Student Profile: The Clingman Triplets

For most students, college graduation marks a personal milestone. For Riley, Anneka and Kayla Clingman, it is a shared celebration of both family and academic achievement. The Clingman triplets are each graduating from Liberty University with unique degree paths and aspirations.  

The Clingman family’s connection to Liberty runs deep. Their parents met when they were students at Liberty, making the campus a familiar place throughout the triplets’ childhood.   

“We grew up coming here every two to three years from when we were probably six years old,” Anneka said.  

Now, years later, Anneka is graduating with a degree in business administration and data analytics, family and consumer sciences with cognates in event planning and professional and creative industries along with her minor in women’s leadership. Kayla is completing her degree in nursing. Riley is earning a degree in digital media and journalism with a focus in sports journalism. 

“The Lord led us in our own individual ways to Liberty,” Anneka said. “It was not always planned that we were going to go here.” 

After prayer and hard decisions, each of the three decided to attend Liberty to continue their academic endeavors.  

“For as long as I could remember, I wanted to be a nurse,” Kayla said. “The Lord’s faithfulness truly carried me through the program.” 

Kayla is a part of the Liberty University Nursing Student Association and went on a mission trip to Kenya with the School of Nursing during her junior year. After graduation, she plans to enter the workforce and become a pediatric operation room nurse.  

Riley is inspired by sports and creative endeavors.  

“I came in as a communication major,” Riley said. “I quickly found out that was not for me.” 

After careful consideration, Riley found that digital media and journalism was a better fit for his passions. As a former athlete, he added a focus in sports journalism. Riley is a part of Liberty’s Academic Integration, a game operations intern for the men’s Division I hockey team, a volunteer writer for the Liberty Champion and is the sports director at The Light radio station. 

After graduation, Riley will be returning to Liberty as a graduate student pursuing his master’s degree in sport management with a focus in sport administration. He also will be a freelance writer for FanSided covering MLB updates. 

Anneka has served as a community group leader and then as a resident assistant on Commons I for the last two years.  

While balancing her majors, Anneka also participated in different clubs such as the Women in Business club and the Event Planning Society.  

“I’d love to ideally work for a nonprofit and do something with that,” Anneka said. “Whether that is being an event coordinator or even ministry, I am open to anything.” 

The triplets all agreed that attending Liberty together was a blessing. From birth to now walking the stage together at Commencement, the Clingmans have been through thick and thin. Now that their time at Liberty is coming to a close, they look back on their years with fond memories.  

“I find joy knowing that I have siblings that are here and that I am going to graduate with,” Riley said. “There aren’t two people that I would want to graduate with other than my two sisters.” 

As they prepare to step into the next chapter of their lives, the Clingman triplets leave Liberty not only with degrees but with a deeper bond forged through years of shared experiences, challenges and triumphs. 

Long is a staff writer for the Liberty Champion.