Liberty Journal Holiday Edition 2009 by Liberty University

Prelude to 2010?:

LU student voters deciding factor in local elections

A P I mages

Virginia Governor-Elect Bob McDonnell Delivers Acceptance Speech Nov. 3, 2009 Nostalgic Alumni Weekend draws thousands of grads

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Lett e r f r o m th e c han c e llo r

s I get to know more and more of our students, I am continually in awe of how

active they are outside the classroom. Students with CampusSERVE, Liberty’s outreach program to the community, recently picked up shovels and cleaned out a basement full of coal that one man wanted to give to a needy family. Our Students Behind Our

Liberty Journal is an official bimonthly publication of Liberty University.

P u b li s h e r Jerry Falwell, Jr. E X E C UT IVE E d ito r Ron Brown

Soldiers group received a large donation from a new movie theater that opened in

Manag i n g E d i to r Tara Maxwell

Lynchburg a few months ago, all because of their efforts to send care packages to

C ON T RIBUT ING E d ito r Becki Falwell

troops (Page 23). And many students continue to sign up for missions trips overseas. I am also encouraged by so many student-initiated events on campus. Our Student Government Association kicked off a pro-life conference in November — the largest to take place on a college campus (Page 23). And, of course, I was encouraged by our students who voted in this off-year election — many for the first time. It was through the efforts of student groups that we were able to register 1,729 new students to vote in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Their votes, as you will read on Page 6, made a significant impact on this year’s local elections. I am proud of our students, faculty and staff for exercising their civic duty. As I reconnect with our alumni, I am inspired by their efforts to change the world for Christ. Our “pioneers” of Liberty met for a reunion in September (Page 16) and I learned that their excitement for our mission here is as high as it was when they registered as Liberty’s first students. In October, many alumni returned to campus for our “Then and Now” Alumni Weekend and homecoming festivities (Page 10). During the weekend many alumni went above and beyond their duties to their alma mater by participating in a service project on campus and by signing up with our Career Center for the opportunity to mentor and employ current students. I hope the following stories of students and alumni reaching out on the Liberty campus, to the community and to the world, will encourage you this holiday season. As we remember the gift God gave that first Christmas, may we continue to give to others.

A blessed Merry Christmas to you and your family,

Jerry Falwell, Jr. Chancellor and President

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M ANAGING DESIGNER Laura Sipple ART DIRECTOR Krista Freeman D es i g n ER s Caleb Atkins Carter Wingfield Wr i te r s Mitzi Bible Sarah Blanzy Eric Brown Carmen P. Fleischauer Sarah Funderburke Tara Maxwell Johnnie Moore Karen Swallow Prior Kristen Riordan P h oto g r a p h e r s Jordan Crossingham Joel Coleman Les Schofer C i r c u lati o n Sharon Gainer B us i n es s & ADVER TISING M ANAGER Steve Peterson For the February/March advertising deadline please call Steve Peterson at (434) 582-2731. If you would like to subscribe to the Liberty Journal for one year, please send a donation of any amount to Liberty Journal, Subscription Department, 1971 University Blvd., Lynchburg, VA 24502, call (434) 592-3100 or email lj@liberty.edu. Copyright 2009 by Liberty University. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from Liberty University. All pictorial material reproduced in this book, whether in a produced ad or by itself, has been accepted on the condition that it is with the knowledge and prior consent of the photographer or the artist concerned. As such, Liberty University is not responsible for any infringement of copyright or otherwise arising out of publication thereof. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. However, Liberty University makes no warrant to the accuracy or reliability of this information. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of ownership or management.

Content S h o li day e d i t i o n 2 0 0 9

f eatu r es Th e d e c i d i n g facto r

Liberty students make an impact at the polls Th e n an d n ow

Alumni Weekend brings generations of Liberty graduates together BURNING BRIGHT

Youth-ministry ‘pioneers’ return for reunion

s ecti o n s 6

g e n e ral n ews

School of Aeronautics teams up with School of Engineering for expansion projects — 21 Stu d e nt Li f e

Dwayne Carson serves as campus pastor for more than 20 years — 28 10

s p i r itual Li f e

Students study world religions in India — 32 acad e m i c Li f e

School of Education dedicated to keeping Christ in the classroom — 35 g ivi n g bac k 28

Harold Knowles knew Dr. Jerry Falwell as pastor, boss and friend — 44 alu m n i

Stay connected with Class Notes — 49 s p o rts

LU hockey gains popularity as team continues to grow stronger — 54 54 Check out the Liberty Journal’s website with a fresh, reader-friendly look and compelling Web Exclusives at www.liberty.edu/libertyjournal.

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deciding THE

FACTOR

liberty students make an impact at the polls by M itz i B i b le P h oto g r a p hy by J o e l C o le m an

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“Tuesday, Nov. 3 marked the beginning of a new era for Liberty University,” Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. told students at convocation three days later. “Since its founding in 1971, Liberty’s dorm students have not been permitted to vote in local elections while dorm students in other universities across the United States and across the state of Virginia have been allowed to vote.” Falwell said many people go through life without ever seeing a direct impact of their votes, and Liberty students had that opportunity this year. With about 3,200 students eligible to vote locally, Liberty cancelled classes on Election Day and arranged for buses to take students to the polls at regular intervals throughout the day. Most students voted in Lynchburg’s Heritage precinct, where republican Scott Garrett unseated democratic incumbent Shannon Valentine by about 200 votes in the state House of

Delegates 23rd District race. Valentine was winning by 1,400 votes until the votes from Heritage came in — where about 2,000 Liberty students voted, Falwell said — and the results quickly turned around. As an article on Christian Newswire reported, “the stunning victory [for Garrett] is attributed solely to the voting bloc of the students, faculty and staff at Liberty University.” Falwell said he had many reasons to celebrate while attending governor-elect Bob McDonnell’s victory party in Richmond, Va. “As Becki and I celebrated with the new governor in Richmond on Tuesday night, I received word that the LU student vote was responsible for Scott Garrett’s victory,” he said. “I shared the news with the speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates and my wife snapped a picture of him giving me a high five. I was elated, not because of who won and who lost the race, but because LU students were the deciding factor in their first local election.”

Falwell expressed the significance of the event to the student body. “As I greeted our students at the polls on Tuesday I knew I was witnessing history in the making,” he said. “My father dreamed of the day when Liberty students would be treated as first-class citizens in this community, and now that day has finally arrived.” LU senior Caleb Mast, chairman of the College Republicans at Liberty, said LU’s voter turnout was a cooperative effort. On Election Day, he and his board members set up a table with refreshments at the precinct while other members of LU’s administration showed up to encourage students, including campus pastor Johnnie Moore and LU co-founder Dr. Elmer Towns, dean of the School of Religion. Mast said he saw a steady turnout of LU students, up until 3 p.m., when some of his board members, along with Dr. Ergun Caner, president and dean of Liberty Baptist pag e 8 Theological Seminary, rode

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taxes students pay while residents here, as well as the university’s plans for the future. In a letter to students, faculty and staff the eve of Election Day, Falwell said a large voter turnout from Liberty “will send a message to the city that it is not OK to impose

Falwell said the turnout was indeed monumental for LU “because never again will Liberty be required to spend tuition monies to fund city-mandated projects and never again will Liberty’s students and their families be targeted with staggering meals, lodging and sales taxes without representation in local government.” “The Lynchburg, Va., region has benefitted greatly from Liberty University economically over the decades. Now, Liberty University students will have a voice in local politics,” he added. Liberty University made national headlines last year when the school recruited about 4,000 students to register in the state of Virginia. The school set a goal of 1,500 new registrants this academic year, but surpassed that at 1,729. Political candidates made their way to campus this fall, including McDonnell, republican Bill Bolling (who was reelected Virginia’s lieutenant governor), republican Ken Cuccinelli (Virginia’s new attorney general), republican Garrett and democrat Valentine. All candidates from both parties in this year’s election were invited to speak at Liberty University. s u b m i t t e d p h oto

back to campus in a truck decorated with campaign signs and carting a huge animal made of chicken wire, and rallied more students to go vote. “They said it was pretty effective; they got to see a lot of people on campus who hadn’t voted yet,” Mast said. Mast said he was proud of the administration for helping get the word out to students to vote in this election. “They’ve done a wonderful job. They’ve been very innovative. They’ve sent campus alerts, messages, they’ve helped in convocation, sponsored a panel discussion on why it was important to register. They stressed that it’s important for our [Liberty’s] future growth and the positive impact we can have on this community.” “I think it’s clear — if Liberty students hadn’t come out, if Ergun Caner and my board members hadn’t gotten out, the election, especially for the House of Delegates race, could have had a different result,” he added. “Liberty had a direct impact on that.” Earlier in the semester Falwell began encouraging students to register to vote locally because issues before local government could have an impact on tuition and the

exorbitant taxes on LU students or impose expensive requirements on LU when the school grows.” Falwell said Liberty students accomplished that task. The local newspaper, The News & Advance, cited Lynchburg Mayor Joan Foster and City Councilman Michael Gillette as saying LU would now be recognized as a “significant factor” and a “force” in local government.

Then and Now Alumni Weekend brings generations of Liberty graduates together Thousands of alumni, representing every class since the early days of Lynchburg Baptist College to recent graduates, reconnected with former classmates, professors and friends during Liberty University’s Alumni Weekend. The nostalgic “Then and Now” October weekend was packed with exciting activities, including the Homecoming football game, tailgating and parade, bonfire, pep rally, trail race, Chancellor’s Dinner, Business Executive Luncheon, Alumni Reception, athletics events and reunions, campus tours and more. New to the mix this year were batteaux rides to Treasure Island (the site of Liberty’s early years on the James River), the new Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre, a Christian hip-hop concert, an alumni service project and a special Alumni Reception. Nearly 1,000 alumni attended the reception on Saturday, Oct. 17. “We had alumni from all decades,” said Melissa Small, Liberty University’s director of Alumni Relations. “The ‘Jeopardy!’ skit with impersonations

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of Dr. [Elmer] Towns, Dr. Danny Lovett, Dr. [Ed] Hindson and V.P. for Executive Projects and Media Reations Johnnie Moore touched on memories and brought humor to the event.” Cool temperatures and a lack of rain made for perfect fall football weather on Saturday, bringing in a large, spirited crowd to Williams Stadium to witness the Flames’ 58-13 victory over Coastal Carolina. “It was great that Liberty was able to show how the football team has grown and flourished over the years,” Small said. “A lot of alumni and former players were excited to see the program grow and were very impressed with the stadium, the attendance and the crowd participation.” Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. and his wife, Becki, participated in events throughout the weekend. Alumni especially enjoyed seeing how much the campus has changed, Falwell said, and were encouraged to see so many more students having some of the same experiences they had on Liberty Mountain.

