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Christian Commitment

Liberty University has always had a well-established group of individuals who have made sure Dr. Jerry Falwell’s vision for a world-class university became a reality. One of the ways it has thanked its faithful is by offering naming opportunities on the campus they have grown to love.

In the past year, 11 parking lots have been named for Liberty supporters and as the campus undergoes a major transformation, there will be many more opportunities.

“Liberty’s donors believed in Dr. Jerry Falwell’s vision and want to participate in that legacy he has left,” said Tom Arnold, vice president for development. “It’s important we recognize them and let them know how significant their contributions are as a member of the Liberty family.”

The most recent available naming

HONORING THE FAITHFUL

THE LADY IN THE CIRCLE

opportunities are special areas of distinction in the new Jerry Falwell Library. Generous donors may choose from more than 70 different areas, including: the four-story book tower, automated book retrieval system, grand entrance hall, graduate and faculty commons, technology center, lakeside atrium, terraces and balconies, newly-created lake or many other prestigious spaces. Faithful supporters have the unique privilege of naming these high-profile areas.

Many donors have already participated in the Name A Seat initiative for Liberty’s Tower Theater. The campaign continues, offering an opportunity to name a seat in honor of your family, a loved one, a friend, or a business with a $1,000 donation. More than 190 seats have been engraved in the new theater, which opened in the fall of 2010.

Liberty is also fortunate to have a base of loyal supporters who have decided to remember Liberty in their estate plans. With bequests at an all-time high, the blessings continue to flow as many hardworking individuals who believe in Liberty’s mission have given to the university. In the last three years, Liberty has received nearly $9 million in bequests. In November 2011, Liberty announced a bequest of $474,000 and a month later, it announced another bequest totaling $590,000.

Gift annuities still remain the number one option for planned giving to Liberty. Out of 4,000 charities nationwide offering gift annuities, Liberty ranks in the top 5 percent for number of annuitants.

For information on giving to liberty, go to www.liberty.edu/giving.

Champions for ChristIn May, Liberty University officially adopted its tagline, Training Champions for Christ since 1971, collectively acknowledging the university’s unique heritage, affirming its uncompromising mission and echoing Liberty’s commitment to Christian values, which distinguishes it from other schools and universities. These stories combine all these pillars of Liberty’s mission. To read the full versions, go to www.liberty.edu/libertyjournal.

When Sue Willmington first interpreted for the deaf on the Old Time Gospel Hour in 1973, there was no closed captioning.

“It was the first, and only at that time, nationwide program sign-interpreted for the deaf,” said Willmington, who teaches sign language classes at Liberty University.

In those 17 years while she interpreted for the television program, Dr. Jerry Falwell, Sr., said her face and hands were seen more than those of any other television personality nationwide. Willmington appeared in an oval inset that led her to become affectionately known as “the lady in the circle.”

While overseeing the deaf department at Thomas Road Baptist Church (TRBC), Willmington was actively involved in its expansion. She helped start ministries, developed supportive services for the church

and schools — Liberty University, Liberty Christian Academy (LCA), Willmington School of the Bible (WSB) — and taught several classes on signing and oral interpreting, as well as classes for deaf adults and children.

Willmington has been able to reach countless people with the Gospel who otherwise may never have been presented with it and is grateful for Falwell and his leadership that allowed her ministry to flourish.

“The great thing about Jerry Falwell, Sr. is when he appointed a person to do a specific job, he gave that particular leader the freedom to develop a ministry using his or her talents and spiritual gifts to carry out that mission,” she said. “I think that is one of the secrets of this place.”

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After miraculously surviving a near-fatal 90-foot fall from a railroad trestle in November and spending three-and-a-half weeks in the hospital, Julianne Ashbaugh was able to finish the fall semester with her professors’ help. She said she remembers being in the intensive care unit (ICU) with her mom the day after the fall and asking if she would be able to go back to school.

Doctors, family, and friends were surprised at how quickly she was able to recover.

“The time I was in the hospital I surprised them. When I started walking it was a lot faster than I thought,” Ashbaugh said.

She spent Christmas break in her hometown of Dallas, Ga., with her parents and her two younger sisters. She said her family has been really supportive and “has come together and been closer than before.”

FROM VISION TO REALITY

STUDENT RECOVERS FROM FALL OFF RAILROAD TRESTLE

Founding a college, and eventually a university, was no easy task. For Liberty University’s founding president, Dr. A. Pierre Guillermin, and founder Dr. Jerry Falwell, Sr., Liberty is nothing less than the manifestation of a vision they shared 46 years ago and a tribute to the hard work they, along with a plethora of other visionaries, workers, and donors, did to bring it to fruition.

“The history of Liberty University has been and continues to be a chronology of miracles and accomplishments,” Guillermin said. “From its very inception Liberty has been a very dynamic organization. And while other colleges and universities have been built on years of calculated steps, Liberty has always advanced in leaps and bounds. What is happening today is really a great testament to Dr. Falwell’s vision and to the team that eventually put all this together.”

When the college was founded in 1971, there was no campus and only four full-time faculty members. Students attended classes at TRBC and bunked in small houses across the street from the church, four to five per room.

