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  Ryan Streeter, Executive Director, Civitas Institute

  Ryan Streeter is executive director of the Civitas Institute. Previously, Streeter was the State Farm James Q. Wilson Scholar and director of domestic policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute (A.E.I.), where he facilitated research in education, technology, housing, urban policy, poverty studies, workforce development, and public opinion. Before joining A.E.I., he was executive director of the Center for Politics and Governance at UT-Austin. Streeter has had a distinguished career in government service. He has served as a policy advisor to a U.S. president, a governor, and a mayor. Outside of government, he has served as a senior fellow at the Legatum Institute and a research fellow at the Hudson Institute. Streeter’s most recent book is Doing Right by Kids: Leveraging Social Capital and Innovation to Increase Opportunity, which he co-edited with Scott Winship and Yuval Levin. He also co-edited The Future of Cities, authored Transforming Charity, edited Religion and the Public Square, co-authored The Soul of Civil Society, and contributed to Stephen Goldsmith’s book Putting Faith in Neighborhoods. Additionally, he is the author, co-author, and editor of more than 150 articles and papers for outlets including Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Atlantic, USA Today, The Hill, City Journal, and National Review. He has a Ph.D. in political philosophy from Emory University.

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  Justin Dyer, Dean, School of Civic Leadership

  Justin Dyer was the founding director of the Civitas Institute and is the inaugural dean of UT’s School of Civic Leadership. He also holds faculty appointments in the Department of Government and the Department of Business, Government, and Society. Dyer writes and teaches in the fields of American political thought, jurisprudence, and constitutionalism, with an emphasis on the perennial philosophical tradition of natural law. He is the author or editor of eight books and numerous articles, essays, and book reviews. His most recent book, with Kody Cooper, is The Classical and Christian Origins of American Politics: Political Theology, Natural Law, and the American Founding. His previous books include C.S. Lewis on Politics and the Natural Law, and Slavery, Abortion, and the Politics of Constitutional Meaning. He also is co-editor of the constitutional law casebook American Constitutional Law. He was previously a professor of political science at the University of Missouri, where he served as the founding director of the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy. After attending the University of Oklahoma, he completed his M.A. and Ph.D. in government at The University of Texas at Austin.

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  Richard Reinsch, Editor-in-Chief

  Richard M. Reinsch II is editor-in-chief of the Civitas Institute. Previously, he was the editor-in-chief and director of publications of the American Institute for Economic Research. At AIER, Reinsch introduced the Institute’s white paper program, helped launch two new podcasts, Qualified Opinions and Econception, and led AIER’s online journal, The Daily Economy. He served as director of the B. Kenneth Simon Center for American Studies and AWC Family Foundation Fellow at the Heritage Foundation. He was also a senior fellow at Liberty Fund, where he also founded Law & Liberty and its podcast. Reinsch is the author of Whittaker Chambers: The Spirit of Counterrevolutionary, edited the collection Seeking the Truth: An Orestes Brownson Anthology, and coauthored with Peter A. Lawler The Constitution in Full: Recovering the Unwritten Foundation of American Liberty. He has also published essays and reviews in numerous publications, including Perspectives on Political Science, Logos, Religion & Liberty, Modern Age, National Review, Washington Examiner, and City Journal. He holds a J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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  Bryce Waller, Chief Development Officer

  Bryce Waller is the chief development officer for the School of Civic Leadership and the Civitas Institute. Bryce brings to his role more than fifteen years of executive leadership experience across a range of nonprofit and for-profit organizations both domestically and abroad. He is a skilled fundraiser and relationship-builder who enjoys the process of helping individuals and families realize their visions through contributions to institutions that align with their values. He is passionate about higher education and its role in shaping a healthy society. Bryce is originally from Austin and earned a B.A. in English from the University of Texas at Austin and an M.Div. from Westminster Seminary California.

