The Liberty Champion released its new podcast, “Champion Chats,” Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2025.

Over five decades ago, Jerry Falwell Sr. walked the grounds of what would one day become the largest Christian university in the world. In 1971, his prayers were answered, culminating in the founding of Liberty University. His God-ordained mission of Training Champions for Christ was the guiding light that still fuels the university to this day.

In a televised speech delivered in 1977, Falwell implored the faculty, staff, administration and students at Liberty University to never forget its roots.

“Liberty University is God’s boot camp for Training Champions for Christ,” Falwell said. “And I don’t ever want those three words to become trite or just a cliché — Champions for Christ. That is our prayer. … We must remind ourselves every day that LU is first and foremost a place where God has assigned us to Train Champions for Christ.”

The “Champion Chats” podcast continues that legacy and gives a voice to Liberty’s students, faculty, staff, administration and alumni who are actively embracing its founding mission of Training Champions for Christ.

“I’m excited to see how this podcast grows and helps the Liberty Champion reach its audience with new stories about how God is working in people’s lives,” Emily Young, director of the Liberty Champion, said.

Released twice a month, “Champion Chats” is hosted by the student staff of the Liberty Champion. This semester, seniors Zack Solem and Samantha Clardy are co-hosting the podcast.

“We’re so excited to amplify the unique voices across Liberty’s campus and bring Falwell’s vision to life decades later through this podcast,” Zack Solem, the Champion’s social media and web manager, said. “What a gift it is to use our passion for communication and media to be part of something so much bigger than ourselves.”

Guests in the upcoming podcasts include Melissa Harris, director of communications and student engagement at LU ONE; Jonas Larson, strategic and personal communication instructor; Scott Hayes, dean of the School of Communication & the Arts; and Dondi Costin, president of Liberty University.

“Champion Chats” is available now on Spotify and at www.liberty.edu/champion.

A crowd of energetic supporters gathered Oct. 23 on Wards Road to celebrate the grand opening and ribbon cutting of the Wawa in Campbell County, Virginia.  

The new store offered free coffee along with discounted prices on various items such as a $1 discount on hoagies.  

The ribbon-cutting event opened with a presentation by Kim Dowgielewicz, director of store operations, who described the long history of the Wawa store using a parade of images that captured its 200-year history. Her remarks emphasized Wawa’s growth, starting in the textile industry, then into dairy to its growth as a well-known convenience store industry today. 

Dowgielewicz thanked the contributors from the Wawa corporation to the local, state and county leaders that all helped make this possible. 

The event highlighted the initiative behind the Wawa brand to expand further south into areas like Lynchburg, Virginia. 

Mark Soroka, local area manager of Wawa, emphasized the importance of Wawa in the community.  

“For Wawa it’s all about becoming a part of the community in which we operate,” Soroka said. “For us, it’s becoming a staple in the marketplace and that’s not only being there as friends and neighbors, serving friends and neighbors, but also branching out and making connections in the community.” 

Soroka also shared why customers keep going back to Wawa: the people.  

“The people are what makes a difference,” Soroka said. 

Soroka described Wawa’s impact on Campbell County’s economy. She also said the creation of the new store required a team effort from local county and state representatives. Soroka mentioned the number of investments and contractors that Wawa employs to create a store along with a management and associate team that hires and operates with over 40 employees.  

Students from Liberty University were also present at the opening of the store location with junior Sydney Plumbing and sophomore Eric Gregory excited about the new Wawa.  

“I’m from Florida, and we have a lot of Wawas, and I’ve been missing them up here,” Plumbing said. “They have good food, it’s cheap and it’s convenient to get to.” 

Gregory emphasized his love for Wawa, growing up 30 minutes from the Wawa headquarters in Pennsylvania.  

“It’s a childhood memory for me,” Gregory said. “We always go to Wawa after our track meets.” 

Lee is a news reporter.

Growing up in Ashe County, North Carolina, Liberty University’s Women’s Volleyball sophomore Paige Overcash was surrounded by sports early on.  

“I got into a lot of different sports,” Overcash said. “I ended up doing track, basketball and volleyball in high school and a little bit of softball for a year.”  

Though basketball held her interest for many years, it was not until her freshman year at Ashe County High School that she found her true love for the sport of volleyball.  

