Mr. Goodies opens a new location on Boonsboro Road B6
Williams Stadium to undergo massive expansions B3
VOLUME 35, ISSUE 1
LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA
LIBERTYCHAMPION.COM | TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 | LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
HIS TORY IS MADE
WALT ZING OUT OF WACO FL AME S BURN BAY LOR 48 - 45
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AGAINST THE ODDS — The Flames executed the biggest upset in school history after defeating the Baylor Bears in Waco, Texas in their first game of the season. Story found on B1.
Braving the storm SGA stays up LU Send Now team sends 10 students to Texas Lillian Abbatacola leabbatacola@liberty.edu
Liberty University’s LU Send Now office sent 10 students to Victoria, Texas to work as relief volunteers Saturday, Sept. 2. Victoria is located 50 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico and is known as the crossroads of southeastern Texas. The team is heading there due to Victoria’s proximity to Houston, San Antonio and Corpus Christi. Harvey made landfall Aug. 25 and was the strongest storm to hit the continental U.S. in history in terms of rainfall and wind speed. While Harvey had a relatively small diameter of 280 miles, (Katrina was 400 miles wide, Igor 920 miles and Sandy 482 miles) the category four hurricane packed a powerful punch. Social media feeds abound with pictures of the disaster, from nursing home residents sitting in waisthigh water, to a child holding onto his drowned mother, to neighbors pulling each other from their sinking cars. The damage is astounding. And that is why Liberty quickly mobilized a team of 10 LU Send Now volunteers to serve. Vince Valeriano, the associate director
past bedtime Student Government introduces new policies Abigail Bowman abowman7@liberty.edu
Google Images | U.S. Department of Defense
SOAKED — Liberty sent a group of students to Texas to aid those affected by hurricane Harvey. for LU Send Now, took his team to Victoria, Texas on Sept. 2. Valeriano has worked non-stop on preparations for this trip since Aug. 26. “We want to be a blessing to those that we are serving, we want to help them in any way that we can (to) get (them) back on their feet after a lot of these people lost ev-
erything,” Valeriano said. “To come in and be a source of comfort, showing that there are people out there that care for them, helping them to emotionally process through everything that’s happening and being a support structure for them.” See HARVEY, A6
With a new school year beginning, the newly elected student body president and vice president, Caleb Johnson and Jared Cave, are looking to push the Student Government Association (SGA) to make lasting policy changes and revise some rules. The recent revision of the curfew policy is the first of several changes to be enacted by the SGA in the upcoming months. Johnson and Cave have already seen the administration change a policy based on legislation from SGA. Johnson said this new late-night sign-out policy is the biggest change currently on their radar. Johnson clarified curfew itself has not changed, but students ages 20 and older may now sign out to go anywhere after hours
INSIDE THE CHAMPION
News
Randolph College removes statue of Confederate soldier after Charlottesville
Opinion A3
A defense of the White House transgender policy for military serA4 vicemembers
Sports
Men’s soccer team earns win against the Virginia Military B3 Institute, 3-0.
Feature
Liberty will host upcoming Miss Virginia Pageant, July 2018. B7
if in agreement with the Liberty Way. Previously, students could only sign out to the computer lab or to university-approved latenight events. Students may stay out until 5 a.m. by signing the late-night sign-out sheet. If a student expects to be out later, they must fill out the overnight sign-out sheet. Johnson emphasized that Liberty’s administration is giving students a trial period with the new policy. He and Cave encouraged students to act responsibly and not do anything against the Liberty Way. “Students should act like adults because the university is giving them the opportunity to act like adults,” Cave said. Cave said the resident assistants will be able to give students more information about late-night signouts in upcoming weeks.
See SGA, A2
News Opinion Sports Feature
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CREDIT: MATT PEELE - BUSINESS DATA ANALYST II SGA continued from A1 Johnson and Cave also recently announced the start of a new event at Liberty. Campus clubs will gather for a “clubs bash” Saturday, Sept. 9, complete with cotton candy and popcorn. This event is designed to help students get connected with the multitude of clubs at Liberty and takes place from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Johnson and Cave both pointed out how important clubs are for freshmen and transfer students. “I think it’s really important that new students get involved in clubs because that’s where they find their passions, friends and what they want to do in life,” Johnson said. Johnson, a senior studying political science, got involved in student government his freshman year. Within his first two years in SGA, he helped pass a bill allowing fresh-
men to keep cars on campus. He also brought his friend, Cave into student government. Cave is a junior studying business administration — digital marketing and advertising. He said he never intended to get involved with student government, but as current student body vice president, he has ideas he would like to enact in SGA. Johnson and Cave are currently working on several things. Johnson mentioned that SGA is addressing requests for ice makers in the Commons and clearer guidelines for open dorms. Johnson and Cave also have farther reaching plans for their time as the student body president and vice president. Johnson wants students to feel like SGA is there to advocate for them. He spoke of wanting students to be at home in the SGA office. “This space isn’t just for us, it’s for them,” Johnson said.
Additionally, Cave wants to find a way to help students find a home church, for their time at Liberty. “For freshman, it’s difficult to find a home church and it’s pretty important to get plugged in,” Cave said. Cave also stated he wants to help improve the Liberty Today smartphone app, saying such a pioneering university deserves the best app. To learn more about the Student Government Association and how to submit an idea for a bill, students can visit the student government page under the “Campus Life” tab on the school’s website.
BOWMAN is a news reporter.
Cassandra Hernandez | Liberty Champion
NEW LEADERSHIP— Caleb Johnson and Jared Cave rolled out changes for the student body, including a new curfew policy for upperclassmen.
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Liberty Champion | September 5, 2017 | A3
No longer set in stone Randolph College chooses to remove statue of local Confederate soldier Jack Panyard jepanyard@liberty.edu
Randolph College has made monumental changes to its campus after the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees elected to remove the statue of a Confederate soldier and local philanthropist, George Morgan Jones, from its campus. The statue, removed Aug. 25, depicted Jones in a Confederate general’s uniform on top of a plinth with an inscription commemorating his help developing the college. Currently, the plinth remains in its original location. “Randolph still wants to honor what George Morgan Jones did for the college,”
Vice President and Chief of Staff Wesley Fugate said. “He was an important philanthropist for us. He suggested Lynchburg as the site for then Randolph Macon Woman’s College.” In addition to the plinth, a portrait of Jones still hangs in the library, to which he donated funding. According to Randolph’s president, Bradley Bateman, the committee decided to remove the statue in light of the national situation, referring to riots in Charlottesville, Virginia and the removal of a similar monument in Baltimore. “If we were to have gained attention for debating the presence of a statue of a Confederate soldier on our campus, it is quite possible that armed white supremacists, Ku
Klux Klan members and neo-Nazis would have descended on our campus to ‘protect’ the statue or simply to express their support for keeping it where it is,” Bateman said in a statement released on the college’s website. “Thus, prudent behavior required removing the statue now before it could become an issue.” Fugate said talk of removing the statue had been circulating since the 1980s. “Certainly, the events in Charlottesville and the threat of potential harm to our students and our campus community expedited conversations, but the thought about this and the discussions about this have been going on for many years at the college,” Fugate said. According to a biography written by
Samantha Laughlin | Liberty Champion
PLINTH — Randolph College chose to remove the statue of Confederate soldier George Morgan Jones but left the base of the statue in place.
Thomas Markham from the George Morgan Jones Memorial Library, Jones is regarded as one of Lynchburg’s first businessmen. He was the first president of the Lynchburg Board of Trade, the president of the National Exchange Bank for 20 years and responsible for the construction of the first library in Lynchburg. “George Morgan Jones had built a record of strict integrity, business ability, unaltered devotion to duty and public spirit seldom equaled,” Markham said in the biography. According to Randolph’s Director of College Relations Brenda Edson, though the statue depicts Jones in an officer’s uniform, he never rose above the rank of private and served as a cook during his military career. “On a college campus, that’s a pretty important thing for it to be factually correct, and being in a uniform of an officer when you’re not is not accurate,” Edson said. According to Fugate, there are talks of bringing the statue back but of disassociating Jones’s Confederate participation from his philanthropy. “We will see where it goes in the future, but I think there is desire to have conversations about how we can contextualize the statue as an important part of our history, but one that shows that there are some challenging parts in our history as well,” Fugate said. Edson said the founder of Randolph College, William Waugh Smith, was also a part of the Confederacy, but there is no statue present of him in a Confederate uniform. “We honor him all over campus,” Edson said. “However he’s not honored for that role in the Confederacy. We can still show our appreciation and respect for him as a founder the same as we can for George Morgan Jones. It’s the context in which they are presented that makes the difference.” According to Edson, the intention of removing the statue is not an attempt to change history. “You’re not ignoring the history,” Edson said. “You’re not wiping it clean, you’re not pretending that it didn’t happen. But you’re also not glorifying something that we feel wasn’t right.” PANYARD is the news editor.
