August 8, 2011, Arlington, VA—Paul Gessing, president of New Mexico's free market think tank—the Rio Grande Foundation—is the Leadership Institute's Graduate of the Week. “LI has been a big part of my success within the free market/conservative movement,” Rio Grande Foundation President Paul Gessing said. “LI gives some of the best training in politics, public policy, and campaigns of anyone (regardless of ideology) in the nation.” The Rio Grande Foundation is “a research institute dedicated to increasing liberty and prosperity for all of New Mexico's citizens. We do this by informing New Mexicans of the importance of individual freedom, limited government, and economic opportunity,” their website says. A native from Ohio, Paul moved to the Washington, D.C. area to work in public policy in 1997. He recalls, “I was a liberal when I came to DC, but through self-reflection and a lucky connection with a Ron Paul staffer, [I] became much more liberty-minded.” Paul spent most of his professional career in DC working in government affairs at the National Taxpayers Union; however, after 8.5 years in DC he was ready to move on. “There happened to be a think tank leadership opening in New Mexico, which I took since I had significant family in the Albuquerque area,” Paul said. Paul has attended 6 trainings at the Leadership Institute. They include: Internet Activist Workshop; On-Camera Television Workshop; Public Speaking Workshop 2; Public Speaking Workshop; Grassroots Communications Workshop; and another Public Speaking Workshop in 2004. When asked how LI trainings have helped him, Paul said, “I've always been a good writer and have never struggled putting ideas on paper, but public speaking and on-camera speaking were never my strengths. I learned how to be much more poised and use [LI] techniques to make my points stronger. These techniques helped me interview for my current job and help me very day as I attempt to communicate the message of liberty to a New Mexico audience.” “The Leadership Institute is the granddaddy of conservative training organizations,” Paul said. “If you ever want to run for office, work for a political campaign, volunteer for a candidate, or want to maximize your effectiveness in working with a political party, be sure to attend [one of their trainings].” We welcome Paul Gessing as LI's Grad of the Week! Thank you for all you do to defend liberty in New Mexico. If you would like to learn public speaking and TV techniques like Paul, visit our schedule of upcoming trainings. To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate you know for Graduate of the Week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Hart at LaurenHart@LeadershipInstitute.org.

v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} Normal 0 false false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:.5in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} The Leadership Institute's featured graduate of the week is Annette James, who works as the campaign manager for Virginia House of Delegates Candidate Mike Watson in the Williamsburg, Virginia area. The two met each other at LI's Campaign Manager School in December 2010 and decided to team up for Mike's campaign. “LI is one of the best things that you can do if you are interested in politics,” Annette said. “The amount of information you receive is a bit like ‘drinking from a fire hose.'" She continued, "The experience at LI was amazing. Not only did I learn more than I could retain, I was thrilled to spend the entire week around people who were proud to wear the political junkie label, as was I. It was an entire room full of people that you could relate to and share stories with. "One of those people was Mike Watson. The first time we had a chance to talk I thought, ‘This guy should run for office.' When I asked him if he had considered it, he said he had, but it was not time yet. "Over the next couple of months Mike and I stayed in touch, bemoaning Washington politics and speculating on the upcoming 2012 presidential candidates. When redistricting put Mike into an unexpected district, it was a natural move for him to file the paperwork and run for office, as his heart was already in it. “Because Mike felt comfortable with my background,” Annette said, “and the common ground we had from LI, he made me an offer to join the campaign as his campaign manager.” Annette, from Florida, moved to Virginia to campaign for Mike. She's prepared to manage his campaign thanks to Institute training. Annette has attended five trainings at the Leadership Institute varying from the Event Planning Workshop, the Travel Campaign Management School, the Public Speaking Workshop, the Youth Leadership School, and the Campaign Management School. “Of course," Annette said, "for obvious reasons, the part of LI that I value the most is the networking. You will never find a whole room of people more similar to you in their political drive than at LI." To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate you know to be featured as LI's graduate of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Hart at LaurenHart@LeadershipInstitute.org.