“Volleyball was not a huge sport where I’m from just because that was kind of always a basketball school,” Overcash said. “So everyone grew up going to basketball games. For me, I think volleyball just brought something different.”  

As Overcash began focusing more on the sport, she moved to a new club, Carolina Select, to expand her talents.  

“This is kind of where I started really getting into volleyball and pursuing the next level,” Overcash said. “Ashe (County) was a smaller town, so there wasn’t as much opportunity as far as big clubs in that area.” 

Overcash said many of her volleyball coaches and teammates have inspired her, but two in particular had lasting impacts during the major turning points of her career. 

“Coach Rollins, when I was a younger girl, she was kind of like the boss of volleyball in Ashe County. She helped me grow a lot in that and helped bring out that love I had for it,” Overcash said. “Lacy Rowe from Carolina Select also has (had) a huge impact on me. She really believed in me my whole time.” 

Overcash said Rowe saw potential in her despite her humble beginnings, and she owes a lot of her successes to her. 

As the time came for Overcash to commit to a collegiate program, she leaned on the Lord to give her discernment and wisdom in her choices.   

“This was something that I prayed for for a while, so I knew the Lord was going to direct me where I needed to be,” Overcash said, “I just kind of trusted he would give me that feeling and obviously Liberty has a great Christian atmosphere and it has been for a while.” 

Liberty was the first school to reach out to Overcash during her recruiting process, and she saw many drawing points for committing to the program. 

“I actually came for two years to the team camp that they have here where all the recruits get to know each other,” Overcash said. “You kind of get to live the college life and be with the girls that can potentially play with you and just be in that atmosphere. … I really felt the Lord’s presence here, so it was kind of a no-brainer for me.” 

Overcash was drawn in by the way the Lady Flames pride themselves on being a tight-knit group of girls. 

“You go through challenges together; you go through great times together. Sports are something where the feelings and experiences, you cannot really have outside of that,” Overcash said. “The fact that I get to spend that with all my teammates, it is impossible to not form an amazing bond like that.”  

While only in her second year at Liberty, Overcash is currently majoring in public health with aspirations to attend physician assistant school after Liberty to become a practitioner in dermatology. 

“Dermatology was kind of something that interested me since middle school. It is a little passion of mine,” Overcash said. “I have always been interested in the human body, super fascinated with how we work, and I think there are so many things that people do not realize can influence health and give us a better experience in life.” 

Through all her achievements in sports and academics, Overcash says that her faith is the most important thing about her, and above all, that is what she wants everyone to remember her for.  

“My time at Liberty has made it (my faith) so much stronger, which is exactly why I felt like the Lord drew me to Liberty,” Overcash said. “Obviously, there is going to be a lot of challenges in sports, but building my foundation on the Lord, something that is consistent … something I can always come back to realizing there is a reason for every struggle and every triumph.”  

Schlösser is the asst. sports editor for the Liberty Champion.

Venue Cinemas announced in July it would be closing its doors at the end of October, opting not to renew its lease after nearly a decade in business. The theater closed Oct. 26, following its last showing.  

“The past nine years have been fantastic, but it is time for us to move on to the next chapter of our lives,” management shared in a July 9 Facebook post. 

Venue Cinemas opened November 2016 in the former Visulite Lynchburg building which closed in 2012, according to Cinema Treasures. 

The theater offered a variety of screenings, from newer releases to timeless classics. Venue Cinemas commonly hosted Venue Classics events, in which they would play older movies often based on the season. Many enjoyed visiting the theater during the seasonal screenings for Christmas and Halloween.  

“I’m really sad the movie theater is leaving,” senior Hannah Dugan said. “My friends and I would come every fall to see the Halloween movies, and I am going to miss doing that.” 

Though the theater shared on Facebook that they are searching for someone to take over their lease, there has been no public response — other than that of residents sad to see it go.  

“It’s incredibly unfortunate to see such an amazing business close down. I used to love to go almost weekly,” Autumn Jade, a regular customer, said.  

When the theater opened, it announced that it would continue the tradition of cheap movies, offering $3 matinees and $4 evening showings. This tradition made the theater a hotspot for college students as well as local families searching for affordable leisure activities. 

