Summer 2019 Employee Newsletter
A Word from the President
We celebrated our largest graduating class in May, with over 20,000 graduates earning their degrees residentially and online. As wonderful as Commencement was for me and my family, I am reminded that none of it would have been possible without the hard work and dedication of those who serve this great university.
During Commencement, I spoke about our graduates’ spirit of innovation as they enter their chosen vocations (you can view my full speech here). At Liberty, we teach students to think like entrepreneurs and encourage them to look for ways to add value, pursue ideas, and problem solve. Your strong work ethic sets an example for our students and is a trait employers everywhere are seeking in future workers.
Commencement was the culmination of our students’ hard work and also a year that will go down in history as our best ever. From starting the football season as an FBS team in a newly renovated stadium to winning our first March Madness game, this year has been full of excitement. After its first year in the ASUN Conference, Liberty Athletics was awarded the ASUN Bill Bibb All-Sports Trophy and the Jesse Fletcher (Men’s All-Sports) and Sherman Day (Women’s All-Sports) Trophies, marking the third time in conference history a member institution has swept all three honors. Law students also landed us at No. 7 in the nation for bar passage rates, and numerous other achievements were made across many of our academic programs.
I thank each of you for your valuable contributions to our academics, athletics, and student life here at Liberty — as well as for creating a hospitable and exciting atmosphere for all of our campus events and notable visitors, including Commencement speaker Mike Pence, one of the most influential and engaged vice presidents in U.S. history, whose address brought an incredible year to a close.
As I reminded our Commencement crowd, Liberty started from scratch in 1971 and became the world-class university we see today because people were not afraid to fail and try again. I know we will continue our success as long we have the dedicated, “never quit” attitude that drove Liberty’s pioneers from the beginning. We thank you for pressing forward and making this a truly amazing school year.
Commencement Recap
Liberty University’s 46th Commencement saw one of the largest crowds ever to gather on Liberty’s campus.
The weekend began on Friday, May 10, at the Baccalaureate Ceremony where Dr. Jerry Vines — former pastor of First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Fla., former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, and Liberty Board of Trustees member — brought an uplifting message.
Dr. Vines advised graduates to grow in their faith beyond Liberty, relating this process to an internal construction project. Focusing on intellectual, social, and spiritual growth, he implored them to read the Bible and spend every day in prayer. He also reminded them that they can serve as Champions for Christ no matter where God places them.
The following day, May 11, brought more than 40,000 people to Williams Stadium for the Commencement Ceremony. This year’s keynote speaker was Vice President Mike Pence, who began his speech with a personal congratulations from President Donald J. Trump.
In his commission to the graduates, Vice President Pence reminded the students to be ready, saying, “Decide here and now that you are going to stand firm, that you will put into practice all the things you learned here on Liberty Mountain, that you will never give up, that you will persevere, and that you will always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that you have.”
Liberty’s 46th Commencement hosted the largest graduating class, of which 16,531 were online students and 3,670 took classes residentially. Included in these numbers is Pauline Wolcott, our oldest graduate at 87 years old with a B.S. in Religion. You can read more about Wolcott in our news story.
Congratulations to the graduates, particularly our faculty and staff who graduated this year!
Did you miss Liberty’s 46th Commencement this past weekend, or do you just want to relive the excitement? You can still watch the full ceremony online.
Football Season Tickets on Sale Now
Don’t miss the start of Liberty Football’s Hugh Freeze era. Faculty and staff season tickets start at just $52 — a 67% savings on single game tickets. Buy yours at LUFootball.com.
Not a current Flames Club member? Join for just $60 and receive better seating, parking, and hospitality privileges.
Please note that there were several parking changes on campus this year, and Doc’s is now a paid lot on game day. Contact the Flames Club at (434) 582-CLUB for more information.
Men’s Basketball Makes Historic Run
Flames Basketball won the ASUN Championship and Tournament in its first year in the conference, qualifying the team for the NCAA Tournament. Liberty upset Mississippi State to win its first NCAA Tournament game in school history before narrowly falling to Virginia Tech in the second round. Following this historic season, Head Coach Ritchie McKay won the Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year award.
Congratulations to Coach McKay and team for such a successful season!
Baseball and Softball Recap
Baseball Takes ASUN and ACC by Storm
The baseball team finished second in the regular season in their debut ASUN Conference season, posting a 15-9 conference record. In the ASUN Tournament, the Flames beat Stetson two days in a row to win the conference title and clinch a spot in the NCAA Regionals. The team also posted a 7-3 record against ACC opponents Virginia, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Duke, and Wake Forest. This season, the Flames won 43 games overall, tied for the most in program history.
Softball Reaches NISC Championship Round
The softball team won more than 40 games for the third consecutive season and finished second in the ASUN Conference. After being eliminated from the ASUN Tournament, the Flames earned a spot in the NISC Regionals. They went 3-0 to advance to the championship round, where they lost to Iowa State with a final score of 7-2.
Discover Liberty University Online Academy
Don’t let a traditional classroom hold your student back.
Liberty University Online Academy (LUOA) provides:
- A flexible online format that allows your student to study whenever and wherever works best
- Academic challenge to encourage intellectual growth
- K-12 classes taught from a Christian worldview
- An accredited program at an affordable rate
- Personalized assistance from academic advisors and teachers
- Dual enrollment courses that earn college credit while satisfying a student’s high school requirements
- Partnership opportunities for schools and churches
We absorb the responsibility of developing lesson plans, grading assignments, and providing homework support — so you don’t have to. Apply today!