“ “The alumni from past decades expressed their delight at the growth and prosperity they saw at Liberty, but more importantly, they were thrilled to see that Liberty remained committed to its original Christian mission,” Falwell said. “This was encouraging to all of us, and we deeply appreciate the faithfulness of our alumni in helping to make Liberty what it is today!” CHANCELLOR’S DINNER The Alumni Weekend Chancellor’s Dinner was held in Liberty’s new BarrickFalwell Lodge at the Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre, North America’s first snowless ski slope. During the steak dinner, alumni were able to watch through the lodge windows as snowboarders and skiers practiced tricks and made runs down the mountain. WorldHelp founder and Liberty graduate Vernon Brewer (’71) and son, current student Josh Brewer, were the keynote speakers of the evening. Vernon was presented the Alumnus of the Year Award by Liberty’s Alumni Relations Office. Vernon Brewer reminisced about the many warm memories he made while on campus during Liberty’s pioneer days, including the moment when he became Liberty University’s first official graduate — by default. “I transferred to Liberty and finished my degree work in one year while I served on staff at Thomas Road Baptist Church,” Brewer told the room full of alumni. “I remember there were eight of us at that

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first Commencement, and Dr. Falwell was so proud. We wore choir robes and no one’s last name began with an ‘A’ and mine began with a ‘B’, so not because of any academic distinction on my part, but just by luck of the draw I became the first graduate, and I’m very proud to be a part of this university.” Brewer’s son Josh, a sophomore studying criminal justice and strategic intelligence, spoke on what the campus and student body are like today. “We have such a great support system here, and I think that’s what makes Liberty still such a success,” Josh said. “Students will go out of their way to help other people.” Josh also recognized the role that alumni had in shaping the school, as many alumni even helped to physically build and renovate campus buildings when the school did not have a maintenance crew. “I just want to say thank you to all of you alumni. Thank you for everything you have done to make this university what it is,” he said. Chancellor Falwell also spoke at the event and told alumni how Snowflex has become an important recruitment tool for Liberty and is the fulfillment of his father’s, Jerry Falwell, Sr.’s, goal to “use every available means to reach every available person.” For many non-local alumni, the weekend marked their first exposure to LMSC. “The alumni really enjoyed their time on Snowflex,” Small said. “They skied,

tubed and took lessons. People who had been here two, 10 or 20 years ago all were blown away.” BUSINESS EXECUTIVE LUNCHEON Alumni Weekend’s second annual Business Executive Luncheon brought business alumni and local businesses together for an opportunity to further support the university. Hosted by Liberty’s Alumni Relations Office and the Career Center, the luncheon helped to make connections with local community business owners and alumni for the opportunity to mentor and employ current Liberty students. Business executives are encouraged to become mentors by sharing life experience, one-on-one networking, job shadowing and internships. Business is one of the top three majors at the university and one in 10 students major in business. “Alumni and local businesses that support Liberty are crucial to our current students and our future,” Small told attendees. Small also thanked alumni and local businesses for the roles they have already played in the lives of many Liberty students. During the meal, three Liberty alumni shared about their experiences at Liberty and how their education helped them in their current business endeavors. Josh Oppenheimer (’96) of Prototype Advertising attributed his success in the business world to much of what he

Karl Rove visits Liberty; Sean Hannity ‘phones in’ Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. promised students, faculty and staff a bigname speaker for the Friday convocation that kicked off Alumni Weekend. Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity was scheduled, but cancelled the day before due to illness. Within five minutes of receiving an email from Falwell, Karl Rove, former White House Deputy Chief of Staff, responded with a “yes.” Rove, who served as President George W. Bush’s senior adviser from learned at Liberty. He said he is also thankful for the meaningful friendships he was able to build and keep with people he met as a student. Audrey MacDowell (’90) with Mary Kay spoke about the importance of growing in your relationship with God. “As leaders it’s important we have a mentor and that we be a mentor to others,” MacDowell emphasized. “I was molded spiritually here and mentored by godly leaders.” Vernon Brewer (’71) was also present for this event. He reminisced about the early days as a student. He also spoke about how Dr. Jerry Falwell encouraged him to “depend on God by faith” through his teaching and by example. The luncheon came to a close following the warm regards of Rex Hammond, president of the Lynchburg

2001-07, was Liberty’s commencement speaker in 2004. Before Rove took the stage, he said he was glad to be returning to the campus. “It’s a great school. It’s inspired vision — I mean, you think about how far it’s come so quickly,” he said. “I was really impressed when I came here several years ago, with the students. So many of them are the first in their families to go to college, it’s a diverse student body — all 50 states, 80 countries.” After Rove’s talk, Falwell surprised the students by calling Hannity and playing the call on the Vines Center speakers.

Hannity, who last spoke at Liberty in April 2007, was at LU’s 2005 Commencement, where he received an honorary degree. “This is the future leadership of America. … Right now this country is in need of a lot of leadership,” he said. “There’s a lot of kids there who are going into a lot of different fields. I’m really looking forward to people of faith, people of principle, people with character, people with good values taking those positions of leadership; there’s no telling where that will take this student body, when they graduate, when they go out into the world.”

Chamber of Commerce. “Liberty is itself an important economic force in our community and an essential part of our sector of colleges and universities that play such an important role in our regional economy.”

that put this on. Everyone joined in to make sure the alumni felt welcomed and at home.” “Then and Now” was selected as the weekend’s theme because of Liberty’s continuous growth and development over a relatively short span of existence. “The whole university has been through such rapid change, and identifying with each alumnus and making them feel like this is their school is very important to us,” Small said. “A lot of alumni were able to identify with what they remember from their time here, on top of the people they knew, to relate to the campus, professors and experiences they had here.”

A GROUP EFFORT Small said the involvement of many members of the Liberty community led to the success of this year’s Alumni Weekend. “The deans were very involved this year, hosting open houses, putting together alumni panels, participating in the reception and providing opportunities for alumni to connect with their past professors,” she said. “Everyone really got involved this year. From the Career Center to Athletics to the faculty and staff — it wasn’t just the Alumni office

Mitzi Bible, Carmen P. Fleischauer, Sarah Funderburke and Tara Maxwell contributed to this story. li b e rty j o u r nal

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Burning Bright BY sar ah f u n d e r b u r k e

LU youth-ministry ‘pioneers’ return for special reunion When Liberty University opened its doors in 1971 as Lynchburg Baptist College, many of its first students were asked to pick up a hammer and help build the dorms. These pioneer-style days brought many Liberty students together in a shared mission. It didn’t matter to these students if they had nice dormitories and campus facilities; they were passionate about learning and ministry — and if that meant they had to put up a few walls on the way, so be it.

Gordon Luff, Liberty University’s first Youth Ministry professor and dean of students, visited Liberty’s campus during a reunion in September.

J o e l C o le man

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That unique bond hasn’t diminished in the past 38 years, and on Sept. 10-13 more than 300 of these Liberty alumni attended a reunion for Youth Ministry majors and students who participated in youth ministry-related organizations on campus, including Youth Aflame. The reunion was a four-day event featuring tours of Liberty’s campus, lunch with Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. at the Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre, a Youth Aflame banquet, Liberty’s first home football game of the season, a cookout and more. Gordon Luff, Liberty’s first Youth Ministry professor and dean of students, was the keynote speaker at the Youth Aflame banquet. “In those days, on any given weekend there was no student body on campus. They were out running programs at Thomas Road [Baptist Church], or they were out in ministry,” Luff said. The dedication of Liberty’s first students surprised Luff when he arrived on campus in 1971. Although he was excited to help Liberty start up its youth ministry major, he had not anticipated that the entire student body would become part of that movement. There were 37 youth ministry majors that first year, but most other students on campus also got involved with their events. “If you wanted to do something on campus you hung around with the youth ministry guys,” Richard Zazuetta (’75) said. Luff wanted to create youth events that would appeal to the new generation of students. He hoped that Liberty’s new degree program would initiate some positive changes in the field of youth ministry. “The Youth Aflame philosophy is very distinct. It’s a movement that said traditional methods of church youth work were not working and new and innovative ideas were necessary to change that,” Luff explained. “The primary one being the training of a professional person to lead the youth program, and that necessitates at least a college degree.” When Liberty created an entire major specifically focused on youth ministry in 1971, it was one of the first colleges in the country to do so. Luff, who had been working in the youth ministry field for more than 10 years at that point, felt that many churches didn’t understand the importance of youth groups and youth pag e 18

“Without these pioneering students … and the sacrifices they were willing to make, I’m not sure it would have been possible to build a university like this from scratch.” — Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr.

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To find out about other reunions and alumni events at Liberty and in your area, please contact the Alumni Relations Office at alumni@liberty.edu or (800) 628 –7973.

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Visit www.liberty.edu/libertyjournal to check out a Web Exclusive written by Liberty alumnus Nelson Keener (’76) about the Youth Aflame reunion. An excerpt from Keener’s blog: “Did our shared experiences with Jerry Falwell and LBC in those early years make an indelible impression on us? Most definitely. And it was an experience that will never be replicated. We were privileged with an opportunity to which most LU students since the ’80s cannot relate. Students don’t usually go off to college expecting to have to build their own dorm rooms. But, we laid carpet, hauled in bunk beds, set up kitchens, took long bus trips to Pittsburgh, performed school assemblies, and staged Jerry Falwell rallies and banquets across the country. Not to mention giving college students a vision for working with youth.”

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programs and events. A handful of kids attempting to cook hot dogs over a small campfire was not Luff’s idea of what youth group activities should look like. Luff wanted the students in Liberty’s youth ministry program to see youth work as a vital part of the church’s ministry — not an afterthought. “My first salary as a youth pastor was $10 a week,” Luff said. “I had to teach at the Christian school attached to the church in order to survive.” One of Luff’s first events sponsored by the school’s youth ministry program is still among LU’s most popular outreach tools: Scaremare. Luff also started the western round-ups, which were held in an old dairy barn on campus, before anything was built on the property. Luff said his motto was, “If you’re gonna throw an event, do it first class and do it with enthusiasm.” Today Luff’s first students and volunteers are spread across the world and are involved in a variety of career fields, churches and ministries. “They are teaching youth work all over the world, and they even get paid enough to live now,” Luff joked. Falwell recognized this group during a reunion luncheon Friday, Sept. 11 at the new Barrick-Falwell Lodge at the Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre and at Friday morning convocation. “Without these pioneering students ... and the sacrifices they were willing to make, I’m not sure it would have been possible to build a university like this from scratch,” Falwell said during convocation. “The university owes a great debt of gratitude ... for the investment they made in the lives of students in the 1970s. They represent one of the most critical and important chapters in the rich history of this institution.” Liberty co-founder Dr. Elmer Towns also spoke at the luncheon and told the alumni they were an amazing group for believing in the mission of the college before there were any buildings on campus. “We wanted to be as grounded in the local church and evangelism as possible,” Towns said. “You made that possible. I don’t believe that any school has trained as many people for ministry as Liberty University.”

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WRVL announces expansion BY S A R A H F U N D E R B U R K E

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WRVL station manager Jerry Edwards poses in the studio on Liberty’s campus.

LU’s transit system wins national award

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Liberty University news and athletic events will soon be reaching the ears of 2 million more people. WRVL “Victory FM,” a non-commercial broadcast station on Liberty’s campus, will purchase four new full-power radio stations and two translator radio stations in North Carolina from Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa in Santa Ana, Calif. WRVL, at 88.3 in Lynchburg, Va., will begin streaming its broadcasts over the new stations in early February. WRVL airs the Flames Sports Network, local weather, music and top Christian radio programs, including “Focus on the Family” and “Answers in Genesis.” Although the new stations are located in North Carolina, they will allow Liberty’s broadcast network to reach several new areas in Virginia, including Virginia Beach, Suffolk and Newport News. “This has been the most exciting experience of my broadcast career,” said WRVL station manager Jerry Edwards. He said the expansion continues the dream of Liberty’s former chancellor, Jerry Falwell, Sr., who wanted to eventually broadcast WRVL in every city in Virginia and northern North Carolina. The four full-power stations being purchased are WGPS-FM (88.3) in Elizabeth City, WAJC-FM (90.5) in Zebulon (near Raleigh-Durham), WPGT-FM (91.1) in Roanoke Rapids and WJIJ-FM (94.3) in Norlina. The new translator (low-power) stations will take WRVL’s signal and broadcast it on an available radio channel in another area. The new stations necessitate more work for the WRVL staff, including creating weather forecasts separately for each of the new areas. “We have a small staff at WRVL, but they are all very dedicated, hardworking people,” Edwards said. “None of this could have been accomplished if they were not on board with pag e 42 this decision.”