While Falwell managed the spotlight and played an enormous role in securing funds, Guillermin enjoyed a more behind-the-scenes role, overseeing the academic affairs of the university.

Guillermin worked hard to secure its accreditation, acquire and develop its campus and secure membership in the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Guillermin, who still resides in Lynchburg, retired from Liberty in 1996. Falwell, Sr. officially named Guillermin Co-Founder and President Emeritus in 1997. Guillermin continues to serve on boards and work with international students at various local colleges.

Ashbaugh, a worship major, returned to Liberty in the spring semester starting classes on time. She describes herself as a normal college student. The only difference is a minor surgery she had a few months ago and physical therapy twice a week.

Today she can run and exercise at her leisure. As an active and enthusiastic musician, her wrists and elbow have healed so that she can play guitar and piano. Her determination fueled her recovery process and she credits the Lord for healing her quickly.

Along with her three friends who survived the accident, she has had the opportunity to share her testimony several times around campus and in the community. Ashbaugh’s friends put on a benefit concert to help her family with hospital bills.

In the closing Convocation for the spring

semester, the four survivors spoke to the student body and sang “Healer,” testifying to God’s grace in their lives.

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Liberty University is actively involved in reaching the world for Christ and offers its students a variety of ways to contribute.

The Center for Global Engagement has several ministries that allow students to participate in fulfilling the Great Commission, including Light Ministries, Xtreme Impact, LU Abroad, and campus-wide, student-run fundraisers.

Light Ministries, Liberty’s short-term ministry department, organized 13 trips for the spring semester.

During Spring Break, students served in Kosovo, Bosnia, the Pacific Rim, Ecuador, and Slovenia.

In May, six teams travelled to France, Ethiopia, the Middle East, Nepal, Central

STAYING ON MISSION

Brazil, and North Brazil. As students worked with and lived among several different groups of people, cultures, and religions, they used tools like children’s ministry, service projects, relationship building, sports ministry, and medical missions to serve others and share the message of the Gospel.

Another group of Liberty students will lead and mentor high school students through Xtreme Impact, travelling to seven countries throughout the summer, including Guatemala, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Italy, Uganda, South Africa, India, and Thailand.

LU Abroad, Liberty’s internship program, will send out 55 students to foreign countries this year. The program started in 2007 and is designed for students who want to incorporate a ministry into their internship. Students work side-by-side in a country of their choosing with local missionaries who offer practical ministry training. Students will utilize their major as they assist with children’s programs, college ministries, adult ministries, Bible Studies, accounting, data entry, communications, graphic design, web development, teaching, and many other ministry-related responsibilities.

Dr. Don Fanning, director of the Center

for Global Engagement, taught the book of Romans to 400 pastors in Cuba in May. He was also scheduled to meet with the minister of education of the Communist government of Cuba to discuss future educational engagement with the Cuban people. Later in the summer he will be leading a conference in Bolivia.

While there are several opportunities to travel nationally and abroad, Liberty students are also able to actively partner in missions from campus by financially supporting initiatives like Liberty’s Restore Rwanda campaign.

The campaign launched in February during Missions Emphasis Week with a goal of raising $24,000 to build a school in Kigali, Rwanda.

The idea was born after 19 students in Liberty’s counseling and psychology departments went there on a 10-day mission trip in Nov. 2011, counseling victims and perpetrators of the 1994 genocide that claimed the lives of 800,000 Rwandans in 100 days. Five Liberty students returned there during Spring Break to help kick off the building project.

Fundraisers this semester included a “Walk to Remember Rwanda” on April 28, beginning on the steps of Arthur S. DeMoss Learning Center.

Students join hands with residents of Kigali, Rwanda, to dedicate a school being funded by Liberty University students, faculty, and staff.

A Liberty University tradition, “ring by spring” has become a joking, yet endearing phrase used to describe the many engagements and proposals that take place around Liberty every year as graduation nears. All joking aside, the fact remains that many require time, effort, prayer, and thought from each couple.

Some proposals may be so involved that they need just a little bit more faith.

Take for instance Chadley Foster, an athletic training major who is entering his senior year. Although in his own words, “A Liberty student gets engaged every other day,” Foster knew that he wanted to make his engagement to

A TRADITION THAT RINGS ACROSS THE MOUNTAIN

his girlfriend Jordan Peters, who graduated in May with a degree in psychology, perfect. He thought of the idea to propose at Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr.’s, skybox at Williams Stadium.

On April 13, after Convocation, Foster introduced himself to Falwell and asked for permission to propose at the football stadium.

The Chancellor said yes, and with what he expected to be the biggest obstacle behind him, Foster went to Williams Stadium. He then realized that there were even more bumps in the road ahead: the huge, overnight fundraiser, Relay for Life, would be happening around the same time in the same

area, potentially adding unwanted noise and crowding to the special moment.

“I remember praying right there, literally laying down all frustration and anxiety,” Foster said, reflecting on the night. “I spoke out truth, faith and peace. No matter how this would turn out, I could not throw in the towel. Jordan is worth too much for me to settle for less.”

