Jennifer and Phil Rothschild first crossed paths in 1982 in the Lassiter Student Center of Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA), where they were both eating lunch in the cafeteria. On Friday, February 28, more than four decades later, they came back to the university during Homecoming and Family Weekend to receive PBA’s Distinguished Alumni Award as a couple.
An Unexpected Diagnosis and a Leap of Faith
Jennifer, a 1986 PBA graduate, did not have an easy or straightforward path to college. When she was just 15 years old, she was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a degenerative disease in both of her retinas, leading to total blindness.
“What started as legal blindness quickly became darker and darker until over a period of years, all the light I once saw was replaced by darkness,” Jennifer said in a video aired on NBC News. “But, within the loss, I have received so much… I have learned that I can’t change blindness, but I can change my perspective, and when my eyes are grateful, I really can see goodness and grace. I have learned that blindness does not define me, but it has truly refined me, and it still does.”
Going away to college was a leap of faith for Jennifer, who was PBA’s first blind student. However, although she was terrified to attend the university and tried to talk her parents into letting her stay home countless times, she explained how PBA supported her from day one.
“During my time at PBA, I actually had professors read tests to me, I had students type for me… I was so new to blindness, but they really came alongside me.”
A Fateful Encounter
Jennifer was a freshman in college when Phil first laid eyes on her, and he was immediately smitten.
“I knew Jennifer was blind, so I thought I had a chance,” Phil, a 1985 PBA graduate, laughed. “Now, 38 years later, I love this woman more than ever.”
Despite Jennifer’s setbacks and once seemingly insurmountable circumstances, she has overcome all odds. To date, she has written 20 books and Bible studies, and she is the founder, host and Bible teacher for Fresh Grounded Faith women’s conferences, a women’s ministry with a mission to create a space that connects women to each other and to God, and to see many churches within a community come together.
Phil has an impressive resume himself, receiving his Ph.D. in Philosophy in 1996 from Florida State University, and going on to serve as a professor at Missouri State University where he has been for more than 25 years.
Together, Jennifer and Phil make an extraordinary team. In 1998, they founded the womensministry.net Leadership Library, a free online resource where they equip women in ministry to lead well.
A Worthy Investment
The couple credits much of their successes to the foundation that was laid at PBA.
“Palm Beach Atlantic is far more than a time for an education. It’s a lifestyle, it’s a family, it’s a mentality, and it’s a DNA. It is such a worthy investment,” Jennifer shared.
During their time at PBA, Jennifer and Phil impacted many lives. Sara Chauncey, who graduated from PBA in 1989, was one of them. During Homecoming and Family Weekend, she shared how the seeds planted by Jennifer and Phil in her life were instrumental in her faith journey.
“Jennifer was an incredible woman who loved God and was a worship leader on PBA’s campus,” Sara explained. “Phil was one of those people who would, every time we had a conversation, talk to me about Jesus. I distinctly remember a moment he was telling me how God loved me and had a plan for my life.”
With tears in their eyes, Jennifer and Phil embraced Sara on stage — a powerful reminder of how God can use simple acts of faithfulness to transform lives.
“It just shows that true spiritual success is not in big platforms, it’s in small acts of obedience,” Jennifer said. “It is more of an honor to be used than it is to be known.”
Jennifer and Phil Rothschild’s journey is a beautiful reflection of God’s grace and faithfulness. What began with a simple encounter in the Lassiter Student Center has grown into a lifetime of ministry, leadership and unwavering devotion to each other and the Lord.
To learn more about PBA and its programs, visit www.pba.edu.