Each summer hundreds of competing weekend events and excursions fill the time of DC students and interns. Instead of hitting the beach, an amusement park, or one of the many local DC attractions, 129 conservative students spent two full days and nights learning how to become more effective conservative activists at the Leadership Institute's Youth Leadership School. Leah Courtney of the University of West Florida said, “You learn more in two days than in the four years it takes to get a political science degree.” Students representing 74 colleges, 30 states, 20 Capitol Hill offices, 19 conservative organizations, and four countries heard from excellent speakers, networked with their classmates, earned a pile of conservative books and literature, and most importantly, left with the tools needed to advance their values. The Youth Leadership School is a two-day, intensive training designed to teach young conservatives how to effectively organize young people for conservative candidates and causes. Students gained a wealth of information that prepared them for leadership, building an organization, handling media and public relations, holding mock elections, and staging a candidate's campus visit. San Jose State University student Nithin Mathew founded a conservative group on his campus and said, “If you are serious about being effective on campaigns or college groups, LI is the boot camp to attend.” In addition to hearing from experts, students engaged in various exercises to implement some of the newly learned techniques. One exercise placed students in a hypothetical crises situation and encouraged them to work with each other on composing a political strategy in a brief amount of time. “I plan on implementing the strategies I learned at LI the next time I work on a campaign,” explained Alicia Powe, a former student at John Jay College and founder of a conservative college club. “I would describe [the training] as a political boot camp worth every moment. It helps you build skills that you can take with you no matter what profession you are in.” James Sturch, a student at University of Arkansas - Little Rock, described the training as, "The best training I've ever had- encouraging, enlightening, and excellent." LI hosts more than 30 Youth Leadership Schools throughout the country each year. If you would like to organize a Youth Leadership School on your campus, please contact LI's Youth Leadership School Director Kent Strang.

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:.5in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";} We've given you advice on the resume, networking, preparing for the job hunt, and extreme makeovers for the interview. The next step: The actual interview! That can be the most nerve wracking experience in the whole job search process. No longer are you able to hide behind your resume, your computer, or even the phone. Your true colors are now going to be exposed and your potential future employer is about to see your real personality. Scared? DON'T BE!!! I'm about to give you some tips to make sure you have a successful interview that can help you land your dream job!1. Treat every meeting with anyone as a potential interview. You never know who is watching you!2. Dress properly. Look professional. A neutral colored business suit (navy blue or gray are best), with a nice white shirt, a nice pair of shoes (ladies, don't wear a super tall heel), hair out of your face, no over-the-top accessories (ladies, if you must wear earrings, wear a small pair of studs). You don't want your outfit talking for you. You want your words to be talking for you!3. Be slightly early. 5-7 minutes early is a good time frame. You NEVER want to be late! Don't be too early either. Be respectful of the interviewer's time.4. Have a firm handshake. One of my biggest pet peeves in life is when someone has a weak, limp noodle hand shake. You don't want to over-power or squeeze anyone's hand, but you do want to show that you have confidence in yourself.5. Maintain eye contact. When you can look someone in the eyes it shows that you respect them and have a healthy self respect.6. Turn off your phone before you even walk in the building. Enough said.7. Know what job you are interviewing for. Find out as much information as you can before you even walk into the office.8. Be friendly and cordial. The employer is taking time out his/her day to dedicate to you. They are also seeing if you can work well with others. Always have a positive attitude!9. Send a follow up thank you note RIGHT AFTER THE INTERVIEW! That will make you stand out among other job seekers.These are just a few tips, but they are very important. If you want to land your dream job, it is important to be as prepared as possible and be confident! >