So, armed with Peters’ favorite foods, roses and more than 300 candles, Foster, along with some help from his friends, came up with a plan to put candles in paper bags across the student section of the football stadium that spelled out, “JP, marry me?” >>



STUDENTS VOTE ON CAMPUS FOR FIRST TIME

Representing more than 900 international students from 83 countries, Liberty University’s Office of International Student Services held its first International Week in March. The event exposed all students on campus to different ethnic groups and their various cultures.

From coffee tasting to a cultural talent show, different events were held to spotlight various students’ talents from their respective countries. One event included the popular Taste of the Nations, a Liberty tradition in which international students representing more than 20 countries prepared food for their peers to sample.

The week began with the Mosaic Mixer, a fashion show in which students modeled

LIBERTY HOLDS FIRST INTERNATIONAL WEEK

Liberty University students who are registered to vote in Virginia had the opportunity to cast their votes on campus for the first time on Tuesday, March 6, in the 2012 Republican presidential primary.

The new voting precinct at the Vines Center received 590 votes, more than any other precinct in the state, with more than 13 percent turnout (well above the Virginia average of 5.6 percent).

“I believe that’s a strong turnout, given the fact that it’s just a primary and only two of the candidates are on the ballot in Virginia,” said Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. “That’s a very good sign that the polling place was needed and that it will be used in large numbers by our students in the

future. We are grateful for what the local authorities have done to make it a reality in time for this primary.”

Liberty students also voted at the Vines Center for the Lynchburg City Council elections held on Tuesday, May 1.

Liberty students previously voted in the Ward 3 precinct at Heritage Elementary School and rode buses to the polling place.

Students said the new precinct is a welcome change.

“It’s extremely convenient to vote in the Vines, because it’s so close,” said then-sophomore Karren Jeffers of Stafford, Va. “Last semester I went to Heritage Elementary and it took a lot of time, especially for people who don’t have cars.”

In Oct. 2011, Lynchburg City Council decided to redraw voting lines, creating a new precinct at Liberty to be used by the 4,122 students living on campus and registered to vote in the city at that time.

Liberty University made national headlines in 2008 when the school recruited about 4,000 students to register to vote in the state of Virginia.

Students model traditional clothing for the fashion show at the Mosaic Mixer, kicking off International Week at Liberty University.

traditional clothing. Students were also able to see cultural artwork in an International Art Show, which was held in the Grand Lobby of the Arthur S. DeMoss Learning Center. These works included original and imported pieces from students’ home countries.

Beyond hosting the art show, DeMoss is now the new home of the International Student Center. The newly built lounge provides international students the opportunity to relax, connect, and spend time with each other.

International Week was the capstone of the more than 50 annual events held by the C. Daniel Kim International Student Center. The center also aids in admissions of international students, including scholarship,

recruitment, student retention, and health insurance assistance.

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>> After overcoming a few other obstacles, Foster finalized the preparations, and was able to lead Peters to the Chancellor’s skybox to look out the window and see the proposal lighting up the night.

And she said yes.“Our engagement may look perfect to a

by-passer in the stadium or you reading this story,” Foster said. “But in fact, we are two imperfect people going to war for our marriage, being set apart together by God’s grace.”

To those considering a marriage proposal, Foster offers this advice: “Set your mind on what’s eternal, pursue the Lord with everything, and see who is running with you.”


As Liberty University’s campus is getting a construction “facelift,” it continues to offer hospitality and service to groups of all ages from the community and surrounding areas in its world-class facilities.

Since the mid-1980s, the Vines Center, Williams Stadium, and other buildings have been welcoming venues for numerous events with large crowds in attendance. While serving the needs of the university, these buildings, along with others, were designed with community use in mind.

From high school graduations to Red Cross blood drives and Virginia High School League (VHSL) track meets, the events held at Liberty bring in people from all over the state.

“(The community) gets to come to world-class, state-of-the-art facilities,” said Ernest

Liberty University senior Heather Thomas is the recipient of this year’s Christian/Community Service Volunteer of the Year Award for her outstanding contribution and commitment to service in the Lynchburg community and around the world.

She was presented the award during Convocation on Wednesday, April 25.

Lew Weider, associate professor and director of Christian/Community Service (CSER),

WORLD-CLASS FACILITIES BRING LOCAL AND CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES TO LIBERTY

HEATHER THOMAS NAMED CHRISTIAN/COMMUNITY SERVICE VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

Carter, Director of Event Management. “They get to experience our Christian values. It’s a ministry opportunity for us to share Christ with the community and non-believers.”

The university is also responsible for bringing revenue to local businesses when it hosts such events.

“Liberty University, with all the events it hosts, is a large reason people visit Lynchburg, and is therefore a vital element of local tourism,” said Beckie Nix, tourism director at the Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Concerts, camps, sporting events, and other functions are held year-round at Liberty.

In December of 2011, the university prepared for 10,000-12,000 players, families, and fans for the Group AA

VHSL State Football Championships at Williams Stadium. The campus also hosts Soccer Mania, an indoor soccer league for children and adults housed in the Thomas Indoor Soccer Center. The two indoor turf fields host hundreds of players of all ages year-round.

