First Annual Student Retreat
The Tocqueville Forum on the Roots of American Democracy held its first annual undergraduate student Fall Retreat on Columbus Day weekend, and it was an unmitigated success. Twenty-two undergraduate students, graduate fellows, and the staff of the Forum relaxed and enjoyed themselves at the picturesque site of the retreat, the Airlie Resort and
The idyllic natural setting in 
perfect place for students to put aside academic and professional pressures and truly engage in reflection upon the American Constitution and political order. Dr. Matthew Spalding of the Heritage Foundation and Dr. Bradley Watson of at
The students enjoyed the recreation time with activities such as skeet-shooting, bass-fishing, poker, and pool. Matt McKillip, one of the Tocqueville Forum undergraduate student fellows called the retreat a "wonderful weekend of activities, speakers, conversation, food and nature." And, he remarked of skeet-shooting, "it was good to feel the gun in your hand and try to take out some clay pigeons... Thank you and please pass on my thanks to the alumni who made the retreat possible."
Due to excited and thankful feedback from students who attended, we look forward to the second annual retreat next fall. 
"The health of a democratic society may be measured by the quality of functions performed by private citizens."