‘Most Important Undergraduate in the Country’ Tapped to Fight Campus Left at Helm of Surging Young Americans for Freedom
RESTON, VA- Young America’s Foundation is thrilled to announce the appointment of 20 year-old University of Michigan student Grant Strobl to chairman of the Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) Board of Governors. As YAF chairman, Grant will lead a massive army of young conservatives on campuses across the country with a multimillion-dollar budget, all while continuing his work as an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan.
Since its founding by William F. Buckley in 1960, YAF’s historical strength has been empowering young conservatives to fuel the Conservative Movement’s biggest victories, from the ascensions of Barry Goldwater to Ronald Reagan all the way through today’s fight for free speech on college campuses. At 20 years old, Strobl is already an accomplished veteran of that battle. No young person in the country is better equipped to help introduce students to conservative ideas and protect free speech rights on campuses.
Strobl’s career as a nationally recognized conservative activist began in high school. At the age of 17 he fought his administration to allow Steve Forbes to speak on campus, started a grassroots “Respect All Women” campaign to highlight feminist hypocrisy that made headlines across the country, and changed school district policy on campus-wide assemblies. In his first two years of college activism, Grant founded a YAF chapter, lead the charge to defend the screening of American Sniper from being canceled by politically correct administrators, organized a widely-covered debate between Dinesh D’Souza and Bill Ayers, and hosted lectures by Ben Shapiro, Jonah Goldberg, and other conservative leaders.
“Student activists need student leaders,” said Young America’s Foundation President Ron Robinson. “The responsibility that comes with the chairmanship of YAF, including its multi-million dollar budget and network of thousands of activists, makes Grant the most important undergraduate in the country—a role for which he is remarkably well-prepared.”
In a statement to Young America’s Foundation, Strobl commented, “Young Americans for Freedom is the foremost youth outreach organization in the Conservative Movement with a rich history. It is an incredible honor to be named chairman of the Young Americans for Freedom Board of Governors, and I am excited to work with other board members to grow YAF and expand the Movement. As a current college student, I believe that my generation will be the conservative generation, and I am determined that YAF will make it so.”
Michael Jones, outgoing YAF chairman, offered his encouragement, stating, “Since 1960, Young Americans for Freedom has produced a litany of remarkable conservative leaders. By virtue of his noble character and principled student activism, Grant Strobl’s tenure of the organization that Buckley honored, Goldwater treasured, and Reagan admired will no doubt yield a new generation of influential young conservatives. As the torch of freedom is now passed, I wish Grant the fullest measure of success at the helm.”
Young America’s Foundation merged with Young Americans for Freedom in 2011, growing the number of YAF chapters significantly in only five years. Both organizations are historical institutions of the Conservative Movement and have more than half a century of experience in promoting freedom among America’s youngest generations.
The Foundation is confident that both Ronald Reagan, YAF’s longtime honorary national chairman, and its founder, William F. Buckley, would be delighted to know their treasured youth organization is in the capable hands of Grant Strobl.
