A Claremont Homecoming & Salvatori Prize Dinner
Honoring Dr. Charles R. Kesler
Honoring Dr. Charles R. Kesler
6:00 p.m. – Reception on the East Lawn
7:00 p.m. – Salvatori Prize Dinner
10:30 p.m. – After-party in Downtown Alexandria
Cocktail Attire
By Invitation Only
This event is reserved for the Claremont Institute’s alumni, closest friends and Abraham Lincoln Society members and up. Invited guests will be notified once registration opens. Click here to learn how Society membership offers unique access to Claremont’s scholars, leadership, and intellectual community.
This Constitution Day, in the 250th year of the American Founding, The Claremont Institute will gather at Mount Vernon for a celebration of the Founding and to honor Dr. Charles R. Kesler with the Henry Salvatori Prize for his distinguished contributions to the study and defense of the principles of the American Founding.
On this prestigious occasion, we will address the most pressing concerns facing our founding, the successes and difficulties facing our current regime, and their proposals for where our country shall be heading for the next 250 years.
Against the backdrop of George Washington’s estate, the evening will bring together scholars, alumni, and supporters to reflect on the monumental achievement of the Founding and what it will require of us to carry America’s timeless republican principles forward for another 250 years.
Following a reception on the piazza overlooking the Potomac and private tours of the estate, guests will gather on the East Lawn for a dinner featuring remarks from Ryan P. Williams, Dr. Charles R. Kesler, Dr. John C. Eastman, Michael Anton, Dr. Glenn Ellmers, and Dr. Matthew J. Peterson, with additional speakers to be announced.
The celebration will conclude with a toast and fireworks over the Potomac.
Speakers
Dr. Charles R. Kesler
Senior Fellow, Editor of the Claremont Review of Books
Dr. Charles R. Kesler is a Senior Fellow of the Claremont Institute, Editor of the Claremont Review of Books, host of Claremont’s The American Mind video series, and the Dengler-Dykema Distinguished Professor of Government at Claremont McKenna College.
Dr. Kesler also teaches in the Claremont Institute’s Publius Fellows Program and Lincoln Fellows Program. He received his B.A. in Social Studies and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Government from Harvard University. From 1989 to 2008, Dr. Kesler was director of CMC’s Henry Salvatori Center for the Study of Individual Freedom in the Modern World.
He is the recipient of the prestigious 2018 Bradley Prize, a high honor bestowed upon distinguished individuals who have influenced American scholarship and debate.
From September 2000 to March 2001, he served as vice chairman of the Advisory Committee to the U.S. Congress’s James Madison Commemoration Commission.
He was selected in June 2000 as a member of the Scholars Commission on the Jefferson-Hemings Issue sponsored by the Thomas Jefferson Heritage Society.
Dr. Kesler is the author of I Am the Change: Barack Obama and the Crisis of Liberalism (Broadside Books); the editor of Saving the Revolution: The Federalist Papers and the American Founding (Free Press); co-editor, with John B. Kienker, of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness: Ten Years of the Claremont Review of Books (Rowman & Littlefield); and co-editor, with William F. Buckley, Jr., of Keeping the Tablets: Modern American Conservative Thought (HarperCollins). He has written extensively on American constitutionalism and political thought, and his edition of The Federalist Papers (Signet Classics) is the best-selling edition in the country.
Dr. Kesler also teaches in the Claremont Institute’s Publius Fellows Program and Lincoln Fellows Program. He received his B.A. in Social Studies and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Government from Harvard University. From 1989 to 2008, Dr. Kesler was director of CMC’s Henry Salvatori Center for the Study of Individual Freedom in the Modern World.
He is the recipient of the prestigious 2018 Bradley Prize, a high honor bestowed upon distinguished individuals who have influenced American scholarship and debate.
From September 2000 to March 2001, he served as vice chairman of the Advisory Committee to the U.S. Congress’s James Madison Commemoration Commission.
He was selected in June 2000 as a member of the Scholars Commission on the Jefferson-Hemings Issue sponsored by the Thomas Jefferson Heritage Society.
Dr. Kesler is the author of I Am the Change: Barack Obama and the Crisis of Liberalism (Broadside Books); the editor of Saving the Revolution: The Federalist Papers and the American Founding (Free Press); co-editor, with John B. Kienker, of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness: Ten Years of the Claremont Review of Books (Rowman & Littlefield); and co-editor, with William F. Buckley, Jr., of Keeping the Tablets: Modern American Conservative Thought (HarperCollins). He has written extensively on American constitutionalism and political thought, and his edition of The Federalist Papers (Signet Classics) is the best-selling edition in the country.
Ryan P. Williams
President of the Claremont Institute
Ryan P. Williams has served as President of the Claremont Institute since 2017, following more than a decade of leadership roles within the organization as Chief Operating Officer, Director of Programs, and Director of Special Projects. A 2004 Publius Fellow, he has been central to shaping Claremont’s strategic direction and expanding its influence as the foremost intellectual institution in American conservatism—revitalizing the Founders’ principles, mentoring rising statesmen, and generating scholarship that shapes national discourse.