Virginia 10 Miler
Join Team Liberty in the Virginia 10 Miler on Saturday, Sept. 28. Register to run the 10-mile or 4-mile race or participate in the 4-mile walk. Use code LIBERTY2019 to receive FREE registration at checkout. This code is for employee use only.
RACE INFORMATION
- Deadline for FREE Registration: Aug. 15
- Race Date: Sept. 28
- Time: 8 a.m.
- Location: E.C. Glass High School
Introducing Microsoft Teams
This fall, Liberty will transition from Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams. This update will be auto-installed on university-owned devices.
What can Teams do?
- Communicate more effectively — Get your team on the same page with group chat, online meetings, calling, and web conferencing.
- Work better together — Collaborate on files with built-in Office 365 apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and SharePoint.
- Customize your workspace — Add in your favorite Microsoft apps and third-party services to keep the business moving forward.
We look forward to transforming collaboration across the university.
For more information about Teams, visit Liberty.edu/MicrosoftTeams.
Family Fun Day at Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre
No snow? No problem! Come experience endless winter fun this summer at Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre for Family Fun Fridays June 14, July 12, and Aug. 9!
Bring the family for a special night with lots of activities — including skiing, snowboarding, tubing, and yard games — for just $5. Plus, kids ages 3 and under get in free!
All necessary rental equipment is included (boots, skis/boards, helmets, etc.). There’s no age restriction, but smaller sizes are limited.
State Games of America
The State Games of America is coming to Liberty University this summer!
Offering competitions in over 50 sports, the State Games gives you the opportunity to test your skills against qualifying athletes from across the nation. All Virginia residents are invited to compete, so don’t miss your chance to get involved.
There are three ways to enjoy the State Games:
Participate — Compete in your favorite sport. From archery and track & field to figure skating and ninja challenges, we’re sure to have a sport just for you.
Watch — Attend the Opening Ceremonies and cheer on the athletes in a variety of competitions.
Volunteer —Share your time and talent. It’s a great way to get involved and enjoy this national event.
Visit StateGamesofAmerica.com for ticket pricing and event information.
School of Business Construction Update
Construction on Liberty’s new 78,000-square-foot School of Business is wrapping up.
This three-story structure will serve as home for the School of Business, which includes 152 programs from the certificate to the doctoral level, as well as centers of excellence focused on entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and cybersecurity.
Students, faculty, staff, and alumni will have access to a stock trading simulation room, a 500-seat auditorium, computer terminals, data centers, a network lab, and presentation-ready conference rooms.
Recently, the building was used for Liberty’s 46th Commencement as a Degree Presentation Ceremony location, where graduates and their families and friends received a first look at the new premises.
The School of Business officially opens its doors to students Fall 2019.
Have You Visited the Employee Bulletin Board?
Did you know that you can find all of Liberty’s upcoming events and information in one easy location? The Employee Bulletin Board is your one-stop shop for important announcements, special events, and great discounts. Don’t miss out. Visit the Employee Bulletin Board today.
Interested in advertising an event or need to make a campuswide announcement? Contact your project coordinator or email marketing@liberty.edu for more information.
Employees of the Month
Congratulations to our Employees of the Month. You are a tremendous blessing to this university, and we are thankful for you. This recognition is proof that you go above and beyond expectations to consistently produce excellent work with a Christlike attitude and spirit. Thank you for all you do to make Liberty a shining light.
April: Kathy Bennett, Rose Boswell, Brian Brown, Christopher Chambers, Tory Doughty, James Harris, Brittany Liberto, Jeddy Mbugua, Carrie Mitchell, Raymond Noland, Brien Sabella, Jake Shellenberger, Lauren Spahr, David Summy, John Travis, Bill Tussi, and James Wells.
May: Jason Brake, Connor Bryant, Aaron Garcia, Robert Goodman, Hunter Hamilton, Tracey Lindsay, Mark Miller, Kari Moye, Jessica Pandorf, Joyce Roberts, Bianca Scott, Jeremy Taylor, Haley Wheeler, Ryan Wheeler, Deion Whittington, Alan Wilkins, KeAndre Williams, and Tim Yonts.
June: Brooke Campbell, Ashley Deanda, Brandon Elrod, Jeffery Harper, Kassy McAloon, Brianna O’Neal, Ed Ridge, Kimberly Ryckman, Sara Schartiger, Rachel Shallenberger, Kenny Spradlin, Tim Stearns, and Matthew Warner.
You Stand Out
Senior university leadership has been looking for staff members who exemplify an exceptional commitment to Liberty’s customer service standards. Last month, tickets were handed out as our way of thanking those whose hard work and dedication (often behind the scenes) make a difference.
Congratulations to our You Stand Out recipients: Douglas Lee Allen, Kayla Bailey, Gregory Berry, Eugene Brown, Javon Campbell, Sydney Coffey, Brandon Coles, Courtney Cox, Lynn Cuba, Andrew Dahlby, William J. Dogan, Laura Dutkus, William Faber, Erika Garcia, Mike Gerringer, Joshua Gittens, Meesha Hickson, Chad Hotelling, Kat Hunter, Rick Jadin, Cody Jones, Lisa Kinsley, Adyson Rose LeClair, Corey Leistner, Benjamin Nicholes, Kareen Ousley, Frank Palmer, Steven Proco, Rebekah Ray, Bryan Richey, Brayden Shambley, Barry Simpson, Sean Solitro, Barry Spence, Christina Thomas, Jacques Thomas, and Timothy Yonts.