Liberty Journal Spring 2023

SPRING

NEW ERA

FLAMES WELCOME HEAD COACH

JAMEY CHADWELL

A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE

ALUMNI MAKING GLOBAL IMPACT

BE OUR GUEST

MEET THE STUDENT TOUR GUIDES

HOME AWAY FROM HOME

CARING FOR LU’S INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

SPRING 2023

SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR Mitzi Bible

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Carrie Mitchell

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Whether you’re just starting to learn more about Liberty University or you’ve been a part of our family for a long time, you should know that our Christian mission drives everything we do. Nothing we plan, teach, coach, or build here negates or ignores our mission.

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Organizations use mission statements to clearly communicate their vision and goals to customers and lay out expectations for employees so they can work toward common objectives. At Liberty, all of our faculty, staff, and leadership adhere to a Statement of Mission and Purpose, a set of principles we live and work by every day. This is in line with our mission, Training Champions for Christ

Chadwell. We invited him to kick off our Spring Convocations, where he told us what it truly means to be a “champion” — not only on the field. “A champion is not necessarily someone hoisting their trophy all the time,” he said. “A champion is someone who pursues a goal consistently through ups and downs and challenges. I think if you’re boldly wanting to be a Champion for Christ, you’re going to get challenged. People are going to say things about you. They might make fun of you. They might do different things to try to make you feel less than you actually are. A Champion for Christ is bold enough to continue to live out their faith.”

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

PUBLISHING STAFF Rebecca Beem

Deanda

Kerry Hogan

Dawn Neal

Brian Shesko

The statement tells us that we are to “promote the synthesis of academic knowledge and a Christian worldview in order that there might be a maturing of spiritual, intellectual, social, and physical value-driven behavior” and “encourage a commitment to the Christian life, one of personal integrity, sensitivity to the needs of others, social responsibility, and active communication of the Christian faith, and, as it is lived out, a life that leads people to Jesus Christ as the Lord of the universe and their own personal Savior.”

The Liberty Journal engages alumni, supporters, friends, and current and prospective students, informing them on all the exciting developments at the world’s premier Christian university. View the digital version and past issues at Liberty.edu/LibertyJournal

Contact the Liberty Journal at news@liberty.edu, (434) 592-4955, or write to: Liberty University Office of Communications & Public Engagement

1971 University Blvd., Lynchburg, Va. 24515

Liberty remains one of the largest private, nonprofit universities in the nation and the largest university in Virginia. Located near the Blue Ridge Mountains on more than 7,000 acres in Lynchburg, Va., Liberty utilizes its world-class infrastructure and Christian faculty to offer more than 700 unique programs of study from the certificate to the doctoral level. Over 600 programs are offered online.

For information on Liberty’s academic programs, the admission process, alumni, or athletics, call (434) 582-2000.

Liberty University is not affiliated with the Department of Defense or any military service.

Liberty University does not engage in unlawful discrimination or harassment because of race, color, ancestry, religion, age, sex, national origin, pregnancy or childbirth, disability, or military veteran status in its educational programs and activities. Liberty University maintains its Christian character and reserves its right to discriminate on the basis of religion to the extent that applicable law respects its right to act in furtherance of its religious objectives.

I invite you to read the full document, as well as our Doctrinal Position, at Liberty.edu/ About.

In this issue, you will read some examples of the hardworking individuals who are committed to Liberty’s mission, starting with our new Head Football Coach Jamey

You will also read here the stories of some extraordinary alumni who are doing amazing things for the Kingdom as they live out their faith. God is working in their lives in powerful ways to reach others.

My prayer for Liberty is that we will always be bold about our faith and bold about our mission, always allowing God to work in us so He will be glorified. In this, we can rest in knowing that His blessings will continue to flow here because of our commitment to abide in Him.

“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:8).

Jerry Prevo | Interim President

COVER PHOTO BY JOEL COLEMAN

Jerry Prevo joins students at the Liberty Arena on Jan. 26 to cheer Flames Basketball to victory over Stetson University.

FEATURES

2| FIRMLY PLANTED New Head Football Coach Jamey Chadwell shares his goals and excitement for a new era at LU.

6| MAKING A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE

Liberty alumni are changing lives, from a former NFL player-turneddoctor in Nigeria to the head of a large humanitarian organization helping war victims in Ukraine.

12| SERVING WITH GREAT EXPECTATION

Liberty sends supplies and a team of students to Romania to assist war relief efforts in Ukraine.

16| SKY-HIGH TECH

The School of Aeronautics is staying ahead of flight training trends with the latest technology, including VR and AI.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

18| BE OUR GUEST

Liberty’s student tour guides share their own college experiences, plus what to expect on a campus tour.

20| FAITH-FOCUSED EDUCATION

Liberty’s K-12 program hits record enrollment as more families seek at-home alternatives.

22| HOME AWAY FROM HOME

Students from around the globe find care and guidance at the International Student Center.

NEWS & VIEWS

26| CONVO GUESTS

David Jeremiah, the ‘Jesus Revolution’ filmmakers, and more inspiring guests visit campus.

28| MARCH FOR LIFE

Students carry the lead banner in D.C. and share their personal stories from the pro-life fight.

35| RESURRECTION TRUTH

Dr. Gary Habermas writes on Jesus’ deity and the undeniable power of the resurrection.

36| LIFE-CHANGING TUNES

Students and alumni join industry leaders to create powerful new worship music.

ATHLETICS

38| CONFERENCE USA MOVE

Size up the opponents Liberty will meet this fall.

40| NEW HOOPS LEADER: Flames Basketball’s Darius McGhee reflects on his years at LU.

ALUMNI

42| RECONNECTING & REJOICING

Building a stronger alumni community

The men’s and women’s ski & snowboard teams showcased their tricks during the USCSA Rail Jam held at Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre on Feb. 5. The teams swept first place on the podiums individually in all four divisions.

KENDALL TIDWELL

FIRMLY

PLANTED

BY CHRISTIAN SHIELDS

Sitting in a lounge at the Liberty Football Center on a sunny day in January with the north end zone goalpost looming in the background, new Flames Football Head Coach Jamey

Chadwell said it was almost seven years ago to that day when he first thought about someday coaching the Flames.

“It’s amazing how God does answer your prayers. It might not be on your

timeline, but it’s always on His,” Chadwell said. “I enjoyed all those other places very much, (but) to me Liberty was always the premier Christian institution. So, as a Christian coach, I thought about how awesome it would be to be at Liberty coaching football.”

Since officially joining Liberty in December, Chadwell has worked to become acquainted with the university, the student body, and his team. Chadwell spoke at the opening Spring 2023 Convocation and has attended events like the Midnight Mayhem

hockey game in January.

“It’s been pretty electric,” he said. “The Convo, I was extremely nervous because it’s your first time speaking in front of 9,000 people. At the hockey game, it’s midnight and until 2 a.m., there was nobody leaving. Everybody has told me how passionate the students are about their sports teams here, and say the football games are special, so I wanted to see that from some other sports as well. The way they care about being at Liberty and the way they support their classmates is pretty special.” >>

>> While much of his initial time as head coach was spent recruiting, Chadwell also prioritized developing relationships with players and coaching staff. Through initiatives such as the team’s CPR (coachplayer relationship) time, he hopes to build cohesiveness between his staff and student-athletes.

“The biggest thing right now is we’ve got to earn and gain the trust of our team,” he said. “We’re about building a relationship and connecting with it. If you have any type of relationship, you’ve got to have trust in there, no matter what that relationship is. (Trust) will be the determination of whether we have a chance to have a positive impact. It won’t be (about just) getting the best players; it will be getting the players who buy into that. That’s what we’re doing right now.”

Change and uncertainty often leave people anxious, and in addition to the changes that the team faces with new players and a new coaching staff, Chadwell and his wife, Solmaz, and their three children have uprooted and moved to a different state. Yet, through it all, they place their trust in God.

“I’m a big believer that you lay roots where you’re at, and you water them,” Chadwell said. “If you water them, and God wants to move you, He will move you. I don’t want to have one foot in, one foot out. What I’m trusting is that every time we’ve made a move and it has been challenging, He’s always made the move; He’s always blessed it and

made it so much better than I could imagine.”

Despite a wide résumé of coaching opportunities at both secular and Christian universities, Chadwell has always allowed his faith to impact his coaching, a faith he has held dear since a child but became more real to him in college.

It was after an injury he suffered while playing quarterback for East Tennessee State University that Chadwell said his faith became a driving force in his life. His

ankle was shattered, sidelining him for the entire season.

“At that time, it was about football, football, football,” said Chadwell, who became a Christian at 14. “Even though I had accepted Jesus in my life, he wasn’t number one. I equate it to he was my friend, but he wasn’t my best friend. There’s a big difference. When you have a best friend, you share secrets, you’re intimate, all those different things with your best friend. I wasn’t doing that, and football was the main thing.”

Chadwell compared his life prior to the injury as being “built on sand,” harkening back to the parable of the wise and foolish builders from Matthew 7. He said he had focused all of his attention on his sports career.

“Once I firmly committed, saying ‘Hey, I want to make (God) the rock of my life,’ that didn’t mean I didn’t have trials or tribulations, but I’ve been able to stand strong because of what He was able to do in my life, and I put my faith and trust completely in Him.”

After graduation, Chadwell found his calling in coaching and spent several years as an assistant coach for his alma mater as well as Charleston Southern University, before taking his first head coach job at North Greenville University in 2009. He served as head coach at Delta State (2012), Charleston Southern (2013-2016), and Coastal Carolina (2017, 2019-22).

WELCOME TO THE MOUNTAIN: (left to right) Head Coach Jamey Chadwell attends the Midnight Mayhem men’s hockey game at the LaHaye Ice Center on Jan. 22; the Chadwell family after a press conference on Dec. 4 where Chadwell was announced as Liberty’s new head coach; Chadwell speaks to the student body at Convocation on Jan. 18.

“I’m a big believer that you lay roots where you’re at, and you water them. If you water them, and God wants to move you, He will move you. ... Every time we’ve made a move and it has been challenging, He’s always made the move; He’s always blessed it and made it so much better than I could imagine.”

JAMEY CHADWELL

NATALIE OLSON

JOEL COLEMAN

During his final three seasons at Coastal, the Chanticleers caught fire, going 31-6 over that span, including an 11-1 season in which the team’s only loss was to the Flames in the 2020 Cure Bowl. At the conclusion of that season, Chadwell was named AP Coach of the Year.

At Liberty, Chadwell aims to continue that success on the field, but he said his ultimate goal is to glorify God. He said being at a strong Christian university with

like-minded people is encouraging.

“More than anything, you yourself can get fed, not that you don’t try to feed your players in different ways. At a Christian school, you don’t have to hide it (your faith), which is awesome. You don’t have to shy away from it.

“When you’re around other people who are seeking similar pathways and really trying to bring God glory, then it lifts you up,” he continued. “In all the jobs that we all have in sports in general, there’s a lot that goes into that, and you can lose that charge a lot. But if you have people you’re around who are always trying to lift you up and bring you that bolt, it’s like when you plug your phone in; you need that battery replenished. There’s something special about that you can’t replicate.”

By grounding his coaching philosophy in biblical wisdom, Chadwell said he hopes to edify current Christians on the team as well as bring unbelievers to a saving knowledge and relationship with Christ. This includes serving as an example of how to live a godly life for those under his direction.

He said one crucial aspect of any team sport is sacrifice. When asked what biblical characters he’s admired the most, he said one is John the Baptist because his story shows how surrendering one’s desires and plans can benefit something bigger.

“John the Baptist was willing to be beheaded for his belief in Jesus,” he

said. “As a coach, you ask yourself and you ask your players to be so committed that they’re willing to do something for someone else. That’s a sacrifice. In the Bible there’s a lot about sacrifice, (people) who are willing to give up everything for something or somebody else.”

Another change comes this fall, when Flames Football joins Conference USA after qualifying for four bowl games — and winning three — in its first four seasons of eligibility.

“Our word for the year is ‘embrace’ because it’s brand-new; there are a lot of changes, a lot of adversity,” Chadwell said.

“Every time you play, you want to go win your league,” he added. “You want to try to put a team together that can win a conference championship. It’s obviously going to be challenging because you’re going to be playing teams that are consistently going to be good. They’re all playing for something important.”

He said it’s also a chance to see some rivalries develop and further energize Flames Nation.

“I think now that we’re in this conference, you’re going to see the (teams like) Jacksonville State, you’re going to start seeing them every year,” he said. “Now, our university, our community, our students can say, ‘Hey, that’s a rivalry.’ We can create something, and I’m excited about that.”

‘BEL1EVE’

“The ‘1’ stands for one team, one family, one purpose and that’s to love each other. If you believe you’re a champion here, and you do everything a champion does here in your mind, then you can do it physically. Our big thing is about believing in each other and believing in yourself.”

SIZE THEM UP: Read a full breakdown of Liberty’s Conference USA opponents on Page 38.

MATT REYNOLDS

WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THREE ALUMNI WHO HAVE DEDICATED THEIR

SAMKON GADO (’05)

NFL player-turned-doctor leads mission in his native homeland of Nigeria

Whether he was running through defenders in the NFL or studying relentlessly for medical school exams, Dr. Samkon Gado, M.D., (’05) has led a life marked by resiliency and obedience to God’s leading.

Gado was born in Kafai, Gombe State, Nigeria. His family moved to South Carolina before high school so that he could pursue an American education.

After a standout athletic career in high school, where he lettered in three sports and received all-state football honors as a senior running back, Gado received a football scholarship from Liberty, a Division I-AA program at the time.

Following the 2004 season, Gado was recognized as an All-Big South Conference selection but was bypassed in the 2005 NFL Draft. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Kansas City Chiefs, where he spent less than two months before being signed by the Green Bay Packers. He impressed the league enough in his rookie season to remain there for six years, spending time with six different teams and racking up 12 touchdowns and over 1,000 yards of offense during his time in the NFL.

But football was never his intended career.

BY JACOB COUCH

Gado’s goal in the NFL was certainly an unconventional one: to save his earnings to pay for medical school and fulfill a dream of serving in medical missions.

Gado married his wife, Rachel, in 2010, and with her support traded a football uniform for a white coat, starting medical school at Medical University of South Carolina. Near the end of his time there, he traveled to Nigeria to do a one-month rotation of his ENT (ear, nose, and throat) residency with Saint Louis University.

He had first considered medical missions when he was a Liberty student, but working in Nigeria only further confirmed a desire God had laid on his heart years earlier.

“I always felt a tug toward cross-cultural missions. My grandfather was a local missionary to Nigeria, and my father was a pastor and minister and has been in the ministry my whole life. I kind of resisted until I came to Liberty,” he said. “I was ready to go somewhere where the Gospel had never gone before. But my idea of missions began morphing a bit, and instead of setting up a hut and serving as many people as I could until I die, I started thinking, ‘What if missions could be a little more organized?’ and I began

thinking more about infrastructure.”

In 2019, Gado and his sister, Ruth, founded The Jonah Inheritance with the purpose of reimagining healthcare in Nigeria from a Gospel perspective. The name comes from both sets of their grandparents’ names: Yunana, a version of “Jonah,” and Gado, which means “Inheritance.”

Gado said the nation is desperate for this type of medical relief.

“Nigeria’s strength is it is one of the top exporters of physicians in the world, but it has one of the worst healthcare systems and the worst infrastructure, so there is a disconnect there,” he said.

The vision includes building a selfsustaining hospital on a 28-acre campus in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja. Gado said they have raised enough funds to build a border fence and hope to break ground on the hospital this year. The Jonah Inheritance is already actively at work training in-country doctors and medical staff.

Nigerian partners have been overseeing the projects while Gado is in Lynchburg, where he returned in 2020 to work as an ENT surgeon. He is working with his former roommate from Liberty, Dr. Jay Cline (’05);

LIVES TO SHARING GOD’S LOVE NEAR AND FAR

Samkon Gado tends to a patient at a clinic in Nigeria last year. He frequently travels to Nigeria for medical missions trips.

THE JONAH INHERITANCE

the two are partners at Blue Ridge ENT.

While Gado serves patients locally, he’s also making plans to someday move with his wife and four sons to Nigeria and focus his full attention on The Jonah Inheritance.

“The idea of going to Nigeria, for both of us, is very difficult,” he said. “That’s why what really keeps us moving in that direction, truly, is what the Lord is doing in both of our hearts.”

Gado said his ultimate goal is to not only help people heal physically but also share the Gospel message with them.

“I started seeing medicine from a slightly different perspective, using the Gospel as a framework to actually break down disease,” he said. “I think diseases preach the Gospel to us, and if you think of how diseases happen, you can see and preach through a disease.”

He said cancer is one example.

“Cancer is a cell creating its own agenda. It doesn’t really matter what that agenda is; it’s just an agenda different than what it was designed to do. When it reproduces itself, it destroys the organ and eventually can metastasize to the body and end in death. That’s no different than the sin of Adam.”

Gado said God looks at the heart of the issue, and that is how healing truly comes.

“He doesn’t go after the behaviors. The only way that sin can be addressed is by changing the heart. Once you fix the broken DNA, the body naturally takes care of the cancer.

“Couple our understanding of the Gospel and how it affects medicine with doctors who are of the same mind and who are capable, and teaching them how to marry the Gospel with medicine … now, the whole healthcare encounter is a Gospel presentation.”

While Gado has always had a warrior spirit, he said it was awakened, shaped, and encouraged the most during his time at Liberty, where he encountered LU founder Jerry Falwell Sr. and others whose hearts were on fire for the Gospel and displayed how that message can change the world.