Under his leadership, Claremont launched the Center for the American Way of Life in Washington, D.C., its first permanent presence in the nation’s capital, and established The American Mind, a digital publication devoted to recovering and defending American political thought. In 2019, the Institute was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Donald J. Trump, only the second think tank ever to receive this presidential honor.
Mr. Williams holds a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from Hillsdale College and an M.A. in Politics from Claremont Graduate University. He has taught American politics and political philosophy as an adjunct professor at California State University, San Bernardino and Cal Poly Pomona. His commentary and analysis have appeared widely, and he frequently speaks on constitutionalism, statesmanship, and the challenges facing modern American political life.
Under his leadership, Claremont launched the Center for the American Way of Life in Washington, D.C., its first permanent presence in the nation’s capital, and established The American Mind, a digital publication devoted to recovering and defending American political thought. In 2019, the Institute was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Donald J. Trump, only the second think tank ever to receive this presidential honor.
Mr. Williams holds a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from Hillsdale College and an M.A. in Politics from Claremont Graduate University. He has taught American politics and political philosophy as an adjunct professor at California State University, San Bernardino and Cal Poly Pomona. His commentary and analysis have appeared widely, and he frequently speaks on constitutionalism, statesmanship, and the challenges facing modern American political life.
Dr. John C. Eastman
Senior Fellow, Founding Director of the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence
Dr. John C. Eastman is Founding Director of the Claremont Institute’s Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence; Senior Fellow of the Claremont Institute; and until January 2021 served as the Henry Salvatori Professor of Law & Community Service at Chapman University’s Dale E. Fowler School of Law.
From 1996 to 1997 he served as a law clerk with the Honorable Justice Clarence Thomas in the United States Supreme Court. After concluding his clerkships, Dr. Eastman took a position with Kirkland & Ellis in Los Angeles until 1999.
Upon leaving Kirkland & Ellis, Dr. Eastman began teaching at Chapman University where he served as dean from 2007 to 2010. He also founded the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence in 1999, and has served as its Director since that time.
Dr. Eastman has served as the chairman of the Federalist Society’s Federalism and Separation of Powers Practice Group and as the Chairman of the Board of the National Organization for Marriage. He is on the Advisory Board for the St. Thomas More Society of Orange County and St. Monica’s Academy. He has been recognized by Chapman University as Professor of the Year (2002) and for Faculty Excellence in Scholarly and Creative Activity (2013). Additionally, he received the St. Thomas More Award from Franciscan University (2010) and the J. Reuben Clark Award from the J. Reuben Clark Society of Orange County (2010).
Dr. Eastman is a prolific author. A selection of his scholarly publications include “The Moral Conditions of Liberty” in Freedom and the Rule of Law (2009), “The Roberts Court and Federalism,” in the New York University Journal of Law and Liberty (2009), and “Full Faith and Republican Guarantees: Gay Marriage, FMPA, and the Courts,” in the BYU Law Journal (2006).
Dr. Eastman has been invited several times to address various committees of Congress, on topics including President Obama’s Executive Order on Immigration and the IRS’s felonious disclosure of tax returns.
In the courtroom, Dr. Eastman has represented seventeen parties before the Supreme Court of the United States. He has also represented amici curiae in over 150 cases before the Supreme Court in cases such as Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores (2014), Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. v. Burwell (2014), Harris v. Quinn (2014), National Labor Relations Board v. Noel Canning (2014), National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius (2012), Gonzales v. Carhart (2007), and Boy Scouts of America v. Dale (2000).
Dr. Eastman has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, CNN, BBC World News, and PBS. His writings and commentary on the courts and the constitution have appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, National Review, Economist, Atlantic, Slate, National Catholic Register, and ABA Journal.
Dr. Eastman received his B.A. from the University of Dallas, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Government from Claremont Graduate School. He completed his studies at the University of Chicago Law School, earning his J.D. in 1995 and immediately took a position clerking for Judge Michael Luttig in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
From 1996 to 1997 he served as a law clerk with the Honorable Justice Clarence Thomas in the United States Supreme Court. After concluding his clerkships, Dr. Eastman took a position with Kirkland & Ellis in Los Angeles until 1999.
Upon leaving Kirkland & Ellis, Dr. Eastman began teaching at Chapman University where he served as dean from 2007 to 2010. He also founded the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence in 1999, and has served as its Director since that time.
Dr. Eastman has served as the chairman of the Federalist Society’s Federalism and Separation of Powers Practice Group and as the Chairman of the Board of the National Organization for Marriage. He is on the Advisory Board for the St. Thomas More Society of Orange County and St. Monica’s Academy. He has been recognized by Chapman University as Professor of the Year (2002) and for Faculty Excellence in Scholarly and Creative Activity (2013). Additionally, he received the St. Thomas More Award from Franciscan University (2010) and the J. Reuben Clark Award from the J. Reuben Clark Society of Orange County (2010).
