Next week the Pro-Life Action League will host the Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally in cities across America. The group's rally in March had more than 63,000 people from 146 cities standing up for religious freedom. Expectations are even higher for the rally June 8. “We hope to have 100,000 participants in over 150 cities,” Pro-Life Action League Development Director Paige Scarlett, also a Leadership Institute graduate, said. “This rally is a campaign that's sweeping our nation to build awareness about the threats to our constitutional right to ‘freedom of religion' posed by the Obama Administration's Health and Human Services mandate.” “The administration's newest mandate forces religious employers, such as Catholic hospitals and schools to provide abortion-inducing drugs, sterilization, and contraception in employee healthcare plans for free – even though these all go directly against the employer's religious beliefs,” Paige said. “We are standing up for our constitutional rights that our Founding Fathers fought and died for, and one of those is the right to freedom of religion without interference by government.” The 30-year-old organization Pro-Life Action League leads sidewalk counseling at abortion clinics, helps students start pro-life clubs, and investigates abortion clinic violations, which has led to the closing of numerous facilities. “I get to work alongside the ‘godparents' of the pro-life movement on a daily basis, Joe and Ann Scheidler,” Paige said. “I am inspired by their tireless grassroots efforts to fight abortion since 1973 and keep it a sizzling, hot-button issue in our country.” Paige has worked at Pro-Life Action League since January, but never imagined she would go to college and be working. “My girlish hope and dream was to get married young and have a big family,” Paige, the oldest of a family of seven Catholic and conservative children, said. “But God had other plans for me. He wanted me to go to college and work in the pro-life movement – and save babies before I had any of my own!” In college, Paige was asked to assist the development director at The Thomas Moore College of Liberal Arts in Merrimack, New Hampshire, where she worked for a semester and a summer. Another summer, Paige raised money for the Crossroads Life Walk Across America, during which she walked 50 miles in five days for the cause of life. She's also been known to frequent abortion clinics and pray outside them (pictured right). Paige next became the development director for Foundation for Life in Toledo, Ohio where she served for 3.5 years after graduation before taking the development director job at Pro-Life Action League in Chicago, where she now works. “I first learned of the Leadership Institute through a friend who worked for your group,” Paige remembered. “She introduced me to LI, and coincidentally, I stayed with her a few days after my Crossroads Pro-Life Walk to Washington, D.C. – and even visited LI's office to ‘shadow' her for a couple days.” “I also knew of LI's fundraising trainings through my former job at Foundation for Life, but the Pro-Life Action League found it valuable enough to invest in sending me to it,” Paige said. “The League sent two other staff members to your direct mail school trainings a few years ago and they learned numerous best practices we have used into our communications ever since.” Paige took LI's High-Dollar Fundraising School in April, the Online Fundraising Workshop in April, and the Direct Mail School and Advanced Direct Mail School, both earlier this month. “The Leadership Institute has been a positive way to enhance my previous development know-how, hone my skills and judgment in the area of best approaches for fundraising, and boost my ability to share these successful tactics I learned with my fellow staffers, so we can make a team commitment to use LI's well-tested fundraising methods to keep our organization's mission very sustainable,” Paige said. “LI trainings are a survey in development approaches engagingly presented by a panel of experts. These professionals are dynamic, well-organized leaders in the field,” Paige said. “They're smart advocates of the conservative movement, looking to advance the cause, and are relevant and attuned to the best of current and tried-and-true styles of development.” “At the High Dollar Fundraising School, I learned that my organization needs to become ever more donor-centric – listening to the interests and desires of our donor-base and even using their wishes to shape our new or ongoing programs and just the way we pitch our message,” Paige reflected. “At the Online Fundraising Workshop, I learned new ways to tackle search engines to reach out to and hook a new audience through targeted ad spots,” Paige said. “I was enlightened on ways to go about delving into the internet market to attract and plug new supporters into our cause through the use of new media.” “At LI's direct mail schools (intro and advanced), I learned not only the importance of prospecting to find new donors, how to cultivate these new donors, and how to appeal to and engage your current donors, but how to do so most effectively, with the biggest chance of success,” Paige reported. “The key is to make all your touches (whether by mail, phone, or email) highly personal and focused on the impact that the donor makes possible. The donor needs to feel like an invested partner whose generosity truly saves lives.” And saving lives is the business of Pro-Life Action League. “In a challenging economy, it's necessary more than ever to know what works well and what doesn't as it is mission critical with fundraising. It could mean the difference between your group staying afloat, gaining momentum, or sinking. At LI's training, they give you tools and tips to take your organization's fundraising approaches from your baseline to the next level,” Paige said. Paige joins more than 107,000 alumni trained by the Leadership Institute since 1979. Please welcome her as LI's Graduate of the Week. For more information about Pro-Life Action League and their rally June 8, please contact Paige at 773-777-2900. To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate to be featured as LI's graduate of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Hart at LaurenHart@LeadershipInstitute.org.

About Eliza: As the intern coordinator at the Leadership Institute, Eliza Thurston works with young conservative leaders from across the United States and around the world to prepare them for service in politics and public policy. Eliza came to LI from The Heritage Foundation's Special Events department where she assisted with nation-wide development events. Prior to her time at Heritage, Eliza interned at Family Research Council and Shared Hope International. A Missouri native, Eliza attended Grove City College in Pennsylvania where she graduated with degrees in French and Political Science. So you've secured a coveted internship in the nation's capitol—now what? Learn how to make the most of your time while you are here. When I first came to Washington, DC as an intern in the summer of 2008 I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Growing up in a sleepy Midwest town on the outskirts of farmland, life in the big city was a new concept to me. How I wish I knew then what I know now! The advice below, culled from my time living and working in Washington, will help you navigate your internship and make it more than just another line on your resume. In the Office What can I do to help you? This little phrase is golden. When you find yourself with extra time on your hands, don't let it go to waste! Offer to assist fellow staffers with their work or look for ways to solve potential problems before they arise. Employers look for staff who demonstrate initiative and who seek opportunities to fill the gap. The intern who makes a positive impression in the office as someone always willing to volunteer will be remembered long after the summer is over—and just may be called back when a position opens. Invest in your organization. Even if you are here for only three months, make it your goal to become an expert in your company or office. From the microscopic (When was the company founded?) to the panoramic (How does my department contribute to the organization's mission?), you should be able to clearly represent your organization to anyone who asks. The same applies to those of you working on the Hill—familiarize yourself with the district and know your boss' position on the issues. Seek out a mentor. Take time to get to know your office mates and establish relationships with them. Find a mentor in your career field (whether at your office or in another one) who can guide you in your journey. Mentors are invaluable resources who will be able to offer advice on everything from office politics to providing contacts for the future. Their experiences can guide you as you discover your own career path. Dress for success. This is critical. No matter how many times people have told you that looks do not matter, in the professional world they do. Before you pack your bags for the internship, find out what the office expectations are regarding appropriate attire. If you don't own a business suit, you should purchase one. Consider it an investment in your future. Around Town Your reputation is everything. The adage, “Don't shame the family name,” has become a classic in my family. When my siblings or I went out for the night those words trailed us out the door. We understood that wherever we went we represented more than just ourselves. While it may not seem like it, Washington really is a small town. People talk. Word travels quickly. Everyone knows everyone else. So remember when you are out on the town, you represent your organization and the principles on which it stands. Don't shame the boss' name. Network, network, network. It's been said that a DC intern could go an entire summer without spending a dime on meals. I believe it. Policy luncheons, happy hours, and conferences abound in the District (and beyond). These events are worth taking advantage of—and not just for the food. DC insiders know that the secret to landing a job here is often found through your network. Remember to follow up with those you meet, ideally within 48 hours. A follow up coffee date or informational interview could be the gateway to your next job. Expert Insights is a regular feature of LI.org that highlights important topics by industry experts. If you would like to submit an article on a particular topic, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Hart at LaurenHart@LeadershipInstitute.org.

