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Meet the Faculty

Testimonial

"The English program and professors have given me a strong grounding in and appreciation for stories and storytelling through the ages, as well as the Great Story that God is writing. Going forward from Patrick Henry, I hope to make my own contribution to the arts, as well as share my enthusiasm for the study of literature in the classroom."

- Graham Jackson, '17

Dr. Cory Grewell

Cory Grewell, Ph.D.

Professor of Literature

Dr. Cory Grewell teaches classes in Western Literature, British Literature, Shakespeare, C.S. Lewis, and Literary Criticism. He has published work on Owen Barfield and J.R.R. Tolkien as well as Contemporary Medievalism and Noir Fiction. His scholarly interests are Christianity and Literature, especially the imaginative intersection between reading, writing, and participating the Being of God; Renaissance Drama; Detective Fiction; and the works of the Inklings, especially Owen Barfield. Outside of academics, Dr. Grewell enjoys golf, baseball, and longform TV drama. He lives in Round Hill with his lovely wife, two handsome and charming sons, and cantankerous dachshund Gatsby.

Dr. Steve Hake

Steve R. Hake, Ph.D.

Professor of Literature

Dr. Hake teaches a variety of literature courses, including Western Lit I and II in the core, and Selected Works of Charles Dickens and American Literature and Poetry in the upper division. He was a college professor/missionary for many years in Taiwan, and more recently launched Rivendell Study Center. His interests, in addition to literature and reading, include language-learning, sailing, and backpacking.

Professor McKay

Melissa D. McKay, M.A.

Adjunct Professor of Literature

Professor Melissa McKay teaches classes in Children's Literature and Rhetoric at Patrick Henry College. Prior to moving to Virginia, she taught Composition and English as a Second Language at Kentucky State University and Bluegrass Community and Technical College. While studying at Middlebury, her primary literary interests were the role of the imagination in the poetry of Wordsworth and Coleridge as well as the relationship between literature and the Christian faith. She is passionate about classical Christian education, regularly teaching various literature classes at The Classical Cottage School in Winchester, VA, in addition to homeschooling her children. Other interests include photography, hiking, and Kentucky basketball. She lives in Boyce, VA, with her husband Kent, three sons, and many pets.

 

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Gene Edward Veith, Ph.D.

Professor of Literature, Emeritus

Prior to coming to PHC, at which he served briefly as Dean of Academic Affairs before becoming Provost, Dr. Veith was the Culture Editor of World Magazine. He is well-known in Christian, conservative, and homeschooling circles through his writing and speaking on various aspects of Christianity and culture. Dr. Veith is the author of 20 books on topics involving Christianity and culture, classical education, literature, and the arts. 

 

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