John Jay Institute Appoints New President

Experienced leader and scholar to take the Institute forward

From Board Chairman Todd Williams:

It is my great pleasure to announce that the John Jay Institute has a new leader. On March 11, at a special meeting of the Board of Governors in Washington D.C., we voted enthusiastically and unanimously to appoint Mr. Greg Schaller as the new president of the John Jay Institute. Mr. Schaller will begin his new duties formally on June 1. He will be in attendance at the commissioning service of the current class of fellows on May 5.

Following our Founder and President's acceptance of a position with The American Bible Society in Philadelphia, the Board set about the task of searching for a new leader who would carry on the work of the Institute and direct us into the future. Through this prayerful and thoughtful process, we interviewed a number of qualified candidates; solicited input from alumni and friends of the Institute; and carefully considered the character, qualities, and skills necessary to fulfill the duties of President of the John Jay Institute.

Finding someone to follow in the footsteps of our founder, Alan Crippen, was not an easy task. We sought someone with the organizational and leadership skills to oversee the business of the Institute; someone with the passion, vision, and ability to carry our message to friends and donors in an effective way; someone with the scholarly aptitude to serve as the intellectual leader of the organization; and someone with the pastoral outlook to guide, mentor, and invest in the fellows that God has entrusted to our spiritual care and instruction. By God's grace and providential leading, we found that individual in Greg Schaller.

A Proven Leader

Prior to this appointment, Mr. Schaller served as Associate Professor of Politics at Colorado Christian University, where he began working in 2009. In 2011, Mr. Schaller developed CCU’s Political Science major, which now has over 45 students. In addition, he is a Fellow at the Centennial Institute, Colorado Christian University’s public policy think tank, and is a founding member of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) Values & Capitalism Project.

For eight years, Mr. Schaller conducted annual student trips to Washington, D.C., exposing bright minds to public policy think tanks, introducing them to government officials, and immersing them in U.S. history. In 2012, he started a student internship program at CCU. Each year, this program sends student interns to the Colorado and U.S. legislatures, as well as to organizations like the Heritage Foundation, AEI, and Americans for Prosperity. Many of CCU’s Political Science graduates are now employed in the public square at such places as the Colorado state legislature, the U.S. House and Senate, and many of the organizations named above.

Prior to joining CCU, Mr. Schaller taught at Villanova University and St. Joseph’s University. He earned a B.A. from Eastern University, an M.A. from Villanova University, and is finishing his Ph.D. at the University of South Dakota. Mr. Schaller has taught courses in American Government, Constitutional Law, Statesmanship, Congress & the Presidency, Public Policy and more. He and his wife, Rachel, have been married for 23 years and have two daughters, Zoe (22) and Madeline (19).

Positive Reaction from Institute Community

Mr. Schaller’s enthusiasm for, and commitment to, the John Jay mission and vision is evident in his comments regarding the work at JJI:

”An observation of American culture and politics finds that we are a people in desperate need of leaders. Principled Christians engaged in the public square offer the best hope for our nation’s future. The John Jay Institute recognizes this need and is devoted to filling this void. I love the history, mission, and impact that the John Jay Institute has already had, and I am excited to bring my skills, interests, and passion for developing future statesman as I lead the organization moving forward.”

Our Founding President, Alan Crippen, offered the following regarding this appointment:

"I've known and admired the work of Greg Schaller for some time and am excited about this new chapter for the John Jay Institute. Mr. Schaller brings the right commitment, experience, gifts, and abilities to lead the Institute into its next phase of growth and development. I have high expectations for the Institute's future under his leadership."  

Former students of Mr. Schaller’s echo what the Board came to understand during its interviews and candid conversations with him. Brittany Corona, 2012 John Jay Fellow and executive director of Catholic Education Partners, offered these thoughts:

"Greg Schaller's appointment as president of the John Jay Institute is truly exceptional. Greg was my professor at Colorado Christian University, and he and his wife Rachel remain cherished mentors. Greg is man of faith and conviction, with a strong theological and philosophical foundation, and a deep love for the American founding. He will bring a fresh balance of political philosophy centered on Christ and culture. Beyond his academic qualifications, Greg and Rachel will actively invest in each of the fellows' lives. While the John Jay Institute's curriculum is good, its emphasis on community is more remarkable. Greg's statesmanship shows in his ability to cultivate the minds and hearts of his students, and offer community while doing so. I can think of no leader more suited to shepherd the John Jay Institute into its next season, fostering the legacy and continuing the tradition."

Brittany’s John Jay Institute classmate Tyler Castle, manager of academic programs at the American Enterprise Institute, added:

"Greg is a committed Christian and a thoughtful scholar who has a special gift for mentoring and equipping future leaders. Over the past four years, I have been fortunate to both witness and be the beneficiary of his wisdom and genuine care for young people. He's also a natural, energetic leader. I cannot think of a better person to continue the important work of the John Jay Institute."

On behalf of the Board of Governors I ask you to join us in welcoming our new President, praying for him and his family as they make the transition to Pennsylvania, and spreading the exciting word that the John Jay Institute is on the march as it enters into its second decade of raising up principled public leaders with renewed vigor and a forward-looking vision that will build upon the legacy of its inspired founding.

Dr. Todd Williams
Chairman of the Board