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Patrick Henry College

see farris adf, C o states

pjt 2025

for christ and for liberty (truth is not mentioned)

04/16/2025 rww

by

Kyle Mantyla

trump coup

michael P. Farris (born August 27, 1951) is an American lawyer. He is a founder of the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) and Patrick Henry College, which share a campus in Purcellville (Loudoun County), Virginia. He is CEO of and general counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom.[2]

https://www.phc.edu/learnphc/alyssa-farah

In March President Trump appointed two Patrick Henry College alumni, Ben Williamson and Alyssa Farah,to the White House, adding to the growing number of PHC graduates to staff the presidential mansion.

We spoke to a few of our alumni to discuss their positions. Here's what Alyssa Farah, who attended PHC until 2011 and now works as the Director Of Strategic Communications at The White House, had to say.

[READ: Patrick Henry College Alumni in the White House]

What does your average day looks like?

The best part of working in the Trump White House is that there’s no such thing as an average day. Every day brings something new and exciting. One day we could be working on a major trade deal with an ally nation and the next day we’ll be rolling out a significant deregulatory executive order. In my role, I serve in a sort of dual hatted role of helping message day-of events, breaking news, announcements, as well as overseeing strategic planning for days and weeks out. I get into the office around 7:30am, but my morning starts much earlier to monitor the morning news shows and get a jump start on what is trending that day. I begin my day huddling with the White House Press Secretary to go over major breaking news items and to review the President’s media engagements for the day. The day takes off from there. I usually have a couple hours of policy meetings on potential new policies we’ll be announcing, spend time in the oval with the President, meet with reporters in my office (they can freely walk around our portion of the White House, and I have an open door policy with them), and hold daily strategy meetings with my team.

What do your specific duties entail?

I oversee all short term and long term messaging for the White House, I oversee all media bookings for the Administration (determining who we put on what TV or radio program to amplify the Administration’s policies), and I work with principals to brief them ahead of any public facing interactions they’ll do. I oversee a team of roughly 20 people, including a strong rapid response and research team as well as a regional media team who work under me.

How did you get to where you are now?

I majored in Journalism at Patrick Henry College. Dr. Les Sillars helped me hone my writing and communications skills. I originally wanted to be a reporter, but realize I’m probably too partisan to do it objectively, so I moved to the other side of it, working with press as a spokesperson. I interned throughout college with media outlets, and ultimately got my break working on Capitol Hill as Press Secretary for then Congressman Mark Meadows. I went on to serve as Communications Director for the House Freedom Caucus, under Chairmen Jim Jordan and Mark Meadows, then to serve as Vice President Pence’s spokesperson. Following two years with Pence, I went on to serve as the Pentagon’s Press Secretary, until I ultimately was asked to return to the White House to serve in my current role. I attribute my ability to rise in the political communications space to two primary factors: my understanding of the role of the free press and respect for the work they do and my decision early on to learn the policies I’m communicating in parallel to communicating them, so I’m not simply a mouthpiece, but have a solid background in policy to back what I’m communicating.

What lessons did you learn at PHC that still impact you today?

I have to again give a shoutout to Dr. Sillars and the Journalism program. Understanding the standards the media should hold themselves to and having an appreciation for the important role journalism plays in our society has proven invaluable to me. My role working with the press hinges largely on mutual trust and holding ourselves to the same ethical standards. While I have many criticisms of the media writ large, there are also countless phenomenal journalists I’ve had the opportunity to work with on matters of the highest level of sensitivity, that required them to keep their word, not violate the terms of our discussions, and ultimately report honestly to the American public. I think my brief foray into Journalism at PHC helped prepare me to establish those relationships and accurately communicate important information to the American people.

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associate Academic Dean;Chairman, Department of Applied Liberal Arts;Professor of Journalism

Email:ldsillars@phc.edu

Phone:540-441-8230

Educational Background:

Ph.D. in Journalism, University of Texas (Austin)

Th.M., Dallas Theological Seminary

Bachelor of Religious Education, Briercrest Bible College

Time at PHC: 2002 to present

Dr. Sillars (University of Texas at Austin), professor of Journalism since 2002, accepted his role as Associate Academic Dean and Chairman for the Department of Applied Liberal Arts in March, 2019. He directs internships, serves as a student adviser, and oversees The Herald, PHC's student newspaper. He writes and edits for worldmag.com and is Mailbag Editor at WORLD Magazine. His work has also appeared in The Weekly Standard, Touchstone, The American Conservative, The Gospel Coalition, and others. His first book, Intended for Evil: A Survivor's Story of Love, Faith, and Courage in the Cambodian Killing Fields, came out in October, 2016.