In an article by the Champion covering the opening of the theater in 2016, Robert Harrison Jr., the original owner of Venue Cinemas, spoke of his passion for movies. 

“Seeing those big climactic movies like ‘Star Wars’ on the big screen makes a huge difference,” Harrison said. “I want to make sure people still have that chance, but at a reasonable price.” 

Harrison bought the property with the goal of sharing his love for movies with the community.  

“Venue Cinemas will mirror what the Cinemark 10 theater did here in Lynchburg,” Harrison said. “The price per movie will be low to attract college students and people in the community to come out and watch.” 

Now the hope is that someone will follow suit and purchase the theater to continue its legacy. Many members of the community have shown support for the theater online and have called for someone to continue its legacy of affordable movies in Lynchburg. 

“Venue Cinemas was so fantastic because the affordable tickets, delicious popcorn, friendly staff and old-fashioned feel of the movie theater would give me nostalgia in the best way,” Jade said. 

Despite attempts to reach out to the business for a statement, no response was given. 

White is the sports editor.

Shortly before his passing in 2007, Jerry Falwell Sr. brought Linda Cooper, the chair of the Theatre Arts Department, to the 85-foot-high room that was used to provide lighting in the former General Electric/Ericsson building — now known as Marie F. Green Hall — which had been donated to Liberty University in 2003.  

The tower could not have looked less like a Broadway performance space, but when Falwell brought Cooper to the very spot that would one day house the Tower Theater, he barely got the question out before she responded with an emphatic “yes!” 

To Cooper, no amount of warehouse clutter could cloud her vision of bringing about a new kind of electricity through the talents of her performing arts students. With Cooper’s experience in producing show after show in the Lloyd Auditorium in the Fine Arts Hall, which was a former psychology lab on main campus holding 250 metal folding chairs, it was second nature for her to creatively bring art to life.  

When Falwell passed away soon after their visit, the vision for the Tower Theater was put on hold. It wasn’t until an announcement took Cooper by surprise during Convocation in 2009 when she learned of the renovation’s revival. 

“(Jerry Jr.) took me to this building, to the very same spot his father did,” Cooper said. “… I said, ‘how’d you know?’ and he went, ‘what do you mean?’ and I said, ‘how’d you know this is where your father chose?’ He had no idea.” 

Looking back, Cooper said it seemed like it was meant to be. Not only was the height of the existing ceilings the exact minimum requirement for a professional-level fly tower but reinventing the existing space cost considerably less than it would have otherwise.  

BCWH, the Richmond-based architecture firm responsible for refurbishing the 640-seat auditorium won an award from the Virginia Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers for their work repurposing a found space in 2011. 

When the 10-month renovation was nearly complete, the department hosted a dedication night with alumni. Unbeknownst to the current Theatre Arts students, each attendee wrote Bible verses and encouraging messages for future generations underneath the floorboards of the Tower Theater, knowing they would never get to step onto that stage to perform. 

At the opening night of “Hairspray,” the start of the Tower Theater’s debut season, Cooper recognized the faculty during her curtain speech — one of whom was Associate Professor Neal Brasher, who came to work for Liberty in 2004. 

“I remember when the orchestra did the overture and that big grand drape rose up for the first time on that stage,” Brasher said. “It was a pretty great feeling.” 

Back in 2005, it was Cooper and Brasher who collaborated on the curriculum for the theatre arts performance and theatre production majors due to popular demand following the introduction of the minor four years prior. 

Before the students could enroll in any classes, Liberty Theatre started up as a club with its debut show, “She Loves Me” in 1997 after the original drama department ceased operation.  

Although performers in the beginning all had differing fields of study, many ended up participating in professional theater following graduation. With each show, the interest in the club increased. 

“I ordered the costumes out of a catalogue,” Cooper said. “I went around town and bought all the props. My husband built the sets, and then when we started doing too many shows we got the cabinet shop to build the sets.” 

Upon the grand opening of the Tower Theater, the department now had access to about 12,000 square feet of space in total, including a scene shop and costume shop, advancements in lighting and projections, as well as an orchestra pit and side stages. 

