Liberty Journal Summer 2024

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Sitting on the Liberty University Commencement stage a few weeks ago reminded me of my own graduation ceremony on that same field 34 years prior. As newlyweds in our first year of marriage, Vickey and I made the trek to Lynchburg to celebrate God’s goodness in establishing a Christ-centered university filled with faithful faculty called to Train Champions for Christ

As an active-duty military graduate from the earliest days of what we now call Liberty University Online Programs, I was thrilled to share the experience of receiving a master’s degree with Vickey, my parents, and my sister in the stands. Commencement Day was their first time on campus, but I wanted to share that experience with them because of the sacrifices they had made to help me cross the finish line. I would complete a Liberty residential master’s degree two years later as the next step in my professional journey, but that first Liberty Commencement was unforgettable. In so many ways, that ceremony served as a starting gun for the race that followed.

As Vickey and I complete our freshman year this time around, we have enjoyed reflecting on the opportunities my Liberty education afforded us along the way. We’ve also been honored to encourage current students to make the most of the opportunities their Liberty degree will offer them down the road.

Whether you are a current student, a recent graduate, or a longtime alum, it’s now your turn to make a difference in the places God has called you — and will call you — to serve. It’s your turn to show the world the difference Jesus Christ makes in a society doing its best to run away from God. It’s your turn to demonstrate that everything the Bible says about how to flourish as a human made in God’s image is now and always has been the best way to live. It’s your turn to put your faith into action as a Champion for Christ

In challenging this year’s graduating class, I also challenged myself to reconsider a few fundamental questions from Scripture that should order our steps between here and eternity.

For starters, we must remember that everything rises and falls on how we answer Jesus’ probing question for his closest disciples in Matthew 16:15: “Who do you say that I am?” This question is the most

important question anyone must answer. To be clear, everyone must answer it, and your answer determines both your journey in this life and your destination in the next.

“As Vickey and I complete our freshman year this time around, we have enjoyed reflecting on the opportunities my Liberty education afforded us along the way. We’ve also been honored to encourage current students to make the most of the opportunities their Liberty degree will offer them down the road.”

Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God who has done all the work to save you from your sins, or are you relying on something else to do what only God can do for you? When in doubt, remember what Jesus said about Himself: “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

Once your salvation has been established in Jesus Christ alone, the question of how you live moves to the head of the class. As Jesus asked His followers two millennia ago in Mark 8:36, He asks us today: What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their own soul? The world may push you to live for yourself, but the Word repeatedly tells us that you have been made to live your life for the good of others and the glory of God.

Champions for Christ live differently because they live for eternity. They are more

interested in giving than getting. They are more invested in laying up for themselves treasures in heaven than treasures here on earth. They understand that their life began at conception, but the resurrection of Jesus Christ is proof positive that their life never ends.

On a journey that will be marked by plenty of ups and downs, history’s most famous rhetorical question is always at our fingertips (Romans 8:31) and should always be on the tip of our tongue: If God is for us, who can be against us? That’s what I’m talking about. If God is for us — and He most certainly is — then no person, no group, no policy, no procedure, no condition, no trial, no trouble, absolutely nothing can be against us in any meaningful way.

Which brings us to my last question: What would you do for God if you knew you could not fail? This question has been asked on Liberty Mountain for decades, which is why Liberty University is the world’s leading Christian university in so many ways. Liberty has been built on a continual stream of Big Hairy Audacious Goals from day one. The miracle of our presence online and on campus is the direct result of faithful men and women following William Carey’s advice to “attempt great things for God and then expect great things from God.”

What works on the Mountain will work in your neck of the woods, so go and do likewise. Because that’s what Champions for Christ have been commissioned to do.

Dondi E. Costin | President

CLASS OF 2024

‘KEEP

Over

YOUR EYES ON THE LIVING GOD’

29,000 graduates receive degrees; Special guests include U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, Mike Pompeo, Willie Robertson

This year, Liberty University welcomed one of its largest Commencement crowds in history — about 60,000 — including graduates and their loved ones who celebrated at 28 separate degree ceremonies across campus Thursday-Saturday, May 9-11, and at the Main Commencement Ceremony in Williams Stadium on Friday night.

The Main Ceremony began with a time of worship followed by an invocation by Chancellor Jonathan Falwell.

“Liberty University has always been a place, since 1971, where we Train Champions for Christ,” he said. “And now, while we’ve been doing that for 53 years, it’s exciting to see and exciting to know

that we have not stopped nor will we ever stop doing that singular thing of training up young champions who will go into a world that desperately needs to see, hear, and know what light looks like. That light flows from the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Thank you, students, for what you are about to do as you leave this place and go change the world.”

Mike Pompeo, former U.S. Secretary of State and a Distinguished Chair in Liberty’s Helms School of Government, then took the podium to share about the importance of service and to highlight Liberty’s military students. Over 2,000 members of the Class of 2024 are serving on active duty, and more

than 6,000 have military ties. Liberty held a special Military Graduate Recognition Ceremony in their honor the previous day.

“Liberty and faith are sacred things. They are worthy of being defended,” Pompeo said.

“Throughout 250 years of American history, our nation has always depended on the willingness of incredible men and women, and their families, to sacrifice for it, to fight for it, and even to give their lives for it. The history of Americans serving this country and its freedoms is noble and decent. And it is a tradition that continues today. And this university is a big part of it.”

President Dondi Costin followed Pompeo with a message of encouragement for

graduates to remain Champions for Christ in their lives and careers. He highlighted the many achievements and milestones Liberty has celebrated this year in academics and athletics, and he praised the graduates and Liberty students for their service to others and standing up for the unborn and for the nation of Israel.

Costin then introduced the keynote speaker, two-term South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, and welcomed him to campus for the first time. Costin described Scott as a leader

who has exemplified what it means to be a Champion for Christ through his business and political careers. Scott was presented with an honorary Doctor of Humanities.

A native of North Charleston, S.C., Sen. Scott has served his home state in the U.S. Senate since 2013. He has worked as a tireless advocate creating more opportunities for families living paycheckto-paycheck and helping children in poverty have access to quality education. He launched his Opportunity Agenda, a

legislative package aimed at achieving these goals, as well as the Senate Opportunity Coalition, a group of Senators committed to helping those in need.

Scott opened his remarks by praising God for His continued faithfulness in the lives of each graduate.

“I believe there are a lot of graduates sitting here today with tears rolling in their eyes and a heart of gratitude because if we all knew what God had to do to get you to your seats, we would all stand up and give you >>

The Main Commencement Ceremony can be viewed on Liberty’s YouTube channel.

The Liberty Journal staff congratulates all members of the Class of 2024 and their parents, grandparents, and family and friends who supported them in their journey.

>> a standing ovation,” he said. “I thank God Almighty we live in a country where we are free to praise the living God, the One and the True God.”

Sharing from his own experience as a child growing up in a poor, single-parent household, Scott gave students three “pieces of the puzzle” for life: 1) “Failure isn’t fatal if you don’t quit,” 2) “If you want to stand out in life, stand up for those who can’t stand for themselves,” and 3) “Step out of the boat if you want to walk on water.”

“For us to impact the world more than the world impacts us, we’ve got to keep our eyes on the living God, Jesus Christ,” he said. “It won’t work any other way. You see, the world we’re living in has lots and lots of bad news — war in Ukraine, conflict in the Middle East, China aggression toward Taiwan, inflation eating away at paychecks. But we ought not be surprised because John 10:10 tells us that there is a thief that comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But that’s not the end of the verse. Christ has come that we might have life to the full. That’s good news. If there’s a fight being waged, I’m going to be on the side of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. I’m going to believe that greater is

He who is in me than he who is in the world. That’s our spiritual heritage.”

He said standing out in life is about standing up for those who cannot stand for themselves.

“I can’t think of a better time for the body of Christ to stand for our Jewish brothers and sisters in the United States of America on college campuses. I’m sick and tired of seeing antisemitism on college campuses spread like a cancer. I think it’s high time we tell the colleges and universities that allow for Jewish genocide to be spoken and the call for mass murder: to those colleges and universities, your federal funding is a privilege; it is not a right. What is a right is for every single Jewish student to walk to their class safely. What is a right is for every Jewish student to study in the library at peace. We should take the money from those universities and colleges that continue to spew hate and give it to a God-fearing place called Liberty University.”

Just before fireworks erupted high in the sky to music orchestrated by Liberty students, “Duck Dynasty” TV personality and Duck Commander CEO Willie Robertson, who was celebrating

Commencement as the parent of one of this year’s graduates, closed the ceremony in prayer. He praised God for His many blessings and asked for guidance as the graduates go out with the Gospel on their lips above anything else, even their jobs and careers, and that everyone there would be Flames for the Gospel everywhere they go.

Many Liberty graduates were inspired by the ceremony and reflected on their time as students, including graduate Peyton Weist, from Emerald Isle, N.C., who received his B.S. in Aeronautics: Commercial/Corporate. “I loved all the speakers, the message, and the fireworks. … It was very inspirational. I’d love to do it again.”

Pamela Knight, from Houston, completed her B.S. in Bible: Christian Counseling through Liberty University Online Programs over the past six years. She spent the entire week in Lynchburg, Va., leading up to Commencement Weekend.

“It’s a very good environment. The ceremony was very organized, and I loved the fireworks and the mountains.” Knight said the visit motivated her to pursue her master’s degree. “I now have confirmation from God to keep going. I’m praying that God will lead me in that direction.”

CHASE

GYLES

CHASE

GYLES

Just the Right Time

ADULT LEARNERS ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS THROUGH FLEXIBLE, AFFORDABLE ONLINE PROGRAMS

The average age of graduates in the Class of 2024 — 35 — may come as a surprise. But if you visited campus during Commencement, you saw many older graduates donning caps and gowns. That’s because about 70 percent of those who participated in the ceremonies earned their degrees online, and most were visiting Lynchburg for the first time. About 83 percent of the Class of 2024, over 24,000 graduates, earned their degrees through Liberty University Online Programs.

Higher education has a term for older college students: nontraditional. But Liberty, an innovator in distance learning for 40 years, has a longstanding tradition of serving working professionals, veterans and service members, parents, and grandparents. It’s why Liberty remains one of the country’s largest online education

providers. This year, Liberty marked record enrollment for its online programs, with nearly 125,000 students pursuing degrees from across the nation and around the globe.

As a leading educator, Liberty has expanded programs to meet student needs and workforce demands. Liberty now offers more than 600 degree programs from the certificate to the doctoral level, making this convenient, affordable form of higher education an open door for those who wish to advance their careers or pursue the career they always dreamed of without uprooting their families and leaving their jobs.

For many adult learners, the idea of studying from the comfort of their own home, on their own schedule, is a big advantage. Liberty offers eight-week

courses and eight different start times throughout the year, so students can fit in school around their jobs and busy family life.

Low tuition rates are also making Liberty a popular option; rates have been frozen for most of Liberty’s undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral online programs for nine years.

Older students are also attracted to the quality of the academics and the Christian worldview. Record enrollment can largely be attributed to the university’s unwavering commitment to its biblical foundation and mission. Today, more families are looking for a university like Liberty.

We introduce you to some of our newest alumni who earned their degrees as adult learners — at just the right time — to become Champions for Christ and impact the world.

When Wanda Coltrane walked across the Commencement stage in May, she marked a personal goal decades in the making.

Coltrane, 63, of Aubrey, Texas, completed her bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies through Liberty University Online Programs with focuses in education, music, and fine arts. She first decided to pursue higher education at age 35, enrolling at a community college. Her parents only had a formal education at the elementary level, and she was determined to become a firstgeneration college graduate. But after a year and a half, she had to halt her studies to care for her mother after heart surgery.

In 2007, Coltrane enrolled in college again, this time at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, while also working full time and caring for her mother and two daughters. With her workday starting at 4:30 a.m. and classes concluding at 7 p.m., she eventually

LIFELONG GOAL

became burnt out and stopped classes.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, Coltrane found herself out of a job but was still determined to finish the college degree she had started 25 years before. She enrolled with Liberty after seeing how the online programs compared in both depth and affordability to local universities. Although she said she didn’t know Liberty was a Christian college when she applied, she quickly fell in love with the emphasis that it placed on sharing the love of Christ.

“It has been so rewarding and so inspirational,” she said, noting how her instructors would often send students motivational messages with Scripture. “Every instructor and professor I’ve had has been so encouraging to me. I grew up as a Christian, and it’s all I know … church and having a personal relationship with God.”

Coltrane also credited Liberty with motivating her to be outgoing and serve more in her church. She had worked at Vacation Bible School and was a youth director when she was younger but admits she became much more reserved as she grew older.

“Going to Liberty, I feel like I can do that again,” she said. “I don’t feel as withdrawn. God blessed me with multiple talents, and I think I stopped using them, but going to Liberty, I want to sing again, I want to write again, I want to draw again.”

She said her degree serves as a reminder

of the importance of persevering through life’s struggles. She recalls times when she couldn’t afford to buy a bag of potato chips.

“I was determined to not give up. I’ve had a lot of struggles in my life, but in 2020 something came over me. I realized I could do this. I’m blown away because there were teachers at other schools who told me I wasn’t smart enough to graduate college. Even at the age I am now, I was scared and afraid, but I wanted to do it.”

Coltrane is currently working as a level II paraprofessional (educational aide) with a Texas educator’s certificate. She hopes her degree will open further avenues for her to teach, possibly in private music tutoring.

She had originally planned a mock graduation at her daughter’s house in Texas instead of traveling to Lynchburg. However, her children gave her an early Mother’s Day gift and paid for her trip.

“My daughter said, ‘No ma’am, you have worked too long and too hard for this. My children, and your grandchildren, need to see you walk across that stage and know that no matter what, they can do it,’” Coltrane said.

“It’s been a long journey,” she added. “But with the way I feel now, it’s been well worth it. I’m proud of myself for not giving up.”

-By Christian Shields

LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

It took her two days to travel from her home in the Middle East, but when Liberty University graduate Sarah Nowery stepped on campus for the first time at Commencement, she said it felt like coming home.

Nowery celebrated her Ed.D. in Community Care & Counseling with a specialization in traumatology, a degree she is already putting to use in her role with the international relief organization Samaritan’s Purse in an undisclosed location in the Middle East. She and her husband, Matthew (’12), have served with Samaritan’s Purse for nearly 20 years. Their past work in crisis response has taken them to Ethiopia, Sudan, and Northern Iraq. They have aided those who have endured incredible trauma, from survivors of the Kurdish genocide at the hands of Saddam Hussein, to victims of ISIS jihadists who carried out brutal attacks on Yazidis, Christians, and Muslims. Using Samaritan’s Purse’s DART (Disaster Assistance Response Team) training, which Sarah helped develop and implement in earlier roles with the organization, she is bringing healing to families and communities.

“When we started walking more long term with these communities that have been through so many difficult things in the last 15 years or so, I just started to see a real need for not just shelter and food but to sit down and get to know them, heart to heart, and hear the things that they had gone through,” Sarah said. More workers have joined their efforts, including over 30 expats from multiple countries and over 200 staff who are native to

“Everything that I was learning was almost immediately applicable; I was able to take and learn and fine-tune what I was getting in the classroom online and then turn around and begin to implement it for our organization.”

SARAH NOWERY

the region. When they work in communities devastated by violence, Sarah said “they’ll come out of it and their hearts are so heavy, asking why God allows suffering like this and what do I do?”

Her compassion for the families affected by unimaginable tragedies and for her teammates caring for them led Sarah to seek training beyond her background in emergency and disaster administration — and to Liberty University Online Programs.

“I happen to really enjoy learning, but I also realized that I need more tools in my toolbox, and I needed to further my education. I knew I wanted to get a doctorate, and I just didn’t find anything available at other schools, so I started to pray … and I came across the community care & counseling program at Liberty. You could not have scripted a more accurate description (than the program’s) of what it was that I wanted to do to walk with our team and other organizations that are serving in these hard places and equip them with the skills that they need to take care of themselves but also take care of those they’re serving and loving.”

“I didn’t want to go back to school just for my sake,” she added. “I wanted this to be something that would really impact and strengthen and encourage the hearts and minds and faith of those we are serving.”

She enrolled in 2020 and quickly learned that Liberty’s online program was a great fit for her lifestyle overseas.

“I was really grateful that I could find a program that wasn’t going to ask me to step

away from the ministry that God had me in. We have three young kids, so I needed something that would allow me to balance that while at the same time not sacrificing the quality of education.”

She also quickly gained high respect for her professors.

“I was so impressed with the depth and breadth that they all have. In most areas of research and study, my professors were going out to speak at different conferences. They’re on the cutting edge of some of the things that are happening. That can be a difficult combination to find (in a professor) sometimes. You have these professors who are so studied and so well respected within the field but then are also able to connect with students as far as our faith goes and what our calling is: to go out into the world. It was a really unique and special combination.”

The professors accommodated her from different time zones and during the times when she had to relocate due to security concerns.

She said her courses began paying off in real time.

“Everything that I was learning was almost immediately applicable; I was able to take and learn and fine-tune what I was getting in the classroom online and then turn around and begin to implement it for our organization and several other organizations. The things that I learned, especially grounded in biblical principles and understanding, have been very helpful and encouraging to our team as well, as they ask these big questions and look for ways to continue to draw near to the Lord and find strength from Him in the face of just tremendous suffering.”

Sarah praises God for the way He is restoring lives and bringing them to Him in the Middle East: “The amazing thing is that God created us and He knows us, and when we go through things like this, He knows what will heal us. When we can draw near to Him in the correct ways, we can find healing and find the strength that we need to keep going and to keep loving.”

God has used her as a Champion for Christ to shine the light that can overcome the darkest evils of this world.

“You can walk through some of these communities and see the difference that has been made,” she said. “We get so many amazing impact stories. People are able to find hope again, and that’s a beautiful, beautiful thing that we get to be a witness to.”

-By Mitzi Bible

For many athletes who have competed at the highest levels in their sport, finding ways to impact the world post-career can be a challenge. For Jeremy Staat (’16, ’18, ’23), his path was shaped by experiences that landed him in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., in the deserts of Iraq, and now back in his hometown impacting the next generation of skilled workers.

The dream of being more than just a football player goes back to his days at his hometown Bakersfield (Calif.) College, where he was a star offensive lineman and tight end.

“I never really had any expectations of moving on past Bakersfield,” said Staat, who was named an All-American honorable mention in football. “I figured I’d go there for two years, play, and then move onto something else. I grew up in the trades, you know, digging ditches or pouring concrete. I thought I was going to be a contractor, and I had no desires really past that.”

At one point, he actually walked away from the game to help out his family, but his coach saw potential and encouraged him to return. It was a moment to remember in his faith walk.

“That was one of those life lessons where if you commit to something, you fulfill it,” he said. “For me, it fell back on the verse (Ecclesiastes 9:10) that says whatever your hands or feet find to do, do it to the best of your ability for God. And since that day, I’ve strived to live by that.”

After two years at Bakersfield, Staat transferred to Arizona State, where he would play defensive tackle and compile national recognitions. He was presented the Morris Trophy as the best defensive lineman in the Pac-10 Conference in 1997 and helped the Sun Devils to their secondever Rose Bowl. He played alongside his friend and teammate Pat Tillman, the football great who left his career behind to serve in the U.S. Army following the attacks of Sept. 11 and was killed by friendly fire while deployed in Afghanistan.