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  Bo Herlin, Director of Public Affairs

  Bo Herlin is director of public affairs at the Civitas Institute. Previously, he was head of communications at a national not-for-profit leadership organization. Before that, he led marketing and communications at a venture-backed software company. He began his career at Accelus, a fast-growing medical technology startup, and later helped turn around a ninety-year-old niche publishing company. He also worked as a research assistant on a small team led by David Brooks. Bo is originally from Hobe Sound, Florida and earned a B.A. from Davidson College.

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  Sarah Beth Kitch, Director of Academic Programs

  Sarah Beth V. Kitch is director of academic programs in the School of Civic Leadership. An award-winning teacher, she invites students to intentional opportunities to reflect on the task of being human. Kitch’s teaching and research interests are in American political thought, African American political thought, political theology, and ethics. She has written for the Journal of Church & State, American Journal of Political Science, Law & Liberty, and Starting Points. Previously, Kitch taught at St. Agnes Academy (Houston), was an assistant professor at the University of Missouri, visiting assistant professor at Northern Illinois University, the Thomas W. Smith Postdoctoral Research Associate in Religion & Public Life at Princeton University, and instructor of political science at Louisiana State University. Kitch earned a B.A. in mass communication and journalism from Southeastern Louisiana University and an M.A. and Ph.D. in political theory at Louisiana State University.

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  Antonio Sosa, Associate Director

  Antonio Sosa is associate director for the School of Civic Leadership. In this capacity, he oversees the development of fellowships, conferences, and courses that invite students to reflect on the principles of a free society. Prior to joining School of Civic Leadership, Antonio was an adjunct professor at the University of Dallas, where he taught classes on classical political philosophy, the American Founding, modern European history, and the history of liberal arts education. He is primarily interested in the defense of liberal democracy that is found in the thought of Tocqueville, Ortega y Gasset, and Leo Strauss. His writing has appeared in journals such as Interpretation and Perspectives on Political Science and in online magazines such as Public Discourse and Law and Liberty. He graduated with a B.A. in English and a B.A. in film from Pennsylvania State University and an M.A. in international relations from The New School. He is a doctoral candidate in political philosophy at the University of Dallas.

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  Catherine Borck, Assistant Director of Academic Programs

  Catherine Borck is assistant director of academic programs in the School of Civic Leadership. She is a political theorist with specialties in Platonic political philosophy, politics, literature, and the history of political thought. Prior to joining the School of Civic Leadership Borck taught a wide range of courses in politics, American government, and political theory at the University of North Texas and the University of Hartford. She received her B.A from the Oglethorpe University and her Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame.

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  Sydney Leary, Assistant Director for Research and Programs

  Sydney Leary is assistant director for research and programs at the Civitas Institute, where she manages operations for the Institute’s growing research programs. She joins Civitas from the American Enterprise Institute (A.E.I.), where she oversaw policy work on issues of education, technology, housing, agriculture, science, and poverty as the program manager for domestic policy studies. Sydney started her career in Washington, D.C. crafting and facilitating academic programs for undergraduate and graduate level students at A.E.I. and the Hudson Institute. She is an alumna of the Danish Institute of Study Abroad European Politics Cohort and has completed fellowships with the Fund for American Studies, Hudson Institute Political Studies, and the Fulbright Program’s English teaching assistant program in the Czech Republic. Sydney is a graduate of Villanova University, where she received an honors B.A. in politics, philosophy, and humanities.

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  Lindsay Eberhardt, Executive Editor

  Lindsay Eberhardt is the executive editor for the Civitas Institute. Formerly, she was senior editor at Common Sense Society; managing editor for Dissident.com, The American Mind, and the Claremont Review of Books Digital; and an assistant editor at the Claremont Review of Books. She has taught politics and political philosophy at the U.S. Naval Academy, George Mason University, and CSUSB and her writings have been published in The Journal of Woman, Politics, and Policy and Political Research Quarterly. She holds a B.A. in political science from the University of Alaska, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in political philosophy and American government from Claremont Graduate University.