In 2017, the Black Box Theater opened with the purpose of providing a more intimate acting space for shows that required more detailed acting performances. Last summer, the Theatre Arts Department unveiled a new photo wall at this location, detailing the last 15 years spent in Green Hall, including “Hairspray,” the season opener that started it all in fall 2010. 

“That wall reminds me of all the shows we did before we came over here and how those students were the true pioneers,” Cooper said. “They were the ones willing to put on excellent shows without everything we have. And they loved it. And because they loved it, the audience loved it. And we wouldn’t have what we have today if it weren’t for those students.” 

When Brasher reflects on the humble beginnings of the Theatre Arts Department, he is reminded of all of the other staff members and faculty who supported their work throughout the years. He said the Tower Theater symbolizes the blessing that comes about from stewardship and using creativity to overcome challenges. 

“Restrictions, and even censorship, encourages creativity,” Brasher said. “… limitations actually provoke creativity because you have to come up with something. So, having worked in a smaller space like the Lloyd would be helpful to anybody because you are required to come up with more things.” 

Cooper said she often reflects on the many real-life storylines that have taken place off of the stage with the students who came through the program. 

“I think of all the students that have come through here — the ones who have gone off to do bigger and better things, the ones who have fallen in love and gotten married,” Cooper said. “I think about all of their kids. About how many there are now. I’m just reminded of all of their beautiful hearts and beautiful people that we’ve had the privilege of working with over the years.” 

Hagen is the feature editor.

It’s no secret that many students on campus dream of marriage and starting a family — a beautiful and worthy goal to have. But within that commitment, young couples must consider the realities that come with building a stable home. There can be significant emotional and psychological damage in children’s lives when a parent is not active in the family’s life or worse, removed from a divorce.  

Divorce rates have been skyrocketing around the country, bringing alarming consequences as children process their parents’ broken marriage. 

World Psychiatry studied the mental impacts on childhood development when growing up in a split household — finding that “only 60% of U.S. children live with their married, biological parents.”  

“Research has documented that parental divorce/separation is associated with an increased risk for child and adolescent adjustment problems, including academic difficulties (e.g., lower grades and school dropout), disruptive behaviors (e.g., conduct and substance use problems), and depressed mood,” according to World Psychiatry. 

Psychology Today analyzed this further, emphasizing the detrimental consequences on a child’s development if one parent is absent.  

“Children from families in which the parents had divorced had statistically lower overall scores for the Human Capability Index,” the article said. “They were also statistically less likely to be developmentally on track than children whose parents were still married.” 

Furthermore, children will naturally learn from the actions of their parents. These behaviors — both good or bad — can shape a child’s view of relationships, commitment and handling conflict. Their expectations of a future relationship can become distorted when they witness a divorce, especially ones involving infidelity, abuse or addiction. In some cases, young minds are impressed on, subconsciously replicating the actions of their parents — or they might believe that behavior is a normal part of marriage, leading to more hurt later in their lives. 

“Offspring of divorced/separated parents are also more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior, live in poverty, and experience their own family instability,” according to World Psychiatry. “Risk typically increases by a factor between 1.5 and 2.”  

Bad habits are hard to break, and the effects of generational trauma follow us. The fallen world pushes people toward evil desires, and once sin is born, it grows into death (James 1:14-17). This death often affects more than just ourselves. 

Many of my friends have grown up in divorced homes, and I can see the detriment caused by their broken homes. That pain never goes away, and most of them live in rotation between their mom and dad.  

The only remedy for this worldwide issue is the bonding power of Jesus Christ. When marriages remain true to biblical principles, the potential for divorce goes down.  

It is like a triangle, with both partners at the bottom corners and Christ at the top. The closer the couple gets to Christ, the closer they will grow together. Failing to put Christ first allows one to fall into sinful acts more easily.  

Marriage is a good thing, and cutting down marriage rates is not the answer to solving the problem of separated households. Even if you are not married or do not have aspirations of having a family, understanding the detrimental effects of divorce can help you empathize with those who are struggling with a broken household. I believe a Christ-first marriage and proactively healthy marital and parenting relationships within the household can give children a better environment to grow and develop in. 

Warden is the opinion editor for the Liberty Champion.

Liberty University’s School of Aeronautics Drone Team and the Department of Emergency Management & Community Engagement held its first Drone Fest Oct. 22, from 3-7 p.m. on the Academic Lawn.  