John Boozman was a football player for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks, an optometrist, an entrepreneur, and a business owner, all before he entered Congress. However, Congress wasn't Senator Boozman's first shake with politics. His father was a Master Sergeant in the United States Air Force and his elder brother Fay was a state senator in Arkansas' district 33. Before national politics, Sen. Boozman ran for local office on the Rogers Public School Board, where he served two terms for one of the largest school districts in the state. Sen. John Boozman was a U.S. Representative (AR-03) for five terms, before deciding to run for the upper chamber. He unseated Democratic incumbent Senator Blanche Lincoln, and is finishing up the first year-and-a-half of his six-year term in the United States Senate. In his first year as a senator, he received the Defender of Liberty award from the American Conservative Union, the nation's oldest and largest grassroots conservative lobbying organization. This award is given to Members of Congress who score a perfect 100 for any year within the ACU Ratings of Congress. “This Defender of Liberty award is a reflection of Senator Boozman's outstanding record in support of conservative principles … and someone who conservatives can turn to for leadership. At a time when the fundamental principles of the American system of government are being challenged, Senator Boozman stands with those who are trying to preserve those principles,” American Conservative Union Chairman Al Cardenas said. Sen. Boozman has also garnered endorsements from the National Rifle Association, National Right to Life, the Susan B. Anthony List, and Americans for Tax Reform in signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, to name a few. In the Senate, Sen. Boozman sits on four committees: Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Environment and Public Works; and Veterans' Affairs. “I am proud to be one of the Leadership Institute's alumni,” Sen. Boozman said. The senator took the Leadership Institute's (LI) Television Workshop, One-on-One in March 2003. “Thank you for the media training I received at the Leadership Institute,” Sen. Boozman said. “The training greatly improved the quality of my on-air media appearances and the effectiveness of my messaging. As a result, I encourage other potential candidates and elected officials to leverage their skills with the training that the Leadership Institute uniquely provides.” Senator Boozman's Communications Director Sara Lasure is also a Leadership Institute graduate. Sara took LI's Capitol Hill Staff Training School in August 2008 and LI's Public Relations School in July 2009. Before moving to Capitol Hill, Sara worked as a reporter in Fort Smith, Arkansas at KFSM-TV. "Senator Boozman has long been a supporter of the classes presented by the Leadership Institute after having attended courses that helped put him on the path to success on the campaign trail," Sara, his communications director, said. "His enthusiasm encouraged me to participate in classes to learn new public relations methods to reach our constituency and engage them in the work we're doing on their behalf." Sara continued: "The Leadership Institute offers a wide variety of opportunities to learn the best ways to engage constituents while helping push a conservative message. The classes are great opportunities to meet other people interested in the same field and hear and offer ideas for an effective media strategy. This is a great way to network and develop relationships to help advance your career." “I wish the Leadership Institute continued success in fulfilling your mission to increase the number and effectiveness of conservative leaders and activists,” Sen. Boozman said. LI provides training in campaigns, fundraising, grassroots organizing, youth politics, and communications. LI teaches conservatives of all ages how to succeed in politics, government, and the media. Sen. Boozman and Sara join more than 107,000 graduates trained by the Leadership Institute since 1979. Please welcome Senator Boozman as LI's Graduate of the Week. Please go here for a full LI training schedule. To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate to be featured as LI's graduate of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Hart at LaurenHart@LeadershipInstitute.org.

The Adam Smith Awards Dinner is Wednesday, June 6 at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium at 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW in Washington, D.C.The dinner will recognize two individuals who are “2012 Champions of Free Enterprise” by bestowing two awards. The first is the Public Official Award, which will be given to Honorable Harold D. Rogers, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. He will be introduced by Honorable Haley Barbour, former Governor of Mississippi.The second is the Business Citizen Award, which will be given to Bernadette Budde, senior vice president of political analysis at BIPAC. Bernadette will be introduced by Bob LaBrant, senior vice president of political affairs and general counsel at the Michigan Chamber of Commerce.The sponsors reception begins at 6 p.m. with the supporters reception at 6:30 p.m. and the dinner and program beginning at 7:15 p.m.Dress is business attire and valet parking is available.The dinner is sponsored by Friends of Adam Smith Foundation, BIPAC, Verizon Communications, CQRoll Call, Brown-Forman Corporation, National Association of Manufacturers, and many others at the silver and bronze sponsorship levels.For more information and sponsorship opportunities, call 703-761-1505 or email FOAS@hayespr.com.Adam Smith “believed that ‘wealth' is not an accumulation of gold, but the development of farms, factories, cheap fuel, good streets, good schools and efficient transportation,” the invitation says. “In effect, the ‘wealth' of a nation is made up of the productive energies of its people. The influence of his work is so great that Smith is considered the founder of the study of economics and is widely credited with defining and establishing the concept of free market capitalism.”The Leadership Institute is the sole producer and distributor of Adam Smith ties and products in the United States.Dubbed by Time Magazine, “the neckpiece of conservative Washington,” the Adam Smith tie's distinguished history goes back to 1968. Men may purchase ties and cuff links and for women, LI offers scarves.If you are interested in purchasing this attire, please go here or contact Cathy Graham at CGraham@LeadershipInstitute.org >

Next week the Leadership Institute will welcome 12 conservatives hailing from nine American states and two countries as interns for the summer 2012 semester. Already these 12 young people have taken 474 hours of Leadership Institute trainings in topics as various as public speaking, youth leadership, campaign management, public relations, campus elections, TV training, and fundraising. As interns, they will have the opportunity to take additional free LI trainings for the next year, be mentored by LI's staff in their departments as they complete 40-hour work weeks, stay rent-free in the Sacher Intern House just blocks from the office, attend private dinners with conservative leaders, and host a weekly conservative book discussion. “We have a fantastic group of interns coming this summer, all with very unique backgrounds and experiences,” LI's Intern Coordinator Eliza Thurston said. “I'm excited to get to know each one of them as they find their places here at the Leadership Institute." Eugenio Gómez-Chico Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México Mexico City, Mexico President's Office Eugenio is pursuing dual degrees in International Relations and Law at the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México. In addition to his studies, Eugenio has volunteered his time extensively with a variety of international organizations including the Nosara Civic Association (Costa Rica), the World Youth Conference and the Great Basin Institute at the University of Nevada, Reno. Last summer Eugenio volunteered with the Mexican Consulate-General in Denver, Colorado with their Department of Legal Affairs. After taking the 2012 Mexican Youth Leadership School Eugenio co-founded Mas Por Libertad A.C., an organization dedicated to promoting ideas of liberty within Mexican society. LI training and events: Mexico City's Youth Leadership School in January 2012 Ryan Bolyard Hillsdale College Doylestown, OH Technology Ryan has combined his two passions, campaigns and computers, to study Politics and Computer Science at Hillsdale College. He has extensive experience in both, and had the opportunity to put both in to practice while serving as Youth Coordinator and Chief Technology Officer/Developer for a 2010 Congressional campaign. In addition, as the Chairman of the Campaign Committee for Hillsdale's College Republicans, Ryan has organized many successful campaign trips for his fellow students. While on campus Ryan served on Hillsdale's Student Government and currently volunteers with Students for Free Enterprise and the Aliaga Foundation. Through Aliaga, Ryan is working to establish an exchange program between Peruvian students and Hillsdale College. LI training and events: West Lafayette, Indiana's Youth Leadership School in October 2009 and LI's CPAC Job & Internship Fair in February 2011 Alejandro Capote Florida State University Hialeah, Fl Grassroots Alejandro is a rising junior at Florida State University where he is working on degrees in Political Science and International Affairs. A native of Cuba, Alejandro recently became a United States citizen, a privilege he has not taken lightly. While in high school Alejandro was heavily involved in student life and served as the president of his Student Government. Alejandro has been involved with numerous political campaigns, both with individual candidates and through the Republican Party of Florida. Last year Alejandro switched gears from the campaign field to serve as an intern in the office of Florida State Senator Rene Garcia. Alejandro is also an active member of the Leon County Republican Party. Please go here to read about Alejandro as the Institute's 100,000th graduate since 1979. LI training and events: Arlington, Virginia's Youth Leadership School in July 2011 and LI's Tallahassee, Florida's Youth Leadership School in October 2011 Braden Goodgame Georgia State University Snellville, GA Recruitment Braden is studying Political Science at Georgia State University where he is a rising sophomore. An active member of GSU's College Republicans, Braden currently serves as the club's Director of Communications. In addition to maintaining his own lawn care business through high school, Braden co-founded a Young Conservatives Club at his school. Braden has also volunteered extensively with youth, serving both as a Youth Leader at Grace Fellowship Church and as a Youth League baseball umpire. Braden is a cadet in the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Georgia State and plans to become a commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army. LI training and events: Chapel Hill, North Carolina's Youth Leadership School in March 2012 and LI's CPAC Job & Internship Fair in February 2012 Amanda Haas Liberty University Dallas, TX Campus Leadership Program Amanda recently received her degree in Government from Liberty University. During her freshman year Amanda became president of Liberty's chapter of Young Women for America (YWA), an organization she served with throughout her college career. In her role as executive secretary for Liberty's Student Government Association, Amanda organized the college's largest pro-life conference with nearly 13,000 participants. As a result of her dedication to the pro-life movement Amanda received the 2011 Susan B. Anthony Young Leaders Award. In addition to her campus activities, Amanda has also worked with Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, both as a congressional intern and as an intern field representative on the Congresswoman's presidential campaign. LI training and events: Arlington, Virginia's Youth Leadership School in March 2012, LI's Public Relations School in June 2011, LI's Travel—Campaign Management School in Lynchburg, Virginia, and LI's conservative Job Fair at CPAC in February 2009 Brandon Hartness University of Chapel Hill Taylorsville, NC Events Brandon is a rising senior at the University of Chapel Hill where he is pursuing a double major in Political Science and Peace, War and Defense Studies. As the National and State Political Chair of the UNC College Republicans, Brandon frequently contributes to campus media outlets and organizes events at UNC. Brandon writes regularly for the Carolina Review, helping to expose bias and abuse on campus. He also serves as the president of Committee for a Better Carolina, another group on campus dedicated to providing intellectual diversity and a conservative voice at UNC. In addition to his campus activities, Brandon spent the past couple months interning with the Orange County Republican Party. LI training and events: Chapel Hill, North Carolina's Youth Leadership School in October 2011 and LI's CPAC Trainings—Getting Your Message Heard and Resume Consultations in February 2012 Pamela Meyerhofer Xavier University Buffalo, NY Youth Leadership School Pamela is a rising junior at Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH where she is double-majoring in Economics and Philosophy, Politics and the Public. No stranger to the campaign trail, Pamela has interned with local, state and federal campaigns. Last summer while working with a congressional campaign Pamela organized a Get Out the Vote initiative with over 200 volunteers. On campus, Pamela is active in College Republicans and is also a fundraiser with Xavier University's Phonathon. Since being on the Phonathan team Pamela has personally raised $27,000 for the university. LI training and events: Newark, Ohio's Youth Leadership School in February 2012, Grassroots Activism training in Buffalo, New York in June 2011, and LI's CPAC Job & Internship Fair in February 2012 Caleb Parke Grove City College Findlay, OH Employment Placement Services Caleb is a rising senior at Grove City College where he is majoring in Political Science and Economics. Over the past couple years Caleb has volunteered on numerous state-wide campaigns. Last year Caleb completed an eight-month internship in the district office of Congressman Jim Jordan. In addition to his political activity, Caleb actively participates in Grove City student life. He serves as the Junior Class President, Co-President of Christians United for Israel, and the Style Editor of the Journal of Law & Public Policy. Caleb has been honored with the President's Call to Service Award for his many hours spent serving his community. LI training and events: Grove City, Pennsylvania's Youth Leadership School in March 2011, Land a Job or Internship in DC training in March 2011, CPAC training called Landing a Conservative Job: the Hill and Beyond in February 2012 Christine Rousselle Providence College Scarborough, Maine Campus Reform Online Christine is currently pursuing a degree in Political Science and a minor in French at Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island. On campus, Christine is the Assistant News Editor for The Cowl and Vice-Chair of the Providence College Republicans. Christine has been featured in multiple national news outlets and blogs regularly for the TheCollegeConservative. She also provides the conservative perspective for The Portland Press Herald's blog The Way Politics Should Be. Go here to read her post on LI's CampusReform.org. LI training and events: One-On-One Television Workshop in January 2012, Boston, Massachusetts' Youth Leadership School in October 2011, History of the American Right in July 2011, The Year of the Youth: Why Youth Engagement is Vital in Politics in July 2011, Campus Elections Workshop in June 2011, Student Publications School in June 2011, and another Campus Elections Workshop in May 2011. Danielle Saul Minnesota State University, Moorhead Fergus Falls, MN Recruitment Danielle recently received a degree in Communication Studies with a minor in Leadership Studies from Minnesota State University, Moorhead. While on campus Danielle was President of her College Republicans, a member of the MSUM Student Senate and founder of MSUM Students Against Human Trafficking. Danielle also interned with the Minnesota State Senate and the radio program We the People, hosted by Chris Berg. Since June 2011 Danielle has been a writer/contributor to BigGovernment.com. In addition, Danielle frequently volunteers in her community and has served at the Center for the Arts, the YMCA and with flood relief efforts. LI training and events: Minneapolis, Minnesota's Youth Leadership School in April 2012, Beating the Liberal Media at Their Own Game in June 2011, Moorhead, Minnesota's Youth Leadership School in April 2011, and LI's CPAC Job & Internship Fair in February 2012 Katie Shupe University of Florida Tampa, Fl Department of Political Training Katie received dual degrees in Communications and Acting for the Stage and Screen from Palm Beach Atlantic University last May. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Advertising at the University of Florida, Gainesville. On campus, Katie has been involved in UF's chapter of Young Americans for Liberty and the College Republicans. While at PBAU Katie served on Student Government as the Judicial Chair. She has dedicated over 200 hours of community service, working with Habitat for Humanity, Service to the Homeless and other local projects. Katie also recruits for and travels with WinShape (Chick-fil-A) to implement day camps for youth in area communities. LI training and events: Orlando, Florida's Youth Leadership School in October 2007 and LI's CPAC 2012 Job & Internship Fair in February 2012 Abbey Torkelson Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana Walton, Indiana Development Abbey joined the exciting world of conservative activism after attending the Greenville, South Carolina Republican Presidential Debate last May. Since January 2012 she has been interning with Young Americans for Liberty supporting YAL's social media and donor relations outreach. Prior to coming to Washington, DC Abbey worked as the office manager for Indiana Irrigation Co., Inc. Abbey has also worked in nursing and was involved with Civil Air Patrol for nearly ten years. In 2005 Abbey was named Indiana's Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year and received Commander's Commendations in 2006 and 2008. LI training and events: Campaign Management School in July 2011, High-Dollar Fundraising School in April 2012, Online Fundraising Workshop in April 2012, Political Voter Mail Workshop in April 2012, Public Relations School in March 2012, Public Speaking Workshop in April 2012, Arlington, Virginia's Youth Leadership School in March 2012, Indianapolis, Indiana's Youth Leadership School in September 2011, and numerous Wake-Up Club Breakfasts and LI happy hours. For more information about LI's internship, please click here. Please help us welcome our newest members to the team!

