Summer Scholars Staff
Summer Scholars is led by a group of experienced educators, counselors, and theatre experts that strive to create a caring and safe environment for all participants. Most staff members have been past campers and are able to provide students with experienced advice and a listening ear.
(from left to right) Lauren Gerhart, Leah Wright, Joe Ray Underwood, Sean Richmond, and Joel Rutherford.
Joe Ray Underwood, Camp Director: Joe Ray founded Summer Scholars in 1978 and has worked as the camp director since then. Joe Ray is a retired professor from Mississippi State where he previously acted as the coordinator for the school counseling program. Joe Ray coordinates theatre and music programs for children with the help of the MSU Symphony Association. Joe Ray is an avid musician who specializes in guitar, musical arrangements, and vocal compositions.
Joel Rutherford, Associate Director: Joel Rutherford is a Social Studies teacher and State Assessment Coordinator at Central High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He graduated from Tupelo High School and was a Summer Scholars On-Stage camper during his teenage years.. He has been boys’ counselor, music director, and associate director of the program during the past 35 years. He earned a bachelor’s degree in History from Michigan State University and teaches history and psychology. His lifelong love for performing arts is manifested through his assistance with high school musical productions, participation in vocal music, and in his piano accompaniment of performing groups. He chairs the Awards Committee program and selects recipients of the Summer Scholars Hall of Fame.
Sean Richmond, Associate Director: Sean Richmond was a student at Mississippi State University when he began to work as a boy’s counselor at Summer Scholars in 1991. He has worked as a school administrator for various districts around the country. He currently works as an administrator in the Florida Polk County School System. Sean is a leader for the staff at Summer Scholars and is also the owner of Sean’s House of Cola where he provides sno-cone and candy support for staff and campers alike!
Leah R. Wright, Head Counselor: Leah has been working at Summer Scholars since 2005. She has worked a variety of jobs at camp but immediately found her niche in counseling that led her to get a Masters in Clinical Counseling from Mississippi State University. Leah works hard to ensure that parents and campers feel safe and comfortable over the course of camp. She currently lives in Hoover, AL, with her husband and two furry children.
Joe Evans: Script Advisor and Production Manager: Joe Evans, holds two B.S. degrees, one in Music Education and one in Educational Psychology. He also holds a M.S. Degree in College Counseling from Mississippi State University. Joe is a veteran producer of dramas and musicals. He has produced several shows with Starkville Academy, the Starkville Public School District, and the Vicksburg Public School District. He also has been involved in several productions with the Starkville Community Theatre. Joe spent an entire summer during his university years to work summer stock with Theatre West Virginia. He has worked as a fight choreographer for several theaters across the state of Mississippi. Joe is a former camper and has been associated with the Summer Scholars program since 1983. Joe is a musical consultant and frequent actor in productions of the Starkville Community Theatre and the Theatre Program of the MSU Department of Communication.
Eric Fritzius, Script Coordinator: Eric Fritzius is an expatriate Mississippian who has called West Virginia home for the past 20 years. His short plays have been produced across Appalachia and even north of the Mason Dixon. He credits his time as a camper at Summer Scholars with giving him his start as a playwright. His work has appeared in Greenbrier Valley Quarterly magazine, and anthologies such as Mountain Voices, Dark Tales of Terror, Diner Stories: Off the Menu, Writerly Advice, and the recent Covid-19 anthology In the Midst. He is the author of the short story collection A Consternation of Monsters. He is also an audiobook narrator. Links to his work can be found at his website MisterHerman.com. Check out his library of audio book narrations: http://www.misterherman.com, http://www.EricFritzius.com, http://www.facebook.com/efritzius, http://twitter.com/EFritzius, http://www.goodreads.com/efritzius
Lauren Gerhart, Director of Operations: Lauren Gerhart Summer Scholars Co-Director of Operations. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a Master’s Degree in Higher Education and Student Personnel from The University of Mississippi. She currently serves The University of Southern Mississippi’s School of Music as an Academic Advisement Coordinator. Lauren began as a camper during the summer of 2009 and is happy to help provide the Onstage experience to current campers!
Kris Lee, Director: T.K. Lee (Kris) is a member of the Dramatists Guild, Southeastern Theatre Conference, and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, among others. In addition to award-winning plays, his poetry has been critically acclaimed and along with his short fiction, published and anthologized internationally. He currently is on faculty in the MFA Program at the Mississippi University for Women.
Savion St. John, Assistant Director: Detroit Michigan native, Savion St. John is an alumnus of Cass Technical High School where his focus of study was Performing Arts. He served in an artist’s capacity within MOSAIC Youth Theatre of Detroit’s Main Stage Singers before venturing off to matriculate post-secondarily at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida. He obtained a four year scholarship to sing/perform in the institution's revered Concert Chorale. Serving as a Tenor voice within the Choir, as well as an Actor in the institution’s Drama Department. He “Entered to Learn, and Departed to Serve” with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communications emphasizing in Theatre Arts Performance. Recently initiated into Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. the Spring of 2022. St. John currently serves as a Middle School Theatre/Performing Arts Teacher in the city of Detroit, MI.
Callie Ellis, Music Director: Callie Ellis is the Director of Music for Summer Scholars On-Stage. She is the coordinator of all music performances and the Writer’s Camp composer/songwriter track. She leads the music staff and trains new music staff and musicians. During Production Camp, she coordinates vocal lessons, and practical applications of music for students to perform in the pit. Callie holds both a Master’s degree (MME) and Bachelor’s Degree (BME) in music education from Mississippi State University. She is the current choral director at Armstrong Junior High Szchool in Starkville. Her goal as head of the music staff at Summer Scholars is to give students a place to learn about themselves, each other, and the art of musical performance.
Jonette Shurden, Choreographer and Dance Instructor: Jonette has been the main dance instructor and choreographer of Summer Scholars for the last few years. She is responsible for ensemble and individual dance numbers during the show. Jonette is co-owner and instructor at The Studio Barre & Wellness located in Starkville & Louisville & serves as General Manager for 929 Coffee Bar. You can also find her teaching for APEX Dance Company & working on musical choreography for productions at MSU, Starkville High and Starkville Community Theatre.
Patrick McFadyen, Technical Director: Patrick is in charge of the bustling technical world behind the scenes of the Summer Scholars production. He has assisted with all aspects of backstage work for camp in his years as a camper and technical instructor. Patrick was the Shop Foreman in McComas for four years where he constructed sets for plays and manned the lighting design. Patrick has been responsible for lighting control during over 20 stage productions in his theatrecareer.