Frontier Precision, Textron Systems, Platform Aerospace, Zenith Aerotech and Old Dominion Aerial set up drones, and attendees were given the chance to watch them take flight. 

These companies operate in the areas of surveillance, contracting and agriculture. This event provided an opportunity for them to showcase their technology to Liberty students and open the door for them to find opportunities in the developing field of drone technology.  

John-Wesley Sloan, senior community engagement analyst for the Department of Emergency Management and Community Engagement, co-coordinated Drone Fest. 

“This is the awareness phase,” Sloan said. 

Sloan said Liberty had been prohibiting drone usage on campus, and to begin to raise awareness about regulations, the School of Aeronautics and the Department of Emergency Management & Community Engagement partnered earlier this year. Drone Fest stemmed from that partnership.  

“We want to raise awareness to all of the students, … faculty, staff and even our guests who are flying drones on this campus and not going through the proper procedures, because you could be breaking a FAA regulation,” Sloan said.  

This event served as a marketing opportunity for the companies as well as a career opportunity for students interested in the program. 

“If you’re an undecided student in Liberty University, there’s very few programs that even come close to what the drone team is doing,” Sloan said. 

Brayden Johnson, associate director of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operations at the School of Aeronautics and co-coordinator of Drone Fest, said he hopes attendees leave with an awareness of how Liberty can prepare them to be skilled and knowledgeable in UAS operations. 

Senior Connor Bradley owns Old Dominion Aerial. He said that he was looking for interns at Drone Fest to help Old Dominion Aerial run large-scale, crop-spraying operations.  

“We have a large amount of work that we … need pilots to fly for us. We have a big opportunity to provide people with lots of good experience that really no other company is doing,” Bradley said. 

Christopher Maier represented Textron Systems, a defense contractor, at Drone Fest. 

“As a UAS major at Liberty through the School of Aeronautics, you have the option to enroll with Textron Systems as a semester training program,” Maier said.  

Students can enroll in the program for a semester and graduate with an Aerosonde certification, which would allow students to fly the Aerosonde aircraft for Textron customers. 

Junior Noah Liscom attended the event and flew one of the drones.  

“Drones are continuing to develop,” Liscom said. “I’m doing aviation maintenance management. … It’ll be helpful if I want to work for a drone manufacturer. … Defense companies are going more toward drones in general.” 

According to Sloan, students in any major can also add a minor in small UAS to learn how to fly drones in many different industries including emergency services, cinematography, agriculture and delivery services.  

The university policies for drone safety are available on the Champion Safe App or at   www.liberty.edu/aeronautics/uas-operations-and-campus-drone-policy. 

Danilson is a news reporter.

The fourth annual Liberty University Auto Show occurred Oct. 17-18 at the River Ridge Mall to showcase a lively display of automotive excellence and student initiative.  

As Virginia’s largest outdoor auto show, the event drew crowds of students, families and car enthusiasts from across Central Virginia.  

Entirely student-led and organized, the Liberty Auto Show featured well-known automotive brands including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Chevrolet, Volkswagen, Tesla and more. Each brand was represented by a team of students who managed their own booth and designed it around a creative theme, allowing every display to reflect both professional presentation and student talent.  

Guests explored an impressive range of vehicles, from luxury sports cars and sedans to electric models and off-road Jeeps and trucks. The west side of the mall became a space where innovation and design met community engagement.  

Throughout the weekend, visitors experienced interactive exhibits, photo opportunities and live demonstrations that showcased the variety and performance of the vehicles on display. Guests were also able to connect with brand representatives and Liberty students to learn about the latest trends in automotive technology, sustainability and design.  

For many attendees, the show offered a rare opportunity to see their favorite cars up close. Senior Thomas Heath shared his excitement about the experience.  

For many attendees, the show offered a rare opportunity to see their favorite cars up close. Senior Thomas Heath shared his excitement about the experience.  

The event also provided students with opportunities for leadership, teamwork and hands-on learning. Ashley Heller, a sophomore and captain of the Volkswagen team, emphasized the value of creativity and connection within the event. 

“The auto show is a unique opportunity to get experience in the car world while getting to showcase creativity,” Heller said. “It makes a space to connect with other peers who have a passion for cars and create community with Lynchburg.” 

