It’s a real pleasure to welcome Nick Rasmussen and Michele Malvesti to our growing cadre of elite professionals at the Clements Center for National Security at UT Austin. Dr. Will Inboden, the Executive Director who is a star in national security circles, has already built a world class institution, and it’s getting better and better all the time.
When I tell conservatives that UT Austin has a world class conservative national security institute that we have built from the ground up, most don’t believe it, as UT Austin is famous (or infamous depending on your perspective) as the most liberal major institution of higher education in the State of Texas. But it couldn’t be more true. The leadership at UT is keenly aware it’s important for the university to provide multiple perspectives and viewpoints, and not provide a homogenous leftist echo chamber for its students.
Because of the Clements Center, there will be many more conservative, patriotic, principled scholars in future years teaching national security policy at major world universities. And hundreds of other young people who choose careers in the military, foreign service, CIA, Department of Justice, Homeland Security, and other national security agencies out of patriotic duty and a desire to serve their country.
Mr. Rasmussen and Ms. Malvesti joining our leadership will make us even stronger. As Chairman of the Board, I salute all the hard work Dr. Inboden has put in to take the Center to new heights of excellence, with more to come. For those of you all looking for a success story in academia to get involved with or support with your time, talent and treasure, you couldn’t find a more worthy recipient than the Clements Center.