This is a busy time of year as college students around the country graduate and begin their careers. With cap and gown, Carla Shutrop walked across the stage three years ago at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota and received her B.A. in political science. However, unlike many her age, she was elected to public office just five short months after graduation. Carla was elected to the school board in her hometown of Shakopee, Minnesota in November 2009, where she spent her first year of the four-year term as treasurer, her second year as vice-chair, and now serves as the elected chair of the board, a post she's held since January. As chair of the school board, Carla chairs the twice-a-month board meetings, appoints the standing and ad hoc committees and chairs, serves as the board liaison to the superintendent, and assumes the role of spokesperson to the public at large. “Shakopee School District has been and continues to be a fast-growing district,” Carla told the Leadership Institute. The Shakopee School District serves more than 7,000 students from the communities of Shakopee, Savage, Prior Lake, and Jackson, Louisville, and Sand Creek Townships. “We built and opened a new elementary school this past fall as well as realigned the attendance areas for the elementary schools. We are opening a sixth grade center and moving to two junior high schools this coming fall. We also hired an assistant superintendent position that will start July 1,” Carla reported. Carla works hard to maintain strong education standards for her hometown, but she also works tirelessly for the Department of Veterans Affairs as a senior veterans service representative. Her love for public service started back in college. “My interest and involvement in politics and policy started while I was in college,” Carla said, “and through campus involvement and through organizations such as Young America's Foundation and the Leadership Institute, I was able to advance my skills.” Carla was a member of two student groups the Leadership Institute's Campus Leadership Program field representatives helped start: Females for Firearms and Gusties for Restoring America. “The Leadership Institute has played the role in helping me build a solid foundation for public service and leadership. LI also allowed me to have access to resources and network connections that continue to be valuable to me today and in the future,” Carla said. Carla took LI's Youth Leadership School in September 2008. “The Youth Leadership School was very valuable with training on earned media vs. free media, how to develop a public relations strategy, and the overall election process. It focused specifically on how to focus on the youth vote. All of these skills transferred easily into a public campaign,” Carla said. She so enjoyed the training in September that she returned for more in in November 2008 and took LI's Campus Election Workshop. “In the Campus Election Workshop I learned how to strategize for student government elections as well as how to recruit candidates, and target voters on campus,” Carla shared. Carla is up for re-election on the Shakopee School District School Board in November 2013, if she chooses to run again. Or who knows? She may decide to continue on the public service career path and someday run for higher office. Carla joins tens of thousands of other Leadership Institute graduates working in public service. Please welcome Carla as the Leadership Institute's graduate of the week! “The Leadership Institute grants access to great resources to be effective as a college student on campus and beyond,” Carla said. Take advantage of the opportunity if you get the chance to gain this invaluable information.” Go here for a full LI training schedule. To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate to be featured as LI's graduate of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Hart at LaurenHart@LeadershipInstitute.org.

Timothy Hershner, now 25, still vividly remembers the story “Big Jim,” his best friend's father Jim Gerwin, shared with him. In the 1970s Henry and Fern, two people who worked in his Ohio shoe factory, both were hard workers, working 40 hours each week plus 10 hours each of overtime. However, they owed the government more than 30 percent of their pay in income taxes. “Jim offered to help the two with their taxes because he thought he could save them money, but due to the couple being scared of the IRS, they decided to just pay the taxes,” Tim recalls. “It is solely this story that got me ticked off with the government and eventually led to my political activity,” Tim said. “From this talk, I remember volunteering for George W. Bush in both his first and second campaigns at the polls.” But it's not just presidential Election Day poll work Tim's done. He was also a volunteer in college for the Brad Wenstrup for Cincinnati Mayor campaign as well as the Debbi Alsfelder for Congress campaign. Leadership Institute graduate Debbi Alsfelder suggested that Tim, her outreach/volunteer coordinator at the time, check out LI for political training. He did. In October 2010, Tim attended the Leadership Institute's Youth Leadership School in Indianapolis, Indiana. This began his passionate pursuit of public policy learning through many LI trainings and eventually an internship at the Leadership Institute in the summer of 2011, where he worked for LI's Campus Leadership Program and CampusReform.org. “The biggest thing the Leadership Institute instilled in me was to stay aggressive and to make sure that I kept networking. LI showed me how to follow up with my network and how to connect the dots when applying to positions later down the road,” Tim said. Tim has also interned for U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich (Ohio) and U.S. Rep. Steve Austria (OH-07). After graduation from the University of Cincinnati, Tim returned to Washington to intern for Congressman Todd Akin (M0-02). Tim now works for Congressman Chip Cravaack (MN-08) full-time in his Washington office. Pictured left is Tim on the balcony of House Speaker John Boehner's office after becoming an official Hill staffer. He serves constituents in answering their phone calls, provides Capitol tours for those visiting DC, and manages the Congressman's busy schedule. Tim's staff assistant position has grown to include executive assistant responsibilities. “LI's Conservative Career Workshop helped me feel more comfortable when interviewing” for his current job on the Hill, Tim said. “The Leadership Institute is a conservative organization that can not only help you hone your talents, but also help turn your weaknesses into strengths. LI will help people be well rounded by gaining a broad knowledge with respect to the world of politics and how this world works.” Tim joins tens of thousands of other Leadership Institute graduates working in “the world of politics” for the causes and candidates of their choice. Please welcome Tim as the Leadership Institute's graduate of the week! To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate to be featured as LI's graduate of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Hart at LaurenHart@LeadershipInstitute.org.