The Greater Lynchburg Transit Company (GLTC), the bus system contracted by Liberty University, received the 2009 Outstanding Transit System Achievement Award from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). GLTC has made the impossible possible at Liberty. Since January 2007, GLTC buses have reduced LU’s traffic congestion, providing rides for the school’s growing student body, which now stands at 11,900. The 13-bus fleet includes six brand new Gillig low floor buses and one hybrid diesel-electric bus operating a 10-route system. Because of the transit system, LU was

also able to house students off campus at The Lynchburg Inn. GLTC also transports students to retail and grocery stores, movie theaters and other attractions that allow students to participate in Lynchburg’s commodities. “We have a great mass transit system at the lowest possible cost, and our students can travel anywhere in the city by simply showing their Liberty ID,” said Lee Beaumont, Liberty’s director of Auxiliary Services. He said Liberty has approximately 2 million riders on GLTC buses annually, representing about 65 percent of all ridership in the city. “As a result of this partnership, the student body can traverse the town in an environmentally friendly manner while reducing cars on university roads and in university parking lots,” Beaumont said. Virginia Gov. Timothy Kaine said GLTC is setting an example in the industry, “as pag e 42 we work at the state and

Future focus School of Aeronautics joins forces with School of Engineering for expansion projects

Joe l Cole man

BY Ca r m e n P. F le i s c hau e r

Liberty University’s School of Aeronautics (SOA) and School of Engineering and Computational Sciences (SECS) have recently formed a partnership due to rapid growth in both programs. After the decision to collaborate, Gen. David Young, dean of the School of Aeronautics, and Dr. Ron Sones, dean of the School of Engineering and Computational Sciences, began a joint building campaign this year. “We agreed to join forces with the primary reason to raise both of these facilities from the ground,” Sones said. “Since then, it’s blossomed in that we are seeing areas for academic collaboration between the schools as well. One of the first will be in welding.” The School of Aeronautics facility, to be located at the Lynchburg Regional Airport, will allow the SOA to utilize a

secondary runway not frequently used by the airport and help prepare superior aviators to enter careers in the U.S. Armed Forces, commercial aviation and missionary aviation. This state-of-the-art training and administrative center will provide additional classroom space with flight operation, maintenance and hangar facilities for training fixed wing and helicopter pilots, aeronautical engineers, air traffic controllers and aviation mechanics. According to Young, “The development of the facility will give us the capacity to grow to somewhere between 500 and 1,000 students.” Liberty’s School of Aeronautics is the largest flight school in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the second largest faithbased university level flight school in the U.S. It is also the only faith-based aviation school to offer helicopter training and is one of only three universities

in the U.S. to offer both airplane and helicopter training. The School of Engineering’s new facilities will be located adjacent to Campus East and include research and teaching labs, classrooms, offices, technology libraries and study areas. “With these buildings we will be able … to expand our current student body of just under 500 students to a significantly greater number,” said Sones. The facilities, each designed to appear in the shape of a cross from an aerial view, will allow for future growth in instruction and research in the areas of aeronautical, mechanical and intelligence-related engineering. Business executives, government officials and university administrators met in September to learn about the SOA and SECS partnership and each program’s needs. Young and Sones shared the vision of their respective schools. As the university continues to grow, the addition of research and technical degrees are rounding out the academic programs, they said, truly making Liberty University the top Christian university in the nation. Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. discussed the growth of Liberty and how enhanced academic programs further the school’s goals to improve the quality of programs and facilities. “These schools are taking us beyond what a liberal arts college usually offers … to research and technical training that we’ve never had before, and we’re excited about it,” Falwell said.

For information about the SOA and the SECS, visit www.liberty.edu/aviation and www.liberty.edu/engineering.

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News brief S University Happenings

Astronaut takes piece of Liberty into space

Flames basketball part of ESPN marathon The Flames hosted their first-ever ACC opponent — the Clemson Tigers — in a packed Vines Center the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 17. The game drew even more fans than usual, as it was televised nationally for ESPN’s second annual College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon, which featured 12 consecutive live college basketball games in 24 hours. Liberty’s match-up was game six of the marathon. Last season, the Flames went down to the wire with the Tigers in Littlejohn Coliseum, as Clemson edged Liberty 80-75. The No. 22 Tigers pulled away with a 79-39 win Nov. 17. Students were excused from classes for the 10 a.m. game, and faculty and staff had the option to attend. The crowd exceeded capacity at more than 8,100. On Wednesday morning, Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. addressed the student body at convocation, thanking them for a great show of school spirit. “I’ve always heard that our real strength is our students, and that came through on the television program yesterday.”

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He said although the Flames did not perform well against nationally ranked Clemson, “the real victory was the national exposure ... the world really saw what a Christian university is all about.” He said the ESPN announcers were impressed with the hospitality they received and with the opportunities Liberty athletes have. One Liberty grad was more excited than most to be a part of the game. Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary graduate Eddie Verstraete mixed the audio for ESPN HD. “It was a humbling and exciting experience to come back to Liberty and be a part of ESPN’s College Hoops Tip-off Marathon broadcast,” he said. “The producer, director and announcers were wonderful to work with and our crew did a wonderful job covering it.” Verstraete, who graduated with his bachelor’s degree in 2004, M.A.R. in 2006 and M.R.E. in 2007, has been working as a freelancer for ESPN for four years.

Just over a year and half ago, Liberty University welcomed NASA astronaut Leland Melvin as a main speaker at a weekly convocation service. In November, the Lynchburg, Va., native took a piece of Liberty University with him into space. According to Dave Young, dean of Liberty University’s School of Aeronautics, Melvin requested to take a token of the university with him on his second space mission, which launched Nov. 16 for the International Space Station. A School of Aeronautics patch was selected. “The School of Aeronautics is honored that Leland chose our patch to take into space,” Young said. “He is a wonderful example to our students of what can be achieved through faith and hard work.” Back in Lynchburg, the community — including Liberty University — has dubbed Melvin a “hometown hero.” At Liberty’s April 7, 2008, convocation, Melvin was honored by Lynchburg Mayor Joan Foster, who read a proclamation declaring “Monday, April 7, 2008, Leland Melvin Day.”

Liberty Army ROTC cadet among top 10 in nation

Student non-profit receives large donation from city’s new theater Liberty University’s Students Behind Our Soldiers received a $16,000 donation from Regal Entertainment Group on Oct. 8. The student non-profit organization was chosen as one of the charities to benefit from a grand opening promotion at the new Regal theater at River Ridge mall in Lynchburg. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday that week, the theater held $1 movie nights, with a portion of the proceeds going to a different local charity each night. Wednesday was Liberty’s night, with every show sold out. “We had the largest number out of the three charities that they donated to,” said Mandi Forth, the group’s founder and staff adviser. “And apparently these were the largest numbers ever seen for these charity days that Regal holds every time they open a new theater. It was very exciting.” Students Behind Our Soldiers started in the fall of 2007. The organization collects nonperishable food, videos, basic toiletries and other items for care packages to ship to soldiers whose names are submitted by students or community members. They also sponsor events for Liberty’s Military Appreciation Week in November and other patriotic activities throughout the year.

After almost four years of challenging academic and physical training in Liberty University’s Reserved Officers Training Corp (ROTC), senior Alex Woody has been named one of the top 10 U.S. Army ROTC recruits in the nation. Out of 4,702 cadets, he ranked No. 8. Between their junior and senior year, ROTC recruits are ranked nationally, based on college performance in ROTC training, GPA, professor evaluations, extracurricular activities, jobs and more. Woody is currently Liberty’s ROTC battalion commander and has earned both his Airborne and Air Assault wings. He also serves as a Spiritual Life Director on campus. He has a 3.96 overall GPA and is a candidate for the Marshall Scholarship. Even as a child Woody knew he wanted to enter the Armed Forces. Although he can’t quite put his finger on any one person or thing

SGA hosts pro-life conference The Student Government Association held its first-ever pro-life conference in November called R.O.S.E. – Reclaiming Other’s Sacred Existence. In response to the 50 million lives that were ended before taking a first breath, students at Liberty felt called to take action and educate others on the significance of the

that inspired this goal, it was an ambition that remained unchanged when he graduated from his Bedford, Mich., high school in 2006. Woody, a Biblical Studies major, feels called to serve as an Army chaplain and plans to enroll in seminary upon graduating in May, along with 15 other Liberty Army ROTC cadets. There are currently 126 cadets in Liberty Army ROTC, which operates as a satellite of University of Virginia ROTC. Woody’s ranking is the highest ever for a Liberty or UVA cadet. tragedy in hopes that their generation will be the force to put an end to abortion. The conference kicked off with a convocation dedicated to the pro-life cause featuring special guest Norma McCorvey, who was the plaintiff “Jane Roe” in the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court case of 1973. McCorvey, who was an active abortion proponent in her early 20s, has since become a Christian and dedicated her life to overturning the very case she originally won. As part of R.O.S.E., LU welcomed Congressmen Bob Goodlatte (R-VA-6th District) and Trent Franks (R-AZ-2nd District). The two representatives spoke at a “Politics of Abortion” seminar in the Schilling Center, where they gave updates on abortion-sensitive legislation circulated in Congress and participated in a question-and answer session. li b e rty j o u r nal

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Historic U.S. Capitol marble mantel returns home to LU Liberty University recently arranged for the return of a historical marble mantel to the Carter Glass Mansion on campus. Liberty’s main campus sits on the former estate of multi-term U.S. Sen. Carter Glass, who, during his many years in Washington, acquired two marble mantels that were originally in our nation’s second Capitol — after the first Capitol was burned by the British in the War of 1812. Glass installed the mantels in his new

home, which he called “Montview,” in 1923. But when Liberty acquired the home in 1977, the terms of the contract provided that the previous owners, Daniel and Hallie Bowman, would retain the mantels. Now some family members have found it fitting to return one of the mantels, which was installed at the home. The offices of Liberty founder Dr. Jerry Falwell and current Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. were located in the home from 1990 to 2007. After Dr. Falwell’s death, plans were made for the home to be renovated into a

bed and breakfast used by special guests to the university. Four upstairs bedrooms have been restored to fit the 1920s period. Downstairs, the dining room, sitting room, study and kitchen have also been restored. Dr. Falwell’s office remains exactly as he left it when he died on May 15, 2007. The Carter Glass Mansion is open for tours. Call (434) 582-7678.

Snowflex Centre featured in U.S. Airways magazine

Dr. Jerry Falwell honored in Christian Hall of Fame Dr. Jerry Falwell, founder of Liberty University, was honored in an induction ceremony for the Christian Hall of Fame on Sept. 23 at Canton Baptist Temple in Canton, Ohio. Pastor Mike Frazier of Canton Baptist Temple presented a large portrait of Dr. Falwell to Jonathan Falwell, son of Jerry Falwell and pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church. The portrait will hang in the halls of Canton Baptist Temple among 124 enshrinees. For many years, Canton Baptist Temple was one of the 10 largest churches in America. In 1966, Harold Henniger, then pastor, felt there should be a hall of fame in the United States to recognize the influence of the great

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heroes of the faith throughout the centuries. (The Football Hall of Fame for the National Football League is located in Canton). Today the church’s Christian Hall of Fame is a broadbased representation of history makers and those who influence the world today, including the Apostle Paul, Martin Luther, John Wesley and Charles Finney, among others. “Jerry Falwell, Sr. is honored for having been one of the great heroes of the faith in the last century and this century until his death May 15, 2007,” said Frazier. The induction ceremony was held during the annual meeting of the pastors of Baptist Bible Fellowship. Jonathan Falwell spoke in appreciation for his father, noting the great lessons he learned while serving with him at Thomas Road Baptist Church. Jonathan Falwell was also the featured speaker that evening.

Liberty University’s Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre was highlighted as a unique part of Lynchburg recreational life in the November issue of U.S. Airways in-flight magazine. The magazine featured the city of Lynchburg’s historic sites, unique restaurants, shopping and outdoor recreational opportunities in its “Keys to the City” section. The article included a centerfold two-page photo of LU student Luke Fosse in the air as he did a back-flip at Snowflex. The photo, taken by Becki Falwell, was the same one that appeared on the cover of the October/ November 2009 Liberty Journal. Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. told the magazine that Liberty strives to offer “all the events and programs that are available at major secular public and private institutions.” The article also noted Liberty’s stateof-the-art School of Aeronautics facilities, which can accommodate up to 500 students. Go to www.usairwaysmag.com/city_ profiles/city/lynchburg to read the articles in their entirety.

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A New Generation of Christian Publishing Students attend See You At The Pole — a day early Nearly 3,000 Liberty University students gathered in the Vines Center on Sept. 22 for the annual See You At The Pole (SYATP) rally to pray for their schools, leaders and nation. Hundreds of thousands of students gathered around flagpoles on school campuses around the country on Sept. 23, marking 20 years for the student-led movement. Liberty maintained its tradition of holding its own event the day before to make it easier for students to attend classes on time. It also gives them a chance to pray for those who will be gathering the next day. “People keep telling me that this is so

creative,” said Liberty’s Vice President of Spiritual Development Dwayne Carson, who has been organizing the event for about 20 years. “We don’t just have a quick prayer over one or two things. We are praying over the multitude of different aspects of this university.” Liberty students from every state and from China, Africa, Brazil, Mexico, Australia and Europe came to pray for America’s government, Liberty’s administration, staff and the U.S. Armed Forces. Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. and his wife, Becki, attended the event.