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  Allison Smythe, Senior Project Manager

  Allison Smythe is the senior project manager for the Civitas Institute. In this capacity, she oversees academic and community events; branding, marketing, and communications; and alumni engagement. Prior to joining the Civitas Institute, Allison was senior program coordinator at the Kinder Institute at the University of Missouri where she developed strategic marketing campaigns for undergraduate and graduate student recruitment; designed an alumni engagement program; and promoted and coordinated local and international academic and community events and conferences. In addition, she continues to direct the award-winning boutique graphic design firm Ars Graphica on a limited basis. She graduated from Texas Tech with a B.F.A. in design communication and studied creative writing as an M.F.A. student at the University of Houston. Her essays and poetry have been published in the Southern Review, the Gettysburg Review, Relief Magazine, Verse Daily, and others.

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  Melissa Pardue, Events Coordinator

  Melissa Pardue is a consultant with the Civitas Institute, helping with writing and events. She has a background in policymaking in Washington, D.C., having served as deputy assistant secretary for human service policy in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as well as associate director in the White House Domestic Policy Council. Melissa also served as a Capitol Hill staffer for several years and as a policy analyst for social welfare policy at The Heritage Foundation. In that capacity, she published numerous op-eds and appeared regularly on radio and TV interviews. Originally from Dallas, she has worked as an independent policy consultant for over a decade in Austin. Melissa completed her M.S. in policy from Columbia University and holds a B.A. in social work from the University of Oklahoma.

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  Eva Lopez-Trujillo, Sr. Administrative Associate

  Eva Lopez-Trujillo is the senior administrative associate for the Civitas Institute. Prior to joining the Civitas Institute, Lopez-Trujillo was in the Department of Student Accounts Receivable as an accountant. She graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a B.S. in kinesiology. Eva assists the Civitas Institute’s staff and clients with travel planning and cost accounting.

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  Faramola Shonekan, Sr. Administrative Associate

  Faramola Shonekan is the associate of academic programs for the School of Civic Leadership. Prior to moving to Austin, Faramola was the director of community partnerships and education at Ragtag Film Society, an arts non-profit in mid-Missouri, where she helped to build programming around media literacy and community engagement through the arts. Shonekan did her graduate studies at the University of Oxford, and her undergraduate studies at the University of Missouri, where she also ran track and field and cross country and served as a team captain. Faramola holds a B.A. in history and communications and an M.A. in global and imperial history.

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  Zachary Springer, Sr. Administrative Associate

  Zachary Springer is a senior administrative associate with the Civitas Institute. Prior to joining the Civitas Institute, he worked as a Latin instructor for high school students while finishing his undergraduate studies. Zach is originally from Lubbock, Texas and earned a B.A. in philosophy and classical languages from UT-Austin.

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  Richard Burkhauser

  In 2017 Richard V. Burkhauser became Emeritus Sarah Gibson Blanding Professor of Public Policy in the Department of Policy Analysis and Management at Cornell University. Previously Burkhauser held tenured professor positions in the Department of Economics at Vanderbilt University and at Syracuse University. Between September 2017 and May 2019, he was a member of the Council of Economic Advisers in the Executive Office of the President. His professional career has focused on how public policies affect the employment and well-being of vulnerable populations. In 2010 he was the president of the Association for Public Policy and Management. He received his Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago.

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  Richard Epstein

  Richard A. Epstein, the Peter and Kirsten Bedford Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, is the Laurence A. Tisch Professor of Law, New York University Law School, and a senior lecturer at the University of Chicago. In 2011, Epstein was a recipient of the Bradley Prize for outstanding achievement. In 2005, the College of William & Mary School of Law awarded him the Brigham-Kanner Property Rights Prize. Epstein researches and writes in a broad range of constitutional, economic, historical, and philosophical subjects. He has taught administrative law, antitrust law, communications law, constitutional law, corporation criminal law, employment discrimination law, environmental law, food and drug law, health law, labor law, Roman law, real estate development and finance, and individual and corporate taxation. Epstein holds B.A.s from Columbia University and Oxford University and an LL.B. from Yale Law School.

