Interim Director
Missy Deregibus is new to the Richmond area, but not to the Christian Study Center Movement. She moved to the Richmond Northside in 2021 from Farmville, Virginia, where she founded the Christian Study Center COGITO: A Forum for Faith and Reason at Hampden-Sydney College eleven years earlier. After founding COGITO, she passed the baton in 2020 to Dr. Jarrett Knight of Emory, who runs it successfully to this day. She has also served on the national board for the Consortium of Christian Studies for six years, including serving as the COB. She has a BS in Biblical Studies from Abilene Christian University and a GradDipCS at Regent College in Vancouver, BC. She thinks a lot about human agency and constraints of disease, culture and power; about AI, philosophy of mind, comparative species studies and the lives and thoughts of Christians of earlier ages.
She says, “I am excited and honored to build upon the impressive foundation at Scholé House, and to be a part of the next steps of serving the academic community at VCU and surrounding communities. Engaging the life of the mind in Christ is a worthy endeavor, one we aim to do thoughtfully and joyfully.”
If you’d like to learn more, please contact Missy at missyd@scholehousestudycenter.org.
Chairman
Stephen Day is a term associate professor in the VCU School of Business and director of the VCU Center for Economic Education. HIs teaching and research is about finding new and exciting ways for K-12 teachers to teach economics. Stephen is a member of City Church of Richmond, where he serves with the Mercy and Justice Team supporting neighbors in need. Stephen likes to spend time with his wife and four children, as well as read at coffee shops and play soccer. He is originally from West Lafayette, Indiana.
Secretary
Linda Pasquarell has been involved in campus ministry since she was a college student in upstate New York! She served on the IVCF Executive Committee and after graduation became a campus staff intern with InterVarsity in Central New York State.
When her husband, Gary, was in graduate school, they teamed with others to start a ministry to international students. During their years in Asia, Linda and family lived on college campuses and continued to meet with college students.
When Linda and Gary moved to Richmond in 2016, Linda began working for the Music Education Department at VCU. It seemed natural to once again reach out to international students and others. Scholé House seemed to be another avenue for ministry and outreach. She joined the board in 2022, serving as secretary.
Treasurer
Wendy Kliewer, Ph.D. is a Professor of Psychology, former chair of the Psychology Department, and Coordinator of the Fulbright-affiliated Humphrey Fellowship Program at Virginia Commonwealth University. A risk and resilience researcher, Dr. Kliewer’s work considers both acute and chronic life stressors, linkages with both positive and problematic outcomes, and factors that contribute to resilience in youth and families. Dr. Kliewer’s current projects reflect her commitment to supporting the career development of current and former students and mentees, including Humphrey Fellows, as well as collaborating with VCU faculty on a variety of projects. She is particularly committed to increasing the leadership and research capacity of individuals in low- and middle-income countries, a passion that grew out of her experience as a Fulbright Research Fellow in South Africa for six months in 2011, and involvement with the Humphrey Fellowship program.
AFFILIATE BOARD
Wil Clark
Will Clark serves as the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) Campus Minister for VCU. He loves building relationships with students and helping them connect the things they’re experiencing with the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is excited about Scholé House’s vision of creating a hospitable place for students to ask questions and investigate Christianity.
Will studied English and Religion at Furman University, and theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He lives near campus with his wife and their three boys.
Annelies Rowell
Annelies Rowell has been on staff with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship for 11 years. She previously worked with international students in California. In the last year she has been working on starting a graduate student fellowship chapter at VCU. She is excited about bringing students together across disciplines, connecting with them and helping them connect with God.
ADVISORY BOARD
Tony Bolos
Tony is currently the Director of Learning and Formation at the Stephen and Laurel Brown Foundation, in Madison WI. In this role, Tony is leading the Academy Initiative for the Foundation. The Academy Initiative is a new initiative of the Foundation that will focus on courses and academic programs related to the study of Christianity. He is also the project lead for a recently awarded grant from the Templeton Foundation: Higher Pursuits 2.0: Enlarging the Impact of the Christian Study Center Movement.
Tony previously taught philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), where he taught a range of courses, including Ethics, Philosophy of Science, and Epistemology. While at VCU, Tony co-founded, with another philosopher, Scholé House.
Tony earned his MSc and PhD in Philosophy from the University of Edinburgh, an MA in Philosophy of Religion from Denver Seminary, and a BA in Biblical Studies from Crown College. Originally from Utica, NY, Tony lived in Peru both as a teen and, more recently, with his family in Arequipa, Peru.
Liz Ebel
Community Bible Study of Richmond Prayer Chair
Schole House is a tremendous resource for Richmond beyond the borders of the VCU campus for residents like me. It combines two of my interests: personal growth from discussion around topics reflecting Christian vision for the common good, and welcoming community connection in a space central to our beautiful city. I hope to contribute skills for growth and relationship I’ve learned from leadership in Community Bible Study, an international, non-denominational study, for approximately 20 years. Additionally, I serve as an Elder and Children’s Sunday School teacher in my church. I’ve been married 45 years to my college sweetheart, Tom, a retired attorney and Board member of Cogito, the Christian Study Center at Hampden-Sydney College. We have two talented children and two practically-perfect grandchildren.
Rev. Welford Orrock
Kairos Collegiate/Young Adult Coordinator, Baptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV)
Welford’s calling is to work with youth and young adults to help them discern their identity in Christ and grow as servant leaders in that identity. Welford is a graduate of James Madison University where he received a BA in Philosophy and Religion. He received his MDiv from Duke University Divinity School with a Certificate in Baptist Studies.
Welford serves the BGAV community as the Kairos Initiative Team Leader. In this role he helps to build and strengthen collegiate and young adult ministries throughout the BGAV, on college campuses (BCM), through local churches, Fresh Expressions of church and collegiate focused missional communities. Welford specializes in the areas of leadership development, forming mentoring relationships, personality assessments, and visioning and strategic planning for ministry. Welford’s greatest joy is to encourage students to ask questions and share in conversations that reflect more deeply on God’s character, God’s mission, and the invitation we each receive to participate in God’s redemptive work in the world. Through important ministries like Schole House, students expand their imaginations and wonder at the beauty, goodness, and truth we discover through the way of Jesus at work in our lives.
Jeremy Pryor
Jeremy L. Pryor is an attorney with the law firm of Carrell, Blanton, Ferris, and Associates, PLC practicing in the areas of elder law and estate planning. He is a member of City Church of Richmond, and his interests include jurisprudence, theology, and philosophy—although closer to the level of the amateur than the academic. Having formerly served as a Board Member of Schole House, he continues to take a strong interest in its success and its potential to be a catalyst for metanoia, not only in the VCU community, but for the church and the city as well.