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OPINION
September 5, 2017
Reflecting on history
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Respecting public property and our nation's history
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To properly answer these questions, you have to consult history. When observing historical figures like Robert E. Lee and past U.S. presidents, it is Various groups across America have important to judge their merits through called for either the removal or destruc- the lens of their culture and not by modtion of all Confederate monuments. ern standards. According to them, these statues have Unfortunately, many progressives always been symbols of racism and op- have decided on the latter, resulting in pression, offending all who come within vandalism of public property. Followtheir sight. ing the horrific events in CharlottesHowever, I personally believe the ville, a group of social justice warriors statues should stay because of their his- in Durham, North Carolina tore down torical significance. But if they go, van- a Confederate monument with ropes. dalism should not be the means. In Washington, D.C. paint was used to In a country that prioritizes symbol- vandalize a statue of confederate genism over substance and political cor- eral Albert Pike. Even further, a VICE rectness over reason, the public’s per- editor suggested that Mount Rushmore ception of historical monuments has be blown up for displaying our slavetaken a turn for the worse. How should owning Founding Fathers. society view Confederate monuments? In an attempt to eradicate racism And, if these statues should be taken from the United States, these radical down, by whom and by what means? progressives have proven their inability to think critically about historical figures. The majority of Confederate monuments were built in the early to midtwentieth century—such as the Durham monument in 1924—years after the Civil War. These statues were primarily built to honor those who served and highlight key events in our nation’s history, not to commemorate slavery and white supremacy. Where does it stop? Slavery played a significant role in American history, so, fundamentally, many of our Founding Fathers were likely slave owners. Does this give citizens the right to vandalize Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson? What about George Washington? Google Images Should his face be blown off of Mount STATUES — Confederate war memorials Rushmore for owning slaves? Should all vandalized following Charlottesville. statues of Abraham Lincoln, who conLogan Smith lcsmith1@liberty.edu
sidered inner-racial marriage a heinous crime, be taken down? If we tolerate the removal of these monuments, progressives could demand the confiscation of every historical statue in America. In 2016, at the grand opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, former President George W. Bush said that “a great nation does not hide its history; it faces its flaws and corrects them.” I urge America to heed these words. There is so much to learn from our Founding Fathers, and removing their monuments reduces the likelihood for learning and acknowledgement to occur. These historical figures were influenced by culture. Instead of judging our Founding Fathers by modern standards, we need to acknowledge their sins, but also recognize their contribution to America. Slavery was a cultural and national problem, not solely an individual problem. In my opinion, Jefferson and Washington were among the greatest Americans to walk the earth. They were great Americans for reasons unrelated to slavery. Thomas Jefferson, for example, was a champion for free speech, a principle progressives are taking full advantage of. Had he stayed silent, Americans would not enjoy the freedoms they currently possess. Whether you believe historical monuments should remain displayed in public squares or collect dust in museums, we should all agree that vandalism of public or private property cannot be tolerated, regardless of political or social views. SMITH is the asst. sports editor.
Call for neutrality Facebook faces more backlash for bias in news feed Logan Price lprice7@liberty.edu
With over a billion daily users and two billion monthly users, Facebook is now being used by over a quarter of the world’s population, giving it immense influence. Not content to simply be a mode of personal communication, former Facebook workers revealed in 2016 that the site has stepped into the realm of guiding the national conversation as well. The previous employees, known as news curators, said that widely shared conservative stories would not be added to the trending section. Meanwhile, stories from liberal outlets were injected into the trending section, based on the deemed importance of the story rather than its popularity. In the midst of the combatant political climate of today, this censorship was met with outrage, disgust and frustration throughout conservative circles. It seems this anger was fueled by confusion over what the function and identity of Facebook is and should be. This debate continues today as seen in the Aug. 2017 memo from conservative activist group American Commitment’s President, Phil Kerpen. In the memo he urged lawmakers to pass regulations that would hold accountable platforms that present themselves as neutral while promoting a particular viewpoint. If Facebook commits to being a media outlet, this would be a nonissue because every newsroom across America makes decisions every hour pertaining to which situations and events deserve coverage and attention. However, if Facebook portrays itself as an unbiased means of sharing with friends and provides a list of trending stories as an added bonus, then people are right to expect to see what is actually being discussed the most. It is easy to see, though, why Facebook chose to not leave the process to algorithms alone. An uncomfortable article on Syrian refugees may not get shared much but is clearly more newsworthy than a Buzzfeed quiz about
which Starbucks drink reflects your personality. Widespread discussion must never be the lone metric for determining the importance of a story, as our culture has proven it cannot sustain a long-term conversation on unsettling but crucial topics. On the other hand, there will always be disagreement as to which stories qualify as newsworthy and which do not. Hence the catch-22 Facebook currently finds itself in. Should they live by the algorithm and let necessary stories fall through the cracks? Or should they risk being accused of infringing on the freedom of speech but accept and embrace the responsibility of curating news? If Facebook chooses the latter, which I think they should, they must dedicate themselves to forming a diverse staff that represents all healthy political views. Actual hate groups and racists have no place at the table, but the rest of the spectrum must be represented and have an equal say. True tolerance is not agreeing with everyone. Instead, it is disagreeing with others but listening compassionately to them anyway. How can Facebook expect civil discourse if they cannot even model it themselves? While much of the burden to present a diversity of views falls on Facebook’s shoulders, there is a level of responsibility Americans, and especially Christians, must be willing to accept. Christians who follow the example of Christ should be real life friends
with people from all walks of life and opinions. Jesus rarely spent time with religious leaders. Instead, he was constantly interacting with and loving the outcasts and sinners, meaning we should desire to do the same. Since people typically share content on Facebook that they approve of and believe is noteworthy, your feed will reflect your friends’ values. Therefore, if we follow Jesus’ model of forming a wide-range of meaningful relationships with those that are different from us, our Facebook feeds should naturally provide us with stories from both sides of the spectrum. When we are at the point when every view is being placed before us, it becomes crucial for Christians to know how to identify truth. In the Bible, Paul tells Christians in Philippi that they must seek truth by stating that the church’s love, “may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment.” If anyone should be able to spot lies and falsehoods, it should be Christians because we have been graciously given the Bible as the source of all truth and have the Holy Spirit speaking inside us. Facebook must decide and proclaim its identity and role in ensuring truth is communicated. At the same time, Christians must embrace their identity and role as the light of the world by shining the light of God’s truth into the confusing darkness the pervades our nation. PRICE is an opinion writer.
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Will Young weyoung@liberty.edu
In the wake of political uprising following the Kenyan Supreme Court’s decision to nullify an alleged fraudulent election result, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta went on the record after being informed he will have to rerun for his presidential seat. “Your neighbor will still be your YOUNG neighbor regardless of whatever has happened,” Kenyatta said in a speech to calm Kenyans upset with the ruling. “Regardless of their political affiliation, regardless of their religion, regardless of their color, regardless of their tribe.” While this statement was made addressing the Kenyan people, I cannot think of a stronger and more relevant message for the American public. This past year has been hard on the United States, and has forced many people to rethink how we treat our fellow Americans. I watched the news as racial tension and political toxicity gradually formed factions among neighbors. Civility went down the gutter. Rationality took a jab in the chest. I cannot imagine how hard it is for someone without an established biblical worldview to explain how people can be so cruel to their neighbors, their friends or their family. Some believe human nature is innately evil, while some choose to ignore the matter altogether. But for us Liberty students and fellow Christians alike who have the blessing of knowing the truth, we have an obligation. Rather than succumbing to the monotonous and seemingly endless political debate of the world, we should be sharing — through both our words and actions — how Christ can do much more for this country than Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell and company. I believe it is safe to say we have not done a good enough job of this. I have met Christians who would much rather discuss how abolishing Medicare for those in need or how building a wall to keep our nation’s neighbors out will save this country more than how God, and God alone, can save this country and the people within it. Christians are often portrayed in the media as a voting bloc, rather than a group that prioritizes Christ and his teachings, and I believe there is a valid reason why. Some evangelical leaders of this country use their pulpit to preach Republican values instead of Christian values, and Christians encourage it. We focus on electing Christian leaders of this nation to pass Christian-friendly legislation that is often killed before it reaches the president’s desk. We talk about bills — on anything from pro-life legislation to tax reform — like they are Scripture. We rely more on our men and women in Washington to change our lives than we do our God. Granted, not all Christians fall under this category, and I do not want to be mistaken as generalizing Christians as a whole. I would actually say a majority of Christians — including many at this university — are convinced that constant prayer and pursuit towards Christ can change the world. Only when we as Christians become more unified, though, to drown out the angry, political and nonsensical noise that is preached from our fellow believers can we be seen to the rest of the world as a loving and benevolent group of society and not just a political action committee. I think it is safe to say that preaching Reaganism and Republican stump speeches is poor discipleship, and labeling ourselves as political activists before we label ourselves as Christians is dangerous. It is dangerous not only because it hurts the reputation of Christians worldwide, but even more so because it hinders our opportunities as disciples of Jesus Christ to spread his message effectively across the globe. It must stop now. YOUNG is the editor-in-chief.
CURATING NEWS — Social media called to eliminate fake news and bias.
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Liberty Champion | September 5, 2017 | A5
Transgender military Trump issues directive ending policy for transgender US service members
Google Images
MILITARY — New presidential directive banned the enlistment of transgender individuals in the armed services. Elizabeth Lapp elapp@liberty.edu
When President Donald Trump tweeted in July 2017 that transgender individuals would no longer be allowed to serve in the United States military, the response was a firestorm of criticism claiming the president was violating the constitutional rights of transgendered individuals. However, when the White House issued the official policy directive to the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security on Aug. 25, the fears and accusations waged by many LGBT activists proved hollow. Prior to June 2016, being a
transgendered individual was sufficient grounds for disbarment and denial of enlistment. Former President Barack Obama then announced he was changing the policy to allow for transgendered individuals currently in the armed forces to continue serving, while also being open about their gender status with enlistment of transgender individuals slated to start in July 2017. President Trump’s announced policy is a reversal of Obama’s policy, but it is also a restoration of the previous policy, which, for the most part, was still in effect. Additionally, the policy restoration is intended to allow the Department of Defense to continue conducting studies to establish how transgen-
der service members will affect the military readiness of troops. Despite claims made by the American Civil Liberties Union in the lawsuit filed against the Executive Office of the President, transgender service members do not need to fear for their “careers, the well-being of their family members and dependents, their healthcare and . . . their safety.” While the policy returned to the practice of not enlisting transgender individuals, the president’s directive did not reinstate the policy of discharging transgender service members, allowing those who have revealed their gender status over the last year or openly undergone transgender procedures to remain in their current positions. Further-
more, those currently undergoing transition surgeries, or who will begin the transition process before March 23, 2018, will still have their procedures covered. Even under Obama’s policy, transgender surgeries were only to be issued and covered under the military’s healthcare if they were deemed “medically necessary.” The problem is that no transgender surgery is medically necessary. These are cosmetic procedures ordered to treat gender dysphoria, which is defined by the American Psychiatric Association as a mental illness that causes individuals to feel that their sex is different from the gender with which they identify. This condition highlights the president’s expressed concerns having transgender individuals in the armed services. Even with transgender surgery, individuals with gender dysphoria have higher levels of depression, substance abuse and PTSD, as noted by the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. The National Center for Transgender Equality also found in its 2015 survey that 40 percent of transgender individuals have attempted suicide in their lifetime. Throwing individuals with these mental health problems into combat roles will not only threaten their safety, but the safety of members of their unit. Because of this safety concern, Defense Secretary James Mattis stated in July that multiple military chiefs asked him to delay opening enlistment to
transgender individuals. Additional concerns voiced by military chiefs and service members include unit cohesion and effectiveness. In a poll of active service members conducted by the Military times and Institute for Veterans and Military Families in December 2016, 51 percent felt that allowing transgender service members to serve openly would have a negative effect on morale with only 16 percent responding that morale would be improved. Additionally, 41 percent felt that it would hurt military readiness, and only 12 percent believed that readiness would be improved. This survey was conducted more than two months after the policy change by Obama for transgender service members to serve openly. Obama’s policy change was issued at the conclusion of his time in office and was based on party and identity politics rather than evidence of what effect transgender service members would have on the military’s ability to defend the interests of the United States. While it can be argued that President Trump was similarly attempting to appeal to his base, it is clear his focus is on maintaining the current standards for military personnel due to the anticipated negative effect that the policy would have on active troops.