‘Hands Off My Health Care’ rally held at DeMoss Hall The Virginia chapter of Americans for Prosperity and former Gov. George Allen held a grassroots rally in DeMoss Hall Oct. 14. The group’s red, white and blue-colored tour bus, clad with “Hands off my health care!” and “Joinpatientsfirst.com,” rolled into a dark and rainy DeMoss Hall lot, but stepping into the DeMoss lobby Allen and crew were met by an enthusiastic crowd that shared their concerns about health care reforms. Allen was joined by Virginia Del. Kathy Byron (R-22 District), candidate for Virginia House of Delegates Scott Garrett (23rd District) and Ben Marchi, Virginia state director of Americans for Prosperity. Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. also

attended and addressed the crowd. The group solicited support for an initiative that would limit government control of health care reform. Allen said they wanted “to make sure that the people — the owners of the government — have a say, not just the sanctimonious social engineers in Washington or the United Nations.”

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Crew team fares well in first competition On Sunday, Oct. 25, the new Liberty University Crew Team took one giant stroke toward establishing a successful rowing program at Liberty. The men’s and women’s teams placed in their first regatta, Head of the Lafayette, in Norfolk, Va.

LU student youngest to finish 100-mile ultramarathon Students at Liberty University find every way possible to be Champions for Christ. Junior Math major Scott Taylor proved his champion qualities this fall when he became the youngest competitor to finish this year’s Grindstone 100-mile Ultramarathon in the Shenandoah Mountains of Virginia. The Grindstone is known as the hardest 100-mile ultramarathon on the East Coast, covering 100.2 miles. Taylor started training in May, running 80 to 90 miles a week and maintaining a strict diet. His five months of training paid off with a 43rd finish out of the 62 participants who were able to complete the race; there were 83 runners in all. Taylor began running at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 2 and finished at 1:55 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 4 for a total of 31 hours and 55 minutes. Taylor had great support from Liberty. His Advanced Running teacher, Dr. David Horton,

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The teams competed in four events: Collegiate 8+ (both Men’s and Women’s) and Collegiate 4+ (Men’s and Women’s); “4” and “8” denote the number of rowers in the boat. The Women’s 4+ team took third place; the Men’s Collegiate 4+ team finished fourth, three seconds behind the College of William & Mary. In the 8+ competition, the men’s boat finished fifth behind Old Dominion University

known around Liberty as “The Runner,” came out at mile 66 to cheer him on. His friend Jaime Azuaje ran the race as well, and three friends from Liberty assisted by running alongside him and offering food, drink and clean clothes. The rest of the time all Taylor had was a headlamp and the light of the moon to keep him company over the mountainous terrain. “Grindstone was really the start of something that I hope to continue,” Taylor said. Taylor, originally from Michigan, ran three years for his high school’s cross country and track team. His first marathon was the Richmond Marathon in November 2007, after which he declared to never run again because of the excruciating pain. His love for the sport kept him going, however, as he ran the same marathon the following year. Upon coming to Liberty University, Taylor decided to continue pursuing his passion for long-distance running with Horton’s help. He enrolled in Horton’s class, which is known for being extremely demanding. As part of

and beating out a crew from William & Mary. Liberty University Crew formed as a club sport in March. At the helm is coach Mark Furler, an experienced rower and alumnus of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y. The teams are also coached by Ashley McCowen Botterill. A graduate and former coach at Princeton University, Botterill helped the Tigers capture an NCAA title in 1997. LU crew members have been undergoing a variety of workouts in and out of the water since spring. Students are able to use LU’s Ivy Lake, located just outside Lynchburg, for training. When not on the lake, the athletes practice on the upper level of LU’s LaHaye Ice Center on rowing machines called ergs. Crew is just one facet of Liberty’s Club Sports Department. For more information about Liberty Crew, email crew@liberty.edu.

Scott Taylor, left, stands with Dr. David Horton, his Advanced Running teacher, at Mile 66 of the race.

the class, all students are encouraged to run a 50K. “Dr. Horton’s class made me love running again, and that was what it was about for me,” he said.

“I am not a

belIever,

but I have the utmost respect for Jesus Christ. I believe he was the most influential person who ever lived.”

—Larry King

Snowshoe Open draws large crowd to Snowflex Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre hosted the first Snowshoe Open on Friday, Nov. 13, drawing more than 70 skiers and snowboarders and more than 700 spectators to Liberty University’s new year-round ski slope. The event, sponsored by Snowshoe Mountain Resort in Snowshoe, W.Va., began with an afternoon Open Jam Session. A panel of judges selected competition finalists from the crowd throughout the day. Event finals began at 10 p.m., with skiers and riders competing in both Big Air and Rail Jam competitions. The event was filmed by Fuel TV for its College Tour 2010.

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Shaping spiritual leadership Pastor Dwayne Carson serves as campus pastor, mentor for more than 20 years

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Campus Pastor Dwayne Carson speaks to students at Campus East in October. Carson is LU’s vice president for Spiritual Development. BY sar ah b l an z y

In 1984, a young man came to Liberty University and was assigned a room in Dorm 18-1. That young man came to get an education, and he still hasn’t left. Born on a 1,300-acre farm in Madison Heights, Va., Dwayne Carson was raised in a religious home, and his family attended a small Methodist church. When he was 12, he began to realize he would be a church leader someday. At 18, Carson led the Easter sunrise service at his church. In front of the congregation, the preacher looked at Carson and told him that one day he would be a pastor. Although Carson was not yet a Christian, he

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knew this was the call of God on his life. After Carson graduated from high school, his “religion” wasn’t strong enough to keep him close to the Lord, and he strayed from the faith of his childhood. He stopped going to church and was determined to live his own life, thinking he didn’t really need God. A young churchgoer invited him to Sunday service. Carson sat on the back row and shortly after, he surrendered his heart to Jesus on Feb. 15, 1983. Most of his life, God was part of his religion, but on that night, Carson recalls, “I called Him Father.” A year later, Carson came to Liberty University. Little did he know that when he set foot on Liberty Mountain, he would spend not only four years earning a degree, but a

good part of the rest of his life serving there. Within the first week, Carson was asked to become a prayer leader (PL). This position opened his eyes to the powerful ministry that Liberty’s student leadership program offers. He became a resident assistant (RA) the following year. Carson graduated in 1987 and attended Liberty’s seminary. After graduation Carson met with Dr. Jerry Falwell, Sr. to discuss potential job opportunities at Thomas Road Baptist Church, and the idea of hiring campus pastors for Liberty University was discussed. Falwell asked if Carson would be interested. Carson responded, “Yeah, I like working with college students.” “Who

knew,” he said recently, “that that statement … would now have me in my 21st year as a campus pastor?” On June 4, 1988, Carson married Donita Hershey, whom he met at Liberty. When he arrived home from his honeymoon, he received a call from Rob Jackson, the associate dean of men, telling him that Falwell had hired them both as campus pastors. Carson was given the responsibility of Sunday school, directing prayer leaders and leading a “team called Spiritual Life Directors (SLDs),” he said. At the time, Carson wasn’t sure that Liberty needed SLDs, and began to work with the prayer leaders. Six weeks later Carson was overwhelmed and realized he did, in fact, need SLDs. SLDs help administrate the spiritual programs

that foster spiritual development of the students on their hall. They also take a primary role with PLs to minister, mentor and equip them for their ministry. LU has more than 900 PLs and more than 200 SLDs. Carson has seen the Office of Student Leadership (OSL) grow in ways that could only have been dreamed about 20 years ago. “A lot of what we have been wanting to see is now in place,” Carson said. The OSL is currently working to encourage its alumni to become more actively involved in supporting the ministry through prayer, finances, networking and more. Carson expressed excitement about the OSL alumni whose children come to Liberty with the mindset of serving on student leadership. “It creates incredible momen-

tum for the student leadership program,” Carson said. Much of Carson’s work in student leadership has been influenced and shaped by the teachings of John Maxwell — personally, as well as through books — Tim Elmore and conferences such as Catalyst. However, Carson says, “I credit, without question, Dr. Elmer Towns for his incredible support. He just has a way of inspiring you to want to be your very best for God.” “I think there would be a major void at this university in accomplishing the mission of Training Champions for Christ without the Office of Student Leadership,” Carson said. “Make no mistake, there is only one real reason I’m at Liberty University — because of the vision that we get to Train Champions for Christ.”

Below: More than 200 students took part in the Student Leadership Orientation held in the Schilling Center in August.

GET TO KNOW DWAYNE CARSON Favorite Food: Steak and Lobster Favorite Movie: Miracle Favorite Book: The Bible Favorite Band: Casting Crowns Favorite Vacation Spot: Historical Williamsburg Favorite Quote: “Though you cannot go back and make a brand new start, you can start today with Christ and make a brand new end.” –John Maxwell Favorite Scripture: Joshua 24:15 j e r o m e st u r m

“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

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A brave new world Graduate student creates fictional realm in fantasy novel

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Liberty University graduate student Paul Watson signs copies of his novel, “Protect,” at the campus Barnes & Noble bookstore in October. by car m e n P. f le i s c hau e r

When Liberty University graduate student Paul Watson recently published his first novel, “Protect,” he did not stick to typical fantasy characters like wizards, elves and dwarfs, but created his own races. “More malevolent races and characters have a gothic font when they talk, and more elegant characters have a cursive font,” Watson says. Even at a young age, Watson began creating elaborate characters and plot lines. As a teenager he worked with video game making software to invent entire new worlds and species of characters. He lost his work due to a computer crash, but the world and characters stayed in his mind un-

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til he brought them to life again in 2004 as a freshman at Liberty University. Having always been interested in books like “The Lord of the Rings” and “Star Wars,” Watson decided to try his hand at developing his own alternate world. When “five pages became 91,” he knew he needed to finish the story. “All in all it took about two and a half years for the first draft. During that time I took about a six-month hiatus and worked on another project. I finished [the novel] in April 2007,” Watson recalls. After completing the first draft, Watson sought help from Dr. Elmer Towns, Liberty co-founder and dean of the School of Religion. Towns introduced Watson to Les Stobbe of the Christian Writers Guild, and

together they taught Watson how to write a proposal and present it to publishers. Their efforts turned into a contract from Tate Publishing in July 2008. Curtis Wrinkle, executive editor at Tate Publishing, said “Protect” is one of the best fantasy projects he’s worked on. “Paul’s story was well structured and his setting and characters were unique and well defined … the story was incredibly easy to jump into and become a part of — full of plot twists, fascinating characters and intriguing subplots,” Wrinkle says. “Protect” is currently being sold in local Barnes & Noble bookstore locations; those who purchase the book will receive a free audio version. To check out more about “Protect,” visit www.protectnovel.com or go to the Protect Novel by Paul J. Watson Facebook page. MEET THE AUTHOR Originally from Raleigh, N.C., Paul Watson met and was impacted by the late Dr. Jerry Falwell at his high school, North Raleigh Christian Academy. After attending Liberty University events — College For A Weekend and Friendly Fridays — Watson felt that God was calling him here. He completed an undergraduate degree in communication studies with a specialization in mass media and is now in the final year of his master’s of communication studies degree. Choosing to stay at Liberty for his master’s seemed like an obvious choice. His acceptance into the program as a graduate student assistant (GSA) also helped to solidify that decision. “This university has had a huge impact on my life … I know that this is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.” After graduation in May 2010, Watson plans to utilize his creativity in the workplace. He is also currently working on a prequel to “Protect.”

LU offers residential opportunity for graduate students Liberty University offers residential master’s programs in the departments of Communication Studies, English and Modern Languages, History, Ethnomusicology, and the Center for Counseling and Family Studies and Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Fred Milacci, Dean of Academic Administration for the Graduate School, talks about Liberty’s unique graduate options: Q. How do residential programs differ from online programs?