In 1993, Dan Sebring bought an old auto service repair station and started to build a business. Dan had worked as a lot of things: assembly line worker, janitor, turret lathe operator, school bus driver, gutter installer, truck driver, printer, painter, disc jockey, bartender, body guard, carpenter, and cabinet maker. Sebring Garage, LLC, his new company, was his way to "provide something better" for his community and, as Sebring's website puts it, "uphold the tradition of the neighborhood garage." The company is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the state where Dan, and his parents before him, were born and raised. Dan moved home to Wisconsin in 1992. He'd left in the 1980s -- the severe recession left him unemployed and living out of his car -- to serve in the U.S. Navy, first at the Pentagon then at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. When Dan came back, he was ready to get involved in his state's politics. He found his opportunity when Milwaukee, his city, proposed a handgun ban in 1994. Dan didn't sit back; he got involved. That sparked a nearly 20-year journey of activism and campaigning. Now Dan is the Second Vice Chairman of the Republican Party of Milwaukee County's Milwaukee – South Branch, for which he heads the nomination committee. He's also a candidate for Congress, running for the third time against four-term incumbent Rep. Gwen Moore. Dan first ran in 2008. Rep. Gwen Moore was unopposed heading into Election Day, so he staged a six-week write-in campaign to be her opponent. Though he didn't win, he netted nearly 500 votes and made his point -- and he wanted to do more in the next election. Shortly after Thanksgiving that year, Dan filed his declaration of intent to run for office. Local activists recommended that Dan's campaign manager, Jessica Strautmann, attend Leadership Institute training. She took the Campaign Manager School and Political Voter Mail School in February 2009. When Jessica came home to Milwaukee, Dan recalled, "she was so impressed that she basically demanded that I attend LI's Future Candidate School, which I did in August 2009." Dan seemed glad he'd taken his campaign manager's advice. "Leadership Institute training is an absolute must for anyone seeking public office," Dan said. "It is far and away the most comprehensive, indispensable crash course introduction to political activism for activists, candidates, and campaign staffers on the planet. I recommend it highly to anyone considering running for public office and their staff." Dan has since used his training in his 2010 and 2012 campaigns against Rep. Gwen Moore. His grassroots campaign is focused on what Dan sees as the proper role for the U.S. representative from his district. "It is the job of Members of the House of Representatives to take the ideas, opinions and concerns of the people they represent to Washington and say 'this is what the people want,'" Dan explained. "It is not to bring the policies of the government back to the people and tell them they need to 'get behind it.'" Dan joins thousands of other Leadership Institute graduates working for the causes and candidates of their choice – including themselves! – in this election year. Please welcome Dan as the Leadership Institute's graduate of the week! In 2012, the Leadership Institute is offering its top-notch campaign training -- the Future Candidate School and the Campaign Management School -- in the first full week of every month. Learn more or register online right now. To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate to be featured as LI's graduate of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Hart at LaurenHart@LeadershipInstitute.org.

Peggy Hutt is an all-American woman. Born in Ohio, she was raised in Southern California, stationed to Utah by the military, then moved in 1985 with her husband to Seattle, Washington for his job, and she's been in Washington state ever since.Previously, Peggy was a U.S. Air Force fighter jets electrician, a development laboratory researcher in the Department of Defense division of a major equipment and electronics company, and a stay-at-home mom of two.Now, Peggy recruits and organizes conservatives in the state of Washington as the state coordinator for the Tea Party Patriots and co-founder/coordinator of the Tacoma Narrows Tea Party. On Tuesday, Peggy and the Tacoma Narrows Tea Party (TNTP) hosted their annual Tax Day Rally in their community with around 150 people present. Peggy dressed as a peasant and greeted people saying, “Taxed enough already, me lord!”TNTP's mission is to serve the community by first, bringing candidates and elected officials together with the people; second, motivating citizens to elect their choice candidate; third, educating citizens on the process—caucuses and primaries—to get involved; and fourth, building coalitions with the community.“Leadership Institute training is a must if you want to be successful in any political endeavor, and they make it fun! One thing I learned is that a canvass is not something to paint on,” Peggy said. She continued, “Heck, I took Leadership Institute training and one week later I was asked to be a state coordinator for Tea Party Patriots! So if you hear about LI coming to your town, jump at the opportunity!” Peggy has taken two LI trainings, Fundraising Workshop in Charleston, South Carolina in January 2012 and Campaign Management Workshop in Tacoma, Washington in January 2012. She also watched training videos at LI-hosted LibertyCentralTraining.org in 2011.“The first thing I learned was that LI has wonderful instructors that make learning fun! I came away with numerous concepts to put into play such as the value of networking to grow our groups and build coalitions,” she said.In just the few, short months since TNTP's inception, the group has doubled membership each month.“Another thing we learned from LI training was how to conduct rallies. Rallies provide networking and allow us to build coalitions and work with other groups and businesses,” Peggy said. “We are now making contacts everywhere! Everything is growing and maybe even a bit faster than I thought possible.”TNTP recently hosted its first candidate forum with another group and on Tuesday organized its annual Tax Day Rally through the contacts the group has made.You too can take your life experiences like Peggy and apply them to public policy in your community.Go here for information on the dates for LI's upcoming trainings and locations.Please welcome Peggy as the Leadership Institute Graduate of the Week!To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate to be featured as LI's graduate of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Hart at LaurenHart@LeadershipInstitute.org. >

Chuck Muth's political roots run deep and have been a lifetime in the making. His father took a break in the 1980s from Baltimore City firefighting and served one term in the Maryland Legislature when Chuck and his three brothers and two sisters were growing up. Later, Chuck's brother worked for former Maryland Congressman Bob Ehrlich, who later became the 60th Governor of Maryland (2003-2007). Chuck was himself pulled into politics in 1995, when he was elected chairman of the local GOP central committee in Las Vegas, where he and his wife of 25 years, Gia, moved in 1988 for a job with a rental car company. Now, Chuck has distinguished titles on his resume—former executive director of the American Conservative Union, National Chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus, Clark County GOP chairman, and former Nevada Republican Party executive director. Today Chuck stays busy as a conservative in Las Vegas. He's president and CEO of the libertarian-leaning, non-profit grassroots advocacy organization Citizen Outreach, publisher of Nevada News and Views, and founder of CampaignDoctor.com, an online candidate coaching program. “The Leadership Institute came out to do a training program for grassroots activists at my invitation,” Chuck said, “and that established my longtime relationship with and admiration for LI.” For Chuck, “Leadership Institute training has been the basis and foundation of my entire political/public policy career. I wouldn't be where I am today – doing what I love doing, while making a difference – were it not for the training I received early on, and to this day, from the Leadership Institute. That's not hyperbole. That's not spin. That's just fact,” Chuck said. After serving as chairman of the local Las Vegas GOP central committee in 1995, Chuck was hired full-time as the executive director of the Nevada Republican Party and continued to work for the state party for the next six years. After state politics, Chuck moved into the national scene in Washington, D.C., when he accepted the executive director role at the American Conservative Union in 2002. One year later, Chuck was asked to take over as chairman of Citizen Outreach, and, by the end of 2005, the organization was sufficiently funded, so Chuck and his family moved back to Nevada to transition Citizen Outreach to primarily a state-based organization. Chuck currently hosts the monthly “third Thursday” center-right coalition meeting in Las Vagas, the “First Friday Happy Hour” mixer each month in Las Vegas, and the 5th Annual Conservative Leadership Conference, which will run from June 8 to 10 in Las Vegas. This year, Chuck launched CampaignDoctor.com, campaign coaching programs that utilize technology—teleconferences, e-newsletters, webinars, DVDs—to help conservative candidates, tea party leaders, and grassroots activists. After his first LI training in Nevada, Chuck fundraised to come to Arlington, VA for the week-long Campaign Management School, formerly known as the Campaign Leadership School. “That training gave me the confidence to run against the Democrat State Senate Minority Leader in 1996,” Chuck reflected. “I lost, but it wasn't because of my LI training, but because the district had a large, 3-1 Democrat majority. Still, that experience and LI's training helped me begin conducting my own campaign training workshops and seminars throughout Nevada.” Chuck has taken five trainings at the Leadership Institute: High-Dollar Fundraising School; Advanced Direct Mail School; Internet Activist School; Campaign Leadership School; and Public Relations School. He also serves as volunteer faculty for LI's Grassroots Campaign trainings, and he helps to fund dozens of conservative Nevada activists and candidates to attend LI's Campaign Management School. When asked what he learned from LI, Chuck said, “Well, pretty much everything I know. Or let me put it this way: The early LI training I received put me on a path of lifetime learning about the nuts and bolts of campaign operations and public policy advocacy.” You too can be trained and shape your community. Go here for information on the dates for LI's upcoming trainings and locations. Please welcome Chuck as the Leadership Institute Graduate of the Week! To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate to be featured as LI's graduate of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Hart at LaurenHart@LeadershipInstitute.org.