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 Trump announced that Alyssa Farah has been selected to the White House Staff as Director of Strategic Communications and Ben Williamson to serve as Senior Communications Advisor.

Farah, who attended PHC until 2011, served as Press Secretary for Vice President Mike Pence and Press Secretary for the Department of Defense prior to her White House appointment. As Director of Strategic Communication, Farah will work directly with PHC alumnus, Ben Williamson.

Ben Williamson graduated from Patrick Henry College in 2015 with a BA in Government. Until early 2020, Williamson served as Senior Advisor to the White House Chief of Staff and as Communications Director for then Congressman Mark Meadows.

Farah and Williamson join another PHC graduate, Nicholas Butterfield (Journalism, 2008), who has been serving in the White House since the start of the Trump administration and was named Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy White House Policy Coordinator nine months ago.

These three are just a few of at least ten PHC alumni who serve at the White House. One alumna is a state solicitor general, and has argued before the Supreme Court of the United States. Additionally, four graduates within the last four years have clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justices Alito, Kennedy, and Chief Justice Roberts

==

Early life and education[

Farah was born on June 15, 1989 in Los Angeles.[4] Her father Joseph Farah, who is of Syrian and Lebanese descent, is a journalist who was executive news editor at the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner before moving to Northern California to become editor of The Sacramento Union in 1990. He later founded WorldNetDaily, a far-right publication.[5] Her mother, Judy, (née Smagula) is a Sacramento-based journalist who has written for HuffPost, the Associated Press, and Comstock's Magazine.[6][7] Farah is of Lebanese and Syrian descent.[8]

Farah earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Public Policy from Patrick Henry College.[9]

Career[

Farah began her career as an intern for Congressman Tom McClintock. She then worked as the communications director for the Freedom Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives serving under chairmen Jim Jordan and Mark Meadows.[10] She previously worked as the communications director for Congressman Mark Meadows. Farah previously worked as an associate producer on The Laura Ingraham Show.[11]

While serving as Press Secretary to the Vice President, she traveled with Mike Pence on several trips, domestic and foreign.[12]

At age 30, Farah was the youngest Pentagon Press Secretary in history.

In April 2020, it was reported that Meadows, now Trump's Chief of Staff, has considered bringing Farah on as a White House Press Secretary.[13] She joined the White House Office as the White House Director of Strategic Communications on April 7, 2020.[14] In August 2020, The Washington Post reported that Farah played an important role in shaping the Trump administration's coronavirus response

http://www**.sourcewatch**.org/index.php/Patrick_Henry_College

The mission of Patrick Henry College, as adopted by the Board of Trustees September 28, 2002, is "to train Christian men and women who will lead our nation and shape our culture with timeless biblical values and fidelity to the spirit of the American founding. In order to accomplish this mission, the College provides academically excellent higher education with a biblical worldview using classical liberal arts core curriculum and apprenticeship methodology." The College's vision is "to aid in the transformation of American society by training Christian students to serve God and mankind with a passion for righteousness, justice and mercy, through careers of public service and cultural influence." [1]

The College's "Statement of Faith" includes, but is not limited to, the acknowledgment that "Jesus Christ literally will come to earth again in the Second Advent" and that "Satan exists as a personal, malevolent being who acts as tempter and accuser, for whom Hell, the place of eternal punishment, was prepared, where all who die outside of Christ shall be confined in conscious torment for eternity." [2]

The College does not accept any form of direct or indirect "government funding", does not borrow money, and is supported solely through student tuition and "the generous gifts of our friends and supporters, which will allow us to build and expand our campus, provide student financial aid, and establish an endowment fund to keep the college on solid financial footing." [3]

| Contents <ul><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Patrick_Henry_College#Board_of_Trustees"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Board of Trustees</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Patrick_Henry_College#Commentary"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Commentary</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-3"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Patrick_Henry_College#Contact"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Contact</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-4"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Patrick_Henry_College#Related_SourceWatch_articles"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Related SourceWatch articles</span></font></a></li><li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-5"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Patrick_Henry_College#References"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></font></a></li></ul> |

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Board of Trustees

[[  7 23   Leadership

Patrick Henry College exists in a large part because of the hard work and sacrifices made over time by a group of dedicated men and women. Meet some of them here.

Haye official 2022 headshot 1

Jack W. Haye

President

Jack W. Haye became the third president of Patrick Henry College in 2015 after thirty years in the banking world as Senior Vice President of Corporate Lending and later as Executive Vice President and National Manager of Treasury Management Consulting. President Haye was a founding member of Patrick Henry College’s Board of Trustees in 1998 and served as Chairman of the Board from 1999-2015.

President Haye left his corporate banking position in 2012 to become the Executive Pastor of the First Baptist Church of McKinney, a 3,000-member church located near Dallas. He held this position until coming to Patrick Henry College.