July 5, 2011, Arlington, VA— Despite having no political family connections or a deep-pocket money purse, Raymond Johnson has shaped political campaigns in Northeast Florida in a very tangible way. He started Campaign Consulting Enterprises, LLC, a company that seeks to place Christian conservatives in public office, and has launched Biblical Concepts Ministries, a non-profit Christian ministry that teaches Biblical concepts of government in church and political groups nationally. Raymond also serves as the Northeast Florida chairman of United Christians of Florida, a statewide PAC. Raymond, like many other Americans, got involved in politics during the transition from the Bush Administration to the Obama Administration. Raymond recalls, “As a conservative Christian I saw the need to involve more Christians in the process and elect Christians to office.” Since completing the Leadership Institute's Campaign Manager School in 2008, he has won 4 of 7 campaigns he's worked on. Raymond worked on Matt Schellenberg's campaign for city council district 6 in Jacksonville, FL and says, “I credit LI for teaching me the needed skills applied to defeat our sitting city council president here in Jacksonville, FL.” Mr. Schellenberg ran against the incumbent city council president Jack Webb and won by a 6-point margin with just a difference of 1,005 votes. “I assumed the role of field and faith-based director for Schellenberg's campaign and applied some unique strategies, some of which I learned from LI [at their Grassroots Activist School in December 2009].” Raymond says, “During this campaign I actually experienced a situation discussed at LI. The campaign coordinator of our opponent—council president Jack Webb—was caught in the act of stealing our commercial campaign signs and dumping them in a retention pond. I was able to draw from the LI school as I knew catching a suspect and getting media coverage was a must.” “I was able to find a witness, get the witness to file a witness statement in addition to the police report, and get the witness to tell his story to the media. We had several stories aired and one written,” Raymond said. Raymond prides himself on assisting conservative Christian candidates. He works a faith-based outreach campaign that allows him to reach out to churches and Christians in the state of Florida to endorse these candidates. To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate you know for Graduate of the Week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Hart at LaurenHart@LeadershipInstitute.org.

June 27, 2011, Arlington, VA— Next week from July 2-8 the Leadership Institute's international programs department will go again to Mongolia to train around 500 key leaders in government, politics, and business, as well as those seeking public office and those who will run and contribute in the next presidential campaign.The Leadership Institute has currently trained more than 1,000 key Mongolian leaders in Arlington, Virginia, USA and in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.Leadership Institute International Programs Consultant Torey Hall met with Mongolia's President Tsakhia Elbegdorj last week when he was in town for meetings with President Obama and several conservative organizations. Mr. Elbegdorj was overjoyed that Mongolia has established democracy after 65 years of a communist government. “We will build a strong relationship with the USA and emulate President Ronald Reagan," President Elbegdorj said.President Elbegdorj, accompanied by his personal advisor and LI Graduate Mrs. Battsetseg Shagdar, was very happy to see LI's Torey Hall. He expressed great enthusiasm and thanked LI for training those who ran his political campaign, as well as other Mongolian business leaders and social entrepreneurs.LI's Director of International Programs Miguel Moreno and three other LI international speakers will address several audiences of key Mongolian leaders in the capital Ulaanbaatar next week. >

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} America's Future Foundation invites you to become involved in the nation's leading networking and professional development organization for conservatives and libertarians in their 20s and 30s. You can advance your career by attending unique programs, making connections with like-minded peers, and debating or writing your opinions at our events or in Doublethink magazine. To learn more, please visit this page (link to http://www.americasfuture.org) or sign up for free updates and event invitations here (link to http://americasfuture.org/subscriptions/)>

June 27, 2011, Arlington, VA— For college senior Hilary Ranieri, the high school debate team sparked more than just an increased interest in politics. It launched a young career in politics. Hilary first learned of the Leadership Institute when she attended the Youth Leadership Training Conference the summer after her junior year of high school. “I just loved being in Washington, D.C., speaking with and listening to members of Congress, participating in a mock Senate, and learning more about the political arena,” she explained. The conference piqued Hilary's interest in politics, law, and the media, which led her to intern for law firms, the American Association of Christian Schools, and Senator Jim DeMint (SC), by whom she is currently employed. When Hilary learned of LI's June Public Relations School, she jumped at the chance to attend. “I thought it looked and sounded very interesting and educational.” Hilary's hopes for the school were more than met. “I am really glad I attended! I learned so much and now know more of what I should do when participating in an interview or even if I'm ever in a media crisis. The lecturers at the school were very knowledgeable and kept my attention,” she said. “I'm really thankful that LI has these kinds of opportunities available, especially for interns,” Hilary added. “They're extremely helpful.” As Hilary looks forward to her future – her last year of college and beyond – she finds many opportunities on her horizon. “After a few years of working on [Capitol] Hill, I'd like to go to law school,” Hilary said. “Afterward, I'd like to either continue working on the Hill as a legislative correspondent or assistant, possibly running for political office, or practicing law as a prosecuting criminal attorney.” To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate you know for Graduate of the Week, please contact Lauren Hart, LI's External Affairs Officer.