“Spiritually and practically, Jerry Falwell has really been a role model to me,” Gado said. “The biggest thing that Liberty has been to me is that it was an incubator for many things. It allowed me to find godly relationships. For the first time in my life, I was meeting people my age who had a deep passion for the Lord and a passion to serve Him. And that, more than anything, is what the Lord used to deepen my faith. I found brothers, a community of believers, who were following

Learn more at THEJONAHINHERITANCE.ORG.

THE JONAH INHERITANCE

DAVID CHIM (’22)

Recent graduate returns to Cambodia to enact change in education

Raised by his grandmother in northern Cambodia, Lykeang “David” Chim (’22) thought his career options were limited. He grew up with little money, a corrupt public education system, and a broken family plagued by alcoholism.

Many of these deficiencies in his childhood stemmed from the Cambodian Genocide decades prior. Between 1.5 and 3 million people perished under the brutal communist Khmer Rouge from 1975-79.

The four-year socialist regime finally ended when Vietnamese troops seized control of Phnom Penh, the country’s capital.

Many citizens fled toward the border of Thailand during this period of intense turmoil, including Chim’s grandparents, who landed in the Preah Vihear province away from the primary conflict. But the destructive terror still left many Cambodians without direction or hope.

Chim was determined to break the wheel of poverty and carve a prosperous future. He didn’t want to sell gasoline and soda on the side of the road, as his grandmother wanted him to do. He dreamed of earning a college degree and starting a Christian school and orphanage free from the fraudulent state education system.

“The schools were bad, specifically the ones in the province,” Chim said. “Teachers

BY LOGAN SMITH

will charge extra money for students to learn materials, and students can bribe the teachers to give them good grades. It’s still happening nowadays.”

Raised in a non-Christian family, Chim only started attending church on his own at age 13 so he could learn English and guitar. But God worked in his heart, and Chim accepted Christ two years later.

Divine providence united Chim with a missionary from Pennsylvania, David Eastburn. The two met when Eastburn was on a puppet ministry tour in 2014. Chim helped him with translation during his visit.

“He really struck me as someone who was genuine, worked hard, and used his limited English skills,” Eastburn said.

During these encounters, Chim described his desire to earn a proper education and start an orphanage and Christian school. Inspired by Chim’s dream, Eastburn encouraged him to write down his God-given goals on a piece of paper and to reference his dream whenever discouragement or doubt hovered. Then he asked him about college.

“If you’re wanting to start a Christian school and Christian orphanage, then you need to make sure you have a biblical foundation with which to build upon,” Eastburn told him.

Eastburn and his family had sponsored

several international high school students in the past, and two of them went on to attend Liberty University, so he asked Chim if he had heard of Liberty.

“Who’s Liberty?” Chim asked.

“It’s not a person, it’s a place,” Eastburn said.

“Sorry, I don’t have the money,” Chim replied.

Eastburn’s next words gave Chim the hope he desperately needed: “I don’t know, but if God wants you there, He will make a way. With God, all things are possible.”

Chim finished high school in Cambodia with no money, no supportive family members, and no clear-cut direction — only faith that God would miraculously provide a Christian education in the United States.

Eastburn assisted Chim with his application to Liberty, but just when it looked like the door was going to close, an advisor discovered a scholarship program that was about to be discontinued. Chim received the final award from the program, allowing him to enroll in 2016. To top it off, Chim, who had never operated a washer or dryer before attending Liberty, was able to serve as a Resident Assistant (RA) on campus for four years, which provided free housing and meal plans.

He persisted and earned an undergraduate degree in international business and a

MARIT

Master of Business Administration.

“I miss Liberty a lot,” Chim said. “Liberty was like my family. It was where I formed my beliefs and characteristics. It shaped who I am today.”

“Not a lot of people can come to college,” he added. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a domestic student or an international student; just be grateful and blessed, and thank your RAs.”

Chim visited the Eastburns during school breaks, and they quickly became family.

“We’re thankful for what Liberty does in helping students,” Eastburn said. “When the body of Christ comes together, and everybody does their part, lives are transformed, and the world is transformed. … And we count it a privilege to have worked with Liberty.”

Chim received multiple job offers in America following his graduation from the MBA program last May, but despite the comfortable salary offered in the States, Chim recalled his dream that he wrote on that piece of paper in 2014. He chose to return to Cambodia, trusting in the Lord’s direction and provision.

“It was like one of my kids going away,” Eastburn said. “It was difficult for Diane (my wife) and me, but in the back of our hearts and minds, we knew this wasn’t the end story. He knows that we are here for him.”

Chim is currently working at Asian Hope International School, a Christian bilingual school in Cambodia’s capital. He serves as an academic advisor and guidance counselor, assisting students with their university admission process. His theme this year is: “Wherever you end up going or whatever you end up getting, know the Truth.”

In his free time, Chim is drawing up the blueprints for his own school, with plans to open enrollment in 2024 in the very province where he grew up. Chim specifically asks the Liberty community for prayer and support during these early stages.

“If educated Cambodians, and specifically Christian people, keep leaving Cambodia to pursue a better life, the country will still be the same,” he said. “A person with knowledge and education can definitely impact the future of Cambodia, but I also believe that Cambodia needs Christian education because Christian education trains and shapes students to be Christ-centered leaders so that they can start making an impact in their family, their community, and their country.”

Learn more at REFUGEFORTHEPOOR.ORG/LYKEANGS-SCHOOL.

NOEL YEATTS (’93)

World Help president makes global outreach her lifelong passion

Noel Yeatts (’93) participated in mission trips with Liberty University even before she became a Liberty student. She went on her first trip when she was 12, joining her father who was working in missions with Liberty at the time. She quickly discovered a passion for helping the impoverished around the world, and the fire that God lit in her heart for missions has continued to burn her whole life.

Yeatts earned a Bachelor of Science in Government from Liberty, but her connection to the university runs much deeper than her degree. Her father, Vernon Brewer, was the university’s first graduate in 1973. In 1991, he founded World Help, a Christian humanitarian organization based in nearby Forest, Va.

Now, Yeatts has followed in his footsteps — and most importantly in God’s will for her life — as the president of World Help.

It was because of her father’s involvement with Liberty’s missions program that she got to experience firsthand the destitution prevalent in many parts of the world and see the impact of mission work. As a teenager, she even went on several short-term trips with Liberty.

She recalls one particular trip being the catalyst for her career in global outreach. She traveled with a large group of Liberty students to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where they encountered a young street child

BY CHRISTIAN SHIELDS

named Nildo who had no clothing except a ragged pair of underwear. Through the help of a local missionary, Yeatts and her sister purchased food and clothing for the child. However, their father felt called to do more. He found a children’s home that could care for Nildo for $400 a year.

Brewer gathered the Liberty students together and passed a hat around, and they gave $800 to provide for Nildo to live two years at the home. When they returned to the city to tell Nildo about his new home, they found him beaten. His new clothes had been stolen by other children. He accepted their offer to live in the children’s home and was removed from his wretched situation.

Yeatts said that she remembers a Brazilian pastor who was traveling with them asking why Brewer and the group put so much effort into caring for only one child when the city was filled with needy children like him. By wrestling with that question herself, Yeatts gained a perspective that she said continues to impact her work today.

“There was no way I could help all the street children in Brazil, but looking back I realize that that’s not what God was asking me to do, that’s not what God was asking our group to do,” she said. “He had put one little boy in our path, and we could make a difference for him.”

She said in order to make a difference in the world, people must be willing to focus on

helping individuals instead of being bogged down by the constant issues plaguing the world overall.

“The easy thing to do is to get overwhelmed and assume that there’s nothing you can do to make a difference, that whatever you did would be a drop in the bucket,” Yeatts said. “But I can go back to that Nildo story and realize that we just have to see the one. We have to look through the masses of people and see the one.”

Yeatts worked for World Help while a Liberty student and continued to do so after graduation. In 2019, she took over presidential responsibilities from her father after previously serving as vice president. In this role, her duties include maintaining daily operations, “vision casting” ideas for how the organization can serve, speaking at churches and concerts, and traveling to other countries to aid in the organization’s relief efforts.

Yeatts, Brewer, and World Help have remained heavily connected with the university. Yeatts and her father have spoken in Liberty’s Convocation. Last fall, Yeatts spoke at Liberty’s CEO Summit. Many of World Help’s staff members are Liberty alumni.

“When you look back at my dad starting at Liberty with those mission trips and leading the missions, there would be no World Help if he hadn’t done that first,” Yeatts said. “And

Noel Yeatts (‘93) and her father, Vernon Brewer (‘73), founder of World Help

I even look at my history with Liberty. If I hadn’t been part of those Liberty trips, if my eyes hadn’t been opened to those needs, I wouldn’t be doing what I am doing today. When I look back at my time at Liberty, I’m very grateful for that and for what my dad and I experienced. That’s the impact Liberty has had on us and the impact it has had on what World Help is doing.”

While World Help seeks to serve the physical needs of the impoverished around the world, it does so by simultaneously serving their spiritual needs.

“Without food, clothing, and medicines that our body needs, well then faith means very little. But without faith that feeds our souls, then everything else is just a short-term fix,” Yeatts said. “When you focus on body and soul, that’s when true transformation happens, and we’ve seen that over the past 30 years over and over again.”

She said that providing for someone’s physical needs opens the door for spiritual conversations.

“When you give people what they need to survive another day, deeper hungers emerge,” she said, “a hunger for belonging, a hunger for community, and then eventually a hunger for God’s Word and His ways. I believe that both hungers matter to God, and both hungers should matter to us.”

World Help addresses many different

needs throughout the world, from providing supplies and clean water to impoverished or disaster-stricken areas, to distributing Bibles and planting churches in spiritually bankrupt areas, and rescuing individuals from the horrors of human trafficking.

Last year, as part of World Help’s response to render aid to the residents of Ukraine and those who have fled the country during the war with Russia, Yeatts traveled to Eastern Europe three times and to Ukraine twice.

She described her first trip to the country as a “surreal experience.” During the trip, she visited a former high school that has been repurposed as housing for 230 individuals as well as a center for making bulletproof vests. At the time of her visit, the children there were given three meals a day, but the adults were restricted to only one due to limited resources. On every trip there, Yeatts has interacted with Ukrainian refugees and heard their troubling life stories.

She met Marina, who fled Bucha — a city where Russian Armed Forces carried out a mass murder during the invasion — with her granddaughters. She also met a young girl who was forced to separate from her father and brother at a train station while fleeing the city with her mother and sister.

World Help has been aiding refugees by raising money to provide food and clothing for the winter months.

In an interview with fellow Liberty alumna Shannon Bream on Fox News, Yeatts said during her trips to Ukraine, she has spoken with many individuals who have lost homes and family members from the destruction.

“We may not be able to keep those bombs from dropping on their doorstep, but we can be a part of helping them. We can help them survive,” she told Fox News.

From her office in February, Yeatts said when she shares about Ukraine now, “What I really want people to know is something one of our partners shared with us: ‘We’re expecting a miracle, we’re praying for a miracle, but until that miracle comes, we can do small miracles for refugees every day.’”

“I believe history is going to judge us on how we respond to this, on our action or our inaction,” she added. “I want to be on the right side of history. I want to be on the right side of humanity. But more than anything, I want to be on the right side of my faith. I believe that if we claim to love God, then we have to love people too. We have to love our neighbor. Our faith should compel us to take action and help as many people as we can.”

Noel Yeatts with refugee children in Eastern Europe

BUCHAREST, ROMANIA

Serving with Great Expectation

LIBERTY SENDS TEAM, SUPPLIES TO SUPPORT UKRAINE RELIEF EFFORTS

BY STEVEN GILLUM

PHOTOS BY MATT REYNOLDS

“Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.”

William Carey, an English Christian missionary, said this statement in Northampton, England, in 1792, and I believe it still resonates today among Liberty University’s administration and students.

Each week, I see and experience this distinct passion from Liberty students who expect great things from God and attempt great things for God through their passions,

careers, and outreach to others in need.

Feb. 24, 2022, will be a day we remember. Russia invaded Ukraine, causing tens of thousands of deaths on both sides of the armed conflict and pushing Europe into one of the biggest refugee crises since World War II. Since then, over 8 million Ukrainians have left their country and entered other nations like Romania, Moldova, Poland, and the Czech Republic. Over 5 million have been internally displaced, still trying to survive

inside their own country.

Shortly after the invasion, under the leadership of Liberty Interim President Jerry Prevo, the Liberty University Fund for Ukraine’s Future was established for faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends of the university to give toward the overwhelming relief efforts. This fund would provide humanitarian assistance for Ukrainians in need. (To donate, visit Liberty.edu/Ukraine.)

During the early fall of 2022, LU Serve

quickly identified three critical organization partners to help Liberty use the funds to ship a container filled with clothes, shoes, tools, hygiene kits, medical equipment, and other essential supplies. World Help in nearby Forest, Va., arranged the shipping of the container that would be received by Greater Europe Mission (GEM) in Bucharest, Romania.

In Romania, the Ukrainian Bucharest Church 22 (UBC 22) network is ministering to Ukrainian refugees and sends weekly convoy vans of supplies into Ukraine, at significant risk and peril to their own lives. Many convoys must travel through inclement weather, navigate treacherous

roads, and endure dangerous stops close to the armed conflict to get aid to those in need.

The outreach refugee ministry of UBC 22 is difficult work. By November, many of the staff and volunteers were depleted of physical energy and emotionally and spiritually drained.

Dwight Poggemiller, a 1992 Liberty alumnus and missionary with GEM in Romania, was confident that a passionate group of students for God in the LU Serve Now program could provide much-needed energy and volunteer assistance alongside UBC 22.

With great anticipation, LU Serve Now sent a team of students and a few staff in late

January to be the hands and feet of Jesus in Romania. The students traveled there with a common purpose: to serve alongside the UBC 22 network and minister to the Ukrainian refugees together.

When the team initially arrived, the UBC 22 staff was overjoyed that volunteers were there to help all week. What made an impression on them was that these Liberty students were willing to miss classes all week, fly across the globe, and do whatever was asked of them.

When I arrived with the team one morning at the UBC 22 center, so did a young Ukrainian man with his mother. Everything they owned was in a black garbage sack >>

“We want to love those no one else will love, serve those no one else will serve, and risk what no one else will risk for the sake of the Gospel.”

(Left page, clockwise from top left) Students pray with members of the UBC22 network who deliver supplies into the war-torn areas of Ukraine; alumnus Dwight Poggemiller, a mission worker in Europe, talks to the team about humanitarian relief efforts; students wash the vans used during dangerous convoys into Ukraine; the team tours the city of Bucharest.

(Above) A team member loads supplies at UBC22’s warehouse, where items are stored before they are taken by the convoys into Ukraine.

>> he carried. Their city was struck by heavy artillery, and they spent much of their money to get to Bucharest to find refuge. UBC staff and Liberty students gave them a hot meal, offered a warm shower with clean water and a temporary place to sleep, and washed their clothes and gave them new ones to wear.

Ministry to refugees can be unpredictable, and each day has the potential to look different than the previous one. Liberty students were flexible and served with grace and excellence, even in frigid weather throughout the week. Tasks included sorting and organizing clothing donations, light construction, painting, cleaning, preparing meals and serving them to refugees and staff, playing with children, and washing the convoy vans.

When I think of how the students served, I can see them living what Jesus said in Matthew 25:40: “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”

Pastor Nelutu Iubas leads a main UBC 22 church in Bucharest that has become a base

of operations for the network. As a leader with UBC 22, he was greatly encouraged by the donation of the container and the Liberty students’ efforts to help them move forward in their relief efforts.

But the needs were not only in Bucharest, as the group traveled over an hour away to do similar activities at a refugee camp. Students spent time listening to the stories of the Ukrainians as they served them by ministering to their physical and emotional needs and sharing the good news of Jesus.

The students not only felt the physically harsh winter that many Ukrainians feel as they seek refuge from the horrors of war but also the emotional and spiritual burden of so many. The students’ resolve to keep serving with joy and love was inseparable from their faith and trust in God. The impact the experience has made on their lives is priceless, and they will be forever changed by UBC 22 and the Ukrainian people.

On March 3, Liberty University students, athletes, coaches, faculty, and staff spent one day packing another container full of 270,000 meals that UBC 22 will take into

Ukraine to minister and share the love of Christ. The convoys will again endure hardship and danger to bring food that the Liberty community packed and to share Christ’s love.

That is why we attempt to do great things like this at Liberty University. We want to love those no one else will love, serve those no one else will serve, and risk what no one else will risk for the sake of the Gospel.

Martin Luther King Jr. was right when he said, “Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”

A love for Jesus and Ukraine compels Liberty to expect great things from God and attempt great things for God.

As Director of LU Serve within the Office of Spiritual Development, Gillum leads the strategic partnerships and special projects that help develop students to serve as Christ’s ambassadors worldwide.

Dwight Poggemiller (top left) and Steven Gillum (top right), director of LU Serve, with the Liberty team in Bucharest, Romania

Fulfilling the Great Commission in Europe

BY JACOB COUCH

Liberty University graduate Dwight Poggemiller (’88, ’92) said he and his wife, Melissa (’98), were given so much while at Liberty that they sense now is the time to give back. As mission workers in Europe, they want to inspire the next generation.

“We were really poured into by Liberty professors and through short-term trips, and we feel like now is our chance to give back and to be on the encouraging, helpingto-send, and mobilizing side of things,” he said. “We have realized as a couple that it has been a huge blessing to be involved in fulfilling the Great Commission. We can help others to be a part of that blessing, and they are going to experience an incredible work of the Lord in their lives if they say yes to Him in this area.”