Q. What are the advantages to choosing a residential graduate program? A. There is something about coming here and picking up the vibe of Liberty University. There’s that educational component, but on a broader level, I like the fact that students get to come and really experience and see Liberty for what it is. Another thing is that residential students are able to have prolonged interaction with our core faculty — professors who are the heart and soul of our programs. Q. Can you explain the role of graduate assistants? A. Yes. We have almost 200 graduate student assistants who assist faculty in

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A. The vast majority of our graduate students are online, but several of the online programs have residential components, called intensives. Intensives serve to communicate core competencies that are best learned in a face-toface environment. With the programs that are uniquely residential, the disciplines are, again, best delivered in a face-to-face environment. Another advantage is that in each of those programs we hire graduate student assistants who help teach at the undergraduate level.

Dr. Fred Milacci is dean of academic administration for the graduate school at Liberty University.

a variety of ways including teaching at the undergraduate level, grading, advising and doing research. [Having assistants is] a real win for the institution and it’s a win for the students because they are paid a stipend, and their tuition is taken care of. They also get experience, and it’s really good for their resume. Q. What would you say to students who are looking at the resident graduate programs? A. Faith integration is what makes us unique. If a student wants a solid academic degree, to learn professional and personal integrity by example and then to have all that fused with the content of a Christian worldview, then there’s no better place than Liberty University. Nobody does a better job of blending the

academics, which we’re really good at, and melding it with the ethics and core content of Christian truth. It’s more than just reading a Bible verse or praying. We really emphasize how our worldview informs a particular vocation or career field. As a Christian educator, I’m always interested in hope. We want to offer people hope — our students and whomever we are training. Formed in fall 2008, the Graduate School at Liberty University guides the university’s schools and academic departments in developing and maintaining distinctively Christian and academically excellent graduate programs. Visit www.liberty.edu/graduate for a complete listing of residential, online and blended program options. li b e rty j o u r nal

s p i r itual Li f e

Students study world religions in India

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by j o h n n i e m o o r e

After his journey through India, Mark Twain jested that the nation, “has two million gods, and worships them all. In religion all other countries are paupers; India is the only millionaire.” Asia’s bustling giant is often cited as the world’s “museum of religions,” for within the yellowed pages of any old Indian history book one will find the recorded founding of at least one-quarter of the world’s 12 major religions. So, when Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary President, Dr. Ergun Caner, and myself, determined to teach Religion and Missions students the tenets of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism and Islam, we chose India as the laboratory from which to study abroad. During nine days in October, 24 Liberty University Online students toured with us via bus, planes and train for a week of hands-on learning through overt, multisensory encounters with India’s culture and homegrown religious systems. Students learned Tibetan Buddhism from a close associate to the Dalai Lama at his exiled home atop a mountain situated in the snow-capped foothills of the Himalayan

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Mountains. They also learned the theology of the turban-wearing Sikhs from their famed gold-topped temple where they worship a 500-year-old “living book.” On the banks of the Ganges River, students witnessed Hindu cremation, saw nomadic priests drinking its “holy” (and polluted) waters, and they attended a “fire service” that happens each evening on the river in honor of the “goddess” Ganges. From the attributed location of Buddha’s first sermon they received lectures on Buddha’s “Four Noble Truths” and “Eight Fold Path,” and from the historic capital of the Mughal Empire they learned of the opulence of the Muslim dynasty that ruled the Indian subcontinent for centuries. The students even visited Taj Mahal, constructed by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan for his favorite wife who died delivering their 14th child, and they learned of one Asiatic emperor whose throne was so valuable that it could feed the entire world for seven days. Liberty has long boasted of its

“action-oriented” curriculum. Our professors are discontent to confine their curriculum within the walls of their lecture halls. This journey was just one recent example of how Liberty University students have the opportunity to experience what they are learning. Chace Murphy, a 33-year-old seminary student who is an on-air news director for several radio stations in Central Texas, believed it to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. “I benefited greatly from this trip, educationally speaking,” he said. “I was able to meet great people affiliated with Liberty University and learn a tremendous amount about other cultures in a short period of time.” Catherine Wilcoxen, 23, is a registered nurse who went to India with an eye toward the poverty that plagues it. “I learned so much more than I ever could have by reading a book, and I left with an acute awareness of the great physical and spiritual need of India’s people,” she said. Libby Ritz, a 46-year-old insurance agent studying religion, said, “the time … was priceless.”

Scholar ’ s

The Wonder of Work

by d r . k a r e n swallow p r i o r

University, work is the means by which God calls us to serve our neighbors. God chooses to use us and our work to meet the needs of people, whether those needs are physical, intellectual, emotional, or spiritual. It is a wondrous thing to witness good work well done: a caring nurse soothing an ailing patient, a gifted minister teaching the Word to his congregation, a nimble athlete making the winning score, a dusty gardener admiring a rare bloom, a busy mother patiently teaching her child to tie his shoe, a gifted pianist dancing her fingers across the keyboard. Upon being asked why she wrote, the Christian author Flannery O’Connor humbly answered, “Because I’m good at it.” O’Connor knew that she was doing the work God had equipped her to do best and that in so doing she was fulfilling her calling. Clearly the better our work is, the better we serve our neighbors and reflect God’s

image in us. Because God created each of us with specific gifts and talents, we serve God and people best when our work draws upon those God-given abilities, when we are doing — as I like to say — what we were created to do. We find ourselves most satisfied, in fact, when we fulfill our Maker’s unique design for each of us. Of course, not all people are able to do the work they are passionate about or most gifted to do. Other principles must sometimes take precedence: providing for one’s family, fulfilling obligations, or overcoming difficult economic circumstances. Yet honest, good work that may not be self-fulfilling nevertheless reflects the image of God and often serves others. Through work we worship and glorify God. And this is why work is good and why it should always be done well. Dr. Karen Swallow Prior is Chair of the Department of English and Modern Languages at Liberty University.

“Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work — this is a gift of God.” —Ecclesiastes 5:19

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From time to time, I hear someone characterize work as a result of the Fall of man. But this is a great error: for, indeed, we were created to work. Through work we reflect the image of God in us, and we love our neighbors. Even before the Fall, God assigned work to man: Adam was charged with the task of naming the animals and, with Eve, being stewards of the earth. Work was thus part of God’s original plan for mankind. Once Adam and Eve disobeyed, their labor was cursed with pain and impediments. But work itself was not the curse. Work was, from the very beginning, good. We can see the goodness of work in God’s pleasure in His own work. After accomplishing the work of creation, God looked upon it and saw that it was good. Being made in God’s image, then, human beings are likewise created to work, and we reflect the image of God in us in working and in taking pleasure in that work. In addition to reflecting the image of God in us, work is a means for us to love others. As Dr. Gene Edward Veith, cultural editor of World Magazine, shared last year during a faculty chapel at Liberty

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aculty focuS Dr. Karen L. Parker, School of Education dean

career

Teacher and administrator in K-12 schools for 16 years prior to coming to LU in 1986

J o r da n C r o s s i n g h a m

School licensure: Reading Specialist, School Psychologist, Special Education and Vocal/Choral Music Clinical experience at University of Miami Reading Clinic and Dade County prison and juvenile services Teacher Education Department Chair for 10 years School of Education Dean since 2000 awa r d s

Phi Delta Kappa International Service Key, Kappan of the Year, Excellence in Research Kappa Delta Pi Point of Excellence award for community service International Reading Association Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club, and service awards from Virginia State Reading Association and Virginia College Reading Educators Board member of Virginia State Reading Association for 18 years National Academic Advising Association Outstanding Advisor and Liberty University Advisor of the Year

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e d u c at i o n

More than 100 presentations at state, national and international conferences including the International Reading Association, Council for Exceptional Children, College Reading Association, American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education, Association of Christian Schools International and the European Literacy Conferences in Berlin, Germany and Braga, Portugal

Ed.D. in Reading and Varying Exceptionalities at the University of Miami

Professional development and accreditation support for schools and womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conferences in churches

Karen and Leonard live in Lynchburg, Va., and will celebrate their 40th anniversary in Summer 2010. They have four daughters and nine grandchildren join them for Sunday dinner each week after church. The family enjoys singing together and Karen has performed in five musicals at the Lynchburg Fine Arts Center.

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Articles published in professional journals, such as The Reading Professor and The College Reading Association Yearbook

M.S. in Reading at Florida International University B.A. in Music at Tennessee Temple University personal

School of Education dedicated to bringing God into the classroom

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by K r i ste n R i o r dan

Graduates of Liberty’s School of Education (SOE) may look like ordinary teachers, but engraved upon each is the fingerprint of God. Liberty’s SOE is dedicated to creating experts in the field of education, with help from the Almighty Teacher. “We have a commitment to excellence, but the difference here is that our motivation does not come from ourselves, but our Lord,” said Dr. Karen Parker, dean of the SOE. While having a Christian influence could be viewed as a limitation in some careers, Liberty sees it an advantage. Liberty produces teachers and administrators who are eligible to work in both Christian and public schools through the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) accreditations; it also prepares

professionals for sports settings through the Sport Management Department. CHRIST-CENTERED CURRICULUM Teacher candidates have three tracks to choose from: Elementary/Middle, Secondary or Special Education. Additional options are offered in the graduate program. Within each are specializations designed to fit the student’s specific gifts. When a candidate has chosen the elementary track, for example, they are required to select two of the four concentrations — math, science, social studies and language arts. Students who choose Secondary education must complete all requirements for a separate major, plus the teacher licensure. All education tracks require an additional 300 in-classroom hours of practicum and student teaching in both Christian and public schools. “I think the greatest thing that the Liberty

SOE gave me was real-world experience said Jenny Presson, a 2009 graduate. “Those hours I spent in classrooms really helped prepare me to work with students who don’t fit textbook molds, in settings that are sometimes less than ideal. “The SOE also equips its teacher candidates with general Christian education classes, including Christian worldview, evangelism, creation studies and theology. CONTIN U E D GROWTH 2 Corinthians 3:17 reads, “Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” It is evident that the Lord is at work at Liberty as seen in its financial stability and growth. The School of Education had 1,700 students five years ago; now there are more than 5,500 — a 300 percent increase (including online graduate enrollment). “The SOE growth curve has not reached total potential based on record enrollment in introductory pag e 3 6 li b e rty j o u r nal

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courses, and 37 doctorates finished last year, and there are over 100 dissertation committees currently,” Parker said. While other universities are being forced to cut back employment, Liberty has four new faculty. The School of Education has also been among the sites chosen for improvements in facilities, furniture and technology. Students now have access to wireless Internet throughout the SOE building. Liberty’s School of Education is creating well-rounded professionals who will be responsible for educating the next generation of Champions for Christ. AB OVE AN D B EYON D In some departments, it is uncommon for students to be involved outside the classroom, but in the SOE it is the norm. Students have the choice of joining the international honor society, Kappa Delta Pi (KDP), or the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), an international service organization that works to improve the educational success of individuals with special needs and/or exceptional abilities. Moreover, Liberty’s SOE sees

extracurricular activities as part of its overall program. “It is more than just an ‘honor’ to be part of the honor societies. Students are required to be active members and participate in service activities,” Parker said. Liberty’s KDP chapter has won the Achieving Chapter Excellence award for three years as a result of its outstanding dedication to service at LU. In addition to the KDP and CEC, students have the opportunity to join the Christian Educators Association International (CEAI), which provides discounted liability insurance. The CEAI’s mission is to encourage, equip and empower educators according to Biblical principles. COM M ITTE D FACU LTY Behind every great teacher is another great teacher. Liberty strives to provide students with the best experts in their field of study. Not only does the faculty have education degrees and K-12 experience, they also have hearts dedicated to Christ. They aim to instill God’s love as a foundation in students’ personal lives so they can enhance education in their future classrooms.

“I love the professors. They are always willing to meet with me outside of class, and they have been working with me to find a job when I graduate,” said Meghan Mullaney, a senior education major. They also have an appreciation for LU’s unique atmosphere. Prior to coming to Liberty, Dr. Jill Jones worked at another well-known Division I university. When she was applying for tenure there, she was faced with colleagues asking her to stop discussing God and prayer in her classroom. However, for her that was, “like asking me to stop breathing.” After that struggle, Jones prayed that God would let her leave her “Babylon” and move on to “Jerusalem.” She soon found herself at Liberty University. Jones loves the spiritual aspect of Liberty’s SOE. “I prayed for my students at other schools, but the fact that I can pray with my students allows God to enter the classroom in a way I’ve never experienced anywhere else,” she said. FOR MORE INFO ON Liberty’s School of Education, go to wwww.liberty.edu/education.

