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Academic Achievements
Debate Team takes two first-place national titles
Liberty University’s Debate Team continued its tradition of being named one of the country’s top college teams, earning first place in two national tournaments — the Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) and the National Debate Tournament (NDT).Students win state athletic training quiz bowl
A team of students from Liberty University’s Athletic Training Program (ATP) won the Virginia Athletic Trainers’ Association (VATA) Quiz Bowl Jan. 9 at the VATA Annual Meeting and Clinical Symposia in Williamsburg, Va.
The team, comprised of seniors Christopher “Dan” Brown, Kevin Macintyre, Joshua Valentine, and Tyler Amburgey, claimed its first championship at the state level in only its second year participating in the event.
Quiz Bowl Team wins conference championship
The Quiz Bowl Team swept all competition en route to its second-straight Big South Conference Championship in February. Liberty hosted the event for the first time.
With the win, Liberty has claimed nine conference titles over the past 11 seasons.
Liberty secured the title with a 355-point margin of victory against Radford University in the finals. Two Liberty team members made the All-Tournament team: junior Mikah Sauskojus and sophomore Leah DePiero.
Government students finish in top 16 at Moot Court nationals
Two members of the Helms School of Government Moot Court Team placed in the top 16 nationally at the American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Championship Tournament Jan. 15 at California State University at Long Beach.
The team of senior A.J. Colkitt and junior Nathan Wilson was one of 80 two-member teams that qualified for nationals out of 400 teams.
The team was coached by government professor Dr. Robert Robertson, who was assisted by Benjamin Rathsam, a third-year student at Liberty University School of Law.
Law Moot Court Team ranked among nation’s top 10
Liberty University School of Law’s Moot Court Team finished No. 9 in the nation, qualifying for the 2017 Andrews Kurth Moot Court National Championship. This top 10 finish follows Liberty’s first national championship appearance in January, where the team reached the semifinals after qualifying for the tournament for the first time in school history with an 11th place finish in the 2014-15 season.
Cyber Defense Team competes at nationals
A team of seven students from the Cyber Defense Club competed in the 2016 Raytheon National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition April 22-24 in San Antonio, Texas. The tournament is considered the “Big Dance of Data Defense.”
The team qualified for nationals after winning the regional competition at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab in Laurel, Md., in March. At that event, the team outscored the University of Maryland, West Virginia University, Radford University, Towson University, Capitol Technology University, Bloomburg University, and the University of Maryland (Baltimore County).
Magazine features Liberty Law grad
Recent Liberty University School of Law graduate Jaime McGuire was honored as a finalist for Law Student of the Year in the spring issue of The National Jurist magazine. McGuire was recognized for her work with the local Department of Social Services, assisting with about 35 cases in front of the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, as well as for her work in Thailand with victims of sex trafficking.
National Jurist also recognized Liberty Law as a Best School for Practical Training for the second year in a row. National Jurist’s sister publication, preLaw Magazine, featured Liberty in its Best Schools for Public Service for public defender/prosecutor training.
Student artwork garners nine awards in regional ADDYs
Students from the Department of Studio & Digital Arts (SADA) received nine awards, including the Student Best of Show, in the American Advertising Federation’s (AAF) District 3 ADDY Awards.
Liberty received four gold ADDYS (out of nine) and four silver ADDYs (out of 12) in the collegiate portion.
District 3 represents clubs in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Gold winners automatically advance to the national finals June 7 at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif.
Liberty students earned more than 70 awards at the local level earlier in the spring.
Ad Team wins top awards
Liberty University’s Advertising Team from the School of Communication & Creative Arts finished third and took home the awards for Best Presenter and Best Plans Book in the 2016 District 3 National Student Advertising Competition, hosted by the American Advertising Federation April 8 in Raleigh, N.C.
Best Presenter went to junior Katie Clinebell. The team finished just behind the University of Virginia and Washington & Lee University.
2016 President’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching
Cynthia Goodrich
Hannah Lorraine Schultz
Matthew Towles
These prestigious awards recognize faculty who are committed to outstanding teaching in both the residential and online classrooms. Several areas of teaching are considered, including the use of instructional technology, the integration of faith into learning, innovation, pedagogy, student support and involvement, student assessment, and a commitment to the personal growth of each student. Winners are selected based on peer recommendations, deans’ endorsements, nominee responses to specific prompts, and student letters. Recipients were formally honored at the April 29 Convocation and received monetary gifts. Winners are:
- Cynthia A. Goodrich, Ed.D., M.S.N., B.S.N. Professor, School of Nursing
- Hannah Lorraine Schultz, J.D., M.A., M.B.A., M.A.R. Adjunct Instructor and Subject Matter Expert, College of Arts & Sciences
- Matthew D. Towles, Ph.D., M.A. Professor, Department of English
Let the 2016 Commonwealth Games begin …
Liberty University will officially open its inaugural year as title sponsor of the 27th annual Virginia Commonwealth Games during Main Games Weekend, July 22-24. The university will host a parade of athletes, speakers, and a lighting of the cauldron at opening ceremonies in the Vines Center.
