Homecoming brings old and new friends back to Liberty Mountain for full slate of events

Liberty University alumna Marcy (Wells) Peck (’82) is practically a professional Homecoming attendee. She and her family — including daughters Elizabeth Peck (’16) and Erika Peck (’20) — have been making the trip from North Carolina since the early 2010s, and from Marcy’s perspective, it just keeps getting better.

“As soon as we step foot on campus, everyone is just so sweet and so friendly. They really are, and you don’t get that on every campus,” she said. “It’s the spirit that’s here.”

The Peck family helped bring along some Homecoming newbies this year — Nadia Dillender (’20) and her family. Dillender was friends with Erika Peck during their time at Liberty and has always wanted to experience Liberty’s Homecoming. She said feeling the camaraderie among her fellow alumni and current students took her back to her own days on campus.

“It’s surreal because so much has happened,” Dillender said. “It’s really nice. I was so excited to show my husband everything, and I hope to come back and show him around more next year.”

For many alumni, even frequent returners like the Peck family, this year’s celebration felt special, as alumni had even more opportunities to connect with each other and with the past on Liberty’s campus.

The new Champion Center was a star of the weekend as the setting for Homecoming check-in and several events.

“I’m in awe all the time about this beautiful place and how much it’s changed and grown and what God keeps doing for Liberty,” said Angela Harris Moye (’08) after attending the annual Alumni Breakfast in The Champion Center Ballroom. “Now at this new site, they have the prayer room and the theater, and the exhibits just took me back. It made me so emotional. It’s just a beautiful, blessed site.”

Susie Holmes (’88) drives up from Chatham, Virginia, every year, usually bringing along a handful of guests new to Liberty. This year she was joined by her church’s new music director and associate pastor, fellow Liberty alumnus Jeremy Jordan (’22) and his family.

“It’s like looking at it through someone else’s eyes,” Holmes said. “Every year I buy tickets, and I’m always trying to bring somebody who’s never been. It’s such a great atmosphere. I recommend it to everybody.”

For Tyler and Shelby Warkentien (’01), Homecoming Weekend offered a chance for them to reconnect with classmates. In the years after graduation, they rarely had the opportunity to return to Liberty due to moving with the military. When their son started at Liberty two years ago, it was their first time back in nearly 15 years.  Now residing in northern Virginia, they said they’ve been grateful to visit the campus more often.

“We came back to see (our son) and to reconnect with friends,” Tyler Warkentien said. “That’s even more important than seeing the place — getting to see all the different generations of people who have been students here or affiliated with Liberty and reconnect with people we know but also meet new people. It’s a pretty special place to do that.”

Many alumni started their weekend early by attending the special Hymnology Convocation on Friday morning featuring the Liberty Worship Collective; hymn writer and Lead Pastor of The Trails Church in Celina, Texas, Matt Boswell; and surprise guest Danny Gokey.

On Friday afternoon, families took advantage of free hayrides at the Liberty Mountain Equestrian Center and checked out the Liberty Mountain Gun Club during their open house. Several alumni participated in the Liberty Homecoming Golf Tournament, the proceeds of which went to directly benefit Liberty Golf.

Also on Friday, the Class of 1976 gathered at the second annual Golden Alumni Luncheon at the estate of Liberty’s late founder, Dr. Jerry Falwell, for a time of reminiscing and connecting with one another and members of university administration.

Athletics alumni gathered for the annual Athletics Hall of Fame banquet in the Montview Student Union, Alumni Ballroom on Friday night to celebrate the induction of seven members to the Hall of Fame Class of 2026. That same evening, the Alumni Relations Office held its first-ever Homecoming Chapter Leaders’ Dinner, welcoming leaders from Liberty’s alumni chapters across the country for an evening of fellowship.

Many alumni used Friday evening to step back into campus life through activities such as Family Movie Night in the Vines Center, Shakespeare’s “The Winter’s Tale” in the Black Box Theater, or the Flames DI hockey team’s highly anticipated matchup against Virginia Tech at the LaHaye Ice Center.

Saturday morning, a record 500-plus alumni and guests attended the Alumni Breakfast in The Champion Center. Educator and youth pastor Dr. Philip “Chip” Bonar (’87, ’22) was honored as the Alumnus of the Year for his commitment to continuing Liberty’s mission as an alumnus and alumni chapter leader.

Later in the day, families gathered along University Boulevard for the Homecoming Parade, featuring floats from different departments across campus, university leaders — including President Dondi E. Costin and his wife, Vickey, and Chancellor Jonathan Falwell and wife, Shari — and plenty of candy. Between the parade and Flames Football kickoff at 3:30 p.m., the Alumni Tailgate and Flames Fan Fest offered visitors the chance to eat, relax, and get excited for the game. Liberty finished out the weekend with a win over Florida International University, 49-10.