Liberty University, based in Lynchburg, Virginia, is a private, co-educational, comprehensive university of higher education. As an evangelical institution, it aims to empower the students through its Christ-centered academic programs. The university began its existence as Lynchburg Baptist College, founded in 1971, by Dr. Jerry Falwell, senior pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church. Opening with a student body of 154, the college was renamed Liberty Baptist College in 1980, and then, Liberty University, in 1985. Liberty University offers 38 undergraduate, 15 graduate, doctoral degrees, and distance learning programs in more than 60 areas of study. Certificate programs are offered through Liberty Bible Institute (LBI), Liberty Home Bible Institute (LHBI), and English Language Institute (ELI). The School of Law, with a strong dedication to the Christian intellectual tradition, confers master’s degrees in Arts, Divinity, and Religious Education. Liberty Theological Seminary delivers two distance learning programs – the Master of Arts in Religion and Master of Divinity. Known as Liberty Mountain, the campus spreads itself over an area of 4,400 acres and is nestled in the foothills of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. The Arthur S. Demoss Learning Center, the largest academic facility in central Virginia, is home to the A. Pierre Guillermin Library - named in honor of Liberty’s President Emeritus. The Campus East Clubhouse is a complete recreational center with a movie theater, apartment-style dorm, and various sports facilities. Liberty University is accredited regionally by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), and nationally by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRAC).