The Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2010-11 Koch Associate Program. The Koch Associate Program is a very selective, one year, paid career opportunity for bright, talented young people who are interested in pursuing a career in the non-profit sector. Participants in the program include recent graduates, as well as those with master's degrees, JDs, and PhDs. Associates come from a wide range of backgrounds and academic disciplines. When pursuing a career, people often don't realize the great job opportunities that market-oriented non-profit organizations provide for those interested in advancing the ideas of a free society. The Associate Program is a great way to jumpstart that career, because we help Associates develop the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary for a successful future with free-market think tanks, policy institutes, or other non-profit organizations. While in the program, Associates are placed into a full-time role with a reputable organization where they work four days each week. The positions available to Associates cover various fields such as policy analysis, donor relations, program management, legal reform, public relations, and marketing. A full list of the organizations where Associates work along with some examples of project placements can be found on our website. Then, one day each week, Associates come together in a seminar setting at the Foundation to engage in reading discussions and group projects, network with their peers, listen to guest speakers, and learn how to apply Market-Based Management® in a non-profit setting through interactive exercises and workshops. The Koch Associate Program is a full-time position. Associates receive a competitive wage and benefits package commensurate with experience and education. >

The Leadership Institute continues its fifty-state strategy by bringing grassroots training to the 50th state. Politicians, activists, and community leaders came together this week in Hawaii in a show of solidarity with the clear message, "Less Government, More Liberty.” Over 125 conservative political activists from Oahu, Maui and the Big Island attended a week-long series of grassroots training sessions designed to make them more effective in communication, fundraising, and political organizing. Several current and former state elected officials, candidates for the office of US Congress and the Lt. Governor of Hawaii were among the high caliber list of attendees. Local business owners and the heads of several public policy organizations also attended the training. Attendees were very grateful to the Institute and its donors for helping them fight the battle against tax and spend big government liberals.>

On Saturday, October 24, 2009, LI trained over 50 activists at the Doss Heritage and Cultural Center in Weatherford, Texas. While most of the students hailed from the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area, there were a few that made the trek from places much farther away, including two eager college students from St. Louis, Missouri. Attendees of the Grassroots Campaign School were energized, and one thing was certain after the day-long training; Don't Mess With Texas Conservatives!>

Second Amendment March, a grassroots organization of gun-rights supporters, is organizing a series of marches next year around the country, culminating in a national march on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on April 19, 2010. Organizers are seeking state coordinators to organize the local marches in all fifty states. Help is also needed in promotion of the event. You can spread the word by joining the march's Facebook group and following them on Twitter. The Twitter page is http://twitter.com/2amarch.March organizers stress the non-partisan nature of the event saying that the event is open to anyone who believes strongly in the Constitution. To learn more, go to www.secondamendmentmarch.com.>

The national debt. It seems so abstract. You hear the numbers. You know it's not good, but it doesn't seem to affect you directly. But it does.DefeatTheDebt.com is a new multi-media campaign designed to educate Americans on the size, scope, and dangers associated with America's rapidly soaring debt. The group is running ads on cable television and in newspapers around the country. The group's website also offers an easy-to-understand explanation of how large the debt is and why the nation's debt matters as well as how it personally impacts your life.At press time, the national debt stands at $11.9 trillion with nearly $2.5 billion in debt added on a daily basis. As the site points out, it's hard for those numbers alone to really affect most people. But when you realize—as the site goes on to explain—that our national debt is now larger than the economies of China, the United Kingdom, and Australia combined, you begin to get the picture.To learn more about the debt and what you can do to make your voice heard on this issue, go to www.DefeatTheDebt.com. >

The Institute for Humane Studies is accepting applications for its 2010-2011 Humane Studies Fellowships from undergraduate and graduate students interested in the “principles, practices and institutions necessary for a free society.” Fellowship recipients will receive up to $12,000 each. The program, launched in 1983, awarded 165 fellowships this year. Past winners have conducted research in areas such as:• impediments to economic growth in developing countries• market-based solutions to environmental policy• the role of patient autonomy in bioethics• the relationship between U.S. presidential politics, fiscal policy, and economic performance.Applicants for the 2010-2011 fellowship must be full-time students in a graduate program or juniors or seniors in an undergraduate program at a U.S. college or university. The application deadline is December 31, 2009. Go to www.theihs.org to learn more or to begin the online application process.>