LAPP is the opinion editor.
DEAR FOOTBALL TEAM, THANK YOU We all watched Saturday’s game with reserved optimism, with hope for the future of Liberty football and with the reservation that comes from playing a Power Five team. The Football Power Index only gave you a 2.2 percent chance of winning, but they forgot to tell you that. We crowded around TVs at the block party and watched as you broke records. Then, when you intercepted Baylor’s Hail Mary pass to win the game, we went crazy. You weren’t able to hear the entire block party break out in cheers and
Letter to the Editor
chants celebrating the victory. You didn’t make it back to Williams Stadium to see the thousands of us who were out past 4 a.m., waiting to welcome you home. So, on behalf of the student body, we wanted to say thank you. Thank you for showing us that the odds do not matter. Thank you for showing the country who we are and why they should never count us out. Thank you for showing everyone why we belong in the Football Bowl Subdivision with the first win against a Power Five team. Most importantly, thank you for the day off from classes.
Why we need to recognize the racism hidden in our personal biases Taylor Barret tbarrett1@liberty.edu
Racism is not just in the hearts of white supremacists. It exists in us all — black or white, male or female, rich or poor — we are all infected by it. Even the best of us, who actively oppose racism, still have internal, subconscious prejudices formed by the patterns we observe in our everyday experiences. For example, if a police officer observes that 95 percent of robbers wear baggy clothes and basketball shoes, he will begin to associate robbers with people who dress that way. You see, the patterns we observe create prejudices within us. And the effect
of this reality weighs most heavily upon the black community. Here are a few statistics from the Pew Research Center and the Bureau of Justice — black children are three times more likely to be suspended and expelled from school and more than three times as likely to be sent to juvenile hall; black adults are twice as likely to not have a college degree and are more than twice as likely to be in poverty; black citizens are six times more likely to be incarcerated, eight times more likely to commit homicide and 16 times more likely to be incarcerated for robbery. We all observe these patterns in society and, whether it is conscious or not, form prejudices based on them. As a result, we
discriminate even when we may not intend to. There is proof of this: prosecutors are more than twice as likely to push for mandatory minimum sentencing for nonwhites, and, all things being equal, blacks are given longer sentences than whites for committing the same crimes, according to the University of Michigan. Is this because prosecutors and judges are intentionally trying to be racist? Maybe a few are, but, more often, it is probably the work of subconscious prejudices causing unintended discrimination. This is not an isolated problem. Prejudice exists in each and every one of us, and it works like a vicious cycle, keeping the historically op-
pressed and disadvantaged down. Racism is thus not just an historical reality — it exists today not only in white supremacists, but in the hearts and minds of us all. The patterns we observe in society form prejudices within us and cause us to discriminate even when we may not intend to. This weighs most heavily upon the black community, such that, all things being equal, a black person will generally have to face trials in this life that a white person will not. Taylor Barret is a graduate student pursuing a degree in biblical studies.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICIES & INFO Will Young editor-in-chief
T.J. Davis sports editor
Nathaniel Haywood graduate assistant
Logan Smith asst. sports editor
CONTENT
Jordan Jarrett feature editor
Jack Panyard news editor Erin Covey asst. news editor Elizabeth Lapp opinion editor
Sarah Jackson copy editor Emily Smith copy editor Leah DePierro contributing editor
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Deanna Drogan social media manager
Jacob Buwalda photography editor
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Sarah Keller graphic designer
Matt Pierce advertising director
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A6 | September 5, 2017 | Liberty Champion
Unconventional Convocation Liberty previews fall Convocation schedule and announces security changes Mary Obringer mgobringer@liberty.edu
Liberty University has planned out this fall’s Convocation schedule, securing a roster of notable speakers and changing the policy from posting the schedule for the full semester to announcing an upcoming 10day Convocation schedule each Monday. According to Liberty University Stages Director Ashley Lison, the shorter time between when speakers are announced and their arrival might minimize security issues. Additionally, Lison believes the new announcement schedule will give speakers more flexibility if they need to reschedule due to other obligations. NASCAR drivers Jeff Gordon and William Byron and Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick spoke at Liberty’s first Convocation of the semester Aug. 30. The event was held at a special time of 2 p.m. According to Lison, other Convocations are expected to be at the normal 10:30 time. The following Friday, Sept. 1 saw the arrival of Washington Redskin’s starting quarterback, Kirk Cousins alongside the team’s chaplain, Brett Fuller. Liberty’s announced line-up consists of other athlete speakers like “American Ninja Warrior� competitors Grant McCartney and Meagan Martin Sept. 6. McCartney and Martin will be joined by the show’s co-host, Akbar Gbaja-Biamila. According to Lison, Liberty will bring in a diverse group of speakers of different races, genders and professions. Lison said she hopes students will relate to the speakers and look up to them. The list will still include many pastors. Lison stated Liberty still prioritizes the students spiritual growth but hopes the diversity of speakers will encourage students in other ways as well.
TX continued from A1 The team will be based out of Faith Family Church in Victoria. Valeriano said he had difficulty trying to find a city to support because the storm destroyed so much infrastructure. Most of Texas’s resources have been obliterated or are being used by local victims. “Victoria, Texas was the first place to serve in that really came available for organizations like Samaritans Purse,� Valeriano said. “Everything else is completely flooded and still inaccessible to volunteers to come and get into. It was basically the first place that we could get into.� The office has responded to flooding before, but this experience will be completely new for the 10 first-time LU Send Now responders. “This one is very unique in that it’s just such a large scale,� Valeriano said. “It’s one of the worst natural disasters that has hit the United States in years.� As of Sept. 1, 27 trillion gallons of water have fallen on Texas and Louisiana, at least 47 people have died and at least 30,000 are displaced, according to CNN. Valeriano said he cannot remember in his lifetime a natural disaster in the United States as destructive and enormous as Hurricane Harvey. “Something like Hurricane Harvey, where it’s just such a massive, wide-scale disaster, and it’s in the United States, and we have great organizations that know what they are doing and are set up to receive volunteers, that’s a no-brainer for us. We are going to step right into that,� Valeriano said. According to Valeriano, Samaritans Purse has said that other universities are looking at Liberty’s LU Send Now program to replicate it on their own campuses. Seth Lunger will be one of the 10 students going to Victoria.
“We’re really excited about the guest list,� Lison said. According to Lison, the majority of the Convocation speakers for the semester profess faith. Some speakers do not agree with the school’s political or religious views, but Lison cited President Jerry Falwell’s wish that students will learn how to think critically and “know why they believe what they believe.� “We don’t invite a guest unless we think that it will be beneficial for the students,� Lison said. The News & Advance has released a list of Convocation speakers including Baltimore Ravens tight end Benjamin Watson Nov. 10, Gateway Church Senior Pastor Robert Morris Nov. 29 and the Harlem Globetrotters exhibition basketball team Dec. 11. According to the News & Advance, former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci will also speak on campus in November. However, Liberty has not confirmed the dates for these speakers. The News & Advance also listed comedian Jeff Foxworthy and tennis professional John McEnroe as confirmed speakers but did not give dates. Lison said many speakers have contacted Liberty asking to speak at the school because of its reputation for being hospitable and respectful. Lison stated that Liberty’s reputation has spread through “word of mouth� by those who have spoken at the school in recent semesters. According to Lison, a few of the speakers will be repeat speakers from previous years, but she did not mention any of the returning speakers’ names. Jacob Buwalda | Liberty Champion
OBRINGER is a news reporter. Lunger said he has been eagerly awaiting his opportunity to do humanitarian work through Liberty. “We’re here to help other people,� Lunger said. “We’re not just here in Lynchburg, but we put our arms around people all over the world.� Kelsey Ellis, a strategic communications major, will be doing videography and photography for the trip to Texas. Ellis hopes that not only the team’s physical work, but also their emotional presence will serve people. “A lot of times in this environment we are going into, it’s where emotions are high and a lot of damage has been done,� Ellis said. “It may be that we need to go gut a house out to deal with the damage, or maybe we just need to be a listening ear for someone. So I think just being available to listen, give someone a hug or show love would be one of the greatest things I’m looking forward to.� The team of 10 did not go alone. Valeriano asked the thousands of Liberty students who did not go to Texas to join their classmates by praying for them and the people they encounter. “We really need people praying for us,� Valeriano said. “We need people praying for us all the time. A lot of things can go wrong and people can get injured. I really feel like when people pray, it really prevents and protects us from those things and also from spiritual attacks.� For updates on the trip while the team is in Texas, visit the Office of Spiritual Development’s Facebook page. “Pray for us, pray for the people of Texas,� Valeriano said.
ABBATACOLA is a news reporter.
FYI Harvey has dumped 33 trillion gallons of water on the U.S. Here are some statistics to put that number in context: • •
•
The amount of rain that fell in Texas and Lousiana would have ended the historic California drought twice over If you dumped 20 trillion gallons of water on Washington D.C., the water would be almost the height of the Empire State Building It’s enough to cover the state of Arizona in over a foot of water
More than 51 inches of rain fell on parts of Houston •
Getting 59 or more inches of rain is the average annual rainfall amount for most countries
Source: Washington Post and The Weather Channel
YOU LIKE THAT — Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins and Redskins chaplain Brett Fuller spoke at Convocation Friday, Sept. 1.
