The Stage is Set: Liberty prepares for Commencement, largest event in Central Va.

When an expected 60,000 people converge on campus for Liberty University’s 52nd Commencement this week, they will be part of the largest event held in Central Virginia, a massive undertaking that requires the cooperation of multiple departments across the university to help graduates celebrate their accomplishments and all God has in store for them as they prepare to impact the world as Champions for Christ.

In stark contrast to Liberty’s first Commencement in 1974, which celebrated 57 graduates, the Class of 2025 will have more than 30,000 conferred degrees. Over 30 events will take place Thursday-Saturday, with the largest crowd expected for the Main Ceremony on Friday at 7 p.m. in Williams Stadium, featuring a keynote address from the 74th Governor of Virginia Glenn Youngkin. An addition to this year’s Main Ceremony is a drone show finale, illuminating the night sky with 300 drones that will visually tell a Liberty-themed story. There are 28 individual degree presentation ceremonies planned in six venues: Liberty Arena, Vines Center, Liberty Multipurpose Center, Thomas Road Baptist Church, Williams Stadium, and the Center for Music and the Worship Arts, Concert Hall. A Military Graduate Recognition Ceremony on Thursday morning will honor the more than 7,129 graduates with military ties in the Class of 2025, and an Alumni Reception on Thursday and Friday by the Liberty University Barnes & Noble Bookstore will give Liberty’s newest alumni a chance to connect with the Office of Alumni Relations, find an alumni chapter they can join, and enjoy light refreshments.

Liberty’s Main Ceremony sets itself apart from most other universities’ with its incorporation of worship and the Gospel throughout. In the pre-show, while guests find their seats in Williams Stadium, several student music groups will be performing: LU Praise, the Liberty Worship Collective, Chamber Singers, and the Liberty University Wind Symphony.

“While this may not be a tradition followed by other schools, we feel it is the highest priority we have as we thank God for His blessings and ask for His protection and direction for the graduates as they leave Liberty and go out into the world in their chosen vocations as Champions for Christ,” said Program Manager Lori Boyce. “Liberty has so much talent in its School of Music, and I love that we have the opportunity to feature them in our Main Ceremony.”

Across campus, thousands of staff in many departments do their part in preparing the grounds, event spaces, technology, dining, signs, programs, and more to make the weekend the best it can be for every graduate and guest. There are 1,500 staff, faculty, and volunteers involved in the Main Ceremony alone.

The preparation process begins each September, when Boyce and her team in the Registrar’s Office start looking at graduate numbers, planning the schedule, and working on any new updates they hope to incorporate.

“For me, it is a huge responsibility, not only for the event itself and all the logistics that come with that, but also with making the experience a great one for our graduates and guests who attend the events,” Boyce said. “Graduation is one of the biggest moments in our graduates’ lives. It is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication. It is also an exciting and proud moment for the family and friends who have supported the graduates through their hard work.”

Boyce has been planning Commencements at Liberty for 18 years. She said the task has been a gift despite the complex process it involves.

“I have heard President Dondi E. Costin say multiple times that Commencement is our Super Bowl, and I truly believe that,” she said. “I love seeing the staff, faculty, and student volunteers come together each year to work so hard throughout the three days while also keeping a positive, welcoming attitude for our graduates and guests.”

As early as April 28, staff from the Event Management office has been setting up chairs and other items at the six ceremony venues, problem-solving, and working long hours. Executive Director of Events & Logistics Mitria Vaughter said her team also orchestrates the daily campus events to make sure there are no conflicts with Commencement preparation and ceremonies. Between the six graduation venues, the team has the potential to set up 13,500 chairs, four to five stages, and several smaller items like trash cans, stanchions, podiums, and tents all across campus.

“The Event Support team puts in a lot of hours and sweat in the lead up to graduation, but the goal is to make it special for each graduate and their families,” she said. “It really takes a team to pull off Liberty Commencement. There is a total of 38 people from the Event Management Division who are assisting with Liberty Commencement. We look at Commencement as a time that we really get to work together as a team.”

Meanwhile, Broadcast Communications has been unloading and installing equipment that will provide in-venue sound and video as well as livestreams of 32 ceremonies. In the days leading up to the ceremonies, Executive Producer Bobby Keating said the 72 employees — full-time staff members, student workers, and part-time contractors — conduct soundchecks and rehearsals for production to run smoothly and effectively. The effort involves six control rooms, nearly 30 professional broadcast cameras, nearly 100 microphones, and well over 3,000 hours of time worked for all of Information Services support teams, including Broadcast Communications.

“These truly are some of the best in the business, without whom events such as Liberty University Commencement would not be possible,” Keating said of his team. “There are tens of thousands of guests on campus and countless more watching online. Graduates may not remember every word spoken that day, but they’ll always remember how it felt. It’s an honor to be part of a production that helps create those lasting memories.”

Between landscaping with fresh mulch and flowers, making sure waste management is prepared for the influx of people on campus, having maintenance staff on-call throughout the weekend, and running the entire fleet of transit buses, the Facilities Planning & Management department has essentially every staff member prepared to maintain the beauty and experience of Liberty’s campus.

“In my whole department, we understand the importance of this event: this is the culmination of the Training Champions for Christ mission Liberty has,” said Dan Deter, senior vice president of Facilities Planning & Management. “We want to make sure we put the best face of the university forward because we have a lot of people who show up, including some from online programs who haven’t been here before. This is the place and time where they get to say they’ve reached the finish line.”

“As far as what we have to offer — our layout, our landscape, our amenities, our services — I don’t think there’s a campus in this country that’s better than ours,” Deter added. “I want to make sure that the parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles get to experience even just a little bit of it while they’re here.”

Keeping the campus and its visitors safe during a large-scale, multi-day event like Commencement is the priority of the Office of Security & Public Safety. They have partnered with Lynchburg Police Department, Lynchburg Fire Department, and Virginia State Police to plan operations in accordance with their state-recognized operational plan, and they will partner with the police departments of Amherst County, Appomattox County, and Campbell County throughout the weekend. The office is also utilizing the School of Aeronautics’ Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) to use drones that provide aerial coverage of the campus to view traffic and individuals in need of emergency aid. Guests can download the Champion Safe App (on Apple Store or Google Play) for up-to-date information on activities and safety alerts throughout Commencement.

“Protection through service is our mission, and through the preparation, experience, and a commitment to holistic safety and security, this Commencement will be fantastic for the entire community,” said Marcus Tinsley, Vice President of Security & Public Safety.

Guests and graduates should not go hungry between events, as multiple dining options will be available around campus, including at all ceremony venues. Food trucks and additional vendors will be available for the Main Ceremony.

Visitors can download a Weekend Guide to the Commencement activities. Updates and FAQs are also available on the Commencement website and Facebook page. Information booths will set up at Williams Stadium, the Vines Center/Liberty Arena, Thomas Road Baptist Church, and the Liberty Multipurpose Center.

While on campus, guests are encouraged to take a campus tour (starting at the Hancock Welcome Center) and a self-guided Legacy of Faith Historic Walk around campus, or visit Lynchburg’s tallest landmark, the Freedom Tower. Liberty Baseball will host Virginia Tech on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

Commencement festivities officially begin Wednesday with a Commencement Welcome Fair from 1-5 p.m. in the Montview Alumni Ballroom, where graduates can pick up their honor or military cords, reader cards, pick up a free T-shirt, and have formal regalia photos taken. The fair will continue on Thursday and Friday as graduates arrive to campus.