“I don’t believe we could have found a better title sponsor than Liberty University,” said Pete Lampman, president of Virginia Amateur Sports, based in Roanoke where the Games have been held since 1990. “Thank you for giving us this opportunity to provide our athletes the chance to compete at a Division I school and empowering them to dream big.”
The Games expects to entertain as many as 10,000 athletes of all ages and skill levels in 2016. The state’s largest annual multisport festival invites Virginians from around the commonwealth to participate in more than 65 sports. Competition is also open to those living in Tennessee, West Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. Registration information can be found at CommonwealthGames.org.
Liberty has already hosted 2016 competitions in baton, judo, and ice hockey. In 2015, Liberty showcased two of its professional-grade facilities when it hosted skateboarding at the Liberty Mountain Skate Park and a first-ever ski and snowboard rail jam at the Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre (LMSC).
A tailgate party will be held for athletes, friends, and families prior to opening ceremonies on July 22. Athletes are invited to skate, ski, snowboard, and tube for free at the LaHaye Ice Center and LMSC and can reserve trail rides at the Liberty University Equestrian Center.
Liberty plays role in revitalizing local mall
Liberty University announced in March that it had purchased 75 percent interest in the nearby River Ridge Mall. New restaurants, retail stores, and entertainment are planned, possibly incorporating an open-air concept.
CBL & Associates, the former owner, retained 25 percent interest and remains responsible for leasing and management. CBL began talking with Liberty officials in 2015 about the possibility of sharing ownership of the mall — after the university decided to move its online operations out of the former Sears building there. (Liberty had purchased the building in 2012.)
About 600 Liberty University Online call center employees have relocated to their new offices in the former Nationwide building in Lynchburg, which Liberty purchased last fall. The remaining 400-500 employees will continue to work at River Ridge until demolition begins in about 16 months.
Liberty President Jerry Falwell said the university’s investment committee saw the mall as a sound investment that would bring an economic boost to the area.
“Liberty University has an economic impact on the Lynchburg region of more than $1 billion annually and is committed to the success and economic vitality of the region,” Falwell said. “The university is pleased to help implement CBL’s exciting vision for the mall and to assist in bringing new and improved services to the region.”
The mall, which opened in 1980, is part of an intentional diversification of Liberty’s investment portfolio. Falwell said Liberty’s commercial real estate holdings have performed well in recent years and noted that it is common for universities with endowments to dedicate a certain percentage to commercial real estate.
River Ridge Mall is Liberty’s third investment in a local shopping center. Liberty owns Candlers Station Shopping Center, also located near campus, and The Plaza in midtown Lynchburg.
Public and community health professor receives Fulbright grant to teach in Ireland
Dr. Christopher Seitz, an assistant professor of public and community health, has received a six-month grant from the Fulbright Scholar Program to conduct research on health issues and to teach at University College Cork (UCC) in Cork, Ireland. Seitz will travel to Ireland in September of 2016 and return to the United States in March of 2017.
Seitz will supervise a “photovoice” project, in which his students will take photographs to document issues regarding the UCC campus tobacco policy. They will then advocate for tobacco restrictions on their college campus during an exhibit of their findings.
“My research interest is the process of how college campuses become tobacco-free and the impact of tobacco policies on the campus community,” Seitz said. “Ireland has cutting-edge tobacco policies — with the exception of their universities. Because Fulbright is an educational exchange program, I intend to learn from Ireland’s policies while also applying my knowledge to how their universities could become tobacco-free.”
Seitz said he developed an interest in tobacco policies after watching his grandfather lose his life to lung cancer.
The Fulbright Scholar Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Liberty’s Fulbright Program is administered by the Liberty University School of Law dean’s office.
Public health program launches new bachelor’s degree
Beginning Fall 2016, Liberty University will offer a Bachelor of Science in Public Health degree, replacing the current B.S. in Health Promotion and broadening course content.
The degree will still include a concentration in health education and promotion, but core classes will now include other areas of public health, such as environmental health, disaster management, and health administration.
Changes are designed to enhance graduates’ job skills, making them more competitive in the current marketplace, while also meeting the requirements needed for accreditation from the Council on Education in Public Health (CEPH).
The university currently offers a Master of Public Heath (M.P.H.), which gives students a foundation in epidemiology and biostatistics and offers concentrations in health promotion, global health, and nutrition.
Ministry teams lead worship across the country
In April, Liberty University’s Worship Collective sent a 10-member band to lead worship for more than 5,000 youth pastors at Student Leadership University’s (SLU) Youth Pastor Summit at Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla. The two-day event featured prominent speakers, including author and church planter Francis Chan, author/speaker Brent Crowe, and David Nasser, Liberty’s senior vice president for spiritual development. The band also played for SLU events in Dallas and Nashville last spring and is scheduled for a 20-city tour with SLU’s Fall 2016 and Spring 2017 events.
Another traveling music ministry, the Sounds of Liberty, performed on April 17 in Washington, D.C., at the Center for Christian Statesmanship’s 20th Anniversary Celebration.
Over the summer, Liberty’s Worship Collective and the Sounds of Liberty will travel to numerous churches and youth camps to lead worship.
