A Yale student urged conservatives not to give up on the Ivy League university, arguing that “conservatism is not dead at Yale — not even close.”
Michael Samaritano, a sophomore history and philosophy major attending Yale, won the inaugural William F. Buckley Jr. Essay Contest, started by National Review Institute.
“Regardless of how much we desire it, Yale, and the rest of America’s elite universities, aren’t disappearing anytime soon,” Samaritano wrote in his essay. “These institutions have power, money, connections, and — to be completely honest — many of the top intellectuals and instructors in the world, even (and especially) in the humanities. Whether we like it or not, these institutions will continue to shape the future of our country. Just take a look at the current Supreme Court. Four justices from Yale. Four justices from Harvard. One justice from Notre Dame.”
Samaritano also wrote how Ivy League institutions have influenced the conservative movement with graduates including former President Donald Trump, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“You can do a lot more there, I think as a conservative,” he told the College Fix, stressing that intellectual debate benefits all students as the reasons for beliefs are explained. “You’re establishing your principles.”
Daniel Tenreiro, a fellow with the National Review Insitute, also attended Yale and participated in the contest. He affirmed Samaritano’s position.
“Michael identified something that is pretty evident on Yale’s campus, which is that although there are conservative groups that exist, they’re mostly just arguing for the possibility of discourse rather than making any sort of meaningful claims,” he told the College Fix. “I think that that was one of the most incisive things that he points out.”
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The contest intends to promote thought and discussion surrounding William F. Buckley Jr.’s writings, including his God and Man at Yale book, a critique of his alma mater and its growing biases. Buckley was a conservative author and political commentator who founded National Review.