President Haye serves as Patrick Henry College’s chief executive officer, overseeing all internal and external affairs of PHC and maintaining an educational program consistent with the mission. Jack and his wife, Carol, have been married for 40 years. They are blessed with one daughter, seven sons, and many grandchildren.

Michael Farris

Chancellor Emeritus and Professor of Government

Educational Background:

LL.M., University of London

J.D., honors graduate, Gonzaga University School of Law

B.A. in Political Science, magna cum laude, Western Washington University (formerly Western Washington State College)

Time at PHC: 2000 to present

Dr. Michael P. Farris is Chancellor Emeritus of Patrick Henry College and Chairman and General Counsel of the Home School Legal Defense Association.

View posts in "Chancellor's Corner" here.

Since founding HSLDA in 1983, Dr. Farris has used his extensive experience in both politics and appellate litigation to defend parental rights and help grow the organization to over 83,000 member families with a staff of 125. As a constitutional attorney, Dr. Farris has argued before the United States Supreme Court, seven U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal, and ten state supreme courts.

In 2000, Dr. Farris became the founding president of another unique educational venture: Patrick Henry College. PHC is a four-year Christian college with the mission of training students through a classical liberal arts curriculum and apprenticeship methodology to impact the world “for Christ and for Liberty.”

PHC provides academically excellent, baccalaureate-level higher education from a biblical worldview. After serving as president of PHC for six academic years, Dr. Farris transitioned into the role of Chancellor. He continues to teach Constitutional Law and coach the PHC Moot Court team. His teams won the national ACMA championships in 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2016, and defeated Oxford University before two of the highest judges in Britain and in a repeat match before the Supreme Court of Virginia.

Dr. Farris is an honors graduate of Gonzaga University School of Law (Juris Doctor, 1976), where he was the Articles Editor of the law review and the winner of the Linden Cup Moot Court competition. In 2012, he earned an LL.M. with Merit in Public International Law from the University of London.

In recognition of his work in home education, Education Week has named Dr. Farris one of the “Top 100 Faces in Education of the 20th Century.” Heritage Foundation awarded him its Salvatori Award for American Citizenship in 2002.

Dr. Farris has written over fifteen books, including three novels, two constitutional law textbooks, and works on marriage, parenting, homeschooling, political advocacy, and religious liberty. He is the author and narrator of a popular video series entitled “Constitutional Literacy.” His daily radio program, Home School Heartbeat, airs on several hundred stations nationwide. Dr. Farris was ordained in 1983 and was the founding pastor for Blue Ridge Bible Church.

He is the Senior Fellow for Constitutional Studies and the head of the Convention of States Project. The purpose of this project is tostop the overreach of federal power.

Dr. Farris and his wife, Vickie, have homeschooled their family since 1982. They have ten children and many grandchildren. They live in Purcellville, Virginia.

Howard Schmidt

Executive Vice President, Patrick Henry College

Director, Economics & Business Analytics Program

Educational Background:

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, The Ohio State University, cum laude

M.B.A., Millsaps College, magna cum laude

Executive Education:

Harvard Business School, Aligning Strategy & Sales

Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management, Creating Value thru Strategic Acquisitions

University of Wisconsin, Collective Bargaining, Tactics & Techniques

The Ritz Carlton Leadership Center, Service Excellence

The University of Tennessee, Lean Enterprise Systems

University of Maryland, Heat Transfer & Predictive Modeling

Time at PHC: 2017 to present

Howard Schmidt is the Executive Vice President of Patrick Henry College (PHC) and also serves a dual role as the Director of the Economics & Business Analytics (EBA) Program. Howard has over 40 years of experience distributed over 6 industries with over 27 years of experience in Executive Positions.

Howard serves as the chief strategy advisor to the President. He is responsible for the overall branding and growth strategies for the college. He speaks publicly and privately on behalf of the college. He is heavily engaged and accountable to drive results, projects, programs and initiatives throughout all levels of the organization and across all departments within the College. Since the position was created, PHC has seen enhanced relations with the Board of Trustees, 80% growth in incoming class size of mission-fit students, a growing culture of cross-department collaboration, industry-leading new technology, and expanded brand awareness within the College’s targeted market segments.

Howard also provides strategic direction and oversight to the Economics & Business Analytics Program and serves as an active professor within the program, teaching advanced classes such as Business Methods, Financial Analysis, and Competitive Strategy. The EBA Program is currently the fastest-growing major at PHC.

