Athletics Department Benefits from Medical School Announcement
10/7/2011 12:00:00 AM | General
On Sept. 15, Liberty University President and Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr., announced the addition of a school of osteopathic medicine and an expanded health sciences school. This announcement continued to draw attention to Liberty's focus on "A New Era of Academic Excellence," and its commitment toward "Training Champions for Christ."
The proposed medical school facilities would be located near the Lynchburg Airport, and are projected to open in fall 2013. Liberty recently received a $12 million grant from the Virginia Tobacco Commission, which the University will match to help establish the new school of osteopathic medicine.
"Liberty University is deeply grateful for the Tobacco Commission's unanimous support for our new School of Health Sciences," said Falwell. "I agree with the Executive Director, Neal Noyes, that this school will have a transformative impact on Southside Virginia's Tobacco District. I also believe that the new School of Health Sciences and medical school will become core to the fulfillment of the mission of this University."
The Liberty Athletics Department stands to benefit from this announcement, as the University will now be able to provide continuing education to prospective student-athletes aiming to enter the medical field. New programs will train students seeking to become doctors of osteopathic medicine, along with nurse practitioners and physicians' assistants.
"The addition of a medical school allows us to have Champions for Christ in the medical field," Director of Athletics Jeff Barber said. "We have them now in the business field, and also in the teaching, education and nursing fields. It just allows us to broaden our educational opportunities and put more Champions for Christ in all of these different areas."
Meredith Eaker, Assistant Athletics Director and Senior Women's Administrator, sees this announcement as a continuation of Liberty's mission to be on a par with other major universities. "Just like athletics wants to be a major contender at the Division I level, the University also has the vision to be there at the academic level," said Eaker. "If you look at a lot of other major universities, you see that they have law schools and medical schools."
Liberty track and field head coach Brant Tolsma echoes Eaker's sentiments about Liberty continuing to build its reputation as a major university.
"We have aspirations to be a front-runner, so the more the infrastructure around us goes up, we as coaches applaud it, because it opens eyes when people come for a visit," Tolsma said. "Liberty could be the place where you come and can be trained to have an impact for Christ in almost any area."
The Liberty Office for Academic Affairs and Athletics will be at the forefront during this transition, incorporating new curriculum as it helps students with their quest for medical degrees.
According to Associate Athletics Director for Academic Affairs Kristie Beitz, student-athletes who had previously wanted to major in pre-med would study biology or another similar discipline. Similarly to when the University added a law school, the medical school will help Liberty provide more focused and specialized instruction to aspiring student-athletes.
"We're fortunate that CASAS (Center for Academic Support and Advising Services) has a professional advisor that is assigned specifically to work with us and our student-athletes," Beitz said. "They'll be a liaison between us and the new medical school, helping us with recruiting and with information regarding the degree completion and courses that will be necessary to take."
Jodi Murphy, field hockey head coach, sees Liberty's improved academics offerings as beneficial in building a strong team, academically and athletically.
"This school will make us even more competitive with some of the other top schools in Virginia and our South Region. Often times in athletics, facilities can truly make a difference in a recruit's decision," Murphy said. "I think the same can be said of academics; when student-athletes see the commitment Liberty has made to modernization and advancement in this area of study, they will be drawn to Liberty."
"The addition of a medical school adds legitimacy to the Lynchburg area," Academic Coordinator Matt Anthony said. "It puts us a step higher, and sets the city apart from other areas. Just drawing more students and growing the community is a benefit."
Liberty's current student-athletes will receive more options presently and also upon graduation.
"It was really exciting to hear that I may have an opportunity as a nursing student, that I can go further in my career and in my learning by still being at Liberty," redshirt sophomore soccer player Kelly Henion, said. "God clearly laid it on my heart to be a nurse anesthetist, so it's really exciting that I can get my master's degree here at Liberty, and just continue God's calling for me."
"Having the medical school at Liberty makes it a lot more likely that I would continue on rather than apply to another school," junior field hockey player Ann Jefferis said. "Nursing was definitely something that brought me here. Having a medical school here, with a Christian background, I think it's really great."
Freshman field hockey player Lindsey Hanks said, "I definitely think that it's a great opportunity. It would be really great to go through the nursing program here and then go to the medical school. It's just a great connection, and I think that it will really help me broaden my education."
Barber added, "Continuing education is very important. There are a lot of student-athletes that want to continue their education and get master's or doctoral degrees. The more opportunities that we offer our recruits and prospective student-athletes, the better it will be for us, the more that we will attract, or will choose Liberty over another school."
With this newest addition to Liberty's campus, the University will continue its journey to be one of the nation's leading Christian institutions for higher learning. A new generation of Christian leaders will continue to be sent out into a variety of fields, including "A New Era of Academic Excellence" the medical field. Liberty Athletics looks forward to the next chapter, as it guides student-athletes to be "Champions for Christ" at Liberty and throughout the world.