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  Rowena He

  Rowena He is senior research fellow of the Civitas Institute and associate professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). Asia Society’s China File named her first book, Tiananmen Exiles: Voices of the Struggle for Democracy in China, among the top five books of 2014. Her research has been supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Harvard’s Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, and the National Humanities Center. For teaching, she received the Harvard University Certificate of Teaching Excellence for three consecutive years and was awarded twice the Faculty of Arts Outstanding Teaching Award at CUHK. He speaks widely within and beyond the academy. She has been a keynote speaker for the Canada Human Rights National Symposium, testified at a U.S. Congressional hearing, and delivered lectures for the U.S. State Department and the Canada International Council. Her op-eds have appeared in the Washington Post, The Nation, The Guardian, The Globe and Mail, and The Wall Street Journal. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Toronto.

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  Joel Kotkin

  Joel Kotkin is the Roger Hobbs Presidential Fellow in Urban Futures at Chapman University and director of the university’s Center for Demographics and Policy. He is executive editor of the widely read website NewGeography.com. He also has regular columns in Spiked in the U.K., the National Post in Canada and the American Mind. He also writes regularly for UnHerd, Quillette, the Los Angeles Times, National Review, City Journal, The Daily Telegraph and The Spectator as well as many other national publications. Kotkin is the author of ten previously published books, including The New Class Conflict, which describes the changing dynamics of class in America. He authored The Human City: Urbanism for the Rest of Us and co-edited, with M.I.T.’s Alan Berger, the collection Infinite Suburbia. He also co-edited, with Ryan Streeter, a book on the future of cities.

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  John Yoo

  John Yoo is the Emanuel Heller Professor of Law at the University of California at Berkeley. He is also a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Yoo has published eleven books and over one-hundred academic journal articles on national security, constitutional law, international law, and the Supreme Court, and regularly contributes to major editorial pages such as Wall Street Journal and New York Times. Yoo has served in all three branches of government. He was an official in the U.S. Department of Justice, where he worked on national security and terrorism issues after the 9/11 attacks. He served as general counsel of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and has been a law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and federal appeals Judge Laurence Silberman. Yoo supervises Berkeley’s Public Law and Policy Program, the Korea Law Center, and the California Constitution Center. He is also a winner of the Federalist Society’s Paul M. Bator Award. He graduated from Harvard College and Yale Law School.

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  Jesús Fernández-Villaverde

  Jesús Fernández-Villaverde is non-resident senior fellow of the Civitas Institute and the Howard Marks Presidential Professor of Economics at the University of Pennsylvania, where he directs the Penn Initiative for the Study of Markets. He has also been a national fellow of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and a Kenen Fellow in International Economy at Princeton University. Fernández-Villaverde’s research and teaching focus on macroeconomics and econometrics, and he has also developed a popular series of undergraduate courses on the relationship between markets and human flourishing. He is a research associate for the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) and Penn’s Population Studies Center, and a research affiliate for the Centre for Economic Policy Research. He completed his Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota.

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  Andrew Johnston

  Andrew C. Johnston is an assistant professor of economics at University of California, Merced and a research affiliate of I.Z.A. and JPAL-NA. His primary interests are in public economics and labor, with a focus on American poverty. His research examines the effects of unemployment insurance on the labor market, as well as how to improve the quality of public schools to furnish broad opportunity. His work has been published in the Journal of Political Economy, American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, and the Journal of Human Resources. He received his Ph.D. in applied economics from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

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  Vincent Phillip Muñoz

  Vincent Phillip Muñoz is non-resident senior fellow of the Civitas Institute and the Tocqueville Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame, where he is the founding director of the Center for Citizenship & Constitutional Government. He writes and teaches across the fields of constitutional law, American politics, and political philosophy with a focus on religious liberty and the American Founding. He won a National Endowment for the Humanities fellowship to support his most recent book, Religious Liberty and the American Founding: Natural Rights and the Original Meanings of the First Amendment Religion Clauses. Muñoz’s first book, God and the Founders: Madison, Washington, and Jefferson, won the American Political Science Association’s Hubert Morken Award for the best publication on religion and politics. He completed his Ph.D. at Claremont Graduate School.