The Poggemillers are missionaries in Romania, sent out by Thomas Road Baptist Church to serve through Greater Europe Mission. Dwight Poggemiller is the leader for GEM’s Training and Development team and has served in Europe for over 25 years. In his effort to give back to LU, Dwight helped facilitate the recent LU Serve trip to Romania. He traveled with the team from site to site throughout their stay and spent time talking to students about his life’s work and the importance of reaching the world for Christ.

Dwight’s parents, Dr. Helmuth and Esther Poggemiller, were English professors at Liberty from the 1980s until their retirement in the early 2000s. Dwight attended Liberty Christian Academy before enrolling at Liberty. During his years in Lynchburg, he said he built relationships with Liberty founder Dr. Jerry Falwell and his son Jonathan Falwell (TRBC senior pastor and Liberty University campus pastor). They graduated from LCA together.

“While I was preparing to go to the mission field, (Dr. Falwell) was so supportive,” he recalled. “He wrote letters of recommendation to other pastors to help with raising support. He was a real encouragement throughout that time. There has been a continued, personal interest and support that started with Dr. Falwell and has continued down through Jonathan. We praise the Lord for that.”

After graduating with an undergraduate degree in history and then his Master of Divinity, Poggemiller traveled to Romania and taught theological studies at a Bible school for two years. He met Melissa in

1998 during a brief visit back to Lynchburg. The couple married in 2000 and moved to Romania in 2001 to continue teaching at the Bible school. They continue to serve in a variety of roles as long-term missionaries with GEM in Timisoara, Romania, while raising their four children.

The family was able to take part in serving Ukrainian refugees last year in Moldova, a

country between Ukraine and Romania.

“Together with many partners, I think we touched well over 40,000 refugees in some way with the love of Jesus,” Dwight said.

Additionally, with his assistance, LU Serve partnered with GEM last fall to send supplies for Ukrainian refugees. The supplies were made possible by donations to the Liberty University Fund for Ukraine’s Future.

Every school year, Liberty University affords students the opportunity to be a part of making a difference for the Kingdom of God domestically and around the globe through the LU Send and LU Serve offices.

While LU Send is the central hub of support for all student group travel and study abroad at Liberty, LU Serve provides meaningful service opportunities through Christian Community Service (CSER) and domestic and international trips with the LU Serve Now disaster relief initiative. The office also provides campuswide exposure events, such as Global Focus Week and the Serve Expo, and offers inspiring and engaging workshops and curated training sessions.

During the fall semester, students traveled to Jackson, Ky., and Englewood, Fla., to aid communities affected by floods and hurricanes. Earlier this semester, groups traveled to Rwanda, Israel, and Romania for academic and service initiatives, and more will journey across the world later this spring on trips to Jordan, Italy, and Spain.

In April, over 1,000 students will volunteer at close to 100 area sites for the university’s annual Serve Lynchburg outreach day.

SKY-HIGH TECH

SCHOOL OF AERONAUTICS STAYING AHEAD OF FLIGHT

BY TED ALLEN

Virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence were once just buzzwords of the future. Now, this cutting-edge technology is becoming commonplace in our homes, workplaces, and the classroom. Liberty University School of Aeronautics is leading the way in using the latest technological advancements to transform pilot training as it sends out graduates well-prepared to meet the industry’s growing demands. Integrating the new technology is a primary

TRAINING TRENDS

focus of Director of Technology and Innovations

Kevin Martin, working out of the simulation center in DeMoss Hall and the university’s Center for Engineering Research & Education (CERE) aerospace labs.

In the fall, Liberty became one of the first schools to connect its Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs) — tablets equipped with flight-data monitoring software — to its simulators (called flight-training devices, or FTDs), in

addition to its fleet. The EFBs are outfitted with CloudAhoy, a post-flight debriefing program, and AirSync, a cloud-based service with immediate access to flight history data directly from the aircraft avionics.

“We’ve really done a system integration of aircraft and simulator. It’s all cloud-based,” Martin said. “Everything we do, technology wise, is focused on our students’ experience, whether it is with the virtual reality headsets or the artificial intelligence flight simulators, which allow students to learn how to fly before they ever get into the plane.”

Another app, ForeFlight, aids in flight planning and logging, with charts, weather and airport information, document management, and more. The apps are synced so they can provide a fluid, efficient system.

“This really takes our program to that major next step, being able to pull in all of that data,” Martin said.

The 90 EFBs are issued to all of Liberty’s flight instructors and specific flight professors, and the AirSync software is installed in its entire fleet of 27 aircraft (with two more on the way) as well as all of its FTDs.

Director of Flight Operations Ian Dutkus said with AirSync up and running, “we have been able to diagnose potential and reported aircraft issues more efficiently, returning aircraft to service at a higher efficiency rate. This efficiency has allowed us to operate a higher schedule effectiveness percentage to support the goal of overall student success.”

Both the aircraft and the simulators are also equipped with Garmin 1000 avionics, which provide pilots a wealth of flight-critical data on high-resolution screens.

“We can look at our entire fleet over time and start pulling those data analytics, which are extremely accurate because they are coming right from the airplane, to really ask what we need to do to train better, what we need to get smarter at,” Martin said. “I can pull the students’ flight information up on any computer to debrief on a nice big screen, enhancing the experience. Instead of trying to remember what you wrote down on your notes, it allows you to actually visualize it. Most pilots are hands-on, visual learners, so that really gives them that ability. It also helps us to correlate and transfer information faster, which at the end of the day saves them money.”

Students can also get hands-on practice with the school’s three Garmin G1000 tabletop trainers that replicate cockpit instruments.

Jonny Hewitt, director of flight training, said using the most advanced technology available has further standardized the debriefing process but

also increased the overall learning process and the students’ performance.

“The ability to visualize and replay actual G1000 flight data after each flight and simulator lesson has changed the game entirely,” he said. “Our students now share a heightened awareness of their performance in flight, and that only continues to aid in their success throughout their training with LUSOA.”

Andrew Walton, director of safety for the School of Aeronautics, said the new technology is proving invaluable when it comes to safe flight training practices: “The ability to detect engine anomalies immediately after each flight has a direct impact on safe operations. Additionally, we are working with the FAA to make it possible for Liberty and other flight schools to more quickly upload this data to a protected database where we look through aggregate data for safety trends.”

Another technology that has changed the trajectory of flight training is virtual reality.

“VR is the future of aviation training because it gives you the ability to have a more immersive experience,” Martin said. “We started researching VR and the associated hardware, and we’ve gotten very good at building systems that do flight sims in VR extremely well.”

VR is also being used to train airport management students by walking them through virtual layouts of Dulles (Va.) and SeattleTacoma (Wash.) international airports, using computer-generated imagery (CGI) viewed through a headset.

“The more we can trick the mind into believing it’s an experience in a simulation world, the more intensity and imprint you’re going to get, so the more correlation you’re going to have,” Martin said. “Now, with VR, the students get to actually walk around and experience it. Everything is geospatially correct, meaning if that particular

item is 6 feet away in the software, you have to walk 6 feet to get to it. The mind sees that and does a really amazing job at correlating realism with it.”

Student-pilots also use robust VR systems at CERE, where the SOA has test beds for faculty, staff, students, and industry partners to research various new technologies. On campus, they have access to seven TakeFlight simulators equipped with AI technology, which Martin hopes to enhance with VR headsets this fall.

“TakeFlight is amazing because the artificial intelligence instructor is in there actually teaching you how to fly — how to start, how to taxi, how to take off, how to circle, climb, descend, turn — with no human interaction,” he said. “As you are flying, it’s talking to you, telling you what to do, giving you feedback, and you go through multiple lessons and you get graded on it based on the FAA standards. Those are no-cost, self-paced learning tools. Students can come in here and practice as much as they want to get good at it, and they do this before they ever hit a big sim, a flight instructor, or the airplane. This saves us a ton of time because they know how to taxi with their feet, which is something a lot of people struggle with.”

A VR system has also been added to the school’s UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems, or more commonly called drones) simulator.

“Obviously, we want to build cutting-edge technology and we want to be able to use that, but expanding on this is going to expand our field of attracting more people here to this Christian university so they can go out into the world and spread the Gospel of Christ through this type of training,” said Brayden Johnson (’22), Liberty’s UAS operations coordinator.

Martin added, “That’s the goal, Training Champions for Christ.”

BE OUR GUEST

MEET LU’S STUDENT TOUR GUIDES

BY CHRISTIAN SHIELDS

What do all visitors have in common when they arrive on campus for the first time? Questions. And there’s no better people to answer those questions than the students themselves.

Sophomore Tyler Waitman and junior Taylor Lowe are two of the more than 25 Liberty University students who work as campus tour guides, meeting with prospective students and their families throughout the year.

Tyler, originally from Tuttle, Okla., and Taylor, from St. Cloud, Minn., said they know they’re talking to families who are about to go through a major transition in their lives and have big decisions to make. Both of them moved several states away to attend LU, and they remember how it can be a scary and exciting time all at once. They’re ready to allay anyone’s fears about college and moving away from home, and they are prepared to help them to begin looking forward to the challenges and memorable moments that lie ahead.

That’s why at Liberty, the tours take on a family feel from the beginning. The guides not only lead families around to campus sites, sharing their vast knowledge on every facet of college life, but they also spend time sharing about their own experience on campus and why they made the choice to attend Liberty. Instead of using a rehearsed

script, they make each tour personal and adapt to the needs and desires of the group. With their smiling faces and bubbly personalities, Tyler and Taylor encourage questions along the way and patiently listen and respond.

Tyler said he remembers touring campus with his parents when he was a senior in high school two years ago.

“I felt needed and known as soon as I walked in the front doors of the Hancock Welcome Center. It was amazing,” he said. “The tour guides really cared, and it wasn’t just that they were showing me the highlights of the school, but they were showing me all of the real things as well, their own personal experiences.”

for me was community,” he said. “I know looking around, we have such a strong sense of community. It’s really cool to be able to say that when you’re a student at Liberty, it’s hard to fall between the cracks here because we have so many different things set into place to where you are seen and you are known on this campus.”

ATHLETICS HIGHLIGHTS

Taylor, who is studying psychology, has worked as a tour guide for two years. For her, the job helps her appreciate the blessings she has at LU.

BIG TEN TOPPLE: Lady Flames Tennis defeated MSU on the road on Feb. 3 for the team’s first win over a Big Ten opponent. Liberty was previously 0-2 against Big 10 competition.

DIAMOND FAVES: For the fourth year in a row, Liberty Flames Baseball was selected to win the ASUN Conference. Pitcher Garrett Horn was named ASUN Preseason Pitcher of the Year.

That tour not only led Tyler to choose Liberty but also influenced his decision to become a tour guide. He was hired the spring semester of his freshman year.

“(One) reason why I love being a tour guide is it keeps me so grateful for everything that we have here at Liberty,” she said. “Just to be able to walk into a facility that’s so beautiful and to hear parents and students say, ‘Wow, this is gorgeous.’ Every single day it’s a reminder to not take anything for granted

STREAK SNAP: Liberty Flames Basketball defeated Jacksonville 66-52 to end the Dolphin’s home streak of 21 games, the third-largest streak in the country at the time.

“When I was looking for a job, I thought, ‘Wow, I’m going to work on campus, I want to be like those guys and girls that I interacted with when I was a senior in high school.’”

GRIDIRON GREATS: Defensive end Durrell Johnson set a new program record with 27.5 tackles for a loss in 2022 and left the Flames tied for the program record of most career tackles for a loss with 45.

BIG WIN: Lady Flames Basketball defeated the University of Washington Huskies 6654 on Dec. 18 on the road for the program’s first Pac-12 win and Liberty’s first-ever win in the state of Washington.

Tyler, who is pursuing an interdisciplinary degree in behavioral sciences and family and consumer sciences, said he regularly tells his tour groups that he chose Liberty for the friendly atmosphere.

“I always tell them that the biggest thing

TRACKING SUCCESS: The men’s shuttle quartet of Anthony Bryan, Luke Anderson, Cole Peterlin, and Felix Lawrence recorded a 32.04 time, the fastest in program and facility history, on Feb. 4 at the Liberty Open. At the same event, Jessica Palisca set a new freshman record of 2:09.61 in the women’s 800. Ally Kipchirchir set a new record of 1:49.18 in the men’s 800 at Clemson on Jan. 28, and Warren Barret set a program record with a 64-1.25 shot put at Liberty’s Brant Tolsma Invitational on Jan. 21.

here. I get to share so many of the things that the Lord has blessed me with here at Liberty. It’s just an amazing opportunity to get to do with new people every single day on the job.”

During Liberty’s College For a Weekend events, you can also find student tour guides participating in activities with the guests, such as game nights, hikes, and ice skating.

Taylor said she remembers meeting a certain high-schooler who was part of a tour she led during CFAW. She could tell immediately that the guest showed little interest in being there. But as Taylor talked with the girl more, and later went on a hike with her, the two began to develop a bond.

“I could tell by the way that she lit up that she was becoming genuinely interested in coming here,” Taylor said. “It honestly seemed as if the event had changed her mind about her interest in Liberty.”

The student applied that same weekend, and when she came to Liberty, she ended up living one floor above Taylor, who was a resident assistant in their building.

“It’s just such a unique experience to get to see her thriving and enjoying her time at Liberty when I and this other tour guide literally heard her say, ‘I don’t really think I want to come here.’ It was really special to be a part of that experience,” Taylor said.

Showing families around campus is also an opportunity to share the love of God, she said.

Liberty’s tour guides publicly display Liberty’s mission of Training Champions for Christ and show how the university has remained committed to its Christian foundation by providing an environment where students can actively grow in their faith. At the point in the tour when the guides lead their group outside the Freedom Tower, home of the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity, the tour guides share the Gospel.

“I love the stop at the School of Divinity because it’s a perfect opportunity to clearly outline the Gospel and to be able to look into each guest’s eyes and say, ‘Jesus died for your sins, and there is an eternal future with Him,’” Taylor said. “And then it’s exciting to be able to pray over guests at the end of the tour and really just have the opportunity to be a witness for Christ because they know that they are coming to a Christian school. People are not able to walk away from a tour at Liberty without hearing the Gospel. That’s one of the greatest privileges of this job.”

WHAT TO EXPECT:

With the Hancock Welcome Center as their headquarters, the guides begin each daily tour with a video and introductory message. Then they lead their groups on a walking tour to multiple sites on main campus, including model residence hall rooms, academic buildings, Montview Student Union, The Food Court at Reber-Thomas, and the Jerry Falwell Library. Guests can then board Liberty vans to view Campus East housing and tour Green Hall, home to the Tower Theater, LaHaye Recreation & Fitness Center, Tilley Student Center, and academic departments.

Guests can schedule tours during the week (typically lasting three hours and held at either 9 a.m. or 2 p.m.), set up a “micro tour” throughout the day as needed, or sign up for special tour days:

EXPERIENCELU: One-day tours on select Mondays and Fridays throughout the year. Guests can sample on-campus dining and meet with professors in their field of interest.

COLLEGE FOR A WEEKEND: Held twice a semester. Guests can spend an entire weekend living like a Liberty student, meeting professors, attending classes, and exploring campus. Upcoming dates: March 30-April 1; Sept. 21-23; and Nov. 9-11.

Campus visits include information about scholarships and the admission process.

FAITH-FOCUSED EDUCATION

K-12 PROGRAM HITS RECORD ENROLLMENT AS MORE FAMILIES SEEK AT-HOME OPTION

BY RYAN KLINKER

At a time when more families are turning to online education at all learning levels, Liberty University Online Academy has continued to expand its kindergarten through high school program, hitting record enrollment at 18,400 students last year.

Sherri Deeder of Bluffs, Ill., is a grandmother to a middle school student and a high school student with LUOA. She helps her grandchildren with classes while their parents work.

“The LUOA curriculum is rigorous, it’s challenging, and keeps our students so engaged,” she said. “The flexibility is unbelievable. But the most important aspect in my opinion is that it’s all Bible-based. It strengthens their biblical worldview, and it strengthens their understanding of how (God) is a part of everything.”

Deeder graduated from Liberty in 1994 with a degree in elementary education, so Liberty is a special connection she shares

with her grandchildren.

“Their parents bring the kids to our house, we get to have breakfast with them, we get to have school on our schedule, we get to have lunch together, and it’s made us stronger as a family,” she said. “It’s always been my dream that our grandkids attend LU, and they might when the time comes. Every year, we love it more than we did the year before.”

Dr. Chris Rusk, LUOA dean and superintendent, said students tend to come

Mouse-pointer LIBERTY.EDU/LUOA

from either a Christian family looking for a faith-based education or a non-Christian household that simply recognizes Liberty’s high-caliber education. In both cases, Rusk said a goal for LUOA is not only to influence the student with the Gospel but also his or her family.

“We want students to know Christ; we want their parents or guardians to know Christ,” he said. “When we interact, we’re interacting with a family. We’re not changing just one life; we want to change the life of the entire family.”

Rusk said that’s why every course is designed with a biblical mindset.

“When we originally wrote our courses, the first thing we did with our writers was have them sit down in a Christian worldview training session so they could learn how to start with Scripture and work their way out into their individual disciplines. There are a lot of courses out there at other Christian programs that take a secular course and build the Scripture and faith elements on top of it. We believe that it is always best to start with the Bible and then move outward. That way Christ is baked into the course from the start.”

LUOA serves families across the country and even around the world. Over the last four years, students have enrolled from 99 countries — including Malaysia, Vietnam, Qatar, and Iraq.

