The mission of Reliance College is to provide a superior education that promotes the values of reason, individualism and a free society in which individual rights are respected and protected by the rule of law. Our competitive difference is the way we provide that education. It is specially crafted to instill the mores, the habits of thought and action, necessary for free, independent, self-reliant persons to be autonomous. We help young people become the entrepreneurs of their own lives. We aim to develop that active minority which leads any society—and who will lead our society to the liberty, prosperity and peace so lacking today.
“Discipline must come through liberty… We do not consider an individual disciplined only when he has been rendered as artificially silent as a mute and as immovable as a paralytic. He is an individual annihilated, not disciplined.”
When you think of people you most admire in life, who are your role models?
We at Reliance College think of people who have the following qualities–and we promise you that we will help you develop them. If you agree that this is what you want, we invite you to apply.
“We do not want complacent students, but eager ones; we seek […] to help him in his growth, mental and emotional as well as physical, and for that we must offer grand and lofty ideas to the human mind, which we find ever ready to receive them, demanding more and more.”
Marsha is an educational entrepreneur, teacher, and writer. She has a B.A. in Biology from Northwestern University and an M.A. in Psychology from the New School for Social Research.
In 1990, she founded the highly regarded Council Oak Montessori School, which serves children ages 3 to 14, where she was school head for 27 years. In 2005, she founded the Reason, Individualism,
Freedom Institute (now Reliance College) to develop a new college, using an innovative curriculum and methods based on the Great Books, socratic discussions, and Montessori principles.
With a B.A. in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College, Annapolis, Felicia Goglia is an expert in collaborative seminars. She brings a unique perspective to the table with her background as a former business intelligence analyst and tutor for The Great Connections.
Malachy is a brand builder and storyteller who has helped create innovative and profitable marketing programs for over forty Fortune 500 brands.
Malachy spent some 25 years at J. Walter Thompson Chicago office serving as Senior Partner, Director of Strategy and Head of the Account Planning Department, working directly with some of the world’s favorite brands: HP, Ford, ComScore, Master Card, Northern Trust, Harley-Davidson, Kraft, Oscar Mayer, Burger King, and MacDonald’s to name a few. It is impossible to walk through a supermarket aisle or a business office without bumping into his work.
He has worked on some of the most memorable marketing campaigns in modern history like the Marines “The Few, The Proud, The Marines,” Kellogg’s Tony The Tiger, Burger King’s “Have It Your Way,” Sprint’s “Pin Drop” the Oreo “Milk Dip,” 7-Eleven “Brain freeze,” Nutragrain’s “Iron Man,” and the “I Wish I Were An Oscar Meyer Wiener” Song Competition.
Malachy holds a BA in Philosophy and Economics from Georgetown, an MA in Literature from DePaul, and remains a perennial Ph.D candidate at the University of Chicago.
Malachy also happily serves as a discussion Host for onlinegreatbooks.com where we meet to make our minds stronger by reading and talking about the best thinkers ever.
Christine McPherson is the Director of Development for Reliance College. Under her leadership, she drives the strategy, planning, and execution to support the college’s ambitious goals to transform education and encourage student-led learning.
Christine brings a wealth of experience to the role, having previously served as Business Development Manager at the R Street Institute where she managed a portfolio of corporate and foundation supporters of their Technology and Innovation and Cybersecurity and Emerging Threats policy programs. Christine has also served as Development Director at the White Coat Waste Project (WCW), where she managed a team of junior and mid-level staff to support a portfolio of individual and foundation supporters. While at WCW, Christine successfully worked with leadership to bring in new support that transformed the ability of the organization to achieve its mission. Christine previously held development roles at Project Veritas, Students For Liberty, and FreedomWorks.
Driven by a deep commitment to child-led education, Christine is passionate about building relationships with donors who share Reliance College’s vision. Christine believes that philanthropy plays a vital role in empowering students and transforming lives, and Christine is dedicated to ensuring that Reliance College has the resources it needs to thrive.
Christine holds a Political Science Bachelor of Arts with a minor in Philosophy from the State University of New York at Albany. Christine has been actively involved in the nonprofit sector throughout her career.
In Christine’s free time she enjoys spending quality time with her husband, Bill, and daughters, Brianna, Fiona,and Evangeline. Christine lives in West Virginia and enjoys exploring the natural wonders nearby, baking, reading, and weight lifting.
Alex Bales is the digital marketing strategist at Reliance College, responsible for content creation, advertising strategies, and overseeing campaign execution and optimization across multiple digital platforms. With expertise in full-funnel marketing, Alex ensures that Reliance College reaches and engages its audience effectively.
Before joining Reliance, Alex served as the Director of Outreach for The Socratic Experience, an innovative online school for children and teens (ages 8-18) centered on the Socratic method. Alex has also worked with numerous education technology start-ups, bringing strategic vision to digital growth initiatives. Additionally, Alex contributed to the White Coat Waste Project as a Development and Marketing Assistant and managed operations and internship programs at FreedomWorks.
Beyond professional pursuits, Alex has a deep love for cooking, hiking, architecture, history, and wildlife. A former digital nomad, Alex has traveled to 43 countries—including off-the-beaten-path destinations like Iran, Iraq, and Syria—and has lived in Lebanon, Türkiye, Armenia, Georgia, Rwanda, and the Balkans. Passionate about entrepreneurship and personal growth, Alex is dedicated to helping individuals break free from limiting beliefs and realize their full potential.
