Presidents’ entrepreneurship celebrated

Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr., and the late Jerry Falwell Sr., were inducted into the region’s new Business Hall of Fame during a gala hosted by the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance Saturday, Nov. 3. 

Falwell said he was grateful for the induction and that entrepreneurship has always run in the Falwell blood. 

“The entrepreneur side of my dad was in his DNA,” Falwell said. “Sometimes he would fail time after time again, but he never gave up until he got it.” 

It was announced earlier in the fall that Liberty University creates over $1 billion in economic activity for the region annually. 

Falwell said he is proud to be a part of the business growth in Lynchburg and that the city has been the perfect partner for Liberty.

“We started out at odds with each other, with different visions for the city,” Falwell said. “Turns out we were both wrong. Downtown Lynchburg has proven to be a great asset for Liberty, just as Liberty is for the city.” 

“I’m grateful to be president of this great university and humbled to be recognized for the positive impact we are having on the Lynchburg area’s economy,” Falwell said. 

The award comes after decades of financial struggles for the university.

“This recognition is a definite statement on how their tireless efforts through the years have impacted the region in such a positive way,” Kenneth Craig, Liberty’s Director of Government Relations, said.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Falwell has grown the success of Liberty exponentially and is now on a mission to train students to be entrepreneurs themselves, with the university’s new Office of Outreach and Business Engagement, tasked with making business connections that benefit students and alumni. 

“We’ve started a program at Liberty to teach students of all professions to also learn about the business side of things and what it takes to become an entrepreneur,” Falwell said. “Since Liberty is only (here) because of entrepreneurialism and business principles, I think we are staying true to our mission by including that in every curriculum.” 

According to Jonathan Whitt, Liberty’s vice president for Outreach and Business Engagement, they exist as the front door to the University for business and industry connections and focuses on three main things. The first of these includes a more effective talent development system for students which will offer students more opportunities to connect with employers. 

“Our Career Center makes the valuable connections,” Whitt said. “By helping connect with businesses, we build valuable relationships which turn into career development opportunities for our students.” 

The office also focuses on finding corporate partnerships to work with students in areas such as research and scholarship. The final concentration of the office is helping the companies get to know Liberty and asking for their input on curriculum development. 

One of these partnerships is with BWX Technologies, Inc. President of BWX’s Nuclear Services Group, Kenneth Camplin, spoke about why he thinks having the office will prove to be a beneficial move for the university. 

“Having an office that facilitates business relationships will help connect students and employers, particularly those within the local industry,” Camplin said. 

Camplin agreed that the office’s emphasis on trying to make sure students are being taught things that will be relevant to their future careers is important. 

“Having mutual understandings and programs is a really good thing,” Camplin said. “For potential employers of Liberty students, having the students in programs and pursuing degrees that would be of interest to specific industries makes it easier to connect with them.” 

Whitt said the office was started only recently because the university has not had an immediate need for it until now. He explained that the office has been the result of the natural growth of the school.  

“In order to keep and maintain a better academic program, it becomes necessary,” Whitt said. “We’ve been putting everything in place and now we’re fully in the game.”

For more information about the services offered by the new office, visit Liberty.edu/OBE.