Forbes recognizes alumna as ‘game-changer’
Alumna Tori Utley was honored by Forbes as one of 1,000 rising “game-changers” at its first-ever Under 30 Summit, Oct. 19-22 in Philadelphia.
The Forbes 30 Under 30 list highlights ambitious young professionals from 15 different fields who show promise in their vocations. Past “game-changers” have included the previously unknown founders of Spotify, Instagram, and Tumblr, along with a number of well-known actors, musicians, and business heavyweights.
Utley, 21, of Rochester, Minn., recently completed her M.B.A. through Liberty’s online program while working with the globally renowned Mayo Clinic. She completed her B.S. in Psychology at Liberty in 2012 at age 19.
“The Forbes Summit was incredible,” Utley said. “It was honoring and life-changing to be included in a group of such energetic, creative, intelligent minds. Interacting with others who were so focused not only on innovating and changing the nature of their industries, but also on making an impact on the world, was humbling. The ideas people had were amazing and are truly going to change the nature of every industry moving into the future.”
At the Mayo Clinic, Utley manages stewardship reports and other recognition programs for benefactors whose donations exceed $1 million. She has also worked with Mission21, which fights child sex trafficking. Utley is currently using her expertise in psychology to create and market an iPhone app called “MoodCheck” that monitors mood patterns of patients on psychiatric medications. As a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor in Minnesota, she also lives out her passion to help others.
“My experience at Liberty University has been instrumental in driving my career at Mayo Clinic and the other companies I work for,” Utley said. “My professors have pushed me out of my comfort zone with assignments and have gotten me well-accustomed to asking questions, learning to research, and learning how to think critically.”
Utley hopes to expand her reach into the areas of technology and public policy with the Mayo Clinic.
“I have always felt confident in my education. An education at Liberty University has equipped me with a strong academic background and the urge to be a lifelong learner,” Utley said.
Alumnus wins Christian novel-writing contest
Dr. Paul Bennett (’95) won first place in the Athanatos Christian Ministries’ (ACM) 2014 Christian Novel Contest for his book, “A Fall of Sparrows.” The novel was also named among the top five novels in the 2013 Operation First Novel contest by the Christian Writers Guild.
ACM awarded him $1,500 in prize money and published his novel, which releases in March.
“I was both shocked and humbled when I was notified that my novel had won a national writing contest,” said Bennett, a physician specializing in Internal Medicine at Lynchburg General Hospital. “I have always wanted to write and publish a novel since I was very young, and I had been praying that God would use this novel as He saw fit to draw people to Him.”
Bennett graduated from Liberty as a pre-med student. He said his time at Liberty played a crucial role in solidifying his Christian beliefs and forming the foundation for how he relates to people.
“I met many of the heroes in my life while I was at Liberty, and many of their positive influences are portrayed in the book’s characters,” Bennett said.
The book is set during the Civil War. It follows a Confederate soldier who encounters an escaped slave and goes against orders to guide her through the Virginia war zone to connect with the Underground Railroad.
“It’s my hope that when people read ‘A Fall of Sparrows,’ they will discover an exciting and unique Christian novel that does not shy away from confronting difficult and dangerous situations,” Bennett said. “I hope they find hope and unconditional love portrayed through every page and discover a unique hero who is truly worth cheering for. Most of all, it is my hope that the message of salvation, woven throughout the book, is clear and convincing.”
Biology professor receives fellowship for breast cancer research
Dr. Ben Kalu, an assistant professor in Liberty University’s Department of Biology & Chemistry, spent his Christmas break studying the molecular signatures of breast cancer in his homeland of Nigeria.
Kalu graduated from Abia State University (ABSU) in Nigeria in 2007 with an M.D. in medicine and surgery and has taught medical biochemistry and physiology at Liberty for the past three years. In Nigeria, he collaborated with one of his former professors, Dr. Charles Adisa, in the surgical oncology unit of ABSU’s teaching hospital.
Kalu and Adisa were among the second group of recipients of project funding through the new Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program, which selected 33 scholars based in the United States and Canada. Recipients collaborate with universities in their native African countries on research, graduate teaching, training, and mentoring. Areas of study range from the arts and humanities to the sciences, engineering, and technology.
Breast cancer has the highest mortality rate of any cancer in Nigeria. Patients there have a particularly aggressive form of the disease that is resistant to chemotherapy. Kalu and Adisa collected tissue samples from patients, and Kalu began analyzing them upon his return to Liberty, using a gene sequencer. Their objective is to identify the unique genetic makeup of this rare cancer to develop more effective diagnostic and treatment strategies.
“I trained in Nigeria, so I know the challenges of medical education there,” Kalu said. “Having had some graduate training in the U.S., I know how I can help, and this fellowship grant provided me that opportunity. It’s something that’s been on my heart for quite a while, and I think it’s the Lord who made it all work out.”