As the weekend came to a close, Liberty’s student teams celebrated another successful year. With strong attendance, major brand participation and collaborative planning, the Liberty University Auto Show continues to grow as a highlight of the fall semester and a testament to student professionalism. 

More information on next year’s auto show and how to get involved is available on Instagram @luautoshow. 

Clardy is the off-campus news editor.

The Liberty University Women’s Beach Volleyball team dominated in its first tournament of the season Oct. 18 on the Sand Volleyball Courts.  

Families and supporters gathered to cheer on the Lady Flames in the Beach Fall Tournament as they faced off against Stevenson University 10-4, Southern Virginia University 6-0 and the University of Lynchburg 11-6. 

The Lady Flames have been training since August for the 2025 season. The event featured 56 matches across four courts, with smaller tournament brackets on each court.  

The Lady Flames started out the morning strong. On court one, sophomore Josephine Malone secured the game-winning point with a spike set up by teammate sophomore Anna Moody, who played a key role in garnering the team’s early momentum. The dynamic duo continued to shine throughout the day, eventually taking home the court one championship with a win over Lynchburg 21-12. 

Liberty maintained its rhythm through the afternoon. Sophomore Jessa Matthews and freshman Cambre Phillips fought a close battle against Stevenson, trading points until the final serve, where the Liberty duo narrowly claimed the victory. The pair bounced back with a commanding 21-8 win in their next game. 

As the temperature rose, so did the competition. The evening sun beat down as matches intensified across the sand. 

Facing a Lynchburg duo, junior Kate Richards and senior Katelyn Walters mounted a comeback from a 5-point deficit to tie the game 21-21 before Walters sealed the victory with a powerful spike. 

By the end of the day, the top-performing pairs advanced to their court championships. Malone and Moody clinched the win on court one. The pair went 5-0 for the day along with the duo of Matthews and Phillips, due to Stevenson’s forfeit in the championship on court two. 

Graduate student Gracie Hall and freshman Lea Tsamadias went 4-1 for the day, ultimately falling short in the court three championship against Southern Virginia 21-17.  

Lynchburg was able to claim the victory on court four due to an injury on the Liberty squad, causing a forfeit from the Lady Flames. 

Overall, Liberty dominated its opponents, winning 27-of-37 matches played. 

Throughout the tournament, Liberty’s strong sense of community was on full display. Before each match, the Lady Flames introduced themselves to their opponents and prayed together, fostering a spirit of sportsmanship and faith.  

Head Coach Payton Carter reflected on how the team has developed in practice to become a unified front to start the season. 

“We have a lot of newcomers this year, so there was a learning curve … in the beginning,” Carter said. “The returners really stepped up — especially my spiritual leaders Kate Richards, Avaree Kellert and Kinley Phillips. They encouraged the team to create a unified mission to truly train for Christ. The competitiveness at practice keeps increasing.” 

Carter also praised the effort she has seen put in by her athletes so far this season. 

“We are a young team with a high potential because these ladies are hard workers and have a true desire to win,” Carter said. 

Carter encourages her players to play for a higher purpose, emphasizing the work they do off the sand courts. 

“When they realize they are playing for something bigger than themselves, they trust each other and want to work hard for their teammates,” Carter said. 

For their next home competition on Nov. 2, the Lady Flames will host an open tournament where students can sign up to play. Join the fun at the Sand Volleyball Courts at 1:00 p.m. in your best costume. 

Potter is a sports reporter.

Israeli actress and activist Noa Tishby led a moderated panel during Convocation Oct. 22 with Noam Ben David and Moran Stella Yanai, who are survivors from Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel.  

Tishby, who is known for leading a national tour entitled, “Voices of October,” first took to the stage to describe her passion for educating and informing students about combating antisemitism. She then transitioned the discussion to focus on the personal accounts of Yanai and Ben David, since they were both present at the Nova Music Festival in Israel when a barrage of missiles lit up the sky and Hamas militants initiated a violent massacre.  

Tishby kickstarted her tour in March 2025 by speaking at five college campuses around the nation so far with the goal of helping students understand the facts of what happened on Black Saturday. She began this tour in tandem with her nonprofit, Eighteen, which is meant to further her goal of stopping the spread of antisemitism. 