Many families are attracted to the flexibility of the program, which operates on a rolling enrollment schedule, with start dates every Monday. The 10-month curriculum allows families to decide if they want to study year-round or add in their own breaks. The curriculum is self-paced, so students can spend extra time on subjects they struggle with and not get left behind like some do in a traditional classroom. Students can work ahead responsibly in order to accommodate their schedules and learning tempo.

Sarah Keturah Colley of Tampa, Fla., enrolled in LUOA in 2012. As a teen actress, she regularly traveled with her family to

auditions and theatre programs, so she had to take her education with her.

“I wanted to make sure I got an education, something Christian, but I also wanted to pursue my dreams in acting,” Colley said. “It worked really well. If I had to miss a couple days, I was able to do it on the weekend. I was able to make it fit my busy schedule.”

Colley made LUOA a family tradition last year when she enrolled her daughter, Aurora Cain, in kindergarten. Aurora is on the autism spectrum, and Colley said she tends to get overstimulated in a typical classroom.

“We tried different daycares and schools, and she just was not on the pace she needed,” Colley said in November. “I felt like she was going to be at a school that was going to tear her spirit down and not let her be at the right level in life, so I looked at other options. We’ve been on for two months now, and the words that she’s saying and what I’m seeing her do, it’s amazing. I can definitely see her being in it for the long run.”

Liberty University, a pioneer in distance learning and a longtime leader in online education, launched LUOA in 2007. In the last few years, the academy has seen a 41 percent increase in enrollment, which Rusk explains is partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic and more families seeking online alternatives to traditional schools.

“A lot of families moved into an online format (in 2020) and realized that their schools did not know how to do it,” Rusk said.

“(Schools) went from nothing to something in a matter of months, and that’s a recipe for disaster. You can’t build an online program in a matter of weeks or months. A lot of families came to our school because we had been in service for over a decade at that point, and when they came to us, they knew we’d been in the online space for a while.”

Making sure students and their families feel connected to others in the program is valuable too. LUOA has multiple ways to connect classmates online and in person, including student clubs, an annual Christmas party, and tailgates prior to Liberty Football games.

“We’re trying to find ways to engage students directly, give them opportunities to interact in a fun but supervised environment to get to know each other,” Rusk said. “Our senior club, for example, lets high school seniors get to know each other so that when they come to campus for graduation, they will already have friends who they get to walk with.”

Deeder said throughout the year, the teachers and advisors frequently connect with her grandchildren. All LUOA students have access to an academic advising team specifically trained in elementary, middle, or high school, and the advisors are readily available for computer issues and prayer requests.

“The teachers reach out to the kids on a weekly basis, asking them what’s going on in their lives and how they can help them,” Deeder said. “The advisors go out of their way to help you too. No matter who you’re in touch with at LUOA, it is a family of people who truly want your kids to succeed.”

Sherri Deeder with her granddaughter, Taylor, and grandson, Braylen

Sarah Keturah Colley and her daughter, Aurora Cain

There are now close to 700 international students from over 80 countries studying on campus at Liberty University, and helping these students feel welcomed and cared for is imperative to their success as they prepare for future careers. Created in 2004, the C. Daniel Kim International Student Center has greeted these students to Lynchburg, Va., with open arms and connected them with other students from America and abroad.

“Our main goal is to serve the needs of the international students, and we act as a connecting point between the international students and the rest of the Liberty community,” said David Hart, an executive director in the College of Applied Studies & Academic Success (CASAS), which oversees the International Student Center. “All of our programming is about our international students and connecting them with each other and the (domestic) student body.”

The ISC was named for Dr. C. Daniel Kim, a longtime religion professor who also pastored the 701 Korean Church in Lynchburg for decades. Kim helped bring thousands of Korean students to Liberty, and today Korean students make up the largest demographic of Liberty’s international

away from

BY RYAN KLINKER

student body at 104 students.

Administrative functions of the ISC include helping students stay up to date on their government paperwork like F-1 student visas and I-20 forms, enroll in classes and receive academic transcripts, find on-campus employment and health insurance, and connect with local churches, among other services.

To many of the students, the center is more than just an office — it’s a second home. Located off the Grand Lobby on the second floor of DeMoss Hall, the center keeps its doors open during weekdays, including during some of the university’s breaks when international students are not able to return to their home country. Students often spend their free time in the center’s common area,

To learn more about the C. Daniel Kim International Student Center, visit Liberty.edu/ISC, email ISC@liberty.edu, or call (434) 592-4118.

KJ JUGAR

completing homework and fellowshipping with their peers.

“We want to make the center a home away from home for the students,” Hart said. “It helps them connect with other international students who are going through that same experience and understand what it means to go through culture shock. All of our team — which includes International Student Advisors, International Student Advocates, and more — has a passion and desire to serve students, whether it is having students sit in their office and helping them with life or just hanging out here with a cup of coffee and sharing cultures.”

“I joke that I pretty much live here, a lot of us do, and that’s because they’ve made us feel at home,” said senior Justin Hudson, who is from the Bahamas. “They make us all feel like a family, and they actually care for us. Coming over here from an entirely different country, entirely different culture, it can be difficult and scary, but they’ve made it a little smoother.”

Once a week, the center hosts a Breakfast Connection in partnership with Liberty’s Counseling Services where students can talk about cultural adjustments and connect over a fresh-made breakfast.

The center hosts multiple events each semester that highlight the various cultures around the world where Liberty’s international students have lived. Twice a semester, the center holds Global Connect events in which students from a specific country make presentations on their home, answer questions, and provide food samples. Liberty’s student body is encouraged to get involved and learn more about different cultures at multiple open houses with music, games, and authentic meals. Each year, during Global Emphasis Week across the university, the ISC hosts a “Taste of Nations” event in which cuisine from around the world is served.

“It’s been really nice to feel at home and display our cultures for others who might not get to see it otherwise,” said Amanuel Adane Egata, a junior from Ethiopia. “The fun parts aren’t just the events. It’s just been coming here and having fellowship with many students, international or not, and

talking with them.”

The ISC also partners with academic departments across campus. The John W. Rawlings School of Divinity piloted a Global Partner Student Program in 2021 in which global studies students meet with international students to talk about cultures and have a global exchange of information multiples times throughout the semester. A related program involving the School of Divinity, titled “Cross-Cultural Conversations,” was launched last spring to give all Liberty students the opportunity to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) by participating in workshops and ISC events.

When new international students first arrive on campus, they are greeted by International Student Ambassadors — students who volunteer to help their peers get accustomed to Liberty throughout their first semester. Ambassadors email newcomers before they come to campus, remind them about orientation, and share tips on how they can prepare for the move. The center has also partnered with the Office of Residence Life to create a hospitality team made of resident assistants (RAs) who connect with international students upon arrival.

“Ambassadors help with a lot of the things that your family would be able to help you with if they were able to come to check in, but a lot of the international students don’t get to have their family come with them,” said Tara Watkins, a former career missionary and current International Student Advocate who has worked in the ISC since 2013.

Both Egata and Hudson said the ambassador program helped them adjust to campus life.

“My relationship with the ISC started at orientation when we first came here,” Egata said. “I had ambassadors introduce me and greet me and show me around campus. God just made everything work together, and I’m glad I’m here today.”

“Some of the friends I made on the day of orientation are still my friends to this day,” Hudson said. “This year I got to be on the flip side and be an ambassador for the next generation of Liberty international students.”

Hudson’s freshman year was filled with

challenges. The Caribbean was hit by Hurricane Dorian in the fall, and the COVID19 pandemic arose in the spring. He attested to the care and service he received from the ISC and the university as a whole.

“They advocated for us (Bahamian students) to the people in Convocation and LU Serve so much so that Bahamian students were able to go on a trip to the Bahamas to do relief work,” he said. “Up until that point, I didn’t fully understand how much these people cared about me and (wanted to know) how my family is, and that was a great example of the ISC’s heart.”

International students also benefit greatly from studying at a campus that values global awareness.

As vice president of the Africa Connect Association, a student club under the Student Government Association, Egata was able to volunteer at the School of Business’ CEO Summit in October and meet with many African leaders.

“I really got to understand some of the things we struggle with in Africa and how we can solve that with the United States,” Egata said. “We realize the vast network that exists at Liberty among the students and alumni, and we want to connect to people from Africa and the United States for the future.”

Hudson is a member of the new Caribbean Student Association, which he said has helped him find fellow students from near his home.

“It’s really important to foster this community of Caribbean students because for a long time it was hard to find fellow Caribbean students on campus,” he said. “We’re trying to give Caribbean students a home away from home while also educating other students about who we are and helping address some of the misconceptions people may have.”

Hart said that when international students are more involved in campus life — academically, spiritually, and relationally — the entire Liberty community is impacted in a special way.

“Those who teach and pursue majors like international business, global studies, international security, political science, music in world cultures, humanitarian action and human rights, teaching English as a second or foreign language, and more, can enrich formal education by engaging with students from all over the world,” he said. “All students, foreign and domestic, no matter what their major is, should have a global experience before they graduate to be ready to make an impact in the world.”

International students fill their plates at the ISC’s annual Thanksgiving celebration on Nov. 22, 2022.

Liberty’s mission will never change

Advertisements have a way of telling the stories of a bygone era, and it’s common to see companies change their messages over the years. Sales pitches are reinvented for the times, and catchy slogans make the product seem “new again.”

A search through Liberty University’s archives reveals that the early messages the young school projected to the world are still the same messages being told today: a school with a distinctively Christian mission, academic excellence, and a focus on preparing students for the workplace and for life. While many of the nation’s earliest institutions of higher learning abandoned their Christian roots, Liberty has never wavered from its foundation.

Many of the ads from the 1970s, as the first campus buildings were constructed, called it “The Miracle on Liberty Mountain.” It’s still

a miracle, and God is still doing His work on the same mountain — and far beyond.

Yes, there have been changes. Big changes. The campus has been almost entirely transformed due to a major expansion through the 2010s. Degree programs have grown from 25 offerings in 1971 to more than 700 unique programs of study today, from the certificate to the doctoral level. Over 600 programs are now offered online. Residential enrollment has grown from 154 students in 1971 to 15,800 today — the largest in school history. A record 115,000 students are pursuing their degrees from around the world through the online program.

But throughout it all, the message has remained: Christian leaders are being trained here, leaders we call Champions for Christ.

Read these full ads and more in the e-magazine version, LIBERTY.EDU/JOURNAL

NEWS & VIEWS

Names behind ‘Jesus Revolution’ movie share stories about revival

Lynchburg, attending an early showing of the movie at Thomas Road Baptist Church the night before the Feb. 3 Convocation.

In an interview with the Liberty Journal, Roumie said he enjoyed meeting the student body.

“They’re on fire,” he said. “They are super stoked and excited to have us here, and I just feel so welcomed.”

Just a few weeks before the new film “The Jesus Revolution” opened in theaters, producers Jon Erwin and Kevin Downes and actor Jonathan Roumie visited Convocation.

Roumie is well known for his role as Jesus in “The Chosen” and plays Lonnie Frisbee, a charismatic hippie street preacher, in the film.

Erwin said the desire to create the film, based on a true story during a Christian revival that began on the West Coast in the 1960s, came about seven years ago when he purchased a copy of the June 1971 issue of TIME Magazine with a cover feature on “The Jesus Revolution.” The film features Greg Laurie (Joel Courtney), who is searching for the right things in the wrong places until he meets Frisbee. Together with Pastor Chuck Smith (Kelsey Grammer), they open the doors of Smith’s struggling church

‘The

“The Mulligan,” the most recent feature film from Liberty’s cinematic arts program, was nominated by MovieGuide for Most Inspirational Independent Movie for films released in 2022. The film released nationwide last April.

Cinematic Arts Executive Director Stephan Schultze attended the awards ceremony in Los Angeles in February.

“The Mulligan” is Liberty’s third feature film to hit the big screen in a national release, partnering with ReelWorks Studios owner and executive producer Rick Eldridge.

Based on the book by Wally Armstrong and Ken Blanchard, “The Mulligan” tells the story of a father with a passion for golf who has drifted from his family but is offered the opportunity to have a “do-over” with his

to an unexpected revival of radical and newfound love.

In a discussion led by Campus Pastor Jonathan Falwell, Roumie spoke about his acting career, which has included roles on TV’s “NCIS” and “Law in Order,” in Disney projects, and as Jesus in various small films before starring in “The Chosen.”

“This has been God’s commissioning on my own life to serve Him using the gifts and talents He’s given me and, whenever possible, to start bringing (biblical) values back into the culture, which often today have been drained out of the culture,” he said. “To change the culture by impacting it has now become part of my holistic mission as a human being on this planet who just happens to be an actor playing Jesus and Lonnie Frisbee.”

The guests spent a couple days in

He said he hopes that “The Jesus Revolution” will help encourage young people to rise up in their faith and be bold despite the cultural norms that combat Christianity.

“My hope is that they feel the same Spirit of God that we did making the movie and that they feel convicted to bring Jesus back into the culture in a big way.”

Erwin said he is also hopeful to see a resurgence of this type of movement in the world today.

“I just feel in my soul that God’s going to do this again, and He’s going to do it in your time and in your generation,” Erwin told the students. “I just think God’s going to show up in a big way.”

Erwin and Downes visited Convocation in 2015 to talk about their film “Woodlawn,” and Erwin also visited campus in 2018 and 2020 with his brother and fellow producer Andrew Erwin to talk about their films “I Can Only Imagine” and “I Still Believe.”

nominated for Most Inspirational Independent Movie

son (or, in golf terms, an extra stroke or a “mulligan”).

Throughout March of 2021, 48 students worked on location. Many of the scenes were filmed at Currahee Golf Club in Toccoa, Ga.

The cast includes Pat Boone (“Journey to the Center of the Earth,” “State Fair”), Eric Close (“Nashville,” “American Sniper,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”), Tanya Christiansen (“I Still Believe,” “The Hate U Give”), and Charmin Lee (“Just Mercy,” “The 5th Wave”) with special appearances by American sportscaster Jim Nantz, sports commentator Jim Szoke, and PGA champion Tom Lehman.

The film is currently available on DVD and many streaming platforms.

Mulligan’

Campus Pastor Jonathan Falwell (left) with Jonathan Roumie, who plays preacher Lonnie Frisbee in “The Jesus Revolution”

CHASE REED

David Jeremiah tells students to allow past blessings to be motivation for the future

Pastor and author David Jeremiah made his fourth visit to Liberty University Convocation on Jan. 25. The founder of Turning Point Radio and Television Ministries has pastored Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, Calif., for 41 years. His family has multiple connections to Liberty; two of his children are alumni, and three of his grandchildren

have attended Liberty.

Jeremiah’s message centered on the Old Testament story of Caleb, who joined Joshua as the only two out of the 12 Israelites sent into the land of Canaan to return with a message of faith in what God had promised His people. The other scouts gave a poor report that came from fear and uncertainty, even though God had already

delivered their people from Egypt and led them through the wilderness. As a result of the others’ report, the Israelites had to wander the desert for 40 years.

“God asks us to do something, and we forget that the greatest heritage we have to do something new is what God has done for us in the past,” he told the students. “When we look over our shoulder and see how good He has been to us, we can trust a God like that, and we file our memories in such a way that they become motivation for the future.”

Jeremiah recalled being a young pastor in Fort Wayne, Ind., and watching Liberty’s founder, the late Dr. Jerry Falwell, on the television program “The Old Time Gospel Hour.” The LBC Singers would often sing “I Want That Mountain,” a song inspired by the story of Caleb. That song became an anthem of sorts for Falwell as he pursued the vision God had given him for Liberty University. Jeremiah used this memory as an example of how God can provide for those who do not give up on their belief in what God has promised them.

MORE CONVO HIGHLIGHTS:

The Spring 2023 Convocation schedule kicked off on Jan. 18 with new Flames Football Head Coach Jamey Chadwell. Other special guests have included Emmy Award winning NFL commentator James Brown, “Duck Dynasty’s” Willie and Korie Robertson, and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares. Students have heard messages from pastors

STILL TO COME:

Alistair Begg (Parkside Church, Ohio), Chris Hodges (Church of the Highlands, Alabama), Mark Dever (Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, D.C.), Ed Newton (Community Bible Church, San Antonio), and Vance Pitman (Hope Church, Las Vegas).

“Once again, our Convocation team has put together a great slate of speakers for the

spring semester,” Campus Pastor Jonathan Falwell said. “As always, our mission is to use the Convocation stage to proclaim the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the power of His Word.”

Liberty’s Convocation remains the largest weekly gathering of Christian students in the world.

LIVESTREAM CONVOCATION ON LIBERTY’S FACEBOOK PAGE AND YOUTUBE CHANNEL AT 10:30 A.M. EST WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS.

KENDALL TIDWELL

MARCH for LIFE 2023

Liberty University has been organizing trips to the National March for Life for decades, but this year’s march, on Jan. 20, held even more significance as over 500 Liberty students became part of the first march in a post-Roe America, and, for the first time, were chosen to lead off the march and carry the banner.

This year, march organizers also approached Liberty about selecting a student to speak at the pre-march rally on the National Mall. Junior Summer Smith, president of the Students for Life club at Liberty, took the stage among an impressive lineup of pro-life leaders, including the Rev. Franklin Graham, Tony and Lauren Dungy, and actor Jonathan Roumie (Jesus in “The Chosen”).

Smith addressed the pro-life generation, sharing how her passion to fight for the unborn is a personal one.

“My mom was an 18-year-old senior about to graduate when she found out she was pregnant, and like most women in her situation, didn’t feel prepared or ready to have a child. … It’s a very hard and scary situation, and instead of feeling safe enough to reach out for support, my mom felt afraid and alone. And the reason I am pro-life is because I don’t want anyone to have to go through what my mother went through, and that is why I march today.”