Staat was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1998 with the 41st overall pick, which is where he would spend a majority of his time in the league, starting 11 games in the 1999 season. He had stints with the Seattle Seahawks, Oakland Raiders, and the St. Louis Rams. But even in the NFL, Staat was preparing for a life post-football. After the events of Sept. 11, he desired to follow Tillman’s example and eventually joined the Marine Corps, carrying on a

family tradition of service to his country; his father served in Vietnam and his grandfather in WWII.

“I knew I never wanted to serve a onedimensional life,” he said. “I thought it’d be so boring to just be known for football, and I thought to myself, ‘How’s the best way to serve God and His people?’”

In 2007, Staat was deployed with the 1st Battalion 3rd Marines Regiment and spent seven months in Iraq as an infantry machine gunner.

But it wasn’t until after a few years in service that he realized the advice he was giving the younger men in his unit was something he never applied to himself.

“These kids were getting out at 21 or 22 with combat deployments, and I told them not to forget about their education and to use their GI Bill,” Staat said. “Then I realized I was a hypocrite because I never got my own bachelor’s degree, and here I was telling them to further their education.”

Upon returning from Iraq and leaving the military, Staat made good on his own advice and completed his degree from Arizona State in 2009. But that wouldn’t be the end of his academic pursuits. Growing up around the trade skills, Staat always had a knack for being good with his hands, so he started teaching welding at Bakersfield and began looking for a postgraduate program with teacher licensure. He found the Master of Education: Administration and Supervision through Liberty University

Online Programs and graduated in 2016.

“I fell in love with Liberty when I came out for intensives,” Staat said. “The campus is beautiful, and the people are great; I really wish I had heard about it when I was looking for an undergrad. All I could think about was playing a game in (Williams Stadium) that day.”

With a strong belief in making the trade skills a priority in education and a desire to grow the welding program into a pipeline for industries, Staat would go on to earn two more degrees in educational leadership from Liberty: Education Specialist (Ed.S.) in 2018 and Doctor of Education, which he completed in November.

The verses from Ecclesiastes still ring true in his life, as he now uses his hands in a literal sense to teach others how to use their God-given abilities. He launched Spark Academy, a welding school for young people and veterans to learn valuable trade skills, and he continues to be a motivational speaker through the Jeremy Staat Foundation, telling his story of overcoming doubt around the country.

“God just always has His ways of making things work, sometimes not even on our time. So, my vision for Spark Academy is already in full effect,” Staat said. “And I want to take my family with me, show them the world, and go to universities or businesses and show them a positive idea of what it’s going to take to be successful, no matter where you’re from.”

- By Bryson Gordon

AIMING SKY HIGH

At 81, Nicholas Schillen completed his M.S. in Aeronautics through Liberty University Online Programs in December, becoming the oldest graduate in the Class of 2024.

A U.S. Air Force veteran, Schillen’s military career stretched from 1963-87, with him rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. Starting as a radar navigator and bombardier in B-52s during the Cold War, he received his pilot’s wings and flew special operations missions aboard C-47 Skytrains in Vietnam in the late 1960s before working with the Defense Intelligence Agency and being assigned as an aviation military advisor to several posts in Central America.

In civilian life, he has been an instructor for airlines, the Air Force Junior ROTC program, and at flight schools. His specialties include commercial certification and

After driving from Pittsburgh to Lynchburg, Derek Lang, 40, walked the stage at Commencement in front of his three young children, modeling for them how to be a good steward of God-given opportunities.

“It was an opportunity to teach my kids the importance of education, hard work, and taking advantage of the resources God provides,” he said. “For me to turn down this opportunity would have been foolish and wasteful, and my kids saw me choose to take on the challenge, so I’m very

instrument-rated single and multiengine flight instruction. He launched his own flight school, MN Aviation Consultants Inc., in 2018. As owner and CEO, he provides oneon-one flight instruction to recreational pilots and those seeking professional certification. Additionally, he has provided consulting services in quality control and standardization of training procedures to several South Florida flight schools.

Schillen said he first heard about Liberty through associations in his flight school and was impressed with its military friendliness. He said pursuing his master’s degree has given him a whole new perspective on the industry.

“If you do something in your skill and your area of expertise after a while, you think you know it all. At least I did, but that’s not true,” he said. “I broadened my view of aviation. I’ve been a very hands-on, operational type of pilot, and I wasn’t familiar with many of the topics covered — aviation law, for example. I’m a history buff, so that aspect of the courses was of great interest to me.”

It had been more than 50 years since Schillen had enrolled in college, and he quickly discovered that the road to a master’s degree wasn’t going to be easy.

“Well, if anybody thinks it’s going to be a cakewalk, I tell them, ‘Don’t even try it,’”

‘ALWAYS LEARNING’

thankful for that. I wanted to show them that you can always be learning.”

Lang enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in May 2001 and served eight years, including a tour to Iraq in 2005, before retiring as a sergeant in June 2009. Upon leaving the military, he began his career as a firefighter for a small city for seven years before transitioning to his current role in the fire department serving Pittsburgh International Airport.

Using the GI Bill, Lang earned his associate degree in aviation management from a local community college and looked for a university with an online program that would accept his credits on the path to his bachelor’s. A coworker told him about Liberty University Online Programs, where he could receive discounts as both a military veteran and first responder.

Lang has been studying at his own pace for the last four and a half years, ultimately completing his bachelor’s in interdisciplinary studies with focuses in fire administration and aviation

Schillen said. “It’s work, and you’ve got to put in the time and effort. If you follow the process the way Liberty does it, and you dedicate your mind to it, it will pay off.”

He said the process was extremely rewarding.

“People ask me, ‘Why would you get a master’s at this point in your career?’” Schillen said. “Completing it was a big measure of honor in and of itself. I graduated with distinction, which I never thought I could or would. But I just did my best. If I made a mistake, the instructor let me know. Their feedback was always excellent and so were their words of encouragement.”

Schillen, who said he has always lived by the Golden Rule, especially in the way he has operated his flight school, said the main benefit he received from his online studies was the strengthening of his faith.

“I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, but I never took my faith too seriously until I started taking master’s level courses. The concept of writing a paper about aviation leaders in military history or flight safety through a biblical lens was new to me. So that approach was very significant to me. It made me more knowledgeable and gave me the confidence to speak and to train from a spiritual perspective.”

-By Ted Allen

management in December.

“I found it all very manageable, and I especially liked how the classes were broken up into eight-week portions,” Lang said. “The professors were always willing and able to help me with questions and help me study around my work schedule. Being a nontraditional (college student), they knew I was willing to do more and that I was willing to work hard to make things work.”

As is the case in every program at Liberty, his classes infused lessons on maintaining a biblical mindset in his everyday life, something that Lang took to heart.

“That was very evident in all the classes,” he said. “I really appreciated that because it helps you understand the Bible better, and it shows you how we should be interacting with others in our everyday environments. When you have to figure out how to integrate the Bible and Christ into whatever you’re doing, it makes a difference.”

-By Ryan Klinker

Since 1971, Liberty University has been Training Champions for Christ through excellent academics, top-notch faculty, and comprehensive resources. Whatever stage of education you need — from kindergarten to Ph.D. — Liberty helps equip students to succeed.

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Read more on these special guests at Liberty.edu/News

SADIE ROBERTSON HUFF

The founder of the women’s ministry Live Original and star of “Duck Dynasty” spoke in Convocation on Feb. 2 about the dangers of compromise and the blessings of conviction. She warned students against compromising their own values even when no one is watching: “Compromise is something that no one else calls you out for or sees, but God sees. Only you know the conviction of your heart, and only you can follow that.” For those worried about being able to follow God daily, she said “the hard part has already been done. Jesus has already paid the price, and now you have the gift of the Holy Spirit, who reminds you of the heart of the Father.” She called conviction a gift. “Conviction is not meant to shame you. There is no condemnation found in Jesus Christ, so be thankful when you feel convicted. God loves you enough to say He has so much more for you.”

JONI EARECKSON TADA

The CEO of Joni and Friends, which works to equip Christ-honoring churches worldwide to evangelize and disciple people affected by disabilities, shared her testimony in Convocation in an interview recorded from her home in California. As a quadriplegic since age 17, she explained how God has helped her lead the ministry with passion, vigor, and grace for 45 years, citing Romans 8:32: “He who has given us His own Son, gives us all things to be able to persevere and endure.” She compared her life journey to that of a marathon runner who endures to the finish line, noting that Christians should willingly share in the sufferings of Jesus. “It means picking up your cross daily and dying to the sins that He died for on His cross. When you do this, when you’re holy as He is holy, you’re going to discover the peace and joy and satisfaction and sweetness of the Savior.”

KAREN KINGSBURY

A New York Times bestselling novelist and Liberty parent who has visited campus many times to share her expertise from the publishing world, Kingsbury shared the Convocation stage on March 25 with members of the cast and crew of “Someone Like You,” the first movie she has produced. The movie, based on her book of the same title, was a true family affair. She wrote the script with her son Tyler Russell, the film’s director. Her son Austin Robert Russell, a Liberty graduate and actor, is part of the cast. Liberty students were among the first to view the film at a special screening and said Kingsbury’s masterful storytelling on the big screen was a special treat, leaving them encouraged in their faith.

OS GUINNESS

The theme of love filled the air of the Vines Center on Valentine’s Day, as Liberty welcomed the world-renowned author and theologian. Guinness challenged students to be the “champions and guardians of the highest, richest, deepest view of love that history has ever known and the world has ever seen”: the biblical love of God. Born in China to medical missionaries during World War II, Guinness has traveled the world speaking at universities, businesses, and political conferences. He has written more than 30 books on the intersection of modern culture and Christianity. He cited several examples and characteristics of God’s love throughout the Scriptures. “Think about the wonder and uniqueness that God loves, and as the New Testament says, He is Love,” he said. “There’s nothing like it in any worldview or philosophy of religion in the world.”

TONY DUNGY

At the April 5 Convocation, legendary NFL coach Tony Dungy spoke on living by God’s standard and not the world’s. Citing the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6), he said to seek God’s Kingdom, “You’re going to have to do (life and school) in a different way from the people around you … you will be following a narrow path, not the crowd, and not doing the things that everyone else is doing.” He shared some personal examples, such as declining chances to cheat in college or use insider information about an opponent’s trick play in the NFL. He said his coaching philosophy didn’t always open doors in the NFL, that his dedication to servant leadership and keeping his family a higher priority than winning games turned some NFL executives away. “You can’t be a Christian just when it’s convenient. You can’t be a Christian just in certain settings,” he said. “If you really want to represent the Lord and walk on that narrow road, you have to be a Christian all the time. That has been my MO (modus operandi) for the last 40 years.”

SAGE STEELE

The former ESPN “SportsCenter” anchor and reporter encouraged students to believe in their God-given gifts and pursue their Spirit-inspired dreams even through trials. Steele was hired at ESPN in 2007 and spent 16 years covering the PGA Masters, Super Bowls, NBA All-Star Weekends, NBA Finals, NCAA basketball Final Fours, and the World Series. She recounted her own struggles in her broadcasting career, from recent controversies where she boldly spoke her convictions on social issues to filing a lawsuit against an employer and being injured during a PGA Tournament when she was hit with a wayward ball and lost eight teeth. Now, she said her greater purposes are putting family first and being a voice for those who can’t speak up for themselves.

Watch Convocation live on Liberty’s Facebook page. View past Convocations at Watch.Liberty.edu or on YouTube.

MUSICAL TALENT

Every semester, Liberty students have the chance to see today’s top Christian artists perform, speak, and even serve as mentors.

FOR KING & COUNTRY

Brothers Joel and Luke Smallbone performed in Convocation on April 12 and spoke about their feature film, “Unsung Hero,” based on their family’s move from Australia to America and rise out of poverty. They encouraged the students to honor their parents by learning from their mistakes, while creating legacies for their own children by following God’s lead for their careers.

WE THE KINGDOM

The Christian folk rock worship band We The Kingdom performed in a special College For A Weekend concert on Feb. 23. The band was named New Artist of the Year at the 2019 Dove Awards and tours extensively. The concert also featured Liberty’s own LU Praise.

JIM CYMBALA & BROOKLYN TABERNACLE SINGERS

Cymbala, senior pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle and a regular guest at Liberty’s Convocation, brought the Grammy-award winning Brooklyn Tabernacle Singers to the Vines Center on April 17. They delivered a Spirit-filled worship set that led into Cymbala’s powerful message on Jesus’ letters to the seven churches in Revelation.

MICHAEL W. SMITH

Smith, one of the greatest names in Christian music and the executive director of Liberty’s Michael W. Smith Center for Commercial Music, visited on March 12 and spent a full day at the Center for Music and the Worship Arts, where he held a Q & A session, conducted workshops, and hosted studio time with music students.

a matter of NATIONAL SECURITY

STUDENTS GAIN EARLY EXPERIENCE WORKING ON PROJECTS FOR DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, FBI, NATO, AND MORE

BY CHRISTIAN SHIELDS

Many college students have the opportunity to present projects in class or at conferences, but a group of students at Liberty University are building their résumés — and contributing to America’s defense — by sitting across the table from some of the highest-ranked officials charged with protecting our country.

About 50 students are members of the Liberty Analytical Support Initiative (LASI), which partners with federal agencies such as the National Security Agency, FBI, NATO, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Department

of Defense on assigned projects. Students work in teams of about 10, gathering data and conducting research on issues concerning international relations and national security. Projects have ranged from immigration policy to energy infrastructure and terrorist threat risks. The details of their projects are kept strictly confidential.

LASI was started in 2021 by Helms School of Government Associate Professor Scott Roenicke, who retired from a 30-year career at the Pentagon as a Senior Advisor for Russia Affairs to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of

Staff, in addition to serving as the Director for Russia Affairs at the White House in the National Security Council. Shortly after coming to Liberty, Roenicke was approached by a representative from the Pentagon who asked if Liberty had students capable of completing highly sensitive projects. Soon, the National Security Agency and the FBI came knocking too.

“It’s like (these agencies are) saying, ‘We really have this problem, and we don’t have the manpower to focus because we’re dealing with crises all the time,’” Roenicke said.

FBI headquarters, Richmond, Va.

“(They say) ‘We’d like a deep concerted effort and a focus to be made on this particular topic so that we can sit back when we have a few minutes and hear an informed presentation from your students and then figure out if this is something we need to be concerned with and address in a more coherent and deliberate fashion.’”

The work has taken members to the Pentagon, across the country, and even internationally.

Over Winter Break, nine Liberty students traveled with Roenicke to Lithuania to meet with officials at the Energy Security NATO Centre of Excellence, which commissioned the students to conduct an independent analysis integral to the security of the U.S. and the NATO Alliance. Students presented their findings, demonstrating the implications that their analytical conclusions would have on Euro-Atlantic security. The centres are international military organizations that train and educate leaders and specialists from NATO member and partner countries. On the trip, students also had the chance to visit historic churches and museums that chronicled the country’s recent history of occupation under Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union and meet with officials at the U.S. Embassy in the capital city of Vilnius.

Roenicke said the students presented “incredibly consequential” work in Lithuania and even engaged the officials in debates and model exercises to explain the concepts of their studies. For their professionalism, NATO officials presented Roenicke and the students with a medal of gratitude.

“I’ve heard from people in the intelligence community that when they are presented the results of our students’ cross-functional analyses, they are extremely impressed by the depth of detail and the complex frameworks that are used,” Roenicke said.

That meeting led to another invitation from the NATO Centre of Excellence to attend its planning session in Monterey, Calif., in February.

Due to the wide range of issues that LASI may be called upon to address, the program welcomes undergraduate and graduate students from various academic programs. This year’s members (mostly undergraduate) came from academic disciplines including government, strategic communication, criminal justice, science, business, psychology, cybersecurity, strategic intelligence, international relations, and divinity.

Although professors are not always directly involved in the projects, they often remain close at hand to suggest avenues for further research or give students additional contacts for assistance in their departments.

Graduate student Kinsey Painter, who earned her master’s in industrial organization psychology in May, served as the deputy team leader in Lithuania and California.

“We were so lucky to have that experience (in Lithuania),” she said. “All of us felt like it was a dream to be able to present our hard work that way, to exemplify Christ in that region and to the people we met, and have that incredible immersive experience.”

As students look to supplement their classwork with real-world experience, one of LASI’s main objectives is to help them

integrate their respective disciplines into meaningful and practical work.

“LASI took that love for research and analysis that I had and tied it to new projects and new topics that I didn’t really have familiarity with from psychology,” Painter said, “such as national security and issues that really matter in the real world. It was able to pair me with things that energized me. It’s probably been my favorite work that I have done in my academic career.”

She said she appreciates the way LASI “connects everybody and allows us to leverage all of our different backgrounds and perspectives in a way that’s unparalleled in the university. Being part of that feels really amazing and incredible.”

Clinton Casey, who graduated with his MBA in May, was in his third semester as a member of LASI in the spring. He has spent over 10 years serving in the U.S. Army and said he originally chose to attend the university because of its emphasis on education from a Christian perspective. As a student, he saw how Liberty students impacted the world for the Kingdom of God.

“For a government entity to reach out to a Christian school and ask their mostly undergrad and some graduate students to work on a real-world problem that usually is reserved for an Ivy League institution, if it even happens at all, is a testament to not only the Christian worldview of the students but God’s favor on Liberty,” he said. “It shows students that we can impact the world as students and after graduation.”

Roenicke said students who have participated in LASI have gone on to accept jobs in the federal government, from the State Department to Department of Defense, Homeland Security, and beyond.

“When you have people who love God and who are working for His glory, He opens up vistas and opportunities that would otherwise not be open.”

Pentagon, Arlington, Va.

NATO planning conference, Monterey, Calif.

A NATO official presents Scott Roenicke with a medal of gratitude for the students’ work at the Energy Security NATO Centre of Excellence in Lithuania.

STUDENTS BRING ENERGY-BOOSTING LOLLIPOPS TO MARKET

BY CHRISTIAN SHIELDS

When Adelin Lucaci first stepped foot on Liberty University’s campus as a freshman in 2018, he had no idea of the impact that the school and city would have on his business acumen.

Now, five years later with help from Liberty’s Center for Entrepreneurship and his brother, Brandon, who graduated with a psychology degree in May, Adelin has brought his invention of caffeine- and vitamin-infused lollipops under the brand “NOVU” to market.

Growing up as the sons of Romanian immigrants in San Francisco, the Lucaci brothers learned the importance of hard work from a young age while working for their father’s construction business. After high school, Adelin traveled across the country to pursue a criminal justice degree at Liberty, but later returned home to California to enlist in the National Guard. In 2020 and 2021, his unit was called into action to protect the state Capitol during nationwide protests in response to the death of George Floyd.

After his time in the guard, Adelin desired to start his own business. He struggled with several different ventures in California and eventually ended up working with his father. But plans shifted when a member of his church told him a dream he had about Adelin and described a house he had never seen before. Adelin immediately recognized it as a house his family had bought in Virginia for a rental property. Adelin took the dream as a sign that God was calling him back to Virginia, and he and Brandon moved to Lynchburg in January 2022.