Are you looking for a fulfilling career within the conservative movement? Then you have come to the right place! Whether you are a recent college graduate or an experienced professional seeking a career change, let us help you find a job. ConservativeJobs.com is known for its wide variety of new employment opportunities posted daily. You can peruse hundreds of available jobs and internships in non-profits, communications, broadcast media, public policy, or on Capitol Hill. But are you aware of the other ways ConservativeJobs can assist you in your job search? Learn how to take advantage of all the site has to offer by following these five steps:1. Create a Jobseeker profile. Your jobseeker profile is the gateway to communication with potential employers. It contains your contact information, uploaded resume, and the opportunity to provide statements on your future career goals – information that is crucial for recruiters seeking qualified candidates to hire. There is also a Public Policy Questionnaire for you to express your views on specific policy issues, which is used to match jobseekers with employers who share a similar outlook. Upon completion of your profile, you are set to begin browsing the site for the latest job listings, and you have made yourself available to employers who are on the lookout for applicants.2. Benefit from our free resume consultations. Your resume is one of the most important components to your job application, as it provides an overview of who you are and what you can bring to the table for an employer. Not feeling 100% confident in your resume? Check out our tips to revise your resume and then get a second opinion from the ConservativeJobs team. We are happy to look it over and provide you with detailed feedback that will give you more confidence in applying for a job.3. Interact with ConservativeJobs outside the site! Have you “liked” us on Facebook? Or followed @TheRightJobs on Twitter yet? We update our social networks with the most exciting job opportunities throughout the day, giving you the highlights of what's listed on CJ.com. We also promote interesting articles and blog posts with useful advice to help jobseekers in their search for employment. Be sure to check it out!4. Learn about networking opportunities through the Jobseeker Calendar. From career fairs to happy hours, there are many ways to learn about opportunities in the DC area and beyond. Stay up to date on job fairs, training workshops for jobseekers, and other happenings by using our Jobseeker Calendar. Remember, networking and utilizing the connections you make are invaluable steps in the job search.5. Consult the Capitol Talent Blog and Resources page for helpful career advice. Are you frustrated by the job hunting process and need encouragement? Are you looking for last-minute guidance and reassurance before a big interview? Did you get the job and need a place to live in DC? Browse ConservativeJobs.com for an abundance of information. We offer more than just great job listings!With these tips, you can be sure that you'll be ahead of the game in your job search. Let us know how we can serve you better.>

“I may not be the first doctor to oppose ObamaCare, but I am the first doctor from Barack Obama's own family to oppose Obamacare. In fact, I stand opposed to every part of Barack's big-government agenda.”The mother of family feuds hit home yesterday when the Leadership Institute hosted Dr. Milton Wolf, President Obama's second cousin. Dr. Wolf is a practicing diagnostic radiologist, a conservative columnist for The Washington Times, and an outspoken opponent of nationalized healthcare.“A Civil War tore our country apart, ripped families in two, and divided brother against brother,” Dr. Wolf said before the 83 guests in attendance yesterday. “Today our country is similarly divided. There is a division of worldviews between liberty and tyranny.”President Obama is a caring man and means well, Dr. Wolf, his cousin, said, but he profoundly misunderstands America and what makes us exceptional.“I'd like to believe Barack wants the best for America. I just can't accept that he wants to destroy America. But it's a matter of semantics because the things that he wants to do will destroy America.”Dr. Wolf is an advocate of limited government, fiscal responsibility, and constitutional fidelity.“I find nowhere in the Constitution the right of government to take away our right to decide whether or not we want to buy health insurance or what kind of health insurance we must buy or what doctors we must see,” Dr. Wolf said. “If government can get between you and your doctor, there's not a single area of your life it [the government] can't touch.”According to Dr. Wolf, nationalized healthcare is the defining issue of our lifetime, and will have repercussions for our children and grandchildren.“The biggest lie yet was that government could decide healthcare for you better than you could for yourself and that government can spend money more wisely than you can for yourself,” he said.With a national debt of $16 trillion, nationalized healthcare is not something America can afford, Dr. Wolf said.Besides the economic issues brought on by such a system, Dr. Wolf believes the issue also presents significant ethical problems. Too much time is spent pleasing bureaucrats instead of patients, he said.“Look at what happened with contraception,” he noted. “You not only tell a religion how it should practice, but you define what is considered religion and what is not by allowing the secretary of HHS [Department of Health and Human Services] the power to define ‘church' – be it four walls or religious institutions.”Dr. Wolf quickly dismissed any notions that this was a “Catholic concern."“In this issue, we're all Catholics,” he said. “If we don't stand with the Catholics today, no one will stand with us when government comes after us.”Further highlighting government's ineptitude in handling the economy, Dr. Wolf cited the Cash for Clunkers program.“That was one thing I absolutely loved,” he said, noting that he himself drove an SUV classified as a “clunker” by his cousin-in-chief. “I loved it not because I thought it was a worthy program, but because it was a miserable failure and economic tragedy. We got to learn just how miserable government is at managing the economy.”To make up the cost, Dr. Wolf said he simply deducted money from the extended family Christmas shopping budget the following year, which included President Obama.According to Dr. Wolf, people are often angered by President Obama's apologies for America and his willingness to bow to foreign leaders.“While I will never understand bowing to terrorists, I can understand the need to apologize for somebody you care about – after all, I am related to Barack Obama,” he quipped. “I launched my own Barack apology tour – and I think I've hit most of the 57 states.”While he adamantly opposes his cousin on policy discussions, Dr. Wolf has resolved never to attack President Obama personally.“Obama is a wonderful and gifted speaker,” he said. “I wish I could speak as eloquently as he does – but then again, I don't have a teleprompter in every room.”Focusing his message, Dr. Wolf said the solution is for government to spend less, get our country back on its feet, and trust America to be America again.“Who are we going to be?” he asked. “America is at a crossroads and we have to choose between liberty and tyranny. Are we going to be that shining city on a hill or a second-rate European-style social welfare state? To those who say we are not capable of choosing our economic destinies, I say, ‘Yes, we can.'”Those who came before us earned the right to be Americans, he said. As George Washington once referred to the “charming” sound of bullets whistling by him during war, we must likewise learn to find the charm in these bullets whistling by us today.“Those who fought in the Revolutionary War and Civil War put it all on the line for us,” Dr. Wolf said, concluding his speech. “We have to decide whether we want to be worthy of being Americans and are willing to step out of our comfort zones. If we do, I promise you, we'll be just fine.”Leadership Institute President Morton Blackwell presented Dr. Wolf with one of LI's famous Adam Smith ties as a token of appreciation.“Obviously this guy is not only a good writer but a good speaker and, underlying it all, he's a good thinker,” Morton said. “Now we just have to dismantle all the teleprompters that have been set up here.”LI's Wednesday Wake-Up Club Breakfast is held the first Wednesday of each month and is an excellent opportunity for friends of the Institute to meet leading conservative speakers and hear their thoughts on current affairs over good food and fellowship with conservative friends.The next Wednesday Wake-Up Club Breakfast is May 2, 2012 and will feature Richard Rahn, chairman of the Institute for Global Economic Growth, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and formerly the chief economist at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in the Reagan Administration. Click here for more information and to register. >

