Hello John,

We have a lot of interesting news to share with you in this newsletter. Below you will find some updates on a social media book discussion group, a translation of a Kirk book, a new essay on a past English prime minister, and, especially noteworthy for the Kirk Center, a new member for our team. 

But first, I hope you will take time to visit our highlights page to take a brief look back at the Center’s accomplishments in 2024. We did not want any more time to elapse as 2024 was a banner year in terms of the Kirk Center's impact. We are grateful for your goodwill and support last year, and hope you will continue to assist us in our cultural work this year.

The Russell Kirk Center is pleased to announce the appointment of Ashley Jordan as our first Donor Relations Officer.

Ashley brings an academic, corporate, and creative background and deep passion for historic preservation to her new position with the Kirk Center. She has a Masters of History and Bachelors of Social Sciences from Liberty University, where she enjoyed learning under the direction of a Kirk Center friend Dr. Carey Roberts. Ashley also has expertise in sales and marketing, client and community engagement, and cultural resources–all of which will help the Kirk Center moving forward. 

Ashley’s experience in business development, editing, the arts, and corporate communications complements her professional and volunteer work, having participated with organizations including a Fortune 500 engineering firm, Patrick Henry’s Red Hill National Memorial Foundation, the National Archives and Records Administration, Library of Congress, and Revere Publishing. Her Master’s thesis focused on the Anti-Federalist and Jeffersonian tradition, highlighting the influence of Burkean conservatism. She also found helpful and inspiring Dr. Kirk's writing on John Randolph of Roanoke. Randolph has since become a focal point of Ashley’s own archival project and growing collection.

As the Kirk Center’s Donor Relations Officer, Ashley is excited to apply her skills to enhance the growth trajectory, development capabilities, and donor experience of those supporting the Center. She hopes to cultivate in students of all ages a deeper appreciation and understanding of the American conservative intellectual movement and Western heritage.

Join us in welcoming Ashley as she takes on this new role, and feel free to reach out to her with any questions or ideas for helping the Kirk Center advance its work and foster closer donor relations: [email protected].

Wilbur Fellow alumnus and longtime friend of the Kirk Center Alan Cornett is currently reading through The Roots of American Order and hosting regular discussions of the chapters with notable Kirk commentators on X Spaces.

Kirk's Rights and Duties in Italian

The Kirk Center is very pleased to announce that Russell Kirk’s book Rights and Duties has been translated into Italian by the distinguished legal scholar Agostino Carrino, professor of Public Law at the University of Naples and author of several books on constitutional law in Europe.