he stepped on roots and rocks. He researched what the scientific community knew about the relationship between shoes and feet, and what he found convinced him that it was time to lose the shoes. “For well over 100 years, we have known that shoes are downright bad for you,” Howell said. “I know with scientific certainty that shoes are the cause of the vast majority of our foot problems — like 90 percent. The people that go see a podiatrist, almost all of their problems can be traced back to shoes.” Since then, Howell has written a book, published in 2010, called “The Barefoot Book.” The book explains exactly why shoes are bad for the human body and the negative effects of wearing them. “We’ve got this culture thing going on, where shoes are kind of expected,” Howell said. “That’s what I am challenging. I’m trying to challenge our culture and say that we’re doing something as a culture that is unhealthy and is bad for us.” Howell has traveled all over the world to talk about his book, even appearing on NBC’s “TODAY Show.” “The medical community has
Katelyn Welch | Liberty Champion
LOSE THE SHOES — Howell goes barefoot for a demonstration during his human anatomy class.
“For well over 100 years, we have known that shoes are downright bad for you. I know with scientific certainty that shoes are the cause of the vast majority of our foot problems.” — DANIEL HOWELL responded well to that book, and I’m very pleased,” Howell said. “There are a lot of barefoot-friendly podiatrists who recognize that shoes are a lot of the problem, and they are trying to encourage people to get out of their shoes, or at least wear better shoes. But wearing a better shoe is like smoking a better cigarette.” Despite the medical community’s positive reception, Howell still notices society’s lack of love for going barefoot. At first, he was refused service at some businesses, but as time went on, more people became willing to accept him. However, he still hears of students who have the same problem.
Howell has inspired many of his students to go barefoot in recent years, and one of his students helped him in return. Hannah Gorin, now a senior at Liberty, had Howell for two anatomy and physiology classes when he was allowed to teach barefoot to promote his newly released book, and she coined the term “barefoot professor.” According to Howell, Gorin referred to him one day as “my barefoot professor,” and the name stuck. He immediately trademarked the name and started barefootprofessor.com. Gorin said that she appreciated his style of teaching, even though his classes were difficult. “I loved him as a teacher,”
Gorin said. “Obviously, he wants us to be the best in our profession, so being an easy professor isn’t always the best way to teach if you’re going into the medical field. Obviously, people are really hard on teachers when they’re hard on you, but that’s the only way you learn.” Another way Howell likes to get students to try going barefoot is by leading them on barefoot hikes. Gorin loved going barefoot so much that she attended three or four of his hikes, and she and her friends began hiking to the Liberty monogram. “I love to lead students on barefoot hikes,” Howell said. “I love doing those because it gets you out in nature. Not only is it
good for you physically and emotionally, there’s a spiritual aspect to getting out in nature and getting out there barefoot.” Howell readily admits that teaching is his calling, but that was not always his career plan. “I was the type of person who was interested in everything,” Howell said. “My problem was not that I couldn’t find a major. My problem was, of all the things I loved, which one was I going to pick as a major?” According to him, he considered majoring in theater, physics and chemistry before finally settling on biology. He moved on to focus on microbiology in graduate school and ended up doing research at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. As he prepares to mark 10 years at Liberty next fall, Howell recalled how he believes God brought him there. Howell grew up in Lynchburg and knew about Liberty, so when he felt like it was time to become a teacher, it was the first place he called. He reached out through phone and email, but he was told that Liberty was not hiring. Coming home on a bus from a day of work at McGill, Howell listened to a Christian song in which the singer asks God to show him a butterfly or two. Howell began to pray the same thing, asking God to show him a butterfly or two as a sign that He wanted Howell to keep trying to teach at Liberty. After Howell got off the bus, he found a card made by his three-year-old daughter on his front door. He opened it to reveal two butterflies drawn by his daughter. “Now, I might be reading into this, but I (had) just prayed that God would show me a butterfly or two if he could hear me,” Howell said. “This was the note that was hanging on the door. I’m like, ‘This is not from my daughter. This is from God.’” That card now sits on the bookshelf in Howell’s office, along with his “memory rock,” which is painted with two butterflies similar to the ones drawn by his daughter Jan. 7, 2003. According to Howell, they serve as a reminder that God hears prayers. By July 2003, Liberty had offered Howell a teaching position, and he was in Lynchburg and ready to teach by August. “I think that there is no doubt that this is where I belong,” Howell said. “God wants me here. I’ve been here for 10 years, and I love it more now than I did in 2003. It’s a fantastic place.” LEASURE is the feature editor.
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FEATURE
OCTOBER 30, 2012
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
PUMPKIN PATCH — Liberty students enjoy picking and painting pumpkins at the second annual Fall Festival held at the Liberty University Equestrian Center.
