The Leadership Institute offers 44 types of training seminars at its Arlington headquarters, around the United States, and occasionally in foreign countries.[4] In 2014, the Institute trained 18,182.[5] Since its 1979 founding, the Leadership Institute has trained more than 161,271 students. Alumni include Grover Norquist, Ralph Reed, Jeff Gannon, Senator Mitch McConnell, Vice-President Mike Pence, James O'Keefe, new members of the 113th Congress, and elected officials in all 50 states.[6]
Mission
The Leadership Institute's mission is to increase the number and effectiveness of conservative activists and leaders in the public policy process. To accomplish this, the Institute identifies, recruits, trains, and places conservatives in government, politics, and the media.[7]
Founded in 1979 by its president, Morton C. Blackwell, the Leadership Institute (LI) teaches conservatives the nuts and bolts of how to succeed in the public policy process. The Institute strives to produce a new generation of public policy leaders unwavering in their commitment to free enterprise, limited government, strong national defense, and traditional values. Institute graduates are equipped with practical skills and professional training to implement sound principles through effective public policy.[8]
Campus Reform is LI's news website focused on higher education. The online publication's news offerings often highlight incidents of what it considers to be liberal bias on American college campuses.[9]
^Schmidt, Peter (8 September 2015). "Higher Education's Internet Outrage Machine". The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved 13 May 2016. Most important, in its view, it had scored 15 "victories" — a term it applies to any situation in which a college changes a policy, fires someone, or otherwise responds to concerns raised by the reporting on its site.