The first morning after making the move, Adelin woke up with the idea for NOVU. Harnessing his family’s roots in construction, he created a healthy lollipop that could appeal to laborers, giving them extra energy and essential vitamins they need throughout the day. Over the next year and a half, he worked on fine-tuning the product and building the company while taking business classes at Liberty. He supported his venture by working local construction jobs and invested in materials such as 3D printers

and hundreds of ingredients for testing. In Spring 2023, he entered the product into Liberty’s annual Create Fest, a competition where students can pitch business ideas (similar to ABC’s “Shark Tank”) and have the chance to earn grant money. Adelin was named a finalist and won a $1,000 grant.

Under the tagline “Do Good Work,” NOVU lollipops come in either 40 mg or 80 mg of caffeine, and both options provide 100% of the daily recommended intake of vitamins B12 and D3 with a low sugar intake between 5 and 6 grams per pop. The product is ecofriendly, with a biodegradable wooden stick, and the packaging has been designed to discourage children from eating it.

Despite his success at Create Fest, Adelin said he still wrestled with whether it was God’s will for NOVU to become a reality. He spent a night on his knees asking God if he should continue.

“Out of nowhere, I got hit with this thought and this feeling of ‘Who do you think you are in asking me that?’” he said. “(God) didn’t even say yes or no. I guess I

Brothers Adelin (left) and Brandon Lucaci (’24) KJ JUGAR

“If you are ever struggling with what you should do, do something and God will guide you. Especially if God doesn’t specifically tell you to do something, do something and pray for guidance. Keep your eyes open and your ears open, and God will direct you.”

ADELIN LUCACI

was asking pretty arrogantly, and God was telling me to have faith. So, I just did it. If you are ever struggling with what you should do, do something and God will guide you. Especially if God doesn’t specifically tell you to do something, do something and pray for guidance. Keep your eyes open and your ears open, and God will direct you.”

Adelin began searching for ways to further promote the brand. That’s when he attended Liberty’s annual CEO Summit in October and had a chance meeting with Lowe’s CEO Marvin Ellison. He briefly shared NOVU’s mission with Ellison, who invited the

Lucacis to the Into the Blue: Product Pitch Event at Lowe’s tech hub in Charlotte, N.C., on Dec. 5, where participants petitioned to become suppliers.

Leading up to the event, the brothers worked hard to ensure that both the product and their sales pitch would resonate with executives. Despite all their preparation, they hit a snag just days before the competition when the samples they were making for the judges weren’t turning out as planned. They considered skipping church that morning to continue working but decided to trust God

and left. When they returned and got back to work, the samples turned out perfectly.

“We learned to be faithful in the little (things),” Adelin said. “If I skipped church for this small problem now, I would have 100% skipped church for the big problems. It was like God said, ‘If you aren’t going to skip church and skip your time with Me for this problem right here, I know you won’t do that in the future.’ And I won’t.”

During the first round of interviews, the Lucacis fielded a variety of questions aimed at the company’s purpose and mission. They were also asked about their involvement in Liberty’s Create Fest and were commended for being named a finalist.

In the second round, the duo met with a high-ranking leader in the company for a condensed sales pitch. This meeting resulted in Lowe’s offering to take on NOVU as an official food vendor.

“It took me a year and nine months to realize that I couldn’t do it by myself, and out of nowhere it blew up. That was God who did that,” Adelin said.

He recently oversaw the construction of a special facility where they can manufacture the product and is networking with other companies to expand their sales. Both brothers credited Liberty with providing them with the resources to be successful in their respective fields.

“We’re super grateful for everything that Liberty has done, so we want to stay within the community,” Brandon said. “We love Convocation and Campus Community. We live off campus, but we still go to every one of them. Everything that Liberty offers is super valuable. A lot of times people take what they have here for granted because it’s so easily accessible, but we realize the incredible value that it has.”

CREATE FEST

The annual Create Fest, hosted by the Center for Entrepreneurship, is a “Shark Tank” style competition that provides students with the opportunity to pitch business ideas before a panel of judges to earn a share of $10,000 in prize money. This year’s event was held on April 5. In first place, earning the grand prize of $5,000, was the team of Austin Demorata-Braza (right) and Andrew Farquhar, who presented their invention Wize Park, a mobile app to assist drivers in finding parking spaces in parking garages and increase overall parking garage safety. The proposed app includes live updates on open spaces through AI-operated cameras as well as safety features such as cloud-based storage and an emergency call button.

Adelin and Brandon Lucaci also provided an update on NOVU; Adelin was a finalist in last year’s Create Fest.

The Center for Entrepreneurship in Liberty’s School of Business seeks to help students develop entrepreneurial skills, launch businesses based on biblical principles, and network and collaborate with like-minded business owners, mentors, and entrepreneurs from around the globe. The center offers free programs, services, and workshops to students in all fields of study. For more information, visit Liberty.edu/Business/Entrepreneurship or email C4E@liberty.edu.

The Lucaci brothers make their lollipops in a new facility they constructed for the business in nearby Forest, Va.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

THE CHAMPION CENTER

As construction on Liberty University’s Champion Center continues, university planners have been hard at work enhancing interior features so the grand facility can better serve visitors, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the community.

The 68,000-square-foot facility located next to the Hancock Welcome Center will serve multiple functions, all with the goal of presenting and preserving the original mission of Liberty University: Training Champions for Christ. The Liberty University Board of Trustees voted to

rename the project The Champion Center to more accurately convey the building’s intended purpose. As an extension of the welcome center, The Champion Center will regularly host prospective students and their families. Creative displays, videos, and interactive content will contextualize Liberty’s history and growth in light of its mission and share how Liberty has remained a distinctly Christian institution committed to the Great Commission.

Starting with the Heritage Showcase area, guests will be inspired by the miracle

of Liberty Mountain and challenged to become a Champion for Christ. In The Core, an open area with a 360-degree screen, visitors will learn all that Liberty has to offer its students. A separate Rising Flame Theater will feature an 1,800-square-foot, curved screen, stage, a state-of-the-art sound and lighting system, and seating for up to 270. The building will also feature a Path of Champions with interactive displays and videos showing Liberty graduates who are champions in their career fields.

While The Champion Center will serve

as a central hub for visitor events, including Liberty’s widely popular College For A Weekend held twice a semester, many of the rooms have been designed to accommodate other Liberty-sponsored events throughout the year, making the entire building a multifunctional space. In addition to the larger gathering spaces, the facility will have seven smaller meeting rooms for guest and student use.

Last fall, the administration identified the need for a dedicated campus event space with seating for about 2,000. At twice the size of the Montview Student Union, Alumni Ballroom, where the university currently holds many of its large events, the new Event Space at The Champion Center will be the largest meeting room of its kind in the Lynchburg area. The room can be divided in half or quarters for hosting smaller events or breakout

sessions and could be made available for community use.

Another primary feature of the new center is the Prayer Room, designed solely for prayer and worship. The room will be open to guests and all members of the Liberty community 24/7, year-round, and will be managed and staffed by Liberty’s Office of Spiritual Development. Through streaming technology, students in the online program and alumni all over the world will be able to join with Liberty in prayer. Smaller breakout rooms are also planned for students and families to gather and pray. The Gospel message will be presented in multiple areas of the center, and people who wish to talk to someone about their decision to follow Christ will be pointed to the Prayer Room.

Liberty’s administration also determined a need for more lounge and gathering spaces

COMING SOON

for current students and faculty and staff, so updated plans call for a 24,000-squarefoot rooftop plaza. With stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, fire pits, areas to relax and study, and the first outdoor Wi-Fi 6E site on campus (with faster speeds than other locations), the space will be a favorite of students and visitors.

In conjunction with The Champion Center, plans also call for the Jerry Falwell Museum, currently housed at the Jerry Falwell Library, to be relocated to the Hancock Welcome Center, so guests will also have the chance to learn more about Liberty’s founder and the original vision God gave him to establish Liberty University and its related ministries.

Visit LibertyChampionCenter.com for more information on opportunities to support the new center and be a part of the mission.

Liberty’s fourth Residential Commons high-rise residence hall, a 10-story, 166,908-square-foot expansion of Residential Commons III, is in the final phases of construction. The project features a 2-story connector to Commons III and will add 654 beds and two new resident director apartments.

North Campus Parking Garage

A new 7-story parking garage adjacent to the LaHaye Ice Center is expected to be available for student, faculty, and guest use this fall. The project is the third parking garage on Liberty’s campus and will hold 1,500 cars and charging stations for electric vehicles.

A study by American Caldwell shows Liberty is the most Googled college in Virginia. Under the heading “A Few Surprises,” the study noted: “In Virginia, home to some of America’s oldest universities like William & Mary, founded in 1693, and the University of Virginia, established by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, Liberty University, founded as a Christian university in 1971, is now the most Googled in the state.”

FACULTY & STAFF ACHIEVEMENTS

2023-24

>> CUSA STANDOUT

Dr. Beth Koss received the Conference USA Faculty Achievement Award for outstanding teaching, research, service, and scholarly work. Koss oversees the accounting program in the School of Business. She has taught at Liberty since 2015.

>> RESURRECTION EXPERT

Divinity Professor Dr. Gary Habermas provided his expertise for the documentary “Shroud of Turin: Face to Face,” released in November. A world-renowned apologist, Habermas published the first of four volumes of his magnum opus, “On the Resurrection: Evidences,” in January.

>> COUNSELING THE CORPS

Online Counseling Professor Dr. Christopher Ostrander created the nation’s first directory of licensed clinicians who specialize in serving the Special Operations community. His SOF Network also helps train former members or spouses to become clinical mental health professionals.

>> CAREER LANDING

Dr. Rick Roof has retired after serving as dean of the School of Aeronautics since July 2019. As dean, Roof oversaw improvements throughout the on-campus and airport locations, including the creation of the academic and simulation center in DeMoss Hall.

>> CONSTRUCTING A LEGACY

After 39 years of working for Liberty and its related ministries, Senior Vice President of Campus Facilities and Transportation Charles Spence retired in April. Spence played a key role in the design and transformation of much of Liberty’s campus.

>> MILITARY LEADER

Dr. Rich Diddams, vice provost of engineering and technology & professional engagement, was appointed Commanding General of the Virginia Defense Force and promoted to Brigadier General (VA). He served as a Marine Infantry Officer for over 20 years. He has worked with the Joint Staff at the Pentagon and was a White House senior advisor on counterterrorism.

>>PARENTING ADVICE

In March, Counseling Professor Dr. Laurel Shaler was interviewed along with pastor and bestselling author Dr. Gary Chapman on the FamilyLife radio program (a ministry of Cru) about a book they co-wrote, “Loving Adopted Children Well: A 5 Love Languages Approach.”

>> BRIDGE ASSESSMENT

Hyunjoong Kim, assistant professor of civil engineering, shared his expertise for a New York Times story assessing the March 26 early-morning collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge near Baltimore.

AWARD for EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

This award recognizes professors who have promoted significant student learning, evidenced by creative and innovative approaches to teaching, the effective use of instructional technology, and exceptional pedagogical skill, and whose impact on student faith, thought, and character advances Liberty’s mission of Training Champions for Christ.

DR. CYNTHIA GOODRICH School of Nursing

KEVIN LAYELL College of Arts & Sciences

JAMES MASHBURN School of Aeronautics

DR. S. ALEXANDER MASON College of Arts & Sciences

DR. ANDREA SMITH School of Aeronautics

REMEMBERING A HERO

RACE

When William Byron raced in the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600, the annual “600 Miles of Remembrance,” at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 26, he paid tribute to a fallen hero and fellow member of the Liberty family.

The No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, sporting a patriotic paint scheme, bore the name of Liberty aviation graduate and former Flames Soccer player United States Marine Corps Maj. Tobin “Toby” Lewis (’08) on the windshield.

Maj. Lewis, of Jefferson, Colo., earned his B.S. in Aviation: Military at Liberty, inspired by his grandfather, a retired marine aviator. After graduation, he completed officer candidate school and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the USMC. While at Liberty, he played on the Flames Men’s Soccer team under former Head Coach Jeff Alder from 200407. He was a member of the 2004 Big

South Conference All-Freshman team and scored 19 goals in his time with the Flames.

In August 2023, Maj. Lewis perished off the coast of northern Australia, along with two other service members, when their Osprey went down during a training exercise. His actions as pilot reportedly saved the lives of 20 Marines aboard.

A moment of remembrance was held after Stage Two of the race; the entire field was brought down pit road and engines were shut off. Liberty President Dondi Costin, Chancellor Jonathan Falwell, and Byron greeted members of Lewis’ family at the race: his parents, Norm and Kathy Lewis, and sister, Charissa Jones. Maj. Lewis is survived by his wife, Meredith (’08), and their three daughters, Lydia, Nora, and Eliana.

Maj. Lewis led a decorated military career as the recipient of two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the

Navy Unit Commendation, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and four Sea Service Deployment Ribbons.

Byron, who is pursuing his B.S. in Strategic Communication through Liberty University Online Programs, earned a third-place finish on his hometown track, marking his ninth top-10 finish on the season. He started the 2024 season by winning the DAYTONA 500 on Feb. 19 and has taken two more checkered flags (at the time of publication), to clinch his sixth consecutive playoff appearance: Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on March 24 and the Cook Out 400 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway on April 7.

The Memorial Day Weekend event was the seventh of 12 races in the 2024 season for which Liberty is serving as a primary sponsor of the No. 24.

IN HIS HONOR:

The Flames Club has partnered with the Lewis family to carry on Toby’s legacy at Liberty with an endowed postgraduate scholarship that will provide men’s soccer team members the opportunity to impact the world as Champions for Christ. Three anonymous donors have committed gifts totaling $40,000 to start the Tobin Lewis Men’s Soccer Fund and are encouraging others to match these funds. To give, contact Jeff Alder at jtalder@liberty.edu. DID

The No. 24 was a part of this year’s Commencement. Graduates and their families took pictures with the car at the Graduate Reception held on the Academic Lawn a few hours before the Commencement Main Ceremony.

Emergency Management team works to secure a safe, informed campus

Liberty University’s Emergency Management & Community Engagement Department focuses on an all-hazards approach to prepare the Liberty community for any type of emergency that may occur on or near campus.

The office is responsible for many vital functions of the university, including a 24/7 dispatch center for emergency calls, preparedness and response for everyday operations and large campus events, building and threat assessments, and the Campus Alert System.

Jeff Hurtak, EMCE director, said the office acts as a “facilitator,” bringing all parties to the table, whether it is the Liberty University Police Department, local police, fire, and EMS services, the National Weather Service, or state and federal agencies.

“It’s a lot of collaboration and thinking outside of the box,” he said. “We have an operation that needs to be flexible and adaptable, and it starts with having a group that works together, all people on one team with one voice.”

Liberty recently upgraded the department’s Emergency Operations Center, located on Mayflower Drive, to serve as a hub for campus emergency operations and as the Region 3 Coordination Center for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (the region includes Charlottesville, Farmville, Harrisonburg, Lynchburg, South Boston, Staunton, and Waynesboro).

The EMCE has expanded from what was once a task force into an office of 18 employees, including eight dispatchers, three emergency management planners, a senior communications supervisor, a senior emergency management planner, a training coordinator, and a community engagement analyst. In recent months, several members of the department have received advanced certificates from the Federal Emergency Management Association and the Virginia Emergency Management Association.

The dispatch center is staffed around the clock and is the first line of response when someone calls (434) 592-3911 from campus. Dispatchers receive the same crisis intervention training that is administered to outside police and rescue workers and use the latest technology, including the Motorola Spillman, a CAD (computer-aided design) dispatch system.

Day to day, the department is collecting data to plan for emergencies and assessing various potential threats, from an active shooter to a severe weather event or spills that create fall hazards at events.

Thanks to its preparative measures in place for natural disaster occurrence and recovery, Liberty has been certified as a “StormReady” campus by the National Weather Service, making it one of four

universities in Virginia (and the only private university) to receive the designation.

The department helped launch the Champion Safe app, the official safety app of the university that integrates with Liberty’s safety and security systems to offer timely alerts and useful resources. Students can access tools such as a Friend Walk, which allows them to be virtually connected to a friend until they are safely to their destination, and a Mobile Blue Light, which allows users to share their location in real time with LUPD in the time of a crisis (the university has 13 emergency blue light call boxes across campus). The app is also outfitted with customizable plans for various university events, such as Commencement or student bus trips to Washington, D.C.

The department has also begun offering training classes for Liberty students, faculty, and staff.

Vice President of Security & Public Safety Marcus Tinsley said the university has abundant resources to keep safety at the top of mind.

“It’s an amazing blessing to be a part of an institution that prioritizes the safety and security of our community, without exception,” he said. “We have been given the opportunity to bring together incredible people, with state-of-the-art resources, in an effort to achieve the highest level possible of protection through service.”

Hurtak, who served over 27 years in law enforcement, including with the MiamiDade Police Department, Alachua County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office, and LUPD, where he served as a sergeant, said it’s the job of his office to not only determine ways to keep the Liberty community safe but to also carry the university’s distinct Christian mission forward.

A perfect example, he said, was his department’s collaboration with local officials when Liberty Football played in the Fiesta Bowl. In preparations for the trip, his team reached out to the bowl’s emergency management team to see how Liberty could assist in the logistics of transporting the team around the Greater Phoenix area.

“They were so surprised by that,” he said. “They had never heard of someone reaching out to see how we can support their function … and that’s something we did that’s different. That’s how this country progresses in emergency management. And if we can bring that with the flag of Christ, that’s something this country hasn’t seen in a long time.”

For ways students, faculty, and staff can play a role in keeping their campus safe, visit the EMCE webpage at Liberty.edu/SecurityPublic-Safety/Emergency-Management.

Liberty’s Emergency Operations Center was formally designated the Region 3 Coordination Center at a ceremony on April 6, attended by representatives from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service, Lynchburg Mayor Stephanie Reed, Virginia Del. Wendell Walker, State Sen. Mark J. Peake, and members of Liberty’s administration.

THE POWER OF ONE

BY JONATHAN FALWELL

There’s a verse in the book of Matthew that accentuates God’s desire for all of us to care about others: “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me.’” (Matthew 25:40*)

This is an important reminder of what it means to be a Christ follower. We are commanded to love others no matter their status or position.

This is a foundational truth upon which Liberty University was built. I remember as my dad led one of the great churches in our country (Thomas Road Baptist Church) and one of the greatest universities on the planet (Liberty University), he never lost sight of his responsibility to minister to people. This was a lesson he instilled in me as I was growing up, and later when I entered the ministry. He reminded me often to always care for and love people no matter who they might be. He not only said these words to me, but he also lived it out.

One of my favorite photographs of my dad was taken by a dear friend of mine, Les Schofer, which showed Dad in a large auditorium after he had preached to a packed house. The photo was taken long after the event had ended. My dad had a habit of standing around down front after every church service or speaking engagement to talk to anyone who wanted to see him. This photo reflects dad still standing at the front of the auditorium, after the crowds had departed, speaking

to one individual who had waited a considerable amount of time to see him. My dad’s hand was resting upon this man’s shoulder as they conversed privately.

I have no idea what these two discussed as this photo was taken. What I do know is this photo was taken at the end of a very long day. A day which was full of meetings, interviews, and finally preaching to a large crowd. And I know my dad had to catch a flight after this event to come home to Lynchburg. With all he had done that day and as tired as he must have been, he still made time to minister to and encourage this young man amid an empty convention center.