Dr. David DeWitt, chair of the Department of Biology & Chemistry, said the Carnegie Fellowships are very prestigious. “It’s a tremendous honor for him and particularly for the university,” he said. “It’s further recognition of the quality of our faculty and particularly the area of biomedicine and molecular biology. I anticipate Dr. Kalu will have some major research findings that, hopefully, will lead to better treatments for breast cancer in Africa.”
Student excels in campus leadership, fights for conservative causes
Chelsea Andrews speaks at a Stand with Israel rally.
Senior Class President Chelsea Andrews was one of 20 students across the U.S. chosen to receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Israel in December through Christians United for Israel (CUFI), the largest pro-Israel organization in the U.S. The late Dr. Jerry Falwell, Liberty’s founder, served as a CUFI charter member and was the first recipient of CUFI’s Defender of Israel Award.
“It’s cool that even though I never met Dr. Falwell, students at Liberty are still advancing his passions,” Andrews said.
At Liberty, Andrews has also served as a campus relations specialist, Young Women for America Club chapter president, Student Appeals Court justice, and vice president of Liberty’s National Society for Leadership and Success.
“Leading peers is not only about being able to speak publicly, manage your time, or delegate; it’s about being a servant leader,” Andrews said. “Whether through prayer groups, mission trips, or watching the way that my professors interact with their students, serving others is what Liberty University has best prepared me for.”
In October, Andrews spoke at the Rally for Israel in Washington, D.C., where she shared the stage with notable figures such as Gov. Mike Huckabee, television host and political commentator Erick Stakelbeck, Congressman Trent Franks, and Liberty alumni Penny Nance, president and CEO of Concerned Women for America (CWA), and Alison Howard (’11), CWA’s communications director. Andrews was the only student invited to speak.
After becoming a Christian during her freshman year at Liberty, Andrews felt called to focus her time on fighting for three key areas: the pro-Israel movement, putting an end to human trafficking, and the pro-life cause.
“I didn’t believe that God would physically make my heart hurt for no reason,” Andrews said. “I remember crying watching a (sex-trafficking) documentary and promising God that I would do something about sex trafficking.”
Since then, she has hosted two weeklong awareness events on campus.
“I can genuinely say I’ll continue to fight this issue for the remainder of my life,” she said.
Upon graduation in May, Andrews hopes to do communications work for a conservative nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C.
Archaeology professor immerses students in the world of the Bible
Dr. Randall Price, a distinguished research professor at Liberty University, uses his expertise in archaeology, biblical prophecy, and the Middle East to lead expeditions across the ancient world in search of artifacts that might shed more light on the discoveries of the Dead Sea Scrolls — or even lead to new discoveries, such as Noah’s Ark.
Price is the executive director of Liberty’s Center for Judaic Studies, where he capitalizes on his 20-plus years of traveling, researching, speaking, and writing. He uses his expertise in prophecy, Israel, and archaeology to “bring students into the reality of the Bible.” Price regularly leads Liberty students on excavations in Israel.
“Through the center, Liberty can tell the story of the Bible in a visual way that impacts students with the value of the Jewish faith,” Price said.
The center also houses the Liberty Biblical Museum, a collection of fossils and artifacts spanning virtually all of biblical history.
Price also educates Christians on prophecy, the Middle East, and historical evidence for the Bible through his ministry, World of the Bible. He has spent more than a decade directing excavations on the Qumran Plateau, the site of the community that penned the Dead Sea Scrolls. Since 2008, Price has led expeditions in Turkey to search for Noah’s Ark, climbing Mount Ararat six times and narrowing the search with ground-penetrating radar and satellite imagery.
Price has appeared on many television networks, including National Geographic, The Discovery Channel, the History Channel, and on CBN’s “The 700 Club.”
Price earned his Th.M. in Old Testament and Semitic Languages from Dallas Theological Seminary and his Ph.D. in Middle Eastern Studies with concentrations in Jewish studies and biblical archaeology from the University of Texas. He spent 30 years as a pastor, during which he began a tour company, taking thousands of other pastors and their congregations to see the Holy Land.
Price is the author and co-author of more than 40 books, exploring topics from the Ark of the Covenant and historical evidence for the Bible, to radical Islam and end times prophecy.
Shoebox recipient now Samaritan’s Purse spokesperson
Before her life was radically transformed by the gift of an Operation Christmas Child (OCC) shoebox and the enclosed letter and prayers of its sender, then 9-year-old Yuliya Shubina was living in a former Soviet bloc state where communist control restricted religion.
As a high school junior in August of 2008, Shubina moved to the United States to live with a host family in Denver; she gave her life to Christ later that year. Reconnecting with her shoebox sender through Facebook gave her the opportunity to thank her in person.
