Liberty awards 20 students with Green Cord Scholarships for ‘above and beyond’ service

Twenty Liberty University students were honored during Convocation on Friday as recipients of the 2024 LU Serve Green Cord Service Scholarships, given to students who exemplify the school’s mission of service to others.

The scholarships are awarded annually. This year’s students each received $2,000. The scholarships are funded through the LU Serve Green Cord Campaign, in which Liberty graduates can purchase a green cord to complement their Commencement regalia.

To qualify for the scholarship, students were asked to fill out an application earlier this semester in which they outlined their current service activities, including their Christian/Community Service (CSER) hours, for either the current or immediately prior semester. They also submitted a letter of recommendation from their CSER supervisor. All Liberty students are required to complete CSER hours for graduation. The CSER program pairs students with approved organizations and service projects, sending students out into the community to love their neighbors. CSER sites include churches, schools, food banks, libraries, pregnancy centers, and more. The program trains students to apply a biblical worldview as servant leaders, transform their communities for the glory of Christ, and use their academics and passions to win at work.

LU Serve Director Chad Nelson said the four main tenets required of scholarship recipients are outstanding character, work ethic, leadership, and selfless service.

“Our heartbeat and our passion are that students would really use their own passions and academic training to go out and be a light unto the world through the CSER program,” he said. “Our student body overall does a tremendous job within the CSER program, representing themselves, Liberty, and Christ well. Getting to recognize a few of these students who are shining forth in this area, really going above and beyond, is an honor.”

The scholarship winners are chosen by a selection committee from the Office of Spiritual Development.

2024 Scholarship Winners

Caleb Behrens – Colton True Life Church

Alaina Every – Thomas Road Foster and Adoption Center

Hannah Frazee – Vice President and President of LU’s Autism Advocates Club

Christopher Roylance  – Vice President for the SGA Gardening Club

Emily Hill – Joni and Friends Family Retreat

Camden Lippert – YoungLife at Amherst County High School

Drew Lundeen – Kid Central at TRBC

Lucas Lytikainen – Reformed University Fellowship at LU

Sydney Marsch – Gospel Community Church

Josiah Martin – Solid Rock Sports Camp in Pennsylvania

Amanda Mast – Pacers Cross Country Team

Matthew Nesser – YoungLife at Appomattox County High School

Ruth Petrey – Samaritan’s Purse and Mount Vernon Baptist Church

Maria Goddard – Manumission Project

Karissa Smith – Concerned Women for America and Grace Christian Church

Grace Steiner – Community Group Leader

Isabelle Thompson – Dayton Children’s Hospital in Ohio

GraceAnne Weaver – Resident Shepherd at LU

Anthony Welborn – Volunteer Income Tax Assistant (VITA) program

Leah Wright – Samaritan’s Purse in Eastern Kentucky