Liberty University will recognize 34,918 graduates during Commencement 2026 – a record number that includes residential, online, and LUOA students – as Trump HUD Secretary and pastor Scott Turner charges them to go forth as Champions for Christ.
“An institution of destiny for a people of destiny.” These are the words Dr. Jerry Falwell Sr. used to describe Liberty University, the educational institution he founded in 1971 to help future generations boldly impact the world for Christ.
That inspiring vision will come to life once again during May 14-16, when Liberty hosts Commencement 2026 and recognizes 34,918 graduates across its residential and online programs, including Liberty University Online Academy (LUOA) – a powerful picture of the university’s growing reach and enduring mission to train Champions for Christ.
The keynote speaker for the formal commencement ceremony on Friday evening is U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner. Before his confirmation as HUD secretary, Turner served as an associate pastor at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, represented the 33rd district in the Texas state legislature from 2013-2017, and played nine seasons in the NFL with the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers, and Denver Broncos. Turner also served in the first Trump Administration as executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, where he led interagency Opportunity Zones Initiative, working with state, local, tribal and territorial governments to revitalize economically distressed areas, promote affordable housing, and encourage new business creation.
As Liberty Chancellor Jonathan Falwell noted, Scott Turner “is a man of God who will inspire and challenge our graduates to leave this mountain with a heart to serve others and to love their neighbors, as Secretary Turner models for us every day.”
As many as 70,000 family members, friends, and other guests are expected to attend the commencement activities this year, making it the largest event by attendance in the Lynchburg metropolitan area.
As with other schools, Liberty’s annual commencement features timeless traditions, such as the faculty professional led by an esteemed instructor carrying a ceremonial mace, the singing of the “Champions Arise” alma mater song, and of course, the moment where all graduates get to “turn their tassels” at the conclusion of the main ceremony.
But Liberty’s commencement ceremony stands out from all others in the moment when graduates are given a special and unique charge: to go out into the world and make their mark not for themselves but for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
This charge echoes the same calling given in Scripture to Joshua to lead the people of God into the Promised Land. To succeed, Joshua not only needed knowledge and great leadership and organizational skills but also a spirit of humility, a willingness to serve, and the courage to act, knowing that God Himself had already prepared the way for His chosen people. As we read in Joshua 1:5-6, 8 (ESV):
“No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them…Keep this book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
Like Joshua, Liberty graduates aren’t called to be average but to bring a standard of excellence, selflessness, and courage into everything they do. Just as Philippians 2 reminds us that Christ led by serving, making Himself nothing, and humbled Himself to the point of death on a cross, so the Class of 2026 is called to have that exact same mentality.
This is what it means to be a Champion for Christ. Liberty doesn’t just train individuals in career knowledge and workplace professionalism that comes with a challenging academic degree program, but it also fosters a deeper, more meaningful vision of cultural engagement that stands out from other schools.
As such, Liberty produces individuals who aren’t content with the status quo but want to pursue excellence in every area of their lives, refusing to settle for anything less than their absolute best. It produces individuals who don’t follow the crowd but rather pursue who God has called them to be, not serving themselves, but serving others, and not blending into society, but defining it. It produces the next generation of leaders who courageously live out their biblical beliefs, achieving success not only in their careers but in the larger culture by helping to shift the world’s beliefs back to Christ “before the trumpet sounds.”
As Dr. Falwell once said,
“We must guard the treasure of this institution carefully. This is a school that knows who it is, what it believes, and refuses to compromise. So that not only the evangelical audience of the world will say, ‘that is our school,’ but our Heavenly Father from His throne will say, ‘That is my university’, and may God make it ever so.”
And this week, the world will see that vision fulfilled and that prayer answered, yet again, as nearly 35,000 students enthusiastically walk to the podium to receive their diplomas as new graduates — and walk out as Champions for Christ – sent into their professions, communities, churches, and nation to serve with excellence, courage, and conviction for the glory of God.
For more specifics on this week’s schedule of Liberty’s Commencement 2026, click here.
Ready for an education that does more than prepare you for a career? Liberty University equips students to think clearly, live boldly, and serve faithfully as Champions for Christ. With hundreds of residential academic options, NCAA Division I athletics, global service opportunities, and an unapologetic Christian worldview, Liberty helps students build a life rooted in truth and aimed at impact. Apply now!
Commencement is not the finish line – it is the launch pad. Your tax-deductible gift helps the Standing for Freedom Center equip Christians to enter culture with courage, defend truth with clarity, and serve America with conviction when the next generation needs it most.
