Longtime educator and youth pastor honored as Liberty’s Alumnus of the Year

Dr. Philip “Chip” Bonar (’87, ’22) was announced as Liberty University’s Alumnus of the Year at the annual Alumni Breakfast on Saturday morning, part of Liberty’s Homecoming Weekend events.

Bonar graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology in 1987 before embarking on a career in education that would eventually take him from teacher to principal to his current role as student behavior coordinator for Arlington (Va.) Public Schools (elementary through high school). He completed his doctorate in educational leadership from Liberty in 2022.

As an alumnus, Bonar has stayed deeply connected to his roots at Liberty. He credits his time as a student for shaping him into the man he is today.

“I went to church several times a week growing up, but it was here on Liberty Mountain that I learned how to become a young Champion for Christ,” Bonar said. “I came to Liberty University as a teenager who was talking the talk but not walking the walk. I squeezed four years into five, but I am so glad that I did because it took that long to get that flame burning inside of me.”

Bonar helped found the Washington, D.C., Liberty University Alumni Chapter in 2023 and continues to be a leader for that chapter. The chapter is open to residents of D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. As a leader of the alumni chapter in the capital, he has mentored LU students interning in the city and connected them with other Liberty alumni and students. He said the mentorship he received as a student was a big part of his Liberty experience, and he aims to continue pouring into the next generation as an alumnus.

“The fire gets passed from one generation to the next,” Bonar said. “(Liberty founder) Dr. (Jerry) Falwell lit the flame, Pastor Jonathan (Falwell) keeps fanning the flame, and now it’s been entrusted to all of us to keep that fire burning. Liberty means everything to me, because this is where that flame was passed to me, and the flame keeps burning brighter every day.”

Bonar’s love for Liberty has carried over to his other role as a youth pastor at Calvary Road Baptist Church in Alexandria, Va., where he has served for 14 years. He frequently brings busloads of teenagers to Liberty’s campus for events like Homecoming, Scaremare, and College For A Weekend.

As a leader of the D.C. alumni chapter, Bonar has helped organize several activities, from Liberty Football watch parties to Faith and Family Nights at local professional sporting events and volunteer service projects.

Bonar was chosen as the Alumnus of the Year for his deep commitment to the mission of his alma mater and to the next generation, evidenced through his roles in both education and ministry. The award signifies the office’s “Proven Faithful” theme for the year, highlighted during the breakfast: “Looking back, I see His goodness; looking around, I see His grace; and looking ahead, I trust His promises. God has never failed, and He never will.”

“Chip is always willing to serve alongside the LU Alumni office, deeply committed to the mission of our alma mater and to the next generation,” Senior Executive Director of Alumni Engagement Dr. Greg Tilley said. “This year’s Liberty University Alumnus of the Year embodies the vision that (Liberty founder) Dr. (Jerry) Falwell spoke of when he mentioned a Champion for Christ.”

“I am very grateful and humbled to receive the Alumnus of the Year award,” Bonar said. “I feel like I was just like everyone else who walks on the campus trying to find out who they are and walks off the campus and into the world knowing WHOSE they are instead. This university changed me for eternity, and so I try to spread the joy of Liberty everywhere I go.”