Equestrian Center hosts Fall Festival Student Activities celebrates the season with hay rides, pumpkin picking and live music by Dogwood & Holly Greg Leasure gleasure@liberty.edu
Pumpkin patches, apple cider and leaves of red, yellow and orange drew students to the Liberty University Equestrian Center Saturday, Oct. 26 for Student Activities’ second annual Fall Festival. Students enjoyed horseback riding, live music and games on a 65-degree, autumn day. “It’s gorgeous up here,” Elizabeth Karr, a Student Activities event supervisor and Liberty graduate student, said. “It’s a great fall area. There’s room for a pumpkin patch, and you have the horses here. It’s just really pretty, and it’s the perfect location for it.” Hay rides transported visitors up a gravel road to the top of the hill, where smells of funnel cakes
and cotton candy filled the air on the windy October day. “Half your job is making sure the food doesn’t blow away,” Student Activities worker Devin Gatling joked to one of his fellow employees working concessions. Festival attendees not only got the chance to ride horses, but they also witnessed a gaspinducing demonstration that featured one horseback rider hanging upside down on the side of a galloping horse. The rider later made another trip around the circle, this time standing up straight on horseback. Karr said that Student Activities had been planning the event more than a month ago, and she enjoyed seeing the event go smoothly. “That’s just the best part for all of us, just seeing it all unfold,” Karr said.
Liberty alumnus Sterling Snyder heard about the festival through a friend, and they both decided to come. Their choice paid off when Snyder won the pumpkin painting contest and a $50 gift card to Target for her pumpkin version of the “Veggie Tales” character Bob the Tomato. Every speck of orange had been replaced with a bright red body, a pair of round, white eyes and a green top. “I’m actually pretty excited because I have been looking at bikes online, and the one I wanted is from Target anyway,” Snyder said. “So that makes it a little bit more affordable for me.” Snyder said that she chose her prize-winning pumpkin design because Bob the Tomato’s shape is similar to that of a pumpkin’s. Student Activities also gave away prizes for other contests,
including a sack race and bobbing for apples. Dogwood & Holly, a band made up of four Liberty students, brought the festival to life from a stage surrounded by bales of hay. The band has played at numerous Student Activities events in the past, including two Coffeehouse appearances, the Campus Artist Series and the Night of Folk. Luke Sawyer, a Liberty sophomore, plays banjo and guitar and sings in the band. “We like little venues like this,” Sawyer said. “Student Activities has been good to us, so we try to return the favor.” Sawyer said he especially enjoyed performing at the festival because of the time of year. “I love fall,” Sawyer said. “It’s my favorite season. I just love the trees and seeing God’s creation.”
The next Student Activities event will be the Switchfoot concert at the Vines Center during College for a Weekend, Nov. 2. LEASURE is the feature editor.
FYI
The Liberty University Equestrian Center, the site of the second annual Fall Festival, is located on Sunnymeade Road, 5 miles away from Liberty’s campus.
Student aspires to train dolphins Sam Gum
sgum@liberty.edu
As graduation approaches, many seniors frantically search for jobs and finalize career plans. Liberty University student Sherri Waldrop, however, has no doubt about her plans for the future. Waldrop has known since she was 9 years old, when she first swam with dolphins in Florida, that she wanted to spend the rest of her life working as a dolphin trainer. “From that moment on, whenever anyone would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, the answer was a dolphin trainer,” Waldrop said. Because Liberty has no degree for dolphin training, Waldrop chose to pursue a degree in psychology with a minor in biology. Now, only four classes stand between her and her dreams.
When discussing her future plans, Waldrop is confident. “It’s not a matter of if I will reach my goal, it is just a matter of time,” Waldrop said. Dolphin training is a difficult field to get into due to its competitive nature, but Waldrop is not letting this discourage her. “I am keeping an open mind about where I want to end up eventually, because as long as I am working with animals, I will be happy,” Waldrop said. Waldrop grew up around animals, and it is obvious that that is where her passions lie. In addition to owning various family pets, she has also been involved in rescuing injured animals. This summer, Waldrop spent three months alongside dolphins and various other sea animals for an internship at Dolphin Quest. Dolphin Quest’s website
Photo Provided
DOLPHIN — Waldrop trained dolphins in Bermuda. boasts of “creating a place where people and dolphins could share the wonder of close interaction.” Their mission is to educate people and work toward con-
serving marine life. Only a few days after finishing classes this spring, Waldrop headed toward Bermuda for the internship. It was a busy summer.
Most days started around 7 a.m. and were filled with a variety of tasks deigned to further Waldrop’s experience and skills. “Through this internship, I was completely immersed in the life and duties of a dolphin trainer and learned so much more than I ever expected,” Waldrop said. Over the course of her time at Liberty, Waldrop has faced some obstacles. Planning has not been as easy for Waldrop as it is for other students. Dolphin training is not a commonly sought after career, but according to an article by the News & Advance, Waldrop got some help with her resume from her career counselor at Liberty, Michele Worley. “There have been times where I felt like I was wasting my time or totally lost because nothing seemed relevant. But I stuck with it, and through my intern-
ship, I have found that I am on the right track and now just months away from the finish line. It’s a good feeling,” Waldrop said. Although Waldrop would like to end up working in show training at a place like Sea World, she has many other possibilities in mind. Research training for navy work or interaction training similar to the internship she participated in this summer are both fields that interest Waldrop. Regardless of where she ends up, Waldrop has her parents to thank. “I could not have achieved any of this without the support of my parents who have always been there for me … and taught me that through hard work and determination, I can achieve my dream,” Waldrop said. GUM is a feature reporter.