Legendary leadership expert John C. Maxwell to deliver keynote address at Commencement

UPDATE: Due to impending inclement weather, the Commencement Main Ceremony has been moved to 9:30 a.m. on Friday, May 6. The decision was made out of a concern for the safety of graduates and their families. For the Main Ceremony, the gates at Williams Stadium will open at 6 a.m. for guests, and the student processional will begin at 8:30 a.m. Umbrellas will be permitted in the stadium, and ponchos will be available on a first come, first served basis. (Graduates are to gather in the Liberty University Indoor Practice Facility no later than 8 a.m.) The day’s schedule has also been adjusted accordingly to lessen the impact of weather on the day’s festivities.

Schedule changes include:

• All Degree Presentation Ceremonies that were originally taking place at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 6, are now moving to 1 p.m. in their original locations. This affects John W. Rawlings School of Divinity — Undergraduate Programs, School of Education — Undergraduate Programs, and School of Engineering.
• The Military Graduate Recognition Ceremony, originally scheduled at 1 p.m. on Friday, May 6, has now moved to 4 p.m. in its original location.

• Commencement Check-In for Friday, May 6, has moved to a new time of noon–5 p.m.

Liberty University President Jerry Prevo has announced that John C. Maxwell, the world’s foremost authority on business and leadership training, will be the keynote speaker for Commencement 2022.

“I can think of no leader more appropriate to address our graduates during our 50th Anniversary year than Dr. Maxwell,” President Prevo said. “Just as he has advised the world’s top leaders, our graduates will have the privilege of receiving his advice as they prepare to make a Kingdom impact in their chosen fields.”

Commencement 2022 is expected to be the largest in the school’s history. Liberty is preparing for a record 60,000 graduates, family members, friends, and other special guests to participate in Commencement events taking place on campus over three days.

More than 23,000 degrees will be conferred. Individual degree presentation ceremonies will be held on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, May 5-7. Maxwell will speak at the Commencement Main Ceremony, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 6, at Williams Stadium.

This year’s Commencement will be a culmination of Liberty’s 50^th Anniversary celebration. The Main Ceremony will be followed by a fireworks show along with other exciting activities for graduates and guests.

“Dr. Maxwell is a longtime friend of Liberty, and he wholeheartedly believes in what we are doing here, Training Champions for Christ,” Prevo said. “In his global business work and ministry, he himself is the very embodiment of what it means to be a Champion for Christ.”

Largely credited with popularizing the modern leadership and management revolution, Maxwell has advised Fortune 500 CEOs, the presidents of nations, and entrepreneurs worldwide. The multiple #1 New York Times bestselling author, speaker, coach, and leader has sold more than 34 million books in 50 languages. He is the founder of Maxwell Leadership — a leadership development organization that has trained tens of millions of leaders in every nation. His work also includes that of the Maxwell Leadership Foundation and EQUIP, nonprofit organizations that have impacted millions of adults and youth across the globe through values-based, people-centric leadership training.

Maxwell is a recipient of the Horatio Alger Award and the Mother Teresa Prize for Global Peace and Leadership from the Luminary Leadership Network. He has been called the No. 1 leader in business by the American Management Association and Business Insider and the world’s most influential leadership expert by Inc.

“I always look forward to my visits to Liberty Mountain, and this one will be very special to me,” Maxwell said. “I will enjoy celebrating these remarkable graduates and helping Liberty to send them forth to change the world for Christ. I’m also excited to be a part of the 50th Anniversary celebration because the history of this great school is near to my own heart. The founder, Dr. Jerry Falwell, was a mentor to me when I was a young pastor. He sowed a seed in me for what I now talk about and teach all over the world. I want to share with the graduates what I’ve learned from great leaders like him and encourage them to make a positive difference wherever God takes them in life. I will also enjoy being in the company of my many wonderful friends at Liberty, including President Jerry Prevo and the co-founder, Dr. Elmer Towns, another early mentor in my life. This will be a grand celebration of God’s blessings on Liberty University, and I’m privileged to be a part of it.”

Visit the Commencement homepage for more information and a full schedule of activities.