In an interview following Convocation, Tishby said it is vital for students to hear from Oct. 7 attack survivors. 

“Israel is such a central place for the world, that you really should not form an opinion about it without having all the facts and without knowing what it is that you are talking about,” Tishby said. “So it’s been very important for me to speak at college campuses and speak to communities all over the world, on my own and with Noam and Moran.”   

She said she feels blessed to be able to travel alongside Ben David and Yanai and share their stories with students. However, she does not take this tour lightly since they are both survivors who have had to recover from the mental and physical trauma.  

Tishby said she crossed paths with Ben David a month after the Oct. 7 attack in Israel at a rehabilitation center. She said Ben David was in a wheelchair due to the injuries she sustained after being shot in the hip by Hamas gunmen. Ben David had attended the festival with her boyfriend, David Newman, and she told Tishby how difficult it had been after he was killed during the massacre.  

“She shared the day with me and we cried together and hugged and went through that whole kind of process together,” Tishby said. “And we stayed in touch, and she told me at the time that while she was still in the wheelchair, she said, ‘we will dance again,’ and I was floored by that.” 

A few months later, Tishby invited Ben David to a large party in Tel Aviv, Israel, to dance on stage again. Tishby said that time on stage became a defining moment for their friendship. 

When Tishby was back at her home in Los Angeles, she met Yanai, who shared her story of how she was taken hostage by Hamas after trying to sell her jewelry as a vendor at the Nova festival.  She said she always tries to be mindful of how painful it is for Ben David and Yanai to recount their experiences.  

Tishby said she first heard about the Oct. 7 attack while she was having dinner with a friend in Los Angeles, where it was still Oct. 6. She said her sister, who was in Israel at the time, suddenly FaceTimed her as her family had just run into the bomb shelter after a barrage of rockets were fired at Israel.  

Tishby said roughly 10 minutes after learning of the attack, she grabbed her phone and began broadcasting to the world through social media to update people. She said she was one of the first to talk about the attacks in Israel since legacy media outlets were not discussing it.  

“I think that nothing can move forward in the Middle East if Hamas is allowed to maintain control over the Palestinian people. Palestinian lives deserve better than a jihadi terrorist organization that is willing to sacrifice them, because that’s what they did on Oct. 7,” Tishby said.  

Tishby advised any student who wants to jump into activism to learn how to research and seek credible information.  

“I think that one of the most important things that you can do in life, in general, but especially in this line of work, is know your facts — and know history. If you can have your facts and … you can train yourself to not get fazed or triggered, then you got almost the entire thing,” Tishby said.  

Tishby said pro-Hamas movements like to use false hyperbolic information in order to get a rise out of people. She said if students can refute this information, then they will be stronger activists, rooted in the truth.  

“The biggest obstacle that we’re dealing with right now is social media and online agents spreading intentional misinformation in order to divide America,” Tishby said. “ … Israel (is) patient zero in a worldwide war on truth. And we are just an example of what can happen if we’re not on the same page, in terms of history and facts. So, we used to debate opinions, now we’re debating reality.” 

Davis is the editor-in-chief.

Over 200 runners took off at the Hydaway Outdoor Center early Oct. 18 for the 19th annual Deep Hollow Half Marathon & 5K race.  

Runners for the half-marathon began their race at 8 a.m., and the 5K runners started 15 minutes after.  

This race kicked off the Liberty Mountain Trail Series, the first of five races throughout the rest of the school year.  

Director of Outdoor Recreation Katy Clay said this race has become a staple for the community, although they see new runners each year.  

“Lynchburg has a very strong running community,” Clay said. “I’ve lived all over the country, and this is by far the biggest running community I’ve ever lived in. … This is a tradition for a lot of people.”  

Clay said that 286 participants signed up, and about 40% of runners are students, faculty and staff at Liberty. The remaining 60% are members of the surrounding community.  

All registered runners were entered into raffles to win prizes. Award ceremonies took place after each race for the top three runners in each gender and age group. The half-marathon finishers all received branded quick-dry towels as a reward for their race.  

Sophomore Jacob Alberici ran the 5K race with his friends, and this was not his first run on Liberty Mountain.  