Liberty also hosts many events through Student Activities, including concerts and the annual Block Party at the beginning of the school year, which features local vendors, games, carnival rides, and giveaways.

Even Liberty’s off-campus facilities are being utilized by locals. The Liberty Mountain Conference Center is open for businesses and other organizations to rent and “share the love of Christ through the community,” according to Carter.


called Thomas “one of the most energetic servant-leaders” he has met at Liberty. “She is a wonderful example of a Champion for Christ,” he said.

Weider, the faculty adviser for Liberty’s Circle K club, has worked closely with Thomas who served as president for three semesters. Circle K is the largest collegiate service organization worldwide.

Throughout the past academic year, Thomas has organized and served with many projects for the club, including volunteering at two nursing homes, Adopt-a-Highway, the American Red Cross Bloodmobile, the Kiwanis Club of Lynchburg’s Annual Teddy Bear Parade, clean-up at Blackwater Creek trail, and the Hyland Heights Baptist Church food drive.

Thomas, a biology/pre-med major, also helped to raise about $5,500 for the Circle K International Eliminate Project, which is designed to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus.

In addition to her service with Circle K,

Thomas volunteers every Tuesday night, and other days during the week as needed, with the Lynchburg Free Clinic. On the weekends, she is on call at the Campbell County Rescue Squad as an EMT-Basic and regularly volunteers at the Lynchburg General Hospital Emergency Department. Every Sunday morning she runs a coffee ministry at Cornerstone Community Church.

Thomas’ volunteerism spirit has also taken her to China for several summers, teaching English as a second language.

This academic year she started Liberty’s Medical Community Service Club where she helped to prepare and send out newsletters for the Free Clinic of Central Virginia, participated in a fundraiser for Mended Hearts (for those with mental and physical health challenges), wrote letters to homebound individuals and cleaned house for a handicapped woman.

Thomas recently directed the “Walk to Remember Rwanda” fundraiser. The walk began on the steps of Arthur S. DeMoss Learning Center on Saturday, April 28, and all of the >>

Heather Thomas (right) was named this year’s Christian/Community Service (CSER) Volunteer of the Year. Troy Matthews, associate director of CSER, presented the award.

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>> money raised went toward a school Liberty students are helping to build in Rwanda.

Thomas said her inspiration for serving comes from the Lord and is a platform for sharing the Gospel.

“Volunteering has opened up a bunch of different doors to share Christ in the community,” Thomas said. “Everywhere we go we always have the question, ‘Where are you all from?’ To be able to say you’re from Liberty University not only portrays a good name on

the school but also upon Christ. People tell us that there is something different about us and they really have enjoyed getting to know the students that have come out.”

Thomas graduated in May and plans to work for a year at a local nursing home before attending medical school.

The Volunteer of the Year Christian Service Award is presented annually to a student who demonstrates excellence in Christian service and ministry. Students are nominated by

their supervisors at the organizations where they volunteer.

Kenneth Hubbell and Mark Osborne received honorable mentions for their service with No Longer Music and Liberty Counsel, respectively.

Liberty requires students to complete a minimum of 20 hours of Christian service each semester to fulfill graduation requirements and support the mission of the university to serve others.

ALUMNA NAMED CHIEF OF SURGERY AT VA HOSPITAL

Liberty University alumna Dr. Jeannie Falwell Savas (’86) has been named Chief of Surgery at Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center in Richmond, Va., placing her among only a handful of women in the country to hold this leadership position. Savas graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Liberty. She earned her medical degree in 1990 from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, where she is an associate professor of surgery. Savas is the daughter of Liberty founder Dr. Jerry Falwell and sister of current Chancellor and President Jerry Falwell, Jr. Her specialty is general surgery, mostly laparoscopic abdominal surgery and robotic surgery. The new position places her in charge of all surgical specialties at the hospital, which has served more than 200,000 veterans from 52 cities and counties since 1946 and was the first VA center to perform heart transplants.Savas said she knew since she was a young child that she would have a career in medicine. “My parents told me I always said I wanted

to be a doctor. Way back then, people would say, ‘Oh I hear you’re going to be a nurse’ [and I’d tell them] ‘No, I’m going to be a doctor.’” Although she has had other interests, from mathematics to competitive water skiing, being a physician has always been her main focus. “People have asked me what my back-up plan was; I never thought of having one because this is what I was going to do.” She said when she was 4 and broke her arm, the doctor was explaining how he was going to have to break it all the way to reset it, so he asked her to look in another direction. “I said, ‘Oh, can’t I watch?’ He looked at my mom with a dumbfounded look and she said, ‘Yes, she’s going to want to watch.’ I just sat there and watched because I thought it was really cool.” When she was in high school, surgeons who were friends of her parents allowed her to view procedures in the operating room, which piqued her interest even more. She went on to attend Liberty, where she majored in mathematics and biology. Coming out of Liberty, “I was completely, 100 percent, prepared for medical school,” she said. Savas returns to Lynchburg any chance she can get, along with her son, Paul, 14. She said they enjoy cheering on the Flames at football and soccer games. She said recently one of her students asked

