Meet Dylan Mitchell, a conservative student who experienced firsthand the support that ISI provides to young Americans on liberal campuses. Read his story below!
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Hello John,
I want to introduce you to one of our top ISI students, Dylan Mitchell.
Dylan is a conservative student at the University of Pittsburgh. When he got to campus, he quickly learned that many people didn’t share his beliefs, and some even spoke out against them. When he became president of the ISI chapter on campus, the College Republicans Club, he noticed that many students in the group felt discouraged:
“Before ISI, there was no tangible Conservative presence at the University of Pittsburgh—just a handful of fearful, closet conservative students. ISI helped us become fierce defenders of liberty, the Western tradition, and the roots of
American order.”
ISI helped Dylan and his friends by sending them to conferences, enabling them to learn from seminars, and connecting them with professors who shared their ideas. Dylan even went to ISI’s prestigious Honors Conference. He said these events gave him and his friends “something that was missing from our university: an excellent, well-rounded education.”
Dylan gives remarks at ISI's 2023 Gala for Western Civilization.
The story doesn’t stop here. The College Republicans made national headlines when they hosted a debate about transgenderism featuring Michael Knowles and Brad Polumbo. Many people on campus and in the community were opposed to it. Dylan remembers what happened:
“The school tried dirty tricks to shut us down: at the last minute, they tried to impose an $18,000 ‘security fee.’ And they enlisted Pennsylvania politicians to turn up the heat. Finally, on the day of the event, a riotous mob burned an effigy of Michael Knowles and threw an explosive at the window where the event was being held. We were besieged by the radical Left.”
A group of protesters at the University of Pittsburgh speak out against the debate.
Despite all this trouble, ISI stood by the students and helped keep the event going. Because of this support, their chapter grew stronger, and the university began to take them more seriously. Read Dylan’s final thoughts:
“My conservative peers and I went from being alienated, isolated, and vulnerable on campus to educated in the Western tradition, confident, and ready to go toe-to-toe with the university in a fight to defend our constitutional freedoms.”
Dylan encourages his peers before the debate.
Dylan’s story is just one example of what many conservative students experience on progressive college campuses today. Young people want to learn more about the Western tradition. They want to be inspired by greatness.
To help these students, ISI has started a new campaign called America 500
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. This initiative aims to identify and develop young leaders who will help protect and strengthen America for the future. The goal is to help create a new generation of thoughtful, well‑educated leaders who care about America’s values.
We hope you will consider giving to the America 500 Campaign at ISI. Your gift will help teach and guide students like Dylan who want to become strong leaders for our country.
I Want to Make a Difference!
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The challenges we face today are real. But with the right education and support, young men and women can help shape a better future for America. Please join me and these bold students in helping protect our culture and our freedom.
For Learning and Leadership,
Johnny Burtka
President and CEO
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