“Duck Dynasty” lands at LU
When the Season 9 finale and 100th episode of A&E’s “Duck Dynasty” aired in March, Liberty University students had the unique experience of watching it with two of the show’s stars — fellow classmates John Luke Robertson and his wife, Mary Kate.
Students joined them in the Vines Center for the largest “Duck Dynasty” watch party in the world, eager to see their campus featured on screen. The one-hour episode, “RV There Yet?,” featured members of the “Duck Dynasty” clan on a road trip from their home in Louisiana to Lynchburg, Va., where they dropped the couple off at Liberty for the first time last fall.
The TV crew spent a full day filming on Liberty’s campus last August. The episode spotlighted a few familiar locations, including Hancock Welcome Center (where alumni Trey and Sarah Falwell took the Robertsons on a guided tour), DeMoss Hall, and the Residential Commons (Liberty’s high-rise residence halls).
During commercial breaks at the watch party, John Luke and Mary Kate offered behind-the-scenes tidbits about filming on campus and the reality TV production process.
Liberty students also had the chance to see more stars of the show, as John Luke Robertson connected with his family through FaceTime and projected it onto the videoboard.
John Luke and Mary Kate are both pursuing degrees in Christian Leadership & Church Ministries through Liberty’s Rawlings School of Divinity; John Luke is specializing in adventure leadership and outdoor ministries, and Mary Kate is studying women’s leadership.
Other Robertson family members have returned to campus since the filming. John Luke’s mother, Korie, and sister Sadie came for Fall Family Weekend in September, where they spoke at Liberty’s Convocation, and Willie, his father, surprised guests at Commencement.
Alumna serves as Ambassador to El Salvador
Liberty University alumna Jean Elizabeth Manes (’92) was sworn in as ambassador to the Republic of El Salvador on March 17. She serves as a personal representative of President Barack Obama to negotiate and advance U.S. policy within the Republic of El Salvador. She also serves as CEO of the U.S. embassy in El Salvador, overseeing immigration, education, and security.
Manes’ career in foreign policy began with an internship with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington, D.C., during her junior year at Liberty. She went to every hearing, every day.
“It was a wonderful moment when, 26 years later, it was me sitting at the table in that same room during my confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,” she said after being sworn in as ambassador. “That early experience of learning how Washington works has been fundamental throughout my career.”
While at Liberty, Manes played volleyball for one year and helped coach the men’s club volleyball team for two years.
After graduating with a B.S. in Foreign Policy, Manes joined the State Department as a secretary and worked her way up, eventually joining foreign services. During her career, she has traveled to more than 120 countries, including Afghanistan, where she worked as counselor for public affairs at the U.S. Embassy. This post required her to lead a team while liaising with the press, promoting education initiatives, and campaigning for increased opportunities for women. She also served as principal officer at the U.S. Consulate in the Azores, Portugal, where she led negotiations regarding the U.S. military presence in the Azores as well as environmental and educational programs.
In her various roles in Washington, D.C., she has focused on large-scale management of resources and policy formulation. Under President Bill Clinton, Manes traveled overseas for two years as part of the advance team for the White House press.
From the very beginning of her career, Manes said she was fortunate to be surrounded by talented people who were willing to invest in her.
“I paid attention, and I watched and learned,” she said. “Early on, from each leader, I would take away something and try to incorporate it into my own leadership style.”
In all of her travels, Manes said that one thing has always stayed with her.
“Nobody chooses where they are born and at what time in history,” she said. “When I see refugees or other desperate situations, I think, ‘That could have been me,’ and I start from there. I approach these issues as a human being who is fortunate and has a responsibility to give back.”
Manes said the most rewarding part of her new role is the opportunity to make a real difference in people’s lives.
“It is the ability to have an impact that makes me jump out of bed each morning,” she said. “In this job, I have the privilege of meeting upcoming leaders in so many fields. I heard someone say, ‘I am an ordinary person in an extraordinary job,’ and that is exactly how I feel.”
Alumni share steps to success
A panel of accomplished Liberty University alumni offered wisdom and encouragement during the annual Senior Convocation, hosted by the Alumni Relations Office in April.
Panelists included Penny Nance (’88), president and CEO of Concerned Women for America, the nation’s largest women’s public policy organization; D.J. Jordan (’02), communications director for U.S. Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.); and real estate entrepreneurs David and Jason Benham (’98).
The event was moderated by alumna Alison Howard (’11), director of alliance relations for the Alliance Defending Freedom. Howard has been named a rising star by the Republican National Committee and among Christianity Today’s “33 under 33” list of emerging leaders.
Alumni answered questions about their career paths and discussed the essential habits needed to thrive in any area of life. Daily Scripture reading was the No. 1 habit practiced by all participants.
After Convocation, the alumni interacted with students. Nance and the Benhams signed copies of their books, “Feisty & Feminine” and “Whatever the Cost,” respectively.
Tyler Falwell, director of Alumni Relations, said that he is grateful these distinguished alumni took the time to speak to the senior class.
“This shows that they really have a passion and a love for Liberty University and Liberty students and that they want to give back.”