her why, knowing who her parents were, she didn’t decide to go into ministry herself. “I said, ‘Medicine is a ministry. You’re ministering to the needs of sick people, and dealing with people going through tough times.’” She said she was excited to hear last year that Liberty was starting its own medical school. “We [Christian physicians] need more of an impact in the medical field, and I think it’s a perfect fit because it is a ministry,” Savas said. “There are a lot of people who seem to think there’s conflict between science and religion and I really don’t see it that way,” she added. “God is the author of science, who created an orderly world and scientific laws, and we’re in the process of discovering them all.” Savas has served as the Interim Chief of Surgery for a year and has been on the faculty since 1995. She has served as a Guest Examiner for the American Board of Surgery, is a Council Member for the Virginia Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Association for Surgical Education. She has volunteered her services at the Crossover Free Clinic, the American Physicians Fellowship for Medicine in Israel, the Salvation Army and the American Red Cross, among other organizations. Savas is an active member of Grove Avenue Baptist Church, where she has been an Awana children’s club leader for the past 10 years.

Dr. Jeannie Falwell Savas (’86) and her son, Paul.


On Liberty’s graduation weekend, Army 1st Lt. Alex Woody proudly marched to the front of Thomas Road Baptist Church’s Bruner Hall to swear in his wife, Brandy, as a new Army officer.

As he raised his right hand, a blue bandage covered most of his arm.

Several weeks ago, he never thought he would be present for the commissioning ceremony for new Army officers conducted by the Liberty University Reserve Officers’

Training Corps (ROTC).That was before he was wounded in combat

in Afghanistan.His injury served as a vivid reminder that

America’s young men and women in the military are putting their lives on the line daily.

“I was just doing my job, sir,” he said.Administering the oath of office to his wife,

1st Lt. Alex Woody, a 2010 Liberty graduate, punctuated the school’s enduring relationship with its military students and their families.

This year military graduates walked in Liberty’s largest Commencement in their uniforms and not the more customary regalia of caps and gowns.

As of graduation day, more than 23,000 members of the armed forces were enrolled in Liberty’s educational programs from duty stations around the globe. Military students comprise about one-third of Liberty’s online enrollment.

Some, like Army Chief Warrant Officer

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MILITARY MEMBERS HONORED at special Commencement events


Todd Leggroan, were able to attend graduation this year, while others were serving abroad.

After being deployed eight times in the last decade to combat in either Iraq or Afghanistan, Leggroan said he remains committed to Liberty’s biblical worldview.

Quoting Isaiah 6:8, he said, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me.’”

In 2012, Liberty has ramped up its appreciation events for servicemembers and their families. Earlier this spring, the school held an event at the Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre for military families.

This year, 25 new Army officers and eight new Air Force officers were commissioned out of the Liberty ROTC program to the rank of second lieutenant.

In addition to the customary ROTC commissioning ceremonies, Liberty held an event honoring military graduates on the evening before Commencement.

“We want to say, in a very special way, that it is our honor to honor you,” Liberty Vice

Provost Ron Hawkins told the gathering of military graduates. “You are a select group within an outstanding group of graduates. ... You are special to us.”

Hawkins emphasized that Liberty is in it

for the long haul with its military students.“As long as we have breath, we are here for

you,” he said. “We always want to be part of your healing.”

Liberty will be providing a video of the Military Graduate Recognition Ceremony to those who are deployed and could not attend.

Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Dave Young, now dean of the Liberty University School of Aeronautics, remembers the first time he met

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MILITARY MEMBERS HONORED at special Commencement events

Philip BerryAndrew BibbDavid BuddJ.T. CederbergSarah Beth ChittwoodAustin CoombsJonathan CoxAshley FieldingDavid FlickingerLuke FlowersAshton JacobsBenjamin KellyIsrael Kim

Samuel LikensIsaiah LuceBryan MalizziCarl MoultonRobert PennMark SopkiwLogan SpringerMatthew StrachanTimothy TaylorJoseph VelezJordan WilsonBrandy Woody

2012 graduates commissioned to the rank of second lieutenant, U.S. Army:

Jared AbramowiczNathaniel CromerArielle MarinoMolly Morrissey

2012 graduates commissioned to the rank of second lieutenant, U.S. Air Force:

Jesse MoserJessica VaughnJayson WarrenLuke Williams

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me.’” -Isaiah 6:8

the Rev. Jerry Falwell, who came to a prayer breakfast at a Shreveport, La., base Young was commanding.

Falwell was impressed by the structure and the organization that the military provided and told Young to give him a call when he decided to end his military career.

“Dr. Falwell was tremendously supportive of the military,” Young said. “He was a very patriotic person.”

Several years later, Young came to Lynchburg and became an integral part of Liberty’s finance and management team. Along the way, a lot of former military officers became part of the fabric of Liberty’s administration.

Many, like Young and former Navy Capt. Ernie Rogers, greeted military graduates and gave them commemorative coins during the military graduate recognition event.

Young remembered driving the Rev. Falwell around in his command car, while those on the base saluted the car.