“I’ve done this in the past, and I wanted to go with my friends, so we all signed up. … The race is kind of crazy because it’s all uphill to Snowflex and then you turn and run back down,” Alberici said.   

Alberici said that the races Liberty hosts are the best way to get involved in the community.  

“You’re not going to find a better deal for running races than here at Liberty,” Alberici said. “I did all five of last years.”  

Sophomore and Vice President of the Liberty Running Club Joseph Stepp came in first place overall in the half-marathon race. He said his win came from the preparation he did the night before.  

“Last night I was thinking about how to prepare for this race mentally, and my girlfriend was like, ‘Don’t think about time. Don’t think about pace — think of something that will keep your mind off the race,’” Stepp said.  

Stepp said his girlfriend will sing a song in her head while running, and he decided to give it a try. He chose the song “Banks” by NEEDTOBREATHE. Stepp said that his training and discipline are what have allowed him to get to this point in his running career.

 “A lot of it is consistency. Just going out and running over and over again is the biggest part of long-distance training,” Stepp said.   

Stepp also said that what allowed him to find joy and community while in school was finding those with similar interests.  

“Find community,” Stepp said. “I didn’t know about the run club until halfway through my fall semester freshman year, and once I found it, it was a game changer.” 

Other races coming up this year include the Valley View Mike Donahue 5-Miler Nov. 8 and the Reindeer Run 2-Miler Dec. 6. In the spring, the Arctic 5K will take place Feb. 7, 2026, and the King of the Mountain will set off March 7, 2026.  

For more information or to register for these races, visit www.liberty.edu/campusrec/hydaway-outdoor-center/races. 

Riden is the on-campus news editor.

The Liberty University Women’s Soccer team closed out the regular season with a 2-0 win against Sam Houston State University Oct. 26.  

With the victory, the Lady Flames became the regular season co-champions of Conference USA (CUSA), sharing the title with Western Kentucky University. The win also marked the 100th Liberty career win for Head Coach Lang Wedemeyer.  

“One hundred wins at Liberty have been fantastic, and we just feel really blessed. God has given me an amazing platform to come and be able to pour into young women,” Wedemeyer said. “I’ve been incredibly blessed to have some amazing players and amazing people, and that’s really the heart of Liberty.” 

The Lady Flames leading goal scorer, senior forward Ivy Garner, tested the Lady Bearkats defense right out of the gate, forcing Sam Houston graduate student goalkeeper Katie Bahn to record a save only 30 seconds into the game. Liberty stayed on the attack, controlling the ball throughout the first half to keep Sam Houston in its defensive set. However, despite constant attacks and multiple good looks, the two were tied for most of the first half.  

With just under three minutes to halftime, the Lady Flames struck first, capitalizing on their fourth corner kick of the game. Junior defender Carly Keene lifted the ball across the field to find her fellow junior defender Lauren Littleton in front of the left post, where Littleton tapped the ball in for her second score of the season.  

“Carly crossed the ball in. I thought the keeper was going to save it. She didn’t, and it came to me. I was like, ‘Oh shoot, I can’t miss this,’ and so I just tapped it in,” Littleton said.  

Liberty set the tone to begin the second half with a near goal, as sophomore forward Avery Paulson took a shot just outside the top of the box, forcing Sam Houston’s Bahn to make a leaping save. The Lady Flames’ constant pressure paid off as sophomore midfielder Haley Noblit found Garner in the middle of the field. Garner turned the corner and raced around the defense to send the ball past Bahn for her 10th goal of the season.  

The Lady Flames held off the Lady Bearkats to seal the 2-0 victory, finishing the regular season with a 11-3-4 record. Liberty outshot Sam Houston 25-9, only allowing two shots on goal, as the team enters the postseason with a six-game-winning streak. 

“We’ve been able to put teams away recently. We’d like to score a few more goals, but we’re creating a lot of dangerous chances, so that’s a positive for us,” Wedemeyer said.  

Liberty now turns to the CUSA tournament as the No. 2 seed. The tournament will be hosted at Osborne Stadium starting Nov. 2 where Liberty is set to take on Louisiana Tech University at 11 a.m. For the third year in a row, the Lady Flames look to reach the CUSA conference title game.  

Szepanski is a sports reporter.