Hillsdale College Professor Speaks at the NRA’s Youth Education Summit
Matthew Spalding, dean of Hillsdale’s Van Andel Graduate School of Government, spoke on the architecture of the buildings in Washington, D.C., and on the American founding.
HILLSDALE, Mich. — Matthew Spalding, dean of Hillsdale’s Van Andel Graduate School of Government in Washington, D.C., spoke to more than 30 high schoolers at the NRA’s Youth Education Summit on July 24.
Spalding spoke to the group on the steps of the Capitol for about an hour. He discussed the architecture of the buildings as well as the American founding — in particular the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence and the principled sources of our rights.
“America’s founding principles are articulated in the Declaration, embodied in the Constitution, and even reflected in the architecture of the Capitol,” Spalding said. “It was an honor to help these bright young Americans understand these principles more deeply.”
“America’s founding principles are articulated in the Declaration, embodied in the Constitution, and even reflected in the architecture of the Capitol.”
Y.E.S. is an annual weeklong competitive fellowship hosted by the NRA. Through the program, high school students come to D.C., visit important sites, engage in debates and discussions, and learn about government and the Constitution, while competing for up to $40,000 in scholarships.
Matthew Spalding is the Kirby Professor in Constitutional Government at Hillsdale College; the dean of the College’s Van Andel Graduate School of Government in Washington, D.C.; and the College’s vice president for Washington operations. He received his B.A. from Claremont McKenna College and his M.A. and Ph.D. in government from the Claremont Graduate School.
Spalding is the author of several books, including “We Still Hold These Truths: Rediscovering Our Principles, Reclaiming Our Future.” He is also executive editor of The Heritage Guide to the Constitution, a fellow at the Claremont Institute for the Study of Statesmanship and Political Philosophy, and a board member of the Steamboat Institute and the Philadelphia Society.
- Photos from Spalding’s talk
- More information about the NRA Youth Education Summit
- Photos of Hillsdale College
- High-resolution copy of the Hillsdale College clock tower logo
About Hillsdale in D.C.
Hillsdale College’s campus in Washington, D.C., extends the College’s educational mission to the nation’s capital by teaching and promoting the principles and practice of American constitutionalism. As the home of the Washington-Hillsdale Internship Program, the James Madison Fellowship Program, the Van Andel Graduate School of Government, and a variety of lectures and events open to policymakers and the public, Hillsdale in D.C. seeks to inspire and form students, citizens, practitioners, and statesmen who will restore America’s principles and revive self-government in the political life of the nation. For more information, visit dc.hillsdale.edu.