Josh Moody

@byjoshmoody

Money & management reporter @insidehighered.com. Nebraskan in DC. 🌽

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Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· 17d

Despite everything I found there was one question I couldn't answer: Why does he always wear his collar like that?

Photo of Tommie Zito with popped collar.

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· 17d

Other wild claims include a planned reality show in 2014 ("The Evangelistz") that never came to fruition. He also claimed to be “one of the best soccer players in the nation” but there is zero evidence of that. Claims about his prodigious soul-winning efforts also appear to be exaggerated.

Screenshot from an Inside Higher Ed article with the following text:
His ministry’s claims have grown more exaggerated over the years. His website indicates that American Awakening has orchestrated more than 14,000 services and led four million souls to Christ “over the past two decades.” By the numbers, that adds up to at least 700 services a year, with 200,000 souls won annually—or approximately two or more services and 548 conversions every day.

In 2014, American Awakening announced that Zito would star in a reality show dubbed The Evangelistz, which would follow him, his wife and their children around “in their quest for souls.” Though the announcement said several major networks were interested, the project was never released.

In addition, an archived biography on Zito’s website in 2001 claimed he chose ministry over a career as a professional athlete, despite being “one of the best soccer players in the nation.” However, Zito is not listed on archived team rosters at West Virginia University, which he attended in the early 1990s before graduating from Rhema Bible Training Center in Oklahoma. Local media coverage of Zito’s purported athletic career is also lacking in the New Jersey region where he grew up and attended high school.

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· 17d

Zito says he’s launching multiple universities. But with what money? Financial records show his ministry is a meager operation that barely breaks even. A ministry he previously operated was dissolved after it filed for bankruptcy, owing nearly $1mil to creditors, including $225k to the IRS.

Screenshot from Inside Higher Ed article with the following text:

In Bhakta’s request for proposals issued earlier this year, he noted that the new owner would need to budget “$1.5 million per year to maintain existing infrastructure and to … catch up on deferred maintenance.” That estimate does not include labor and other costs of running a college.

But publicly available financial documents for Zito’s ministry, registered as American Awakening Inc., show a modest operation lacking the sort of capital to launch and sustain a university. In fiscal year 2021, the latest year available, the nonprofit organization had $98,028 in revenue, expenses of $94,706 and net income of $3,322. American Awakening’s highest year for net income on record was fiscal 2017, when it made $33,341.

Another nonprofit registered as Tommie Zito Ministries was dissolved in 2011. Court records show that before the organization shut down it declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2010 and owed creditors nearly $1 million, including more than $225,000 to the Internal Revenue Service.

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· 17d

Also, fun aside: Zito’s marketing director is a British dude named… JD Vance. (He scolded me for asking about Zoe Bible College/accreditation on the livestream.)

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· 17d

Zito opened Zoe Bible College in 2015 after several years of false starts. Both the college’s website and Zito’s website falsely claimed it was “fully accredited.” When I asked him about this on a livestream, he admitted it was never accredited and that was perhaps “a misinterpretation.”

A screenshot of the archived Zoe Bible College website with a photo of Zito.

A photo of Zito speaking at Zoe Bible College.

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· Apr 14

AMHERST, Mass. — April 14, 2026 — After years of sustained effort to secure the college's financial future through enrollment growth, debt refinancing, and land development – none of which produced a viable path forward - the Hampshire College Board of Trustees voted to permanently close the college following the Fall 2026 semester.
The college will provide academic, student life, and transitional services to currently enrolled students through the end of the fall semester.
Hampshire College will not admit a new class for Fall 2026 and all deposits from admitted students will be refunded. Commencement for eligible graduates will be held on May 16, 2026, with a second ceremony planned for those who complete their degrees in the fall.
The college is working with the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education and the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) on teach-out planning that includes two pathways for currently enrolled students. Division III (final year) students will be eligible to complete their degrees at Hampshire College through the end of the Fall 2026 semester, with campus housing and support services available throughout. Division I and II (first through third year) students will receive individualized advising and access to transfer pathways at partner institutions, including:
Amherst College
Bennington College
Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
Massachusetts College of the Liberal Arts,
Mount Holyoke College
Prescott College
Smith College, the
University of Massachusetts Amherst

Hampshire College will assist departing faculty and staff with information, resources, and support as they navigate this transition. To answer questions and provide detailed information about next steps, the College has developed a website for students, faculty, and staff, as well as the public.

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· Jan 9

Full statement:

Screenshot with the following text:

“It is with great sadness that Old Dominion University mourns the loss of one of our own, Renee (Macklin) Good, a proud Monarch who graduated in December of 2020 from the College of Arts and Letters with a degree in English. Following Renee’s tragic killing earlier today in Minneapolis, our thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends, loved ones, and the Monarch Nation.

This is yet another clear example that fear and violence have sadly become commonplace in our nation. Indeed, this tragedy reflects the deep strain being felt in countless communities across our nation. As citizens, it is our duty and right to call upon leaders and officials to restore civility in all facets of our lives, especially at the hands of those who are entrusted to protect and serve.

May Renee’s life be a reminder of what unites us: freedom, love, and peace. My hope is for compassion, healing, and reflection at a time that is becoming one of the darkest and most uncertain periods in our nation’s history.” – Old Dominion University President Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D.

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· Dec 11

The Ring Boys case in which former WWE officials, including Linda McMahon, are accused of turned a blind eye to the sexual abuse of teenagers in the late 80s/early 90s has moved to discovery. (Separately, sources have told me there is no way Linda McMahon didn't know, since this was an open secret.)