This photo captures what I learned and saw in my dad so many times: people matter. And this is what I believe Liberty University still does so well today. We care about people. We know our mission is to Train Champions for Christ, and to be successful in this endeavor, it requires caring about people no matter the situation. This is what I believe sets Liberty apart from so many other institutions. We recognize every student at Liberty University is important, whether they attend residentially or online.

I have often witnessed professors who take the time to pray with students who are going through difficult times before or after a class, regardless of their busy schedules. I’ve seen staff members take the time to stop and talk to students in the hallways for extended conversations

to encourage them in their college years. I’ve heard of stories where our online counselors have taken moments to pray with students who have called during difficult hardships in their lives. These stories are not the exception but the rule at Liberty.

We must always remember the power of one. While the world might always be seeking to climb the ladder of success, status, power, or fame, it is incumbent upon all Christ followers to remember the example of Jesus. He was often found slipping away from the accolades of the crowds to minister to one person at a time. And this is exactly what He expects from us.

My prayer is that Liberty University will never lose sight of this important truth. No matter how big Liberty may become in the days ahead, every student matters. I pray this will also be found true in how you live your life. Always care about the “least of these.”

*Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, Tenn.: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020)

Jonathan Falwell has served as Liberty’s chancellor since March 2023 and as senior pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church since 2007. He has spent his lifetime associated with the ministries of Liberty and TRBC, both founded by his father, Jerry Falwell Sr.

SPRING BREAK 2024

About 300 students immersed themselves in different cultures over Spring Break, March 7-16. Liberty sponsored 14 trips; many offered both educational and service opportunities. The trips were coordinated by LU Send, the office that facilitates all student group travel.

MAP-MARKER ECUADOR

Psychology students spent Spring Break in Quito, Ecuador, working with agencies that serve populations at risk for human trafficking. They assisted all ages and visited an after-school program, safe houses, an orphanage, and a daycare for individuals with disabilities as they gained an understanding of key vulnerabilities inherent within the culture. The group also did a prayer walk through Quito’s red-light district.

MAP-MARKER NEW YORK CITY

A group of 14 students from the Department of Theatre Arts traveled to the Big Apple to share the Gospel, presenting dramas at schools, churches, and outreach events around the city. They also trained local leaders in a drama ministry and engaged in service opportunities with local ministries such as Urban Nations Outreach.

MAP-MARKER ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND

Students from the Department of Family & Consumer Sciences observed centuries of architectural design in Great Britain, from quaint villages dotted with thatched roofs to opulent Elizabethan manors. They visited iconic sites like Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and Big Ben in London before boarding a train north to Scotland. Students toured homes and museums to view the decorative arts indicative of the Gothic through Victorian periods.

MAP-MARKER

UNITED KINGDOM AND IRELAND

Eleven students from various degree programs followed in the footsteps of renowned British author, scholar, and lay theologian C.S. Lewis, who was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. A key stop was the Kilns, Lewis’ home in Oxford, where students toured the house and nature area. They also visited London, Cambridge, and Dublin.

MAP-MARKER SINGAPORE AND MALAYSIA

Students from the School of Behavioral Sciences were trained in career counseling, theories of family systems, diagnosis and treatment planning, and substance abuse counseling on a trip to Singapore and Malaysia. They learned from counseling professionals about the emergence of counseling and how practices have evolved to meet the growing needs in both countries.

MAP-MARKER EL SALVADOR

Students and faculty from the College of Osteopathic Medicine traveled to El Salvador to serve at Shalom Family Medical Center and participate in outreach clinics to underserved areas in and around San Salvador. A special part of the trip was getting to know the children in the Shalom Children’s Home and sponsoring an Easter egg hunt.

MAP-MARKER SPAIN

Seven students from the Department of Allied Health Professions witnessed the differences within international healthcare during their trip to Spain. Visiting Seville and Málaga, the group went to a day clinic for brain injuries, an outpatient physical therapy center, and different areas to learn about Spanish culture.

MAP-MARKER EASTERN EUROPE

A group of 11 students and two faculty with the Global Studies Department spent the week in Eastern Europe teaching English classes in the local schools, hosting youth events, delivering humanitarian aid, and encouraging the long-term workers who serve at a community center.

MAP-MARKER HONDURAS

The John W. Rawlings School of Divinity sent a team to Honduras through a partnership with Leadership Mission International. Students from Liberty’s women’s leadership program partnered with a local school to care for women recovering from various hardships, and biblical studies students evangelized in the community.

SINGAPORE

HONDURAS

SPAIN

ECUADOR

for His glory

PROFESSOR LETS VISION IMPAIRMENT BECOME PART OF HIS TESTIMONY

BY RYAN KLINKER

Before he touches a mound of clay, pencil, or any tool to create art, Liberty University professor Todd Smith, chair of the Department of Studio & Digital Arts (SADA), has made it a habit to ask God to use his hands and mind to create for His glory.

“With anything I make or draw, I give the Lord the credit for it because I have to trust Him in order to do it,” said Smith, who came to Liberty in 2002 to teach studio art and graphic design. He helped develop the SADA programs and is the founding director of the Liberty University Art Museum and Permanent Collection.

In Spring 2017, Smith was asked to sculpt a bust of Jesus Christ at Liberty’s Good Friday Convocation. About 10,000 students watched as he created the art onstage during the worship. But something wasn’t right. As he focused intently on his art taking shape, his vision began to blur.

“I didn’t know it, but I was having a vitreous detachment in my right eye,” Smith said. “The whole time I was doing it, I was realizing my eyes getting blurry, and not long after, I had a full-fledged retinal detachment.”

Describing it like a curtain, Smith said he lost total sight in his right eye. He underwent a complex surgery so he could regain partial eyesight. Two years later, he experienced another vitreous detachment in his left eye and underwent an emergency procedure. More recently, he developed cataracts in both

eyes. Smith now regularly wears sunglasses indoors to help with his light sensitivity and still encounters clouded vision and spots or “floaters.”

“It’s very difficult to see out of the right eye nowadays, and my left eye has large dark areas that move by my field of vision; sometimes it looks like a comet going by or a bug flying,” Smith said. “What I used to do naturally I took for granted, and now I really have to trust the Lord for it and put in the extra effort to do what I want, which includes my art. I want to keep trying however I can.”

Even in a profession that relies heavily on his eyesight, Smith is determined to use his impaired vision as a God-given opportunity.

“Because of my sight issues, there are practical limitations that, if I allowed, could be discouraging. However, what I’ve decided to do is to pray and ask God, ‘How can You use this for Your glory?’”

Smith openly shares with his students about his sight impairment, the effects it has

on him, and his perspective on his life’s work in the midst of it.

“I’m the professor who walks into the classroom with sunglasses on, and I have to explain why, and I always tell them, ‘This is what’s happened, but God is using this and I have to depend on Him, and I want to challenge you to allow God to use whatever you’re facing.’ The students see me dealing with this in class, and they see the joy I take in working with them. In a small way, I’m having an impact and showing students that life goes on even when you have challenges.”

In recent years, Smith has begun working with students to test designs in 3D technology — including books, virtual reality, and eyetracking software — to find potential benefits for others who are visually impaired.

“Christ followers should be really innovative in helping to create tomorrow,” Smith said. “What has happened to my vision has made me think of how I can help a person who has a sight disability go into the virtual environment and maybe create and express who they are. … Ephesians 2:10 says we are God’s masterpiece, His work of art, created anew in Christ to do good works that He has already planned. God designed me to make artwork, to do good works He has planned for me, so why can’t I use what I’m dealing with to help be involved in His work? When we face a challenge or setback, I think God can use it as an avenue for ministry to reach others.”

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING PROJECTS FOCUS ON PARTNERSHIPS

Throughout the academic year, Liberty University School of Engineering students are actively reaching out to the community to engage in service projects and corporate partnerships.

Starting in the fall semester, seniors work in groups for their capstone projects, lining up sponsorships from area businesses and engineering companies to create innovative designs with practical applications. In recent years, as the School of Engineering has grown, more and more connections have been made.

“Through the capstone program, we have built up some very good relationships with industry that will tremendously benefit our engineering students, as well as the industry, which will get more students doing quality work that they can hire for their company after graduation,” said Dr. Howie Fang, a professor and chair of both the civil and mechanical engineering departments. “It’s a win-win situation. We can have more impact for students if we bring real-world applications, real-world projects from industry and let students work with industry people directly in these projects.”

This year, the school offered 22 capstone projects to 97 engineering students with 18 projects from industry partners. Area businesses included Automated Conveyer Systems Inc., Centra, Delta Star, Framatome, Harco Fittings, Lawrence Companies, and Master Engineers & Designers. Students also worked with multi-industry companies such as Textron, and government agencies

like NAVAIR, who have provided funding for and benefited from students’ innovative capstone projects. Capstone teams involved students from all five of Liberty’s engineering programs: mechanical, electrical, computer, industrial & systems, and civil engineering.

In the spring semester, the IMPACT (Inspiring Minds to Pursue Aspirations in Careers and Technology) student club began its partnership with the Jubilee Family Development Center in Lynchburg, where

they teach and develop relationships with at-risk youth, mostly between the ages of 6-10, at its after-school STEM Center. (The university donated $25,000 to help construct the STEM Center, which opened in 2021 and offers academic tutoring and mentoring programs). The club has started a FIRST LEGO League (FLL) team there and hopes to form a FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) team when the students reach middle school or high school age.

“Right now, we are introducing weekly challenges and different activities to get them to learn more about STEM and give them the confidence to be able to make their own creations using what they have learned,” said club president Darren Johnson, a rising senior studying mechanical engineering.

“Our goal is to go to the younger generation and help them become confident and get good careers and higher education in general, pushing them toward excellence,” added fellow senior Elizabeth Deml.

School of Engineering Lab Manager Marc Jantomaso, the club’s faculty advisor, said the greatest need in underserved communities is not more money or education but healthy relationships with people who are going to encourage them in the field.

“Building LEGOs is just a tool to sort of connect (club members) into their world,” Jantomaso said, noting that encouraging the kids to pursue their dreams as well as begin saving relationships with Jesus Christ is the primary focus of the club.

Senior mechanical engineering students demonstrate a slot drain design model they built for the McKee food manufacturing plant in Stuarts Draft, Va., during the Engineering Capstone Expo on May 2.

IMPACT Club members work with students at the Jubilee Family Development Center in Lynchburg.

Students display a snow blade and fork attachment built for JD Lawn Tractor & Actuator Control in partnership with the North Carolina-based Kapstone Projects LLC.

LIBERTY CELEBRATES PERFECT MATCH RATE FOR FOURTH-YEAR MEDICAL STUDENTS

Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine achieved a 100 percent Match rate for its fourth-year class of student-doctors during Match Day, March 15, a significant milestone for all medical schools nationally as students receive their future assignment for residency placement.

The Match process begins every summer as upcoming fourth-year medical students apply and interview with numerous residency programs throughout the country offering training in medical and surgical specialties. Medical students and program directors rank preferred programs and

applicants and submit them to the National Resident Matching Program.

LUCOM celebrated 146 student-doctors matching into 14 different specialties; 67.8 percent matched into a primary care specialty — Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Psychiatry. Other specialties that students matched in were Emergency Medicine, Transitional, Anesthesiology, Neurology, General Surgery, Pathology, Orthopedic Surgery, Urology, and EM/ Family Medicine.

These future physicians will be serving

communities across 34 different states; the top five are Virginia (28 students), California (10), Pennsylvania (10), South Carolina (10), and Ohio (9).

This year marks the second time in the last three years that LUCOM achieved a 100 percent Match rate.

“We are so excited for our medical students in this 2024 Match,” LUCOM Dean Dr. Joseph Johnson said. “What an exciting group of students who have consistently met the challenges on their road to being a physician that will treat the mind, body, and spirit of all those patients they serve.”

LIBERTY LAW GRADUATE ARGUES BEFORE U.S. SUPREME COURT

Liberty University School of Law alumnus Josh Turner (’15) represented the state of Idaho before the United States Supreme Court in Idaho v. United States on April 24,

becoming the first from his alma mater to stand before the highest court in the country.

Turner aimed to defend the state’s existing restrictions on abortion. The case centers around Idaho’s “trigger law” that bans abortion in all cases except for rape, incest, and protecting the life of the mother. The law went into effect as a direct response to the Supreme Court’s June 2022 decision that overturned Roe v. Wade and returned the legality of abortion to the discretion of state governments. In response to Idaho’s ban, the Biden administration sued the State, citing the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) of 1986, which requires medical centers to provide care to patients facing an emergency medical condition.

After graduating from Liberty Law in 2015, Turner spent a year clerking for a judge

in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in Arkansas before completing a second federal clerkship with a judge in the Eastern District of Arkansas. He next worked for a law firm for four years before joining the Idaho Office of Attorney General in March 2023.

As a conservative Christian, Turner said his faith and values play crucial roles in how he conducts his work daily.

“It’s not hard to defend life,” he said. “It’s not hard to defend marriage. It’s not hard to defend God’s design for His creation. Those are all no-brainers to me, and it’s totally inconsistent with the Christian faith to allow these incursions on biblical values like family and the Creator/creature relationship. We don’t get to define our existence. God has made us how He has, and it’s not up to us to tinker with His creation.”

LUCOM

>> Several students from Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine presented research at national conferences this past academic year, where they connected with healthcare professionals.

Events included the American Heart Association’s Hypertension Scientific Sessions conference in Boston, the AHA’s Epidemiology and Prevention: Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health conference in Chicago, a meeting of the American Society of Nephrology in Philadelphia; the annual Mayo Clinic Wound Symposium in Rochester, Minn.; American Academy of Osteopathy Convocation in Colorado Springs, Colo.; and the International Fungal Genetics Annual Conference in Pacific Grove, Calif.

Some of the work comes out of the summer research elective, where students are paired with faculty who conduct ongoing research in medicine and biomedical sciences.

“It’s important that there is research happening at LUCOM that is being presented and published in the larger arena,” said Dr. Joseph Gigliotti, director of research and special projects. “For medical students, that’s really key. When it comes to getting residency spots, their eventual practices, and other steps in their medical careers, research plays a pivotal role.”

RESEARCH AROUND LU

BIOLOGY & CHEMISTRY

Professor of Biology Dr. Kyle Harris aided in research that designates and further defines newly discovered snake species in parts of Central and South America: the Tudor’s Coffee Snake (Ninia guytudori) and the venomous Eyelash Pitviper (pictured here), of which Harris helped to classify two of six variations. The findings were published in “Evolutionary Systematics,” an international, peer-reviewed, life science journal devoted to wholeorganism biology. His work was done in partnership with the Khamai Foundation, an Ecuadorian biodiversity protection organization. Harris and members of Khamai traveled to Panama in Fall 2022 and Colombia in Spring 2023 to look for the snakes.

Native to the cloud forests of northwestern Ecuador, the Tudor’s Coffee Snake reaches about 1 foot in length and has a uniform black coloring with a white collar. It is named in recognition of Guy Tudor, a naturalist and scientific illustrator who had a deep fondness for all animals and made an impact on the conservation of South America’s birds.

Eyelash pitvipers are defined primarily by their enlarged, spiky scales above their eyes that resemble eyelashes. They are also known to be polychromatic, meaning they have notable variations in color despite being the same species, and these variations can be seen in close proximity to each other.

AERONAUTICS

Andrew Walton (left), director of safety at the School of Aeronautics, and Joshua Cardoza (’23) partnered with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Air Safety Institute to release an updated Fatal Flight Training Accident Report: 2000-2019. They analyzed fatal instructional accidents in piston engine airplanes throughout the United States and did a split-decade analysis, from 2000-09 and 2010-19, categorizing incidents that occurred either during solo flights or with an instructor on board and according to the primary cause. The comparison showed the effects of new technologies and improved safety measures, as well as advanced education and simulator-based training in reducing the accident rate.

>> Dr. Christopher L. Kepley, professor of immunology at LUCOM, was awarded a three-year, $500,000 R15 grant from the National Cancer Institute in September and is working with Liberty students of all levels on a new approach for targeting and killing cancer cells. This is the first time that Liberty has received a grant from the NCI and marks Kepley’s second R15 grant to focus on cancer immunotherapy. Earlier this year, he received a separate $74,000 grant over 12 months from the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation for the development of an alternative bait for crustacean fishermen using molecules found emanating from rotting flesh.

From 2000 to 2004, the fatal accident rate averaged 0.49 per hundred thousand training hours flown, and the rate has steadily dropped to an average of 0.26 in the last five years of the study.

“The good news is that flight training is getting safer,” Walton said. “Sustained efforts by the FAA, NTSB, manufacturers, and the flight training community have resulted in a fatal accident rate that is now roughly half of what it was at the start of the century.”

The report concludes that loss of control comprises the largest accident category, accounting for 54 percent of all fatal instructional accidents with the vast majority being stall/spin related. Midair collisions and controlled flight into terrain, were the second- and third-leading causes of fatal crashes, respectively.

THE VISION PERSISTS

A CHRISTIAN EDUCATION AGENDA FOR TRUTH

BY ROGER SCHULTZ

American higher education originally rested on the foundation of biblical Christianity. Early colleges, religious in nature, emphasized Christian values and biblical truths. Over time, these colleges abandoned the religious messages of their founders. By the late 20th century, universities were increasingly hostile to Christianity, promoting liberalism, secularism, humanism, and statism. By the early 21st century, universities advocated neo-Marxist critical theories, and even Christian colleges were being infected by woke progressivism.

Liberty University is unique — and unique by intention. The university’s founder, Dr. Jerry Falwell, established a 10-point plan for the future that emphasized academic excellence in a Christ-centered environment, including strong spiritual disciplines, the Christian worldview, and traditional moral values. The university’s unprecedented enrollment growth went hand in hand with Dr. Falwell’s distinctively Christian agenda.

The university’s plan, for instance, emphasizes Scripture. While the university would pursue the highest level of academic accreditation, “it does so without compromising its commitment to the principles of God’s Word.” Our commitment to Scripture is unwavering.

University documents consistently emphasize biblical commitments. Doctrinal standards affirm that the Bible “was supernaturally inspired … (and) is therefore

inerrant in the originals and authoritative in all matters.” Our Worldview Statement affirms that “God exists and is the source of all things, all truth, all knowledge, all value, and all wisdom ... it follows that truth exists and that there is a standard of right and wrong.”

Some say that our age is post-modern, post-Christian, and now even post-truth. At Liberty, we believe in Truth — and we believe in the authority of God’s Word.

I start every academic year by reminding faculty of another vision point from the founder. Liberty was to have “an uncompromising doctrinal statement, a Christian worldview, an absolute repudiation of ‘political correctness,’ a strong commitment to political conservatism, total rejection of socialism, and strong support for America’s economic system of free enterprise.” There is absolute clarity in the founding vision for Liberty University.

Founded in 1971, Liberty grew during a dramatic time of national challenges. Social issues (sexual permissiveness, abortion, drugs), political challenges (Vietnam, Watergate), and economic woes (staggering inflation) dominated the news. For many, it seemed like the American Dream was dying.

