Hillsdale College Hosts National Leadership Seminar in Dana Point, California
Speakers discussed reforms to the funding of science, the media and Trump, the purpose of education, and more.
HILLSDALE, Mich. — Hillsdale College hosted a National Leadership Seminar in Dana Point, California, from April 28-29. Topics included reforms to the funding of science, the media and Trump, and the purpose of education. National Leadership Seminars gather America’s business, education, and community leaders to promote limited government, free-market economics, individual liberty, personal responsibility, and a strong national defense.
Jay Bhattacharya, director of the National Institutes of Health, spoke on “Restoring Gold Standard Science.” Bhattacharya argued that the problems with the way the NIH funds science are serious but also solvable.
“We’re going to establish gold standard science,” Bhattacharya said. “When I say gold standard science, what I mean is science that is replicable, that is at the bleeding edge, that identifies people with ideas wherever they are so that we can address the key health problems of the country.”
“The spirit behind it is disastrous because it seeks to turn a sublime thing into an engineering project.”
Sean Spicer, host of “The Sean Spicer Show,” spoke on “Trump and the Media.” Spicer discussed his new book “Trump 2.0: The Revolution That Will Permanently Transform America” and how four years out of office shaped President Trump’s second term.
“When I talked to the president the other day about the book, he said, ‘Sean, we did all these great things in the first term,’” Spicer said. “I said ‘Mr. President, it’s not a question of trying to sell one over the other or undermine our accomplishments, but it’s to make sure that people understand that why — that the planning and the plotting of four years out of office was critical to your success now.”
Hillsdale College President Larry P. Arnn spoke on “Defending the American Way of Life.” Dr. Arnn discussed the purpose of a college.
“That change in the structure which moves the motive from the soul of the student to influences that we will exercise upon the student is a decisive change and disastrous,” Dr. Arnn said. “The spirit behind it is disastrous because it seeks to turn a sublime thing into an engineering project. And it can’t be that, because helping a child to grow is not the same thing as stamping a shape onto a metal board. It’s different. It’s a different material. It has a soul of its own.”
Alex Berenson, author of “Tell Your Children: The Truth About Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence,” spoke on “The Danger of Marijuana: An Update,” and Steve Hilton of Golden Together spoke on “California: Diagnosis and Prescription.”