Staff

William Young

Editor-in-Chief

weyoung@liberty.edu

Will is a senior journalism student with minors in business and government. He shows favoritism for topics related to the economy and state of corporate America. He has served as a reporter, photographer, Senior News Editor and currently, Editor-in-Chief of the Liberty Champion.

Follow him on Twitter @weyoung8

 

Nate Haywood

Graduate Student Assistant

nahaywood@liberty.edu

Nate is pursuing his Masters of Arts in Strategic Communications. He formerly served on staff as a reporter, Senior Sports Editor, and Editor-in-chief. He is also a DC sports fan, so he says your prayers are deeply appreciated.

Follow him on Twitter @Coach_Haywood31

 

 

 

Jack Panyard

News Editor

jepanyard@liberty.edu

Jack is a junior journalism student. He has served as a reporter and copy editor and is presently the Senior News Editor on our staff. He also hates the oxford comma.

 

Follow him on Twitter @draynap

 

 

Erin Covey

Asst. News Editor

ercovey@liberty.edu

Erin is a junior journalism major and English minor who is passionate about telling other people’s stories. She enjoys traveling, reading the daily news, and eating too much Mexican food.

 

Follow her on Twitter @erincovey97

 

 

Elizabeth Lapp

Opinion Editor

elapp@liberty.edu

 

 

 

 

 

 

TJ Davis

Sports Editor

adavis331@liberty.edu

TJ is a senior journalism student. He has served on staff as a reporter, Asst. Sports Editor, and now Senior Sports Editor. He describes himself as a recovering Mario Kart addict, rice pudding enthusiast, avid member of the NRA, and an aspiring bird watcher.

 

Follow him on Twitter @Ttown316

 

Logan Smith

Asst. Sports Editor

lcsmith1@liberty.edu

Logan is a junior journalism student. He currently serves as the Asst. Sports Editor as well as the Distribution Manager. Logan enjoys reading, writing and telling stories through any means necessary. His hobbies include sports, video game, anime, Magic: The Gathering and pizza.

Follow him on Twitter @l_csmith1

 

 

 

Jordan Jarrett

Feature Editor

jjarrett4@liberty.edu

Jordan serves as the Feature Editor on staff. Her passion for storytelling spans writing, photography and video production. The lives of the people around us, whether prominent or forgotten, often inspire her as much as any masterpiece Spielberg or Nolan could offer. Jordan specializes in personal profiles and narratives, believing that even the everyday can be marvelous.

Follow her on Twitter @jordangjarrett

 

Sarah Jackson

Copy Editor

sjackson81@liberty.edu

Junior year English major. Unofficial grammar nerd. Music lover. Avid reader. Sarcasm aficionado.

 

 

 

 

 

Emma Smith

Copy Editor

esmith83@liberty.edu

Emma is a lifetime learner with an eye for detail. She started her writing career with news writing and has since dabbled in content development, curriculum writing and photojournalism. When she’s not putting pen to paper, you can find her sipping pour over coffee or browsing an antique mall.

Follow her on Twitter @smithem1029

 

 

Leah DePiero

Web Content Editor

ldepiero@liberty.edu

Christ follower. Journalist. World traveler. Bibliophile. She currently serves as the Web Content and Contributing Editor on staff.

 

Follow her on Twitter @lcdepiero

 

 

Dean Hinnant

Photography Editor

ghinnant@liberty.edu

Dean is a senior studying Business and Strategic Communications. His favorite things to photograph include portraits of people, landscapes, and urban settings. He’s exceptionally curious about everything, which means that like most other millennials, he lives off coffee. He also wrote this in third person, which was kind of weird to be honest.

Follow him on Instagram @dean_hinnant

Website: hinnant.squarespace.com

 

Jacob Buwalda

Photography Editor

jbuwalda@liberty.edu

Jacob is a second semester Junior with a major in Graphic Design and a minor in Photography.  He became interested in photography at age 11 on a family trip to Yellowstone.  Photography has become his passion and his work can be seen on his website jacobrbuwalda.com.  Jacob enjoys playing guitar and is in the worship band at Brentwood Church.

Follow him on Instagram @jacobrbuwalda

 

 

Josiah O’Boyle

Graphic Designer

joboyle@liberty.edu

Josiah is a junior graphic design major in his second year on staff at the Liberty Champion.

 

 

Follow him on Instagram @jozventure

 

 

Sarah Keller

Graphic Designer

smkeller3@liberty.edu

Sarah is a junior graphic design major in her second year on staff at the Liberty Champion.

 

 

Follow her on Instagram @smkeller.design

 

Deanna Drogan

Social Media Manager

ddrogan@liberty.edu

Deanna is a junior from Charlotte, NC studying journalism. She is very excited to be serving on staff with the Champion this year as their social media manager. She has experience helping manage social media for Coca-Cola bottling Consolidated and for her church back in Charlotte. She is passionate about the Lord, others, and digital arts.

Follow her on Twitter @Deedrogan5

 

 

Prof. Deborah Huff

Champion Advisor

dwhuff@liberty.edu

Prof. Huff has been overseeing the operations of the Liberty Champion for over 20 years. She teaches a multitude of Journalism classes for the School of Communication and Digital Content. She has a BA in Journalism from Morehead State University and her MBA from Xavier University.

Follow her on Twitter @DebHuff

 

 

Matthew Pierce

Advertising Director

mpierce17@liberty.edu

Matt has served as a reporter, photographer, and now the Advertising Director for the Liberty Champion. He received his BA in Journalism from Liberty University and is currently pursuing his MACM in Evangelism and Church Planting from Liberty’s School of Divinity.

 

Follow him on Twitter @Pattmierce20