A college freshman in Memphis, Tennessee, sparked a new wave of conservatism across his campus.
Although Jack Herman at Rhodes College is not a political science major, that didn’t stop him from launching a Young America’s Foundation (YAF) chapter this year to engage with fellow conservative students.
During an interview with The Todd Starnes Show this week, Herman said he established and leads the local YAF chapter because “we need to get the young people talking again.” Listen to the interview here.
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Inspired by his sister who started a conservative club at her high school, Herman told Starnes that his mission is to educate other students about traditional values and lifestyles.
“It’s been great to see a new resurgence of conservatism on campus,” he said.
YAF is a right-leaning national advocacy enterprise that mobilizes young generations through conferences, internships, training, and educational opportunities. According to its mission statement, YAF “is committed to ensuring that increasing numbers of young Americans understand and are inspired by the ideas of individual freedom, a strong national defense, free enterprise, and traditional values.”
Herman said some faculty members are not happy about the new YAF chapter on their campus.
“I think the college as a whole has definitely been more left leaning … that’s what I’ve noticed since I’ve been there,” he told Starnes, adding that conservative voices have been muffled by instructors and other students.
“It’s time to really get our voices out there,” Herman said.
Following the assassination of conservative leader Charlie Kirk, there were anti-conservative comments around campus that didn’t sit right with Herman. “I think that was really the starting point of all of this.”
“In our generation, there’s been a lot of polarization of politics,” he told Starnes, but conservatives are “standing up for what we believe in.”
Starnes noted that many Rhodes alumni are excited to hear about the campus finally producing right-leaning organizations. In addition to YAF, Rhodes also hosts a College Republicans club and a Turning Point USA chapter.
Herman is a neuroscience major and hopes to enroll in medical school following his bachelor’s degree. He participates in the Rhodes track and field and cross country teams.