Jacob Buwalda | Liberty Champion
SEND OFF — Students gathered Friday, Sept. 1 to pray for team members headed to Texas.
Photo Provided
ON THE ROAD — The LU Send Now team left for Texas Saturday, Sept. 2 to provide relief.
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Entering the crossroads A new traffic light and pedestrian walk light has been installed on campus at the Wards Road intersection near the tunnel to help alleviate congestion of automotive and foot traffic. Daniel Deter, vice president of major construction at Liberty University, said the push to put in a traffic light at the intersection began about eight months ago when they saw heavy traffic at the intersection was a problem for both pedestrians and drivers. “Pedestrians are obviously less protected than vehicles, so we did a couple of things,” Deter said. “We first looked at the Wards Road intersection and tried to get that retimed to get traffic to flow better.” The light was installed to also be helpful to buses coming from South Campus. Before the traffic light, buses often had to wait at the intersection for several minutes until it was clear for them to cross the intersection. Minor tweaks are still being made to keep the traffic flowing through the intersection as smoothly as possible. Cameras were installed on the light Wednesday, Aug. 23 to count the number of vehicles passing through the intersection. Deter said they will continue collecting and analyzing the data to see if further adjustments are needed. They need to get a morning and afternoon pattern for the light because most people are coming in the morning and leaving in the afternoon. Deter said a right turn arrow was also added to the Wards Road traffic light, although it
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and Ram were flying to Orange County, California for a company event. While at Liberty, Buchanan served on the executive team of Lambda Pi Eta and managed social media pages for the digital media honor society. In the spring of 2016, she received the 2015-16 Outstanding Academic Achievement DMCA Award. Department of Digital Media Journalism professor Amy Bonebright described Buchanan as a bright, hardworking student who contributed greatly to the digital media honor society in a post by the Liberty Champion Facebook page. Buchanan is survived by her husband, who she married in July of 2016 shortly after her graduation. COVEY is the asst. news editor.
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A8 | September 5, 2017 | Liberty Champion
Building up the hype
New construction continues to change the landscape of Liberty’s campus
Taylor Coleman | Liberty Champion
THE SHOE — Commons III, which was given its nickname “The Shoe” from its horseshoe-like shape, opened with room for 784 students this semester after 12 months of construction. Timothy Cockes tlcockes@liberty.edu
Students arriving at Liberty University’s campus this fall were welcomed with brand new buildings and facilities representing a summer’s worth of hard work from construction teams working on the campus. Many Liberty freshmen moved into the new Residential Commons III building with room for 784 students. The building was finished just days before students were scheduled to move in. Liberty Vice President of Major Construction Daniel Deter said the Commons III building was the result of a lot of determination from the construction crews. “We built Commons III in 12 months, and that means we did a 16-18 month project in 12 months,” Deter said. “I’m very pleased with the way the construction team pulled together and got it done, and I’m very pleased with the way that it turned out.” Commons III was not the only construction project the team worked on this summer. The 90,000-square-foot indoor Liberty football practice facility was finished in June with plans to continue small renovations in the coming months, including a visitor’s locker room to be finished around January or February. This season, visiting football teams will use the soccer locker rooms for their games.
The Freedom Tower now stands as the tallest building in Lynchburg, according to the Liberty University News Service, and has an expected completion date of December 2017. Classes will be held in the Freedom Tower in the spring semester. Liberty Athletics Center located next to the soccer stadium will open October 16th, and the new 75,000-square-foot natatorium will host its first swim meet the first weekend of December. “The summer construction projects really went as planned, particularly with the Commons III dorm,” Deter said. According to Deter, the university has also updated traffic patterns and parking to alleviate some of the pressure of campus traffic. “Improving parking is an ongoing issue, and it’s not like we can just sit down and make a decision that will solve the whole thing,” Deter said. “It’s kind of a living animal that we try to evaluate and make it better every year.” One change is a traffic light at the intersection near the tunnel connecting Liberty to Wards Road. After considering several options, Deter said the traffic light proved to be the best approach for better flow of traffic. “It was becoming where it wasn’t safe for pedestrians or vehicular traffic, and the traffic light in our modeling proved to be the best way for the intersection to flow traffic and also be safer for pedestrians,” Deter said. “Students are our number one safety concern, and we want to make sure that our
students are safe.” Deter says over the next few weeks the Planning & Construction Department will be keeping track of how many cars are flowing in each direction via a camera attached to the light. Deter also said they purposefully saved traffic and road work for the summer as to not inconvenience students. “My personal philosophy is I try to understand that the students have a four-year educational experience, and I don’t want the students to look at any more construction than they have to,” Deter said. “I wouldn’t say that the students are a hindrance to us. I would say that we try to accommodate the students’ education the best way we can because Liberty is here for the students and not here for construction. We’re here to serve students and not the other way around.” In an effort to meet the parking dilemma, the construction team is speeding up the process of opening the parking lot near the indoor track and natatorium to open up more spaces. Deter said they are continuing to think of ways to improve campus parking. Other new additions to Liberty’s campus on the horizon include the new three-story, 80,000-square-foot school of business,
which will be ready to open in December 2018, the student health clinic moving from Green Hall to Commons III for the spring semester, and the Williams Stadium expansion to 25,000 seats for the 2018 season. This new amount of seats will put Liberty in a tie with James Madison University for the fourth-largest football stadium in Virginia, just behind Virginia Tech, University of Virginia and Norfolk State. Through all of the construction happening at Liberty, Deter said the ultimate purpose and driving force of all of the projects is to provide students the best opportunity for future success. “I think seeing the students using the building as it was intended is the greatest part of the process for me,” Deter said. “We spend a lot of hours in meetings and there is a lot of effort that goes into these new facilities, but the students get so much value out of the new buildings. These are our future champions, and so we want them to have the best facilities we can give them in order for them to be successful.” COCKES is a news reporter.
Madison Summers | Liberty Champion
TOWER OF BIBLE — Upon reaching its peak at 275 feet, the Freedom Tower became the highest building in Lynchburg.
Madison Summers | Liberty Champion
VIEWS — Cranes and fences continue to be a common sight on Liberty’s campus as the university moves forward in its master plan for on-campus construction.
Taylor Coleman | Liberty Champion
KICKOFF — The 90,000-square-foot indoor Liberty football practice facility was completed in June for the new season with a few updates yet to be added.
SPORTS
September 5, 2017
B1
huntin’ season
Score 48-45 First Downs 31 Passing Yards 447 Joel Coleman | Liberty University News Service
SHOOTOUT — Liberty and Baylor combined for 1,117 total offensive yards in the game played Saturday, Sept. 2.
Historic Victory
Rushing Yards 138 Third Down Conversions 15-24
Liberty football defeats Baylor 48-45 on the road TJ Davis adavis331@liberty.edu
There were six seconds on the clock. Baylor’s sophomore quarterback Zach Smith took the snap from Baylor’s 42-yard line and dropped back before stepping up into the pocket and hurling an absolute prayer down the field into a crowd of Baylor receivers and Liberty defensive backs. A prayer was answered, but not for Baylor. Sophomore safety Brandon Tillman came down with Smith’s pass for a gamewinning interception as time expired, officially sealing Liberty’s first win against a Power 5 team, and one of the biggest upsets in college football history. According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, Liberty only had a 2.2 percent chance to beat Baylor — that’s a 32.5 underdog point-spread. The Flames overcame those odds to shock Baylor, and the rest of the college football world, by defeating the Bears 48-45 on the road at McLane Stadium in
Waco, Texas. The Flames win is the second biggest FPI upset in the last 10 years, second only to Howard University’s victory over the University of Nevada Las Vegas just a few hours later. “It was a landmark win for Liberty,” President Jerry Falwell Jr. said. “We’re so proud of the team and the school spirit that was shown after the game.” The Flames upset was the perfect answer to all the looming questions of whether the team was ready for its two-year transition to the FBS this season. “I told (the team) it’s about us, it’s not about them,” Head Coach Turner Gill said a few days before the game. “We can’t control wins and losses, but we can control giving our best effort and execution.” And execution and perseverance was exactly what gave the Flames an edge in their first win of the season. Though the game started out slow, it turned into an offensive shootout as both teams would eventually combine for 1,117
total yards on the night. Liberty took the field first and produced an 11-play, 73-yard drive that ended in a 27-yard field goal from sophomore kicker Alex Probert. Both teams were held to a punt on their following drives, but Liberty put up another field goal on its third drive that would eventually end the first quarter at a score of 6-0. Just a minute into the second quarter, the Bears answered back with the first touchdown of the game off of a 45-yard pass, taking the lead at 7-6. However, the Flames would raise the tempo with a quick score of their own as sophomore quarterback Stephen “Buckshot” Calvert converted a 40-yard touchdown pass to his newfound favorite target, sophomore Antonio Gandy-Golden, to regain the lead at 14-7. Prior to the game, Coach Gill mentioned that one of the biggest strides he wanted to see in Calvert this year was improving his accuracy and becoming a game manager.
Field Goals 4-4 Fourth Down Conversions 2-2
See VICTORY, B4
Flames fans freak out When the final seconds on the clock ran out, the crowd of more than 45,000 remained silent and stunned, while Lynchburg, Virginia, erupted into a frenzy. Students across campus filed into mobs and chanted “L-U” as they celebrated the program’s biggest win in school history. People drove around campus at 11 p.m. hanging American flags from their vehicles and honking
Football
their horns in excitement. Sidewalks were filled with students making their way toward Williams Stadium while hugging, cheering and proclaiming “This is Liberty.” Liberty fans rallied together at Williams Stadium after President Jerry Falwell Jr. tweeted “ATTENTION LIBERTY STUDENTS, please join us at WILLIAMS STADIUM at 2:00am and welcome the Flames home.