“See Dr. Falwell, they are saluting you,” Young joked. “They know who you are.”


BY RON BROWN

s a decade of U.S. involvement in Middle Eastern wars grinds to a conclusion, America could face

another epic battle on its homefront.How will the United States reincorporate

its stress-wounded warriors into its communities, its families, and its workplaces?

That is a question that retired U.S. Army Major Gen. Bob Dees has been grappling with as he helps develop Liberty University’s groundbreaking Institute of Military Resilience.

After serving 31 years in the U.S. Army in various capacities, Dees is familiar with the insidious nature of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a life-altering, psychological disruption experienced by many fighting men and women subjected to the horrific images and experiences of war.

On Veterans Day 2011, just a decade after the worst terrorist attack in American history, Liberty announced the formation of the institute, which will be a key player in developing faith-based resilience programs to address the challenges of PTSD and other related military mental and behavioral health issues.

“Liberty leadership has a heart for the military,” said Liberty University Chancellor and President Jerry Falwell, Jr. “Because of its Christian heritage and growth in its academic offerings, Liberty University is proud to be able to contribute to these national challenges.”

When the program hits full stride, Liberty plans to work with other universities and non-academic institutions, such as the U.S. Department of Defense, in developing faith-based resilience programs to counter PTSD and other mental and behavioral health issues, such as suicide, family dysfunction, domestic violence, and difficulty transitioning to civilian life.

Liberty recognizes its unique relevance to military personnel and their families, offering academic programs and outreach activities.

Dees’ familiarity with PTSD, a condition medically identified in 1980, comes after a three-decade military career as a leader of troops facing life-and-death situations.

“In the last decade, since retirement, I have seen the growing mental and behavioral health challenges in our

New Military Resilience program supports our

NATION’S HEROESs

“Because of its Christian heritage and growth in its academic offerings, Liberty University is proud to be able to contribute to these national challenges.”-Chancellor and President Jerry Falwell, Jr.


military,” Dees said. “I have put my shoulder to that wheel to understand and help educate others in helping troops and families deal with these issues, including the debilitating impacts of PTSD.”

In line with these efforts, Dees recently conducted a seminar for Liberty faculty regarding “Educating and Empowering Military Students.”

He said Liberty’s strong academic core bolstered by Christian-based education serves as a perfect environment to explore remedies and education for individuals, families, communities, and employers seeking to help military personnel.

This year, Liberty has more than 20,000 military students, which represent about one-third of the total students enrolled in the school’s online education program. Liberty’s Military Affairs Office provides program expertise and compassionate outreach to this military student population. As part of the May 2012 graduation, all 700 military students received a special Liberty military coin in recognition of their service and their student accomplishments.

Liberty is also one of the chief providers of military chaplains for the U.S. Military.

The Institute of Military Resilience is integrated within the Center of Counseling and Family Studies at Liberty University. Liberty recently announced a massive expansion to its Health Sciences program and the addition of a new College of Osteopathic Medicine, offering even greater potential for Liberty to become a center of excellence to address the most pervasive military mental health challenges.

Former combatants may have unpleasant

reactions to a variety of everyday experiences that trigger memories of war.

“A flashback is not just remembering something, it is like you are at war again,” Dees said. “I know significant numbers of military folks and veterans who have flashbacks. It knows no socio-economic bounds.”

For example, something as simple as putting gasoline in an automobile may trigger a response from a veteran who smelled burning fuel in a wartime situation.

“The smell of fuel for that person could trigger a very significant emotional reaction,” Dees said. “Any person who suffers serious trauma seldom forgets it. They need to learn to process it through a different lens. Liberty University provides a helpful Biblical lens, bringing the relevance of Jesus Christ to the foxhole and to the homefront.”

Some of the outgrowths of PTSD for a war veteran could be a sense of isolation from family and friends, self-medication with drugs and alcohol, and, in some cases, domestic abuse and suicide.

A parallel statistic is that America’s military is facing the highest rate of suicide in national history.

While PTSD is a result of psychological trauma, a related physical injury to the brain is called traumatic brain injury (TBI). These two brain complications are known as “the signature injuries” of our recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. These injuries are very complex and difficult to separate from one another.

“My approach to military mental and behavioral health is for us to get upstream of these problems,” Dees said. “Troops, family members, caregivers, and educators need to better understand these challenges and develop reflexes ahead of time to resist and mitigate the effects of military trauma.”

Dees has outlined his thoughts on trauma in a book titled “Resilient Warriors,” which is currently used as a textbook in Liberty’s psychology and counseling programs. The book is available at the Liberty University Barnes & Noble Bookstore.

Because of a wilting economy, many talented veterans face a real possibility of unemployment and, in some cases,

homelessness. Per the 2010 U.S. Census, one-third of America’s homeless are veterans.

“There is clearly a problem reintegrating warriors back into our society,” Dees said. “Many Americans are just awakening to the reality that the mental consequences of war are every bit as serious as the physical wounds. It is a stereotype rooted in American culture, where military personnel, police officers, and firefighters are expected to handle all situations without suffering emotional consequences.”