If you've attended any of my resume workshops, you have heard me say repeatedly, ‘demonstration of excellent writing skills is critical to landing your dream job.' Especially if that dream job happens to be on Capitol Hill. But really, recruiters everywhere are looking for qualified candidates who know how to write, regardless of the position. Managers make it very clear to us that they do not have time to be someone's editor-in-chief (unless that's actually their job), so they ask us to find competent writers. And not only people who can string words together properly and use punctuation when and where needed, but people who can turn around and use different channels to get their writing in front of the reading public. Jobseekers who not only write well but effectively use new media outlets, write press releases and op eds, and understand what a media advisory is and how to use it are absolutely golden to recruiters and hiring managers.So how do you achieve this golden status I'm talking about? Start with the Leadership Institute's newly revamped Written Communications Workshop on July 19-20. At this two-evening workshop, you will learn the different professional writing techniques for publication, critical grammar and usage skills (so very important!), what a good press release or media advisory looks like, and how to use new media to get your work noticed. Jobseekers really shouldn't miss this training! We're bringing in conservative heavy hitters such as Matt Lewis, Lindsey Mask, and Amanda Carpenter to help you find your inner writing guru.The class runs from 5:30-10 pm each evening. Mention this blog when you call to register, and you may even receive a discount off the already reduced price of $40. Dinner and class materials are included. I hope to see you there..and to see this class listed under additional trainings on your resume!>

Conservative students swept the student government elections at the University of Colorado--Boulder last week. All 28 students who ran as part of the conservative INVEST party won their election, including the office of president, vice president of internal and external affairs, and numerous positions as campus representatives and senators. The key to their success? They say it's their training from the Leadership Institute's Campus Election Workshop on March 31. "The Campus Election Workshop is the best way to finalize your plans for your campaign and get all of your volunteers and candidates on the same page. We owe a huge thanks to the Leadership Institute for training us conservatives to win on an overwhelming liberal campus," said Andrew Yoder, newly-elected president of the Colorado University Student Government. The incoming student government plans to enact a conservative agenda over the next year, building on their success from last year's student government which also was controlled by conservatives. They cut the $36 million budget by $1 million, and defunded CoPIRG and other liberal programs that received disproportionate funding. The Leadership Institute will bring a Campus Election Workshop to your campus to teach you how to run for -- and win -- student government elections. Contact a Regional Field Coordinator to learn more.

The Leadership Institute's Advanced Public Relations School offers hands-on instruction for tackling communications problems, from organization and planning to presentation. Attendees are divided into communications teams and are given fictional crisis situations to work through strategy and message development in a mock press conference setting.The next Advanced Public Relations School is April 11-13 from 6:30-9:30 PM. Topics covered include:• How to deal with an adversarial press• The key to recognizing “hooks” in the day's news• How to develop, pitch, present, and defend your message and visionAs one past attendee remarked, “It really helped to hear from professionals in the same work environment I am in. I got a lot out of their advice, stories, and warnings!” To learn more and register for the training, please visit: http://tinyurl.com/APRS0411. >

As an Institute supporter, you'll like this article from last week's Washington Post. It details a new project by liberals to copy LI's media training. They say imitation is the highest form of flattery, so LI grads should feel flattered.From the Washington Post: “Brenner [a faculty member] joined the other participants in a wood-paneled room on the carriage house's ground floor. A camcorder stood on a tripod in the middle of desks arranged in a horseshoe formation. Black and white boards hung on the walls. Brock, with graying hair and blue tie, offered some words of wisdom to the class. Their conservative antagonists had all gone through rigorous media training at the Leadership Institute, he warned, but now they, too, would be armed with the ammunition to compete.”If you're ready to compete in the liberal-dominated media, take a television training from the Leadership Institute. Register now for schools on Friday, April 15 and Friday, May 13.>