Twenty-seven-year-old Hans Zeiger is no stranger to public life. At age 19, Hans ran for precinct committee officer in the 25th legislative district in Washington state. He was elected two years later in 2006 and then again in 2008. Hans authored a book at age 20, with multiple published works following. He is a regular guest writer to more than 13 newspapers across the country, including the Washington Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Baltimore Sun, and Human Events, where he's penned hundreds of pieces since teen years, and now, is a distinguished syndicated columnist. In college, Hans was elected president of the senior class. As World Magazine says, “When Hans shared the commencement stage with Mitt Romney as student president of Hillsdale College, the biased campus buzz was that they'd rather vote for (Hans) Zeiger.” Newsweek caught hold of him, and profiled him as one of the “15 College Students You Haven't Heard of … But Will.” In 2010, at age 25, Hans put himself again on the ticket for his beloved Evergreen State. But this time, he took a more public role. Now, Hans is in Washington State House of Representatives. He represents his stomping grounds of Puyallup, where he, his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all grew up. Hans brings his district's voice to the state capital as their state representative. “I was able to put some of the Leadership Institute's training to practice while working on campaigns, and then really put it practice on my own campaign for the state legislature,” Hans said. “LI training was essential to my success as a candidate.” Hans serves on several committees: higher education, transportation, capital budget, and joint legislative audit and review. He is also on the William Ruckelshaus Center Advisory Board and the American Legislative Exchange Council Environment and Energy Task Force. Hans serves as the alternate House minority member for the Community Economic Revitalization Board. He is actively engaged with his community through civic and community groups in roles like Boy Scouts of America executive board member, South Hill Historical Society vice president, Kiwanis Club of Puyallup member, One Another Foundation board member, Mainstream Republicans of Washington board of directors, and Action for Washington Evans Fellow, among many others. Hans is a graduate of the Leadership Institute's Broadcast Journalism School in March 2008, Grassroots Activist School in March 2003, and Grassroots Preparation Workshop in January 2003. “Four lessons I learned from LI,” Hans said, “and put to use in my campaign and public service are: first, stick to your campaign message at all times. Second, wear your nametag on your right side. Third, ask for more money than you think you can get. Fourth, for campaign events, it's better to have a room too small than a room too big.” Hans is a graduate of Hillsdale College, where he studied American Studies. He received his Master's degree in public policy from Pepperdine University, and did graduate studies in American politics and political philosophy at Claremont Graduate University. “LI is an excellent program for learning how to win in politics,” Hans said. “I recommend LI training strongly for campaign managers, policy professionals, and others who are shaping the future of our communities, state, and country.” You too can be trained to influence and serve your community. Go here for information on the dates for LI's upcoming trainings and locations. Please welcome Hans as the Leadership Institute Graduate of the Week! To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate to be featured as LI's graduate of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Hart at LaurenHart@LeadershipInstitute.org.

At 19, Justin Pulliam was named the "most dangerous man on campus" by the New York Times."I thought it was clever," Justin, now 22, said. He paused for a beat and grinned. "But true."Justin entered Texas A&M University as an 18-year-old freshman in fall 2008. A Texas native from north of Dallas, he intended to be an Animal Science major, maybe show cattle like he'd done in high school, and be involved in some campus groups.He had no idea that one year later he'd have a profile in the New York Times, a live interview on MSNBC, and a reputation as a tough, principled conservative activist and student leader.In his orientation week at A&M, Justin met up with Tony Listi, a senior, a graduate of four Leadership Institute trainings, and a future LI staff member. Tony had founded a campus conservative group, later known as the Texas Aggie Conservatives, and he wanted Justin to be involved. The two reviewed Tony's plan for the year and, in less than two weeks, Justin was the group's Technology Director, responsible for video footage and the website.At the group's first activism event in September 2008, Justin was “really timid,” as he explained. It was a counter-protest to the Brazos Valley Coalition Against the War, and he spent the time holding a camera -- not a sign.But that afternoon was the first time Justin saw the benefits of activism. "Everyone was honking at us and rolling down their windows," he said. "I got the sense that what we were doing was important."In October, Justin suggested the Texas Aggie Conservatives present a birthday cake to a Democratic congressman visiting campus. The congressman voted with Nancy Pelosi, then Speaker of the House, 96% of the time.The cake was frosted with a photo of the congressman with Speaker Pelosi, and a pretty pink heart next to “96%” written in icing. At the congressman's event, Justin manned the camera, Tony presented the cake, and the rest of the group gave a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday.”“It was the craziest thing we've ever done,” Justin said.He was hooked.By his sophomore year, Justin was chairman of the Texas Aggie Conservatives, and the group was ready for its biggest year yet.Justin had attended LI's Student Activism Conference in Austin the previous year. He met with student leaders from across Texas and Oklahoma, and worked with Institute staff to get how-to lessons and create an activism plan for his campus. To finish the 2008-2009 school year, the Texas Aggie Conservatives hosted a tea party, celebrated Ronald Reagan's birthday, had conservative speaker events, and passed out flyers showing Aggie professors' endorsements of domestic terrorist Bill Ayers.Justin was not uncertain about being a campus activist anymore. He relished it.“I came to the realization that it's either me or no one,” Justin said. “No one else is going to stand up for the conservative philosophy on campus. No one else is going to stand up for our values. No one else is going to do it for us. I had tons of friends and allies, but if I hadn't been an organizer, all that potential would have been lost.”In August 2009, Justin's group members protested their Congressman at a health care town hall, earning media coverage in the liberal Huffington Post. In September, the group hosted a 9/11 Never Forget Memorial, planting flags for each victim of the terrorist attacks; celebrated Constitution Day by handing out pocket Constitutions; and entertained more than 200 students at “Laugh at the Left,” a comedy night with conservative talk radio host Michael Graham.But October was the best of all.On October 16, President Obama came to campus amidst the heated national debate on healthcare – and the Texas Aggie Conservatives were ready. With conservative students and activists from across the state, the Aggies held a rally of hundreds united against the national healthcare draft.Protesters held signs and chanted while group members dressed up in costume – as President Obama, as the Grim Reaper, and even as Uncle Sam – and collected petition signatures. The media was there to cover it, thanks in part to Justin's work with LI's CampusReform.org staff to publicize the event.Justin emerged as the student leader of the movement, which was covered by local, state, and national media. He was profiled in the New York Times as the "most dangerous man on campus," and even did a live MSNBC interview from the protest. The interview was supposed to be on-camera, but -- as Justin recalled -- an administrator wouldn't allow him past a security checkpoint to MSNBC's cameras, so he finished it by phone.“Activism, especially controversial activism, might seem intense at first,” Justin said. “But if you're professional and have a good message, your activism will rally the troops and get media attention for the conservative movement.”The protest was only one part of Justin's plans for the weekend, though. The next day, he hosted LI's Youth Leadership School on campus, training 48 students. His group sponsored a movie screening on Sunday and a talk with Lord Monckton, a conservative speaker against radical environmentalists, on Monday.“That's like a snapshot of four days in the life of a student activist,” Justin said. “It's intense.”But still Justin took on more.His writing for The Anthem, an independent conservative student publication which LI field staff helped students establish, piqued his interest in student government. Justin ran for, and won, one-year terms in the Student Senate in spring 2009 and 2010.“I don't think I stood up and talked at all in the entire first semester,” Justin said. “I didn't ask questions, I didn't debate, and I certainly didn't write any legislation.”Halfway through his first term, Justin asked a question in a Senate meeting. At the next meeting he debated. Before he knew it, he was writing bills, influencing the agenda, and providing live video and recordings for A&M students and for official recordkeeping. Before that, administrators would come to the Student Senate to request student fee increases – and none of the requests were on the record.Justin spent his first year in Student Senate working with friends and allies to build a conservative caucus. Together, they identified and recruited conservative students, and trained them to run winning campaigns, hosting LI's Campus Election Workshop at A&M.After his own reelection in spring 2010, Justin turned his attention to a big issue, soon to become another national story: in-state tuition for illegal immigrants.Since 2001, as Justin first explained in a CampusReform.org blog post, Texas had allowed illegal immigrants to receive in-state tuition benefits. Out-of-state residents paid more than $15,000 each year to attend A&M while Texan taxpayers subsidized 12,138 illegal students in the 2009-2010 school year.Justin introduced a bill to end the practice at A&M with more than 40 other Aggies. His group collected more than 500 student signatures in support of the bill, and grew a Facebook group – Aggies Against In-State Tuition for Illegal Aliens – to more than 1,500 members in less than a week.The story was picked up by local, state, and national media, including a clip with the Associated Press and an interview with Fox News.“Because we worked with LI's Campus Leadership Program and CampusReform.org, we were able to be very successful,” Justin said frankly. “If not for that, we would have just been some college kids messing around, introducing bills in a Student Senate meeting. Our message would not have gotten any further than the 75 people in the Senate room.”The Student Senate passed the bill with a majority, but the student body president vetoed it. Conservatives in the Student Senate couldn't find the votes to override the veto. But the fight didn't end there.Thanks to the media attention for A&M's bill, Justin said, six bills were introduced in the Texas state legislature to end taxpayer-subsidized tuition for illegal immigrants.The bill was contentious on campus – and Justin felt the ire of the campus left personally.“It's ridiculous how much people can hate,” Justin said bluntly. He recalled reams of insulting emails and even an A&M professor who told him “go f--- yourself, Pulliam” as he collected petition signatures for the measure in November.But for Justin, the fight was worth it.“We kept the pressure on, and we kept dragging it out, bringing it up, and getting more and more press for the issue,” Justin explained. “In doing so, we advanced the conservative agenda.”Justin graduated from Texas A&M in December 2011 with a degree in Animal Science, a Senator of the Year Award from the Student Senate officers, and a lifelong commitment to conservative activism.Last month, Justin received the Weyrich Award for Youth Leader of the Year. The award, part of the Weyrich Awards Dinner, honors the legacy of leadership of the late Paul Weyrich, one of the foremost thinkers and organizers of the modern conservative movement and who was the first president of the Heritage Foundation, a founder and past director of the American Legislative Exchange Council, the founder and Chairman of the Free Congress Foundation, and the National Chairman of Coalitions for America.“I was shocked to receive the award,” Justin said. He paused for a moment and then added, “I would love to train next year's Weyrich Youth Leader of the Year. That would mean so much to me. The best success for the conservative leader is to train someone to do better.”Justin may be uniquely positioned to complete his goal.In mid-February this year, he started work at the Leadership Institute as a Regional Field Coordinator for LI's Campus Leadership Program. His job is to give conservative student leaders the support, guidance, and advice he once counted on from LI staff.“The Leadership Institute can arm you with the knowledge, tactics, tools, and training to be able to advance the conservative movement and defeat the left on campus,” Justin explained. “There's a lot to fight against, and all the resources are here under LI's roof: great people, great resources, great training, and great tools.”Whether you are a young conservative or you know a young conservative eager to do more for his or her principles, contact the Leadership Institute's Campus Leadership Program right now.“Anyone with a motivation can do what I did,” Justin said. “By utilizing the resources available at LI, even a busy college student – a student concerned about getting a job or keeping a high GPA – can be an effective conservative student leader, can advance their cause, can build a coalition, and can even appear on national media.”There's no better endorsement than that.Please contact LI's Campus Leadership Program for you or a young conservative you know.This piece was published in the spring 2012 issue of the Leadership Institute's Leadership Memo.>

