Attorney General John Ashcroft and his wife Janet pose with PHC's Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Jack Haye, his wife Carol and their six-month old son Nicholas. Janet Ashcroft also serves as a Trustee for the College.

On Friday, May 11, 2001, Patrick Henry College held its second annual banquet for our Council for Statesmanship, a special group of PHC contributors who have played a major role in the founding of the College.

The historic Willard Intercontinental Hotel in Washington, D.C., served as the host site for the event, and U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft delivered the keynote address. Approximately 100 Council members were in attendance, including our board of trustees and their spouses.

President Mike Farris began the program by describing his 10-year vision for Patrick Henry College. He previewed future majors under consideration, including drama, fine arts, television production, and music. Most importantly, he talked about the impact that our graduates will have on our nation and our culture when we reach these milestones.

Next, one of our students, freshman Timothy Doozan, shared his expectations for Patrick Henry College. His message was powerful, and his passion for glorifying God and for changing America was a tremendous encouragement.

Not to be outdone by a college freshman, Attorney General Ashcroft delivered an inspiring message about the importance of having a vision, not only for the College, but also for the culture. He praised Patrick Henry College for focusing on much more than just academics. "This great dream, this great vision, this great reality of Patrick Henry College, attends to more than mind and muscle. It attends to spirit," he said. It was an honor to have General Ashcroft and his wife Janet, who serves on PHC's board of trustees, with us for the evening.

David Barton shows one of his many original American documents during his Spiritual Heritage Tour in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol.

Following the banquet, our group joined David Barton for a "Spiritual Heritage Tour" of the United States Capitol. David Barton is the founder and president of WallBuilders, a national pro-family organization that distributes historical and legal information. Barton has spent years researching the Founding Fathers. He shared exciting stories of how God used a righteous remnant of leaders to found our nation.

The day after the banquet and Capitol tour, Council for Statesmanship members were invited to a brunch and open house at Patrick Henry College. They were treated to a delicious menu prepared by our chef and served by our students. Following brunch and tours of our facilities, the PHC Chorale performed their last concert of the year (see picture, page 2). It was a wonderful way to end our 2001 Council for Statesmanship weekend.

If you are interested in future Council for Statesmanship events, please contact Sean Dunn in our Office of Development at (540) 338-1776.