James Piereson: The Quiet Architect Who Went Big When most people think of going big, they imagine center-stage moments—cameras flashing, crowds roaring, headlines blazing. But some of the boldest visionaries in modern history made their greatest impact behind the scenes, choosing strategy over spotlight, long-term change over instant recognition. James Piereson is one of those visionaries. A political scientist by training, a philanthropist by calling, and a builder by in

Twenty-five years ago, if you had said France would one day have a thriving network of conservative institutions—training young leaders, shaping national media, forming think tanks, launching journalism schools—most people would have laughed. Or worse, dismissed you as delusional. Back then, the conservative movement in France was virtually nonexistent. There were no leadership institutes, no serious media platforms for free thinkers, no organized civil society operating out

What does it mean to lead boldly at a place where the walls are older than the country itself? At William & Mary, one of the most storied academic institutions in the United States, *going big* isn’t about abandoning tradition—it’s about building on it with clarity, courage, and vision. And under the leadership of President Katherine Rowe, that’s exactly what’s happening. As the 28th president—and the first woman to hold the role in the university’s 330-year history—Katheri

What does it really mean to Go Big? For Brendan McCord, it started far beneath the surface—literally. Long before he was helping shape the future of artificial intelligence or leading conversations on human flourishing, he was submerged in a nuclear submarine, deep under the ocean, far from the spotlight. Over 600 days of his life were spent below the waterline, navigating darkness, silence, and the unseen edge of national defense. While others were watching the world from a

Not all who Go Big begin on center stage. Some start in small towns, in families without college degrees, surrounded by honest work and simple living. Don Boudreaux is one of those people. His story doesn’t begin with a silver spoon or Ivy League resume. It begins in a shipyard in Louisiana, where his father worked as a pipe fitter and where Don assumed he’d follow. No one in his family had gone to college. But Don was curious. He had questions, especially about the world aro

Some people fight for what they believe. Morton Blackwell built an army. In an age of shortcuts and overnight fame, Morton took a different path—one that would take decades to reveal its full impact. He believed that if you want to change a country, you start by training people who know how to win. Not just fight. Not just argue. But actually win. That conviction led him to found the Leadership Institute in 1979, a nonprofit dedicated to equipping conservative activists wit