Jacob Buwalda | Liberty Champion
(Approved Late Night)” A sea of red and blue began to gather on the field around 12 a.m. to celebrate the win with chants, fire-breathing and even an announcement that classes would be
M. Soccer
cancelled Monday, from Senior Vice President of Spiritual Development David Nasser. Flames fans continued to applaud the historic victory up until 4:30 a.m. TJ DAVIS
Field Hockey
Graphic by Sarah Keller
Volleyball
W. Soccer
Baylor
Liberty
USC Upstate
Liberty
Michigan
Liberty
Elon
Liberty
FGCU
Liberty
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WE’LL SEE YOU AT THE GAME
W. Soccer vs. Radford Sept. 7 @ 6 p.m.
Football vs. Morehead St. Sept. 9 @ 6 p.m.
Field Hockey vs. CSU Sept. 10 @ 1 p.m.
Volleyball vs. VCU Sept. 12 @ 6 p.m.
M. Hockey vs. Alabama Sept. 15 @ 7 p.m.
Follow @LUChampSports for Flames athletics coverage
sports
B2 | September 5, 2017 | Liberty Champion
Em pire sp ikes back
Lady Flames fall to Maryland and Furman University during Liberty Invitational pulled ahead. Liberty scored seven unanswered points before Elon scored, but by that point it was too late for the Phoenix. Liberty This past weekend, the Lady Flames vol- won this first set 25-18. leyball team (1-5) hosted the Liberty InvitaTeamwork as well as team chemistry was tional where they lost to the Maryland Ter- displayed in this first set for the Lady Flames. rapins (6-0), the Furman Paladins (3-3), and “I think the good thing about making the Elon Phoenix (4-3). team chemistry is to stay positive,” Gragg Liberty lost to Maryland 3-0 on Friday and said. “Because if you are not playing well, then was also swept by Furman on Saturday. it is encouraging your teammate. If you can Later Saturday evening, the Lady Flames lost bring positive energy no matter how well or to Elon in a hard-fought battle, 3-1. bad you are playing, it is going to help your It was a tough weekend for Liberty, but team.” sophomore Anna Gragg said that playing in In the second set, Elon started strong with these tournaments is very beneficial for the aggressive attacks, leading for the entire set team. until Liberty tied it at 18. After that point, “I think it helps work out some of the both teams rallied until the end. kinks,” Gragg said. “It shows us what we Elon eventually took the win as they scored need to work on and it shows us the things the two times needed to defeat Liberty with a we are developing and good at, so it is nice to score of 27-25. have those before Once again, Liberty we get into the came from behind in the season.” third set and tied it at the Senior outside 13-point mark. Even with hitter Gabrielle strong kills from outside Vess also said hitter Victoria Baptista, these losses are the Lady Flames could tough, but she not keep the Phoenix does not want pulling away. Elon — GABRIELLE VESS from them to define the won in the third set. rest of the season. Baptista is a junior “It is hard, but transfer from Panola we can either look at them (the losses) and College. She has impacted the team in many be discouraged or we can look at them and ways. Vess said that Baptista does a good job see what we need to work on and build from at keeping the intensity within the team. there,” Vess said. “(Baptista) is another one of those pieces Looking toward the weekend, the final to the momentum shifts,” Vess said. “We get game against Elon seemed to have the most big plays, and we have big energy players like positives. It was in this game that Liberty her. It just builds.” earned its first set win. In the fourth set, Liberty started strong ofLiberty struggled with serving and gaug- fensively as both teams rallied point for point. ing how strong or weak to attack the volleyLiberty had a chance to run away with the ball. However, due to focus and teamwork, fourth set after three straight ball handling Liberty regained momentum. errors from Elon, but instead the Phoenix Although the first half of the set was neck- caught up and tied it at the 22-point mark. and-neck, around the 17-point mark, Liberty From that point on, the game was very Katie Copeland klcopeland@liberty.edu
“
WE GET BIG PLAYS, AND WE HAVE BIG ENERGY PLAYERS.
Jacob Buwalda | Liberty Champion SET — Sophomore setter Hannah Morris set up sophomore middle blocker Kainah Williams.
close after a strong kill from Gragg brought the score to 23-24. However, a kill from outside hitter Julia Crabtree of Elon was all it took for the Phoenix to capture both the set and the game. Overall, the game was dominated by momentum switches for both teams. “Volleyball is a game of momentum,” Coach Shane Pinder said. “It is a roller coaster, so you have to hang in there and weather the storm and try to stay stable until the due time comes for your run.” At the end of the day, Liberty allowed too many points, which let Elon get away with the
score. “They were more terminal than us,” Coach Pinder said. “They were scoring the ball more than we were. They had 61 kills and we had 46, so that has kind of been the story the first couple of weekends. We are losing that battle by about four to five kills a set and so that adds up over time.” The Lady Flames head out to Colorado Springs Sept. 8 where they will play Southern Utah and Air Force twice. COPELAND is a sports reporter
‘I want to be the very best’ Lady Flames aim for Big East Championship Nathaniel Chambers nrchambers@liberty.edu
During the 2016 season, the Liberty University field hockey team (0-2) fell one game short of the Big East Championship. This year they have senior captains Cassidy Bremner and Alynn Richardson, as well as first year coach Nikki Parsley, leading the charge for the team. As the team prepares for the 2017 season, they know they have much to play for, especially since they received their preseason top-25 ranking. “I think that’s like a huge privilege just because we’ve worked so hard,” Richardson said. “It definitely just shows the progress we’ve been able to make over the last years that we’ve been in this program,” Bremner said. They praised the work of the seniors who have worked for four years to get to this point, and recognized the efforts of the underclassmen as the team begins to take more steps forward. In her first year as head coach, Parsley said she is more excited than nervous about taking over and thinks it is a great feat to be nationally ranked. “It feels familiar,” Parsley said. Parsley was a three-time first-team All-Big Ten selection, according to her biography page on Northwestern University’s website. She is used to the spotlight, and feels like a coach must be ready to step right into the spotlight otherwise this might not be the best position for him or her. “Our main focus is to run the best player development program in college field hockey,” Parsley said. “Your work ethic and your intensity is absolutely something you can control.” The more one puts into the sport, the more they will get out of it. Parsley said the focus should be playing one’s heart out and giving the best effort one can no matter how lopsided the matchup may look. “Pouring into these girls like obviously on the field spiritually, helping them socially, you know in the classroom as well, we think
FYI
The Lady Flames were selected to finish 2nd in 2017 Big East FH Preseason Poll. that that’s going to give us you know a really good chance to ultimately win that Big East Championship,” Parsley said. She said that while it is nice to win a championship, that is not what the sport is all about. She wants her team to go out and give it their all each and every game, playing with heart and desire, regardless of the outcome. One of the more unique things about the team is the fact that they show a Christ-like attitude at every opportunity. “I think when people come onto our campus we really try to be hospitable,” Bremner said. “We want our campus to feel different than others and just be welcoming and loving, but also on the field, being respectful of the umpire and each other and the other team.” She stated that the rest of the Liberty staff is very welcoming and loving as well and that the team comes together in prayer with the opponent after every game. “We just hold our standards very high,” Richardson said. “They are ambassadors and followers of Christ.” When asked how they plan to pass the torch and leave their legacy, the players said the team is more of a collaborative team and is not very “hierarchical,” in the words of Bremner. “We lead by example because [the freshmen] still have four years to build this program up,” Richardson said. They want to show that it is a team effort and a team plays as one, not individually. As the team prepares for the season, it plans on having numerous promotions during their home games to interest more fans. CHAMBERS is a sports reporter
Joel Coleman | Liberty University News Service ELITE — The Lady Flames start the year as the 25th ranked team in the NFHCA poll.
sports
Liberty Champion | September 5, 2017 | B3
Soccer starts strong
Men’s soccer starts the season with promising win over VMI Julie Deutsch jdeutsch@liberty.edu
Dean Hinnant| Liberty Champion
SHARPSHOOTER — The Flames finished the game with nine shots on target.
Liberty Men’s Soccer (2-1) defeated Virginia Military Institute (0-1) 3-0 Tuesday, Aug. 29, at Osborne Stadium. Coach Jeff Alder said the momentum that came from Tuesday’s game was produced by players coming off of the bench. “I think our non-starters energized us,” Alder said. “Momentum shifted to them, giving us instant energy.” Alder said the team made it a goal to close out games better, which is exactly what happened during the game. “Last year we were in every game and we ended up losing seven one-goal games,” Alder said. “Instead of finding out how not to get them, we are finding out how to get them.” Liberty’s captain and defender, Nico Bellarde, said he wants to see the team start the game quicker, like they did in the second half. Liberty was up 1-0 in the first half after Tresor Mbuyu shot the ball in from the left at the 32nd minute. Mbuyu juked VMI’s defender, leading him to make the lower far shot. After the end of the first half the teams came back on the field fearlessly fighting for either a first goal or second to clinch the game. “We were up by a goal and trying to find a way to get a second goal, they ended up making a mistake from us pressuring them,” Alder said. “That led to us making a second goal and then a third, to close out the game.” The second goal was scored by freshman forward Trent Tarnstrom, who shot it in at the 71st minute. Virginia Military Institute’s keeper mishandled the ball, setting up a messy shot for Liberty.
“It was the ugliest goal I have ever seen, but the best goal I have ever seen,” Alder said. Bellarde said he knew how important it was going to be to get that second goal so they could lock in the game. He was impressed by the high energy coming off the bench from Tarnstrom. Tarnstrom said he wants to focus on starting stronger as well, but he knew keeping the other team from scoring was more important. He said teams must win even when they are not playing their best. Soon after the second goal, Liberty’s junior midfielder, Shaun Stocker, scored at the 75th minute from a free kick. The fans went crazy after the shot slammed the top of the bar and swooped down into the net. Liberty ended the game with 19 shots, more than doubling VMI’s 9. Defense did not even give Virginia an opportunity to get down to the goal for a shot. Liberty’s keeper did not have one save throughout the entire 90 minutes of the game. Tarnstrom said the team has a great brotherhood and he sees the enthusiasm in practice. He said he admires Bellarde’s great leadership toward the team and was proud of Stockers “pretty goal.” Liberty’s next home game takes place Sept. 16 at noon against East Tennessee State University.
DEUTSCH is a sports reporter.