Smith stirred the audience to action with

advice for the younger generation to get involved in the pro-life movement, from using their social media accounts to speaking up about abortion with family, friends, and people on campus.

“Get involved at your local pregnancy crisis centers and get involved at your local pro-life chapter,” she said. “If our generation doesn’t step up and care for the child, the mother, and the father, this noble movement and this sacred effort will die. We cannot stand idle or stay silent, so get involved.”

“We only have one life on this earth. One chance to end abortion. One chance to support women like my mom,” she concluded. “I encourage you to stand courageously for truth in love, to see innocent lives protected, and to see abortion abolished in our lifetime.”

The march began between 12th and 14th

streets, and Liberty students led over 50,000 participants down Constitution Avenue to the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building. They were joined by Liberty University School of Law Dean Morse Tan.

Senior Riley Ares said Liberty’s increased involvement in the march this year was an example to the world “of what it means to be a voice for the voiceless.”

“God wants us to come to Him with prayer, but He has also gifted us with a country and a Constitution that lets us speak up for the issues we care about,” she said. “The March for Life is an opportunity to act on what God has called us to as well as utilize the resources He’s given us in this nation under God.”

Junior Jesse Hughes said he was in Washington, D.C., when the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade in June, so being back for the march was special.

“There’s still a lot of work left to do in the states. … There’s also work to do to help women, help mothers, help babies both born and unborn who need the help that a pro-life community can provide,” he said. “It’s great to see that people are recognizing that and that we’re coming together to continue marching until we live in an America where abortion is unthinkable.”

The trip was organized by Liberty’s Standing for Freedom Center and LU Send.

Junior Summer Smith speaks at the premarch rally on the National Mall.

CHRISTIAN BEDELL

BROOKE MCDUFFEE

Liberty Law student shares heartwarming testimony of choosing life legal help.

Every year, the National March for Life in Washington, D.C., brings together participants from around the country who proclaim their testimonies of God’s faithfulness when they chose life over abortion.

Liberty University School of Law 3L Wendilee Walpole, a 54-year-old mother of four, has participated in the march with Liberty for several years.

“Being there this year and being able to be a part of the first march post-Dobbs and getting to actually lead it, being up in front and getting to represent our school, it was amazing,” she said. “You can hear about it, you can read about it, but it’s not the same thing. To watch all of those buses load up and to see all of these students and realize that they are from my school … it makes a difference for me.”

She said Liberty’s level of commitment to the march every year reveals the university’s heart for the sanctity of life.

“It shows that they love the Lord and that all lives matter,” she said. “I know that that is not a popular thing to say outside of this school. It’s just amazing to me because it is a huge sacrifice for the undergraduate kids, but for law students to be missing the first Friday of class is a very big deal.”

In 2000, when Walpole was pregnant with her youngest son, Garrett, doctors told her the pregnancy was not viable and she should abort. She refused, and Garrett was born healthy. He is now pursuing his M.A. in History at Liberty. In 2002, Walpole was advised to abort her youngest daughter, Hope, as the doctors felt that either she or her baby would not survive the pregnancy.

“The way the doctors were talking about my situation was as though I was so selfish, and my kids weren’t going to have a mom because I wasn’t killing the baby that I was currently pregnant with,” she said.

Hope was born healthy and has joined her mother at Liberty Law.

Walpole said one of the reasons she went back to school to pursue her law degree is so she can come alongside women who choose life instead of abortion for their babies and offer pro-bono legal and adoption services. After graduation in May, and upon passing the bar, she plans to start a Christian prolife legal and adoption ministry in Nevada to help pregnant women and single mothers with small children who find themselves in crisis and desperately need hope and

“We’ve got to come alongside these women who are not having abortions now and help them,” she said.

Walpole expressed her gratitude for Liberty Law, which she said is not only helping her to reach her goal but has provided her with encouragement along the way. Throughout her time at Liberty, she has experienced numerous health challenges, including being hospitalized 11 times.

“I never applied anywhere else because I cannot imagine doing law school with Jesus taken out of it,” she said. “Every one of my professors not only came alongside me to help me, but I knew that they were daily praying for me. I can’t imagine being anywhere else.”

WHAT IS THE STANDING FOR FREEDOM CENTER?

The mounting assaults of today’s hyperconnected and hypercritical world against the Christian faith is unprecedented. Moral relativism and worldly ideologies have been weaponized and mobilized across digital platforms at breakneck speed. The Gen Z generation, also the social media generation, has been immersed in a heavily curated, hyperreality that is causing them to question the most basic foundations of their faith and their identity as people made in God’s image.

Because life, liberty, and truth are under attack in an increasingly hostile age, Liberty University’s Standing for Freedom Center is working to advance and defend the biblical principles of freedom for the next generation. The center has organized trips like the March for Life and is arming students with a repository of resources so they can confront today’s cultural and political challenges from a biblical worldview. Learn about upcoming events, watch interviews, and listen to the “Give Me Liberty” podcast at StandingforFreedom.com.

Wendilee Walpole (in white coat) with her daughter Emma Ream (left) and son-in-law Aaron Ream, both Liberty Law students, and her son, Garrett Lassiter (right), a current graduate student

FACULTY NEWS: GOING INTERNATIONAL

Behavioral Sciences — Portugal

Drs. Fred Volk and Fred Milacci, along with doctoral student Jennifer Smith Ramey, participated in the World Conference on Qualitative Research in the Algarve, Portugal, Jan. 25-27, joining scholars from over 40 countries.

The group presented its ongoing work in evaluating grants awarded to Horizon Behavioral Health, a local agency that develops and implements evidence-based services to help increase years of life and reduce disparities in health outcomes among adults with serious mental illness and substance use. Volk was the co-principal investigator and project evaluator on an $800,000 grant Horizon received from the Health Resources and Services Administration in 2021, and he fulfilled the same role in 2022 for a $500,000 grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance.

History, Law, Government — Israel

Four professors visited Ariel University in Ariel, Israel, in November for “The Holocaust and Genocide in the 21st Century” conference, which featured conversations about the history, Christian philosophy, and modern-day prevention of genocide in different parts of the world.

Law professor Yuri Mantilla, history professor Dr. David Snead, and government professors Edna Udobong and Dr. Kahlib Fischer met with faculty from the U.S., Israel, Poland, the Czech Republic, and other countries to discuss how crimes against humanity on a global scale can be prevented. The four formed a panel that provided biblical perspectives on genocide with past and modern-day examples, including the Old Testament invasion of Canaan, the Holocaust, and the Christian reconciliation in Rwanda.

Five government and law students delivered virtual presentations on their research of modernday locations for current and potential genocides, which included East Timor, Guatemala, Iraq, Myanmar, and Sudan. Students have been conducting the research as a team since 2021.

Engineering — Thailand

School of Engineering Dean Dr. Mark Horstemeyer was honored at the Nov. 27-Dec. 1 Sustainable Industrial Processing Summit (SIPS) International Conference in Phuket, Thailand, which focused on sustainability through science and technology. In addition to receiving the Flogen Fray International Sustainability Award, Horstemeyer became the namesake of an event that addressed multiscale material mechanics and sustainable applications, now known as the Horstemeyer International Symposium. The award was based on his advancements chronicled in “Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) for Metals: Using Multiscale Modeling to Invigorate Engineering Design with Science” (2012), and a follow-up book in 2018 on ICME.

The event was held in honor of 1998 Nobel Laureate winner Ferid Murad, a Christian pharmacologist from Indiana. The conference featured plenary talks from Murad and eight other Nobel Prize winners from around the world.

LU co-founder receives Lifetime Awards for global ministry

an ambassador for the Lord.

The GCN hosted a 90th birthday party for him and presented him with Lifetime Publishing, Lifetime Media, and Lifetime Achievement awards. (Towns turned 90 on Oct. 21.)

The GCN is an evangelistic organization that has joined more than 700,000 churches to become the largest pastor’s network in the world. Towns has traveled around the globe with GCN to share the Gospel and train pastors. He has visited Russia, Japan, Australia, and other countries on six continents.

time ministry than anyone else throughout the Body of Christ,” said GCN founder Dr. James O. Davis. “He has brought style and substance to every book he has written, vision and value to every leader he has taught, and faith and fortitude to every challenge he has faced in life. His Kingdom-minded leadership has created a spiritual atmosphere where Christian leaders from different streams of theological thought can synergize their efforts toward the fulfillment of the Great Commission.”

Liberty University co-founder Dr. Elmer Towns was recognized by the Global Church Network last fall, adding to his already impressive list of awards he has received throughout his life of service as

Guests at the event included his friend, author John Maxwell, as well as the heads of various mission boards.

“Dr. Towns has single-handedly, over the last 70 years, equipped more for full-

Towns has spent his life training many for the ministry, whether domestically or abroad. He has traveled to Korea 27 times. As a result of his ministry there, presidents of several Korean seminaries were trained in evangelism.

LIVE FROM LIBERTY

Singer/songwriter Micah Tyler, a rising star in Christian music, was a guest artist at Convocation in August. During the service, he filmed a music video for his new song, “I See Grace.”

Liberty University’s state-of-the-art facilities and vibrant, Christcentered student body have made campus an alluring location for the filming and recording of live music videos and albums for contemporary Christian music artists.

Liberty’s own Seven Hills Worship recorded a live album over the fall semester, with the first single, “Christ in Me,” released in January. Students were invited to participate in the worship and live recording in the LaHaye Event Space. (Read more on Page 36 and watch the music video at Liberty.edu/Journal.)

Worship duo Shane & Shane recorded a live album version of their new album, “Songs, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs,” after Campus Community on Sept. 28, following a performance in Convocation that morning.

CHASE GYLES

MATT REYNOLDS CHASE GYLES

Campus construction projects moving along this spring

Multiple campus improvement projects greeted students when they returned for the start of the Spring 2023 semester.

Liberty Athletics programs, including the men’s soccer and softball teams, began practicing in the new, 75,000-squarefoot Liberty Multipurpose Center midJanuary. The facility features full indoor baseball and softball diamonds, divided curtains (two different teams can use it at the same time), and space for strength and conditioning teams. The building also houses office space for Athletics support staff, storage space for practice equipment, public restrooms, and a lobby. The center was designed to accommodate large crowd events, such as degree presentation

ceremonies during Commencement.

In conjunction with that project, crews have constructed a pedestrian bridge over Regents Parkway and are building a new walkway that will give student-athletes better access to the center from the Bailey Parking Lot near the Liberty Athletic Center.

Other recent upgrades to athletics facilities include five new indoor batting cages, a new team room and coaching office space, and a retrofitted heating and cooling system at the Liberty Softball Stadium. In addition, Liberty is currently in the design phase for an interior renovation of the cheerleading building on Campus East.

Progress was also made over Winter Break on the New Reber-Thomas Dining Hall. The

roof was completed and all windows were installed. The two-story, 120,000-squarefoot facility will have a peak capacity of 2,900 seats, with an estimated 30 food stations containing various meal options for students. A grand opening is planned for next fall.

One of the largest additions planned at the heart of campus is now underway. Crews officially broke ground last fall at The Jerry Falwell Center by the Hancock Welcome Center. The new facility will honor the legacy of the university’s founder and Liberty’s commitment to preserving its Christian mission. The building required a massive excavation and crews recently started on the concrete foundations. The center is expected to open in 2024.

WALKING BRIDGE, LIBERTY MULTIPURPOSE CENTER

NEW REBER-THOMAS DINING HALL

Interim President Jerry Prevo tours the dining hall with construction and dining staff.

CHASE GYLES

Major upgrades are also being made to campus housing. Liberty is set to break ground this month on the new Commons IV residence hall, to be located between Commons III and the New Reber-Thomas Dining Hall. Commons IV will be an expansion of Commons Housing III, with a “tower” that attaches back to the north side of the existing residence hall. The project is expected to be completed in time for the Fall 2024 semester and will add 654 beds and two new resident director apartments.

In January, crews began installing two new elevators to replace an existing single elevator at the front of the South Tower (Dorm 33) residence hall. The new elevators

will shorten the wait time for students living on the upper floors. The project is expected to be completed by April.

Work is also underway on a new hangar at Freedom Aviation at Lynchburg Regional Airport that will be used by the School of Aeronautics for storing flight training planes and Freedom Aviation jets. The university is expanding its fleet due to the rising number of students entering the program. The project is expected to be completed next fall.

Another exciting addition to campus is a seven-story parking deck planned near the LaHaye Ice Center that will hold 1,500 cars. Construction is set to begin in May after the spring semester has ended, and the parking deck is expected to open next spring.

Progress is also being made on a major project at the university’s mountain property. Hydaway Lake, located at the Hydaway Outdoor Center, is being expanded from 6 acres to 31 acres. Over the last 12 months, crews have been constructing a dam and are nearing completion. They expect to begin filling the lake for expansion in March. The expansion will open new educational and recreational pursuits for students. In addition to swimming, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and paddle boarding, which are available to all students, the lake could also serve student-athletes from the Intramural Sports, Club Sports, and NCAA Division I Athletics teams.

RENDERING OF THE JERRY FALWELL CENTER

SITE OF THE JERRY FALWELL CENTER RENDERING OF SEVEN-STORY PARKING DECK

RENDERING OF COMMONS IV RESIDENCE HALL KJ JUGAR

Never too late: 88-year-old pursues his doctorate

When Duane Seitz first went to school, there was no Canvas, discussion boards, or threads. In fact, there weren’t even computers — just good, old-fashioned books and pencils.

But Seitz, who is currently 88, didn’t let the new ways of online education stop him from pursuing a doctorate in ministry with a degree in ministry leadership.

“I guess I am a lifelong learner,” Seitz said. “I believe that God has given each of us a wonderful mind and expects us to be good stewards of that special gift.”

Seitz began his online classes at the start of the spring semester from his home in Marion, Ind.

“Admittedly, going back to school is a challenge,” he said. “Both of my master’s degrees were done in a classroom setting. The online experience has been a great learning curve for me and has consumed more of my time than the class assignments.”

At first, he struggled with learning the new language of college classes.

“I thought a ‘dashboard’ was something in the front of my first Model A Ford, a ‘thread’ was something my dear wife uses when she sews, and ‘canvas’ was something I use to cover things to keep them from getting wet,” he said. “My granddaughter said, ‘Oh, Grandpa, we learned all that in middle school.’ But there was no middle school

when I went to school, and there certainly were no computers. But I am learning. God is continuing to supply my needs.”

Seitz began his ministry journey when he was 27. At a revival service, he felt God calling him to the ministry. At the time, he and his wife (now married for 68 years) had been living on a farm and raising three children.

“We were blessed with a very prosperous farming operation — land, livestock, and farming equipment,” Seitz said. “This required considerable financial capital, and we were in what was called a production loan. To break that loan prematurely meant that we would be in trouble financially. Believing that God was leading, we left the farm, and I started back to school with no money, only a promise from the Lord, Philippians 4:19: ‘But, my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’”

Seitz has been serving the Kingdom of God for more than 50 years, pastoring both small and large churches. His commitment to advancing the Kingdom is what led him to furthering his education.

“I am grateful to have the honor of attending the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity. The people with whom I worked in the enrollment process have been so helpful,” he said. “The entire atmosphere of Liberty University and the School of

Divinity has been one of positive, godly, and Christ-exalting emphasis. I, too, want to be a Champion for Christ and hear His words, ‘Well done faithful servant.’”

Along with his doctoral studies, Seitz is pastoring a “restart renewal church.”

“The church is small; the majority of the congregation are seniors (and) money is short. I receive $125 a week with no benefits,” he said. “It is no longer ministering to the entire family. I am excited and praying that, as I move through the doctoral program, I will be able to gain new insights and methodology for seeing the church turn around and come alive.”

This article was first published in the Liberty Champion student newspaper, now in its 40th year of publication. Read more exciting stories by students at Liberty.edu/Champion.

Around 150 students participated in the university’s second annual MLK Day of Service on Jan. 16, a new tradition where students spend the January holiday serving their community by volunteering at local sites. The event was organized by LU Serve in partnership with Liberty’s Office of Inclusion, Diversity, & Equity.

Students served at eight locations: World Help, Gleaning for the World, the downtown Lynchburg YWCA, Campbell County YWCA, Habitat for Humanity, Downtown Lynchburg Association,

Salvation Army, and Amazement Square. Projects included power washing, raking leaves, mopping and sweeping floors, and beautifying properties.

“Our students turned out for Liberty University’s second MLK Day of Service in a big way,” said Shon Muldrow, senior vice president of Inclusion, Diversity, & Equity. “We are proud of the 100-plus students who showed up to support Lynchburg’s local organizations that give to our community daily. Jesus told us that He came to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.

There is nothing more biblical or unifying than serving our neighbors in the cause of Christ, and our students are doing just that.”

“Liberty students have such a servant’s heart and work ethic,” LU Serve Director Lew Weider said. “I am so proud of how they serve our community with love and kindness. They truly make an eternal difference.”

Each year, Liberty students volunteer over 400,000 hours through Christian Community Service (CSER) and LU Serve events.

Liberty students

Duane and JoEllen Seitz

ELLIE RICHARDSON

MATT REYNOLDS

The Resurrection of Jesus as a Pointer to His Deity

BY DR. GARY R. HABERMAS

Unquestionably, Jesus’ resurrection from the dead stands at the very center of the Christian faith, as the Apostle Paul reminded us vigorously in 1 Corinthians 15:11-22. Without it, there is no salvation (verse 17) and our deceased loved ones are without a Christian hope (v. 18). A glorious eternity for those who commit themselves to Jesus Christ’s truth is based on His resurrection.