Conservatives will convene at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington D.C. for the 37th Annual Conservative Political Action Conference February 18-20, 2010. The event features addresses from top conservative leaders and media personalities as well as smaller break-out training sessions.Registration prices vary anywhere from $175 to $750. However, students with a valid student ID can attend the general sessions and exhibitor hall for $25. Students interested in volunteering at the conference can receive free lodging and meals during the conference. E-mail Vincent Galatro at vgalatro@conservative.org for a volunteer application.Your Leadership Institute is one of the cosponsors of CPAC 2010 and will offer training sessions during the conference. To get all the details on CPAC, go to www.cpac.org. You can follow CPAC on Twitter at http://twitter.com/cpacnews.>

Over the weekend of October 17-18, 2009, the Leadership Institute held a Youth Leadership School in College Station, Texas. Forty-three students attended from colleges such as Baylor, Texas State, TCU, Texas A&M. Fernando Trevino of Del Rio, Texas, stated “I honestly feel that I learned more this weekend than I had in the time I spent as a congressional intern, county co-chair, and volunteer.” A number of TEA Party activists from San Antonio also attended the training. The night before the training, many of the YLS students protested Socialized Medicine at President Obama's speech in College Station.The next Youth Leadership School will be held in Pinehurst, NC, on October 29-30.>

Over 75 conservative elected officials, candidates and activists gathered for the Leadership Institute's Campaign School Held on Saturday, October 5, 2009 in Carson City, NV. Representatives from the Governor's office, the Nevada State House, and local offices were trained on how to become more effective in campaigning and public policy. The day-long training was held at Carson City's Plaza Hotel in the Convention Center and featured notable national speakers such as Joel Mowbray, Robert Arnakis, and Robert Cahaly. As the 2010 political races begin to heat up Nevada's voters want their voices to be heard and from the looks of this weekend's training, Nevada politicians are paying close attention. The Leadership Institute training was so well received that additional trainings will possibly be scheduled in Reno, Las Vegas, and Winnemucca.>

On October 7, 2009, more than 70 guests filled the FM Kirby National Training Center to listen to former Secretary of the Navy, Dr. John Lehman at this month's Wednesday Wake-Up Club Breakfast. The large crowd enjoyed listening to the Reagan White House secretary appraise the, “State of our Defenses.” It was a dynamic speech, and Secretary Lehman assured the crowd that we must continue to work toward filling all ranks with sharp, young conservatives.>

On Friday, October 2, 2009, the Leadership Institute hosted its 3rd annual Free Market Job Fair during Americans For Prosperity's Defending the American Dream Summit in Arlington, VA. Over 100 conservative job seekers attended the fair to meet with representatives from 15 prominent conservative organizations, to discuss job and internship opportunities and to learn how to get plugged into the conservative movement.>

Hoping for 30 or 40 participants, Leadership Institute trainers were blown away when as many as 100 enthusiastic attendees crowded into a room at the Defending the American Dream Summit hosted by Americans for Prosperity at the Gateway Marriott near Reagan National Airport on October 2, 2009. Despite the jammed conditions – 68 chairs plus a packed standing room only space in the back of the room – LI staff were able to collect over 70 signed attendance sheets in a room that remained packed for over three solid hours. More important, a large number of attendees requested information about doing further training in their regions of the country.>

On October 1, 2009 the Leadership Institute trained over 30 interns from area conservative organizations at the Conservative Intern Workshop. Students from Competitive Enterprise Institute, The Heritage Foundation, Concerned Women for America, and several Congressional offices turned out to hone their professional skills and learn the ropes of living in Washington, DC. At the conclusion of the workshop, the students stayed for dinner and a viewing of the documentary Not Evil Just Wrong.>

