26 Texas Leadership Institute grads won student govt seats this spring

26 conservative students who are graduates of training put on by the Leadership Institute won student government elections at their respective schools across the state of Texas, representing six different colleges and universities.

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Campus Reform Correspondent

July 26, 2024, 9:40 am ET

This spring, 26 conservative students who are graduates of training put on by the Leadership Institute—the parent organization of Campus Reform—won student government elections at their respective schools across the state of Texas, representing six different colleges and universities.

In remarks to Campus Reform, students described the deterioration of free speech on their campuses, and they expressed a desire to reverse this decline as new members of student government.

“Last year, many senators were hesitant to engage in debates on legislation due to fear of repercussions. My goal is to change this culture,” said Dylan Moreno, Speaker of the Senate at Texas Tech University. “I want to remind our senators that it is crucial to exercise our right to free speech and robust debate. . . . By fostering an environment where all voices are respected and considered, we can better represent the interests of our constituents.”

Moreno said many professors at Texas Tech are vocally liberal to the extent that many students aren’t comfortable expressing conservative viewpoints in class for fear of repercussions.

“Voicing my conservative perspectives has sometimes resulted in receiving lower grades on assignments and exams,” he recounted.

Other students said that members of left-leaning organizations at their schools had a history of suppressing free speech or acting disrespectfully towards conservative students.

Shreyas Dalal, a senator at the University of Texas at Dallas, described one such group that “has tried to get rid of us and [take] down our flyers.” Dalal also stated that the group “has created hate accounts on social media and has at times stalked us to get something out of us that can be used against us.”

All students who interviewed with Campus Reform said that their Leadership Institute trainings significantly enhanced their bids for student government, and that they are grateful for the campaigning strategies that they learned.

“I learned various ways to market myself during my campaign which proved to be beneficial,” said Landon Self, the vice president of the Student Government Association at Baylor University.

Dylan Moreno also said that the Leadership Institute’s guidance aided him on the campaign trail, as well as in his efforts to be an effective member of his school senate.

“It helped me mobilize more conservative students and effectively engage them in the electoral process,” Moreno said. “Additionally, it has enabled me to take on leadership roles within special committees, such as our student government’s rules and administration committee.”

Individuals interested in hosting a Campus Election Workshop run by the Leadership Institute can submit requests here.

The elections winners are grouped by university below:

Texas A&M University