Astonishing claims are often questioned for a variety of reasons. In this case, the resurrection of Jesus is supported by several historical facts that are accepted by virtually every single credentialed New Testament scholar, even atheist specialists who research this field. For example, there are very few doubts that Jesus died due to Roman crucifixion. Just as well accredited is that these scholars think Jesus’ followers had experiences that utterly convinced them that they had personally seen Him alive after His death. As a result, their lives were totally transformed, and they began reporting these experiences almost immediately.

Critical scholars equally agree that outsiders — James the brother of Jesus and a former unbeliever, and the Jewish Pharisee Saul of Tarsus (later the Apostle Paul) — also became believers when they likewise were totally convinced that they, too, saw the risen Jesus. Most of these researchers even agree that the place where Jesus was buried was discovered empty shortly afterward.

If the historical evidence is so strong, then why don’t more scholars who recognize these facts become believers? Researchers also agree that a person’s beliefs about the world, life, and what is most meaningful to them — basically our worldviews — very frequently outweigh and overpower what we think about ultimate reality. We will often disvalue what we think even about strong arguments in light of our own personal views.

There are over 300 verses on Jesus’ resurrection in the New Testament. In these

passages, this event is related to almost every major Christian doctrine and many areas of Christian practice. More than any other theological truth, Jesus being raised is linked to the resurrection of believers (John 14:19; 2 Corinthians 4:14; Philippians 3:21; 1 John 3:2).

Another wonderful comparison occurs when the resurrection is connected to the deity of Jesus Christ. As such, Scripture ties the greatest event in history to one of the indispensable essentials of the Gospel data — God’s side of the plan of salvation. At a minimum, the Gospel requirements involve the deity, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is the basis upon which believers commit their lives to God.

So this connection is also a central one. It is argued in the New Testament that Jesus’ deity was shown to be true because of His resurrection. This is an exceptionally powerful argument. This combination appears in many passages, some being early creedal texts that were developed just a few years after the crucifixion, like Romans 1:3-4, where it is contended that Jesus’ deity followed from the truth of the resurrection. Another glorious example is Romans 10:9, where Paul actually linked Jesus’ deity to the resurrection by making it clear that “Lord” in 10:9 means YHWH in 10:13, where Paul cited Joel 2:32 to finish that connection. Can it be stated more powerfully? One of the clearest times Jesus is addressed as God in the New Testament is when unbelieving Thomas witnessed an appearance of the risen Christ and responded by calling Him God (John 20:24-29).

Perhaps think of it this way: after Jesus was dead, His Father got involved and raised Him. But the Old Testament made it clear that a false prophet is not from the Lord (Deuteronomy 18:21; Jeremiah 28:9). Neither is a false teacher, even if he performs miracles (Deuteronomy 13:1-3).

Jesus both made predictions and

performed miracles. If Jesus were a false prophet, would God have raised Him? But the stakes couldn’t be any higher because God will not share His glory with another (Isaiah 42:8). By raising Him from the dead, God showed that Jesus spoke the truth. It couldn’t have been any other way because only God can raise the dead.

Gary Habermas, Ph.D., is a Distinguished Research Professor at Liberty’s John W. Rawlings School of Divinity, where he teaches in the Ph.D. program. A highly regarded Christian apologist, Habermas has published 48 books, many on Jesus’ resurrection. He has also written on near death experiences, doubt, and suffering. He has over 85 contributions in other books and almost 200 articles and reviews published with Oxford, Cambridge, Blackwell, Harper, Dell, Fortress, Baker, IVP, and Zondervan. He has taught at Liberty for 41 years.

LIFE-CHANGING TUNES

STUDENTS, ALUMNI JOIN INDUSTRY LEADERS IN CREATING POWERFUL WORSHIP MUSIC TO SHARE WITH THE WORLD

This spring welcomed a monumental addition to Liberty University’s music scene as it launched a new music label, Seven Hills Entertainment, and released its first single from the label’s first artist, Seven Hills Worship, on Jan. 27.

Seven Hills Worship is a new assembly of Liberty students and alumni from different music groups and schools across the university who are carrying on the worship tradition that has always been fundamental to Liberty. Working directly with top professionals in the Christian music industry, Seven Hills Worship has a main purpose to spread the hope of the Gospel around the world through powerful music that lifts up Jesus Christ and unites churches and communities in His Name.

The first single, “Christ in Me,” is available on all streaming platforms. It was a collaboration with two-time Grammy Awardwinning producer Kyle Lee, best known for his work with CeCe Winans, Michael W. Smith, Gateway Worship, Mack Brock, Micah Tyler, and TobyMac. Lee has produced numerous live worship albums, including Smith’s “Surrounded,” Sinach’s “Waymaker,” and Winans’ “Believe for it.”

“(‘Christ in Me’) has a very centering message,” said Patrick Shorts (’16), director

of LU Praise and a member of Seven Hills Worship. “It really just tells our redemption story and serves as a declaration and a promise.”

Seven Hills Worship will release more tracks from the live worship recording, including three written by Liberty students, every four to six weeks until the release of a full EP scheduled later this year.

Lee worked on the album alongside Greg Ham, owner of one:eight entertainment and former president of Forefront Records; Jonathan Sell, a music industry executive; Al Denson, a former Christian recording artist and music industry executive who serves as Liberty’s commercial music industry liaison; and John Forystek, director of product development and communications for Liberty’s Michael W. Smith Center for Commercial Music.

Ham has worked with talents such as Coldplay, Janet Jackson, KT Tunstall, Smith, CeCe Winans, and many more. Sell, who is known for his work with Lauren Daigle, Jordan Feliz, Danny Gokey, Mandisa, Passion, Rend Collective, and many others, worked closely with Lee and spearheaded A&R (artists and repertoire), scouting talent and overseeing the artistic development of the album. He was formerly director of A&R at

Capitol Records and Centricity Music.

For 50 years, Liberty has been known as a university built on a firm Christian foundation where praise and worship is paramount and where students and alumni have regularly shared their God-given musical talents to impact the world as Champions for Christ Seven Hills Worship and the new label exist to advance that mission. Liberty alumni who have led the way include TobyMac, Michael Tait, and Meredith Andrews.

“Seven Hills” was derived from two cities known for their seven landmark hills — Lynchburg, which has long been called “The Hill City,” and Rome, which carries significance in the history of the Church.

Seven Hills Worship is giving students a chance to be a part of a unique, dynamic experience with wide-ranging impact.

“Seven Hills will build upon a long legacy of praise and worship out of Liberty, impacting the world for Christ like no other school has,” said Liberty Provost and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Scott Hicks. “Our students are not only gaining valuable, hands-on experience in creating and producing music before they graduate, but they’re also learning, more importantly, how God can use them in a big way to bring others to Him, our ultimate calling.”

SCAN TO STREAM “CHRIST IN ME”

MATT REYNOLDS

Setting the Stopping Point

Avoiding debt through Bible-based financial literacy

There’s a financial trend in America today where people have no stopping point when it comes to debt or spending on their lifestyle. Our culture of greed combined with multiple debt options breeds a mentality of, “If I want it, I can have it, and I’ll pay for it later.” In so doing, we compromise and mortgage our future while contradicting what God has called us to do with what He has given us.

The Bible has over 2,350 verses about money, materials, and possessions, with money being a chief contender for idolatry (Matthew 6:24). As believers, we could pose the question: Are we demonstrating our faith in our finances? But if God has so much to say about stewardship, perhaps a stronger stance would be: How could we not allow our faith to inform our finances?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, financial reports evidenced an uptick in household savings largely due to the government stimulus, a reduction of discretionary spending, and several other factors. However, this post-pandemic era is showing a trend of reduced savings and increased levels of consumer debt. High inflation paired with high interest rates create a snowball effect that can quickly grow out of control. Thus, our stopping point (or “finish line”) has to be an intentional decision. We must all ask: How much is enough? That is a profoundly simple question with significant ramifications if left unanswered.

BY STACIE RHODES

Teaching financial responsibility to the younger generation is an invaluable gift, especially during crucial college years prior to making significant debt decisions. We’re in a 10- to 13-year economic cycle that our college students have yet to experience. While the older generations have been through market variability, this type of uncertainty is new to many young and emerging investors. Therefore, it’s essential that knowledge is shared with the younger generation experiencing scarcity, inflation, and high interest rates for the first time.

An open dialogue is imperative and remains a core passion of the Center for Financial Literacy at Liberty University. We are privileged to offer students free resources, including online courses, workshops, and financial coaching. Students, faculty, and staff from any department can schedule a peer coaching session for free. Our student coaches receive extensive training in the main areas of personal finance: budgeting, credit, debt, savings, giving, investments, living expenses, and student loan debt. The program focuses on establishing the proper values and habits through five principles:

1. Spend less than you earn. Keep your living expenses below your income level to avoid credit card and consumer debt.

2. Give generously. The act of giving breaks the power of money and aligns

our heart with God’s priorities.

3. Set long-term goals. The longer your perspective, the better your decision today.

4. Avoid the misuse of debt. Debt may be inevitable, but walk into it strategically. Make sure the economic return is higher than the economic cost.

5. Plan for financial margin. Always have a buffer to prepare for the unexpected.

To have a healthy behavior pattern financially, we must have a healthy belief system shaped by Scripture. The Center for Financial Literacy infuses biblical financial wisdom in a principle-based approach that targets our money beliefs and behaviors with the goal of pursuing godliness and contentment.

The center’s core Scripture is 1 Timothy 6:6: “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

Contentment is a choice. Contentment says “what I have is enough.” Contentment creates a lifestyle stopping point.

Stacie Rhodes is Associate Dean of the School of Business, Executive Director of the Center for Financial Literacy, and Associate Professor of Accounting at Liberty. She is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Financial Planner®, Certified Kingdom Advisor®, and holds a Series 65 license.

MAKING THE MOVE

LIBERTY HEADS TO CONFERENCE USA

Following successful stays in the Big South Conference (1991-2018) and the Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference (2018-present), Liberty University will move its ever-growing athletics teams into Conference USA for the 2023-24 season.

Eight of Liberty’s nine men’s programs will move to Conference USA (baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, tennis, and indoor and outdoor track & field) along with nine women’s programs (basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, volleyball, and indoor and outdoor track & field).

Field hockey will continue to compete in the BIG EAST Conference. Women’s lacrosse will remain in the ASUN Conference as an associate member, while the men’s soccer program will join a newly formed league within the Ohio Valley Conference.

Debuting in 1995, Conference USA teams have combined for 129 bowl appearances in football; 114 NCAA Tournament appearances in basketball, including three Final Fours; 78 NCAA baseball appearances, including six College World Series berths; 100 NCAA

soccer tournament appearances, including five trips to the College Cup; and 41 individual national champions in track & field and cross country.

The league celebrated its first team national championship with Marshall winning the 2020 Men’s Soccer College Cup.

Success is not limited to athletic achievement, as more than 265 Conference USA student-athletes have garnered CoSIDA Academic All-America® honors. More than 877 have achieved academic all-district laurels.

MEET THE OPPONENTS

JACKSONVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY, GAMECOCKS*

Jacksonville, Ala.

Public Institution

Founded in 1883

Enrollment: 9,328

• The football program is making the move from the FCS to FBS. It has appeared in the FCS Playoffs eight times since 2010, including a national championship game appearance in 2015.

• The men’s basketball team won the NCAA Division II national championship in 1985, while the softball program has appeared in the NCAA Division I Regionals seven times since 2008.

NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY, AGGIES*

Las Cruces, N.M.

Public Institution

Founded in 1888

Enrollment: 21,694

• The football program has been competing as an FBS independent. The Flames have defeated the Aggies in three of their four meetings as fellow FBS independent programs since 2018.

• The men’s basketball team has appeared in the NCAA Tournament eight out of the last 10 years and made a “Sweet 16” run in 1992.

• The men’s golf team has won 17 NCAA Division I conference titles, while the softball program made an appearance in the 1981 Women’s College World Series.

SAM HOUSTON UNIVERSITY, BEARKATS*

Huntsville, Texas

Public Institution

Founded in 1879

Enrollment: 21,679

• The football program is making the move up from the FCS to FBS. It captured the 2020 NCAA FCS National Championship and has made appearances in the FCS Playoffs nine times since 2011.

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY, PANTHERS

University Park, Fla.

Public Institution

Founded in 1965

Enrollment: 58,064

Member since 2013-14

• FIU women’s swimming & diving team has won eight C-USA team titles and has sent swimmers to the NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships for the last 11 years.

• The FIU baseball program has made 11 NCAA Regional appearances and advanced to the Super Regionals in 2001.

• The men’s soccer program has made nine NCAA Division I tournament appearances and won two NCAA Division II national titles (1980 and 1985) before FIU moved up to the NCAA Division I level.

LOUISIANA TECH UNIVERSITY, BULLDOGS

Ruston, La.

Public Institution

Founded in 1894

Enrollment: 12,467

Member since 2013-14

• The women’s basketball program has captured 16 NCAA Division I conference titles, made 27 NCAA Tournament appearances, and won the NCAA Women’s Basketball Division I national championship three times (1981, 1982, and 1988).

• The football program has appeared in 13 bowl games, including seven in the last eight years.

• The Bulldogs’ baseball program has advanced to the NCAA Regionals 10 times and has won 30 or more games each of the last seven completed seasons.

MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY, BLUE RAIDERS

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Public Institution

Founded in 1911

Enrollment: 21,913

Member since 2013-14

• The women’s basketball team has won 17 NCAA Division I conference titles and appeared 19 times in the women’s NCAA Tournament.

• The men’s golf program has won three out of the last four Conference USA titles and has made 12 appearances in the NCAA Men’s Golf Regionals.

• The track & field programs have won 43 conference titles, finished inside the top-25 rankings 18 times, and had 80 All-Americans.

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO, MINERS

El Paso, Texas

Public Institution

Founded in 1914

Enrollment: 25,151

Member since 2005-06

• UTEP Athletics has captured 21 national championships in its history, including the 1966 men’s basketball team that became the first team with an all African-American starting lineup to win a Division I national title in the sport.

• UTEP leads all future football playing schools in Conference USA with 14 total bowl game appearances.

• Cross country has won seven national championships, and the track & field program has produced 104 individual national champions and 70 Olympians.

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY, HILLTOPPERS

Bowling Green, Ky.

Public Institution

Founded in 1906

Enrollment: 19,456

Member since 2014-15

• The men’s basketball team has made 23 NCAA Tournament appearances and has advanced to the “Sweet 16” eight times.

• The women’s basketball team has 20 NCAA Tournament appearances to its credit, including six “Sweet 16,” three “Final Four,” and a national championship game appearance in 1992.

• The volleyball program has captured seven of the last eight Conference USA titles and advanced to the NCAA Tournament’s “Sweet 16” in 2021.

KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY, OWLS**

Kennesaw, Ga.

Public Institution

Founded in 1966

Enrollment: 43,000

• Kennesaw State has been a member of the ASUN Conference since 2005.

• Since starting its football program in 2015, Kennesaw State has posted four 10-plus winning seasons, made four FCS Playoff appearances, and advanced to the FCS Playoff quarterfinals twice.

• Before making the move to the NCAA Division I level in 2005, Kennesaw State won NCAA Division II national championships in four sports (softball, 1995 and 1996; baseball, 1996; women’s soccer, 2003; men’s basketball, 2004).

*Joins C-USA in the 2023-24 season

**Joins C-USA in the 2024-25 season

McGhee says standout career has been more about people than points

BY RYAN KLINKER EMMA KENDRICK

who always gave it his all no matter what the circumstances were.”

“It’s easy to focus on what your dreams are and what you want to pursue — basketball, money, whatever — but when you are poured into so much by a coaching staff, you start to understand that relationships are the biggest thing,” he said. “Look at how many people in these five years that I’ve met and had some sort of rapport with, and I’m taking something from that.”

McGhee has also valued the interactions with fans, especially the young fans who approach him after games to meet him and express how they see him as a role model.

commitment to improving. You can look at how many points he scores and get seduced into thinking, ‘Wow, he’s really good because he scores a lot of points,’ but he’s improved defensively, he’s taking care of the ball, he’s making better decisions, and he’s got a voice in the locker room that when he says something (his teammates) listen.”

“Not unlike the guys that have gone before him, he will be long remembered as a guy who is a phenomenal teammate and a really good player, instead of a phenomenal player and (just) a good teammate,” McKay added.

When he hangs up his sneakers at the end of the 2022-23 season — his fifth in the backcourt of Liberty’s Men’s Basketball team — Darius McGhee will conclude a college career that spanned a time of incredible growth for the Flames and be recognized as one of the key figures in the program’s recent success.*

The 5-foot-9 guard from Roxboro, N.C., has been a massive on-court presence for the Flames and put up eye-catching stat lines that have been noticed on a national scale. To start the season, McGhee was listed on multiple watchlists for national awards, including the Bob Cousy Award, John R. Wooden Award, and the Lute Olson National Player of the Year Award. The 202122 season saw him named as a finalist for the Lou Henson Player of the Year Award. This season he was named ASUN Player of the Year for the third straight year.

On Feb. 4, during a battle at Lipscomb University, McGhee etched his name in the record books by becoming the program’s new all-time leading scorer, breaking Karl Hess’ record of 2,373 career points, which had stood for 43 years. The record-setting moment came at the 13:18 mark of the second half as McGhee knocked down a 3-pointer.

In February, McGhee also became the ASUN’s all-time leading scorer and moved into second place in NCAA history for career 3-pointers made.

