Excitement builds on campus as Liberty prepares to welcome over 70,000 guests for its 53rd Commencement

Liberty University is preparing for one of its largest Commencements in school history this week. From Thursday through Friday, the university expects to welcome over 70,000 family members, friends, and other special guests to campus to honor the more than 32,000 members of the Class of 2026 who will begin their next chapters as Champions for Christ.

Twenty-seven individual degree presentation ceremonies will be held across the three days. The Commencement Main Ceremony is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, May 15, at Williams Stadium. All ceremonies will be streamed on the Commencement website.

Nearly every corner of campus is being utilized in preparation for Central Virginia’s largest annual event, with degree presentation ceremonies scheduled at Thomas Road Baptist Church (TRBC); Liberty Multipurpose Center; Center for Music and the Worship Arts, Concert Hall, Liberty Arena; Vines Center; and Williams Stadium, with the Indoor Football Practice Facility (adjacent to Williams Stadium) as a backup ceremony location.

The university has expanded this year’s schedule to include four degree presentation ceremony time slots each day, with two to three ceremonies taking place during each slot. All venues will offer food options and Commencement information booths to provide resources and assistance for guests.

Commencement preparation begins each fall, when Program Manager Lori Boyce and her dedicated crew in the Registrar’s Office examine graduate numbers, collaborate with LU Events for scheduling, and brainstorm innovative methods to improve the event and make it even more memorable from year to year.

“The largest change we made for this year is updating our degree presentation ceremony schedule,” Boyce said. “We have spread out our ceremonies more this year to ease up on the pressure our large crowds put on the infrastructure of campus as well as the roadways and businesses outside of Liberty’s campus. We are hoping that these changes will help with traffic, pressure on bus transportation, and parking.”

The flagship of the weekend will be the Commencement Main Ceremony on Friday at 7 p.m. in Williams Stadium, where graduates, faculty, families, and friends will gather for a celebration featuring 19th Secretary of U.S. Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner as keynote speaker. The Main Ceremony will include a time of worship led by LU Praise and the Liberty Worship Collective and conclude with a large-scale drone show.

Last year was the first time Commencement included a drone show. Sky Elements returns this year to illuminate the skies above Williams Stadium with its spectacular displays depicting various Liberty- and graduation-themed images as well as patriotic themes to celebrate America’s 250^th anniversary. The company has performed shows for the NFL, MLB, and NASCAR and appeared on America’s Got Talent in 2024. This year’s drone show will be 10-12 minutes beginning at 8:30 p.m.

Two primary shuttle routes — 71 (Main Campus Loop) and 72 (East Campus Loop) — will be operational throughout the weekend to support the influx of guests, with additional accommodations available for individuals using manual or powered mobility wheelchairs. Portions of University Boulevard, Regents Parkway, and Liberty University Drive will be closed beginning at 7 a.m. Thursday-Saturday to assist with traffic flow and pedestrian safety.

“We are excited to have these guests on campus, many for the first time, and are hyper focused on ensuring that their experience is both fantastic and safe,” said Vice President of Security & Public Safety Marcus Tinsley. “We have engaged with every partner that we have, both internal and external to Liberty. Our Emergency Operations Center will be fully activated during the entire multiday event. We have multiple local and state resources on site and an intricate operational plan that covers everything from traffic to incident response, mitigation, and recovery. Commencement is an ‘all hands-on deck’ event that activates and pulls from every resource that we have to ensure a safe and smooth event.”

Liberty’s Office of Security & Public Safety will work alongside Lynchburg Police Department, Lynchburg Fire Department, Virginia State Police, and surrounding county agencies to ensure the safety and well-being of all guests in accordance with its state-recognized operational plan.

Security & Public Safety is also grateful for the more than 45 student volunteers in the School of Aeronautics’ Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) program who will work alongside them and local, state, and federal agencies to provide aerial monitoring, situational awareness, and emergency coordination throughout the weekend. The drone operators can quickly react if teams need to view an area of campus and can stream it directly into the Emergency Operations Center.

“For our UAS team and students, this is about far more than technology,” School of Aeronautics Dean Steven Brinly said. “It’s an opportunity to use the skills and capabilities God has entrusted to us to serve others by protecting people, supporting operations, and helping ensure our guests have a safe and positive experience on campus. This effort began with the vision of Kevin Martin, director of Technology Innovations, who recognized how UAS could enhance campus safety during Commencement, sparking a partnership that now benefits our students, law enforcement, and the overall visitor experience during all major events on campus. Moments like this are an example of our mission to equip, mentor, and send Champions for Christ into the aerospace community in action.”

“This is an exciting endeavor that utilizes the latest and best drone technology to enhance the safety of this entire community,” Tinsley added. “In the past, having an ‘eye in the sky’ required thousands of dollars and a helicopter. Today with the talented individuals within the LU School of Aeronautics, a drone can be put in the sky in minutes at any time. This gives the ability to have eyes on anything from the air within a few moments. The layer of safety and security that this technology adds to an event like Commencement is incalculable.”

Guests are encouraged to download the Champion Safe App (on Apple Store or Google Play) for up-to-date information on activities and safety alerts throughout the weekend.

In addition to the Main Ceremony and degree presentation ceremonies, Liberty will honor its more than 8,000 military-affiliated graduates, including over 2,500 active-duty service members, at the 14th annual Military Graduation Recognition Ceremony on Thursday morning at Thomas Road Baptist Church.

The university is also planning several large-scale events to welcome graduates and their families to Liberty Mountain. The Commencement Welcome Fair — held all three days inside the Montview Student Union, Alumni Ballroom — is where graduates can obtain their honors items, military cords, replacement reader cards, regalia portraits, and other resources leading up to their respective ceremonies.

Directly below the Alumni Ballroom, on the first and second floors of the Montview Student Union, graduates and their guests can attend the Commencement Celebration to connect with Liberty’s Alumni Relations team, take graduation photos, and join local alumni chapters as they officially become proud members of the Liberty alumni community.

“Commencement is a huge celebration of so many things,” Boyce said. “It’s a time to celebrate the accomplishments and hard work that every single graduate has put into this milestone in their life. It is a celebration of the support that the family, guests, and other friends have provided to the graduates as they have completed their coursework. And finally, it is a time to reflect on all the great things the Lord has done during their time here at Liberty. As President Costin often says, ‘Commencement is our Super Bowl.’ It is why we are here as a university: to Train Champions for Christ. It is so neat to be able to be a part of honoring the hard work our graduates have done as they go out into the world to make a difference for Christ.”

Follow Liberty News for full Commencement coverage and stories of trial and triumph from the Class of 2026.