Bigger than ever before Williams Stadium expansion set for completion prior to 2019 football season Logan Smith lcsmith1@liberty.edu
As the Liberty University football team inches toward the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), construction of the $40 million expansion of Williams Stadium, which will include additional seating, suites, and more concession stands, has begun. The expansion is planned to be completed prior to the 2019 season, right before Liberty becomes a full member of the most competitive conference in college football. According to Liberty Athletic Director Ian McCaw, the timing could not be better. “It’s an expansion to meet the demand of the FBS, but it’s also an enhancement to meet the demands of fans who want a great game experience,” McCaw said. “I think we already do well at Liberty, but
we are going to ramp it up to a new level.” Although the majority of construction will take place during the off-seasons, the architect team and construction staff have already begun to remove seats and pour in the footers for the new balcony. Colonnades will be featured in the new expansion, lining both sides of the entrance. When fans enter the arena, they will have the option of either going right to the student center or left toward the reserved seating. “It’s going to be a very functional space,” Mickey Guridy, the senior associate athletics director for internal operations, said. “It’s going to be the centerpiece when you drive on campus. It will be the first thing you see.” The most significant change will be the student section on the east side of the stadium. The student section currently con-
tains one concession stand and a bathroom facility. After completion, the student section will include more seating, better bathroom facilities and multiple concession stands. “It’s going to be a huge boost for students,” Guridy said. According to McCaw, the construction process is broken into two phases, one following the 2017 season, and the other following the 2018 season. “It’s a labor-intensive process that just takes a while,” McCaw said. During his 13 years as athletic director at Baylor University, McCaw was instrumental in the creation of McLane Stadium, a project costing nearly $300 million. Todd Patulski, Liberty’s senior associate athletics director, worked with McCaw to build McLane stadium. Both are contributing their knowledge and experience to cre-
Photo Provided
GROWTH — The expansion will raise the total number of seats to to approximately 25,000.
ate the best possible environment for Williams Stadium. “The Williams Stadium expansion is obviously a different type of project, but we’ve at least been able to bring some of the ideas and concepts that I think will really serve us well,” McCaw said. “What we’re hoping to do is take some of the best ideas of McLane to this project.” According to Gurity, the administration is in close contact with Vice President of Major Construction Daniel Deter, who informs them of the process. Guridy said minor traffic issues may occur in part one of the process, but that the wrap-around brick colonnades will add a lot to the overall look of the stadium. “Progress is a process,” Guridy said. “And we’re going through the process.” The Liberty indoor track facility and the indoor practice facility are
two of Liberty’s most recent projects, but the Williams Stadium expansion, according to Guridy, may be the most significant. “(Our previous projects) were great projects, and they all benefit us in a lot of ways,” Guridy said. “But upgrading our football program to the FBS in the process of expanding our stadium helps everyone too.” As Liberty merges into the FBS, teams like Auburn, Rutgers and Virginia Tech will drift toward Liberty’s radar. “We are going to be moving into a neighborhood with the best established universities in the nation,” McCaw said. “And that’s a great place to be.”
SMITH is the asst. sports editor.
Photo Provided
FLAMES NATION — The student section will be a notable feature in the new stadium.
sports
B4 | September 5, 2017 | Liberty Champion
The 214 days without NFL football are finally coming to an end Thursday as the Kansas City Chiefs face off against the defending Super Bowl champs, the New England Patriots. This offseason had its routine share of drama. There’s the ongoing saga behind Colin Kaepernick, there DAVIS were retirements — Tony Romo, DeMarcus Ware and Vince Wilfork, to name a few. Some people came out of retirement — Marshawn Lynch and Jay Cutler. There were ridiculous contracts — Matt Stafford: 5 years, $135 million, $92 million guaranteed. Deandre Hopkins set the bar for the league’s elite receivers with a five-year deal worth $81million, $49 million of which is guaranteed. Even NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell cashed out with a five-year contract extension, though he hasn’t had to report his salary since 2015 when the NFL dropped their tax-exempt status (Boo that man on three: 1, 2, 3 BOOOO.) And of course many players will be in an unfamiliar uniform next season: Brandon Cooks-Patriots, Jaamal Charles-Broncos, Adrian Peterson-Saints, and Brock Osweiler has returned to the Broncos after a very fitting stint with the Browns. Here are my very unprofessional predictions: AFC North- Steelers As a Ravens fan, it deeply pains me to pick the Steelers to take our division again, but I just don’t foresee any of the other teams in the AFC North having a better season than them. Though the Ravens have finally solidified a shutdown defense again, Joe Flacco is starting his second consecutive season coming off of an injury (back.) AFC East- Patriots There’s really no explanation needed for this one. Bill Belichick and Tom Brady will continue to do their thing. Julian Edelman will miss the season with an ACL tear, but Brady’s supporting cast will still consist of Gronk, Brandin Cooks, Chris Hogan, Phillip Dorsett, and a running core packed with versatility. As much as I love the sound of a Jay Cutler redemption story with the Dolphins, no one in the AFC East is competing with the Patriots. AFC South- Titans The Titan’s high powered offense is led by Marcus Mariota, Demarco Murray, Derrick Henry and Eric Decker. Andrew Luck doesn’t have a timetable on when he’ll return under center and the Jaguars are…the Jaguars. The Texan’s defense will get their leader back as J.J. Watt returns from a back injury, but I still don’t know how I feel about Deshuan Watson transitioning to the NFL. AFC West- Raiders Beastmode, Derek Carr and Amari Cooper will be a heck of a tandem to watch. This is another tough call because every team in this division is capable of being a competitor, which makes sense as to why each of the top four slots on the NFL’s 2017 strength of schedule list belong to a team from the AFC West. NFC North- Packers Aaron Rodgers is about to become the highest-paid player in the NFL, and he deserves every last cent. As for the rest of the NFC North, I don’t see any of the other teams breaking 500 aside from the Lions maybe going 9-7 again. Teddy Bridgewater is starting the season on the physically unable to perform list, so I can’t see Sam Bradford leading the Vikings to the top of the division, despite Latavius Murray in the backfield. NFC East- Giants This was the hardest division because it can truly go to any team. Every team in the NFC East has made additions this offseason that make a case as to why they can take the division. However I’m giving the advantage to the Giants because they are experienced at quarterback with Eli Manning. Dak Prescott and Carson Wentz can run into trouble in their sophomore seasons now that defensive coordinators have a full year of film to work with. I’m rooting for Captain Kirk and the Redskins, NFC South- Buccaneers Watch out for the Buccaneers. They’re not on a lot of radars, but with one of the best defenses in the league along with a strong passing attack, they’re a serious contender for the NFC South title. The Falcons definitely have a strong chance to top this division too, but after comparing their schedule with the Bucs, I really think the Bucs can take it. NFC West- Seahawks The Seahawks have had success in the past few couple seasons despite a struggling offensive line. This season they’ve finally amped up their line and Russell Wilson is due for a big year. The Rams defense has potential to be very dangerous with the combination of Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips and their young defensive tackle, Aaron Donald, who is arguable the best in the league. AFC Wildcards: Dolphins, Chiefs NFC Wildcards: Falcons, Redskins MVP: Aaron Rodgers Coach of the year: Jack Del Rio Offensive player of the year: Aaron Rodgers Defensive player of the year: Aaron Donald Offensive Rookie: Christian McCaffrey Defensive Rookie: Myles Garrett Super Bowl champion: New England Patriots DAVIS is the sports editor.
Kaityln Becker Johnson | Liberty University News Service
FAMILY — The Lady Flames women’s soccer team huddled together for a word of encourgment.
