We are pleased to announce that the Patrick Calhoun Leadership Scholarship will again provide scholarships in 2024 for the purpose of preparing Arkansas’s future leaders. The scholarship’s ultimate goal is to train future leaders who will protect America’s founding values by advancing conservative principles and the Arkansas Republican Party. The scholarship will fund attendance to The Leadership Institute’s, Youth Leadership School, in Washington D.C. for two successful applicants chosen from Arkansas College Republicans. Details on the scholarship and eligibility are as follows:
Scholarship: The scholarship will include round-trip airfare from Little Rock, Arkansas to Washington D.C., and tuition (including room and board) to the Youth Leadership School at The Institute’s Steven P. J. Wood headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. Each scholarship recipient will attend the two-day Youth Leadership School on July 2-3, 2024 and spend one extra “free” day the following Tuesday to enjoy a special 4th of July celebration. All meals, lodging, and transportation during the four-night, three-day stay are included in the scholarship.
Youth Leadership School: The Leadership Institute’s flagship school is nicknamed “the boot camp of politics.” Young conservative leaders are taught effective campaign strategies and tactics to organize and lead mass-based youth efforts for candidates and causes of their choice.
Students will learn what it takes to build an effective student organization and use the media to get their message out. The school helps launch a successful career in politics and students develop a nationwide network of conservative friends.
The YLS has launched more successful political careers than any other training program. The Leadership Institute trained over a thousand young conservatives during the past year.
Purpose: Future Arkansas leaders will play an important role in fighting the battle of ideas against the left’s “woke” agenda to destroy the foundations of our faith, family, and freedom. Economic growth and prosperity are only possibly in a free society that honors work and achievement. One of the biggest impediments to building a better Arkansas is the absence of strong conservative values that encourage “pro-growth” public policy. Sadly, America’s traditions of free speech, free enterprise, individual liberty, and limited government are under attack from institutions and individuals of the left. Although discredited by history, many on the left are openly promoting socialism and government control – even some members of the U.S. Congress.
Our goal is to identify, recruit, train, and place conservatives in government, politics, and the news media. To that end, the Calhoun Leadership Scholarship will train Arkansas’s future leaders and provide the tools to build a stronger America and lay the foundation for a brighter future.
The Leadership Institute: The Institute strives to produce a new generation of public policy leaders unwavering in their commitment to free enterprise, limited government, strong national defense, and traditional values. Institute graduates are equipped with practical skills and professional training to implement sound principles through effective public policy.
Founded in 1979 by its president, Morton C. Blackwell, the Leadership Institute teaches bright conservatives the nuts and bolts of how to succeed in the public policy process. Institute programs now prepare more than 6,000 Americans each year to:
- Lead others in the public policy process
- Manage grassroots campaigns for candidates of their choice
- Run successfully for elected office
- Make policy as elected officials or key staff members
- Enter and succeed in the competitive field of broadcast media
- Form independent conservative student groups and publish independent conservative campus newspapers
- Pass or defeat legislation
- Communicate the conservative message on television
- Launch and advance careers in Public Policy, U.S. Foreign Service, and Civil Service
The Institute’s Steven P. J. Wood Building has a range of facilities conveniently located in Arlington, Virginia just minutes from Washington, D.C. Institute interns enjoy comfortable, supervised housing at the Sacher Intern House a few blocks from the Steven P. J. Wood Building.
Honoree: The Calhoun Scholarship honors the late Patrick Calhoun (1918 – 2007), one of a handful of politically brave Arkansans who laid the foundation for the modern Republican Party of Arkansas. Pat Calhoun was raised in Kentucky and married Norma Goatcher Calhoun while stationed at Camp Robinson during World War II. He was a member of the United States Army from 1937 to 1945 and received numerous decorations for his combat service in 1944 with the Allied Forces in France.
Calhoun returned to Arkansas after the war to raise a family only to find a state dominated by a single political party and controlled by “machine-politics.” Realizing that Arkansas’s economic and social progress were held back by a one-party system, Calhoun joined forces with the late Winthrop Rockefeller and others to promote an alternative based on the conservative principles of the Republican Party. As a Rockefeller Reformer, Calhoun worked to fight corruption in state & local government and to establish the credibility of the Republican Party in Arkansas.
Pat Calhoun embraced the founding principles of the American Republic and fought to build a better Arkansas through his involvement in the political process. He was always vocal to defend the principles of limited constitutional government, free enterprise, and the dignity of all Americans. Calhoun felt an obligation to be involved in the political process, and even at an advanced age, remained committed to electing Republicans and continued to volunteer each election cycle.
Patrick Calhoun was a member of the “greatest generation” whose life was defined by duty, honor, and courage. The Calhoun Scholarship was created to honor a generation of men and women who fought to secure our freedom and to pass the “torch of liberty” to future generations.
Eligibility:
To apply for one of the two Calhoun Leadership Scholarships, the eligibility requirements are as follows:
- Applicant must be a U.S. citizen and enrolled at a college or university (public or private) located in the State of Arkansas.
- Applicant must be a current member of Arkansas College Republicans and his or her campus chapter must be an active member of the Federation of College Republicans.
- Applicant must declare in a written statement that his or her intention is to remain an Arkansas resident and will further declare that they will be involved in the political process both now and in the future to build a better Arkansas. (Applicants that aspire to become future U.S. Representatives from Arkansas or staff members of such representatives residing in Washington are acceptable.)
Entry Rules:
- In keeping with Republican ideals, scholarships are merit-based and awarded for submitting the best ideas for “party building.” The scholarship selection committee will not consider the race, gender, national origin, or religious affiliation of the applicant. (However, ideologies that are contrary to American ideals and constitutional principles will not be considered.)
- Applicants should compose and submit an essay that introduces specific points or ideas on how to increase the scope and influence of the Republican Party of Arkansas. Points should itemize the key principles of public policy that will build a better Arkansas and offer ideas on how to best promote those principles to the Arkansas public. Specific ideas or “action points” for building the Republican Party base in Arkansas should also be included in the essay. Essays are not limited to a specific number of words or pages. However, consideration will be given to those who can express productive ideas efficiently. While expecting essays that are well written and follow conventional examples of good grammar and spelling, the scholarship judges will consider content (ideas) as the most important element of each essay. The essay should have a cover sheet with the student’s contact information including: school mailing address, email address, phone numbers, and hometown mailing address.
- Applicant should supply a letter of recommendation from a college professor, minister, or public official attesting to the applicant’s good character.
- Applicant must complete the Public Policy Questionnaire on the scholarship website and a printed copy of the questionnaire must accompany the essay. If the applicant is not familiar with some of the organizations, issues and people on the questionnaire, the applicant is encouraged to research them before providing answers. Only completed questionnaires will be considered.
- Applicants or inquiries should be addressed to the scholarship committee at P.O. Box 7593, Little Rock, AR 72207. Applications can also be submitted via email to pjcalhoun@sbcglobal.net. Essay and other required material must be received or postmarked on/or before May 2, 2024.
“We have a responsibility to the next generation to promote, protect, and preserve those values that have made America a beacon of liberty to the rest of the world.”
~ Patrick Calhoun