“For the longest time I could not understand why somebody who did not know me and who had never met me decided to give me a shoebox filled with gifts,” said Shubina, who graduated from Liberty University in 2014 with a degree in international relations. “At the end of the letter, she wrote ‘I am praying for you and for your family.’ That was what sparked my curiosity in God. Years later, after I became a Christian, I realized that through her gift and prayers, she was showing me the love of Jesus Christ.”
During a Communications 101 class her senior year at Liberty, Shubina shared her testimony of how Samaritan’s Purse’s annual Christmas campaign changed her life for eternity. Her instructor, Siu Yu Hsu, forwarded her contact information to the ministry’s home base in Boone, N.C., and she was offered an opportunity to work there last summer as an intern on the domestic OCC Promotions Team.
This past November, Shubina was hired as one of three full-time national spokespeople for Samaritan’s Purse and now travels around the country sharing her story. She returned to Liberty the week of Nov. 10 to assist the newly formed Operation Christmas Child Club and speak to classes, encouraging students to participate in the “LU Shoebox Blitz,” a week of activities leading up to the collection of boxes. This year, Liberty students contributed 1,000 boxes.
Alumnus serves in California Assembly
After winning a seat in California’s State Assembly in November, alumnus Chad Mayes (’98) is hoping to make a difference for his constituents by fighting for government transparency and economic efficiency. He wants to see local governments empowered to better serve the people as well as more parental (and less governmental) involvement in schools.
Mayes won 57.5 percent of the vote for the 42nd District seat.
He said one of the factors that set him apart during his State Assembly bid was his decision to not do any negative campaigning.
“I didn’t need this job so badly that I was willing to take someone else’s knees out so I could have that position,” he explained. “I offered myself up to serve the people, and if they wanted me that’s great, but I wasn’t going to win at all costs.”
Mayes said his faith influenced that decision.
“I think the way that you run your campaign is important and will often reflect the way that you are going to govern. It starts with who you are as an individual. Your faith plays a role in that.”
This was Mayes’ first run for State Assembly. Previously, he served as city councilman in 2002, 2006, and 2010 for the Yucca Valley Town Council, and was chief of staff for San Bernardino County Supervisor Janice Rutherford.
Mayes received a B.S. in Government from Liberty. He credits the university with providing him with the tools he needed to succeed in politics and with teaching him to think critically, which he believes helped set him apart in the political election.
“I often tell young people, students, and people who want to get degrees in political science or public administration that you should never run for office because you want to be somebody,” Mayes said. “You should only run for office if you genuinely want to serve. It should never be about you; it should always be about others.”
Mayes remains connected with Liberty and said he is enthusiastic about all the changes that have been occurring in recent years.
Filmmaker takes creative steps to stay on cutting edge of industry
Liberty University graduate Kevin Adamson (’01) stays at the forefront of his craft by taking innovative approaches to his filmmaking.
The director of dozens of music videos, documentaries, and short films has shot everything from commercials involving multiple actors underwater to music videos in combat zones and mission fields.
“I’m a risk-taker, so I don’t shy away from a challenge; I embrace it,” said Adamson, who received a B.S. in Communication with a specialization in media graphics.
His credits include music videos for numerous Christian artists, including Lacey Sturm, Lecrae, Aaron Gillespie, Jeremy Camp, P.O.D., and Skillet. He helped produce “My Hope America: The Cross,” an international broadcast special from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, featuring Sturm and Lecrae.
Adamson has also worked for the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board and the Christian Broadcasting Network and is currently the creative director of Samaritan’s Purse’s broadcasting division.
His next goal is to shoot a feature-length movie.
As a filmmaker, Adamson has a passion for creative storytelling and character development. “I love telling stories of heart change, life change, and transformation, but in a real authentic, raw way,” Adamson said.
Adamson has a powerful testimony of transformation in his own life. Family turmoil caused him to move to the Patrick Henry Boys and Girls Homes in Brookneal, Va., before his freshman year of high school, and he committed his life to Christ at the age of 16.
“I was dealing with a lot of issues, and they (Patrick Henry) gave me a family environment that was stable and focused on the Lord,” Adamson said, adding that Liberty University built on that foundation.
“Liberty helped me prepare for a lot of the issues I deal with today; it helped me figure out who I was, what I believed, and why I believed it. Obviously, I wouldn’t be here if it was not for the academics or the moral stability Liberty provided.”
Adamson met his wife, Barbara (’03), at Liberty, and they have three children.
“I wouldn’t do anything without the Lord, who has given me balance in every aspect of my life,” Adamson said. “We’ve had struggles, like anyone else, but staying focused on the Lord, staying determined, is the only way to get through any situation.”
