About Center4ME

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Meet the Center4ME Staff

Melany A. Pearl
Director 

email mapearl@liberty.edu

Melany A. Pearl, originally from Kansas City, Missouri, began her service at Liberty University in 1996 as office coordinator for the Center for Multicultural Enrichment. In 1998, she was promoted to her current position, director.

Pearl is an alumnus of Liberty where she received a Bachelor of Science in Business and Master of Arts in Human Relations. She has served the university in several volunteer capacities including; administrative advisor of national honor society Alpha Lambda Delta, sub-committee chair on the NCAA self-study, SACS committee member, mentor with the Campus Pastors' Office, and member of the Multicultural Advisory Board.

The director is actively involved with various civic organizations. She currently serves as on the board of directors for both the Martin Luther King/Lynchburg Community Council and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Virginia and was on the inaugural steering committee members for the Lynchburg’s Community Dialogue on Race & Racism.

Pearl’s professional memberships include; National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, Virginia Association of Student Personnel Administrators, American Association of Christian Counselors, and Association for Christians in Student Development. 

In her personal life, she enjoys international travel and has had the opportunity to visit Mexico, Bahamas, Jamaica, Israel, Palestine, France, Bermuda, Italy, Greece and Turkey.

Karen McLaughlin
Administrative Assistant
For Director Pearl

email kmclaughlin@liberty.edu

 

Karen McLaughlin is the newest member of the Center4ME family and is the Administrative Assistant for Director Pearl. She was born in Honolulu, Hawaii and currently resides in Lynchburg, Virginia. She is the daughter of a retired military officer and has moved over twenty times in her life.  In addition to the places she has lived, Karen has had the privilege to travel to Italy, Greece, and Turkey.

She will be graduating from Liberty University in May 2013 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business majoring in Human Resource Management. Along with her interests in traveling and learning about other cultures, Karen has a passion for singing and actively participating in the culinary arts. 
 
Karen strives to utilize the knowledge and experience that she has in order to carry out Center4ME’s mission of bringing unity within the diverse set of cultures on campus. She has a passion for working with students and desires to apply the instructions seen in Romans 12 in her daily life.
 

Joy Jefferson
Associate Director
Cultural Competency, Assessment

email jajefferson@liberty.edu

 

Joy Jefferson is our Associate Director for Cultural Competency & Assessment. She hails from Fort Worth, Texas and is a proud Texan at heart.  

She has had the opportunity to live in Brazil and South Korea. Joy chose to attend Liberty University because it is a Christian university that trains up men and women to serve in various fields around the world.  

While attending college at Liberty, she was involved with the Center4ME as a student worker and participated in various programs. She graduated from Liberty University in 2004 with her Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences. After graduating, she moved to Cedar Hill, Texas where she pursued a Masters of Education in Higher Education at Dallas Baptist University (DBU). While attending DBU she worked full-time at Amberton University as an academic advisor. In May of 2008, she graduated with her master degree. 
 
Joy's education and cultural experiences have equipped her to serve students from various cultures and of various ethnicities and the Center4ME is happy to welcome her back to the team.
 

Anthony Lopez
Associate Director
LEAD Fellowship

email alopez6@liberty.edu
 
 

Anthony F. Lopez is originally from Queens and Long Island, NY. He is a first generation Latino-American of Guatemalan descent. Throughout his life, Anthony recalls witnessing and hearing about his parents' struggles as immigrants, and how those experiences helped him to develop his character and a grand appreciation of foreigners, different ethnicities and cultures. At Liberty University, this concept was only reinforced.  

The first in his family to attend college, he holds a Master's degree in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a Master's degree in Religion with a concentration in Apologetics and Theology from Liberty University's Seminary. The first undergraduate college he attended was an HBCU, later a community college, and a State University.

Anthony has worked as a Mental Health Counselor for four years and volunteers as Junior High School minister at a local church. As Associate Director of LEAD Fellowship, Anthony believes in unity within diversity. Here he points to Revelations 7:9 and Jesus’ prayer to the Father for unity in John 11.

 

Pamela Rodriguez
Coordinator
Special Projects

email grodriguez14@liberty.edu

 

Pamela Rodriguez was raised in Torreon Coahuila, Mexico and has resided in Sacramento, CA for the past 10 years. California is place she absolutely loves.  She is a junior here at Liberty University studying to graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance/Economics with career goals of becoming an Investment Broker.  Pamela is a very outgoing personality and her love for the Lord is evident in her outlook on life.

 
Although a new student to Liberty University, Pamela has jumped right into her work responsibilities and loves that her job allows her to connect with Liberty University’s campus community.  As a part of the Center4ME special events team, she works with College for a Weekend, Fun Fridays, Achievement Awards. She enjoys being surrounded by her amazing family, and takes interest in anything that is related to the economy, multicultural activities and food.
 

Cody Hawley
Graduate Assistant
LEAD Fellowship

email chawley@liberty.edu

 

 
Cody Hawley is originally from Cape May, New Jersey, but has moved nine times living in seven different states. He graduated from Liberty University with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication. Throughout his time at Liberty, he was involved with Student Leadership as both a Prayer Leader and Spiritual Life Director. Before acquiring this position, Cody worked at the Center4ME as a Peer Mentor.
 
Mr. Hawley is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Strategic Communication from Liberty University while working part-time for the Center4ME. His future goal is to pursue a doctoral degree. His hobbies include sports, reading history, and drinking coffee...lots and lots of coffee.
 
 

Rayanne Boley
Graduate Assistant
Cultural Competency

email rboley@liberty.edu

 

 
Rayanne Boley was born and raised in Scottsburg, Indiana. She lived there until moving to Lynchburg, VA to attend Liberty University for her undergrad which she completed in May of 2012 acquiring a degree in Family and Child Development with minors in Sociology and Intercultural Studies. She enjoyed volunteering with the international students throughout her time at Liberty.
She has a God given passion and love for different cultures with a calling on her life to bring unity in diversity. She one day hopes to serve with refugees from around the world to bring the Hope of Jesus Christ to their lives. Her life verse is Romans 11:36.
She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Human Services with a specialization in Marriage and Family while working as a G.A. for the Center4ME.