Matthew J. Ryan Center

The Matthew J. Ryan Center wishes all students good luck on exams!

https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2018/12/47136/

Private Equity: How it Serves the Common Good To serve the common good, private equity managers need the virtues of humility and magnanimity. If they exhibit these virtues, their companies will grow, increasing human capital and wealth.

Pictures from recent Ryan Center trip to Monticello, VA.

Happy Thanksgiving from the Matthew J. Ryan Center!

Enjoy reading George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation aloud at your dinner table tonight.

https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-04-02-0091

Founders Online: Thanksgiving Proclamation, 3 October 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation, 3 October 1789

Matthew J. Ryan Center updated their business hours.

We are pleased to announce a new partnership with the Pepperdine Policy Partners Program (P4). The P4 is a graduate program in Public Policy at Pepperdine University. Students affiliated with the Ryan Center and interested in public policy are encouraged to apply to the P4 in order to take advantage of special benefits available to students from P4 partners. More information, including the benefits available to students, is available here: https://publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/admission/partnerships/p4.htm

P4: Pepperdine Policy Partners Program | Pepperdine University | School of Public Policy Extended benefits to social science programs and/or like-minded co-curricular fellowships.

Join us on February 22nd at 4:00 in the Connelly Center Cinema for a lecture with Archbishop Charles Chaput! Archbishop Chaput will be delivering our inaugural Religion and Public Life Lecture. Free and open to the public!

Join us tomorrow for our event with Robert P. George and Cornel West discussing "The Values, Virtues, and Challenges of a Liberal Arts Education"! The event is at 3:00 in the Villanova Room in Villanova's Connelly Center. Arrive early to save a seat!

The Ryan Center is hosting Professor Robert P. George and Professor Cornel West for a conversation on "The Values, Virtues, and Challenges of a Liberal Arts Education."

Professors George and West are longtime friends despite -- or perhaps because of -- deep disagreements about some of the most important questions of our day. Join us as George and West discuss free speech, civility, and disciplined inquiry as friends and colleagues committed to a pursuit of truth.

This event will be in the Villanova Room in the Connelly Center on Vllanova's Campus on January 19th at 3:00.

Please come see these two leading public intellectuals demonstrate their commitment to reasoned inquiry and civil dialogue.

Take a look at this article by former Senior Fellow Dr. William Allen.

https://amgreatness.com/2017/08/17/not-trump-hate-us/

It’s Not Trump They Hate—It’s Us! A storm gathers over the United States, threatening to inundate the very foundations of our civic edifice. In the heat of recriminations over the events of Charlottesville it would be easy to divert attention from this underlying reality. But the dangers are so grave

http://video.foxnews.com/v/5380513462001/? =show-clips

Protests disrupt Charles Murray talk at Villanova University Rob Schmitt reports from Pennsylvania campus

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/03/31/anti-charles-murray-protesters-hauled-out-villanova-speech.html

Anti-Charles Murray protesters hauled out of Villanova speech A group of protesters briefly halted a speech from the controversial scholar Charles Murray at Villanova University Thursday – but if they’d planned to shut it down, it didn’t work.

In response to Villanovans who have called for the disinvitation of Charles Murray to speak at Villanova, Professors Brian Satterfield and Colleen Sheehan wrote the following: http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20170330_Commentary__Why_Charles_Murray_was_invited_to_Villanova.html

Commentary: Why Charles Murray was invited to Villanova Given the recent protests of a Charles Murray lecture at Middlebury College in Vermont, and the injuries to the professor who interviewed him, some have asked why the Matthew J. Ryan Center at Villanova University has invited him to speak this week. What do we hope to achieve, they inquire, and, giv...

Check out this piece on free speech published in the Philadelphia Inquirer today by Ryan Center professors Dr. Steven McGuire and Prof. John-Paul Spiro:
http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20170312_Commentary__At_Middlebury__protesters_assault_free_speech_and_the_politics_that_bind_us.html

Commentary: At Middlebury, protesters assault free speech and the politics that bind us Steven F. McGuire is the Thomas W. Smith fellow at the Matthew J. Ryan Center at Villanova University John-Paul Spiro

Check out today's commentary piece on Millennials and Civic Engagement in the Philadelphia Inquirer, written by former Ryan Fellow and Assistant Director of the Ryan Center, Brenda Hafera:

http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20170205_Commentary__Hey__millennials__it_s_OK_to_disagree.html

Commentary: Hey, millennials, it's OK to disagree Brenda M. Hafera is the coordinator of alumni programs and continuing education at the Fund for American Studies, and a member of the Matthew J. Ryan Society of Villanova University

January 12-15, 2017

Great article by our director, Dr. Colleen Sheehan!

http://dailysignal.com/2016/12/16/what-the-third-amendment-teaches-about-individual-rights-and-responsibilities/

What the Third Amendment Teaches About Rights and Duties This amendment is less well-known than others, but it goes to the core of American liberty.

Check out Henry Olsen's analysis of the election results in the following article. Mr. Olsen is a visiting professor at Villanova and a senior fellow at the Ryan Center.
http://nypost.com/2016/11/13/behind-hillarys-defeat-her-pathetic-appeal-to-undecided-voters/

Behind Hillary’s defeat: Her pathetic appeal to undecided voters America’s political elite remains in shock over Donald Trump’s historic upset. Some blame bad polling while Hillary Clinton herself blames James Comey. Neither explanation is correct. The truth is …

Join us tonight from 7-9pm to watch the election night coverage in Old Falvey 304.