Big expectations Women’s soccer anticipates another title season en’s soccer team an intriguing squad is their heart for serving others and their desire to live for Christ. “At Liberty we stand for Christ, and that’s definitely what we, especially the Having won the Big South Chamsoccer team, stand for. Especially serpionship in back-to-back seasons, exvant leadership,” senior Ashleigh Hill pectations for the Liberty University said. women’s soccer team (1-2-2) are high The players also do not take being a for the 2017 season. student at Liberty lightly. “I think the expectations every year “Being a Liberty Flame, especially for Liberty athletics programs, for the women’s soccer team, with women’s soccer included, is being a part of something is to compete at a national AT LIBERTY WE STAND FOR CHRIST, bigger than yourself,” Hill level, win a Big South Champisaid. onship or two, and advance into AND THAT’S DEFINITELY WHAT WE, Unity is a top priority for the the NCAA tournament,” Flames Flames. Following a goal that Head Coach Lang Wedemeyer ESPECIALLY THE SOCCER TEAM, STAND Liberty scores, the Flames said. “For us it’s really just day by make it about the team and not day, strengthening those aspects FOR. ESPECIALLY SERVANT LEADERSHIP, an individual. that will lead to success.” — ASHLEIGH HILL “Stay compact as a team This is Wedemeyer’s first sealar and Gilmore. “We’ve got very and always play for each son as the Lady Flames head coach. At 0-2-2, the team is not where they good freshmen that are playing a lot of other,” Habuda said. The Flames have reason to be exwant to be, but if this season follows the minutes and we’re playing anywhere pattern of the last two Big South Cham- from 22-26 players a game, which is cited. They have an athletic and leadership driven senior class. They have pionship winning seasons, then the unheard of.” “One of the things that I think we’re a deep bench and a challenging yet wins will come soon. In 2015 the Lady Flames did not re- blessed with this season is a very deep thrilling schedule. Once the Flames return from their cord a win until week 4, and in 2016, roster,” Wedemeyer said. “We’ve the Lady Flames began their season got some players who were injured tour of the Sunshine State, they will last year who are back and they are face off against the UMBC Retrievers at with a 0-3 start. home before heading back down south The Lady Flames recorded their first contributing.” Having excellent depth is crucial for to play the LSU Tigers. win of the season Friday, Sept. 1, deThe Flames will play three out of feating the Florida Atlantic Owls (3-2) long-term success. If the Flames can 1-0. The game against the Owls was the also bring consistency to their play, the their next six at home before concludfirst of two games that the Lady Flames results have the potential to be exciting ing the regular season with three out of “I think, just in each game we’ve had the final four games on the road. played in Florida over the weekend. On Sunday the Flames will be tak- we’ve progressed in some way or anothing on the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles in er,” senior Isabella Habuda said. But what also makes Liberty’s wom- COUCH is a sports reporter. what is also expected to be a competiJacob Couch jtcouch@liberty.edu
tive matchup. The Eagles boast a 3-1 record and have overall outscored their opponents 10-3. With key players Tori Collar and Baylee Gilmore sidelined with injuries, the Flames will have to rely on their bench depth to boost the win column. “I’m not sure if either one of them is going to be back any time soon,” said Wedemeyer, concerning Col-
he took Anu Soloman’s pass 32 yards to the house. Turner’s interception return came on his first appearance of the Calvert demonstrated both as he game after having to sit out the first half, led the Flames with 447 passing and gave the Flames a 24-17 lead. The back-and-forth action conyards, converting 44 of his 60 passes, three of which were for touchdowns. tinued as the Bears bounced back in Both his passing yards and number of 20 seconds, going 75 yards on three completions broke Liberty and Big plays. Both teams punted on their next possession, but Liberty took its fifth South records. The quick scores continued to pour lead of the game after a 31-yard field on the scoreboard. It took the Bears just goal from Probert. The Flames lead only lasted 11 two minutes to score off of a 14-yard seconds as the Bears would quickly run, tying the game at 14 with 9:38 left in the first half. Both teams would pro- score on a pass of 75 yards, taking a duce a field goal on their final drives of 31-27 lead. With 5:37 left in the third quarter, the half, leaving the game tied at 17. the Flames took the field at the 27-yardBaylor received the ball at the start of the third quarter, but three plays later line with their backs against the wall as their drive was brought to an end by ju- they trailed in the game. But Calvert nior defensive back Chris Turner after calmly led a 15 play, 73-yard drive that resulted in another touchdown for GandyGolden, which came on a third-and-goal play from the 13-yardline. Gandy-Golden finished the day with 13 receptions, two of which were touchdowns and 192-yards receiving, which is fifth in program history for total yards in a game. On the next possesJoel coleman | Liberty University News Service sion, the Flames held UPSET — Baylor had a 32.5 point-spread before the game. the Bears to a three-
Victory continued from A1
and-out and then started their drive with great field position on the Bear’s 44-yard-line. Seven plays later, Calvert took the snap from the 8-yard-line and danced his way into the end zone after scrambling from a broken play, putting the Flames lead at 41-31. In the final 11 minutes of the game, Baylor fought back with another touchdown, but the Flames would confidently manage the clock as they drove 65 yards and scored their final touchdown with 6:12 left in the game. Baylor once again produced a quick score with five minutes left in the game, but the Flames would run the clock all the way down to just 32 seconds on their final possession. The Flames clock management proved to be successful as Tillman intercepted the Bear’s last ditch effort as time ran out. Senior running back Carrington Mosley led the Flames rushing attack with 122 yards on 28 carries, and junior defensive back Jeremy Peters led the defense with seven tackles on the day. “It’s just the beginning,” President Falwell said. “I couldn’t be any more thrilled with where this program is heading.” The Flames look to continue their success at Williams Stadium for their first home contest of the 2017 season against Morehead State Saturday, Sept. 9, at 6 p.m. DAVIS is the sports editor.
feature
Liberty Champion | September 5, 2017 | B5
Block Party 2017 highlights
Jacob Buwalda and Dean Hinnant | Liberty Champion
KICKING OFF THE YEAR RIGHT — The block party featured local food stations and carnival rides. Bands such as Capital Kings and Vegan Llamas made memorable appearances.
feature
B6 | September 5, 2017 | Liberty Champion
A pretty sweet deal New Mister Goodies brings signature homemade flavors to Boonsboro Road Rachel Estes reestes@liberty.edu
It’s a relatively popular opinion: buying cream is a lot like buying a cone full of happiness. And at Mister Goodies, customers help make it even happier. Up and running in the Village Courts Shopping Center since mid-July, the newly opened Mister Goodies Homemade Ice Cream on Boonsboro Road has more than two dozen flavors to choose from, along with a small selection of Italian ice. While many of the flavors are familiar to the average ice cream customer, some flavors have a unique twist. “We threw brown sugar into the cookie dough [flavor] to give it that extra little kick; most places aren’t going to have that,” Boonsboro manager Richard Dean said. “It gave it a little extra flavor that was missing from our first couple of batches.” Such is the beauty of Mister Goodies Homemade Ice Cream’s small-batch production system. If the flavor isn’t quite right the first time around, another batch can be made within a few days to reach peak flavor. “If a customer says, ‘Hey, that doesn’t taste right,’ we can go back to the drawing board and figure out what’s missing from it. That’s actually what happened with the cookie dough,” Dean said. Mister Goodies’ management welcomes customers’ opinions and encourages them to share their suggestions and ideas. “We love taking flavor requests,” Dean said. “That’s how we got the peach [flavor] in here. So many people were blowing up the phone and Facebook saying, ‘We want peach,’ so we brought it in.”
The “Virginia Peach” is made with real Virginia-grown peaches from Saunders Brothers Farm Market in Nelson County. In fact, nearly all of Mister Goodies’ ingredients are fresh and locally sourced. “We try to stay as fresh and natural as possible,” Dean said. The Flight—a varied sampler for tasting and comparing flavors—is another popular menu item at the Boonsboro Mister Goodies. “It’s the same concept as flights [of wine] at a vineyard, but with ice cream,” Dean said. The four-flavor flight sampler—which equals about a pound of ice cream—is the perfect treat to share. Each of Mister Goodies’ hand-scooped ice cream flavors — including their best-selling signature flavors “The ’03,” “The Rivermont” and “The O.M.G.”— and Italian ices are handcrafted at the shop on Boonsboro Road. “It’s a fun process. You can get really creative with it,” Andrew Ulrich said. Ulrich is Mister Goodies’ marketing director and the son of owners Doug and Rhonda Ulrich. Customers can see the process for themselves through the kitchen’s viewing window, and many of the flavors are available for purchase in quarts and pints—another difference between the soft-serve trailer and the ice cream shop. For the last 14 years, Mister Goodies has satisfied locals’ soft serve ice cream needs from its trailer on Timberlake Road. The new storefront on Boonsboro Road adds to its community reach and reputation, serving up the same quality ice cream. “We thought a little ice cream shop would be perfect for a community like Boonsboro,”
Ulrich said. “Nobody’s done homemade ice cream here yet, so we gave it a shot, and people are really appreciating it.” The Ulrichs had tried for years to expand into this type of environment. But not to worry, Mister Goodies’ Timberlake site isn’t going anywhere. The company recently renewed the lease for another 15 years. Bigger and better things are on the way, according to Ulrich. A new and improved Mister Goodies trailer is currently under construction in Ohio and is scheduled for delivery in October. According to Ulrich, the new trailer will be 10 feet longer than the one currently set up on Timberlake Road, making room for an expanded menu and extra serving window; an industrial convection oven for cookies, brownies and other baked treats; and three heavy-duty ice cream machines: two for standard soft serve flavors and one specifically for rotating flavors of the day. The new trailer is expected to be fully operational in the spring. “We’ve had a lot of requests to open a third location with the old trailer, but nothing’s set in stone yet,” Ulrich said. “Hopefully one day we can branch out and have multiple locations—that’s our goal.” With the same family-friendly atmosphere as the Timberlake location, Mister Goodies Homemade Ice Cream’s indoor/outdoor seating arrangements have made the shop a popular gathering space for college students. “It’s a space where they can come relax, enjoy themselves and decompress from school,” Dean said. “We’ve even had a couple study groups come in. We love being able to be that type of place.”
For Ulrich, the gathering of Liberty students at the new ice cream shop is especially meaningful. “Liberty has been so supportive of Mister Goodies from the beginning, and we’re so privileged to have that,” Ulrich said. “Mister Goodies has become the place to be for Liberty students. We wouldn’t be what we are without them.” Students are encouraged to “like” Mister Goodies Homemade Ice Cream on Facebook, where updates on seasonal flavors, giveaways and other promotions and events are shared regularly. ESTES is a feature reporter.
21556 Timberlake Rd, Lynchburg, VA 24502 OR 4119 Boonsboro Rd, Suite 50, Lynchburg, VA 24503 Both locations are open daily 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri./Sat. extended to 10:30 p.m. Facebook: @mistergoodiesicecream (Timberlake) OR @mistergoodieshomemadeicecream (Boonsboro)
Colin SChwager|liberty ChamPion
JUST A SCOOPFUL OF SUGAR — Mister Goodies offers a delightful selection of unique homemade ice cream flavors at their new location on Boonsboro Road.
COACH continued from B8 The Spencers will continue to open their home to other international athletes to learn English and prepare for an education at Liberty, and ultimately further Coach Spencer’s vision of having a worldclass triathlon program. Spencer’s ultimate dream is to see student athletes with potential— athletes like Colamarde—eventually compete in the Olympics. “I want athletes from multiple countries that came out of LU’s program competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics,” Parker Spencer said. “I tell our team all the time, that’s our goal.” Throughout the past decade, Parker Spencer has competed in dozens of competitions all over
the globe. Aug. 19 marked his ninth World Championship, where he broke a personal record by placing second in his age group in the Penticton, British Columbia 2017 Men’s Sprint Duathlon. “I placed seventeenth last year in my category, so I was really pumped to know that I finished so well [this year],” Parker Spencer said. “Crossing that finish line, knowing that the work I put in paid off…it’s just awesome.” It’s a feat he appreciates even more in light of a virus that caused severe damage to his heart and nearly ended his athletic career in 2015. According to Spencer, he was training with an athlete in Richmond, Virginia, when he experienced immense chest pain. “I couldn’t breathe anymore,”
Spencer said. “I thought I was having a heart attack.” The next thing he remembers is waking up in a hospital bed, and finding out that the lining around his heart was severely inflamed. He spent a week in the hospital, where he was told he could never run again—a diagnosis Parker Spencer refused to accept. “He’s crazy,” Kristy Spencer said. “He just turned to the doctor and said, ‘Well, that’s not happening.’” Sure enough, Parker Spencer flew to Germany a year later to compete in the Challenge Roth 2016 Ironman, placing thirtieth in his age group after spending 10 hours swimming, cycling, and running the 140.6 mile course. “Ever since that, things have been getting better and better,” Spencer said. Parker Spencer hopes his drive and dedication will serve as an example for those truly passionate for such a grueling sport. “You know, a lot of people think what we do is crazy,” Parker Spencer said. “The name of the game is who can suffer the most, who can be the most uncomfortable—day in, and day out. You got to rejoice in the process. The more you suffer, the better you’re going to be.”
