For Army veteran Larry Provost, the call to action, “Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country” was all it took for him to feel the need to get involved.

This military veteran wasn’t always a conservative.  In fact, his mother was liberal.  It wasn’t until Ronald Reagan became president in the 1980’s that Larry began to see what conservatism was really about.

“As time went on I saw that, on an overall scale, government policies were hurting, and slowly, almost imperceptibly, taking away the dignity, freedoms, and prosperity of the very people they were supposed to help.  Reagan was the first President I remember, and he shaped my idea of what a President could be,” Larry said.

In addition to his previous work in the U.S. Army, Larry also serves as an advisor to several conservative groups, and as a Chaplain for the American Legion in Washington, DC.

His enthusiasm for helping the conservative movement is something to be admired.  Larry battles the left by contributing to conservative blogging sites like Townhall.com.  Many of his articles share his view on what makes this country great and how to preserve it.

“Our nation is, as Lincoln said, the last best hope for mankind at least in the political realm.  In terms of nations, America is the hope for the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed,” Larry writes.

Larry Provost credits the Leadership Institute’s Conservative Jobs and alumni base for helping him in his professional journey.

“I learned more about getting a job in DC and defending conservative principles through a few days of training at the Leadership Institute than I did in four years of college,” he said.

Larry first heard about the Leadership Institute from a teacher at his old high school.  Since then, he has graduated from LI’s Youth Leadership School, Public Relations School, and Online Journalism Workshop.

Larry grew up in upstate New York.  He graduated from SUNY Oswego with a double major in History and American Studies in 2001.  He also graduated from Regent University with an M.A. in Government with a concentration in Terrorism and Homeland Defense in 2006 and from Liberty University with another M.A. in history in 2011. 

When asked if he had advice for potential leaders in the conservative movement, Larry replied, “Show what you are for and not always what you are against.  Show this country that conservatism is the movement of love and compassion, especially for those who suffer the most in our country.  Show that conservative policies keep people safe.  The left has run out of ideas.  Hold them accountable for what they did, and what they will try to do.  Be not afraid and be bold in giving people hope.”

Please congratulate Larry Provost for receiving LI’s Conservative Leader Award, and thank him for his tireless effort to promote conservative principles.

To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate or faculty member for the Conservative Leader Award or Conservative Leader-In-Training Award, please contact LI's Director of External Affairs Carol Wehe, at Carol@LeadershipInstitute.org.

The Leadership Institute offers over 40 types of training programs, working with more than 1,441 conservative campus groups, and helping employers connect with conservative jobseekers. Since the Institute’s 1979 founding, more than 143,000 conservative activists, students, and leaders have been trained. Graduates include members of Congress, state legislators, local officials, media personalities, and conservative organization leaders. For more information, please visit: www.LeadershipInstitute.org.