By Jacob Clavijo | Editor-in-Chief
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Stunned attendees at the Academic Awards Ceremony watched as Alexis Eckert, the 2025 Sommerville Scholar, delivered a speech sharply criticizing the administration before a packed audience inside the Hall Campus Ballroom on Friday. Eckert, a senior from New Hampshire, was poised as she spoke about her time at the university, recognizing her love for learning and the impact that faculty has had on her success.
Whispers could be heard throughout the ballroom as Eckert’s speech took a noticeable turn, both in tone and in content.
“I want to say how incredibly disappointed I am in the state of the school that has given me so much, and the experience that students coming behind me are having,” Eckert stated.
Eckert began to critique the university’s decision to cut over 17 programs last spring, emphasizing the hypocrisy of a liberal arts school to cut programs such as theatre and music.
“This is the institution that no longer prioritizes languages and arts like theater and music, instead these programs and liberal arts faculty appear to be first to the chopping block,” Eckert said. “Over half of the programs cut were arts and humanities, and it stands to reason that the faculty cuts followed a similar trend, though many of you may know better than I.”
Eckert, a double-major in criminology-philosophy and physiological science, stated that the program cuts have hurt faculty-administration relations, leaving professors feeling unsupported by campus leadership.
“There is no excuse for the callous lack of empathy and support continuously displayed in the past year,” Eckert said. “This is the institution that has left those who remained to pick up the slack, created a climate of fear for their own jobs, and allowed stress, overworking, and a continued lack of support to detrimentally affect them.
Eckert, also a Westover Honors fellow, spoke about the unclear future of the honors program, which has been a topic of discussion in recent months following the announcement that the program would undergo a transformation at the end of the semester. She, like many other honors students, feels the university has handled the situation poorly, noting the lack of transparency from university administration.
“Students have sought understanding directly from our administration, but failed to receive any real answers,” Eckert noted.
Eckert’s speech was met with a standing ovation, as the audience applauded her remarks; the only student-delivered speech of the night.
View Eckert’s entire speech below:
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Alexis Eckert’s speech was remarkably brave! The speech was extremely well-written, providing just the right balance of her respect for faculty and staff and her disdain for much of what the administration has done. I think the standing ovation from the audience says how her powerful speech resonated with those in attendance! As a graduate of LC/UL, I know the value of a liberal arts education. It has served me well professionally — and personally — enabling me to tell facts from lies in a world where politicians bend the truth in their own self-interest. The ability to make that distinction with confidence could not be more important than it is today! Thank you, Ms. Eckert!
The tone of condensation and worse in the remarks by RJ actually support what Ms. Eckert is saying, even if some of what RJ says is factually accurate. The AI tone of the reply by ‘IConsult’ also ironically supports her speech.
It is easy to point out problems and issues. It takes a deep understanding of a problem and its causes, and creativity, to propose solutions. Pointing out a known problem without formulating an approach to its solution, I have found over 40+ years as a consultant, is not only a waste of time but seeds more discord. Don’t just complain, find solutions.
I would encourage DS to step outside of the bubble that they live in to recognize in fact there WERE students who vehemently disagreed that the awards ceremony was the place for such acts by Ms. Eckert. The further verbalization of support by Mr. Clavijo during the ceremony, the author of this piece, was also out of line. Sure, use the opinion sections of the Critograph to express support, meet with the administration to discuss the complaints…and perhaps also learn something about the economics of running a university. The students who are being silenced wish to have representation on campus as well. Many in attendance as well as those not who have learned of these actions by the 2 individuals noted feel it was inappropriate. The tone and approach did take away from the ceremony and definitely accomplished a goal of shining a spotlight on Ms. Eckert. I do hope Lynchburg allows ALL viewpoints to be expressed.
I appreciated Mr. Clavijo’s coverage of this story, as I have appreciated his reporting throughout his tenure with The Critograph.
I would hope that as faculty and administrators, we could refrain from insulting our students, including both Ms. Eckert and Mr. Clavijo. We can disagree with the message without attacking the messenger, especially when we are in a position of relative power–and, hopefully, compassionate guidance–to our students.
I would also hope that as a campus that touts leadership, we can see Ms. Eckert’s brave and bold speech as an act of leadership in the student body. Again, regardless of whether you agree with it, she should be applauded for the initiative she took to speak out about something she felt strongly about. The University–unlike many other troubling examples we’ve seen at college campuses across the country–should welcome student dissent as a valid and passionate form of engagement.
RJ’s desire to shut down further speech by this student is disturbing. I hope Lynchburg won’t follow his example in attempting to silence students’ speech, or insult students when they take a stand. No one’s accomplishments were tainted, and no student felt that way. Ms. Eckert went out of her way to congratulate her fellow winners. Kudos to her for using her platform to say something that mattered to her, even when it risked attack by small-minded reactionaries.
Cuts of any programs are challenging for both the students in those programs and the professors delivering their content. Having said that, it is all too real a possibility that the university was/is in a fight for its survival. Retaining programs with larger numbers of enrollees in order to secure the future of the institution should be preferred over the absolute closure of the entire university. The remarks were out of place and I genuinely hope this individual does not receive another opportunity to taint the accomplishments of her peers in such a way going forward. Additionally, the entire ballroom did not provide the ovation noted in the article. About 50-60% of attendees stood with the majority of those in the front half of the room. Accuracy in reporting should be a key aspect of any budding reporter I would think.