Rosemary's desk. Happy October! We are looking forward to Fall Break on Oct. 6-7. Encourage your students to persevere through the challenges and growth! We are excited for all the fun events happening this month, especially welcoming Liberty families back to campus during our Family Weekend on Oct. 21-23! :)
Theme of the month. This month's theme in Parent & Family Connections is Perseverance! As Hebrews 12:1b-2 states, “And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." As the students are "running this race" of college, the parents, family, and friends can come along side them to cheer them on as they fulfill their God-given calling! Most importantly, in the midst of it all, remember to turn our eyes upon Jesus!
In Hebrews 10:36, "You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." In Hebrews 10, it describes "a call to persevere in the faith" because God is faithful to fulfill to complete His promises.
In this October edition, you will find the following information:
- A Prayer Focus
- Spring 2023 Course Registration Schedule
- Student Financial Services
- Scholarship Search 101
- Liberty Dining Services
- School of Business
- Other Activities
Remember God's faithfulness and to persevere! As our founder, Dr. Jerry Falwell Sr. would say, "Never, Never quit!" God's blessings to you and your family!
Be Their Praying Warrior
Tamatha Anthony, Assistant Director, Parent & Family Connections. We want the most God-honoring, sweetest, strongest relationship you can have with your young adult college student. We want you to be equipped to be the adult in their lives that they can count on to cheer for them and support them with prayer. (If you haven’t yet, read “How to Talk to a College Student” available on our College Parenting webpage to provide a framework for what I mean by cheering for them.)
This month’s focus is on their eyes – what they look through and what they see.
Go into what has been their living space at home or imagine it and all its parts. We will use the parts to pray over specific areas of their life. This month is the window (or the mirror if that is an option).
The window, if there is one, needs to be clean and unobstructed. The window that looks out into the world from their room is like their eyes. What their eyes see, like a window, is impacted by the grime of nature and the smudges of human interactions. Take a cloth and soapy water or window cleaner (or imagine it!) and wash away what clings to the glass. Clear the smudges that are left behind. Pray as if you are washing their eyes.
Pray for the structure of their eyes. Pray for the framework and the boundaries that they choose. Pray against the environmental nature of life, society, culture, and any unhealthy relationship dynamics. Pray against what may fog their vision. Pray for discernment, wisdom, and clarity to see the people and the opportunities around them. Take courage in that “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Tim. 1:7, ESV).
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is [your student] who takes refuge in him! (Ps. 34:8, ESV, emphasis is mine).
For additional prayer points this month, use our Praying For Your Student webpage.
This entry can be found in the blog series Whatsoever (starting with To Be a College Parent: Be Their Praying Warrior).
Prayer Focus
Timi Plyter, Lead Parent Advocate, Parent & Family Connections.
Dear Father,
Your Word tells us “to persevere so that when [we] have done the will of God, [we] will receive what He has promised.”
We know that Your will is perfect and that it is the best thing we can ever do while we are here on earth. Lord, in that, our students’ parents and guardians need as much guidance when coaching their students as their student does. May they lean on You, seek truth, and not rely on their own knowledge.
We are told in Psalm 119:11, “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” And in Romans 12:2, we are told “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
We know what we are to do, but sometimes in the busyness of life and in the challenges of a transition, we push aside what You tell us to do. We forget.
Father, please quicken our minds and hearts to remember Your words. Keep us all accountable to Your commands, and encourage us to persevere every day, all day. And when we are obedient to Your Word, all our lives will shine and bring glory to You. May it be ever so.
We ask this in Jesus’s precious name, Amen!
Academic Calendar 2022-23
Please click on the box below to review the Academic Calendar for 2022-23. Circle the dates for Fall Break. Encourage your students to keep pressing forward and pray for them! Send them a care package by the Campus Store by Sodexo or OCM, or a card!
Spring 2023 Course Registration Schedule
It is the time of year for residential students to register for courses for the Spring 2023 semester! Find more information on the Registrar's Course Registration website. Here is the schedule below:
- Monday, Oct. 17 – Registration opens for Honors Program & NCAA Athletes
- Tuesday, Oct. 18 – Club Sport Athletes
- Wednesday, Oct. 19 – Registration opens for returning seniors, graduate, & doctoral students
- Friday, Oct. 21 – Registration opens for special groups & returning international students
- Tuesday, Oct. 25 – Registration opens for returning juniors
- Thursday, Oct. 27 – Registration opens for returning sophomores
- Monday, Oct. 31 – Registration opens for returning freshmen
- Wednesday, Nov. 2 – Registration opens for new students who have paid their enrollment deposit by 10/01/2022 and have completed FCI and assessments prior to 11/01/2022
- Wednesday, Nov. 9 – Registration opens for all new students
- Jan. 16-20 – Add/Drop Week
The 2023-2024 FAFSA is Available! | Student Financial Services
Rebekah McSherry, Senior Supervisor - Communications. Hi, Parents!
The 2023-2024 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) was made available on StudentAid.Gov on October 1! As you know, completing the FAFSA starts the financial aid offer process, which includes federal grants, loans and Liberty-offered scholarships.
Our Financial Aid team has reached out a few times to your student over the past couple of months to prepare them for the 2023-2024 FAFSA open date. Many residential students are considered dependent by the U.S. Department of Education, so it is important for you to be aware of the FAFSA open date too, since you may need to help or complete a portion of the application.
Here are a few tips and resources to help you and your student along the way!
- Complete the FAFSA at StudentAid.gov. Avoid any other sites that mention .com or .org, since they may prompt a request for payment to complete a free application.
- The 2023-2024 FAFSA is based off previously filed 2021 income information with the IRS, so no need to wait until you file this year’s taxes in January. You may also have the option to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to download your tax information right onto the FAFSA. If your student’s FAFSA is selected for Verification, using the download tool should help reduce the review time.
- It’s been a year since the last time you and your student completed the FAFSA, so if you need some help navigating the application, check out the U.S. Department of Education’s FAFSA resource webpage. Our FAFSA webpage is also filled with helpful information.
The Financial Aid Office is available to help you as well. Please do not hesitate to reach out at (888) 583-5704, email FinancialAid@liberty.edu or chat. We look forward to helping your student prepare for their next year of enrollment!
Scholarship Search 101
In Scholarship Search 101 (SS101), learn how to get additional funds to help finance your student's college education! Encourage your student to sign up to attend a Scholarship Search 101 on Thursday, Oct. 13 at 4 p.m. in DeMoss Hall 1284! Students will need to RSVP for the session through Compass. (They will find the sessions within the Events tab and can RSVP there). In the meantime, watch the Scholarship Search Overview video. Additionally, review the search tips on how to find external scholarships, and pray for the Lord's provision!
Liberty Dining Services
Shelby Burton, Marketing Manager. Entering the fall, Sodexo has been enjoying bringing fun events to the campus along with opportunities to give back to the community.
Our first Produce Stand of the semester was a major success! We know this event is something students look forward to because it provides them with the opportunity to use their meal plan tenders for healthy produce options. However, this year’s crowd purchased more than half our offerings in under 30 minutes! We can’t wait for our next Produce Stand on Oct. 19.
We’re looking forward to starting our annual Food Drive on Oct. 17 to benefit the local Lynchburg community. We’ve teamed up with the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank and additional academic and campus entities to help us drive a compelling message to bless the community this Thanksgiving. Students, faculty, and staff are all encouraged to participate, and Sodexo will match up to $2,000 worth of food after the final donation is weighed!
Additionally, we’ll begin our Dining Survey on Oct. 24. This survey allows students, faculty, and staff to voice their opinions on our dining services from customer service to food quality. We review the results in depth to make informed decisions about the dining program, so it’s important that everyone take advantage of this opportunity. All participants are entered into a raffle for some cool prizes.
As the weather is cooling down, we’re whipping up some seasonal baked goods for purchase through our online shop. You can purchase for your student to pick up and enjoy this fall, like some yummy pumpkin bread!
School of Business
Sarah Young, Resident Faculty Support Coordinator. The School of Business at Liberty University supports Liberty’s mission statement – Training Champions for Christ – through numerous avenues. Our Residential and Online School of Business get the opportunity to serve the finest group of students and alumni every day within the classrooms, during club meetings, through School of Business events and everything in between. Our goal is to keep our students at the forefront of every decision we make and to help them succeed as we set them up for the world they will enter upon graduation. Through our LU Business Community App, our students are enabled to connect with alumni Champions for Christ who are serving organizations and communities around the world and looking forward to mentor and hire our students.
The School of Business hosts 19 Student Clubs that are all extremely active and involved within the Liberty University Community. Our Club Faculty Sponsors and Club Presidents work together to curate events that will impact not only the students in our building, but all-around campus. The clubs and centers within the School of Business are a great way for students to network and explore their callings! Through the world-changing guest speakers that are hosted within classrooms and weekly club meetings, our students can network with others that lead to internships and jobs. Our faculty are the best in their industry and minister along our student leaders every year to reach out and make all feel loved and welcome at Liberty. Regardless of the program of study, our programs are designed to give our students practical skills and the foundation needed to help them enter highly competitive industries. Our team works hard with alumni, Career Services, and others to build relationships to support our students daily.
For more information, check out the School of Business website, Instagram, and Facebook.
The School of Business's Academic Newsletter is available as a digital edition at Fall 2022 Academic Newsletter. Learn about recent events, upcoming activities, faculty spotlights, clubs, and more at the School of Business this year!
Homecoming | Oct. 14-15
LU Alumni: Homecoming is Oct. 14-15! For more information, to register and view the schedule, visit Student Activities' website at Liberty.edu/Homecoming.
Family Weekend | Oct. 21-23
Family Weekend is Oct. 21-23! Make memories with your student at their home away from home. Plan your weekend around your family’s passions. Family Weekend Check-In is on Friday, Oct. 21 only, from noon to 5 p.m. on the Softball Stadium Lawn. For more information and to register, visit our website: Liberty.edu/FamilyWeekend.
New London Day | Oct. 22
Join Friends of New London and Liberty University on Saturday, Oct. 22 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. for New London Day, featuring the preservation and restoration of Mead’s Tavern and the old Bedford Alum Springs Hotel. For more information, visit the History Department's website.
International Student Center | Throughout the semester
The International Student Center (ISC) hosts many events throughout the semester that help students create a global perspective. Love God and love people! Check out the ISC's Event Calendar website for more information.
Student Activities | Throughout the semester
Student Activities hosts several events such as Outdoor Open Mic (Oct. 4), Outdoor Movie Night (Oct. 21), and more. Check out their Event Calendar for more information and the full schedule.
Parent & Family Connections
We exist to support the mission of Liberty University Training Champions for Christ by sharing information with students' family members about the resources, programs, and activities available on campus. Our purpose is to build relationships between parents and the university, promote student success, and support parents through the transition of their students being at college - all the while praying for their highest calling in Jesus Christ.
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday | t: (434) 582-2339 | e: LUFamily@liberty.edu
Follow us on Facebook at /LibertyUFamily! Bookmark our webpage Praying For Your Student and pray with us.
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Created with images by Larisa-K - "christmas holiday decoration" • GidonPico - "sunset mountain balance" • Sergiu Vălenaș - "untitled image" • Erika Fletcher - "untitled image" • Jamie Templeton - • Joshua Hanson - "untitled image" • PDPics - "magnetic compass navigation direction"