New LibertyLIFE program serves developmentally challenged students through tailored college experience

While children of all ages and backgrounds may dream of one day attending college, some students with an intellectual or developmental disability may be prevented from ever making this dream a reality.

As a reflection of Liberty University’s commitment to Training Champions for Christ in all spheres of influence and walks of life, the school has launched LibertyLIFE, a new program that will open doors for these nontraditional students to experience college life in a safe and welcoming environment tailored to their specific needs. LibertyLIFE helps prepare them to live a more independent life in the future.

Still in its pilot stage, the three-year non-credited program is housed in the School of Education and currently serves four students with plans to enroll more students as the program develops. LibertyLIFE currently functions as a commuter program but could allow for students to live on campus in the future.

Students meet for more than 32 hours each week and attend classes that teach life and employability skills such as cooking, cleaning, professionalism, problem solving, critical thinking, and more. They have opportunities to audit a variety of credited classes and attend Liberty events and dining facilities just like any other student. On Wednesday, the group attended Convocation, where they had the unique opportunity to meet the special guest, Tanner Smith, whose life as a young adult with autism was documented in the Netflix series “Love on the Spectrum.” Smith was a participant in Clemson University’s ClemsonLIFE program.

“LibertyLIFE is a natural extension of the core mission of Liberty University to Train Champions for Christ. “That is not a plan for just some of us. We get to be a part of helping students find that God has a plan to prosper them, and to give them hope and a future,” LibertyLIFE Director Dr. Andrew Bruce said, referencing Jeremiah 29:11. “There is nothing in life more fulfilling than helping people become who God intended them to be.”

School of Education Dean Dr. Shawn Bielicki said the LibertyLIFE program follows a “crawl, walk, run” model, with students gaining more independence the longer they remain in the program. In their third year, students will be connected with internships — largely in the hospitality industry — to prepare them to enter the workforce or even pursue a college degree. Upon completing the program, students will receive a certificate to commemorate the incredible accomplishment.

“We find most of these students have the ability to do many things, they just need a little more time, repetition, and training,” he said. “A normal college course isn’t necessarily set up for that.”

One LibertyLIFE student, Eli Wright, AGE, has already experienced the blessings of the program. He was diagnosed with autism at 11 and recently graduated from high school.

“This program has meant everything to Eli,” said his mother, Carrie Wright (’01, ’05). “He is the product of his environment. He’s watching and wanting to fit in. When he was a senior in high school, he wanted to be like all the other seniors. He wanted to make a college plan like all his peers. Now, in this program he wants to be a Liberty student, and he is. For him it has meant a sense of normalcy. He knew on his own he would not be able to be a Liberty student the traditional way. This has allowed him an opportunity and an on ramp to be a Liberty University student.”

She said Eli has long dreamed of becoming a Flame. When they heard Liberty was starting a program, it was an answer to prayer.

“He is acclimating to the culture and what is truly the blessing that I believe is God-ordained here at Liberty,” she said. “He is a part of that, and he is experiencing it in a way that would never have been possible before.”

Carrie said Eli shares with her about his experiences meeting with other students, eating chicken sandwiches in the Reber Thomas Dining Center, attending classes, navigating campus, and more. Through LibertyLIFE, Eli is able to experience many of the same opportunities as any other Liberty student.

She said Eli is already considering a bachelor’s degree in biology or history after completing LibertyLIFE.

Liberty’s longstanding mission to educate men and women who will make important contributions to their workplaces and communities, follow their chosen vocations as callings to glorify God, and fulfill the Great Commission, will remain a central focus of the program.

“With ability comes responsibility, and what greater place for that than a Christian institution,” Bielicki said. “When we’re called in Matthew 28 to go out and spread the Good News, it doesn’t give us exclusions. It doesn’t say it’s for certain populations; it is to all peoples in all areas. So, we’re doing that through Phase One. Phase Two is these students taking a light to their industries when they’re done to continue that until we’ve fulfilled that goal of Matthew 28.”

Bielicki said partnerships are likely to develop with departments across the university, as LibertyLIFE students may have opportunities to connect with athletics programs and student clubs. All potential staff and student volunteers will receive training to serve with LibertyLIFE and will do so under the supervision of certified personnel.

“We’ve long heard the adage, ‘It takes a village to raise a child,’” Bielicki said. “We’ll be working with the School of Health Sciences and their physical training programs for their students to come alongside and make sure when we take our students down to LaHaye Recreation and Fitness Center that there’s someone there to help. And we have our special education (degree program) students who want to come in and love on and pour into our students.”