On Friday, October 2, 2009, the Leadership Institute hosted its 3rd annual Free Market Job Fair during Americans For Prosperity's Defending the American Dream Summit in Arlington, VA. Over 100 conservative job seekers attended the fair to meet with representatives from 15 prominent conservative organizations, to discuss job and internship opportunities and to learn how to get plugged into the conservative movement. >

After completing the Leadership Institute's Student Publications Workshop, UNC-Wilmington students Kevin King, Tyler Cralle, and Cameron Spencer were inspired to start their own paper. Equipped with several story ideas from the training, they quickly assembled a team of writers. The first issue of the Conservative Hawk published at the end of August 2009 with financial support of Leadership Institute donors through a Balance in Media Grant. The UNC-Wilmington team are currently working on the second issue of the Conservative Hawk. We have recommended them to the Collegiate Network, a division of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, which provides additional funding for superior student newspapers started by the Leadership Institute field staff.>

As September 2009 rounds to a close, LI's Employment Placement Service has placed over 100 conservatives in jobs and internships this year. As the “Human Resources Department of the Conservative Movement,” the Leadership Institute is able help launch many talented conservative careers through ConservativeJobs.com and by personal referrals sent to organizations in the DC area and around the country.Contact the Leadership Institute today to schedule your personal career counseling session or to launch the search for your next staff member.>

It is no secret that strong public speaking skills are vital to success in politics. However, many individuals mistakenly assume that strong principles and sound policies alone can carry the day. On Friday, September 25, 2009, the Leadership Institute conducted a Public Speaking Workshop to train conservatives to connect with an audience and persuade voters.Led by Dr. John Shosky, professional speechwriter, coach, and trainer, the workshop took conservatives through the steps necessary to construct a persuasive speech and deliver a moving message.As a follow-up to Friday's training, the Leadership Institute will hold an Advanced Public Speaking Workshop on November 13. >

From September 22-24, 2009, the Leadership Institute welcomed 40 eager job seekers to our headquarters in Arlington, VA for the final Conservative Career Workshop of 2009. The group heard from a number of distinguished leaders in the conservative movement, including David A. Keene, President of the American Conservative Union and Paul Teller, Ph.D., the Executive Director of the Republican Study Committee. The workshop has helped many conservative job seekers secure an ideal position and get the salary they want. Additionally, on October 1, the Leadership Institute will host a free Conservative Intern Workshop where students will learn how to become unforgettable assets to their offices or organizations.>

The Youth Leadership School (YLS) cleared 600 students trained this year on the weekend of September 19-20, 2009, with schools running simultaneously in both Virginia and Pennsylvania. The YLS held in Warminster, PA, just north of Valley Forge, had 28 students in attendance. The group represented a large sampling of local politics from Teenage Republicans, Young Republicans, College Republicans, three elected officials, and one gentleman interested in running for congress. The school also made head way in the local media. The conference was covered by the Intelligencer on how LI is “Training Leaders For Tomorrow's Politics”. After the school one student was quoted as saying, “Having attended the YLS it is not difficult to understand why LI has the reputation it has.”Our school in Front Royal, VA had great success as well. 23 students attended many of which were homeschool students and students from Christendom College. The students were visited by State Senator. Ken Cuccinelli. Sen. Cuccinelli discussed the importance of young conservatives getting trained to become more effective for candidates or causes of their choice. >

During the weekend of September 19-20, 2009, eleven activists and future candidates attended the Leadership Institute's Television Workshop. Through this workshop, conservatives are given the opportunity to gain valuable in-studio experience and confidence that will allow them capitalize on media appearances and maximize the impact of their message.“With all the appearances and less than inspired performances, it is almost as if the president has come to believe that if he just keeps showing up on TV over and over and over, his message will carry the day and he will regain control of the health care debate,” says Baltimore Sun TV critic David Zurawik about the president's most recent appearance on David Letterman. Just being on television doesn't mean you are delivering your message effectively as Mr. Zurawik points out.As the 24 hour cable news cycle churns through talking heads at an almost dizzying pace, owning your message and breaking through the clutter on television is more important than ever. You may only get a few minutes to explain to thousands of viewers why you decided to attend the Tea Parties, or why you are choosing to run for elected office and you need to make it count. >