In thinking about the legacy he will leave at Liberty, McGhee said he wants to be remembered as “someone who played the game for more than just himself, whose accolades were never valued over experiences and relationships, and someone

“Seeing the little kids coming up and being excited to meet and take pictures with me (has been special),” he said. “When you’re a kid, you have those people that you look up to, so it’s cool to have that moment with the kids at games.”

Liberty Head Coach Ritchie McKay said that McGhee’s mix of humility, work ethic, and skill make him a type of player that does not come along often.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever coach another Darius McGhee, given his talent level and humility, which are rare,” McKay said. “He could score two or three points in a game, but if we won, he would be so excited for whoever scored the most points. I think what is understated in his time with us is his

*At press time, the Flames were preparing to enter the ASUN Championship game. Follow the team at LibertyFlames.com.

Darius McGhee was honored on Feb. 9, before the home contest with Bellarmine, for becoming the program’s all-time leading scorer (2,384 points entering the night). He was joined by the previous record-holder, Liberty Athletics Hall of Famer Karl Hess (’80), and Head Coach Ritchie McKay (right).

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

BIG TEN TOPPLE: Lady Flames Tennis defeated MSU on the road on Feb. 3 for the team’s first win over a Big Ten opponent. Liberty was previously 0-2 against Big Ten competition.

DIAMOND FAVES: For the fourth year in a row, Liberty Flames Baseball was selected to win the ASUN Conference. Pitcher Garrett Horn was named ASUN Preseason Pitcher of the Year.

STREAK SNAP: Liberty Flames Basketball defeated Jacksonville 66-52 to end the Dolphins’ home streak of 21 games, the third-largest streak in the country at the time.

GRIDIRON GREATS: Defensive end Durrell Johnson set a new program record with 27.5 tackles for a loss in 2022 and left the Flames tied for the program record of most career tackles for a loss with 45.

BIG WIN: Lady Flames Basketball defeated the University of Washington Huskies 66-54 on Dec. 18 on the road for the program’s first Pac-12 win and Liberty’s first-ever win in the state of Washington.

TRACKING SUCCESS: The men’s shuttle hurdles quartet of Anthony Bryan, Luke Anderson, Cole Peterlin, and Felix Lawrence recorded a 32.04 time, the fastest in program and facility history, on Feb. 4 at the Liberty Open. At the same event, Jessica Palisca set a new freshman record of 2:09.61 in the women’s 800. Ally Kipchirchir set a new Liberty record of 1:49.18 in the men’s 800 at Clemson on Jan. 28, and Warren Barrett set a program record with a 64-1.25 shot put at Liberty’s Brant Tolsma Invitational on Jan. 21.

DEVELOPING SPIRITUAL LEADERS ON ICE

BY CHRIS

Being on mission and standing out from the world should be a goal of every Christian. As a women’s hockey team representing Liberty University, we are called to reflect the light of Christ wherever we go, even to the ends of the earth.

As exciting as it is to shine for His glory at the national championships this month,* it was even more rewarding to travel as a team for the first time to Finland over Winter Break. We were thrilled to serve as God’s ambassadors at literally the darkest time of the year there, sharing His love to people of all ages and backgrounds as we communicated the Gospel through our actions as much as our words.

We had a chance to travel as Americans and Canadians, as hockey players and coaches, as Liberty University students and staff, and, most importantly, as believers in Christ. As we worked with Operation Mobilization and a new church plant in Hämeenlinna, and we engaged with youth at church events, clinics, and a Christian school, the experience reinforced the need for world evangelism.

One of the things we talked about beforehand was just being ready, and our players did a great job of that. It didn’t matter what it was — doing dishes after a meal, cleaning a gym after a game, or leading a devotion. They didn’t need to have the words ready, they just needed to be willing to go and to serve and let God use them, and He did.

The trip was also a real applicable way for our players to look at where they are in their own journey and learn what opportunities

exist out there for mission work. We did not spend much time prioritizing winning the hockey games we played there or getting better as a team. We used hockey as a relationship-builder and a platform for presenting Christ. There were so many different ways that those relationships started to flourish, first and foremost among the players and our staff. Our team now has a different level of trust and connection than we did before we left, as a family of sisters in Christ.

A theme for our team this season has been “Setting a Standard.” We are not following the old standard that the sport of hockey has set for years. We want to be different. As believers, we must be a light to others and question the way we do everything, to be certain that it is biblical. Is the way we recruit players biblical? Does the way we win or lose and conduct ourselves on the ice fall in line with biblical principles? We absolutely embrace the fact that we will receive pushback because there will be people who do not like what we are doing.

As a team that is representing Christ, how we treat each other, how we treat opponents, and how we treat referees is important in maintaining our testimony. As Dr. Jerry Falwell, Liberty’s founder, used to say, “If it’s Christian, it ought to be better.” As a team, we don’t want to do anything that embarrasses our family, our school, or our program. Everything we do, on and off the ice, we can ask ourselves, “Does this help us achieve our mission?”

We have been really fortunate to have players who are really committed to the

vision, and the team strives to make its locker room a place of love and trust. I’ve always been a big believer in the idea that spiritual growth can be designed, planned, and implemented by the players. That’s always been a crucial part of that spiritual growth because it matters more when players hear it from one of their peers versus one of their coaches.

Every year I’ve been here has gotten easier because more of our players have grown from merely understanding the vision to actually leading that vision, to becoming not only successful student-athletes but also Champions for Christ.

* At press time, the team was playing in the ACHA Division I National Championships in Marlborough, Mass., near Boston, contending for its fifth consecutive crown. Follow the men’s and women’s hockey teams at Liberty.edu/Club Sports.

Chris Lowes (’02, ’21) started with Liberty’s Club Sports program as a defenseman on the ACHA Division I men’s hockey team. He spent nine seasons as Head Coach of the DII men’s team before starting with the Lady Flames in 2017. Lowes has guided Liberty to four straight national titles (an ACHA DI record). He also serves as Club Sports Director of Events and Facilities, overseeing the LaHaye Ice Center, Liberty Club Sports Complex, Olympic Training Complex, and the Liberty Lacrosse Fields.

LOWES/ HEAD COACH, LADY FLAMES ACHA DIVISION I HOCKEY

RECONNECTING & REJOICING

LIBERTY AIMS TO CULTIVATE STRONGER ALUMNI COMMUNITY AS IT CELEBRATES ITS RICH HERITAGE

All along Liberty University’s 51-year journey, countless young people have come to Lynchburg, Va., with the desire to learn how they can impact the world as Champions for Christ, and now hundreds of thousands of graduates have gone out and done exactly that.

In the school’s early years, students were attending classes in makeshift buildings, living in former hotels and the homes of local churchgoers, and sowing figurative seeds in support of the vision of Liberty’s founder, the late Dr. Jerry Falwell. Today, those seeds have not only sprouted — they’ve blossomed. With over 200,000 graduates representing Christ

BY RYAN KLINKER

in their chosen professions, Liberty has grown immensely while the core of its Christ-centered education has remained the same.

Liberty’s Alumni Relations Office has made connecting with Liberty graduates from across the decades a priority, knowing that the students of the past have set the standard for what it means to be a “champion.” Reunions hosted by Alumni Relations have sprung up in different parts of the country, and the annual Homecoming has continued to be a special time of celebration for the school’s past, present, and future.

As the years have passed, some alumni

have lost contact with the university over the decades or have not visited campus to see what God is doing on Liberty Mountain. For those who graduated between the years of 1973 and 2000, the alumni office has begun a focused campaign to reconnect and update their information. A Pioneer Committee is being formed to recognize and honor the faculty, staff, administrators, and others who helped establish Liberty in its earliest years, often for little pay, and laid the foundation that has been built on since.

“I’m convinced it’s hard to go forward until you reach back and touch the people before you,” said Director of Alumni Engagement

JOEL COLEMAN

Dr. Greg Tilley, adding his favorite catch phrase: “Alma mater equals alumni matter.”

Speaking to a room of alumni at the annual Alumni Reunion during Homecoming on Oct. 14, 2022, Tilley explained the renewed goals of the Alumni Relations Office: “The theme is ‘reconnecting’ and remembering the people who planted the seeds from which we are now reaping what has grown. There are so many people, especially from those early years, who we want to recognize, thank, and bring back into close connection with what we have going on here at Liberty today. I can’t say enough about how much we appreciate them.”

Tilley has reconnected with Liberty in recent years after forming fond memories as a student himself from 1988-92. After he graduated with a degree in community health promotion and minor in athletic training, Tilley attended chiropractic school in Georgia and went on to maintain a 23-year practice in in his hometown of Blacksburg, Va., while also spending 20 years as the team chiropractic physician for Virginia Tech’s sports medicine department. In 2019, his son decided to attend a College For a Weekend (CFAW) event at Liberty, and Tilley recalls feeling

the Lord calling him back to Lynchburg.

“I was dropping my son off for CFAW, and as soon as I got out of my car, I felt it,” Tilley said. “It wasn’t an audible call, but I felt like God was telling me that I needed to return here.”

He initially brushed off the feeling as merely a wave of nostalgia as he walked the campus of his alma mater, but after his wife, Jennie, told him she felt a similar stirring, the Tilleys decided to move to Lynchburg.

“It’s like that saying we say a lot: ‘If you want to make God laugh, tell Him what your plans are,”’ Tilley said. “We prayed about it, meditated on it, and we decided that the Lord was leading us here, so I retired from my practice and we packed up. We were able to sell our house and move here all during a global pandemic, which is in itself a miracle, and I’m excited to be back at a place that means an incredible amount to me.”

After being part of Liberty’s Planned Giving team for a short time, traveling to 12 states to promote the school and make connections with university supporters, Tilley became the director of alumni engagement in September. Tilley is the father of two Liberty University students

and has another child at Liberty Christian Academy (LCA).

Tilley first met Falwell in 1987 through his uncle Jim Matherly, who was one of the first associate pastors at Thomas Road Baptist Church (which Falwell founded in 1956 and pastored until his death in 2007) and played a part in establishing the church’s bus ministry and LCA. While a student at Liberty, Tilley worked as the head trainer for the men’s basketball, men’s soccer, and baseball teams and formed a close friendship with Falwell.

“Doc (Dr. Falwell) was such a sports fan and was at all the events, so I got to work with him a lot hand-in-hand,” Tilley said. “He was a man of God, and his faith was so strong that it was like an immovable object. He always had a pastor’s heart; he cared and loved people, and he set such a Christlike example.”

To reconnect with Liberty, visit Liberty.edu/Alumni, call (800) 628-7973, or email alumni@liberty.edu. Alumni can also share their news and accomplishments at Liberty.edu/ClassNotes.

Director of Alumni Engagement Greg Tilley speaks with Homecoming guests at the Flames Fan Fest on Oct. 15.

MATT REYNOLDS BROOKE MCDUFFEE

CLASS NOTES

1970s

’77 SUSAN FLOTRON, of Jeffersonville, Ind., published a book, “The Eternal Grand Adventure,” with her husband, Dave Flotron, who passed away recently.

’79 MARK ROBERTS, of Garland, Texas, published his second book, “Wave Walkers — When Belief Becomes Faith,” in September.

1980s

’80 RANDY DEVAUL, of Davenport, Fla., serves as Chair of Practical Theology and is a professor at Cornerstone Bible Institute. He also serves as deacon, small group facilitator, missions leader, and Rapid Response Team Chaplain with Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse.

’87 BOBBY BREWER, of Fountain Hills, Ariz., is an author and the pastor of Reigning Grace Ranch in Rio Verde, Ariz., where equine therapy is used to minister to foster children.

1990s

’90 AMY BLOYE, of Dallas, Ga., wrote a book titled “Between Ball Games” with humorous stories about raising boys.

’90 GREG MARSHALL, of New Wilmington, Pa., has worked at New Life Baptist Church for 30 years. He served as the Children’s Pastor for 25 years and Outreach and Communications Pastor for five years.

MAKING HEADLINES

READ THESE STORIES AND MORE AT LIBERTY.EDU/NEWS/ALUMNI

’91 ALLAN MAITHA, of Summerfield, Fla., published his first book, “The Coming: Our Only Hope for a Better World.”

’91 AMY MCCAULEY, of Palmyra, Va., published her first book, a devotional titled “But First… Jesus.”

’92 TIM KANIA, of Tampa, Fla., has worked in television news in several different departments and roles. Tim has been in six different television markets and has won over 50 awards, including two Emmys.

2000s

’07 MELVIN WRIGHT, of Knoxville, Tenn., published a Bible study titled “Church Without Walls.” He serves as a lead pastor and has organized community outreach, foreign missions, and online counseling.

’08 PAUL KRANZ, of Riverview, Fla., started a marriage practice, Kranz and Associates, in Tampa Bay, Fla. His motto is “Revive the Flame,” which is inspired by the Liberty Flames.

’08 SCOTT SAWYER, of Newberry, S.C., is Chief Operating Officer at the Carl Jackson Foundation, which implements a faith-based ministry to expose children to the game of golf and develop their character while playing.

’09 PHILIP LEINEWEBER, of Mansfield, Ohio, was promoted to Associate Pastor of Berean Baptist Church and selected as the School Board Vice President at Mansfield Christian School.

’09 ZACH PINKERTO, of Tiffin, Ohio, is the campus pastor of Grace Community Church.

2010s

’10, ’15 KANA CRUMBY, of Satillo, Miss., opened her own practice shortly after becoming a licensed therapist in 2020. She has been honored as Licensed Professional Counselor of the Year for the state of Mississippi.

’10 TRUDY WRIGHT, of Fort Bragg, N.C., published a spiritual book based on her personal and professional experiences titled “Revelation Of The Eagle: Thy Will Be Done.”

RACHEL DAY HUGHES (’13)

The theatre alumna made her screen debut over the holidays in Sight & Sound’s first feature film, “I Heard the Bells,” the true story of 19th century American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Rachel portrayed Longfellow’s wife, Fanny. She has performed in 11 Sight & Sound productions in Lancaster, Pa.

’11 SEAN-DAVID MCGORAN, of Olympia, Wash., founded the Tuned In Academy with his wife. The music academy is missional and serves over 400 students around the world.

’11 DAVID ONDREA, of Nashville, Tenn., is a part of K-LOVE & Air1 Media in Nashville.

’12 SAMUEL JONES, of Bristol, Va., was commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel for his work in child passenger safety with Buckle Up for Life.

’12 CATHERINE MCKINLEY, of Manhattan, Kan., was recognized in the 15 Under 40 Recognition Program in Manhattan. She is a financial advisor with Edward Jones.

’12 SHANE SHEETS, of Green Isle, Minn., is the director of a large regional medical examiner’s office. His experience in government and public policy helped him to be elected as the mayor of Green Isle.

’13 THOMAS BRASHEARS, of Fairfield, Va., was appointed Chief Operating Officer for Rivers of Hope Counseling, LLC, a mental and behavioral health services company headquartered in Chantilly, Va.

’13 ANDREA BURCH, of Simpsonville, S.C., is an associate nursing professor at Bob Jones University.

’13 ARON LAM, of Keenesburg, Colo., was recently elected mayor of Keenesburg. He was sworn in on Dec. 5.

’13 AARON MCCURDY, of Pensacola, Fla., joined the law firm McDonald Fleming as a partner, providing legal counsel to the surrounding areas.

’14 FRANK CARRILLO, of Crewe, Va., worked with the Virginia Department of Corrections helping those in incarcerated settings as a counselor. He was promoted to Admissions Counselor at Central State Hospital in Virginia. Frank volunteers as a board member for the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities.

’14 KAREN GOOSEN, of Lake Worth, Fla., serves as Dean of the College of Business and Technology at Oklahoma Panhandle State University. Previously, Karen served as an instructor and advisor for the Business and Agribusiness programs.

’15 ANGEL CULLER, of Jacksonville, N.C., is the founder of the nonprofit Vocal Survivors of North

DR. RICK MITCHELL (’84, ’85)

As commissioner for the Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired, Rick is using his personal experience, having been blind since the age of 14, to empower people to reach their full potential. He assists those who are blind, deaf/blind, and low vision to obtain their desired levels of employment, education, and personal independence.

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Catholic High School in June.

’18 AGUSTIN HAYS, of Clifton, Va., accepted the position of Digital Production Assistant with the Flash Team on Fox News.

’18 ALLEN SHULER, of Rockford, Ill., released his first devotional book titled “Soulful Meditations — Contemporary Parables for Victorious Living.”

’19 AMELIA BARTON, of Macon, Ga., is a Reserve Chaplain in the Air Force. She will transition from reserve to active duty after graduating from the Chaplain Candidate Program.

’19 MARLENE DRAKE, of Las Vegas, founded the nonprofit Everton’s Place, using her master’s degree in crisis and trauma to comfort individuals and walk them through traumas in life.

’19 ROBERT DRANE, of Concord, Va., is an adjunct faculty member at Liberty with a goal to teach full time in his field of environmental health and safety.

’19 DANIEL HOLDEN, of Maryville, Tenn., has recently been named Director of Upper School Students at Maryville Christian School.

’19 JENNA WILLIAMS, of Durham, N.C., works as the first conservation assistant at Piedmont Wildlife Center. She takes animals that she cares for into schools to teach students about the species.

Carolina Corp., which delivers care packages to North Carolinia social groups in need. She has also written and illustrated a children’s book titled “A Quest for Human Kindness.”

’15 JUSTIN MOORE, of Oklahoma City, is the Academic Counselor at Christian Heritage Academy in Del City, Okla., where he focuses on college preparation, teaching, and coaching basketball.

’16 ADRIANE STRAWN, of Lynchburg, Va., recently started her master’s degree at the University of Lynchburg to pursue a career as a physician assistant.