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 The Leadership Institute invites you to attend the fourth annual International School of Fundraising: How to Raise A Lot of Money in Your Country for Your Causes from April 5 to April 9 at Wellington College, Crowthorne, Berkshire in the United Kingdom. Register now before all the 100 spots are filled.At the training, you'll receive lessons from expert faculty on personal solicitation; adapting the principles of direct mail fundraising to your culture and country; how to fundraise for corporations; vital research on donors and prospective donors; building strong donor relations; how to make strong presentations; writing a fundraising plan and budgeting for long-term success; how to write a successful fundraising letter; social media for fundraising; informational mailings and newsletters; how to build a house file with strategies for strong renewals; and many other topics.The cost for the week-long training is US $750 and includes lodging, meals, materials and training in state-of-the-art facilities with top-notch expert faculty from around the world. Scholarships are available. However, this seminar will be limited to 100 delegates.Register for the International School of Fundraising right now.If you have any questions, please contact Director of International Training Miguel Moreno at mmoreno@limail.us or 703-247-2000 ext. 345.>

As we are rolling into a fresh race cycle for 2011, jobs are starting to pop up on the campaign trail. If you are in any way politically inclined there will always be a certain allure to working on a campaign at one point in your career. When I graduated college I had this vision of being staffed full time on a campaign. I was envisioning rallies, debates, and late nights eating pizza sessions while listening to Led Zeppelin. Do not get me wrong, these things did happen during the campaign (minus the Led Zeppelin tunes, even though we did throw in Journey a few times) but there were many holes in my vision that were quickly filled in once starting my first campaign job. My first job after college was a Congressional campaign, and it was one of the most intense, yet rewarding experiences of my life. But it takes a certain personality to truly enjoy campaign work. It is not for everyone. Before you embark on a search for a campaign job, here are a few things that I observed being campaign staff. This is not a job for the weary of heart.Be flexible: This job is in no way your structured, 9 to 5 scenario. In fact this might just be the antithesis of your typical job. Campaigners never sleep; there will always be an early morning news article that needs to be read, late night events that need to be hit, and weekends free are just a distant pastime on your life B.C. (Before Campaign). You may have a schedule planned for the day, and an article may turn up in the local paper that morning that will turn your whole day upside down. A last minute event opportunity may present itself that you cannot ignore. Having structure but being able to roll with the punches is a priceless craft to master on the campaign trail. Be open-minded: A campaign job is a job with many hats. While you will be hired for a specific job, be prepared to be doing everything under that job's spectrum. You will be in a suit one day and jeans and a T shirt the next. You will find yourself dressed up for a gala one night and pounding the pavement going door to door the next morning. You might even find yourself running to put out signs in your professional attire. Anything is possible. Be prepared to have your comfort zone pushed as far as possible.Assess your stress threshold: Before you embark on the journey to seek out the campaign job, sit down and be honest with yourself about how prepared you are to handle the stress of the campaign thrill ride. People told me that working on a campaign was like working in a pressure cooker and I could not think of a better way to explain it. There will always be more doors to knock on, there will always be another hundred calls to make, there will always be volunteers that need to be recruited, and there will always be media alerts to assess. Everyone wants to say that they handle stress well, but for the sake of your sanity and your potential colleagues' sanity; if you tend to not react well to stress, this may not be the job for you.At the end of the day be able to let your hair down: While the stress is high and the tasks are at times arbitrary, the point of campaigning is your ability to connect. This is a job strictly contingent on creating personal relationships. While there are a lot of things on the table, you still need to be able to have fun, and allow yourself to truly enjoy the job opportunity you are experiencing because it is truly one of a kind.Recognize that once you solidify your position on a campaign, you are surrendering yourself to the ride of your life until November 3rd. The only way to see if you're truly cut out for the work is to throw yourself into one headfirst. It may be the worst experience you've ever had, or the best experience you've ever had, but at the end of the day it will be an experience you will never forget. >

