WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 10, 2022 – The Hon. Patrick Adderley, Bahamas Consul General to Washington. D.C., accompanied by Vice Consul Christy Lightbourn and Cultural Assistant Major spent the day at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, on Wednesday, November 9, visiting with Bahamian students.
In addition to a discussing the students’ interests, majors, and impact on campus, the Consular Annex team also discussed scholarship opportunities with international and regular admissions “and look forward to sharing the information with entities and students in The Bahamas,” Vice Consul Lightbourn said.
“The students have ranging areas of study, including accounting, psychology, and airplane mechanics,” Vice Consul Lightbourn said. “The students are all active board members and members of the Caribbean Student Association (CSA) and regularly promote The Bahamas in various cultural events on campus.”
Describing the visit as a success, Vice Consul Lightbourn added: “Twice a week, Liberty University hosts all students at their Convocation. Paralympian swimmer Jessica Long shared her story of adoption, triumph, and success to over 10,000 Liberty students. The Consular Annex is so grateful to Liberty University for their hospitality and thank them for their time and assistance.”
Founded by televangelist Jerry Falwell Sr. and Elmer L. Towns in 1971, Liberty University is described on its website as being “among the world’s largest Christian universities and the largest private non-profit universities in the United States by total student enrollment.”
“Students from 92 countries are represented at this school, with the majority of the international students coming from South Korea, Canada, and China,” the website notes. “At least 41 countries are represented on the Liberty University campus. The countries with the largest on-campus communities are Flag of South Korea, Flag of Canada, and Flag of China. Liberty University reports having a total of 715 international students on campus, 469 of whom are undergraduates. This is out of a total of 93,349 students, 47,988 of whom are undergraduates.”
The website adds: “Liberty University consists of 17 colleges, including a school of osteopathic medicine and a school of law. Liberty’s athletic teams compete in Division I of the NCAA and are collectively known as the Liberty Flames. Their college football team is an NCAA Division I FBS Independent, while most of their other sports teams compete in the ASUN Conference. Their athletics program will join Conference USA as a full member in 2023.”
According to Wilipedia, the online encyclopedia: “Studies at the university have a conservative Evangelical orientation, with three required Bible-studies classes for undergraduate students. The university’s honor code, called the “Liberty Way,” prohibits premarital sex, cohabitation, and alcohol use. Described as a ‘bastion of the Christian right’, the university plays a prominent role in Republican politics. Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity is the world’s largest seminary with over 5,700 students participating in over 90 areas of study.”