Last week the Leadership Institute's Future Candidate School (FCS) welcomed a bright, new class of aspiring candidates and entrepreneurs.Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Committee and LI volunteer faculty member, shared how he got involved in the public policy process.He credits LI with his start. While a college student, a conservative campus group member approached him and invited Mark to their meeting. He showed up, and was forever hooked.“I took LI's Youth Leadership School, and now I'm here 20 years later trying to impart this knowledge to you all.”Jessica Myers is a young conservative with big dreams. As a student at Thomas Nelson Community College she has participated in campaigns and events in her community, but she is frustrated with the lack of conservative clubs in her area. After attending the Future Candidate School, she plans to start a local chapter of the Young Republican club.“If I hadn't known about LI, I wouldn't have been here trying to fulfill my dreams,” Jessica said. “The fact that the training is such good quality and low cost is very beneficial and invaluable to young people passionate about the cause.”On Monday, LI President Morton Blackwell shared tips on how to create and grow an organization. “Young conservatives should consider the option of some day becoming organizational entrepreneurs themselves,” Morton said. “There are possibilities now and there will be possibilities in the years to come for creating successful public policy groups.”Other lectures focused on candidate development and explored topics such as assessing readiness to run for office, potential past or present problems that might hinder success, attributes of effective candidates, making a good impression and viewing yourself as others see you.“If people don't like you, they won't trust you,” said Stephen Clouse, founder and president of Stephen Clouse & Associates. “If they don't trust you, they won't believe you; if they don't believe you, they'll never comply with what you're saying.”Attendees made their way back to LI on Tuesday for more training, which focused heavily on coalition building and organization development. For Michael Kicinski, who is running for United States Congress to represent New York District 22 (formerly NY-24), coalition building will be an important factor in his campaign to rally opposition against the incumbent. “We need proper representation above all and the right votes in Congress,” Michael said. “Since this is new to me, I saw the advantage of getting training. This was extra helpful and necessary, and I'll be passing this information on to others in my team.”Faculty also discussed how to develop your campaign message using a Leesburg Grid for you and your opponent, the pros and cons of joining existing organizations, working with your local party and identifying key groups in your community, recruiting and working with volunteers, and using coalitions to benefit your campaign.On Wednesday, attendees learned the ins-and-outs of fundraising. Topics included maximizing fundraising potential with events, funding your cause with direct mail, the rules of campaign donations and ensuring your campaign financing and organization structure is legal, creating your “kitchen cabinet” for campaigns, strategies you need to know to succeed online, and personal solicitation for a campaign.“Give every potential donor – no matter how big or small – the opportunity to ‘invest' in your campaign,” said Nancy Bocskor, president of the Nancy Bocskor Company. “The little old lady who sends you $1 in a direct mail piece will be the first to vote for you on Election Day.”On Thursday, the final day of the FCS, faculty tackled message development. Topics included fine-tuning your campaign strategy, understanding and reviewing polling data, getting on the ballot with petitions, preparing for attacks from the left, and using the media to your advantage.“We are surrounded by media 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” said Dan Gainor, vice president of Business and Culture at the Media Research Center. “Knowing how to navigate the media is key for survival in today's world.”Jill Upson, who is running as a West Virginia delegate for Jefferson County's 65th district, found the lecture particularly helpful.“The information is just so valuable,” Jill said. “It really teaches you how to combat the opposition. It prepares you for the bad things they'll say, but also gives you good responses.”Hoping to improve jobs and the economy in her area, Jill came to LI to get the training she needed to run a successful campaign. “There are so many speakers from so many backgrounds. . There's no way you could go to one class and learn all this,” she said.To wrap up the evening, Mark Vargas, a consultant in government affairs and international business development, gave his success story of lessons he's learned from the campaign trail.“I thought I knew a lot – till I got here,” said Thomas Spencer, who is running for city council in Claremont, FL. “There wasn't a class that didn't add to or help me perfect something. I filled up my entire notepad and needed extra sheets of paper. I was texting friends throughout the lectures about some of the things I was learning. The information was priceless!”“I loved the trainings! I already signed up to be a donor to the school,” Thomas said. “I want to sponsor a student's training fee and travel once a quarter so they can attend these trainings.”If you would like to learn more about LI's Future Candidate School or enroll in an upcoming training, click here.>

James Wesolek leads constituents on tours around the U.S. Capitol. He drafts reply letters back to citizens living in his district. He helps keep the Congressman's website up to date. James is on the front lines of the U.S. House of Representatives, where he works as a staff assistant to Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (MD-06), his Member of Congress since boyhood. “The training the Leadership Institute offers is second to none in my book, and I owe a good portion of my career to it,” James said. “The things I have learned have put me far above my peers with only real world experience, so I recommend LI training to anyone thinking about making a career in politics.” His childhood passion for politics and teenager activism has only grown in recent years. Now, James is making a career of it all. James previously worked as an assistant for The Carlyle Gregory Company, LLC, a media and political consulting firm for candidates, public figures, political institutions, and businesses. Before that, he was a campaign coordinator for Blaine Young for County Commissioner and a field director for Hough For Delegate. “I grew up hearing about the Leadership Institute,” James said. “However, it wasn't until after college and after managing a campaign that I realized how invaluable LI's training is.” James grew up in Frederick, Maryland and was homeschooled with his two younger sisters. “We were taught from a young age that individuals can always make a better choice than the government,” James said. “Election Day was one of the few ‘homeschool holidays' we had. Our house was a block away from the local polling location so my family would go wave signs and pass out literature outside the polls," James remembered. "My mother would even make a large pot of soup to pass out to volunteers.” But it wasn't until James was 15-years-old that he made campaigning his own. He went door-to-door and chatted with fellow Marylanders about State Senator Alex Mooney and his campaign. After taking LI's Youth Leadership School and Campaign Management School back to back, James applied for LI's internship, and was placed last spring in the Institute's development department. Since then, he's taken eight LI trainings. “I've taken many schools at the Leadership Institute,” James explained, “and each school offers something different, and has helped me in different ways throughout my campaign and consulting experiences.” James continued, adding an example, “The things I learned in the LI's direct mail school have come in handy as I work on constituent letters in my current job.” You too can be trained in direct mail and fundraising. LI's High-Dollar Fundraising School is Tuesday, April 24 and Wednesday, April 25 with the Online Fundraising Workshop Tuesday evening. LI's Direct Mail School and Advanced training are Monday, May 14 to Wednesday, May 16. Register now to get a discount. “LI training is like drinking from a fire hose,” James said. “There is so much great material thrown at you, just try your best to soak it all in!” Please welcome James as the Leadership Institute Graduate of the Week. To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate to be featured as LI's graduate of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Hart at LaurenHart@LeadershipInstitute.org.