Florida campaign manager Andrea Penton, Vancouver CEO Julian Haigh, Texan entrepreneur Trent Derr, and more than forty other conservatives came to the Leadership Institute for its Campaign Management School (CMS), a week-long, intensive "boot camp" in campaign management last week.The school teaches students the ins and outs of campaigning through intensive training and real life stories, and in doing so, give students the how-to knowledge they need to succeed. As CMS student Gus Leventis of Addison, Illinois said, "The [CMS] will teach you how to win!"The week-long school drew future campaign managers, campaign staff, and several potential candidates. Among the candidates was Lynda Fairman (photograph below), a candidate for a Virginia State Senate seat. "I was visiting our state senator and every question I asked, the current state senator answered, ‘We'll just have to disagree on that,'" Lynda explained. "I asked about an education issue, since it is a field I am well experienced in, and it was an issue I was certain everyone would agree was a state issue. He claimed it was a district issue, looked at me then said, ‘We'll just have to disagree on that.' As we are about to leave, he sarcastically says, ‘Hmph. You should run for School Board.' I turn around, and blurt out ‘Actually, I think I'll run for your job!'" Lynda laughed. "He [the senator] just looked at me, then says, ‘Get in line.' With this training, I feel I have been given the tools to succeed. Not just for my campaign but for the movement as a whole."Emily Lucier, a contract documents paralegal in Richmond, Virginia shared her experience: "This has been such a plethora of invaluable information that has given me ideas for my candidate all week." She attended the school because she'll serve as campaign manager for a local government race in Richmond this fall. "This training has helped me to first consider the skills I have and how to use them, and also has given me a strong, organizational frame in how to go about planning a campaign. Learning these tools and processes will allow me to go forward with confidence."The CMS featured experienced, expert faculty members who brought many years' experience with campaigns -- and a willingness to share their knowledge with eager students."The campaign management training was an intense, one-week experience packed with the best practices and wisdom of the most impressive group of consultants I have met," said Trent Derr of Texas."Just this week alone, the training has been successful," said CMS attendee Dr. Lolita Mancheno-Smoak. She teaches graduate and undergraduate business at the University of Phoenix and Strayer University, and is an at-large candidate for the Fairfax County (VA) School Board. "What [LI] teaches is not just theory, but application. When you know you can immediately apply it, you know it is valuable," as she had already put the training to use by crafting a coalition of support for her candidacy.Lolita praised the training as teaching "the good, the bad, and the ugly of real campaigning based on real-life experiences." She added "fundamentally I think everyone should take this school. Not only campaign managers, but candidates, as well. I am ecstatic! We learn the right questions, the proper techniques, and bottom line you could never get this from a book. This is good!"Sharing this sentiment, Lynda Fairman added, "And not only is the training itself good, but the dinners at night and being able to stay in the dorms allows us to network and connect with each other. This is definitely worth my -- and the donors' -- money...Most of the lasting connections are made after class."After a week at the Campaign Management School, the more than 40 students are ready to contribute to the conservative movement as campaign managers, campaign staff, or future candidates. Perhaps Lynda explains it best: "Prior to this school, I felt like I was jumping off a cliff into a pit. Now, I'm ready!">

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 As the nation celebrated the legacy of George Washington this past weekend, young men and women gathered in Lexington, Kentucky to prepare for leadership at LI's Youth Leadership School (YLS).For two full days students learned how to fight liberal bias effectively, energize youth groups, and promote campus activism. Judging the quality of the school, Amaris Wade said, “We learned how to campaign effectively for virtually any cause.” With lecture topics ranging from leadership identification to organizational building to media and public relations, the students listened attentively.While students attending have tough fights on their respective campuses and in their respective communities, they set their aims high and vowed to utilize the material from the school to proceed on a path to success.“I am looking forward to initiating a conservative youth movement in Bolivia,” said Carla Webber, also a intern with the Leadership Institute.. Ms. Webber continued by saying, that she also wants to “teach teenagers these skills so that they too can be encouraged to become effective and strong leaders for our nation.”For decades, the Youth Leadership School has been the premier launch pad for thousands of youth wanting to make a lasting impact. The tools and techniques taught at the school prepare students for “what it means to be a youth leader,” Greg Caswell from the University of Kentucky said.As the school finished, students rushed to share their newfound knowledge with their peers and take one step further on their chosen path. Ms. Webber concluded, “This training is absolutely essential for someone who is looking for a political career. Whoever has to deal with opposition and wants to win should take the YLS.For information on upcoming trainings, please click here. For information specific to LI's Youth Leadership Schools, please call 703-247-2000 to speak with Director of Youth Leadership Schools Kent Strang.>