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  Benjamin Storey

  Benjamin Storey is a Civitas non-resident senior fellow and a senior fellow in social, cultural, and constitutional studies at the American Enterprise Institute. He is concurrently a Tocqueville scholar at Furman University, where he previously served as a research professor, Jane Gage Hipp Professor of Politics and International Affairs, and director of the Tocqueville Program. He focuses on political philosophy, civil society, and higher education, and he is the co-organizer of a conference series on the future of the American university. Storey is the coauthor, with his wife, Jenna Silber Storey, of Why We Are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentment. Together, the Storeys are working on a book titled, The Art of Choosing: How Liberal Education Should Prepare You for Life. He has a Ph.D. and an M.A. from the Committee on Social Thought at the University of Chicago and a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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  Jenna Storey

  Jenna Silber Storey is a Civitas non-resident senior fellow and a senior fellow in the social, cultural, and constitutional studies department at the American Enterprise Institute. Storey concentrates on political philosophy, civil society, classical schools, and higher education. She is also the co-organizer of a conference series on the future of the American university. She is concurrently a Tocqueville scholar at Furman University, where she was previously research professor, assistant professor in politics and international affairs, and the executive director of the Tocqueville Program. Storey is the coauthor, with her husband, Benjamin Storey, of Why We Are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentment. The Storeys are working together on a book titled The Art of Choosing: How Liberal Education Should Prepare You for Life. Storey has a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago’s Committee on Social Thought and a B.A. from the University Professors Program at Boston University.

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  Kadeem Noray

  Kadeem is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Economics via Blueprint Labs at M.I.T., and a research associate at Opportunity Insights at Harvard University. Kadeem earned his Ph.D. in public policy (economics track) from Harvard University in 2023, an M.S. in applied economics from Montana State University in 2017, and a B.S. in mathematics, economics, and physics at Hillsdale College in 2015.

Predoctoral Fellows

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  Maura Cowan

  Maura Cowan is a Ph.D. candidate in philosophy at Tulane University, specializing in the history of political philosophy. Her interests include the intersection of politics, literature, and philosophy, with a focus on the ancient Greeks. She completed her undergraduate degree at St. John’s College in Annapolis, and has taught classics of political philosophy and literature at both the secondary and university level. Before joining the Civitas Institute, Maura was a fellow at the Murphy Institute. She is currently writing a dissertation on the “ancient quarrel” between poetry and philosophy presented in Plato’s Republic.

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  Katerina Levinson

  Katerina Levinson is a D.Phil. candidate in medieval and modern languages at Wolfson College, Oxford as a Barry Scholar. She previously received her M.St. in Spanish at The Queen’s College, Oxford, and her B.A. in great texts and Spanish from the University Scholars Program at Baylor University. She is an alumna of the Fulbright Spain E.T.A. Fellowship and the John Jay Fellows Program. Katerina has presented her research on English and Spanish literature in Spain, the U.K., and the U.S.

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  David Mennie

  David Mennie is a Ph.D. candidate in political science at the University of North Texas, specializing in political theory and international relations. Prior to his graduate studies, he obtained his B.A. (with majors in philosophy, religious studies, and psychology) and his J.D. from the University of Iowa. Thereafter, he practiced law in Chicago both in the public sector—as a prosecutor in Cook County—and as a private attorney. David’s academic interests focus on the history of political philosophy with a special interest in the relationship between law, politics, religion, and philosophy. He has taught undergraduate courses in political theory which focus on classical political texts and probe tensions between ancient and modern thinkers. He is currently working on his dissertation investigating the relationship between justice, religion, and philosophy in Plato’s Euthyphro.