Always optimistic, Dr. Falwell took action. In 1978, he took Liberty University singers to 150 cities as part of an “America, You Are Too Young To Die!” tour. In 1979, he and Liberty students traveled to Washington, D.C., and 44 state capitals with an “I Love

America” tour. The messages were patriotic and evangelistic, featuring the promise of 2 Chronicles 7:14.

An unforgettable Convocation started the academic year in 2002. Nearing 70, Falwell faced questions about retirement. He usually mentioned a “30-year plan.” In the next 30 years, he wanted to recapture America, win the world to Jesus Christ, and then sit in his rocking chair at the gate of Liberty University to welcome the children and grandchildren of alumni as they came to study. His optimism about America’s future and the role of Liberty University was limitless and infectious.

Liberty University has an amazing history with an amazing mission. It emphasizes biblical values, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and America’s Christian heritage.

President Dondi Costin regularly reminds faculty that we are “minders of the mission.” It is our obligation, and indeed our great privilege, to continue the original vision for Liberty University. Our fundamental standards are unaltered. Our purpose — to Train Champions for Christ — remains constant. Our potential to influence the nation and the world is unparalleled.

Dr. Roger Schultz is a professor of history and the dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at Liberty University.

LEFT: I Love America rally, Texas State Capitol, 1980 RIGHT: Virginia March for Life, Richmond, Feb. 21, 2024

TRANSFORMATION TRAINING

This fall, Liberty University will begin a fresh season of ministry and theological training as we launch the Liberty Theological Seminary. Many will recall that a “seminary” is not new to Liberty University. In 1973, under the leadership of our founder, Dr. Jerry Falwell, the Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary held its first classes at Thomas Road Baptist Church. Liberty has continually trained leaders for the church and its sending ministries through its seminary programs for over 50 years.

While there may be many reasonable questions as to the meaning and timing of this launch, the single most important question is: Why do we need a seminary?

Since Genesis 3, God has been working out His redemptive plan in a fallen world. That is the Gospel story. Knowing Him is the most transformational relationship any human being can have. However, our culture continues to run from that Gospel story and foster ideological worldviews opposed to the Gospel we are called to proclaim. The body of Christ has been commissioned to make disciples and, in that, prepare all Christians to live out a Christian worldview. Transformation of our culture, churches, families, and nation will start as Christians faithfully obey God’s command to disciple the nations. It is because of this need for transformation training that we are launching Liberty Theological Seminary. We need a new breed of leaders who understand the culture and how the church can lead each city and community to respond to the Gospel story. The designation of “seminary” more accurately reflects the purpose of our school, which is training men and women for leadership

BY DR. TROY TEMPLE

ministry positions.

Liberty Theological Seminary, housed under the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity, is committed to sending out leaders committed to the Gospel and its power to transform our culture, churches, families, and nation one person at a time, one family at a time, one church at a time.

Liberty Theological Seminary will echo the original heartbeat of the university’s early seminary program by placing a high priority on biblical exegesis, cultural insight, and practical leadership application. Students will be trained not only in the foundational truths of the Christian faith but also to practically apply those truths in today’s culture of chaos and uncertainty. We have adopted a three-fold framework that will support every aspect of our seminary training:

BIBLICAL EXEGESIS

We will prioritize doctrinal fidelity by holding up the absolute authority of Scripture with its infallibility and inerrancy. This commitment ensures that students receive a solid biblical foundation for their calling. It also equips students to avoid distortions and confusion by accurately interpreting God’s Word.

CULTURAL INSIGHT

Students will be equipped to navigate social issues, ethics, and various moral dilemmas from a biblical perspective. They will be coached on seeing reflections of God’s original design for humanity and learn to lead others toward His original plan for their desires. Students will learn how to engage skeptics, atheists, and

adherents of other worldviews and provide reasoned answers that articulate the Gospel effectively.

PRACTICAL LEADERSHIP APPLICATION

We will equip our students with practical skills — counseling, leadership, management, and pastoral care. As biblical expositors, students will unpack biblical truths as they remain faithful to Scripture and relevant to the lives in their congregations. Our graduates will emerge ready to shepherd God’s people effectively, having served in apprentice-style training while completing their degree.

We need a seminary. We need Liberty Theological Seminary to train leaders who will impact churches, communities, and the world. Our commitment to doctrinal integrity, cultural engagement, and ministry preparation ensures that graduates can stand firm in their faith and effectively proclaim the Gospel. For the pulpit, for the mission field, for academia, Liberty Theological Seminary stands firm in advancing God’s kingdom.

Dr. Troy Temple is dean of the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity and a professor of theology and family ministries. His research and writing interests include Christian leadership, church ministry, and theology, which align with his passion for the local church. Since 1990, he has served in local church ministry as a pastor, church planter, and leadership trainer.

FOUR AWARDED FULBRIGHT GRANTS

Liberty University has announced four finalists in the Fulbright U.S. Student Program for the 2024-25 academic year.

Olivia Mott (’24) will work as an English teaching assistant in Turkey; Sophia Jantomaso (’24) will serve as an English teaching assistant in Argentina; Sadie DeShon (’24) will be an English teaching assistant at Obchodná Akadémia (Business Academy) in Senica, Slovakia; and David Walker (’22), who is pursuing a master’s in global studies, will serve as an English teaching assistant in Cambodia where he

plans to collaborate with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Youth to advocate for the rights of those affected by disabilities worldwide. Social studies education graduate Asha Gillette (’22) was named as a Fulbright alternate to Colombia.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is a cultural exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government that provides opportunities to research and study internationally. The program operates in over 140 countries. Recipients are selected on the basis of

academic and professional achievement as well as record of service and leadership potential in their respective fields. Finalists pursue graduate study, conduct research, or teach English abroad.

DINING HALL WINS NATIONAL AWARDS

Less than a year since its grand opening, Liberty University’s Reber-Thomas Dining Center won two gold awards in the National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS) 2024 Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards: New Facility of the Year and Residential Dining Facility of the Year.

The New Facility of the Year award is presented every other year to an outstanding site that opened within the previous two years; the Residential Dining Facility of the Year is awarded to a center that encapsulates the spirit of enhancing the

student experience.

The Reber-Thomas Dining Center opened its doors at the beginning of the Fall 2023 semester. Spanning 120,000 square feet over 2 stories, the facility can seat more than 2,700 with both indoor and outdoor seating. The center boasts 27 food stations, including an allergen-free room with delectable glutenfree baked goods. Stations include a variety of foods — from international cuisines to homestyle favorites — so all students can find something that fits their tastes.

Vice President for Auxiliary Services Louis Cambeletta said Liberty had a vision to create an experience for students, faculty, staff, and guests like no other in the industry.

“We wanted a facility where we could host large events while also providing world-class food and service consistently to our students every day,” he said. “We wanted to be able to move students into the facility very quickly as well as decrease the

amount of time they would be in line at a station during our busiest hours.”

He recognized the leaders and staff of Sodexo, Liberty’s dining services provider, for the way they adapted to a new space and have continued to provide superb service.

“This facility would not have had the success it had this year if not for the work that Sodexo as an operations team here on campus put into it. They had to come up to speed very quickly on a brand-new facility that is double the size of the one they had come from with new equipment and a new layout. I am so proud of how the team adapted on the fly to all the challenges they faced with this new facility. Liberty University is extremely fortunate to have them as a partner.”

NACUFS will recognize awardees and announce the Grand Prize winner during an awards luncheon at the 2024 NACUFS National Conference on July 20 in Louisville, Ky.

NIFA TEAM WINS LOENING TROPHY FOR TOP COLLEGE AVIATION PROGRAM

The Liberty University School of Aeronautics NIFA Flight Team was awarded the prestigious Loening Trophy at the conclusion of the 2024 National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) National SAFECON competition on May 18 at Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport in Janesville, Wis.

This is the fourth year Liberty has received the award (the team won in 2017, 2018, and 2019).

“We are incredibly proud of how our students represented Christ and Liberty at this year’s NIFA SAFECON,” School of Aeronautics Interim Dean Steven Brinly said. “Winning the Loening Trophy in four of the last six competitions is a testament to our

School of Aeronautics team’s commitment to innovation and excellence in training as we equip, mentor, and send Champions for Christ into the aerospace community.”

The award is presented annually to the outstanding all-around collegiate aviation program in the nation and is the rarest and oldest of all collegiate aviation awards. Teams are judged on a number of criteria, including performance in NIFA competitions and aviation skills, and an emphasis is placed on academics, community involvement, professionalism, a comprehensive safety program, and pro-active advancement of the future of aviation.

The pure silver Tiffany-designed trophy was commissioned and first awarded

in 1929 when aviation pioneer and inventor Dr. Grover Loening saw a need to annually recognize the most outstanding achievements of today’s college aviation programs. Charles Lindberg and Amelia Earhart were among the judges for the inaugural competition.

Sophia Jantomaso David Walker Sadie DeShon Olivia Mott

CHASE GYLES

shepherding them as student-athletes.

“If you have a head coach who loves the Lord as much as he does, you feel more comfortable living out your faith because he is modeling that daily,” Mattera said. “He’s really good about pouring into their lives. We have the love of Christ flowing through our program, and we are Christ-centered, so you can’t help but grow in your faith as a member of this team and as a student at Liberty University.”

In the Lady Flames’ season-opener against Frostburg State at Liberty Arena on Nov. 6, Green eclipsed the winning record of former Softball Head Coach and Athletics Hall of Fame member Paul Wetmore with his 548th win.

After starting 2024 with back-to-back losses in their first two CUSA games, the Lady Flames caught fire and advanced to the conference championship game for the seventh time in the past eight seasons. Liberty lost to regular-season champion Middle Tennessee State.

But the team’s greatest victory this season, according to Green, came out of a setback when sophomore Pien Steenbergen, a projected starting forward, blew out her knee during the second week of practice.

“Through struggle and injury, she accepted Christ and became a Christian this year and grew closer in her relationship with the Lord,” Green said, noting that she asked him to baptize her in the pool at the Liberty Athletics Center in a ceremony witnessed by Vice President and Director of Athletics Ian McCaw and Senior Women’s Administrator Erin Hagen as well as teammates, coaches, and members of the men’s basketball practice team. “We want to win, and our record shows that God has blessed us and

LU record: 565-233 (.708 winning percentage)

5-time Big South Coach of the Year, 6-time VaSID

FCA Kay Yow Heart of a Coach Award (2019), presented to a basketball coach who exemplifies

14 Big South Tournament Championships in 18 seasons in the conference, earning autobids to the NCAA championships each time. Advanced to Sweet

Advanced Liberty to seven of the past eight conference championship games, including four in the ASUN and one in its first season in CUSA

Assistant women’s basketball coach at Clemson University (1988-99), when he helped lead his teams to two ACC Tournament titles, four Sweet 16 appearances, and one trip to the Elite Eight

Married to Denise, who taught at Liberty for 19 years. They have two children and five grandchildren.

we’ve had a lot of success. (But) that’s what our program’s all about; it was an amazing time.”

Steenbergen is from the Netherlands and joined other international players — two from Iceland, one from Canada, and two from Spain — on the roster. Previous teams under Green’s watch have featured players from Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Turkey, and Russia (all-time leading scorer Elena Kisseleva, ’00).

“It’s a simple platform that was beyond me,” Green said of his recruiting outreach to the nations. “I think this is God’s big plan. We’re going to expose them to God’s love, to share truth in love, and that crosses over all boundaries, races, and religions.”

Green has been intentional in traveling with his teams internationally, including four summertime trips to the Holy Land of Israel.

The program’s success on the court has given its players larger platforms to share the Gospel, including in the WNBA, where Megan (Frazee) Leuzinger (’09, San Antonio Silver Stars), who played with her two triplet sisters at Liberty and became the thirdleading all-time scorer, set the stage for impressive careers by Mattera (San Antonio, Detroit Shock, Atlanta Dream, Chicago Sky) and all-time-leading rebounder Avery (Warley) Talbert (’12, Phoenix Mercury, New York Liberty, Chicago, Atlanta, San Antonio, Las Vegas Aces through 2020).

“Our program is bigger than entertaining people,” Green said. “We want to win, but we want a program that changes lives, builds character, and focuses on eternal values rather than material status and fame.”

STORYBOOK SEASON

Deep inside the tunnel at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., prior to kickoff of the Jan. 1 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on ESPN, Liberty University first-year Head Coach Jamey Chadwell boldly proclaimed his faith on national television.

“We play for a bigger purpose,” he told reporters, as he prepared for Liberty’s first New Year’s Six bowl game.

The 50th year of Flames Football turned into a season of jubilation, capped by a Conference USA Championship victory over New Mexico State at Williams Stadium on Dec. 1. Flames fans stormed the field that night while junior running back Quinton Cooley, who scored three touchdowns in the 49-35 triumph, jumped for joy with a series of back flips.

Chadwell made believers out of many along the journey to the CUSA title in the Flames’ inaugural season in the conference.

“If you would have said a year ago, taking this job, that this would have happened in the first year, I would have said, ‘No shot,’” he said. “But that’s a credit to the players, obviously. With man, it’s impossible, but

with the Lord, anything is possible. It’s been amazing the favor that He has shown us through some challenges.”

Flames Football has been invited to bowl games in every season of bowl eligibility since transitioning to the FBS. Liberty became the second team in FBS history to record bowl wins in the first three seasons of bowl eligibility (2019-21).

“We’re in our fifth year of FBS football, our fifth bowl game is a New Year’s Six, and it was our first year in a conference,” Chadwell said after winning the CUSA title. “That doesn’t happen. That’s a storybook-type deal.”

Chadwell, who was named the Paul “Bear” Bryant Group of 5 Coach of the Year, orchestrated the most prolific rushing attack in the nation in 2023 with his spread option offensive formation that produced program season records with 4,106 total yards (293.3 per game) and 39 touchdowns on the ground.

Quarterback Kaidon Salter, the HERO Sports Group of 5 Player of the Year, posted the greatest season ever by a Liberty quarterback. He earned CUSA Most

BY THE NUMBERS

NO. 4 National ranking for total offense (499.1 yards per game), third down conversion (50%), team passing efficiency (169.53), and offensive first downs (348)

13-1 Win-loss record — best in program history and first 13-win season for an FBS team in Virginia

21 Total defensive interceptions — most in the nation among FBS teams

44 Total TDs — program record by junior quarterback Kaidon Salter

65 Extra points kicked — program record by junior Nick Brown

293.3 per game — most in the nation among FBS teams

3,965 yards — program record by Salter

4.7 MILLION

Jan. 1 Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Ariz., on ESPN — largest viewing audience in Flames Football history

KENDALL TIDWELL

Valuable Player honors after passing for 2,876 yards and rushing for 1,089 yards while boasting the FBS’s third-highest quarterback efficiency in the nation with 44 touchdowns (32 passing, 12 rushing).

Former players said the path the team has taken is beyond their imagination.

For Dr. Samkon Gado (’05), a former running back for the Flames who played in the NFL (2005-10), the past 20 seasons have been the “progression of a vision.”

“Dr. Jerry Falwell longed to see this happen, but I don’t think this is ultimately where he wanted us to go,” he said. “For

Liberty, excellence is winning a national championship. That’s not beyond the reason of expectation. This is a wonderful step in the right direction, and it’s happened a lot quicker than anyone would have expected. But this isn’t the end. This is only the beginning.”

CHAMPIONS

LIBERTY DOMINATES AS CONFERENCE USA NEWCOMER

FOOTBALL: The host Flames amassed 712 yards of total offense, including 393 yards on the ground, and broke open a tie game with two unanswered touchdowns in a 49-35 CUSA Championship triumph over New Mexico State.

SOFTBALL: The Lady Flames beat Western Kentucky to earn the CUSA title and clinch their fourth consecutive NCAA Division I tournament bid. The team advanced to the Athens (Ga.) Regional where they knocked off No. 25 Charlotte and No. 11 Georgia before falling twice to Georgia in the Regional Final.

MORE TOP WINS

SWIMMING & DIVING: The Lady Flames swam to their sixth straight conference title in their first season competing in the ASUN Championship. Jake Shellenberger (swimming) and Andrew Helmich (diving) were named ASUN Coaches of the Year.

SKI & SNOWBOARD: Liberty swept all four men’s and women’s ski & snowboard USCSA Mid-Atlantic Regional titles and won team gold medals in men’s snowboard Rail Jam and Slopestyle as well as women’s snowboard Rail Jam, Slopestyle, and Boardercross to become the overall champions at the USCSA National Championships in Lake Placid, N.Y.

GOLF: The Flames won the 2024 CUSA title in a playoff against No. 4 UTEP, earning their eighth-straight NCAA Regional appearance.

SOCCER: The Lady Flames upset No. 1-seeded New Mexico State 2-1 to earn their first CUSA conference crown. The team fell to No. 4-ranked Georgia 2-1 in the NCAA Division I opener.

TRACK & FIELD: The men’s and women’s teams swept both indoor and outdoor CUSA championships this spring. Both the indoor and outdoor

MEN’S LACROSSE: The Flames captured their second Atlantic Lacrosse Conference championship in four years, defeating Virginia Tech in the semifinals and Tennessee in the final before advancing to the MCLA Division I Final Four for the second year in a row in Round Rock, Texas.

MEN’S SWIMMING: After winning their fourth consecutive Eastern Regional Championship, the Flames posted a second place showing at the College Club Swimming (CCS) National Championships in Indianapolis, where freshman Drew Baxter won the 200-yard backstroke.

WRESTLING: The men’s team rolled to its 12th consecutive Mid-Atlantic Conference Tournament championship, and the women won their sixth title in a row. The Flames finished runner-up at both the

men’s teams hold the nation’s longest active conference win streaks for NCAA Division I (27 for indoor; 17 for outdoor). The Lady Flames earned their third-straight indoor crown and won their fourth

NCWA National Duals in Iowa and the NCWA Grand Nationals in Louisiana for the second year. Josiah Murphy (235 pounds) and Rick Weaver (285) both won their third straight individual national titles.

DISC GOLF: For the first time in program history, the men’s and women’s teams swept the four divisions of the Flamethrower Regional Championships and all three singles titles. The teams won the Division I women’s and Division III men’s titles at the College Disc Golf National Championships.

WOMEN’S DIVISION I HOCKEY: The Lady Flames reclaimed their Women’s Midwest College Hockey tournament championship. In the ACHA national tournament, the team fell to Minot State in double overtime in the semifinals.

A TALK WITH COACH BROWN

FORMER LU QUARTERBACK AND JAGUARS WIDE RECEIVER GIVES BACK TO HIS SPORT

Alumnus Mike Brown (’11) originally had no intention of playing football at Liberty. But his success as a Flame led him to the NFL and then to a coaching career, including his current post as wide receiver coach for Notre Dame.

Growing up in Charlottesville, Va., Brown had dreams of one day playing for a state school like Virginia Tech or the University of Virginia. When a Liberty representative visited his high school, he remembers completely disregarding the school and throwing a brochure in the trash. But when he accepted an invitation to tour the school, his opinion changed.

“When I came up and visited, it really felt like home,” Brown said. “Everyone I met on campus just seemed like really great people to be around. The question I kept asking was: Why not Liberty? It was mainly about the people and the things the school represents (that drew me to LU). I knew I would be influenced in a positive way on and off the field.”

