Where Freedom

Meets Opportunity

Our Founding Fathers envisioned a government that champions freedom and opportunity while respecting individual potential. Guided by this vision, we believe in a system that empowers personal initiative and creates a landscape where everyone has the chance to thrive.

Mitch Daniels

The Academy and The University of Illinois hosts Mitch Daniels, former president of Purdue University, former governor of Indiana, and an outspoken advocate for economic freedom.

Reaching Minds

Viewpoint Diversity is essential for developing critical thinking. We support educational opportunities students would otherwise not have: Opportunities to learn the moral and economic value of capitalism. We foster the experience of discovering different arguments and ideas and the chance to explore the rich intellectual tradition of individual liberty.

Weekend Exploring Liberty: Freedom Unveiled
Cohosted with Young Americas Foundation

“Thank you for making it possible for me and other students to attend the Freedom Unveiled Seminar. At the seminar, I had the opportunity to hear from multiples speakers who shared similar values to mine. I was also able to connect with like-minded students and form new relationships. I hope I can take what I learned from the seminar and get more students involved.”—Ashley, University of Illinois

Each semester the Academy supports lectures by scholars, authors, and leaders, to provide provocative and educational commentary on ideas critical to current events, human well-being, and American society. These events are open to the public and well attended by students, faculty, and the broader community.
These week-long residential seminars provide an intensive educational experience on the foundations of liberty.
Summer Seminars also provide students with opportunities to network and engage with like-minded individuals. This includes group activities, social events, and opportunities to meet with industry leaders and professionals in the liberty movement.
Students from all three University of Illinois campuses participate in the annual Weekends Exploring Liberty supported by donors to the Academy on Capitalism.
These annual programs are a favorite of students because they provide an opportunity to interact with great thinkers and professors outside of their normal classroom settings. Students are given a chance over several days to get to know each other better, meet and learn from inspiring dedicated teachers, and be introduced to and explore ideas they might otherwise never encounter in a modern college setting.
Every week seems to bring a new story to national attention about the lack of ideological diversity and intellectual openness on college campuses. The Weekend Exploring Liberty series gives students a chance to move outside of the limited scope of many existing courses and explore, debate, and learn in an open and encouraging environment where more sides and view points are introduced.
Learning about business is also learning about the economic, legal, and political system that makes business possible.
Infused throughout our programs is the lesson that learning about business IS learning about capitalism.