Advertisement

Header Utility Menu

  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Events

LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram Get Our App

  • Login

Virginia Business

Mobile Menu

  • Issues
  • Industries
    • Banking/Finances
    • Business Law
    • Commercial Real Estate
    • Economic Development
    • Education
    • Energy/Green
    • Federal Contracting
    • Government
    • Healthcare
    • Hotels/Tourism
    • Insurance
    • Ports/Trade
    • Small Business
    • Technology
    • Transportation
  • Regions
    • Central Virginia
    • Eastern Virginia
    • Northern Virginia
    • Roanoke/New River Valley
    • Shenandoah Valley
    • Southern Virginia
    • Southwest Virginia
  • Reports
    • Best Places to Work
    • Business Person of the Year
    • CEO Pay
    • Coronavirus 2020
    • Generous Virginians Project
    • Legal Elite
    • Most Influential Virginians
    • Maritime Guide
    • Site Locator
    • The Big Book
    • Virginia CFO Awards
  • Company News
    • For the Record
    • People
  • Opinion
  • Lists
  • Awards/Events
    • Diversity Leadership Series
    • Vote Now for Women in Leadership
    • Virginia 500
    • Legal Elite
    • CFO Awards
    • Big Book of Lists
    • 100 People To Meet
    • Best Places To Work
  • Virginia 500
    • Read the issue
    • Order a copy
    • Buy an award plaque
    • Nominate execs for 2021

Advertisement

Header Primary Menu

  • virginiabusiness.com
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Home News Liberty University surpasses 100k online students

Liberty University surpasses 100k online students

The state’s largest university by enrollment has offered distance learning since 1985.

Published May 6, 2020 by Sydney Lake

Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr.
Former Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. Photo by Meridith De Avila Khan

Liberty University announced Tuesday that it has surpassed 100,000 online students. The Lynchburg-based university’s previous online enrollment record was 98,000 students in 2014, and as of January 2020, it remained the state’s largest university by enrollment.

“Liberty has been a leader in providing distance education as an alternative to the traditional classroom since the mid-1980s,” Liberty President Jerry Falwell Jr. said in a statement. “Meeting this enrollment goal at this time shows that our programs remain an attractive option for working adults who need the flexibility, convenience, and affordability that our online programs provide.”

The private Christian university’s distance learning program started in 1985 when the university’s School of Lifelong Learning started offering mail-order courses through VHS tapes. In the 1990s and early 2000s, Liberty began offering its programs online.

Liberty now has 450 of its academic programs online, ranging from undergraduate to doctoral degree offerings.

“I remember stepping into this role in 2005 when we were excited to enroll 9,000 online students,” Ron Kennedy, executive vice president for enrollment management and marketing, said in a statement. “We made it our mission to meet people’s needs — giving them affordable tuition so that as many people as possible could benefit from a Christ-centered education.”

In January, Gov. Ralph Northam proposed cutting Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant (VTAG) aid for online students, which Liberty said would negatively impact more than 2,000 students per year.

The proposed budget called for increasing annual, non-need-based VTAG aid from $3,400 to $4,000 per student for Virginia residents enrolled in on-campus classes at private, nonprofit colleges and universities in Virginia, which includes Liberty, Washington & Lee University, the University of Richmond and Hampden-Sydney College. About 23,000 students received VTAG aid in the 2019-2020 school year, according to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).

The budget bill, which is awaiting the governor’s signature by May 22, includes a proposal to require phasing out VTAG support for online students beginning fall 2020, according to SCHEV.

“The language makes allowance for those students that would normally be taking classes on campus but are required to attend online due to COVID-19,” SCHEV spokesperson Laura Osberger said.

“We’ll have something more to say about VTAG soon,” university spokesperson Scott Lamb said Tuesday.

Subscribe to Virginia Business.

Get our daily e-newsletter.

Related Stories

Virginia Business logo

Falwell agrees to immediate indefinite leave of absence from Liberty

Liberty's board of trustees asked Falwell to take leave

Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr.

Liberty board confirms Jerry Falwell Jr.’s indefinite leave

University says no decision made on whether to retain Falwell as president

Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr.

UPDATED: Ex-associate claims sexual relationship involving Jerry and Becki Falwell

Suspended Liberty University president says man threatened to publicize "inappropriate relationship" with his wife

Trending

Finance/Insurance: STEPHAN Q. CASSADAY

Finance/Insurance: PAUL B. MANNING

Federal Contractors/Technology: JASON PROVIDAKES

Education: ANNE M. KRESS

Artemis I to launch with help from Va. contractors

Sponsored Stories

Why is my Less Than Truckload (LTL) freight pricing going up and my service level going down?  

Beyond Juneteenth – How Capital One is Commemorating and Implementing Change

How We Help Your Business Operate Better

Before the Breach: Get Serious About Cyber Resilience

Professionals are Discovering What it Means to Live Uniquely in the Alleghany Highlands of Virginia

Riverside Logistics Celebrates 25th Anniversary!

Girls for a Change Empowers Black Youth for the Future Workforce

The Jackson Ward Collective is equipping Black-owned small businesses with the tools for success

Advertisement

Advertisement

Trending

Finance/Insurance: STEPHAN Q. CASSADAY

Finance/Insurance: PAUL B. MANNING

Federal Contractors/Technology: JASON PROVIDAKES

Education: ANNE M. KRESS

Artemis I to launch with help from Va. contractors

Sponsored Stories

Why is my Less Than Truckload (LTL) freight pricing going up and my service level going down?  

Beyond Juneteenth – How Capital One is Commemorating and Implementing Change

How We Help Your Business Operate Better

Before the Breach: Get Serious About Cyber Resilience

Professionals are Discovering What it Means to Live Uniquely in the Alleghany Highlands of Virginia

Riverside Logistics Celebrates 25th Anniversary!

Girls for a Change Empowers Black Youth for the Future Workforce

The Jackson Ward Collective is equipping Black-owned small businesses with the tools for success

Get Virginia Business directly on your tablet or in your mailbox!

Subscribe to Virginia Business

Advertisement

Advertisement

Footer Primary Menu

  • virginiabusiness.com
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Footer Secondary Menu

  • Industries
  • Regions
  • Reports
  • Company News
  • Events

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Sign Up

LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram Get Our App

Privacy Policy Cookie Policy

Footer Utility Menu

Copyright © 2023 Virginia Business. All rights reserved.

Site Maintained by TechArk