After spending four seasons on Liberty Mountain, primarily as the starting quarterback, Brown was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars and given the opportunity to compete in training camp as a wide receiver. During the 2012 NFL preseason, he recorded a mere two catches for 16 yards and was convinced that he would be cut from the team following the last preseason game. He remembers calling his dad to inform him that he would likely be coming home the day of the cuts.

“I’ll never forget what my dad said: ‘It’s not up to those coaches whether you make that team or not. You don’t know what’s going to happen. That’s up to the Good Lord and what He has in store for you and His plan for you.’ Me being 21

years old and thinking I knew everything, I said, ‘Yeah Dad, all of that sounds great, but I’ll see you at 10 p.m. tonight.’ Low and behold, I got the opportunity to stay on the practice squad.”

Despite battling injuries, Brown remained with the Jaguars for three years before leaving the NFL for good. He was offered a GA position with the University of Michigan to serve as a coach for the wide receivers, but through a series of mishaps, he was asked to coach the running backs instead. Initially disappointed with the turn of events, he now considers that to be “the best thing to happen” in his coaching career; it opened doors for him later, when he reunited with former Flames Head Coach Danny Rocco to serve as his running backs coach at the University of Delaware in 2017. From there, he returned to Liberty briefly as running backs coach and had coaching stints at Cincinnati and Wisconsin before accepting his current position with Notre Dame in December.

Brown said he decided to become a coach in part because of the great coaches he had who recognized his potential. He said it sorrowed him to see athletes fail to make it in the NFL because they

weren’t fully prepared by the same level of coaching he had.

“It was really heartbreaking to me watching all these guys with this much talent that went to waste,” he said. “That solidified (coaching) for me. I just thought it wasn’t right and said, ‘Why me?’ Don’t get me wrong, I was talented, but I was just the product of really, really good coaching as well.”

Using the knowledge he has gained in professional ball and as a coach, Brown aims to mentor his players to edify not only their skillset but also their overall character.

“Everything begins with relationships and building relationships with players, whether that ends up being guys that you’re coaching or guys that you’re competing with as teammates,” he said. “When you build those relationships and those relationships are genuine, there’s a level of respect there.”

“I try to be real with them and share my experience and my struggles,” he added. “I try to be as transparent as possible with them, and I always give them perspective of how what they are doing might not be the best way to do something.”

Brown has remained connected with the Flames over the years and even attends games when possible. He traveled to Glendale, Ariz., to watch Liberty take on No. 8 Oregon in last season’s Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.

“(Liberty) is a place that’s so important for me,” he said. “It’s important to stay connected, know what’s going on, and try to support where and when I can. … It’s always good to see familiar faces and support your alma mater.”

Throughout his coaching career, Brown said he has continued to place his trust in God.

“I’ve learned my lesson to stop trying to play like I’m God and act like I know everything,” he said. “(I just) let God work and pray that He leads me in the right direction, and I pray that I continue to do things the way He wants me to do it. That doesn’t make me perfect. I’m far from perfect, but it’s been a fun journey to watch how God works and moves different situations that He’s brought my family and me through.”

CLASS NOTES

1980s

’81 EDWIN HOAGLAND, of Lynchburg, Va., alongside Annita DeVilbiss, has been faithful in reaching the masses in Mexico City. Ten churches were planted and nine mission-focused organizations have been put into place.

’81 THOMAS SNOOK, of Wickliffe, Ohio, retired from full-time teaching at age 72 and is currently teaching Old Testament and New Testament Bible surveys at his church. He taught history and philosophy at a local Christian academy from 2009-23.

’83 ED PUTNAM, of Grand Island, Neb., became a biblically trained and licensed Christian Marriage & Family Therapist in the state of Nebraska on Feb. 1.

’86 CHRISTOPHER HARRISON, of Greenwood, S.C., has faithfully served in a pastoral capacity within various churches and organizations, such as Rock of Ages Prison Ministry.

MAKING HEADLINES

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

’86 DR. DELBERTY JONES, of Washington, D.C., was a cast member in the Alluvion Stage Company’s “The Wiz” at Liberty in April.

’89 LETITIA LOWERY, of Lynchburg, Va., retired after 31 years of teaching.

1990s

’90 DWAYNE CARSON, of Clemmons, N.C., and his wife, Donita, have started the Date the Word ministry, connecting the day’s date to a numerically matching Bible verse. One-minute daily devotionals air on radio stations connected to the TruthNetwork and at the Date the Word app.

’94, ’12, ’22 JEFFREY CAPPS, of Lynchburg, Va., has been named the Head of Schools for Liberty Christian Academy (LCA) after 29 years of fulfilling various administrative and teaching roles.

2000s

’06 HEATHER (DOLBEAR) FISCHER, of McLean, Va., was named a 2024 Center for Strategy and International Studies (CSIS) Strategy and Statecraft Fellow. She serves as the Senior Advisor for Social Impact and Human Rights at Thompson Reuters.

’08 ANGEL L. BERRIOS, of Columbia, S.C., is a Chaplain Captains Career Course small group leader at the U.S. Army Institute for Religious

REYNARD FABER (’90, ’95)

Reynard has served as the Native American Outreach Coordinator for Samaritan’s Purse since 2002 and continues to work as an honorary and traditional Chief of the New Mexico Jicarilla Apache tribe. He and his son were special guests on campus during Native American Heritage Month in November.

Leaders in Fort Jackson, S.C. During his time in the military, Chaplain Berrios has been awarded the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, and an Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters.

2010s

’10 DANIEL EDWARDS, of Ontario, Calif., is an adjunct professor at Vanguard University after years of serving as a managing director at a large public accounting firm.

’10 DAVID WOODS, of Grabill, Ind., was promoted to Field Operations Supervisor at UL Solutions where he supervises contractor onboarding and ongoing relationships.

’11 ANDY COATS, of Dandridge, Tenn., was a finalist in children’s fiction at the American Book Fest 20th Annual Best Book Awards.

’13 HENRY CRISS, of Hilton Head Island, S.C., and partner, Dr. Heather Hinshelwood, recently acquired the Fraum Center for Restorative Health on Hilton Head Island.

’13 JENNIFER DESHAZO, of Stuart, Fla., was recently named Chief of Staff & Strategic Communications for the Martin County School District.

’13 GARRET MARTIN, of Lancaster, Pa., earned a master’s degree in pastoral studies

RANDY TSCHETTER (’85)

Randy served for 43 years as a scorekeeper for Flames and Lady Flames Basketball, working at more than 900 games between Liberty’s teams, various Virginia high school teams, and two exhibition NBA games. He was honored for his support of Liberty Athletics at his last basketball game in March.

from Lancaster Bible College/Capital Seminary. He is currently working as a Parts Technician for Messick’s Farm Equipment in Mount Joy, Pa.

’13 FRED NOBLE, of Deale, Md., has been hired as Pastor of Adult Ministries at the Grove Church in Maple Grove, Minn.

’14 WILLIAM BALDERSON of Tappahannock, Va., was elected Sheriff of King and Queen County in November. He has 27 years of law enforcement experience.

’14 LUSKA NATALI, of Carmel, Ind., has been serving as the Administrator of Ministerial Services and Local Pastor Registrar for Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church since February 2023. She is also a translator and interpreter for Portuguese and Spanish languages and was part of the English-to-Spanish translating team for the book “Master Your Money” by Ron Blue.

’14 M.N. WALTERS, of Palm Beach, Fla., is currently a school counselor and recently wrote the book, “The Chronicles of Lila Ray: If I Had One Chance To Tell You Something.”

’18 BOBBY MILLS, of Biddeford, Maine, was re-elected in November to his second term as a Ward 4 Biddeford City Councilor.

’19 JACK CORMODY, of Nashville, Tenn., was approved by the Tennessee Board for Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Marital and Family Therapists, and Licensed Clinical Pastoral Therapists in August 2023 and will open a private practice in Nashville.

2020s

’20 JUSTIN HARDY, of Jacksonville, Fla., completed his tour with USS Alaska as commanding officer.

’20 KYLE HERRINGTON, of Advance, N.C., is the new Site Director of World Relief Triad.

’20 JEREMY MERKI, of Port Saint, Fla., started a company that specializes in helping businesses and individuals buy and sell aircraft.

’20 BRIDGETTE YANCY, of Atlanta, Ga., wrote a Christian inspirational book, “Let God Heal You,” published in September and available on Amazon.

’21 JENNIFER BRINCK, of McPherson, Kan., graduated from Liberty with a bachelor’s in special education and earned a master’s in special education from Fort Hays State University. She serves as a special education teacher.

’21 STEPHAN PRIDMORE, of Rogers, Ark., is the Chief Commercial Officer of Crenlo Engineered Cab Company, the largest off-

highway cab producer in North America.

’22 ZACHARY HEBER, of Papillion, Neb., is an Air Traffic Controller with the Federal Aviation Administration. He is ordained and has been working as a professor of aviation at Everglades University.

’23 GORDON BARROWS, of New Bethlehem, Pa., is a local pastor and businessman and earned his Doctor of Education in Christian Leadership, concentrating in digital discipleship, at Liberty. He serves as New Bethlehem Borough’s mayor and is studying in Liberty’s government public administration program.

’23 SONJA HOWELL, of Adrian, Mich., graduated from Liberty with a Doctor of Philosophy in Education, specializing in instructional design and technology. She initiated “Restoration Through Faith: A Biblical Approach to Divorce Recovery,” a course to assist individuals in navigating the complexities of divorce recovery.

’23 NICOLE LEONARD, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., is serving as HR & Risk Generalist after going back to school at age 40. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Liberty with a concentration in HR management.

ALBERT MAVUNGA (’09, ’10, ’13)

Albert was elected to the National Assembly of Zimbabwe in December as a representative of the Nketa Constituency. He is the founder of Smile for Africa, which provides food, clean water, and access to education as well as operates an assisted living facility and drug rehabilitation center and leads evangelistic efforts through sports ministries.

JAMIE TEACHENOR (’22)

Jamie composed the U.S. Space Force’s official anthem, “Semper Supra” (Latin for “always above”) adopted in 2022. In November, he performed it at the Grand Ole Opry. He is a U.S. Air Force veteran and earned his Ph.D. in Education from Liberty. He has composed songs for (and recorded with) music stars such as Luke Bryan, Trace Adkins, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Blake Shelton, and Trisha Yearwood.

JESSIE JORDAN

BUILDING PEOPLE

MEMBER OF FIRST BASEBALL TEAM CREDITS LIBERTY WITH INSTILLING THE CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES HE CARRIED INTO THE WORKPLACE

BY CHRISTIAN SHIELDS

When Liberty University’s founder, the late Jerry Falwell Sr., first shared his vision for starting a Christian college, he said the goal was to see “thousands of young men and women, deeply in love with the Lord Jesus Christ, who will go out in all walks of life to shake this world for God.”

All walks of life, all fields. Even bugs.

Greg Clendenin came to Liberty from Florida in 1972, one of only a couple hundred students at the year-old college. He was a witness to many of Liberty’s firsts, including playing on the first baseball team in 1973. He left Liberty a year later to become a youth pastor in Tallahassee. (He later completed his undergraduate degree in general studies through the School of Lifelong Learning, now Liberty University Online Programs, and earned an MBA from Rollins College).

After five years in ministry, he entered the field of pest control. In 1982, Clendenin became a partner and the general manager of Middleton Lawn and Pest in Orlando, Fla., and was eventually named CEO. By 2005, the company was one of the most successful pest control companies in Florida and the 14th largest company in the country, in a field of over 20,000. Clendenin was presented multiple awards for his business success and community involvement, including the key to the City of Orlando in 2003.

After selling his companies, he went on to serve in other executive roles, including CEO, in the pest control industry. He currently serves as CEO of The Clendenin Consulting Group. Throughout his career, he held fast to the critical life lessons he learned during his time at Liberty, principles he said helped him lead a business, better his community, and share the Gospel.

“I learned two things at Liberty through Dr. Falwell. First, when you do something, you need to do it right. Quality has to be a mindset and everything you do should be

done in a quality manner. Second, if you are going to do something, you should go big. I had a quality mindset and a growth mindset coming out of Liberty, and those two things were huge during my career.”

He fondly recalls a chapel service where Falwell talked about the necessity of “building people” to grow a business.

“You have to build people’s knowledge, and you have to build their skills,” he said. “You also have to create a work environment where you help develop their attitude. When you build knowledge and skill and help develop attitude, you really end up with a great team where everyone is heading in the same direction. (In doing so), we empower people to do their job and make decisions that benefit the customer and their team members.”

Clendenin has lived out this goal of supporting his employees and clientele through various initiatives and partnerships driven by his companies, including encouraging employees to prioritize major family events above work, offering additional paid time off to serve as mentors to underprivileged students, and sponsoring the local philharmonic or symphony to play at children’s events. His companies have also supported multiple local church activities

and offered college scholarship funds.

Clendenin has fond memories of his time in Lynchburg and his friend, Dr. Falwell, such as playing basketball pickup games with Falwell at the gym.

“Jerry was a big, tough guy,” Clendenin said. “He could run the court back then too, and he was really tough under the boards. I caught an elbow from him one time in the mouth. I’m kind of proud of that. It’s a badge of honor. I’m probably the only guy on the planet that Jerry Falwell gave a fat lip to and also baptized,” he said with a laugh.

Through the years, Clendenin has remained a faithful supporter of his alma mater. In 2008, he donated $100,000 for lights to be installed at Worthington Stadium, Liberty’s former baseball stadium. He was also a major contributor to the Towns-Alumni Lecture Hall (in the former Elmer Towns Religion Hall). Because of his generous contributions to Liberty, a locker room at Worthington Stadium (the former home of Liberty Baseball) was named in his honor in 2009.

Clendenin faithfully follows Liberty Athletics and attends sporting events when he has the chance. He said his continued support for Liberty stems from his desire to see its mission of Training Champions for Christ continue for generations. He considers his involvement a personal “blessing.”

“Liberty is a light on the hill,” he said. “There just isn’t another place like it. It is respected across the country for a lot of reasons. Having played baseball for the school, it’s really great to see how Liberty is doing in a lot of sports now nationally. That (success) helps share Liberty’s message. Liberty has stayed true to its values and its foundation and is worth supporting. The world needs that kind of university to produce people who impact society.”

Clendenin played catcher on Liberty’s inaugural baseball team. He returned to campus in May, where he joined some former teammates for a 50th anniversary celebration of Liberty Baseball.

ALUMNI

MICHAEL AIMES (’06), of Bonham, Texas, died Nov. 5.

JOHN ARBOGAST (’91), of Bitely, Mich., died March 13.

HENRY ARRIOLA (’16), of Fort Worth, Texas, died Jan. 29.

DONALD BENSON (’18), of Four Oaks, N.C., died Dec. 17.

JOHN BRANCH (’79), of Bristol, Tenn., died Jan. 8.

KEITH BURT (’13), of Fishersville, Va., died Dec. 5.

BRENDA DAVIS (’13), of Smithville, Tenn., died Nov. 7.

DAVID HENERY DILGES (’07), of Eads, Tenn., died March 14.

DAVID DISNEY (’93), of Littleton, Colo., died Nov. 14.

SHAYNE FAULKNER (’19), of Cedar City, Utah, died Jan. 15.

GENE FORD (’18), of Louisville, Ky., died Feb. 21.

BEVERLY LAHAYE (1929-2024)

IN MEMORIAM

TERESA GALLIMORE (’15), of Princeton, W.Va., died Nov. 27.

BARBARA GUARNERA (’13), of Springfield, Mass., died Dec. 26.

BRAD CARPENTER HEATH (’08, ’11, ’16), of Pinehurst, N.C., died March 26.

ROBIN HETRICK (’83), of Midlothian, Va., died Feb. 5.

JORDAN JOHNSON (’18), of Virginia Beach, Va., died Feb. 15.

LONDA JUSTUS (’16), of Beckley, W.Va., died Jan. 15.

TRACY LORAH (’12), of Altus, Okla., died Feb. 13.

JANICE MARLETT (’24), of Lancaster, Pa., died Jan. 11.

JAMES MARTIN (’15), of Murfreesboro, Tenn., died Feb. 19.

MICHAEL MCKEOWN (’12), of Union City, Pa., died Jan. 26.

EPHRAIM LANE MEADOWS (’14), of Erwin, Tenn., died Nov. 17.

RONALD MUMMA, of Hagerstown, Md., died March 2.

LaHaye died April 14 at the age of 94. She was the wife of the late pastor and author Dr. Tim LaHaye, who co-wrote the “Left Behind” series. The LaHayes were noted authors, counselors, and television commentators, as well as longtime supporters of Liberty University and former members of its Board of Trustees. They are the namesake for two major campus facilities for which they generously provided funds: the LaHaye Ice Center and the LaHaye Recreation & Fitness Center. Beverly founded Concerned Women for America (CWA) in 1979. A stalwart evangelical conservative, she grew CWA into one of the largest public policy women’s organizations in America opposing radical feminism, championing the family, and tirelessly advocating for the life of the unborn.

DR. RALPH F. LINSTRA (1948-2024)

Linstra died on May 12 at age 75. His 45-year career in education included 27 years at Liberty. He came to Liberty in 1994 to teach community health and serve as chairman of the newly formed Department of Health Sciences. He later served as associate dean of the College of Arts & Sciences before becoming founding dean of the School of Health Sciences in 2011. Under his leadership, the school developed many new residential, online, and blended degree programs, including biochemistry, biomedical (pre-med), biopsychology, chemistry, cell & molecular biology, environmental biology, forensic science, zoology and wildlife, and an

KIRK OSBORN (’91), of Watsonville, Calif., died Sept. 18.

DONDA PLYER (’12), of Mountain City, Tenn., died Nov. 9.

PAMELA RICE (’13), of Hancock, N.Y., died March 9.

MILTON ROGERS (’21), of Siler City, N.C., died Nov. 3.

PATRICK SCARFO (’17), of Clarks Summit, Pa., died Jan. 25.

CARL SCHREIBER (’85), of Gilbert, Ariz., died Nov. 25.

WILLIAM SHERWOOD (’92), of Fayetteville, Ohio, died Jan. 14.

MICHAEL SLEMP (’09), of Braselton, Ga., died Jan. 19.

JULIE SMITH (’83), of Waynesboro, Pa., died Jan. 20.

WARD TURNER (’93), of Marion, Ind., died Dec. 7.

NICOLE VANDYKE (’13), of Chesapeake, Va., died Jan. 24.

BRIAN WOOLFORD (’99), of Fort Mills, S.C., died Dec. 25.

M.S. in Biomedical Sciences. He also supported the development of master’s degrees in athletic training, exercise science, and public health. He retired from Liberty in 2021.

JAKE MATTHES (1937-2024)

Matthes, the first head coach in the history of the Liberty cross country and track & field programs, died April 18 at the age of 86. He started the men’s cross country program in 1976 and the men’s track & field teams the following year. During his tenure as head coach, Liberty won the 1981 NCCAA men’s track & field national title, five Mason-Dixon men’s cross country championships, and eight men’s cross country regional titles. He earned numerous coaching awards during his 15 years of coaching, including 1981 National Christian College Coach of the Year for men’s track & field and 1985 NCAA Division II South Region Coach of the Year for men’s cross country. Matthes was inducted into the Liberty Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014.