Joel Coleman|liberty UniverSity newS ServiCe
GOING INTERNATIONAL — Parker Spencer and his triathlon team.
VENCE is a feature reporter.
Photo Provided
KEEP MOVING — Parker Spencer ran despite grim health prospects.
feature
Liberty Champion | September 5, 2017 | B7
They are beauty, they are grace Liberty University will be hosting the next Miss Virginia Pageant summer 2018 Lilly Gibson llgibson1@liberty.edu
Liberty University will be getting a dose of glamour next summer. The 2018 Miss Virginia Pageant will be hosted on Liberty’s campus at the Tower Theater and concert hall. Both Liberty University and the Miss Virginia organization are looking to hold the event around the third week of July next year, according to Lee Beaumont, Senior Vice President of Auxiliary Services. Harlen Gudger, Executive Director of the Miss Virginia organization, mentioned that he was looking forward to moving the pageant to Lynchburg. Liberty University’s facilities—specifically the Tower Theater and concert hall—will save Miss Virginia more money due to the fact that everything needed to run the pageant will be under one roof. “We’re looking forward to Lynchburg as a city for their support and the community’s support we feel like we will receive there,” Gudger said.
According to Beaumont, an event this size will benefit Lynchburg as a whole, and it will bring much more business to the area. “This event, based on the numbers I have seen, will bring in somewhere between $900,000 and $1.2 million of economic impact to the region,” Beaumont said. “Of course that will benefit the city.” Gudger explained that not only will the pageant bring a mass amount of revenue into the city, but it will also double as a recruitment tool for Liberty. The pageant will be held on Liberty’s campus, making it easy for the audience, as well as the contestants, to tour the facilities. “We are both supporters of education,” Gudger said. “Liberty University is the same thing. It’s a provider of education.” Miss Virginia is big on supporting education and so is Liberty University, making the venue choice a perfect match. Liberty has been offering a Pageant Scholarship for years, as stated on Liberty’s website. So it is fitting for the Miss Virginia pageant to be held here starting next year. According to Gudger, both the Tower Theater and concert hall already have all of
the lights and sound systems needed to run the pageant—something that Miss Virginia did not have when the event was held in Roanoke. Gudger further noted that the Berglund Center in Roanoke did not have all the bells and whistles that Liberty’s facilities have. When in Roanoke, the Miss Virginia organization had to bring in all the sound systems. But because Liberty’s facilities are state-of-the-art, they can save that money
and use it elsewhere. Preliminaries for the Miss Virginia pageant will commence June 21 and 22, 2018, and finals will take place June 23. For future details on the pageant dates, check out missva.org for updates.
GIBSON is a feature reporter.
So what does it take to become Miss Virginia? More than a bikini body and a catwalk-worthy strut, that’s for sure! There are five phases of the competition you can expect to see when the pageant visits Liberty’s campus in 2018: Phase 1: The Private Interview The contestant’s chance to discuss her background and her opinion on issues that matter to her before the judges. Phase 2: Talent The contestant has 90 seconds to wow the crowd with a performance of some kind. It could be singing, acting or even poetry! Phase 3: Lifestyle & Fitness in Swimsuit The contestant wears her favorite swimsuit to showcase how well she maintains a healthy lifestyle. Phase 4: Evening Gown The contestant debuts unique evening wear, be it a gown or a pantsuit, that complements her grace, poise and presence on stage. Phase 5: The On-stage Question The moment of truth for the contestant! One light question from the judges followed by a question from the private interview.
Photo Provided
CROWNING GLORY — Last year’s Miss Virginia contestants at the Hotel Roanoke.
Info obtained from the Miss Virginia website.
FEATURE
B8
September 5 , 2017
pushing ahead
Joel Coleman|Liberty University News Service
HARDER AND FASTER — Head Coach Parker Spencer led the charge with his international triathlon team this summer in Penticton, British Columbia.
More than just a coach
Coach Parker Spencer trained to run, but now runs a bigger kind of race in life John Vence jtvence@liberty.edu
During high school, Liberty Triathlon Head Coach Parker Spencer realized that, at 5 feet 8 inches and 135 pounds, he wasn’t meant for football. “Back in high school, I was the same size [as I am now], maybe even smaller,” Spencer said. “I was getting destroyed on the football field. So I switched over to track and never looked back.” At that point, running was just a hobby for Parker Spencer. More than 10 years later, it’s his life. After four years of competing on Liberty’s NCAA Division 1 Track and Field Team and serving as the triathlon team’s captain, Spencer graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science. He continued to work at Endorphin
Fitness, a training center in Richmond, where he quickly rose to Director of Coach Operations, overseeing 20 coaches and over 500 athletes. “It was my dream job at the time,” Spencer said. “Or so I thought.” In 2015, Senior Director of Campus Recreation Kirk Handy reached out to Spencer and asked him to return and coach Liberty’s triathlon team. Spencer agreed, first commuting from Richmond before returning to Lynchburg to additionally coach the cycling and swimming programs. According to Spencer, it’s been a dream ever since. “Now that this is my focus, I feel like a caged animal that was just let out,” Spencer said. “I’m going all out, trying to recruit athletes.” The triathlon program alone swelled from 11 members to 42, with over eight different countries represented.
Spencer expects the group to surpass 50 triathletes by January, with more international students slated to join. “I have a heart for the international guys, because them coming to Liberty has the potential to change their life a whole lot more than someone from America,” Spencer said. “Giving a kid from France or Hungary the opportunity to come and be part of a world class program can set them up for a life they wouldn’t have had otherwise.” Joan Colamarde was personally recruited earlier this year by Spencer, who first reached out in December 2016 to the 18-year-old Spaniard. “I couldn’t believe it,” Colamarde said. “I was so excited, but my parents were worried. They didn’t know Parker.” To dissuade these concerns, Parker Spencer and his wife Kristy traveled and met the family in Barcelona for lunch, hurdling the language barrier with the help of their
smartphone. “We spent three hours there, and used Google Translate a lot,” said Kristy Spencer, also a triathlete. Their efforts paid off, and in June the triathlete arrived in Virginia to spend the summer with them. Colamarde went on to pass Liberty’s International Test of English Proficiency (iTEP), and is currently enrolled in his first semester at Liberty. Spencer, Colamarde and two other triathletes traveled to Penticton, British Columbia in August, and Spencer placed eleventh in his first World Championship Triathlon. “Parker is an amazing person,” Colamarde said. “And this is an amazing opportunity that, without him, without Liberty, I couldn’t [have].”
See COACH, B6
New shows take the stage
The LU Theatre Department and Tower Theater offer a season sneak peek Rebekah Yoder ryoder3@liberty.edu
A spotlight hits the stage, the director says a word of prayer and the curtains part. This is what audiences see when they enter the Tower Theater. Chris Nelson, Theatre Arts associate professor, said there is a lot of behind the scenes work that goes into every production before it premiers. “When we meet as a faculty, wev
begin by brainstorming titles that we think would be good challenges for our students,” Nelson said. According to Nelson, the size of each cast is taken into consideration as well as the flow of how the genres should move throughout the year. “This season has a little bit of everything, from classic drama, dark comedy, a regional-specific play, Shakespeare and modern and classic musicals,” Nelson said. The upcoming season of the
Newsies 7:30 p.m. • Sept. 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30 2:00 p.m. • Sept. 16, 23, 30 3:00 p.m. • Sept. 17, 24, Oct. 1
Wait Until Dark 7:30 p.m. • Oct. 13, 14, 20, 21 2:00 p.m. • Oct. 14, 21 3:00 p.m. • Oct. 15, 22 (ASL)
Thoroughly Modern Millie 7:30 p.m. • Nov. 3, 4, 10, 11 2:00 p.m. • Nov. 4, 11 3:00 p.m. • Nov. 5, 12 (ASL)
Arsenic and Old Lace 7:30 p.m. • Dec. 1, 2, 5 (tentative), 7, 8, 9, 15, 16 2:00 p.m. • Dec. 2, 9, 16 3:00 p.m. • Dec. 3, 10 (ASL), 17
Tower Theater productions includes “Newsies,” “Wait Until Dark,” “Thoroughly Modern Millie” and “Arsenic and Old Lace.” Tower Theater will open with the widely acclaimed musical, “Newsies,” on Sept. 15. The musical is inspired by the Newsboy Strike of 1899, as listed on Broadway.com. It is the first of many productions at Tower Theater that will premier month after month. Just days after “Newsies” ends, the drama “Wait Until Dark” premiers Oct. 13, telling the story of a blind woman plagued by a home intruder, with illicit drugs and murderous criminals thrown in. Following Nov. 3 is the musical “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” that brings a light-hearted relief to the Tower Theater with a song-and-dance treat straight from the Roaring 20s. Then a balance of comedy and morbidity plans to bring the fall season to a close with “Arsenic and Old Lace,” set for a tentative premier date Dec. 1. No matter what genre the play or musical is, the productions go through the same rigorous schedule. Nelson said the productions will start with casting and go into rehearsals, while the designers gather inspiration for the set and costumes. After four weeks of the director and actors working closely
Caroline Cummings|Liberty News Service
NEWSIES — The Disney musical announces a sparkling selection of shows. together, the technical elements of the show and the performers meet for a week to bring the production to life. “The end goal is to have a production that is unified in design, and supports the text and the work of the actors,” Nelson said. Nelson considers it his mission to help build the strongest team possible with the actors and crew. According to Nelson, it is important that everyone involved in the production plays their part with the best quality possible, whether it be in the delivery of lines or the precision of stage movement. “Motivating the actors and
keeping everyone in line with the overall purpose is what drives me,” Nelson said. The dedicated actors and crew members are what give the audience the best experience in the Tower Theater the moment the curtain parts. “Performances are great escapes from the routines of daily life and they have the ability to speak to us personally, sometimes in powerful ways,” Nelson said.
YODER is a feature reporter.