Commencement contribution

Spiritual life coaches continue their service at Liberty by helping at 2016 graduation

Even as the semester closes, student leaders continue to volunteer and serve in a big way on Liberty University’s campus.

Associate Director of Student Leadership Kelsey Baker leads the team of Spiritual Life Coaches (SLCs) that will volunteer their time and skills at 2016
commencement.

“They ask all of the SLCs who aren’t graduating to help in some sense, just because we are such a large force,” Kelsey Baker said.

The SLCs will help at the baccalaureate service with Evangelist Tim Lee Friday, May 13 at 6 p.m. in the Vines Center.

They will also volunteer at commencement with keynote speaker Rashad Jennings Saturday, May 14 at 10 a.m. at Williams Stadium.

Kelsey Baker will assign nearly 200 SLCs to different tasks including passing out programs, greeting guests and directing the graduates.

“We just kind of scatter them everywhere just to ensure our guests are having the best experience possible,” Kelsey Baker said.

Kelsey Baker believes having people in student leadership volunteer for large campus events and activities can show the willingness and hearts of Liberty University as a whole.

“When people need volunteers, they want to ask the student leaders first because they know that they’re servant-hearted, that they’re strong leaders, that they represent the school well and that there’s usually large numbers of them,” Kelsey Baker said.

Graduation takes a lot of manpower from many different departments on campus, according to Kelsey Baker.

“Student leaders — yes, they’re involved with it, but we’re just a small piece in making a very, very huge event happen,” Kelsey Baker said.

Kelsey Baker said the woman behind all of the graduation planning is Lori Baker, associate registrar for operations.

“She coordinates all of it and works with all the different departments and just does an amazing job making sure everything is ready to go,” Kelsey Baker said.

Planning happens year-round for commencement, but planning really begins in October of each year, according to Lori Baker, who is planning her ninth commencement.

“Commencement would not be as big of a success each year if it wasn’t for the SLCs involvement and assistance,” Lori Baker said.

Lori Baker estimates a crowd of 35,000 graduates and guests will be in attendance for this year’s commencement.

“For years, we have received feedback from guests about how well that they were treated by the students working in the stands, and I think that this is an important testimony to the willingness and kindness of our student body in helping others,” Lori Baker said.

The SLCs stay after finals in order to help make graduation possible. Baker said their hard work and sacrifice does not go unnoticed.

“Their willingness to stay after classes are done to work on a normally hot, humid day to make our graduates’ day a great one shows how awesome that they are, and we so appreciate them,” Lori Baker said.

Kelsey Baker spoke highly of her team of SLCs and their willingness to serve the student body and guests on campus.

“SLCs — they love doing it. … They’re servants, they want to be available, they want to love on our guests that are coming in,” Baker said.

Sweeney is a feature reporter.