Over 29,000 graduates receive degrees; Special guests include U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, Mike Pompeo, Willie Robertson
This year, Liberty University welcomed one of its largest Commencement crowds in history, with over 60,000 graduates and their loved ones celebrating at 28 separate degree ceremonies across campus Thursday-Saturday, May 9-11, and at the Main Commencement Ceremony in Williams Stadium on Friday night. (View the full Main Ceremony)
The Main Ceremony began with a time of worship followed by an invocation by Chancellor Jonathan Falwell.
“Liberty University has always been a place, since 1971, where we Train Champions for Christ,” he said. “And now, while we’ve been doing that for 53 years, it’s exciting to see and exciting to know that we have not stopped nor will we ever stop doing that singular thing of training up young champions who will go into a world that desperately needs to see, hear, and know what light looks like. That light flows from the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Thank you, students, for what you are about to do as you leave this place and go change the world.”
Mike Pompeo, former U.S. Secretary of State and a Distinguished Chair in Liberty’s Helms School of Government, then took the podium to share about the importance of service and to highlight Liberty’s military students. Over 2,000 members of the Class of 2024 are serving on active duty, and more than 6,000 have military ties. Liberty held a special Military Graduate Recognition Ceremony in their honor the previous day.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is now a Distinguished Chair in Liberty’s Helms School of Government, spoke about the university’s appreciation and pride for the over 6,000 graduates with military ties, including 2,000 serving on active duty.
“Liberty and faith are sacred things. They are worthy of being defended,” Pompeo said. “Throughout 250 years of American history, our nation has always depended on the willingness of incredible men and women, and their families, to sacrifice for it, to fight for it, and even to give their lives for it. The history of Americans serving this country and its freedoms is noble and decent. And it is a tradition that continues today. And this university is a big part of it.”
President Dondi Costin followed Pompeo with a message of encouragement for graduates to remain Champions for Christ in their lives and careers. He highlighted the many achievements and milestones Liberty has celebrated this year in academics and athletics, and he praised the graduates and Liberty students for their service to others and standing up for the unborn and for the nation of Israel.
Sen. Tim Scott was the keynote speaker for the Main Ceremony.
Costin then introduced the keynote speaker, two-term South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, and welcomed him to campus for the first time. Costin described Scott as a leader who has exemplified what it means to be a Champion for Christ through his business and political careers. Scott was presented with an honorary Doctor of Humanities.
A native of North Charleston, S.C., Sen. Scott has served his home state in the U.S. Senate since 2013. He has worked as a tireless advocate creating more opportunities for families living paycheck-to-paycheck and helping children in poverty have access to quality education. He launched his Opportunity Agenda, a legislative package aimed at achieving these goals, as well as the Senate Opportunity Coalition, a group of Senators committed to helping those in need.
Scott opened his remarks by praising God for His continued faithfulness in the lives of each graduate.
“I believe there are a lot of graduates sitting here today with tears rolling in their eyes and a heart of gratitude because if we all knew what God had to do to get you to your seats, we would all stand up and give you a standing ovation,” he said. “I thank God Almighty we live in a country where we are free to praise the living God, the One and the True God.”
Sharing from his own experience as a child growing up in a poor, single-parent household, Scott gave students three “pieces of the puzzle” for life: 1) “Failure isn’t fatal if you don’t quit,” 2) “If you want to stand out in life, stand up for those who can’t stand for themselves,” and 3) “Step out of the boat if you want to walk on water.”
“For us to impact the world more than the world impacts us, we’ve got to keep our eyes on the living God, Jesus Christ,” he said. “It won’t work any other way. You see, the world we’re living in has lots and lots of bad news — war in Ukraine, conflict in the Middle East, China aggression toward Taiwan, inflation eating away at paychecks. But we ought not be surprised because John 10:10 tells us that there is a thief that comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But that’s not the end of the verse. Christ has come that we might have life to the full. That’s good news. If there’s a fight being waged, I’m going to be on the side of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. I’m going to believe that greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world. That’s our spiritual heritage.”
He said standing out in life is about standing up for those who cannot stand for themselves.
“I can’t think of a better time for the body of Christ to stand for our Jewish brothers and sisters in the United States of America on college campuses. I’m sick and tired of seeing antisemitism on college campuses spread like a cancer. I think it’s high time we tell the colleges and universities that allow for Jewish genocide to be spoken and the call for mass murder: to those colleges and universities, your federal funding is a privilege; it is not a right. What is a right is for every single Jewish student to walk to their class safely. What is a right is for every Jewish student to study in the library at peace. We should take the money from those universities and colleges that continue to spew hate and give it to a God-fearing place called Liberty University.”
Just before fireworks erupted high in the sky to music orchestrated by Liberty students, “Duck Dynasty” TV personality and Duck Commander CEO Willie Robertson, who was celebrating Commencement as the parent of one of this year’s graduates, closed the ceremony in prayer. He praised God for His many blessings and asked for guidance as the graduates go out with the Gospel on their lips above anything else, even their jobs and careers, and that everyone there would be Flames for the Gospel everywhere they go.
“Duck Dynasty” TV personality and Duck Commander CEO Willie Robertson, who is a Liberty parent, gave a short benediction and prayer for the Class of 2024.
Many Liberty graduates were inspired by the ceremony and reflected on their time as students, including graduate Peyton Weist, from Emerald Isle, N.C., who received his B.S. in Aeronautics: Commercial/Corporate. “I loved all the speakers, the message, and the fireworks. … It was very inspirational. I’d love to do it again.”
Pamela Knight, from Houston, completed her B.S. in Bible: Christian Counseling through Liberty University Online Programs over the past six years. She spent the entire week in Lynchburg, Va., leading up to Commencement Weekend.
“It’s a very good environment. The ceremony was very organized, and I loved the fireworks and the mountains.” Knight said the visit motivated her to pursue her master’s degree. “I now have confirmation from God to keep going. I’m praying that God will lead me in that direction.”