Yesterday the Leadership Institute (LI) hosted Rep. Jim Jordan (OH-4), chairman of the Republican Study Committee and LI graduate, at the Institute's monthly Wednesday Wake-Up Club Breakfast.Rep. Jordan is one of the most conservative members of Congress, fighting for fiscal responsibility and traditional values in the House of Representatives. Upon entering office in January 2007, he first co-sponsored the Right to Life Act. He offered fiscal discipline on the House floor, opposing tax increase proposals even from within his own party. He received the Defender of Life Award from Ohio Right to Life, and last month he was the recipient of the Best National Legislator Award at the 2012 Weyrich Awards dinner.“Congressman Jordan has been called a rising star in the conservative movement, but let's just go ahead and call him what he truly is – a star,” LI President Morton Blackwell said yesterday.In 2008, during the early stages of his term, Rep. Jordan scheduled LI's One-on-One Television Workshop, a custom training in LI's studios designed to give individual attention and hands-on preparation for speaking on camera and debating live.“Thank you LI, and thank you Morton for the work you are doing,” Rep. Jordan said. “I sure appreciate the impact you've had on conservatives.”Rep. Jordan recalled some people who had an impact in his life early on, with one being his wrestling coach and his chats about the importance of discipline in daily life.“In the wrestling room hung a sign with the words, ‘Discipline is doing what you don't want to do when you don't want to do it.' It's doing things the right way when you want to do it the convenient way. That's what Washington needs,” Rep. Jordan said.Four months ago, Rep. Jordan and his wife Polly traveled to Israel. After talking with government leaders and officials, he was told that the best way the United States could help Israel was for America to stay strong.“When America is strong, things are better,” Rep. Jordan said. “The world is safer and better when the U.S. is the economic, military and diplomatic superpower. And you first need to be the economic superpower to be the military and diplomatic leader.”“We need to relight the entrepreneurial attitude,” said Rep. Jordan yesterday, who spoke of how government policies are stifling free enterprise. He shared a conversation he had last week with five businessmen. They all said if they knew then what they know now about government fiscal policies, they would not have taken the risk to start their businesses.“No politician can create jobs, but we can create a conducive environment to encourage entrepreneurs to grow,” he said.Rep. Jordan advocates a “cut, cap and balance” approach to managing the federal budget. “We will bring back another budget that makes the federal government do what everyone else has to do,” he said. “Everyone has to balance their budgets, everyone except that one entity that has a 15 trillion dollar debt.”In addition to a broken tax code and bad regulatory, energy, and fiscal policies, Rep. Jordan is gravely concerned about the cultural breakdown affecting the nation.“Americans are nervous about things going on in our culture, with the most recent example being the administration's attack on religious liberty,” Rep. Jordan said. “People left England for America to live out their faith the way the good Lord wanted,not the way England did. This is the essence of what this country's about, and here is this administration attacking what it means to be an American. That's what's at stake inthis election.”According to Rep. Jordan, every third generation has had to do big things for the nation.“People remember Jefferson, Franklin and Adams, but they forget the other men who signed that document,” he said. “All those men lost farms, sons, money, and put it all on the line to start this nation.”Three generations later, Americans ended slavery during the Civil War, he said. Three generations after that, they stopped the Depression and confronted Nazism.“Now, here we are three generations later and it's our turn,” Rep. Jordan said. “If you want to accomplish anything of significance, it's never easy. It's always hard. But we need to stand up. If there is not a strong United States of America, the world gets truly dangerous. Thank you LI for training young people in these values.”LI's Wednesday Wake-Up Club Breakfast is held the first Wednesday of each month and is an excellent opportunity for friends of the Institute to meet leading conservative speakers and hear their thoughts on current affairs over good food and fellowship with conservative friends.The next Wednesday Wake-Up Club Breakfast is April 4, 2012 and will feature conservative columnist Dr. Milton Wolf, a cousin of President Barack Obama. Click here for more information and to register.>

Renting camels are not traditionally budgeted for most campaigns' get-out-the-vote efforts. But, for American-born and Leadership Institute-trained Patrice Pederson, camels are crucial to her candidate's success on Election Day. Patrice manages Yeah Samake's presidential race in the African country of Mali, a 14.1 million person country with 30 percent unemployment and a literacy rate of 46.4 percent. She first started on Yeah's campaign as a general consultant, but eventually accepted the campaign manager role. “The Leadership Institute has played such a huge role in my life,” Patrice said. Patrice first learned of LI when she was 15-years-old and attended LI's Youth Leadership School in Utah. She remembers the training as--originally--a good excuse to get out of junior high for a day. “I went to the Youth Leadership School, took good notes, and before I knew it,” Patrice said, “I was the vice-chair for the Utah Teenage Republicans and had a job working for Enid Waldholtz for Congress, who won the race as part of the Republican Revolution in 1994.” After working for several campaigns in high school, Patrice came to LI to become a summer intern before college. While at the Institute, Patrice took LI's Campaign Leadership School and Broadcast Journalism School. At Brigham Young University, later her alma mater, Patrice met a constitutional law professor who inspired her to learn more about family policy internationally. She spent the next 12 years fighting for life, marriage, parental rights, and religious liberties on the international level at organizations including the UN, European Union, Organization of American States, African Union, and the Human Rights Council. “During this time I was also able to give back to the Leadership Institute by teaching at their International Leadership Training Seminar,” Patrice said. She has been a volunteer faculty member for LI's Youth Leadership Schools and for various International Leadership Training Seminars. After the African Union passed the Maputo Protocol, which legalized abortion across the continent, Patrice was distraught. “I had lost my hope for Africa,” she explained. Enter Yeah Samake, candidate for president in Mali. “What Mali needs is an awakening,” Yeah said on his campaign website. Patrice was awakened. Shortly after Patrice committed to work on Yeah's campaign, she came back to LI in October to retake the Campaign Management School. “I returned to LI to update my campaign skills and to review all of that information from an African perspective. For example, my get-out-the-vote budget includes camel rentals because two-thirds of Mali is covered by the Sahara,” Patrice explained. “It was great to be back at the Leadership Institute since I feel like I practically grew up there!” “The Leadership Institute will teach you how to do whatever you want to do in politics,” Patrice said. “Once people are committed to the 'why' of politics, they need to go to LI to learn the 'how'. Even after taking almost every LI training and teaching as faculty, there is always so much more to learn.” Make a difference this year for the candidate or campaign that inspires you. LI now offers week-long campaign training the first week of every month. For more information on Yeah, please visit www.samake2012.com The Leadership Institute is a non-partisan 501 (c) 3 nonprofit. The Institute does not endorse or oppose any candidates or legislation, and all programs are open to the public. Please welcome Patrice as this week's Leadership Institute Graduate of the Week. To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate to be featured as LI's graduate of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Hart at LaurenHart@LeadershipInstitute.org.

Twitter, Facebook and YouTube; blogs and email lists; online advertising and fundraising are just a few topics that were covered earlier this week at the Leadership Institute's Comprehensive Online Activist School (COAS).On Monday and Tuesday legislative aides, interns, and Tea Party activists gathered at LI's F.M. Kirby National Training Center to learn how target large audiences through online marketing and social media.Gabriel “Scooter” Schaefer, marketing communications coordinator for Media Research Center (MRC), taught attendees how to set up a Facebook fan page and strategically increase membership.Scooter was a graduate of LI's Comprehensive Online Activist School in 2010, where he was armed with practical tools to increase an organization's social media presence. "When I took the COAS, I heard about bit.ly and it was absolutely awesome and useful to me and what I'm doing now,” Scooter said. “Now, I will share the knowledge I've acquired with you so you can strengthen the movement.”LI's Director of Digital Communications Abigail Alger kicked off the training Monday with a complete introduction to online activism.“In blogging, it's not about getting noticed,” Abigail said. “It's about adding value. What topics can you uniquely cover?”For Bruce Majors, a realtor for Chatel Real Estate in Washington, D.C., the Blogging 101 lecture was particularly helpful. Bruce runs a political blog called, Tea Party – One Lump or Two? He plans to use the training to better market his blog and explore the possibility of working in new media.“This is current, cutting-edge information for targeting the groups you need to target,” said Julie Malone Garofalo, who also plans to use the training to start a blog and search for a position in communications.Other lectures covered how to create effective online videos and disseminate them over the Internet via YouTube as well as social media activism through the popular networking sites, Twitter and Facebook.Gail Peirson, a retired pediatric nurse practitioner who is part of the Tea Party movement in New Jersey, was initially resistant to social media. After the training, she now sees it as a necessary tool for mass outreach.“Being able to hear ‘the case' for different types of online marketing and getting my ideas confirmed was specifically beneficial,” Gail said.Tuesday lectures focused primarily on online fundraising and advertising. Attendees learned how to find vendors and integrate traditional and online fundraising plans, promote a campaign or organization through online marketing, build and manage email lists, use data visualization tools and location technology, and finally, how to use Google Analytics to gather crucial information about visitors to a website.Freddie Klein, a legislative aide for Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio, found the lectures on Twitter and Google Analytics particularly helpful. He now knows how to analyze website traffic and use that data to effectively target ads.“The training here was worthwhile and I plan to use it to teach my employer too,” he said.“The variety of information – specifically learning how to target people using social media and track analytics – was particularly beneficial,” agreed Ryan McNulty, strategic communications intern at The Heritage Foundation. “The training was extremely informative and beneficial – a must-attend for somebody serious about politics.”If you would like to learn more about LI's Comprehensive Online Activist School or other online activism and strategy training programs, click here.>

The staff of the Leadership Institute join those across the country honoring the memory of conservative journalist – and, dare I say, mischievous muckraker – Andrew Breitbart today. Andrew passed away unexpectedly early this morning.Andrew was best known as a writer, a publisher, and an activist. Many today have remembered him as “fearless” in his defense of his beliefs, as full of laughter and good-spirited antics, as a happy warrior for conservatism. Certainly many more know his works and words through his Breitbart.com and “Big” sites: Big Government, Big Hollywood, Big Journalism, and Big Peace.Andrew had taught at past Institute trainings, including LI's Broadcast Journalism School.It's fitting to remember Andrew in his own words. This new excerpt from his book, Righteous Indignation, was posted on Big Government this morning:"I love my job. I love fighting for what I believe in. I love having fun while doing it. I love reporting stories that the Complex refuses to report. I love fighting back, I love finding allies, and—famously—I enjoy making enemies."Three years ago, I was mostly a behind-the-scenes guy who linked to stuff on a very popular website. I always wondered what it would be like to enter the public realm to fight for what I believe in. I've lost friends, perhaps dozens. But I've gained hundreds, thousands—who knows?—of allies. At the end of the day, I can look at myself in the mirror, and I sleep very well at night."The thoughts and prayers of LI staff and conservatives across the country are with Andrew's family. >