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} At the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), the Leadership Institute hosted a job fair with 18-plus employers recruiting for conservative talent from a great pool of 495 jobseekers. LI also provided free one-on-one resume consultations. This kind of quality care toward jobseekers and employers is not unusual from the daily experience at LI. Director of Employment Placement Service Andrea McCarthy makes sure to connect with jobseekers in person, over the phone and by email to help them in their job search. Ms. McCarthy also works to identify and support the hiring needs of conservative organizations, Capitol Hill offices, campaigns, and media outlets.Through www.ConservativeJobs.com an employer and a jobseeker can create a profile, upload their resume, submit their references, and upload writing samples. Unlike many other job placement services, Conservative Jobs hosts a robust public policy questionnaire that evaluates an individual's view on particular issues. Ms. McCarthy and her department have held thousands of resume consultations and placed hundreds in conservative jobs.“The CPAC Job Fair was a great success! Several organizations found excellent candidates for summer internships, and the Leadership Institute hired the new Donor Relations Officer directly from the fair,” Andrea said. “Danielle Savoy joined the LI team on Tuesday, February 22, 2011, ten days after the job fair took place.” Employers that were present at CPAC's job fair hosted by LI included:Accuracy in MediaAmericans for ProsperityAmericans for Tax ReformAmericans United for LifeFreedomWorksHSP DirectIntermarkets, Inc.Judicial WatchManhattan InstituteNational Taxpayers UnionPrison FellowshipTerra EclipseThe Heartland InstituteThe Leadership InstituteTownhall.comWorld Journalism InstituteYoung Americans for FreedomYoung Americans for LibertyFor more information on LI's employment placement service, please click here. www.conservativejobs.com For free resume consultations, please call Andrea McCarthy at 703-247-2000.>

February 17, 2011, Arlington, VA--Running a successful campaign and being victorious is hard in and of itself, and without fundraising, it is virtually impossible. To ensure excellence in fundraising, the Leadership Institute hosted a 'High Dollar Fundraising School' over the past two days."The school was invaluable for someone like me who is new to fundraising, but expected to get results," said Brian Garst, director of government affairs at the Center for Freedom and Prosperity. Mr. Garst was one of over 50 professionals and students who traveled to Arlington, VA for this training.Among the featured faculty were seasoned and experienced LI staffers, as well as company leaders, business owners, and political operatives. As Mr. Ronald J. Hamilton of Pennsylvania put it, "I enjoyed hearing from people who are out in the field, actually doing the work they are presenting."The curriculum consisted of several techniques that, when adequately applied, will guarantee a fundraising hey-day for any campaign or organization. Todd Meredith, Owner of Morgan, Meredith, & Associates, addressed the issues of direct mail, cash flow projections and donor programs. Through real life examples and illustrations, Mr. Meredith guided the attendees carefully through the intricate process of properly implementing these efforts.Other faculty members also included Rick Hendrix, co-founder of ClearWord Communications, Carter DeWitt, vice president of Development at the Tax Foundation, and Ann Fitzgerald, president of A.C. Fitzgerald and Associates.Ms. Fitzgerald used her extensive experience in the conservative movement as a marketing strategist and fundraiser guru to teach the participants the importance of organizing and engaging every element of your organization.Praising the school, Ken Vaughn, a Congressional candidate from Lynchburg, VA, said, "most of this stuff isn't rocket science, it's common sense; but it's stuff we don't think about, and tend to forget. It's invaluable."At the end of the two-day school, the participants were prepared to reevaluate their organization and campaigns fundraising efforts. Some even followed Charlottesville, VA resident Elizabeth Blake's example: "I've signed up for 12 more trainings this upcoming year," she said, as the school came to a close.For more LI training opportunities, including more fundraising training, please click here.The Leadership Institute is an educational foundation whose mission is to increase the number and effectiveness of conservative activists and leaders in the public policy process. LI trains and places conservatives in government, politics, and the media by teaching them how to succeed in the public policy process. To do that, LI offers 40 types of training programs, works with more than 1,465 conservative campus groups, and helps employers connect with conservative jobseekers. Since the Institute's 1979 founding, more than 91,576 students have been trained. Alumni include U.S. Senators, Members of Congress, city council members, local mayors, state legislators, and conservative activists and officeholders at every level. For more information, please visit: http://www.leadershipinstitute.org-30->

