Dallas Leadership School “Inspiring”

Students from as far away as Austin and the University of Houston and Sam Huston State University and as near as the University of Dallas, Texas State University and the University of Texas flocked to attend the Federalist Leadership School at Dallas’ Radisson Hotel on January 31, 2008 to learn about the Founders and American federalism.

Center schools are based upon the principle that true leadership must rest upon philosophical understanding, specifically upon the federalist thinking of America’s founders. The United States can only be successful if these principles--illustrated best by its greatest founding writing, The Federalist Papers--are as viable and central to its leaders and citizens today as they were at the nation’s birth.

To make these ideals concrete to our students, syndicated writer and Fox television commentator Robert Novak spoke at a dinner that was also open to the adult community about how Federalist principles are related to current events in Washington, D.C., a city he has covered in depth for over a half century. Professor Donald Devine lead seminars on the Founders’ values and the Constitution and what is needed to make them vibrant today.

The dinner was attended by students and local notables including Tom Pauken, chairman of the Texas Workforce Commission, Kelly Shackelford, president of the Free Market Foundation, Louis and Jo-Anne Gasper, and Peggy Venable and Paulette Standefer, (like Pauken former Reagan Administration officials), Justin Epker, Linda Pate, Carol Smith, members of U.S. Senator John Cornyn’s staff, and many other prominent members of the community.

Dr. Thomas Behr, Resident Scholar at the Center for the American Idea, told us this about our school. “I wanted to congratulate you on what a great program you put together in Dallas for the Federalist Leadership School. I had seven students come up from Houston with me and they all found Donald Devine’s talks informative and inspiring. Bob Novak didn’t disappoint either, with his insider perspective on the primaries. All in all, it was a good sign for the future to see so many students there.’

The Dallas School was held under the auspices of the Bellevue University Federalist Leadership Center, the Texas Public Policy Foundation and Americans For Prosperity—Texas.