Early years alumni, faculty, and staff return to campus for a Pioneer Luncheon

Over 40 Liberty University faculty, staff, and former leaders attended the very first Pioneer Luncheon hosted by the Office of Alumni Relations and Office of the Provost on Nov. 17 in the Montview Alumni Ballroom.

Founding leaders, staff members, faculty, and earliest generations of Liberty administrators between the years 1971 and 1977 received invitations to the event in recognition for their foundational contributions to the university. Dr. Greg Tilley, Director of Alumni Engagement, said months of preparation went into coordinating the luncheon, all done in service to honor Liberty’s groundbreakers and welcome them back to campus.

“We’re standing on these peoples’ shoulders today,” Tilley said. “It’s our honor as a university to say thank you to these folks, these true pioneers who allowed Liberty to be what it is today.”

Liberty University co-founder Dr. Elmer Towns addressed the alumni seated around the room. He shared the verse he quoted during Liberty’s first official gathering in 1971, 1 Thessalonians 5:24, noting that if the university – then known as Lynchburg Baptist College – “made it,” it would be because “the Lord who calls you is faithful and absolutely trustworthy, and He will do it.” Towns then said a prayer for the meal and welcomed Brian Mentzer, Senior Vice President of Development, to speak.

Mentzer thanked the guests for their role in “building the eternal kingdom” and offered a reminder to trust God even when life doesn’t make sense.

“The number one thing that matters to God is not our net worth, our physical wellbeing, or the things we pray about mostly, it’s that we trust Him because that is the essence of faith,” said Mentzer. “And look what God has done. We want to say to you, pioneers, thank you. We are in an amazing season right now at Liberty.”

Looking ahead, Mentzer expressed his anticipation for better things to come largely due to the university’s recent inauguration of President Dondi Costin. While the president could not attend the gathering, he taped a heartfelt message for those in the room, expressing his desire to meet each of them, shake their hands, and commend them for “believing in (Liberty founder) Dr. (Jerry) Falwell’s vision.”

“Because you did what you did, God was able to do what He did in my life,” said Costin. “All because of Liberty University.”

Tilley also expressed his personal gratitude as well as the thankfulness of current students, faculty, and staff members of Liberty to those who attended the luncheon.

“We wouldn’t be here without the blood, sweat, and sometimes tears that you all shed,” said Tilley. “You were the ones planting the seeds. You were the ones digging the ground. You were the ones watering.”

The Pantanas, a musical group consisting of John and Linda Pantana, Phillip Pantanta, and Joy Pantana Thatcher that often traveled with Dr. Jerry Falwell, performed the song “When God Dips His Pen” at the luncheon and recalled memories of their quartet’s support in growing the university’s population.

“After our concert and after Jerry Falwell would preach, everyone would come out into the (church) lobby, and we’d tell them about Liberty and how great it was going to be,” said Thatcher. “We recruited students with (Falwell) a lot.”

Throughout their lunch, seated at tables around the room, the guests greeted one another with warm welcomes, sharing memories from their time on campus. Paula (Oldham) Johnson was among the first class of Liberty students and initially pursued a degree in journalism before getting married. She had never planned on attending college but felt the Lord’s direction to do so.

“I heard the Lord say ‘Go’,” said Johnson. “And I knew He wanted me to go to school here (at Liberty). I have not regretted answering that call.”

Also among the alumni in attendance was Dr. David Adams (‘75) (‘93), currently a Liberty professor of pastoral leadership, Christian leadership, and church ministry in the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity. Adams received his degree in youth ministry and coaching and completed seminary at Liberty (then Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary). He provided the luncheon with a box of Liberty catalogs for alumni to read, dating back to the university’s founding year, 1971.

One former faculty member, 99-year-old Amos Wipf, is Liberty’s oldest living pioneer employee. He briefly addressed the audience, reminiscing on his days as a chemistry professor and serving as chairman of the Natural Science and Mathematics Division (now divided between the School of Health Sciences and College of Arts and Sciences).

In closing, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Scott Hicks thanked the alumni and former faculty and staff for attending the pioneer luncheon. He encouraged them to view their previous setbacks in life as the Lord’s sanctification, setting them apart for His glory so that Liberty can continue Training Champions for Christ.

“We are here because of God,” said Hicks. “We did not get here on our own.”