“This stigma to admitting mental health issues is perhaps the biggest obstacle to starting the healing process,” he said.

The Institute of Military Resilience will focus on military relevant curriculum, outreach, and research into best resilience practices to counter the alarming trends.

“We don’t need to continue to talk about the negativity of what’s happening,” Dees said. “Most of our military people are living it. We need to fashion a more positive way for them to deal with the military trauma and life challenges that many suffer on our behalf.”

Faith-based resilience coping mechanisms include preparing for the inevitable trials of life, weathering the storm, and bouncing back without getting stuck in negative emotions, moving into even greater service of others.

“The faith element has often been left out of the equation,” Dees said. “Liberty seeks to fully leverage faith on behalf of our nation’s warriors. The real questions are ‘How will they put on the Armor of God?’ and ‘How will they experience help, hope, and healing through Jesus Christ?’”

Major General Robert F. Dees, U.S. Army, Retired, and Liberty University Associate Vice President of Military Outreach, met with over 100 faculty members in a workshop on Jan. 9 to discuss Liberty’s new Institute for Military Resilience. Credit: Rachel Burkholder Army Major Gen. Bob Dees

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A significant shift in course offerings at the Liberty University School of Aeronautics (SOA) could have graduates prepared for a huge transition in the use of the United States commercial airspace.

Last year, the university approved the School of Aeronautics to begin training students in the use of Unmanned Aviation Vehicles (UAVs), popularly referred to as drones in their military application.

The federal government has instructed the Federal Aviation Administration to develop a plan by 2015 to incorporate UAVs into the national airspace of the United States. When that happens, unmanned aircraft may become the vehicle of choice for many traditional uses of aircraft that could easily be accomplished without a pilot on board.

“We believe we have read the tea leaves, and although difficult for a traditional pilot like myself to accept, we forecast the future of aviation including UAVs,” said retired Air

Force Brig. Gen. Dave Young, who serves as dean of the Liberty University School of Aeronautics. “Future aviation is going to include drones. There are so many potential applications where drones can be used.”

Those applications include potential uses in law enforcement, agriculture, border enforcement, power and oil pipeline control, search and rescue, and transportation of materials to remote construction sites.

For example, a drone aircraft properly equipped could replace manned state police planes that patrol major arterial highways for speeders.

“With the right cameras and detection equipment, the drone could capture the license number and gauge the speed without having to get a trooper involved,” Young said. “The courts could mail the offender a ticket and notify them the amount of the fine.”

In a similar scenario, a drone aircraft could replace hundreds of police officers and

volunteers used to conduct searches over wide spaces for missing persons.

The drone aircraft could be equipped with cameras, night vision equipment, and heat sensors that would make orchestrated searches infinitely more efficient.

Drone aircraft could also be used to detect illegal immigrants crossing borders and illegal marijuana crops being grown in remote areas.

The drone could enable power companies to inspect electrical, gasoline, and natural gas distribution lines without requiring a pilot to be on board.

Drones could also be used in crop dusting and crop inspection for legitimate agriculture uses.

“As you can see, UAVs are going to be a viable part of the aviation industry,” Young said. “If Liberty wants to be part of this emerging industry, it behooves us to become involved in it now. It offers a grand

BY RON BROWN

LIBERTY AVIATION ON CUTTING EDGE OF DRONE AIRCRAFT TRAINING

Joshua Tate, airplane flight instructor and UAV operator at Liberty University School of Aeronautics, is pictured with the Dragon Eye UAV.


opportunity for employment during a time when college graduates are entering a highly competitive job market.”

Young understands that drone aircraft technology could easily be abused by someone who doesn’t appreciate the ethics and values of aviation.

To that end, the SOA plans to train Liberty graduates who have a deep-seeded understanding of the ethical use of aircraft.

“We believe we are on the cusp of a tremendous opportunity,” Young said. “Our mission is to produce graduates who are not only skilled, but who are going to go out in the world as strong Christians.”

Young wants to produce graduates who are not only morally strong, but who also will be innovative ambassadors for the emerging UAV industry and Liberty University as a premier educational institution.

“Every day, it seems like there is a new application, a new piece of information, a new dot that connects,” Young said. “There are so many technologically-oriented entities that are trying to discover how they can be involved with UAVs. They see it as an opportunity if they are inclined to go in that direction.”

“While the Department of Defense has been using unmanned aerial systems since World War I, the proliferation of UAV usage by the military has occurred in the past decade,” said John Marselus, Associate Dean of the Liberty University School of Aeronautics.

Currently, 90 percent of drone usage by the United States Department of Defense occurs in combat missions in foreign airspace.

“The reality of combat in other areas of the world is that the Department of Defense is given control of airspace,” Marselus said. “The Department of Defense is then able to incorporate UAVs into their

highly-structured airspace control plans.”The Department of Defense has been

able to shoulder the cost of expensive and groundbreaking research and development of UAV technology because of its many military applications. Drone technology has been seen as a game changer in the United States’ wars against remotely located terrorist groups like al-Qaida.

