As 2025 wraps up, we reflect on another year of impact at PHC as we recap the year's top news stories.

Patrick Henry College opened its doors 25 years ago with a promise to equip the next generation to lead the nation and shape the culture for Christ and for liberty. Join us and revisit stories from the year that illustrate how PHC is fulfilling that promise.

Whether you’ve followed along all year or are just discovering these stories, join us in celebrating the moments that made 2025 a year to remember. 

Wondering what our newly renovated men's dorm looks like now? Check out a walk-through of Oak Hill!

Notable updates and improvements include a completely remodeled main lobby, student lounge, and study room.

The building also features new flooring, modern light fixtures, upgraded HVAC systems, and a number of other enhancements. Special thank-you to Cathy Schmidt for the hundreds of personal hours she put into interior design work.

Spring 2025: Os Guinness, guest speaker

"God-men, god-states, and the fight for a human-friendly future." View here.

The West is facing a "civilizational moment." What are the currents that make up the struggle? Where is America, and what is the place of faith in this momentous contest?

Dr. Os Guinness, Christian author and social critic, delivered an insightful Faith & Reason lecture on the monumental task of today's believers to tip the societal scale away from postmodern thought and toward virtue, faith, and truth. Read more.

Fall 2025: Dr. Graedon Zorzi, PHC faculty

"Theology as the Heart of the Academy." View here.

Theology, long considered the queen of the sciences, has been dethroned and decentralized in most academic institutions today. Is theology truly central to human learning? What is the proper place of theology in the academy and in our own educations and lives? 

PHC's Professor of Theology, Dr. Graedon Zorzi,  argued that all human learning stands underneath the study of God. Although the academy now seeks education without God, “Nothing works well cut off from Christ.” Read more.

A new theology program and professor!

In 2025, PHC launched its newest major: Theology & the Bible and hired a new theology professor. The college sought to create a unique major that not only offered a foundation in strong Protestant theology but the highest academic rigor within the classical liberal arts tradition.  In this major, students will be able to take courses in Historical Theology, Ministry, Biblical Studies, Philosophy, and Law/Politics.

PHC's newly hired professor, Dr. Travis Wright, began teaching that semester.  “It’s really exciting to be a part of watching someone grow in Christ’s likeness. The impact you have on someone's life can be an impact that pays off on 10 other people or 20 other people." Read more.

Donor family blesses PHC with an endowed chair of theology

Fall's Faith & Reason lecture included a special ceremony honoring supporters Tom and Jaye Hungar, who gave an endowed chair to PHC's theology major.  Dr. Zorzi was awarded the Hungar Family Chair of Theology. View here.

Students served Christ and showed His love to others

1.) Dominican Republic: caring for girls who escaped human trafficking

"It's having to choose to live in the light, even when the darkness pulls you."

Senior Amelia Ruiz spent the summer interning with New Hope Girls, a ministry in the Dominican Republic that cares for girls who have escaped from human trafficking. She witnessed Christ heal the brokenness in the girls' hearts and in her own.  Read more.

2.) South Africa: serving at a church's addiction recovery program

"Our treasures are in heaven, where no thief can break in and steal."

PHC students, Ryan Slemmer and Alex Rubstein, served as interns at Kathorus Bible Church in South Africa and its addiction recovery ministry, Village Mercy. Even after facing a robbery, the ministry continued its work, offering hope through the Gospel. Read more.

3.) Christian Encounter Ranch in California: working with hurting teens

A group of PHC students and staff (including Resident Director Rachel McCracken) spent their spring break serving at Christian Encounter Ranch, a refuge for hurting young people. They worked with alumnus Jensen Near (GOV: APP, '10), who is the Director of Student Life at the ranch.  Read more.

4.) Tree of Life Ministries: serving the Loudoun community

"I’m so thankful that I had the opportunity to serve the Lord at Tree of Life—not only because I could wholeheartedly back the mission, but also because it was one of the most tangible ways I could serve the community."

Junior Micah Reiger shared about his summer internship, helping Chief Development Officer Jordan Smith meet the company's fundraising goals.

Tree of Life is a Christian nonprofit whose purpose is "to reach out to the poor and needy in our community with the love of Jesus Christ." Once again, they hosted their annual 5K "Race for Shelter" here at PHC to benefit families in need of affordable housing. View a slideshow.

Find out where PHC students interned this year

All of Patrick Henry College's academic programs require between 8 and 23 credits of apprenticeships.  PHC's location 50 miles from Washington, D.C., and PHC's reputation for the highest quality interns opens doors for our students to participate in some of the nation's most desired undergraduate internships. 

What is a career-shaping internship at PHC like? Hear from 10  students as they share their 2025 internship stories and what made their work meaningful.

Strategic Intelligence: PHC takes second place in Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge

PHC placed 2^nd at the 2025 Washington, D.C. Nationals Cyber 9/12 Strategy Competition, defeating the US Air Force Academy, Air Command and Staff College, Duke University, Stanford University, Columbia University, and American University.

All three PHC teams competed in the semifinal round. Ellie Munshi, Matt Harris, Mark Roose, and Noah Freeman placed second in the overall competition.

A second team—Abigail Kent, Roman Hogancamp, and Tom Conger—took home the award for Best Written Brief.  Read more.

Thank you for reading!

Read more stories in part 2.

 Patrick Henry College exists to glorify God by challenging the status quo in higher education, lifting high both faith and reason within a rigorous academic environment; thereby preserving for posterity the ideals behind the "noble experiment in ordered liberty" that is the foundation of America.