Congratulations to our Thomas W. Smith Fellow, Dr. Steven McGuire, on the publication of *Concepts of Nature: Ancient and Modern,* a volume he edited with Dr. RJ Snell of Eastern University. See the following link for more information: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781498527552/Concepts-of-Nature-Ancient-and-Modern

Concepts-of-Nature-Ancient-and-Modern This volume focuses on the question of how and why the concept of nature has changed its meaning in modernity and whether a rearticulation of premodern ideas about nature is possible in the modern...

For everyone not yet registered in Pennsylvania who wishes to do so: the deadline to register and be eligible to vote in the upcoming election is October 11th. This link shows you how to register and even lets you register online! We urge everyone to register and participate this November and beyond!

https://www.pavoterservices.state.pa.us/pages/VoterRegistrationApplication.aspx

Voter Registration Application Checking the "I do not have a PA driver's license or PennDOT ID card or a Social Security Number." checkbox clears the PA driver's license or PennDOT ID Card number and the Social Security number. You should only check this box if you have never been issued a PA driver's license or PennDOT ID card o...

In honor of we asked our scholars to write a blurb explaining what the Constitution means to them. The responses were outstanding, we hope you enjoy reading them as much as we did!

“The Founding of our nation was a historical anomaly; a turning point in world history in which the greatest ideas of Western thought culminated in a set of papers which established the greatest country to ever have existed on this Earth. Maintaining a level of deep reverence for our Founding is not only part of America's tradition - it necessary to preserve America from falling into the patterns of all other failed states of the past. The Constitution, the document at the forefront of our Founding, is what has made and what will continue to make America the greatest nation ever created.”— Jay Santoro ‘18

“For me, the Constitution is all about self-determination. Its intention is more than “justice” and “liberty” and “equality.” All those ideals, together with the other freedoms and protections listed in the Constitution, allow for and encourage self-determination. The whole premise of the American Dream is that you have the freedom and opportunity to live how you want to live; all you have to do is work for it. As cliché as the American Dream is, it’s still a dream I believe in and the Constitution is the foundation for that.”— Lauren Altobelli ‘18

“The U.S. Constitution established a system of government that could effectively protect its citizens, while limit its capacity to infringe their natural rights. Under the Constitution, ordinary citizens have the capacity of govern themselves and flourish. It established a system based on reflection and choice, not accident and force.”— Shiza Francis ‘17

“The Constitution of the United States is an incredible document because it orders and safeguards our government, in a way that preserves the rule of law for generation after generation of Americans. It originally sought to bind the people of various states into one nation, and continues to be the basis of what forms America and what its people hold in common. In addition, it is a rare document in that it bases its government and its legitimacy in the welfare of its citizens. Its preamble states that to "establish justice" is one of the first reasons it was founded, and goes on to express a commitment to "secure the blessings of liberty," which shows how the Constitution seeks to promote the good of its people, protected by creating a restrained government.”— Isabel Annette Nelson ‘17

“This will mark the first Constitution Day since the passing of the great Justice Antonin Scalia. He was a fierce protector of the document on which the freedom and prosperity of the world relies. To honor his memory, it is our duty to fearlessly fight to preserve the Constitution and the ideas of liberty that it enshrines.”— Ray Horner ‘17

"As a citizen of the United States of America, I care about the Constitution because it protects justice, as well as the rights and freedom of every citizen. This sovereign document also protects us all from a series of political ills that we are lucky enough to not have to think about. The Constitution grants me with the ability to live free from oppression and persecution for my beliefs, and that is why I believe that it is worth celebrating."— Claire Getter
“I find the Constitution to be one of the most perfect articulations of the protection of the many over the interests of the few. It was revolutionary in establishing a government for its people, allowing them the opportunity to pursue a world of possibilities.”— Ashley Arcidiacono ‘18

“The Constitution means so much more than the 4,400 words on the page. Don’t get me wrong, those 4,400 words are important as they outline the greatest governmental institution to ever exist, but there’s more to it than that. It is the perfect embodiment of American ideals. It is an eternal reminder of our founding principles. The Constitution simultaneously shows us where we have been and where we need to go. It is a document worth celebrating every single day.”— Conor J McGuinness ‘17

Join us tomorrow at 3:30pm for an exciting debate on the Presidential Election!

Join us on Friday, September 16 at 3:30pm in Mendel Hall for our panel discussion on Election 2016!

Exciting news!
We have created an official Twitter page for the Matthew J Ryan Center (https://twitter.com/VURyanCenter) Give us a follow for updates, meeting times, lecture dates, and interesting quotes!

Ryan Center at VU (@VURyanCenter) | Twitter The latest Tweets from Ryan Center at VU (). The Matthew J. Ryan Center for the Study of Free Institutions and the Public Good at Villanova University. Pennsylvania, USA

Come join us as we kick off our two student discussion groups this week!

On Wednesday, August 31 at 7:30pm, our undergraduate discussion group will meet to discuss Brexit. Pizza will be served!

On Thursday, September 1 at 6:00pm, we will have our first Liberty and Learning Symposium, which is open to both graduate students and undergraduates. We will be discussing Plato's Republic Book VIII, which can be found at the following link:http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/republic.9.viii.html

The Internet Classics Archive | The Republic by Plato The Republic by Plato, part of the Internet Classics Archive

Join us tonight at 6:00 PM to discuss David Foster Wallace's "This is Water." Dinner and refreshments will be served. Hope to see you there!

**If you are not on our email list, you can find the reading for this week here: www.metastatic.org/text/This%20is%20Water.pdf

Join us tonight at 6:00 PM to discuss George Washington's "Farewell Address." Dinner and refreshments will be served. Hope to see you there!

**If you are not on our email list, you can find the reading for this week here: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/washing.asp