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  Candace Terman

  Candace Terman is a third-year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Government. Her research focuses on legal and political theory, with a particular emphasis on the natural law tradition. She has been cultivating this research interest since her early days at Hillsdale College and continued to do so in her time as a law student at William & Mary Law School. She is particularly interested in how natural law has influenced Western jurisprudence throughout history and is currently writing a dissertation addressing that subject. Her other writing has focused on Shari‘a law as well as Locke’s and Montesquieu’s theories of religious toleration.

Summer Research Fellows

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  Sara Boljevic

  Sara Boljevic is a Ph.D. student in UT-Austin’s philosophy department. Her research primarily focuses on the history of philosophy, particularly in the early modern and Medieval periods. Sara’s current projects explore the work of later Cartesians, especially Nicolas Malebranche, and the Cambridge Platonists, with a special interest in John Norris. In addition to her research, she serves as a research assistant for Professor Tara Smith, working on topics in ethics and the philosophy of law. Sara holds a B.A. in philosophy from the University of Belgrade, Serbia, and an M.A. in philosophy from the Central European University, Austria.

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  Olgahan Cat

  Olgahan Cat is a Ph.D. candidate in UT-Austin’s government department. His current research focuses on public attitudes towards migrants and forcibly displaced people. Using survey experiments in the U.S. and Turkey, he introduces the concept of “projected patriotism” to understand how public attitudes towards conflict migrants are shaped. He also published on how foreign aid affects conflict intensity in sub-Saharan Africa using observational data, and the effect of messaging on vaccine hesitancy in the U.S., South Africa, Brazil, Russia, Turkey, and Taiwan via field experiments through Facebook ads. He received his M.A. from Sabanci University, Turkey, and B.A. from Bogazici University, Turkey, both in economics.

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  Neco Donohue

  Neco Donohue is a Ph.D. student in UT-Austin’s government department. His current research concerns liberalism’s promises and perils, as well as its philosophic grounding. Through Montaigne and Montesquieu, Neco hopes to articulate an account of liberalism’s merits and grounding that does not depend on modern natural rights. Prior to moving to Texas in 2022, Neco worked for two years as the program manager of the Hertog Foundation after receiving his B.A. from American University in 2020.

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  Sean Neagle

  Sean Neagle is a Ph.D. student in philosophy at UT-Austin. He specializes in ancient philosophy, particularly Aristotle’s ethical theory. He is interested in Aristotle’s conception of well-being and its role in ethics. Additionally, he investigates how Aristotle’s political works can provide a better understanding of his ethical theory. Sean received his B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and his M.A. from the Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Germany.

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  Beckett Rueda

  Beckett Rueda is a Ph.D. student in government at UT-Austin. He researches the conflict between divine revelation and secular authority in the foundation of liberalism with a focus on John Locke. His current project treats the relationship between divine and civil authority in Locke’s English Tract. It is the first part of a larger investigation into the way that Locke’s theological and epistemological writings illuminate and influence his political theory.

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  Tom Samuels

  Tom Samuels is assistant parliamentarian for the Texas House of Representatives and a Ph.D. student in government at UT-Austin. His research focuses on the intersection of strategy, law, and the foundations of a flourishing civil society. He has a J.D. from Texas Law and a bachelor’s from St. John’s College, Santa Fe.

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  Benjamin Schwabe

  Benjamin Schwabe is a Ph.D. student in political theory at UT-Austin. His research explores the relationship between necessity and liberty in Niccolò Machiavelli’s political philosophy. He earned his B.A. from Michigan State University and his M.A. from the University of Texas at Austin. His other research interests include classical and early modern republicanism, the relationship between modern scientific and political thought, and political psychology.

Summer Honors Symposium Fellows

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  Gabriel Babineaux

  Gabriel Babineaux is a rising sophomore studying government. He is a devotee of the Jefferson Scholars Program, an editor for an undergraduate research journal, and a friend to many institutes of political and philosophical study. Upon graduating, he hopes to find his place in academia. Gabriel spent his early years in College Station, TX.