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Academic

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News and Notes on Programs, Faculty and Students

New art gallery opens Liberty University held its first art show opening in its new gallery on Sept. 24. Students, faculty and community members lined up outside the newly constructed Visual Communication Arts (VCAR) Art Gallery (located in the Student Life and Academic Building) to peruse the works of David Heath, a renowned painter of contemporary American landscapes. The 30-by-38-foot gallery, featuring 13-foot ceilings, larger track lighting and a professional hanging system, was part of VCAR Department renovations this summer, which also included two new studios for sculpting and ceramics. The gallery will undoubtedly create a

Publishing company honors LU co-founder Dr. Elmer Towns, co-founder of Liberty University and dean of the School of Religion, was presented with the Gold Award from Destiny Image, a Christian publishing company, during the Sept. 9 convocation. Don Nori, Jr., president of Destiny Image, recognized Towns for his “Praying the Scriptures” series. “He (Towns) has studied the entire Bible and from it he created a timeless series of books that are sure to be required reading for generations,” Nori said. Towns has authored more than 100 books.

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better experience for VCAR students and build the program’s reputation as it showcases the artwork of students, regional and national artists for the Liberty community and Central Virginia residents to enjoy. The VCAR Department was established three years ago with 150 students. The program has expanded to 400 declared VCAR majors, requiring the new gallery and recent renovations.

Liberty celebrates National Constitution Week Constitution Day, the anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787, is reason for a weeklong celebration at schools across the country. Liberty observed National Constitution Week by welcoming three influential political leaders. Well-known author and evangelical David Barton kicked off the week at the Sept. 14 convocation. Barton is the founder and president of WallBuilders, a national profamily organization that seeks to encourage citizens to become involved with legislation to infuse values into their communities through the government. This year Barton

was named by Time magazine as one of America’s 25 most influential evangelicals for his involvement with separation between church and state issues as well as his influential books about faith and government. On Wednesday, Sept. 16, former U.S. Representative Bob McEwen attended a reception at the Helms School of Government and addressed students at convocation. McEwen served as a representative for Ohio in the United States House of Representatives for six terms. He is a leading advocate for pro-family interests and free-market economics, with opportunities to speak to many worldwide. Wrapping up the week at the Sept. 18 convocation was Herman Cain, executive officer and president of “THE New Voice Inc.,” a business consulting company, and “head coach” of “Herminator’s Intelligent Thinkers Movement” that works to put the American citizens back in control of government policies. As the recipient of eight honorary doctorates, Cain has been influential in many political and business organizations through his many motivational speeches and radio talk show. Liberty also hosted a forum following Friday’s convocation to discuss how young people can make an impact in politics and ultimately make America a better place.

Oxford University to publish professor’s book Dr. Jerry Falwell had a vision for Liberty University to become the Evangelical Christian equivalent to Notre Dame. This vision is quickly becoming a reality, thanks to philosophy professor Dr. David Baggett. Baggett and co-author Dr. Jerry Walls, a senior research fellow at Notre Dame, received news in September that their book, tentatively titled “Good God: The Theistic Foundations of Morality,” will be published pag e 4 0 by Oxford University Press.

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News and Notes on Programs, Faculty and Students

Being published by Oxford University Press means that the book will be available in every academic library in the world, giving muchneeded credibility to the idea that intelligence and Christianity are not mutually exclusive. Baggett announced the news in one of his classes, mentioning that he couldn’t wait to tell Liberty University Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. Unbeknownst to him, a student quickly sent a text message to Falwell’s wife, Becki. The Falwells were working out in the gym at the nearby LaHaye Student Union and, upon receiving the message, decided to surprise Baggett in his class and congratulate him. “That was a neat surprise. … That’s one personable chancellor right there,” Baggett said. Baggett said the book, his seventh, is scheduled to be available summer 2011.

Law school advances, expands programs The final phase of construction on more than 11,000 square feet at the Liberty University School of Law was complete in October. The new space houses Career Services, Student Affairs, the Student Bar Association, Moot Court, Alternative Dispute Resolution Board, student organizations and more. Students can relax and study in The Commons, a two-story room flooded with natural light that also includes a café. There are also nine new private student rooms and a large conference room. This year the law school is launching a number of dual degree programs whereby law school students will receive course credit toward a variety of Master level degrees, including the M.B.A., M.A.

in Religion, M.Ed., M.A. in Counseling, and others. The law school is also making plans to launch its own M.A. in Public Policy and a Prosecution Clinic. The school also continues to do well on bar pass rates. The national pass rate in 2007 was 89.1 percent. In 2008, the national pass rate was 92 percent, with 94.4 percent in Virginia. This year the law school achieved a 100 percent bar pass rate in 10 of the 12 jurisdictions in which its students took bar examinations as first–time takers The law school had less than 100 percent bar pass rates in only two states, bringing its overall 2009 first–time taker bar pass rate to 75 percent. Liberty University School of Law is very proud that its three-year bar passage rates far exceed the American Bar Association’s standards and place Liberty Law among the top law schools in the nation for bar passage.

“The Last Jihad” author speaks at convocation Liberty University welcomed bestselling author Joel C. Rosenberg to the Sept. 30 convocation. Rosenberg, an evangelical Christian, is the author of the New York

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Times best-selling novel, “The Last Jihad,” which was written nine months before 9/11 but begins with a hijacked jet and a kamikaze attack on an American city, leading to a war with Saddam Hussein over terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. Rosenberg talked about his switch from a career in politics and business, working with influential leaders like Steve Forbes and former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to writing political thrillers. He spoke about “The Last Jihad” and how, as the eerily-familiar story climbed best-seller lists, he prayed that “the Lord would use this novel somehow to draw people into a conversation about Christ.” Immediately after the book’s release in November 2002, he was caught up in a wave of media attention, with interviews on more than 160 radio and television programs in 60 days. Applause erupted when he told the students, “In that 60 days, the Lord gave us an opportunity to talk about our faith in Jesus Christ with more than 20 million people — based on the novel and the events that God had orchestrated to draw attention to it.”

Rosenburg emphasized the importance of the spread of the Christian faith in Iraq and throughout the Middle East and the changing hearts of some Muslims toward Christianity. He said the Christian Church should stand beside Israel, and that we should all be individually prepared for the end times. “This is the moment for the Church,” he said. “The people who should go through

the fiery furnace with her [Israel] ought to be followers of Christ.”

FACS Department announces awards Matalie Howard, assistant professor in the Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) Department, received the Outstanding Advisor Award this past summer. The award was presented by the American Association of FACS Student Unit at its 100th Annual Conference and Expo in Knoxville, Tenn. In addition, Howard, who teaches Fashion Merchandising and Interior Design, and Kelly Kingsley, the LU FACS Student Association President, were notified that their grant proposal titled “Timeless, the Cotton Collection” was accepted by Cotton Incorporated. The company’s 2010 Cotton Student Sponsorship Program furthers awareness and understanding of cotton fiber and cotton textiles among students preparing for apparel and textile-related careers. Liberty’s FACS Department will use the grant to help with its annual fashion show, scheduled for April, that benefits a local charity.

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Who are

Consultant Rob Brach, an LU graduate who owns Calvary Technical Management Services, helped work out the deal, Edwards said, which has been in the works for the past 18 months. The recent expansion is not the only one WRVL is planning. The station has also received a license to build a full-power station in Amelia, Va. “It’s a small full-power station that will feed a translator in Richmond and Ashland, Va.,” Edwards said. “We also purchased a construction permit from another ministry for a full-power station in Clifton Forge, Va. That one we hope to build within the next six months, and it will give us coverage along the whole I-64 corridor through the mountains reaching as far as Lewisburg, West Virginia.” f r o m pag e 20

local levels to ensure a greener, more sustainable transportation system in Virginia.” He said GLTC’s use of hybrid-electric buses and local partnerships with universities “have the potential to increase ridership while reducing traffic, greenhouse gases and fuel consumption.” Liberty University’s partnership with GLTC helped bolster the company’s success as some city routes had been cut and funding had been reduced in the last few years. Beaumont said in fiscal year 2008, GLTC’s impact for Liberty was 557,000 miles reduction in driving, resulting in a 727,000-pound reduction of CO2 emissions. The APTA assesses transit systems around the country for their achievements in efficiency and effectiveness, specifically in the areas of safety, operations, customer service practices, minority leadership and community relations. William Millar, APTA president, called GLTC “one of the national leaders in the North American public transportation industry.” f r o m pag e 20

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for

Your

Partners Your

Health Care

What partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? What fellowship has light with darkness? What portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? –from II Corinthians 6: 14-15 Whether you realize it or not, when you participate in a health insurance plan, you are agreeing that the premiums for your policy can be used to pay for anything your insurance company covers in any of their polices. Health insurance can actually support the opponents of Jesus Christ. You may be working and praying for abortion to end, but supporting abortions and the use of abortifacient drugs by helping pay for them with your health insurance premiums. You may be encouraging others to trust in Jesus Christ and turn away from the dangers of living in disobedience to Him. At the same time, the policies offered by your health insurance may be encouraging disobedience to Jesus Christ by agreeing, in advance, to cover the consequences of sexual promiscuity, drug or alcohol abuse, or other unbliblical practices.. We should not confuse health insurance with charitable giving. Charity is a compassionate, precise response to existing needs. Health insurance is a business agreement that indiscriminately agrees to cover things before they even happen. Members of Samaritan Ministries share one another’s medical needs through a simple, Biblical approach that doesn’t involve health insurance. They have agreed not to share in medical needs for unbiblical practices, and the monthly share for a family of any size has never exceeded $285*, even less for couples, singles, and single-parent families. Come experience the blessings, and the savings, that result when members of the body of Jesus Christ partner with one another instead of joining in partnerships that support the works of darkness.

To learn more about our Biblical, non-insurance ministry call us toll-free at 1.888.2.OTHERS (1.888.268.4377). *as of December 2008

Mention you saw us in the Liberty Journal.

Faith in God applied to health care

www.samaritanministries.org

Time

Change for a

Thomas Road Baptist Church is pleased to announce a change in our service times. Due to our tremendous growth in the past three years, we are running out of space for our Sunday morning services, ABC’s, Children’s and Student ministries. To accommodate that growth, on January 10th, we will shift to a two service worship schedule, adding additional ABC hours at 8:15 am and 11:00 am. Also, we will be moving our early worship service to 9:15 am on Sundays. For more information go to trbc.org.

