Rosin, H. 2005. “God and Country.” The New Yorker 81: 44.
Students and staff at Patrick Henry College, located in Virginia about 50 miles west of Washington, DC, call their college by many names: the “evangelical Ivy League” (nearly all of the students are conservative Christians) and “Harvard for Homeschoolers” (nearly all of the students were home-schooled). But as Rosin shows, Patrick Henry College is best known for preparing future Christian politicians. The school was founded in 2000 in order to satisfy two constituencies: parents of homeschooled students who wanted their students to receive a Christian education, and conservative congressmen wishing to hire homeschoolers for positions as interns and staffers. Not surprisingly, then, politically and religiously conservative views permeate discussions in classrooms. Student government and debate are popular activities. The students at Patrick Henry abide by a strict set of campus-wide social rules—girls are expected to dress modestly; smoking, drinking, and public displays of affection are forbidden—and they describe the atmosphere as intense and competitive. While one-fifth of all incoming students drop out, many of those who do stay are content with devoting their lives to their faith and their political careers.
