In the 1950s, the Left began its march across major American institutions, including academia. Higher education became a place where progressive political ideologies dominated and students were pressured into a single way of thinking.

The Intercollegiate Studies Institute was founded in 1953 to fight back. Under the leadership of its founder, conservative intellectual Frank Chodorov, and its first president, recent Yale graduate William F. Buckley, ISI sought to reclaim academia from the growing influence of the Left.

Since its founding, ISI has remained committed to teaching undergraduates the principles and virtues that make America free and prosperous. We do this by hosting in-person educational programs such as retreats and conferences, training student journalists through our Collegiate Network, and facilitating discussions among conservative intellectuals through our publications, digital media, and newsletters.

Looking ahead, ISI is investing in the future through our America 500 Campaign to reach, teach, and launch the next generation of conservative leaders. We will continue to offer outstanding students a demanding but rewarding alternative to the modern classroom that teaches them to defend conservative values and lead lives of virtue.