A press release from the law firm DiCello Levitt about the "Ring Boys" sexual abuse case involving former WWE officials, including Linda McMahon, moving to discovery.

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· Dec 3

My annual contribution to Spotify’s marketing campaign.

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· Nov 6

Inbox: PragerU announces partnership with Southeastern University. Also, to be be fair, people only said that PragerU wasn't a real university because... it's not a real university. Still isn't.

Screenshot of an email sent to Inside Higher Ed reporter, Josh Moody. Text reads as follows: "LOS ANGELES — For years, critics have gleefully reminded us that PragerU isn’t a “real university.” Well, it just got real. Starting now, students can earn college credit through a partnership pathway, proving that learning America’s story through facts, values, and common sense can, indeed, count toward a degree. PragerU is partnering with accredited universities to offer full college-level courses in History and Civics. Our first and most exciting partnership is with Southeastern University, which has both national and international campuses. Additional partnerships via Christian Halls will be announced in the coming years as we continue to expand our reach and course offerings. The first course with Southeastern University is Leaders & Legacies: American History Through Presidential Biographies — a comprehensive college-level course built around PragerU’s acclaimed 5-Minute Videos. The course features lectures from distinguished historians and scholars, including Allen Guelzo, Wilfred McClay, and Carol Swain.”

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· Oct 27

Inbox: New College of Florida wants to be the first to sign on to the Trump administration's proposed Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education.

An email from New College officials indicating interest in the compact.

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· Oct 2

And the White House:

White House press email: “Due to staff shortages resulting from the Democrat Shutdown, the typical 24/7 monitoring of this press inbox may experience delays. We ask for your patience as our staff work to field your requests in a timely manner. As you await a response, please remember this could have been avoided if the Democrats voted for the clean Continuing Resolution to keep the government open. The press office also cannot accommodate waves requests or escorts at this time. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· Oct 2

How the Department of Education responded to my email this morning.

ED email response: “Thank you for contacting the press team. On September 19, 2025, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5371, a clean continuing resolution. Unfortunately, Democrat Senators are blocking passage of H.R. 5371 in the Senate which has led to a lapse in appropriations. Due to the lapse in appropriations, we are currently in furlough status. We will respond to emails once government functions resume.”

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· Sep 24

The UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees released a statement this morning. (Unmentioned is the fact that they previously settled over alleged violations of open meetings acts, so they have a history of doing what they are being accused of.)

Statement from UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees Chair Malcolm Turner: "The former Provost’s baseless assault on this volunteer Board and how it conducts its business stands in stark contrast to the widely recognized excellence the University has achieved under this Board’s leadership. His allegations are disappointing and inaccurate, not to mention a waste of taxpayer dollars, for which this former officer of the University shows no regard. His claims will not withstand scrutiny."

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· Sep 13

Home. Go Big Red 🌽

Tom Osborne and Brook Barringer statue outside of Memorial Stadium in Lincoln.

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· Sep 7

I think one can say with full journalistic objectivity that any president who threatens to unleash the “Department of War” on Chicago is deeply unwell.

A Truth Social post from Donald Trump that threatens that reads in part: “Chicago is about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR.”

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· Aug 21

The White House is mad about tomatoes? www.whitehouse.gov/articles/202...

Smithsonian description: "The Immokalee Statue of Liberty is holding a tomato in her right hand instead of a torch, and a basket of tomatoes in her left hand instead of a tablet. Her bronze skin tone represents workers from Mexico and Central America who labor on U.S. farms. On her pedestal is the message: “I, too, am America!”

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· Aug 14

But as experts told us–this doesn’t bode well for higher education, which has enough problems.

Quote: “People may not know what’s a real university and what isn’t, so they just throw their hands up and say, ‘Universities are too expensive anyway,’” said Marichal, the algorithm expert. “When people don’t know what’s true or false anymore, they’re less inclined to trust any of it.”

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· Aug 14

The scammers are also failing to keep the sites updated as demonstrated by the Joe Biden scholarship here. I’m sure someone will roll out a Donald Trump scholarship soon enough. (Whether that will be a real or fake university is TBD.)

Screenshot of fake Joe Biden scholarship.

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· Aug 14

While the sites are likely to fool some consumers (I know an international student was ripped off by an earlier version of one of the Houston sites back in 2022) it isn’t all convincing. Some of it was pure AI slop. Like whatever the hell this is…

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· Aug 14

So I began searching backwards, looking for other websites that listed those accreditors and I found several. Then I found more fake accreditors which pointed me to other scam college sites. There was even a fake Department of Education site.

Screenshot of fake Department of Education page.

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· Aug 14

Still, I thought it was just one fake website… until I looked at the accreditors page which included multiple fake organizations with links to those websites which were also AI-heavy. That’s when I knew it had to go deeper. Why create fake accreditor pages for one college?

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· Aug 13

Important shoe leather journalism from @streetsensedc.bsky.social streetsensemedia.org/article/home...

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· Aug 1

I’m on scene at George Mason Today where students, faculty, staff and community members are expressing support for President Gregory Washington amid concerns the Board of Visitors will fire him amid multiple federal investigations.

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· Jul 16

The State University System of Florida is boycotting interviews with Inside Higher Ed because we didn’t publish an op-ed they submitted.

Email from State University System of Florida spokesperson to Josh Moody.

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· Jun 30

Inbox: Siena Heights University in Michigan to close next year.

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· Dec 5

My annual contribution to Spotify’s marketing campaign

Josh Moody@byjoshmoody· Nov 21

Watching Wrestlemania 17 for work… #highered #EDUsky