Washington, D.C. – Hillsdale College announced on November 3, 2008, the launch of the Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship in Washington, D.C. This represents an extension of Hillsdale’s historic commitment to liberal arts education and to civil and religious liberty.

The primary work of the Center will be teaching Hillsdale College students who are in the nation's capital, such as those through the Washington-Hillsdale Internship Program or the new George Washington Fellowship Program.

In addition to supporting students serving internships and fellowships, the Center will also offer seminars on American history and political thought, economics, literature, and other topics to interested citizens in the Washington area. Constitutional scholars will have access to the Center through faculty colloquia designed to promote the exchange of ideas and the intensive examination of issues like federalism. Future plans also include DVDs and online courses on the Constitution. The Center's Senior Fellows are Dr. Paul Moreno, Grewcock Chair in the Constitution of the United States and associate professor of history, and Dr. R.J. Pestritto, Shipley Chair in the American Constitution and associate professor of political science.

The Center is currently operating in temporary quarters but will eventually be housed in a newly-acquired 16,000-square foot building at 227 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E. The College will perform an extensive renovation of the building’s interior and outdoor plaza, and the Center will move into the building by September 2010.


Hillsdale College President Larry P. Arnn stated: “Hillsdale College was founded 164 years ago on the idea that learning is the surest support of liberty. Our College has a long history of serving the nation on the basis of this idea. So while opening a Washington campus is something new, our mission remains unchanged.”

Unlike other colleges or universities with campuses in Washington, Hillsdale College operates independent of either federal or state taxpayer support, even indirectly in the form of student grants and loans.

Virginia Thomas, formerly the director of executive branch relations at the Heritage Foundation, joined Hillsdale College as associate vice president of Washington operations effective October 1, 2008. Together with David J. Bobb, director of the newly established Center, Thomas will oversee the development and operation of Hillsdale’s Washington campus.

Mrs. Thomas previously served as director of the Heritage Foundation's Executive Branch Relations. She has also served as the committee liaison for House Majority Leader Dick Armey; senior policy coordinator for the House Republican Conference Committee; deputy assistant secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs at the Department of Labor; and lobbyist with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Married to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Mrs. Thomas was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, where she earned a B.A. and J.D. from Creighton University.

“I am honored to be joining Hillsdale College as it extends its mission to Washington,” Thomas said. “Hillsdale has so much to offer this city—the teaching of timeless ideas that are vital to preserving freedom, an example of real independence with its refusal to take federal dollars, and of course its marvelous students, who, regardless of their specific academic major, always study our Western heritage, American history, and the Constitution. Maybe some of what they learn at Hillsdale will rub off.”

The Center was made possible by a leadership gift from Allan P. Kirby, Jr., a businessman and private investor from Mendham, New Jersey. “Allan Kirby is a friend of liberty who understands the importance of liberal arts education, and his achievements exemplify the promise of America,” Arnn said. “We are most grateful for his landmark gift.”

Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship for Hillsdale College
227 Massachusetts Ave. NE
Washington, D.C. 20002
202-600-7300