Dr. Eastman is a prolific author. A selection of his scholarly publications include “The Moral Conditions of Liberty” in Freedom and the Rule of Law (2009), “The Roberts Court and Federalism,” in the New York University Journal of Law and Liberty (2009), and “Full Faith and Republican Guarantees: Gay Marriage, FMPA, and the Courts,” in the BYU Law Journal (2006).
Dr. Eastman has been invited several times to address various committees of Congress, on topics including President Obama’s Executive Order on Immigration and the IRS’s felonious disclosure of tax returns.
In the courtroom, Dr. Eastman has represented seventeen parties before the Supreme Court of the United States. He has also represented amici curiae in over 150 cases before the Supreme Court in cases such as Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores (2014), Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. v. Burwell (2014), Harris v. Quinn (2014), National Labor Relations Board v. Noel Canning (2014), National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius (2012), Gonzales v. Carhart (2007), and Boy Scouts of America v. Dale (2000).
Dr. Eastman has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, CNN, BBC World News, and PBS. His writings and commentary on the courts and the constitution have appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, National Review, Economist, Atlantic, Slate, National Catholic Register, and ABA Journal.
Dr. Eastman received his B.A. from the University of Dallas, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Government from Claremont Graduate School. He completed his studies at the University of Chicago Law School, earning his J.D. in 1995 and immediately took a position clerking for Judge Michael Luttig in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Michael Anton
Jack Roth Senior Fellow in American Politics at the Claremont Institute
Michael Anton is the Jack Roth Senior Fellow in American Politics at the Claremont Institute, where he teaches in the Institute’s fellowship programs and writes for the Claremont Review of Books.
In President Trump’s first administration, Anton served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communication on the National Security Council Staff at the White House. He also served for four years on the NSC staff in the George W. Bush administration.
Anton is the author of Dispatches from the Late Republic and the forthcoming Studies in Machiavellian Political Philosophy. He is also the author of three other books and co-editor of one essay collection.
In addition, Anton has been widely published in both mainstream and academic press, including in the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Interpretation, and Perspectives on Political Science. He is perhaps best known as the author of “The Flight 93 Election,” the 2016 viral essay that galvanized many to support then-candidate Trump.
In President Trump’s first administration, Anton served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communication on the National Security Council Staff at the White House. He also served for four years on the NSC staff in the George W. Bush administration.
Anton is the author of Dispatches from the Late Republic and the forthcoming Studies in Machiavellian Political Philosophy. He is also the author of three other books and co-editor of one essay collection.
In addition, Anton has been widely published in both mainstream and academic press, including in the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Interpretation, and Perspectives on Political Science. He is perhaps best known as the author of “The Flight 93 Election,” the 2016 viral essay that galvanized many to support then-candidate Trump.
Dr. Glenn Ellmers
Salvatori Research Fellow in the American Founding at the Claremont Institute
Dr. Glenn Ellmers is the Salvatori Research Fellow in the American Founding at the Claremont Institute and the Winston Churchill Fellow at Encounter Books. He is the author of The Soul of Politics: Harry V. Jaffa and the Fight for America and The Narrow Passage: Plato, Foucault, and the Possibility of Political Philosophy, and the co-editor with Michael Anton of Leisure with Dignity: Essays in Celebration of Charles R. Kesler. He holds a PhD in politics from the Claremont Graduate University. Dr. Ellmers has been a visiting research fellow with Hillsdale College, served as a speechwriter for two cabinet secretaries, and has published articles in numerous publications, including the Claremont Review of Books, The New Criterion, Compact, Modern Age, Chronicles, The Review of Metaphysics, and Perspectives on Political Science.
Dr. Matthew J. Peterson
George Washington Fellow at the Claremont Institute's Center for the American Way of Life
Dr. Matthew J. Peterson is the George Washington Fellow at the Claremont Institute's Center for the American Way of Life. He is currently launching two new companies. FORUM, a premier events and media platform, hosts discussion and debate across the right’s new coalition. SENTINEL is an AI-based, autonomous intelligence service tracking local government for activist groups and media entities. In 2021, as cofounder of New Founding, he helped bring talent and capital together to foster new businesses in support of the American way of life, including media products and teams that were acquired by Blaze Media in 2023. He then served as Editor in Chief and a member of the executive team at Blaze until October 2025, where he helped revitalize the company, expanding coverage into investigative reports, opinion, lifestyle, and tech, reviving their DC office and obtaining their first ever White House press pass, starting a new magazine, Frontier, and co-hosting a new daily news show. From 2018 to 2021 Dr. Peterson served as the Vice President of Education at the Claremont Institute, directed their fellowship programs, and founded The American Mind. He is often tapped to give advice on political and cultural media strategy. His career started in education, including a three-year stint assisting in the design, implementation, and evaluation of U.S. Department of Education Teaching American History initiatives, testing thousands of K-12 students and teachers and evaluating scores of programs teaching American political thought, history, and civics. He has taught a variety of courses at various colleges and universities including Claremont McKenna College, Loyola Marymount University, and the School of Public Policy at Pepperdine University. Dr. Peterson is a graduate of Thomas Aquinas College and received his M.A. and Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate University. He lives with his wife and four children in Dallas, Texas.