Sundays

Wednesdays

Worship ABC’s Children Students

Worship ABC’s Children Students Community Groups

9:15, 11:00 am & 6:00 pm 8:15, 9:15, 11:00 am 9:15, 11:00 am & 6:00 pm 9:15 & 11:00 am

7:45 pm 6:15 pm 6:15 pm 6:15 pm 6:15 pm

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A witness to the vision Planned Giving officer knew Dr. Jerry Falwell as pastor, boss and friend

J e r o m e st u r m

Harold Knowles stands in the Jerry Falwell Museum on the Liberty University campus. by m itz i b i b le

Harold Knowles and Jerry Falwell, Sr. were strangers when, at the same time, they made the most important decision a person can make in life. Harold was 14 and Jerry, 18, when they walked down the aisle at Park Avenue Baptist Church in Lynchburg in 1952 to accept Christ as their personal savior. Harold and Jerry, along with about 13 other youth, were later baptized together. “Out of that group,” Harold said, “God picked Jerry out.” He means God had chosen Falwell to start a ministry that would grow beyond anyone’s imagination. Falwell soon became Harold’s youth director at Park Avenue, still at the tender age of 18. “But he didn’t appear to be 18,” Knowles clarified. “Jerry always had the appearance of being older than he was;

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I guess maturity would be the word. When he was 18 or 19, he acted like somebody who’d be 25 or 30.” Knowles said he soon learned that that was because God had a plan that required a strong leader. “In my heart, I saw then a man that God was really going to use,” he said. Now, Knowles jumps at the opportunity to share stories about Falwell, his longtime friend and co-worker. As a Planned Giving officer at Liberty University, he gets that opportunity often as he visits LU supporters throughout Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee, helping them with their estate plans. His wife, Ann, accompanies him, often tending to the personal needs of donors, many who are elderly and do not have family nearby. The couple sees it as their own personal mission field and has even gone so far as to help manage some donors’ medical care

when there are no family members to take care of them. Because so many of the donors are 65 or older, they can recall learning of Jerry Falwell as he became a public figure during the Moral Majority years and followed his success as a pastor and college administrator. Having someone visit them who has a direct tie with Liberty’s founder is a plus. “When I go into homes of our donors, it’s a very good impact on them because they’ll ask me right off how long I’ve been here. I say I’ve worked this job for 31 years and started with Jerry when the church was started,” he said. “It makes them very comfortable to share their financial situation with me.” He said as an ambassador for Liberty, he also tells them how he witnessed Falwell’s vision for the college become a reality. “I remember the first time I rode around with him [here] and he had just purchased

the property [for the college]. He took my wife and I and drove us up in his station wagon. It had been raining and the mud was knee-deep. He got out and said, ‘I’m going to have dormitories here, and this here,’ and kept naming buildings. All it was was just flat land with trees … the mansion was here and an old barn was here,” he said. “If you look at it now, everything is where he was pointing.” Knowles has watched the campus grow over the years; it holds many memories for him and his family. His three children are Liberty alumni and he’s a proud grandparent of two alumni (with one attending Liberty now). Knowles earned a degree himself — a Bachelor of Science in Business from LU’s Distance Learning Program (now called Liberty University Online). He also holds a theology degree from Tennessee Temple University. As a Planned Giving officer since 1978, Knowles has met many others who share a fond love for Liberty. Their gifts have helped the ministry become what it is today. “I feel like in 30 years I’ve averaged

$2 million [in donations] a year, either in deferred or upfront cash,” he said. “I can honestly say God’s used me to bring in at least $60 million.” But he’s quick to give credit where it’s due. “People didn’t give to this school because of me; they gave their funds here because of Jerry’s testimony. They knew he was sincere. I was just a tool, knocking on the door, presenting the work here.” He said Falwell had much to do with the recent increase in charitable funds to LU, even after his passing in May 2007. “Seeing Dr. Falwell leave $24 million to Liberty in his life insurance policy has made a great impact on donors. They think, ‘If Jerry did that, then that’s something we can do.’ We’re very fortunate that he did that,” he said, adding “but I’d rather have the man than the $24 million, myself.” That’s because even as Falwell was Knowles’ boss for many years, the friendship they created as teenagers remained. “We talked about him having three hats,” Knowles said. “He was my pastor, my boss and my friend. When I would go make an

Jerry Falwell, left, and Harold Knowles at the beginning of the ministry.

appointment with him and go in his office, he would always ask me, ‘What hat do you want me to wear?’ What I think was so sweet was if I said, ‘my boss,’ he would sit behind the desk and talk to me that way; if I said, ‘my pastor,’ or ‘my friend,’ he would come around and sit on that sofa with me.” As a friend, Jerry invited Knowles to travel with him all over the country, meeting many dignitaries and going out to dinner with well-known pastors and political leaders. But the memories of Jerry Falwell in the simplest of settings are just as precious to Knowles. Like the very first time the two met. “I met Macel [Falwell] first. I was taking piano lessons from Macel during high school. She had met Jerry, and they started dating. We would be sitting on the piano bench, she and I. Then he would come in about middle ways. He would sit on the stool with us.” “Today I can’t play the piano, and I blame it on him,” he said, laughing. “I was no competition to him. He kept fiddling and talking to her — I gave it up.” But Knowles is grateful for Jerry’s persistence when it came to carrying out his vision for Liberty University. “He worked hard at it. To me, he never let his vision blur,” he said. “He had a focus to build a great school for the Lord, and he never wavered. He never turned back or got discouraged even when the money didn’t come in or there were big problems in the past. He just kept pushing; he knew God was going to do that someday … and you can see the results.” To find out how a planned giving officer can help you plan for the future, call (800) 543-5309 or go to www.lugiving.com.

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West Coast meets East Coast California couple connects with Liberty

by m itz i b i b le

Roy and Vela Gwin love Central California, their home for more than 30 years. “We love the sunshine,” Vela says. But even out on the West Coast, they keep strong ties with Liberty University. Roy, a retired civil engineer with the Civil Service, and Vela, a former high school guidance counselor, said their relationship with Liberty and its founder, Dr. Jerry Falwell, goes back to the beginning. “When we first knew him, he was travelling around the country and preaching sermons, and that’s when we fell in love with Jerry Falwell,” Vela says. “His sincerity and Christianity” attracted them, and they were excited to hear about the forming of a college. “I’ve been in education all my life, so definitely I was interested in that, and especially when he [Falwell] said he was training pastors, because we certainly need them,” Vela says. “That is when we really started donating [to Liberty], when we heard he was training Champions for Christ.” Through LU’s Planned Giving Department, the Gwins have purchased 10 charitable gift annuities and have decided to leave their entire estate to the school after their homegoing.

As a guidance counselor, “I learned to size up colleges very well, that’s how Liberty gets at the top of the list,” Vela says. “That’s exactly where I’d send any of my kids if I had any.” Earlier this year, the Gwins met Liberty graduate Neil Grobler, who is now working toward his M.B.A. at LU. Grobler traveled to their home with Planned Giving officer Rusty Smallwood. “The Gwins were very sincere, humble people,” Grobler says. “Both were very excited about what was going on at Liberty and concerned of what is going on with the world. They bought into the vision of training young champions for Christ and ultimately that is what they want to see.” The Gwins were happy to meet a product of the school they had only supported from

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really started donating [to Liberty], when we heard he was training Champions for Christ.” —Vela Gwin a distance. “We really were impressed with him,” Vela says. “It makes us feel even better about giving to Liberty.”

Our estate dollars will leave a legacy to help ensure the future of Christian Education at

Liberty University With just a few words added to our will, we have left a bequest to Liberty University to help ensure the future of Christian education. For a free brochure on “What Legacy Will You Leave?” please call:

1.800.543.5309

or log on to our award-winning website:

www.lugiving.com vice chancellor,

dr. ronald godwin, & wife, carol

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“That is when we

10/21/09 12:23 PM

The “Your 24” video contest! Liberty University Online is getting a rare glimpse into the lives and talents of its students through the “Your 24” video contest. Students who share their “24” — a video account of their typical day as an online student — will get some real publicity for their work and could score big, too. Prizes include valuable scholarships and book vouchers from LU Online.

To learn more, or to submit a video, visit

www.luonline.com/your24. Sponsored by Liberty University Online. Established. Engaging. Christian.

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Alumni Snapshot Name: Richard M. Osborne Graduating class: 1980 Residence: Easton, Md. Family: Wife, Karin E. Osborne; children, Nicole, Christopher, Ashley, Caroline and Lily Occupation: Managing Member, Direct Real Estate, LLC, a commercial real estate holding company Hobbies: Waterfowl hunting and offshore fishing Affiliations: Direct Marketing Association, Liberty University Parent Development Board Education: B.S. Political Science, Liberty University Richard Osborne (holding plaque) and his wife, Karin, and daughter, Lily, receive recognition of their support from Liberty University Director of Athletics Jeff Barber (far left) and Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr., wife, Becki, and Caroline Falwell during a dedication of Osborne Stadium. Why did you choose to attend Liberty University? I accepted Christ my senior year in high school and my football coach, Lee Kaltenbach, came to Liberty from Atlanta to coach football. Coach Kaltenbach encouraged me and nine other of his high school players to come to Liberty to play football and grow as Christians. It was hard for me my first year, since I had just become a Christian, but God really laid on my heart to finish what I started. Liberty taught me what I needed to do in life to be successful. What is your fondest memory of Liberty? Hearing all the old-time preachers Dr. Falwell invited to come to Liberty and the Old Time Gospel Hour Choir. I still remember B.R. Lakin, Dr. John Rice and Elmer Towns preaching the gospel and Dr. Falwell encouraging us never to quit and to be a Champion for Christ. How did attending Liberty prepare you for your life after graduation? Liberty helped me to be able to communicate at almost any professional level. College does not really train you how to perform in your career, but it is the stepping stone to find what the career should be

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in the future. Because Liberty requires you to take Bible courses, you learn universal principles that you carry with you the rest of your life. Having that Bible knowledge really helps you have a more educated conversation with people of all walks of life. Liberty taught me everything I know about being a Champion for Christ. What would people be surprised to know about you? I am really softhearted, and I still can cry when I hear “Amazing Grace.” What made you decide to make the lead gift for Liberty’s new soccer stadium and press box? As a former Liberty football player you might wonder why I’d be helping the soccer program. Well the answer is simple: after the [soccer] game, look what happens out in the middle of the field. You have [Coach] Jeff Alder and the players having a word of prayer, having a chance to witness to the other teams. Every athletic program at Liberty is about soul winning, so it’s easy to give to an organization that cares about lives. Now that the Lord has allowed me to retire, it’s my mission to help other people in this school.”

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Updates from LU alumni

C l as s o f 1 97 5 Dr. David E. Adams is associate dean of Applied Studies at Boyce College and the Executive Director of the International Center for Youth Ministry at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Since 1970, Adams has been a preaching/administrative pastor, adult minister, youth and family minister and trainer. He has served in three churches as Associate Pastor of Youth and Family Ministries. In his largest ministry he oversaw an adult ministry of more than 2,000 and an additional 1,000 teens for 21 years in Lynchburg, Va. He served as interim pastor (2006-07) at Valley View Church in Louisville, Ky., with more than 2,000 in weekly attendance and averaged two baptisms per week. Congruently, since 1978 he has developed and taught youth and family ministry at Liberty University, Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, Lexington Baptist College and Southern Seminary as coordinator and professor. He has developed ministry training centers in Africa, Malaysia, Mexico and Ukraine and has spoken to audiences numbering up to 20,000. Adams has been happily married to his wife, Becky, since 1971. They have three adult children and three grandchildren.

and occupational education from Central Missouri State University. Childress acted as director of area school programs at OTC and has served as director of the career center, coordinator for the Lebanon Education Center and instructor during his 10 years at OTC. Christopher J. Boggs had two books published this past year: “The Insurance Professional’s Practical Guide to Workers’ Compensation: From History through Audit” was made available in April 2009. His second book, “Business Income Insurance Demystified: The Simplified Guide to Time Element Coverages,” was published in August. Boggs, the first director of Education for the newly-created Insurance Journal

Academy of Insurance (a division of Wells Publishing), earned his degree in journalism from LU but did not immediately put this training to use. Chris invested nearly 18 years in insurance and risk management before finally being able to use the skills he learned at LU. His experience helped him land his current position where his weekly analysis and technical articles are read by more than 100,000 insurance professionals per month. Boggs and his wife of 18 years, Suzanne (Tucker, a 1990 LU grad), along with their two daughters, Taylor (8) and Emma (3), live in Matthews, N.C. The family attends First Baptist Church of Indian Trail. C l as s o f 1 9 97 Mike Payton received his Masters of Arts

’75 C las s o f 19 9 0 Layton Childress has been named Ozarks Technical Community College’s new dean of technical education. Childress, who received his B.S. in history from LU, also holds a master of science in technology li b e rty j o u r nal

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in Counseling from Liberty University in 1997. After retiring as director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health’s Community Support Network in southern Ohio, Payton taught special needs classes and founded the Teacher’s Room website (theteachersroom.org) and is a consultant to local colleges and schools. In 2007, he was elected to the New Boston Village Council as a Democratic Councilman. He and his wife Vicki reside in New Boston, Ohio, and have two sons, Nathan and Adam along with a daughter-in-law, Stacy. C las s o f 19 9 8 Michelle White and her husband, Wes, are assigned to evangelism/church planting among European Peoples through International Mission Board. Michelle received her B.A. in psychology from Liberty and her M.A. in counseling from Wake Forest’s Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The couple, who has been married since 2000, resides in Williamsburg, Va.