“The military has used drone technology in a myriad of different ways,” Marselus said. “The intelligence gathered by drone aircraft has created an insatiable appetite for information by combat commanders. They have become convinced of the advantage that the technology provides for our troops.”

Military, unmanned aerial vehicle operators/pilots are currently certified through the military, which is accomplished in restricted airspace. But as military drone pilots return from overseas wars where over 90 percent of the flying is occurring,

the Department of Defense is trying to determine how to train drone pilots outside the United States’ restricted airspace, which is at a premium because it is so small.

“Another real challenge lies in the fact that UAV systems have not had to meet the same air-worthy certifications that traditional aircraft have,” Marselus said. “The FAA is trying to determine criteria for certifying UAVs. In addition, there are rules for traditional aircraft that keep our skies safe that need to be adapted for UASs (unmanned aerial systems). They cannot ‘see and avoid’ in the traditional sense an approaching 737 that is possibly in their flight paths and report that to air traffic controllers.”

One promising solution is “sense-and-avoid” technology, which would avoid in-air conflicts between aircraft.

Another problem that will have to be resolved is how to regulate UAVs when control is interrupted with the aircraft’s primary operator.

The FAA will also have to figure out how to certify UAV pilots, which are more like remote operators. Industry and the military have produced their own training systems up until now, but an overall standard has not been set by the FAA. Drone aircraft may not take off and land like traditional aircraft. Some are small enough that they can be hand launched. Some smaller drones harmlessly stall over a remote area and purposely break into pieces that are easily reassembled once they hit ground.

The FAA will have to develop regulations for a variety of drones depending on altitude, size, weight composition, and function.

“We are right on the front edge of this as these are being defined,” Marselus said. “We want to have graduates serving the Lord in this area of aviation.”

“We believe we are on the cusp of a tremendous opportunity, Our mission is to produce graduates who are not only skilled, but who are going to go out in the world as strong Christians.” -Retired Air

Force Brig. Gen. Dave Young

Associate Dean John Marselus teaches aerodynamics at the School of Aeronautics.

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The Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching, inaugurated last year, recognizes faculty members in Liberty’s residential and online programs, undergraduate and graduate, who have promoted significant student learning evidenced by exceptional pedagogical skill, effective use of instructional technology, and incorporation of creative and innovative approaches to teaching and learning.

“Liberty University is committed to providing the most useful and highest quality of education possible to our students,” said Provost Dr. Ron Godwin. “The awards are all about putting action behind our words of commitment. We want to encourage teachers to excel, to get out of their comfort zone, and to try new learning technologies,

FACULTY RECOGNIZED FOR

EXCELLENCE in TEACHINGto employ new classroom techniques or online teaching techniques, to innovate and to learn and improve the quality of teaching.”

Recipients are selected by judging committees comprised of deans from seven discipline areas and are honored formally at Commencement.

Godwin said it was the vision of Liberty’s founder, Dr. Jerry Falwell, Sr., to train leaders in all discipline areas, realized through faculty impact on student faith, thought, and character, a key motivating factor for the awards.

He said the awards are just one of many steps Liberty has taken to promote teaching excellence.

Lucinda Spaulding, Education

Trilby Cox,Psychology

Anita Knight, Counseling and Family Studies

David Towles, English and Modern Languages

ONLINE GRADUATE

ONLINE UNDERGRADUATE

RESIDENTIAL GRADUATE

Deborah Pinkston,Counseling and Family Studies

Jennifer Hollis,General Studies

Samuel Smith,Education

Stuart Schwartz,Communication Studies

Steven Guest, Seminary

Mark Hensley, Religion

Don Alban, General Studies

THIS YEAR’S RECIPIENTS ARE:

RESIDENTIAL UNDERGRADUATE


Stuart Schwartz,Communication Studies

Don Alban, General Studies

The late Rev. Jerry Falwell often talked about having an athletics program that competed at the highest level. The Liberty University Club Sports department is taking huge strides to help that vision become reality.

“Overall, this is the best year we’ve ever had in club sports,” said Kirk Handy, director of club sports.

Wrestling was the big winner, claiming a national duals championship as well as two wrestlers, Scott Clymer and Aaron Thompson, earning individual national championships. Paintball finished in the top three for the third consecutive year. Disc golf, in its first year, had an All-American (Joses Merat) and finished in the top 30. The men’s lacrosse team, in only its

second full year, made it to the semifinals of the Southeastern Lacrosse Conference (SELC) and had more players make all-conference than all competing programs. Kyle McQuillan, head coach for lacrosse, was named SELC Coach of the Year.

“We had a lot of top 10 finishes. I think as we move forward you’re going to start seeing all of our club sports competing nationally,” Handy said.

Other teams that competed in national tournaments this year included men’s volleyball, gymnastics, and triathlon, and crew.

Liberty announced the formation of three new club sports teams slated to begin this fall: women’s racquetball and men’s and women’s beach volleyball, bringing the total number of club sports teams to 31.

“We had a lot of top 10 finishes. I think as we move forward you’re going to start seeing all of our club sports competing nationally.” -KIRK HANDY, Director of Club Sports

BY BJ WILLIAMS

RESIDENTIAL UNDERGRADUATE

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