’17 KEITH BELVIN, of Dover, Del., is the owner and founder of Bravin Consultants, LLC. He offers crisis assistance through personal assessments, counseling, and faith-based consulting for his Christian clients.

’17 CHRISTY CANDELARIO, of Augusta, Ga., was called into missions with her husband. The couple serves Augusta and works with International Link to connect local churches with the international community to share the Gospel.

’17 GREGORY MIHALIK, of Ashburn, Va., was promoted from Assistant Principal to Principal of Sugarland Elementary School.

’17 MELISA PETERS, of Cordele, Ga., was promoted to Surgical Practices Operations Administrator for Crisp Regional Health Services. She oversees five surgical practices in the hospital and is pursuing an M.S. in Healthcare Administration.

’17 ROBERT WALL, of Round Rock, Texas, is employed by Tesla and was recently promoted to Staff Talent Acquisition Manager, where he is responsible for ramping up the Gigafactory in Austin, Texas.

’17 TODD WOOD, of Fishersville, Va., was promoted to Assistant City Manager for Waynesboro, Va.

’18 BOBO BECK, of Greenville, S.C., published a devotional for professionals titled “Wisdom Calling.”

’18 ASHLEIGH BENT, of Hayes, Va., works as an instructor in Newport News Shipbuilding. She transferred to the position to follow her passion of mentoring personnel and equipping the next generation.

’18 MATT BUCKLEY, of Biloxi, Miss., was recently hired as Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Biloxi. He will transition from his current position as Principal of St. Patrick

STEVE LEVINSON (’89)

Steve’s evangelistic ministry, Genesis Seminars, shares the hope of the Gospel by demonstrating the truth of the biblical account of Creation. He has spoken in 49 states and 12 countries and participated in archeological digs in Israel and paleontological digs in the U.S.

2020s

’21 PANOS EFSTA, of Hawkins, Texas, published a book titled “Seeing to Understand: Your Scientific Thinking Lifestyle Coach.”

’21 TRICIA BYNUM, of Ligonier, Pa., is Supervisor, Information Systems, Governance Risk & Compliance at Duquesne Light Company.

’22 JOHN MAGEE, of Greensboro, N.C., works for the Skycam and ground teams of ESPN Sports. John became a visual imaging specialist for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

’21 RAECHEL SIMS, of Birmingham, Ala., works with social media and marketing at Highlands College, a biblical institution in Birmingham.

’22 JUSTIN WHITTENBARGER, of Crossville, Tenn., is the Head of Federal Programs with Cumberland County Schools after directly serving students for 23 years as a teacher, assistant principal, and head principal.

’22 MATT FERDOCK, of Zionsville, Pa., is lead statistician and has contracted with the Emergency Department of Lehigh Valley Health Network. He also works as an adjunct instructor in Liberty’s Department of Psychology.

CARLEY BRYANT (’21)

The former Lady Flames figure skater is working as a professional show skater. Carley has performed with SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. In January, she joined the “Disney on Ice” production of “Dream Big” with tours in Europe and Southeast Asia.

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IN MEMORIAM

RICHARD “DICK” WILLIAM BOHRER, 96, of West Linn, Ore., died Dec. 21. He taught journalism at Liberty from 1983 until his retirement in 1994. He also taught English composition and was an advisor for the “Selah” yearbook. Bohrer was predeceased by his wife, Betty, who died on May 17, 2022. While in Lynchburg, Betty supervised student teachers at Liberty.

DR. ELIZABETH BURKHARDT (’20), of Paxinos, Pa., died Nov. 17. She served her country in the U.S. Army as a military police officer. She earned her doctorate at Liberty and established a private counseling practice, Follow Your Arrow.

CLINT CLIFTON (’04), of Dumfries, Va., died Jan. 12. Clifton specialized in the pragmatic aspects of church planting as NAMB’s senior director of research.

LARRY JOHNSON (’87), of Rockwell, N.C., died Nov. 6. He served in the U.S. Army and earned a Master of Religious Education from Liberty. He was a pastor for nearly 40 years in North Carolina, Virginia, and Florida.

JEANETTE LAYTON (’19), of Interlaken, N.J., died Dec. 4. After graduating, she became a nurse and served at Monmouth Medical Center, MediCenter of Neptune City, and Wellington Estates.

JESSIE LEMONIER (’20), of Hialeah, Fla., died on Jan. 26. He played two seasons on the Flames Football team as a standout defensive end before going undrafted and signing with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020, then the Detroit Lions in 2021. He was named MVP of the 2019 Cure Bowl, Liberty’s first bowl appearance and win.

JOHN MOUNT (’95), of New Market, Md., died Nov. 22 after a lengthy battle with leukemia.

He retired in 2019 from a long career as a lab technician at Fort Detrick.

TAYLOR R. PHELPS (’21), of Madisonville, Tenn., died on Jan. 11. He received his master’s in biblical exposition with an emphasis in human growth and development, and he was working on his Ph.D. in biblical exposition at the time of his passing.

PATRICK SIPES (’86), of Virginia Beach, Va., died Nov. 24. He was a leader in runs scored for Flames Baseball. He signed a free agent contract with the Montreal Expos’ minor league system and finished his professional career as a major account sales representative.

EVAN SWEENEY (’18), of Chester, Va., died Oct. 22. He received his bachelor’s degree in finance and worked as a Medicare insurance agent.

WILLIAM (EDDIE) TURNER (’19), of Palestine, Texas, died Oct. 14. He received his bachelor’s in pastoral counseling and master’s in Christian ministry from Liberty. He served in several churches, preaching, teaching, and volunteering.

RYAN HADEN VASSAR, 34, of Gladys, Va., died Dec. 2. He served in a kitchen services position at Liberty, where he was employed since 2014.

ED VICKERS (’80), of Vancouver, Wash., died on Oct. 10 after a battle with liver cancer. The former Flames Basketball forward was inducted into the Liberty Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016.

TIMOTHY ZELLNER (’14), of Barnesville, Ga., died Nov. 20. He earned his master’s degree at Liberty and taught at Pike County High School and Pike County Middle School. He also coached various sports and was a school counselor.

EXAMPLE OF CHRISTLIKENESS’

Tom Prusak (’09) was an avid Flames fan. He studied criminal justice at Liberty, but his business skills eventually led him into the water service industry. When a new job opportunity came in 2019, he moved his family from Leesburg, Va., to nearby Forest, Va. He was excited to be near his alma mater again and cheer on the Flames at home games.

On Nov. 19, 2022, Tom attended the muchanticipated LU-Virginia Tech football game at Williams Stadium, where he enjoyed tailgating with friends and family. That evening, just hours after leaving campus, he collapsed at his home; paramedics were unable to resuscitate him. He was 35.

The sudden loss of a deeply devoted husband, father, and friend was felt across the Liberty family and the broader Lynchburg community. Tom’s wife, Melissa, is a teacher with Liberty University Online Academy. The Prusaks have two children, ages 4 and 7, and they had just learned that they were expecting their third child, due July 1.

Tom’s obituary described him as a man who “never met a stranger, cared deeply for

GILBERT ‘BUD’ TINNEY

Longtime Board of Trustees member Gilbert “Bud” Tinney Jr. died on Feb. 20. A retired businessman from Grand Rapids, Mich., Bud faithfully served on the board for 48 years, selflessly giving of his time, service, and heart to invest in the students of Liberty University. He had served on the Executive Committee since 2016 and most recently was chairman of the President and Chancellor Search Special Committee, a role he held until his death.

Bud Tinney and his wife of 55 years, Margee, have been generous supporters of Liberty, helping to provide students with state-of-theart facilities and scholarships. The Tinney Café in the Jerry Falwell Library is named in their honor.

Tinney served on the board alongside his son, Will Tinney, who joined in 2019. His other son, Gilbert “Gib” Tinney, and three of his grandchildren have attended Liberty.

“The Liberty family has lost a dear friend whose love and support for the university spanned nearly 50 years,” said Interim President Jerry Prevo. “Bud Tinney was most known for his love for Christ, his wife Margee and their family, and his love for Liberty University. Bud served in a number of key roles in Liberty’s leadership starting with the Board of Trustees in 1975. He was also a vital contributor and donor during some of the pivotal and challenging years of Liberty’s growth. On behalf of the entire Liberty family, I extend our condolences to the Tinney family and ask that you all keep them in your prayers.”

Bud came to Christ in the 1970s through listening to Liberty founder Jerry Falwell preach on television. Not long afterward, he brought his family to Lynchburg to meet Falwell, and a lifelong friendship ensued.

influencing his walk with Christ.

others, and had a unique way of connecting with people and investing his life in others ... a true example of Christlikeness.”

Tom regularly met men for breakfast to encourage them spiritually, led a small group for families, and lived out his faith as a general branch manager for Core & Main.

Melissa Prusak said her husband’s life is a powerful example of how seeking God daily and living for Him can lead other people into a deeper relationship with Him. She said LU played a big part in

“He was proud of having attended Liberty, mostly because of what they stood for — being a Champion for Christ no matter what career path you choose. Tom strove to do just that. He wasn’t called to be a pastor or a missionary, like many men in our family, but he knew that he could live for and serve Christ in the profession that he was led into. Seeing him live that out and strive to be a Champion for Christ daily was inspiring and encouraging in so many ways. I always admired how easily he blended his faith in all facets of life.”

Tom and Melissa were both working toward their master’s degrees with Liberty at the time of his passing. Tom has been awarded an honorary MBA and will be recognized during Commencement in May.

‘TRUE

This list recognizes donors whose giving to Liberty University from Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2022, qualifies for one of the following categories.

$1,000,000 and above

Individuals

Anonymous

$500,000 - $999,999

Anonymous Donor

Robert McBurney*

$100,000 - $499,999

Individuals

Anonymous (2)

Lois M. Duggan*

Aleona Isakova

Lynne LaGuardia

Richard F. & Linda P. Smith

Jill Smith Earley

Emogene D. “Mitzi” Thomas*

Terrance Tigges*

Organizations

BB&T Charitable Fund

NAMB dba SEND Network

The Signatry

$50,000 - $99,999

Individuals

Anonymous

Melvin W. Buster*

Jasen & Brandi Cassady

Dan Crockett

Nelda Dunman*

Watt & Jennifer Foster

Mark & Michelle Hiepler

Jon Lienemann

Johnnie & Andrea Moore

Marlene Senner

Jimmy & Rhonda Thomas

Fred & Kristin Timbrook

Charles & Claudia Wigglesworth

Dorris Davenport Williams*

Organizations

True North Leadership Foundation

$25,000 - $49,999

Individuals

Anonymous

Jeff & Gaye Benson

Steve Brooks

Chris & Cindy Cruz

John K. Day*

Drew & Mary-Elizabeth Ellenburg

Brad Epps

Dennis & Sonya Fields

Esther L Gould*

Norman K. A. Hoffer

Juanita P. Holt*

Dan Johnson

Kevin & Mary Jones

Suzanne Leebrick*

Dan & Jodi Leja

Joel & Elisabeth Maxwell

Jonathan T. McClure

Mark D. McClure

John & Wanda Poche

Karl C. Salz

Todd & Rachelle Sorensen

Jesse & Heather Stephens

Zach & Lisa Tran

Carey Wrenn

Organizations

Permanens Capital LP

Runk & Pratt

Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia, Inc.

The Law Offices of Hiepler & Hiepler

Watt Foster Family Foundation

$10,000 - $24,999

Individuals

Anonymous (2)

& Campbell County

Foster Fuels, Inc.

Freedom Defense Group

Herr Family Foundation

Hill City Pharmacy

James R. Vannoy & Sons Construction Co., Inc.

KMR Aviation Services, Inc.

Lynchburg Ready Mix Concrete Co, Inc.

Mabry Automotive Group

Patel & Dalrymple Attorneys at Law

Prestonwood Baptist Church

Runk & Pratt Health Care Enterprises, Inc

SET, Inc. dba Caterpillar Clubhouse

Sodexo, Inc. & Affiliates

SouthTec Aviation, LLC

SponsorUp

T. Sherwin Cook Foundation

Van Wagner Sports & Entertainment, LLC

$5,000 - $9,999

Individuals

Anonymous (2)

David & Kari Adams

Brenda Baird

John M. Beard

Veronica Bratton

Sheldon & Shannon Bream

Robert & Rebecca Caiaze

Cole Candler

Ernest & Amber Carter

Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth L. Cobbs

William & Ruth Darr

Jimmy Davis

Bob & Sandra Day

Marianne R. Dutt

Olive M. Eckmann*

Louis & Margaret Edwards

Herschel L. Elder, III

Richard Eng

Tom & Clarie Eppes

Hugh Freeze

William Gehman

Mervyn L. Gray

Carey & Denise Green

Mike & Erin Hagen

Lee & Tonja Hall

Michael Hardesty

Kevin Hefner

Steve Hildebrand

Rick & Debbie Huff

Jeffrey Jamerson

Paul & Jacquelyn Johnson

M. Kieran Kidder

Graham (Nick) King

Harry & Mary King

Craig & Jodi King

Greg Klepper

John Koleznar

Richard B. Kreider

Andy & Ivy Maddox

David & Linda Martin

Michael J. Martin

David Metter

Barbara J. Metzler

Bradley W. Mitchel

Stephen & Tricia Mock

Kevin L. Newport

Scott & Kelli Overton

Linwood & Trudy Parker

Gary & Christine Pearson

John Petrozelli

Mike & Kelli Rosas

Hiram M. Royer

Lois A. Saulnier*

Brandon Scott

Mark Scott

David & Doreen Sexton

Bryan & Sharon Spooner

Michael & Barbara Stone

Jennifer Stonebreaker

Doug & Amy Strohmeier

David Tolle

Brian Tonnell

Robert S. Traylor

Brian Twaddell

Roy Unsin*

Brian Wesbury

David & Debbie Wheeler

Paul & Laurie Young

Organizations

AACC-American Association of Christian Counselors

American Honda Motor., Inc.

Billy Craft Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram

Blue Mountain Builders, LLC

Blue Ridge Apothecary

Blue Ridge Bagels & More, Inc.

C12 Mid-Atlantic, LLC

C12 Virginia, LLC

Champion Forest Baptist Church

Charlotte Football Club

Chesapeake RV Solutions

Compassion International, Inc

Executive Board of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention

Fill the Gap Concerts

Framatome, Inc.

Freedom First Federal Credit Union

Gentle Shepherd Hospice, Inc.

Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore, LLP

Hurt & Proffitt, Inc.

Jamerson-Lewis Construction

Law Office of Jesus Reyes, PLLC

Musser Lumber Company, Inc.

National Board for Respiratory Care

Powell’s Truck & Equipment, Inc.

Purple Princess Properties, Inc.

PWD Window & Door

Richmond Center for Christian Study

Southern Air, Inc.

Talon Medical Construction

Services, LLC

The Boyd & Joan Kelley

Charitable Foundation

RLJ Thompson Trucking

Tickets for Less, LLC

Virginia Living Museum

W.E.L., Inc.

WACH Marketing, Inc.

$2,500 - $4,999

Individuals

Anonymous

Margaret Ackerman

Dr. & Mrs. Gregg Albers

Jason & Aven Alford

Carla Allen

Rob & Susan Andrews

Keith Ashley Jay & Mary Bachar

Tim & Kathy Baldree

Reggie & Karen Berry

Brandon & Ida Blankinship

Anthony Blosenski, Sr.

Keith & Kris Boan

Kari Bohrnstedt

Andy & Linda Bowling

Eldon & Dixie Brammer

Tiffany Brigman

Steve & Patty Brooks

David & Pamela Brown

Jeremy Burns

Kim Butler

Ray Butler

John & Phyllis

Associates, Inc.

Camp Cale

Capital Repair Services, LLC

Central Baptist Church of Hixson Tennessee

Child Evangelism Fellowship of VA

Chowan Baptist Association

Christ Chapel Mountain Top

Citation Oil & Gas Corp.

City of Roanoke Virginia Berglund Center

Colonial Heights Baptist Church

Commonwealth of Virginia Racquetball Association, Inc.

Virginia Military Institute

Computer Exchange

Cornerstone Baptist Church

Crossing Paths, LLC dba

Beltone Carolina Virginia

Custom Siding & Remodeling, LLC

East Side Rides, LLC

Ed’s Automotive, Inc.

Faith Fellowship Church, Inc.

Fig Tree Therapy

Foundations Church

Franklin Heights Baptist Church

Garber-Lowe Fence, Inc

GND Festivals, Inc.

GraceLife Baptist Church

Great Bridge Baptist Church

Harvest Family Church

Henessey Food Consulting LLC

His Generation

Holman Masonry, Inc.

Integrity Financial Planning, Inc.

Kessler Investment Group, Inc.

Larry’s Tire and Auto Repair

Lexington Baptist Church

Liberty Baptist Church, Inc.

LifeHouse Church, Inc.

Longs Farm Supply, Inc.

Marsh & McLennan Agency, LLC

Newman Electrical, LLC

Olde Southern Charm, LLC

Park Valley Church

Parkwood Baptist Church, Inc.

Priority One Properties

R. Coffee, Ltd

Rasmussen Excavation, LLC

Redeemer Church

S&R Cleaning & Floor Services of Roanoke

Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation, Inc.

South Fork Anesthesia Associates, PLLC

Stewart Langley Properties, LLC

Terry Volkswagen Subaru

Westside Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Inc.

Wilgus Automotive LLC dba

Ed’s Automotive

William & Pamela

Malinchak Foundation

Wish-Wise Foundation

Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Inc.

* Estate Gift

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For more information on planned giving to Liberty University, visit Liberty.edu/Giving or call (800) 543-5309.

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