February 4, 2011, Arlington, VA—Gathering from across the country, professionals and students prepared for the Leadership Institute's two-day boot camp on landing a D.C. job. A student from the Capitol Hill Staff Training School, who is currently an office manager at the United Services Organization said this school is “the best training program in the country hands down.” LI provided students with the information they needed to “hit the ground running” as recent college graduate Benjamin Green put it. “I have a book full of notes that I will apply to my job search, in addition to the valuable skills I have learned here,” Green added. LI provided students with the information they needed to “hit the ground running” as recent college graduate Benjamin Green put it. “I have a book full of notes that I will apply to my job search, in addition to the valuable skills I have learned here,” Green added. Professionals with seasoned private sector experience, college students, and recent college graduates gathered with a similar aim: to land a D.C. job, particularly on Capitol Hill. Jennifer Lundy, a student, said that she plans to use the information to find a Capitol Hill job as a staff assistant or as a legislative correspondent. “It was a great experience! I learned a lot of great job strategies that can be used at any point in my career. I networked with a lot of amazing people, and I would definitely recommend attending any LI school,” Ms. Lundy said. Among the featured speakers was National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Political Director Mike Shields. “Capitol Hill is one of the most pompous places in the world,” Mr. Shields said. “To get anywhere, you need to network but also always work incredibly hard.” Other faculty included: Heritage Foundation Director of the Young Leaders Program Heather Sexton and Executive Director at the Senate GOP Steering Committee Ed Corrigan. LI student Ron Hamilton from Pennsylvania said, “I brought my son here so he could learn the proper application of conservative ideas. He is going to college this fall, but hopefully this training will aid him in getting a job in the future.” AEI Intern Greg Brooks said, “Every training I have taken here leaves me excited to get more involved in the conservative movement because I am more confident with the tools I have acquired.” Mr. Brooks is working in AEI's political department working on public opinion data. LI Political Coordinator Amanda Bowman assembled a team of preeminent speakers for the intensive school, discussing topics ranging from networking strategies, interviewing skills, and the inner workings of Capitol Hill and surrounding D.C. establishments. The Capitol Hill Staff Training School prepares students for a bright future in D.C. For information on upcoming trainings like the Capitol Hill Staff Training School, please click here. The Leadership Institute is an educational foundation whose mission is to increase the number and effectiveness of conservative activists and leaders in the public policy process. LI trains and places conservatives in government, politics, and the media by teaching them how to succeed in the public policy process. To do that, LI offers 40 types of training programs, works with more than 1,465 conservative campus groups, and helps employers connect with conservative jobseekers. Since the Institute's 1979 founding, more than 91,574 students have been trained. Alumni include U.S. Senators, Members of Congress, city council members, local mayors, state legislators, and conservative activists and officeholders at every level. For more information, please visit: http://www.leadershipinstitute.org -30- 

February 1, 2010, Arlington, VA--Last weekend, the Leadership Institute's Grassroots Department staff was on the road again. Chris Doss, LI's Grassroots Training Coordinator, went to Lakewood, Colorado to offer campaign training to 90 conservative activists.The students themselves can explain how it went.LI's Colorado training had “the best and most knowledgeable instructors pertaining to the political process,” explained Richard Robbins from Parker, Colorado. “I gained a tremendous amount of knowledge and would highly recommend this class to anyone just starting out in politics.”Chris -- who's taught more than 100 seminars here and abroad for LI -- joined with expert, volunteer Institute faculty to offer training sessions on Friday night and all day Saturday. Students learned about vote goals, voter ID, and voter targeting; developing a strong campaign message; fundraising; building coalitions; and much more.Mike Henley, a student from Denver, Colorado, explained, “This is a worthwhile program that provides useful information that can help those concerned about the future of America move into constructive action.” Bill Leek, from Arvada, Colorado, said the course “taught me to think about campaigns in a way I never had before.”Chris explained that his standard for success was simple: “For me, the most genuine litmus test is when students say—‘how soon will you come back?' and they all asked when LI would be back to Lakewood.”LI's Grassroots Department can bring Leadership Institute training to your hometown too. See if your state is already on LI's 2011 training calendar. If it's not, contact Robert Arnakis, LI's Grassroots Director, to learn how to bring LI to you.>