NORMA JEAN RIST (1946-2024)

Rist died Feb. 24 at the age of 78. She was a former professor in the English department and the wife of the late Dr. Boyd Rist, Provost Emeritus, who served Liberty in various roles for 40 years. Besides spending time with family and friends, among Norma Jean’s favorite things to do were being an active member of the Lynchburg Bird Club, Virginia Society of Ornithology, and the American Association of University Women, as well as attending concerts of the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra. She also

FACULTY & STAFF

GLENN ANDERSON, of Lynchburg, died April 19. He was a sergeant with Liberty University Police Department and a 26-year veteran of Lynchburg Police Department.

JERRY HUGH COMBEE, of Roswell, Ga., died Dec. 27. He had a lengthy career in higher education as a professor, writer, and administrator. At Liberty, he served as a professor and dean of the business and government programs in the 1980s.

FRIENDS

LOIS JEAN VESS, of Jackson, Ga., died Oct. 5. She was an active member of Thomas Road Baptist Church and contributed to the founding of Liberty University.

enjoyed volunteering at schools, especially with the Lynchburg City School Strings and Suzuki programs, attending Faith 2 Faith Life Group at Thomas Road Baptist Church, and attending Peakland Baptist Church.

EVELYN TOMLIN (1939-2024)

Tomlin died on May 1 at age 84. For 43 years, she devoted herself to Liberty University, where she held various roles, including Manager of Student Accounts. Her dedication to serving students helped countless individuals achieve their educational aspirations. Tomlin was a faithful member of Thomas Road Baptist Church and a dear friend of Liberty’s founder, Dr. Jerry Falwell.

WILLIAM EUGENE “DUKE” WESTOVER (1936-2024)

Westover died on May 19 at age 88. A close friend of Liberty’s founder, Jerry Falwell, Sr., he served in many of the ministries started by Falwell and acted as his executive assistant and personal advisor for many years. Through his construction business, Westover built the Vines Center and the original sanctuary of Thomas Road Baptist Church. He had served as a member of the Liberty University Board of Trustees since 2016, and the board recently voted him Board Member Emeritus. He is well known for the touring business he founded, DuCar International Tours, which has been responsible for taking thousands of people on guided tours in Israel, including many Liberty students, faculty, and staff, as well as multiple major political figures and media personalities.

ALL in the FAMILY

MEET THE HARTLEYS

From one of Liberty University’s earliest graduates to three generations that have set foot on Liberty Mountain, the Hartley family has 12 Liberty alumni who can attest to what it means to be Champions for Christ.

The family’s association with Liberty began like many others’ when the school first started. Cliff Hartley and his wife, Jean, watched Liberty’s founder, the late Dr. Jerry Falwell, preach on “The Old-Time Gospel Hour” TV broadcast from Thomas Road Baptist Church and heard him speak about the new university in Lynchburg, Va. The Hartleys traveled from Ohio to visit during the first semester in Fall 1971. Impressed by the school and the people they met, they moved to Lynchburg the following spring, and Cliff enrolled in courses for the summer term.

“Jerry Falwell was a man of vision, and he promoted that very effectively and enthusiastically,” he said. “We knew the church and pastor, and we were excited to be a part of what was a brand-new school at the time.”

At 28 years old, Cliff enrolled in the pastoral theology program and finished his bachelor’s degree in three years, graduating in 1975 and becoming one of the first pastors ordained under Falwell. The couple with their two sons moved to Ironton, Ohio, to start a new Baptist church plant. Cliff has

served in pastoral ministry for 45 years and recently stepped down from being the Director of Missions for the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio after 10 years.

His two sons, Brett Hartley (’87, ’20) and Todd Hartley (’04, ’07, ’10, ’12), followed in their father’s footsteps to Liberty, where they met their wives; Brett married Tatiana (’23) and Todd married Sue (’89).

“We had a conviction that our children

BOOKSTORE

were to be trained right for great works for the Kingdom, doing so in the right environment, and we found that there was no better place for that than Liberty University,” Cliff said. “Liberty was proven well to us, and we were sure that it would remain that way for the second generation and into the third generation.”

Four of his grandkids — Madison Hetzler (’13, ’15), Taylor Hartley (’18), Cara Holcomb (’18), and Nathan Hartley (’20) — were next. The family and their Liberty connections soon expanded; Madison married Josh Hetzler (’12, ’15), Taylor married Rachel, Cara married Jonathan Holcomb (’23), and Nathan married Emily (’18).

And the fourth generation in the Hartley family could be future Flames. Josh and Madison have two young sons that they hope will attend Liberty someday, and Nathan and Emily have one son.

“If I had to boil it down to what keeps us at Liberty, it’s the Christian mission and the application of a biblical worldview in whatever fields you may go into,” said Josh, a lawyer in Chesterfield County, Va. “Whatever the degree is for, it’s the same vision of Training Champions for Christ to make an impact through whatever He’s called you to do.”

The Hartleys are one of many LU families who span multiple generations. Share your family’s story at news@liberty.edu.

Cliff and Jean Hartley with Liberty founder Dr. Jerry Falwell

LOOKING BACK

JERRY FALWELL

When the Jerry Falwell Library opened on Jan. 15, 2014, it became the first major facility to bear the name of Liberty University’s founder, the late Jerry Falwell Sr., and was the university’s largest investment in any on-campus structure at the time.

Liberty’s library was previously located on the first floor of DeMoss Hall with limited space and collections for a growing campus population. The 170,000-square-foot facility helped usher in a new era for the university, bringing innovation, technological advancements, and collaborative study spaces into one state-of-the-art building and kicking off a campus transformation.

The library features separate study zones

for “collaborative,” “quiet,” or “deep quiet” work, complemented by 34 group study rooms with writable walls and display equipment. Students have access to over 100 computers throughout the building, with wireless internet, print/scan/copy stations, a book scanner, and battery kiosks as well as rooms with telepresence technologies for interactive virtual learning.

The library houses over 427,000 physical items — only a fraction of its collection of over 3.1 million educational and research resources available through the library’s website, where customers can search for books, journals, articles, videos, audiobooks, and more. A robotic

By the Numbers

2.7 million electronic books and media items

427,000 print books and media items

247,000 unique journal titles

407 multidisciplinary and specialized databases

600,000 visits each year

2,400 seating capacity

book retrieval system stores the majority of the library’s physical resources and can deliver requested items to the Customer Service Center in as little as 10 minutes.

The institutional repository of faculty and student scholarly works, called Scholars Crossing, holds over 34,000 items that have seen close to 24 million downloads in the last 10 years. Additionally, the library offers a robust Interlibrary Loan (ILL) program.

A primary role of the library staff is to assist students in research, either in-person or through email, chat, phone, and virtual research support. The library offers research guides, hundreds of online tutorials, coursespecific instructional sessions, and livestream research webinars. To learn more about the history of Liberty University and related entities, visitors can browse yearbooks, past editions of the school newspaper or magazine, and many fascinating documents related to the school and Falwell Sr.’s various ministries and projects in the Jerry Falwell Library Archives & Special Collections located on the terrace level.

Beyond the work and study spaces, students also gather in the multi-level Tinney Café, a food court with Pizza Hut Express, Auntie Anne’s, Einstein Bros. Bagels, and, new this fall, Shake Smart. The terrace level hosts campus events such as Research Week and live music performances.

Members of the Lynchburg community can also make use of the library. Staff offer a children’s story time over the summer.

With more than 80,000 square feet of interior and exterior glass, the building allows for an abundance of natural light and breathtaking views of campus and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

A grand opening ceremony was held on Jan. 15, 2014, with 400 guests — including members of the Falwell family, several of Liberty’s pioneers and longtime supporters, area college presidents, and local and regional leaders. Nearly 10,000 students watched a livestream in the nearby Vines Center, and countless others tuned in online.

DAVID DUNCAN

FORMER FLAMES FOOTBALL PLAYER LEADS WASHINGTON, D.C., ALUMNI CHAPTER

Former Flames Football placekicker Philip “Chip” Bonar (’87, ’22) has helped kickstart the Washington, D.C., Liberty University Alumni Chapter since becoming its first president last summer.

The chapter, which currently has 772 registered members, is open to alumni from D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. The group is growing steadily and is planning to offer several events in the coming year, from the annual Liberty Football watch party and reception to Faith and Family Nights at DC United Major League Soccer and Washington Commanders football games as well as a volunteer service project with Samaritan’s Purse’s Operation Christmas Child.

Bonar earned a B.S. in Biology with a minor in chemistry before adding his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership in 2022. He wears many hats in professional, spiritual, and social circles. Previously the principal at New Directions Alternative High School and Langston High School, Bonar was promoted to Student Behavior Coordinator for Arlington Public Schools (elementary through high school) after completing his doctorate.

Bonar has also served as a youth pastor since 1989, the past 14 years at Calvary Road Baptist Church in Alexandria, Va.

“We’re a big Liberty church,” Bonar said, noting that the lead pastor, David Rhodenhizer (’74), is a member of Liberty’s first class.

Bonar has two younger brothers who followed him to Liberty — Jonathan Bonar (’97, ’08), who serves as director of strategic

engagement at Liberty, and Stephen Bonar (’89), executive vice president for Conklin Company in Greenville, S.C.

Chip and his wife, Susy, have two sons, Joshua, 22, and Joseph, 20.

Fellow Liberty alumna Kim Watkins is the vice president of the D.C. chapter, and Jennifer Fleming (’92) serves as its secretary and treasurer.

“We are very excited because I think we can reach a lot more alumni than we currently do, including many online graduates,” Bonar said. “There are thousands of alumni in the (Washington) D.C., (Northern) Virginia, and Maryland region. A lot of them don’t know what’s going on at Liberty, all of the positive changes and growth on campus that have continued under new President (Dondi Costin). We really want to reach the

alumni who are not aware of the chapter and get them involved in the college and welcome them home.”

Bonar recently represented Liberty’s alumni community at the 2024 Washington Fellowship Celebration in Georgetown, where he encouraged Liberty students completing their internships in the nation’s capital to join the D.C. alumni chapter after graduation.

JOIN A CHAPTER

THE PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE 2023

The President’s Circle celebrates the generous donors who make it possible for us to carry out our mission of Training Champions for Christ. This list includes those who gave in 2023. For an up-to-date list of donors and to view past years, visit Liberty.edu/Presidents-Circle.

$500,000 - $999,999

Individuals

Anonymous Donor

Lucille T. Carter*

Lois M. Duggan*

James Willard Tumlin*

$100,000 - $499,999

Individuals

Mark & Michelle Hiepler

Suzanne Leebrick*

Bonnie Lee Redding*

Jill Smith Earley

Marian D. Sullivan*

Martin J. Sullivan Trust*

Organizations

BB&T Charitable Fund

Jeremy Elliott Scholarship Foundation

NAMB dba SEND Network

The Bolick Foundation

The Coca-Cola Consolidated Charitable Giving Fund

$50,000 - $99,999

Individuals

Anonymous Donor

Harry Ballard*

Edward & Erin Burnett

Melvin W. Buster*

Jasen & Brandi Cassady

Dondi & Vickey Costin

Dennis & Sonya Fields

William W. Hanlin

Jon Lienemann

Scott & Andrea Louderback

Jerry & Carol Prevo

Marlene Senner

Jimmy & Rhonda Thomas

Jane C. Troy*

Organizations

Hendrick Motorsports

Hurt & Proffitt, Inc.

Lynchburg Life Saving Crew

Piedmont Airlines, Inc.

$25,000 - $49,999

Individuals

Jason & Tori Benham

Jamey & Solmaz Chadwell

Tim & Julie Clinton

Chris & Cindy Cruz

Tim & Talita Dantas

Brad & Amy Epps

Todd & Gillian Granger

Scott & Melanie Hicks

Brian Hufhand

Dan & Jodi Leja

Andy & Ivy Maddox

Jonathan T. McClure

Mark D. McClure

Drs. Jim & Darlene McCord

Christopher Metcalfe

Adeeb F. Mickahail

Edwin & Kimberly Miller

Matt Pantana

Hiram M. Royer

Todd & Rachelle Sorensen

Jesse & Heather Stephens

Zach & Lisa Tran

Barry & Robyn Woodard

Organizations

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated

Energy & Automation

Foster Fuels, Inc.

Hope of Christ Presbyterian Church

PermCap

Runk & Pratt Health Care Enterprises, Inc.

T. Sherwin Cook Foundation

Talon Medical Construction Services, LLC

The Shammah Foundation by the Olson Family

$10,000 - $24,999

Individuals

Anonymous Donor

Tony & Kellie Bartlett

Jerry James Batchelder*

Billy & Jane Belcher

Hugh Belton

Jeff & Gaye Benson

Sheldon & Shannon Bream

Elvin & Pam Burford

Ralph & Joan Campbell

Randy Carr

Barry & Pam Clarkson

Chris Collins & Mia Yugo

David & Gina Coss

Tony & Beth Cothron

Christine Crist

Leonard & Carla D’Addesi

Jason Dandridge

David & Kristi Dolan

Chris & Mindy Eaves

Drew & Mary-Elizabeth Ellenburg

Tom & Nancy Eppes

Michael Evans

Jonathan & Shari Falwell

David Farner

Gary & Carlene Frame*

Ray & Cherie Fricks

Shirley A. Goehring

John & Lisa Hackney

Chris Haluck

Nancy R. Herr

Dr. Mark & Toy Hine

Anne E. Holmes*

Carroll & Nancy Hudson

Rick & Debbie Huff

Adam & Alyssa Huffines

Glenn & Kelly Inverso

Roy & Melinda Jones

Clayton & Marsha Justice

Reynold F. Keller

Samuel & Angela Kelly

Glen & Amanda Koch

John & Fran Koleznar

Janice L. Kulp

Louis & Joan LaMay

Nate Lowmaster

Ian & Heather McCaw

Ritchie & Julie McKay

Karl & Lynnette Miller

Wallace & Mayme Miller*

John & Linda Muckel

Joseph Lee Nelson*

Michael & Sarah Nichols

Thomas Nolen

Susan Ocealis*

Richard & Karin Osborne

David Peterson

Morris J. Reddout*

Karl C. Salz

Richard & Linda Smith

Scott & Jennifer Stonebreaker

Terrance Tigges*

Adam Vinoskey

Brian Wesbury

Pam Westgate

Charles & Claudia Wigglesworth

Organizations

Anderson Construction, Inc. dba

Virginia Siteworks

Beacon Credit Union

Blue Ridge Apothecary

Boxley Materials Company

Byrd Enterprises Unlimited, Inc.

Carter Bank & Trust

Cloudfit Software

Compassion International, Inc.

Equity Enterprise 1984, LLC

Far East Broadcasting Company

First Baptist Church-Opelika

First Class Restoration Inc dba SERVPRO

Freedom Defense Group

Freedom First Federal Credit Union

Gentle Shepherd Hospice, Inc.

Hill City Pharmacy

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

Lynchburg Ready Mix Concrete Co., Inc.

Mabry Automotive Group

North American Mission Board

Patel & Dalrymple Attorneys at Law

Ramsey Auto Group

SET, Inc. dba Caterpillar Clubhouse

Sodexo, Inc. & Affiliates

The Master’s Inn Ministries, Inc.

True North Leadership Foundation

United City Church

Van Wagner Sports & Entertainment, LLC

Watt Foster Family Foundation

$5,000 - $9,999

Individuals

David & Kari Adams

Harrison Allen

Anonymous Donor

Anonymous Carter County OK*

Bradley Arkell

Brian & Kimberly Baker

Mason Beard

Anthony Blosenski, Sr.

Tim & Veronica Bratton

Steve & Patty Brooks

Mike & Stephanie Brown

Tony & Polly Byrd

Cole & Beth Candler

Ernest & Amber Carter

David & Frances Carwile

Kenny & Jennifer Cobbs

Hal & Nicole Cockerham

Bill & Susan Cofer

William & Ruth Darr

Gregg & Dana Davidson

Bob & Sandra Day

Dennis Derr

Rich & Michele Distler

Jarrett Dodd

Olive M. Eckmann*

Glenn C. Enderud

Richard Eng

Watt & Jennifer Foster

Richard & Frances Garvey

John & Sarah Gauger

William Gehman

Terry Gentry

Bob & Tracey Good

Caroline Goode

Mervyn L. Gray

Carey & Denise Green

Paul J. Greene, Sr.

Steven & Jody Hall

Matthew & Rhonda Hankins

Michael & Frances Hardesty

Bernard Holder

Jonathan Isaac

Jeffrey & Tracey Jamerson

Paul & Jacquelyn Johnson

Daniel & Carolee Jones

Kevin & Mary Jones

Ron & Rachel Justice

John & Andrea Kenney

Richard B. Kreider

John & Annyce Maddox

David & Linda Martin

Herbert E. Maxey, Jr.

Joel & Elisabeth Maxwell

Donald Meredith

David Metter

Barbara J. Metzler

Stephen & Tricia Mock

Mitch & Elizabeth Morrison

Kelly A. Nangle

Kevin L. Newport

Brett M. O’Donnell

Ryan O’Rourke

Scott & Kelli Overton

Todd & Missy Owen

Linwood & Trudy Parker

Ken & Geodi Parsons

Gary & Christine Pearson

John Petrozelli

Ron Pinkerton

Connor Readman

Steven Reese

David Rockabrand

Brandon Scott

Mark Scott

Emanuel Seewald

JJ & Cheri Sehike

Todd R. Sheive

Brian Shepler

John P. Stobbs

Barbara G. Stunz

Brian Summers

David Tolle

Robert S. Traylor

Roy Unsin*

Mark Wambolt

Kyle Werthman

Carey Wrenn

Greg & Fay Wyatt

Paul & Laurie Young

Organizations

Awakening Events, Inc.

Bank of the James Mortgage

Blue Ridge Bagels & More, Inc.

C12 Mid-Atlantic, LLC

C12 Virginia, LLC

Cherry Hills Community Church

Lee & Tonja Hall-Chick-fil-A at Wards Road & River Ridge Mall

Church Mutual Insurance Company Foundation

Corvid Technologies

Crisis Response International

Cross Church

Delta Air Lines Foundation

Fay Family Charitable Fund

Franklin Heights Baptist Church

Kessler Investment Group, Inc.

KMR Aviation Services, Inc.

Lawndale Baptist Church

Lawrence Transportations Systems

LifeWay Christian Resources

Motor World

Musser Lumber Company, Inc.

Peter & John Radio Fellowship, Inc. dba

Peter & John Ministries

Powell’s Truck & Equipment, Inc.

PWD Window & Door

Richmond Center for Christian Study

RLJ Thompson Trucking

Southern Air, Inc.

The Boyd & Joan Kelley Charitable Foundation

The Jeremiah Project

The Spring Games, LLC

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers

USLive Transparent, LLC

Virginia Living Museum

W.E.L., Inc.

Westgate Ventures, Inc.