’98 Dr. Wilfredo Nieves, who earned a Ph.D. in psychology, was hired as Webster University’s Statewide Counseling Coordinator. He is also a qualified Florida State Supervisor for Clinical Social Workers, Mental Health Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists. He serves as a psychologist for the

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government’s National Disaster Medical Assistant Team. C las s o f 2003 Dave Sterrett, who works for Probe Ministries (www.probe.org) as a speaker, apologist and writer, has co-authored “‘O’ God” with Josh McDowell. A Dialogue on Truth and Oprah’s Spirituality, “‘O’ God” was released by WND Books in October. Sterrett has also authored, “Why Trust Jesus?” to be released by Moody Publishers in March 2010.

’03 C las s o f 200 6 Jason G. Wright graduated with a Ph.D. in Counseling in May 2006. He is the author of “Ocean of Storms,” an action/adventure love story about a mysterious young man who possesses unusual spiritual abilities and is led by his father’s decision into a situation where he must either abandon his principles and live comfortably, or stay true to his convictions and risk the consequences. Wright’s primary motivation for writing the book was to provide a story-based context for information he gleaned while completing his dissertation on remote, intercessory prayer. “Ocean of Storms” is published by Authors Publisher (based in Forest, Va.), and is available online and at the TRBC and LU Barnes & Noble bookstores. Wright is in private practice in Lynchburg, Va. and teaches

counseling courses through Liberty University Online. He lives with his wife, Amy Farischon Wright, in Evington, Va. www.jasongwright.com

’06 C las s o f 200 9 Lee Truax, an information technology executive, has accepted the position of president of CBMC (a nationwide marketplace ministry). Truax is a Liberty M.B.A. graduate, and he graduated from Messiah College of Graham, Penn., with a B.A. in English and a minor in business administration. Truax has served as field staff director for Discipleship Network of America and as family conference chairman and ministry associate with CBMC.

attention alumni send us your submissions email: dmhylton@liberty.edu mail: 1971 University Blvd., Lynchburg, VA 24502 note: Please include a headshot in high resolution (300 dpi) JPEG format

Wed. 12/30

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Sports

round - uP

Liberty Flames see scores of fall season successes

BY Sar ah F u n d e r b u r k e

Liberty University’s athletic teams brought home a pile of gifts for this holiday season, including many Big South Player of the Week honors and record-breaking games.

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S I D E LI N E S P O RTS

CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER BRINGS HOME NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP Christmas came early for Kenya native Sam Chelanga as he dominated the field in the NCAA Division I National Championship in Terre Haute, Ind., in November. Chelanga, the fastest man in the nation in the 10K, posted a 28:41 at the championship run, setting a course record by 22 seconds and finishing 25 seconds ahead of second-place finisher David McNeill of Northern Arizona. Stanford’s Chris Derrick, who defeated Chelanga at the PreNationals and was favored to take the national title, finished third. Derrick said Chelanga’s opening 14:09 for the first half of the race was “suicide,” but that Chelanga is on a different level than the rest of the field. No one has run the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championship faster than Chelanga since 1979, when Washington State’s Henry Rono finished the race in 28:19.6. Chelanga, who is a junior, is now a sixtime All-American. He is the third NCAA Division I national champion from LU.

Teammate Evans Kigen also posted impressive results at the National Championships, running 30:01 and placing 20th in the highly competitive field. The men’s team won the overall title at the Big South Cross Country Championships for the fifth year in a row, with Chelanga, Kigen, David Ricksecker, and Jake Reed all being placed on the AllConference team. Junior Mark Hopely was named to the All-Academic team and head coach Brant Tolsma received the men’s Big South Coach of the Year award. The Lady Flames also saw success this season on the trails. Junior Dacia Bushman placed second overall at the Big South Conference Championships, and led the women’s team to win the overall title. Both Bushman and freshman Jennifer Klugh, who placed third in the event,

were named to the All-Conference team, and Bushman also received All-Academic team honors. FOOTBALL Flames fans continue to have something to be thankful for on the football field, as Coach Danny Rocco and his support staff pushed the football team toward the top of the Big South Conference once again. At Liberty’s Oct. 17 homecoming game, the Flames won the contest against rival Coastal Carolina, 58-13 — the second-largest margin of victory in Big South history. Seven Liberty players received Big South Player of the Week honors this season: Matt Bevins (K), Aldreakis Allen (RB), Mike Brown (QB), Tommy Beecher (QB), Mike Larsson (K), Matt Bevins (K/P), Aldreakia Allen (RB), Brent Vinson (DB), and SirChauncey Holloway (RB). Player of the Week honors were also given to the entire Flames defensive squad. The Flames finished the season 8-3 overall and 5-1 in the Big South, tied for first with Stony Brook. SOCCER The men’s and women’s soccer teams have spent the season playing amidst construction crews and equipment while the new Osborne Stadium was being completed. None of the players have complained however, as a gift from alumnus

Richard Osborne (’80) and wife Karin has helped Liberty to build a new 868 seatgrandstand and press box. The stadium will also receive a new scoreboard and a 5,000-square-foot operations center. The women’s soccer squad fought its way to the 2009 Big South regular season title. The team improved vastly from its 2008 season record (3-12-2) and finished 9-7-3 overall. Goal keeper Karen Blocker and offensive teammates Silvia Betancourt and Maria Owen were named to the All-Conference first team. Owen led the Flames in goals for the season with seven total. Other conference honors were given to Senior Rachel Wisehart, who was placed on the All-Academic conference team, and Head Coach Jessica Hain, who received Big South Coach of the Year honors. The Liberty men’s soccer team finished the season with a 12-5-3 record, and narrowly missed being crowned the Big South Conference Champions. Three members of the squad were named to the first team all-conference list, forward Darren Amoo and defenders Michael Ward and Chris Mandell. Amoo finished the Flames season at the No. 8 spot in the nation for goals per game. Out of 20 games this season Amoo had 14 goals. Goalkeeper Andrew Madero was also nationally ranked at the end of the sea-

son. His .864 save percentage placed him at the No. 8 spot nationally for Division I goalies. All-academic Big South team honors were given this season to Ward and teammate Juan Guzman. VOLLEYBALL The women’s volleyball team made LU fans oh so jolly when they were crowned the 2009 regular season co-champions of the Big South Conference. LU shared the title with competitor UNC Asheville, the only conference team the Flames lost to in regular season play. Individual honors were given this season to Chelaine McCarty who was named a Collegiate Volleyball Update Top Performer, a first-team all conference selection and

an all-academic team selection. Freshman Loren Thomas received Big South Freshman of the Week honors twice this season, and Kelly Haseman was the Oct. 26 Big South Defensive Player of the Week. Although this bountiful fall sports season has left Liberty fans feeling blessed and full of good cheer, winter sports are already gearing up for their turn in the spotlight. To get your fill of basketball, indoor track& field and other winter sports teams head to www.libertyflames.com. For Liberty University Athletics News and Schedules Visit www. libertyflames .com.

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Fire meets ice LU hockey gains popularity as team continues to strengthen

Joe l Cole man

The Flames Division 1 hockey team defeated the University of Delaware at the LaHaye Ice Center 4-0 on Nov. 13. BY E r i c B r own

Ironically, one of the hottest sports at Liberty University is also the coldest. Since the completion of Liberty’s LaHaye Ice Center nearly four years ago, the sport of hockey has received tremendous fanfare at LU. When Liberty hockey first began in the mid-’80s, the university had one team that traveled more than an hour just to practice on the ice. Now, Liberty has three men’s teams — one in each division of the America Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) — and a women’s team.

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Over the past four seasons, the Liberty men’s hockey team has remained competitive against some of the best club teams in the nation, including Penn State, the University of Illinois and Oklahoma University, ranking in the ACHA top 10 each year. Apart from travel teams, hockey at Liberty is experiencing growth in other areas, as well. “Intramural hockey has taken off here at Liberty,” said Kirk Handy, LaHaye Ice Center director and head coach for the men’s hockey team. “We’ve even started summer camps where kids can come in and skate. So, not only do we

have four teams that are on the ice extensively, but we have a great opportunity for growing the program.” Leading the way for men’s hockey this season is senior captain Zac Bauman, senior assistant captain Dave Semenyna and sophomore assistant captain Joe Smith. Together, the trio embodies everything Handy and his staff look for in on-ice leadership ― talent, heart, consistency and a will to win. Entering their third year as captains, Bauman and Semenyna have seen it all inside the confines of the rink, from ending Penn State’s 10-year ACHA finals streak two seasons ago to being treated for carbon monoxide poisoning following a match during the national tournament in March 2009. While Bauman is the team’s primary captain, he said he views the role more as a co-captain. “It’s been a tag team all the way through,” Bauman said. “I think we’ve grown quite a bit over the years in learning how to deal with certain situations and communicate between the coaches and players.” Labeled as a serious leader, Bauman finished the 2008-09 season with 39 points and was a member of ACHA’s Academic All-American team. Upon receiving the honor of team captain as a sophomore, Bauman encountered some difficulties when trying to relate to the older players. Two seasons later, he is the team’s true older brother, earning the respect of those around him, regardless of age or experience. “He’s become a more consistent player game-in and game-out,” Handy said. “He’s someone that you rely upon to lead by example [on the ice]. Every game he is consistent with his level of play.” Offsetting Bauman’s business-like demeanor is Semenyna, who brings a more laid-back approach as captain.

RECENT MATCH-UPS Oct. 10

LU@ Robert Morris U.

Win (4-1)

Oct. 16

Robert Morris U.@LU

Win (8-1)

Oct. 17

Robert Morris U.@LU

Win (8-5)

Oct. 23

Towson U. @LU

Win (10-1)

Oct. 24

Towson U. @LU

Win (12-2)

Nov. 6

Stony Brook U. @LU

Win (6-2)

Nov. 7

Stony Brook U. @LU

Win (7-0)

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Nov. 13 UNiversity of delaware @LU Win (4-0)

Nov. 14 UNiversity of delaware @LU

Win (4-1)

In their first year together, Semenyna, a little older and more experienced, was able to take some of the weight off Bauman’s shoulders when it came to leading the upperclassmen. Although Semenyna is known for being the team’s “class clown” off the ice, when the puck drops, the laughing stops. Unlike most defensemen in hockey, the native of Alberta, Canada, is a prolific scorer, leading the Flames in goals the last two seasons. Semenyna’s uncanny ability to score from the defensive position earned him the runner-up spot for the ACHA Player of the Year Award on two occasions. Semenyna is also known as the team’s clutch player, putting up goals in much needed or last-second situations. During the 2008 ACHA quarterfinals, Liberty found itself pitted against the league’s most reputable team, the Nittany Lions of Penn State. A true

dynasty within the club ranks, Penn State had reached the ACHA finals 10 straight seasons. Before the close of the second period, Semenyna was sent to the penalty box. With the match knotted at one apiece heading into the final period, the assistant captain made a vow to his teammates. “I’m getting out of the box and we’re going to score,” he said. After serving the remainder of his time, Semenyna was released from the penalty box and found the net just minutes into the third period. The Flames went on to post two more goals that period to take the contest 4-1 and advance to the ACHA semifinals. “That’s the kind of guy he is,” Bauman said of his teammate. “It’s just a huge burden off your shoulders to have a guy like that who you know is going to score a majority of the time.” Next season, things will certainly be

different without the on-ice guidance of Bauman and Semenyna. In the meantime, the two seniors are grooming Smith to be the new leader of the Flames in 2010. “Joe embodies what we want in a captain just like Dave and Zac do,” Handy said. “He’s consistent in his work ethic on and off the ice.” That’s the thing you look for in your captains ― someone who is going to, in the good times and bad times, still be out there willing to battle for your team and willing to set the bar high for the other players.” Be sure to catch Flames hockey team throughout the remainder of the 2009-10 season. The puck drops on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. at the LaHaye Ice Center. Visit liberty.edu/hockey for a complete schedule.

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Available wherever books are sold

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Liberty Mountain Ski School

Whether you’re a novice or a double-diamond downhiller, the ski school can help you sharpen your skills with abilitybased courses, refresher sessions and private lessons.

Bigger and better

An expansion offers snowboarders, skiers and tubers even more room to play. Spectacular features, including an elevated cornice drop, triple kickers and a colossal quarter pipe, make Snowflex the premier, year-round destination for winter sports enthusiasts.

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For pricing, hours of operation, ski school information and more, visit www.liberty.edu/snowflex or call (434) 582-3539

11/24/09 9:39 AM