He has worked for a variety of major companies throughout his career such as Federal Mogul, Frito Lay, Magnetek, Heatcraft Refrigeration Products and Advanced Distributor Products. He has overseen both domestic and international businesses and brings a unique depth and breadth of knowledge in all aspects of business. He has broad areas of expertise including Strategy Formulation, Engineering, Finance, Brand Management, Program Management, Operations, Information Technology, and Talent Development.

Howard is known as a thought leader and specializes in organizational behavior, change management, and technology integration. Prior to PHC, he ran Advanced Distributor Products LLC, an applied HVAC design, manufacturing, and distribution company. He led the company from breakeven financials to becoming the top financial-performing company within Lennox International. In his last year as the chief executive, the company exceeded +$250M in annual sales and employed over 1,100 employees.

While serving in industry, Howard was also heavily involved in the support and growth of Patrick Henry College.  Since the inception of the College, Howard has served as a major donor, a member of the Foundation Board, a member of the Strategic Planning Committee, and also a member of the Board of Trustees.

The Board

Ardizonne

Ramon Ardizzone

Marian Freeland

Marian Freeland

Pullium

Russell B. Pulliam

Mike Wright

Chairman

DePree

Paul De Pree, Ph.D.

Gilanshah headshot

Bijan Gilanshah

David Shedd

David R. Shedd

Terry Templeton

Clay

George W. Clay

Vice Chairman

Downing_full

Gary Downing

Tom Hungar

Tom Hungar

Smith_HSLDA

J. Michael Smith, J.D.

Thompson

J. Victor Thompson]]

  • * *

Commentary

In his May 1, 2004, article**"Thou shalt be like Bush"**about Patrick Henry College, Andrew Buncombe describes what some call an "alarmingly close" link between the College and the**Bush administration**:

Patrick Henry College in rural Virginia is not your average American university. The students - about 75 per cent of whom have been taught at home - sign a statement before they arrive, confirming (among other things) that they have a literal belief in the teachings of the Bible.What makes this recently established, right-wing Christian college unique are the increasingly close - critics say alarmingly close - links it has with the Bush administration and the Republican establishment. This northern spring, of the almost 100 interns working in the White House, seven are from Patrick Henry. Another intern works for the Bush-Cheney re-election campaign, while another works for President George W. Bush's senior political adviser, Karl Rove. Yet another works for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad.Nearly every graduate works in government or with a conservative advocacy group.[[4]](http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051023/OPINION04/110230205/-1/OPINION01) Over the past four years, 22 conservative members of Congress have employed one or more Patrick Henry interns. Janet Ashcroft, the wife of Bush's Bible-thumping Attorney-General John Ashcroft, is one of the college's trustees.The college's openly stated aim is to train young men and women "who will lead our nation and shape our culture with timeless biblical values".

Contact

One Patrick Henry Circle

Purcellville, VA 20132

Phone: (540) 338-1776

Fax: (540) 338-8707

Email: info AT phc.edu

URL: http://www.phc.edu

Related SourceWatch articles

References

  1. ↑ Board of Trustees, Patrick Henry College, accessed December 2007.

Categories:

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http://patrickhenrycircle.tumblr.com/  sexual assault problem

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TOP 5 RW schools:

5. Patrick Henry College: After a documentary exposed the surprising number of students at Patrick Henry College with high level internships in the Bush administration, the school has gained scrutiny for its extensive ties to the Republican Party and social conservative groups.

4. Hillsdale College: The school was in the news recently when it was revealed that Justice Clarence Thomas failed to disclose the Hillsdale salary of his wife Ginni Thomas. Called the “citadel of American conservatism,” Hillsdale features academics like Rush Limbaugh fill-in Mark Steyn, and is said to be a pipeline to Republican jobs on Capitol Hill.

3. George Mason University: George Mason University has served as a libertarian enclave with close ties to K Street lobbyists since the 1980s, when Charles Koch began donating heavily to the school. Koch Industries’ executive vice president for public policy, Rich Fink, heads two Koch programs at the school. Matt Kibbe and other leading libertarian activists are alumni of George Mason’s free market economics department.

2. King’s College: In 1997, the Campus Crusade for Christ International purchased King’s College, a New Jersey-based school that had been shuttered since 1944, and reestablished it on two floors of the Empire State Building in New York City. Led byDinesh D’Souza, author of a book this year arguing that President Obama’s Kenyan heritage gives him a third world “anti-colonial” mindset, the school has gained a reputation for training dogmatically conservative Christian activists.

1. Liberty University: Founded by the late televangelist preacher Jerry Falwell in 1971, Liberty has prided itself as one of the most influential Christian colleges in the nation. Despite the fact Liberty receives about $445 million in yearly taxpayer subsidies, the school prohibits openly gay students and College Democrats. While the school has received much scorn for its teaching of youth earth creationism, it boasts a world class debating team coached by a former Bush adviser.

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