$2,500 - $4,999 Individuals

Margaret Ackerman

Dr. & Mrs. Gregg Albers

Carla Allen

Bob & Sue Anderson

Delene Andrews

Rob & Susan Andrews

Anonymous Donor

Keith Ashley

Christine Avery Castillo

Tim & Kathy Baldree

Elisabeth Banks

Reggie & Karen Berry

Jennifer S. Blandford

Brandon & Ida Blankinship

Andy & Linda Bowling

Eldon & Dixie Brammer

David & Pamela Brown

Jeremy Burns

Kim Butler

Daniel Caskie

Jeffrey L. Cockrell

Frank & Jessica Corley

Johnny & Anne Crist

Janine Crowe

Brian E. Daenzer

Jacob Davis

Rick & Angie DeBoard

Barbara Dickerson

Thomas J. Diedrich

Louis & Margaret Edwards

Charlie & Barbara Falwell

Bruce Fisher

Dee Franklin

Tina Friar

Nickolas Frost

Barbara Gill

Congressman Bob Goodlatte

Cindy Goodrich

Mike & Erin Hagen

Bryan & Roberta Hahn

Jan Halvorsen

Kirk & Jannie Handy

Gwenn Harth

Darrell & Margaret Hartline

Kevin Hefner

Michael & Barbara Heidt

Aaron & Emily Herwig

Joel & Theresa Hesch

Tim & Christy Hill

Rodney & Melissa Hizy

Matt & Christina Holley

Charles & Shelvie Holmes

Michael D. Horne

James & Mary Hughes

Daniel & Sarah Hull

Alan & Myra Hutchinson

Scott & Sara Jackson

Leslie L. Jacoby, Jr.

Thea Jenkins

Kevin Jessee

Pete & Robin Jewett

Trevor & Jane Johnson

Linda F. Kay

Mark & Teresa Keaton

Michael & Linda Keever

David & Kay Keim

Ira Stephen Kennedy

Craig & Jodi King

Brian Kirschner

Ron & Kelly Lance

Robert S. Landon

Stewart Langley

Tate & Holly Lenderink

Kevin & Stephanie Letchworth

Randy Litman

Howard Livingston

Stevie & Jessica Lloyd

The Royer Charitable Fund Trust

Ryan McClellan

Steve & Kathy Lloyd

Lance & Stephanie MacKenzie

Kim Magnano

Jon Manson

Michael J. Martin

Ben & Megan Mason

Stephen Patrick McCool

William D. Meeks

Jason Meyer

Mark G. Minar

Mike & Lisa Misjuns

P. H. Mitchell, Jr.

J. Arthur Moore*

Scott Morongell

Arthur Nicholson*

John Nix

Tammy Nolan

Timothy & Heather Norton

Ben Novak

Sean Owen

Bill & Vida Parker

Raleigh & Janet Parker

Tony & Rebecca Philo

Beth Picciano

Stacey Polito

Jason & Rachael Porter

Mark Priest

Bradley Queen

William J. Rankin, Jr.

Justin A. Reede

Nick & Joan Reichenbach

Charles Reninger

Jesus Reyes

Bob Pinto & Dot Richardson

Kara Roberts

Joshua D. Rochon

James Roupe

Lloyd Sanderlin

Sean Sanz

Jonathan B. Schubert

Jennifer Seay

Ben Spell

Bartel L. Spinelli

Jeff & Galene Staley

Doug & Amy Strohmeier

Cody & Taylor Stuenzi

Bo & Kipplyn Summers

Jessica Tannehill

Carroll P. Tarkington

Troy & Karla Temple

Edgar & Allison Tuck

Dr. Jerry Vines

Dan & Rachel Vollmer

Gene & Debbie Walker

Michael K. Walsh

Datong T. Wang

Richard & Ruth Waning

Lori Watkins

Steven Welsh

David & Debbie Wheeler

Scott & Shelly Wolf

Donna Woodson

Mike Zumpano

Organizations

701 Korean Church

A.G. Jefferson Opticians

JG Wentworth Home Lending

Aluminum Fences Direct

AstroTurf Corporation

Bates Family Orthodontics

Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

Doyle’s Florist, Inc.

Chesapeake RV Solutions

CMA’s Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Lynchburg

CMA’s Hyundai of Lynchburg

Cutz for Guys

Doss Estates, Inc.

East Side Rides, LLC

English Construction Company, Inc.

Environmental Options, Inc.

Fill the Gap Concerts

First Bank & Trust Company

Gospel Community Church

Grey Stone Church

Holston Baptist Association

HSC Wealth Advisors

Hunter Street Baptist Church

Impact Living Services

K & J Enterprises, Inc. dba McDonald’s

Kline’s Ice Cream, Inc.

Langley Family Trust

Larry’s Tire and Auto Repair

MH Masonry & Associates, Inc.

MAC A B’s dba Curtains, Blinds & Bath

Mardel Christian & Education Supply

New River Baptist Association, Inc.

On a Mission Communications

OrthoVirginia, Inc.

Royal Restrooms, LLC

Rush Concerts, LTD

Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia, Inc.

Sonny Merryman, Inc.

SponsorUp

The H.T. Hackney Company, Inc.

The Harold and Dorothy Albert Trust

The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company

Thrivent

Wilgus Automotive, LLC dba Ed’s Automotive

Wright Choice Construction

Zaki Gordon Memorial Charitable Gift Fund

$1,000 - $2,499

Individuals

James R. Absher, Jr.

Edwin and Dr. Kimberly Miller, both 1993 graduates of Liberty, were recognized earlier this year for their support of Liberty Athletics and the men’s basketball program through the naming of the men’s basketball locker room the Miller Foundation Locker Room.

Edwin was a standout men’s basketball player at Liberty before a career-changing injury. He used the experience to build his faith and drive his passion for excellence as a successful CEO and global executive for

Elaine Adams

Mark A. Adams

Paige Ake

David R. Allen

Warren & Ann Andersen

Christin Anderson

Jean W. Anderson

Steve Andrews

Anonymous Donor

Jennifer Arostegui

Doward F. Austin

Brian D. Autry

Christie Bailey

Brenda Baird

Terry Baker

William Baker

Larry & Jennifer Baldwin

Jeff Barker

Kimberly Barkow

Kevin & Susan Barringer

Craig D. Bartel

Ron & Jeris Bashor

Patsy Bathe

Kara Battin

John Baumgardner

Rodney & Marlee Beckom

Janice Belvin

Paul & Elena Bengds

Paul Benneche

Jenice N. Bennett

Ramon Bernal

Shawn & Jennifer Bielicki

Seth & Katie Bigham

Al & Lisa Billingsly

Lance & Kelly Bingham

Dale & Tina Birdsall

Tim Birdseye

Keith & Kris Boan

Bob Bonheim

Roger Boring

Frederick D. Bornman*

Michelle Bourne

Kip Brandenburg

Jane W. Branham

Shay Brill

Richard & Deborah Britton

Aaron D. Brown

Mike Brown

Thad & Elizabeth Brundrett

Bryce & Shelene Bryan

David Lee Bryant

Lina P. Bryant

Lori Bucksar

Angela Buff

Herman & Shirley Burgess

Ted & Valerie Burkett

R. E. Burnette, Jr.

Eliza Bushn

Jacob Butcher

Albert Byers

GIVING

David Caddick

Terry Calonge

Tina C. Campbell

Larry & Sherry Cannon

Bob & Teresa Caplinger

Sue Carroll

John & Phyllis Carstens

Eric & Ginny Cashion

Janice Chaplin

Aleksandr Charin

Andrew Clancy

Omar Clark

Glenn Clary

Rolland & Carolyn Coburn

Mike Coder

Cary & Karen Coleman

Jess & Julie Coleman

Amy K. Collier

Larry & Barbara Compter

Deborah E. Compton

Andy & Becky Covington

Amanda Craddock

Chuck & Amber Cramer

Susan T. Crane

Tom F. Craven, Jr.

Sheri Cregger

Eston Leon Crickenberger*

Shari Kelly Cucci

William T. Curd, III

Emmy Czarny

Leora Elizabeth Daniel*

Robert Daniels

Diane S. Davis

Katrina Davis

Ricky Davis

Wendy Defrees

Mark Dellinger

Perry E. Dickens, Jr.

Rich Diddams

Mark & Donna Diehl

Doug & Sheila Diehl

Michael DiGrazia

Keith W. Dishman

Willis Dixon

Sarah Dolan

Carol Donovan

Gregory V. Donovan

David C. Dudley

Nina A. Dunay

Thelbert Oren Dunman, Jr.*

Daniel & Mae Dunsing

Andrew Dyk

Mary Clare Taylor East

Gary & Barbara Eastman

Herschel L. Elder, III

James Elliott

Bradley W. Ellison

Jennifer Engle

Philip Engle

Dave Estes

BACK each other.”

the digital workplace. Kimberly, who was named Miss Liberty in 1993, is a longtime administrator and educator, ministering in Christian schools.

The Miller Foundation desires to invest in the next generation of students to be salt and light in the world.

Edwin and Kimberly said it has been a “true joy to be able to give back to the community at Liberty University where we discovered our individual callings and fell more deeply in love with Jesus and

Beth E. Fallin

Tim Fancher

Sandra H. Farmer

Linda L. Farver

Leeanne Faunce

Vicky M. Fenimore

Miriam Fields

Shannon Filer

Melissa Fink

Jim & Tracy Fisher

Gary & June Fitzgerald

Christopher E. Fogal

Tate R. Fonville

Everett & Dianne Foutz

Monty & Evelyn Fritts

Carl & Deavin Garland

Ramona Garner

Steve Garnett

Max Gasser

Frank Gibb

Lee & Donna Gibson

Jason Gilbert

Larry & Mary Lou Gilbert

David P. Gilmore

Daniel Gordon

Adam & Jennifer Gray

Cris & Theresa Green

Nancy Gregory

Mary Griffin

Renee Griffin

Toni Gryder

Robert D. Hagan, Jr.

James R. Hagler, Jr.

Haines

Constance Halleen

Bob Handwerker Roger Hantke Christopher & Amy Hara Frederick G. Harmon

Beth Harrington

Jeremy & Megan Harris Mr. & Mrs. Robert A. Harris Cora W. Harvey

Harvey

& Tracie Hayes Connie Hecker Ryan L. Helfenbein

Jeff & Allison Helgeson Randy & LeAnn Henderson

Herbst Jody Hice

Hite

Hodges Heather S. Hodsden Paul Holt

Hooks

Hord

& Barbara Horstemeyer

Houghton

To learn more about leaving a legacy on campus through the gift of giving, email jtalder@liberty.edu.

SCHOOL OF NURSING RECEIVES DONATION FROM GRADUATE’S FAMILY

Scott and Andrea Louderback of Brentwood, Tenn., saw their daughter, Kristen (’24), pursue her passion for

Jackie S. Houser

Ben F. Hubert

Gregory Hudson

Tonja Huenefeld

Greg Huepper

Kenneth Humbert & Suzanne Caruso

Mark Hyde

James Larry Ingram

David W. Irvin

Anna R. Jenkins

David & Cami Jeremiah

Eric B. Johnson

Tamara L. Johnson

Darryl Jones

Kathryn C. Jones

Eric & Susan Jones

Mark Journell

David Kaetterhenry

Don Keaton

Evan & Heather Keebler

Roy J. Kelley

Joseph Kersey

Kevin & Lori Keys

Thomas S. Kimmel

Alana Kirby

Ed & Marcia Kirkwood

Thomas J. Koscak

Veronica Jean Kovach-Dodd

Carol Labansky

Jason Lam

Brandon & Michelle Langer

Andrew Law

Rodney & Donna Lawson

William & Jennifer Leake

John Leininger

Blane & Terrie Lewis

Paul M. Lilly

James & Deborah Livingston

William & Susann Livingston

Brad Livingstone

Toni Labdell

Susanne Lodge

Tom Lougheed

Robert & Kathleen Loughery

Diana Love

Mike & Karen Luck

Daniel Ma

Bradley Madison

Andrew Maggard

Phyllis Maire

Brock & Ronda Malcolm

Christopher Mandell

Sylvia Maness

Tim & Christy Manzewitsch

Dave & Amy Mapes

Bernie Matthews

Stephen Matthews

Lawrence May

Perry & Laurie Maze

Victor McBryde

Deanna McClintic

nursing through Liberty University’s School of Nursing (LUSON), where she learned to treat patients with expertise and the love of Christ. As a gesture of thankfulness on Kristen’s behalf and support for those who will follow in her footsteps, the Louderback family made a generous donation to fund new equipment for the school’s Simulation Center. The school in turn named its primary skills lab the Louderback Fundamental Skills Lab.

The family’s donation funded the purchase of two MedVision Auscultation Task Trainer (MATT) devices — life-size recreations of head and torso (an adult

and a child) with visible and audible representations of the heart, lungs, and abdomen — and new hospital beds.

“It was important to us that, when we found a place that aligns with our values and has done such a wonderful job in training Kristen and other nurses, we wanted to give back and honor the school that honored our wishes and values when we sent her here,” Scott Louderback said.

Each week, nursing students at all levels utilize the Simulation Center, which has over 14,000 square feet of space. The center is fully accredited in teaching and education by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH).

Terrance L. McCrickard

Carl & Ethel McCutcheon

James McDuffie

Allen & Doris McFarland

Charlotte R. McGhee

Pamela McPherson

Randall Meador

Andrew W. Meadows

Brian & Amy Mentzer

Douglas K. Miller

Thomas & Janet Miller

Doug & Debbie Monahan

Angela Moore

Caralynn Moore

Jonathan & Kathleen Morgan

Gene & Joyce Myers

Dayton Neeley

Jim & Molly Nelson

Spencer Newcomb

Scarlet Nicely

Wendy Nichols

Michelle K. Novak

Shelley O’Neal

Josh Orme

David & Tammy Orrender

Mark Overman

Abram & Allison Pafford

Pam Parks

Debra Patsel

Pamela Patterson

Todd & Rachel Patulski

Stacy G. Pawluk

Jacquelin Paz

Clifton Pemble

Andrew & Miriam Prantner

Anna Jean Prins

Peggy M. Profitt

Charles & Sandy Prowant

Dr. Frank Pugh

John Quinlan

Jason & Patricia Rankin

Michael Rankin

Jeffrey D. Raub

Larry H. Rauppius, Jr.

Michael J. Renfrew

Brandon & Kelly Reyers

Melanie Rhodes

Daniel B. Rice

Ladonna Richardson

Amanda M. Rider

Steve & Rachel Ridout

Brett M. Riley

Clinton H. Robbins

Kristopher Roberts

Lauri Robinson

Brian Roder

Anthony Rodgers

Daniel R. Rodriguez

Dr. William & Amy Roller

Roger J. Rome

Robert S. Runyan, II

Jonathan Russell

Dr. Dean C. Rust, DDS

Josann G. Rutsch

Barbara Sadler

Neva Sales

Rafael Sanchez

Teresa L. Sanderson

Dr. & Mrs. Earl Sargeant

Sallie J. Schaeffer

Mark & Patsy Schandorff

Bob & Pam Schmidt

William J. Schnarr

Doreen A. Schriebl

Austin Schubert

Roger & Ann Schultz

Donnie Scott

Jeff Scott

Ray Sellers

Suzanne Sentell

Steven Shak

Greg Simotas

Amy Skelton

Jackie Sligh

Darrell D. Smith

David B. Smith

Dave & Kim Smith

Ray Smith

Victor & Sarah Snipes

Michael & Cynthia Sobiesiak

Roger & Bev Sorensen

Jim & Michelle Sorenson

Lorenzo & Tameka Sparks

Kester L. Spindler

Kathie Sprinkle

Richard & Edith Staedtler

Karen Mele Stalzer

Annie J. Stevens

F. M. Stevenson

Chris & Sam Stokes

H. Gregg Strader

John W. Strother

David Subisak

Jeremy Sudberry

Martha A. Sudholt

Durie Tabitha

Morse Tan

Douglas Taylor

Eric & Lesa Taylor

Dr. John & Denise Thomas

Rick Thomas

John & Anne Thompson

Laurie E. Thompson

Leo K. Ticconi

Sabrina Tomlin

Julie Toren

Melanie Traber

Sarah K. Truslow

Joshua Tully

Matt Tunin

Robert V. Turner

Louise Underwood

Unknown Donor

Red River Crude Oil*

Dr. Richard D. Urwiller

Faith Van Duren

Todd & Madeleine Van Duren

Michael Varner

Rodney M. Varney

Kristen E. Vaughan

Michael & Randi Venema

Catherine Vidal

Deborah Walker

John Walton

Eleanore J. Warner

Jonathan Jay Washburn

Cynthia Weatherby

Lew & Cheryl Weider

Michael S. Wells

Steve Wells

Charles E. Whetzel, Jr.

Dana White

John & Margaret Whitlock

Alan R. Whitlow

Jennifer Wileman

Beverly Wiley

Chris & Pam Williams

Jim & Kathy Williams

George & Peggy Wilson

Walter A. Wilson, III

Wendell O. Wilson

Wyatt & Gwen Wilson

Donald G. Wingfield

Jane L Winston

Karli Winston

Jeffrey Withers

Stephen L. Wood

Cynthia Wright

Judy A. Wright

Ronald Wright

Rupert Wright

Dr. Lian-Tuu & Mrs. Arlene Yeh

Amber N. Young

George Young

Robert Young

Organizations

American Eagle USA

American Institute of Steel Construction

AquaSpores Water & Mold Restoration

Atlantic Shores Baptist Church

Baptist State Convention

Burntwoods Church, Inc.

Calvary Road Baptist Church

Capital Repair Services, LLC

Charlotte Christian School

Chick-fil-A Timberlake

Child Evangelism Fellowship of Virginia

Chowan Baptist Association

Citation Oil & Gas Corp.

Clair Parker Foundation

CMA’s Honda of Lynchburg

Computer Exchange

Custom Siding & Remodeling, LLC

Echo Ministries / Echo Concerts

F & S Building Innovations, Inc.

Faith Fellowship Church, Inc.

Fidelity Charitable

Fire Tech Services, Inc.

First Baptist Church of Roanoke

Garber-Lowe Fence, Inc.

Hargrave Military Academy

Higher Bond

His Village Church

Holman Masonry, Inc.

Hopewell Baptist Church

Kapstone Projects, LLC

Kimberly G. Worley Insurance Services

Lakewoods Chiropractic

Liberty Tax Services

Lifesong Health

Longs Farm Supply, Inc.

Lynchburg Machining, LLC

Marshall Home Construction, LLC

McKee Foods Corporation

The Merck Foundation

Miller Farms

Minnick Enterprises, LLC

Nordquist Family Medical Center

Northside Christian School, Ministry of Northside Baptist Church

Novak Capital

Olde Southern Charm, LLC

Open Door Baptist Church

Priority One Properties

Purple Princess Properties, Inc.

Riddell Charitable Fund

S&R Cleaning & Floor Services of Roanoke

Schwab Charitable

Shelley McGhee Life Anchor Agency

Soundz Hearing Lynchburg

South Fork Anesthesia Associates, PLLC

Stewart Langley Properties, LLC

That’s Too Cute Boutique

Tickets for Less, LLC

Vagus, LLC

Venema Associates, LLC

WACH Marketing, Inc.

William & Pamela Malinchak Foundation

Your Fancy, LLC

Redeemer Church

* Estate Gift

Unpaid pledges from donors are not factored into the giving amounts for this list.

If we have omitted, misspelled, or misplaced your name, please accept our apologies and notify our office by calling toll-free (866) 602-7983.

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

Interim Dean Dr. Tracey Turner (left) displays a MATT device to Kristen Louderback and her parents during a dedication ceremony for the renamed skills lab.

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