New York Giants' Rashad Jennings To Give 2016 Commencement Speech At Liberty University On May 14

By Danni White on April 29, 2016

rashadjennings.com

Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, has announced that Rashad Jennings will be its commencement speaker in May. The former Liberty Flames standout will return to his alma mater to deliver the keynote address at the university’s 43rd commencement exercises.

Rashad Jennings celebrated his own graduation from Liberty University just seven years ago. He majored in business and sports management with a minor in biblical studies. As part of the Flames football team, he set a Big South Conference record with 3,633 yards and 42 touchdowns. He also won the 2008 Big South Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.

Jennings was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2009 and played there for three years before moving on to the Oakland Raiders where he posted career highs in rushing attempts, yards and touchdowns. Jennings (#23) is currently the starting running back for the New York Giants of the NFL.

Liberty University’s Chancellor Jerry Falwell said this to the university’s student-run newspaper, Liberty Champion.

“Rashad Jennings is a Liberty University living legend. He has seen more success in the NFL than any other Liberty football player in recent years, and he exhibits the Christian values that we pray all Liberty graduates will embrace through his service to others. Having successful alumni like Rashad Jennings and Shannon Bream as our keynote speakers at Commencement is a sign that Liberty is maturing as a university and producing the type of graduates envisioned by our founders.”

Jennings is not only a “living legend” on campus, he is also a legend and role model in Lynchburg and the surrounding community. The Rashad Jennings Foundation aims to inspire young people by making education fun, providing mentorship for individual success, and promoting health and fitness. In 2015, over 20,000 students from 25 schools across the country participated in Jennings’ reading challenge, reading a total of 167,655 books.

Jennings credits the local community of Lynchburg with helping him to reach his goals. In an interview with News & Advance, Jennings said,  “If it wasn’t for the loving community, for the leadership of this community to hold my hand when mine was very unsteady, there’s no way I’d be here today giving back. It’s a great opportunity to come back to the city that believed in me before I even knew who I was.”

Liberty University will hold its commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 14 at 10:00 a.m.

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