Overview

A major objective of the Ayn Rand Institute is to cultivate a generation of intellectuals who will be effective advocates for the fundamentals of reason, individual rights and capitalism. As part of this mandate, the Objectivist Academic Center (OAC) offers a systematic program of instruction in the essentials of Objectivism and in the nature of objective thought and communication. The OAC’s purpose is to help develop the university professors, writers, journalists and politicians who will uphold reason in the culture.

Thanks largely to the success of our educational outreach efforts, there has been a substantial increase in demand for instruction in Ayn Rand’s ideas—the kind of training that can only be found in the OAC. The OAC Expansion Campaign seeks to meet this increased demand.

How the Initiative Works

Our immediate goal—a substantial expansion of OAC and related programs for students interested in pursuing studies in Ayn Rand’s philosophy—comprises several steps.  All of the programs proposed support a central purpose: to accommodate the increasing demand for an OAC education among students while simultaneously enriching the quality of the support we provide to these future intellectuals.

The proposed expansion has two elements:

• Faculty expansion: This element simply acknowledges the already-evident growth in OAC applications, and extrapolates that growth going forward over the next three fiscal years. These expansion plans entail adding to OAC resources in order to meet this increase in demand. Without faculty expansion, the OAC will be forced to turn away qualified, talented applicants who are serious about Objectivism.
• Program expansion: This comprises nine specific initiatives to improve the OAC experience for students; details are given below.

Program Expansion Details

• Books-to-Professors Outreach Program: Our outreach strategy will use books and resources to develop relationships with professors already teaching Ayn Rand, as well as those willing to consider doing so in the future.
• American Philosophical Association (APA) Outreach: By expanding ARI’s presence at the annual APA conference, we will work to raise Ayn Rand’s profile in academia. Our representation will include meetings, promotion of scholarly works by Objectivist intellectuals and exhibit space.
• OAC Student Scholarships: By easing financial pressure on students, we aim to increase their available OAC study time, and increase annual student retention.
• Graduate Mentorship Program: Students in the OAC’s graduate program will be matched with advisers, who will assist students with crucial issues from college studies and intellectual development, to career planning and graduate school applications.
• Academic Conference Grants: The OAC will offer financial support to select undergraduate and graduate students who seek to attend professional conferences in their fields of study.
• Conference Scholarships: A limited number of OAC students will receive scholarships to attend Objectivist Conferences’ annual summer conference and hear lectures and courses by top Objectivist intellectuals and scholars. This will create opportunities to meet and advise OAC students in person, as well as networking opportunities for the students.
• Summer Internship Program: ARI’s proposed work-study internship program will encourage new, talented students to study Objectivism and to take that knowledge with them as they pursue their academic careers. Almost every ARI intern has gone on to study in the OAC.
• Web Site Expansion: We will significantly expand the OAC’s Web pages to promote all of the programs outlined above.

How You Can Help

Over the next three years, we will need to raise $1,153,350 to fully fund the expansion of the OAC. Our immediate goal for this coming year is $160,800. Your financial support is needed to help us open crucial paths for the cultural leaders of tomorrow.

We invite you to support the OAC Expansion Campaign. With your backing, we will increase Ayn Rand’s cultural influence and assist many talented young intellectuals to reach their potential.

Make a contribution to the OAC Expansion Campaign