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  Deborah Chu

  Deborah Chu is a sophomore from The Woodlands, TX, majoring in plan II and government. She is interested in politics, the intersection of political philosophy and Christian thought, and public policy regarding China as well as the education and foster care systems. Deborah serves as the affordability policy director for UT’s student government, as well as a counselor for Ignite and a writer and social media manager of the Christian academic journal Terrain. This summer, she interned for the non-profit Love Heals Youth, which serves children in the Texas foster care system, and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. She hopes to attend law school after graduation and eventually pursue a career in politics.

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  Dean Federico

  Dean Federico is a senior from Dallas studying government with minors in English and Italian, as well as a certificate in core texts and ideas. This semester he will be a research intern with Dr. Maurizio Viroli, assisting him in research on Niccolò Machiavelli. In his free time, Dean enjoys singing with his student organization, Longhorn Singers, as well as reading, playing guitar, and photography. After graduating, Dean hopes to attend graduate school in pursuit of becoming a professor.

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  Anna Grace Holloway

  Anna Grace is a junior from Fort Collins, Colorado majoring in Philosophy and Government. She is involved on campus in Liberal Arts Honors, Liberal Arts Council, and the Bech-Loughlin First Amendment Center at Texas Law. Outside of class, she enjoys being a part of Texas Tri Delta sorority and reading in her hammock.

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  Zachary Lacy

  Zach Lacy is a sophomore from Southlake, Texas, studying government and philosophy, with a focus on classical liberal thought, liberal education, Christian theology, Rousseauian romanticism, and American foundational principles. Additionally, Zach is an active member of the Jefferson Scholar’s Program, the president of UT’s Thomistic Institute chapter, and a contributor to the Christian academic journal Terrain. Outside of academic work, you may find Zach spending time outdoors, engaging in various discourses, or reading literature and watching films. He hopes to pursue a career in academia.

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  Diego Lopez

  Diego Lopez is a junior majoring in government and Plan II Honors. Diego is a staff writer for several undergraduate student journals which cover politics and the law. He was a Legislative Aide to the Minority Leader of the Texas House of Representatives in the most recent 88th legislative session.

• Noel Martinez

  Noel Martinez is a student at the McCombs School of Business. An avid reader, he enjoys the works of Fyodor Dostoevsky, finding depth and insight in the Russian novelist’s exploration of the human condition. He also has a keen appreciation for the vibrant, expressive art of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Outside of intellectual interests, Noel is passionate about playing soccer and running. His time at UT has been enriched by meeting people with various perspectives, and he eagerly anticipates continuing to expand his horizons through these connections.

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  Mariia Shoshina

  Mariia Shoshina is a senior majoring in international relations and global studies. Her passion for international relations was ignited at a young age during a holiday reception at the U.S. Ambassador’s residence in Moscow. This summer, she further enriched her academic and professional development through the IES Abroad Freiburg Summer Program in Germany, focusing on European political and economic affairs, European decision-making processes, and their global effect. Mariia enjoys studying languages and is fluent in Polish, Ukrainian, Russian, and English. In her free time, she writes scripts and draws characters for gaming projects. Looking ahead, Mariia aspires to a diplomatic career in the foreign service or with a major international organization.

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  William Zackary Springer

  Zach is a senior majoring in philosophy and classical languages. He is the president of UT’s Thomistic Institute chapter as well as a contributor to the university newspaper The Horn. He also assists the University Catholic Center. In his free time, he enjoys rock-climbing with his father. Upon graduation, he hopes to attend graduate school as he prepares to teach at the university level. His hometown is Lubbock, Texas.

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  Noah Thomason

  Noah Thomason is a sophomore at the University of Texas, studying Plan II Honors and Biomedical Engineering. He is also a member of the Jefferson Scholars Program and is involved in Hill House Christian Study Center and Ignite Texas. He is interested in classical philosophy and its role in modern society. As such, he is excited for the discussions hosted by the Civitas Institute. In his free time, he enjoys watching completely random and inconsequential YouTube videos. He is unsure of his plans after graduation, but they will probably involve graduate school of some kind.