The Young Conservatives of Texas (YCT) held its 42nd annual State Convention in Richardson, Texas on April 9-10, 2022. Over a hundred students from 27 chapters all over the state gathered to learn from a variety of conservative figures about current policy issues and how they get more involved in the conservative political movement.
The convention started during the evening on Friday, April 9 with remarks from State Senators Angela Paxton (R-08) and Kelly Hancock (R-09). They talked about the worrying state of today’s education system, since both come from educational backgrounds themselves before entering politics.
A networking event allowed students to check out the vendors from all sorts of conservative organizations that had booths set up in the hallway outside of the main room. Groups like the Leadership Institute, the Heritage Academy, Texas Right to Life, and many others helped get students in contact with internship opportunities for the summer.
Sat. April 10 started off with a pro-life panel discussing the current cases heading to the Surpreme Court, their chances of succeeding, and what would change if Roe v. Wade is overturned. Conversation on the Supreme Court continued into the next panel, as Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson had just been confirmed.
Noted conservative historian Dr. George H. Nash gave an in-depth lunch discussion sponsored by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute on the different factions in Conservatism and how their influence in Conservatism has shifted over time. He noted that the Conservative Movement has never been a stranger to disagreement and factions, but that it has remained remarkably resilient.
The keynote speaker at the April 10 gala was Texas Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian, who gave a lively and anecdote-filled speech in defense of natural gas in his signature East Texas drawl. Casino night provided evening entertainment after the Gala, as a weekend of informative panels and speeches was capped with a fun-filled Saturday night.
Vaughan Schulte, Trinity University Class of 2024 Computer Science major, was one of the Trinity students who attended the convention and felt it was a positive experience. “My favorite part was probably hearing the Texas Railroad Commissioner and the President of the Heritage Foundation speak. I definitely feel more motivated to get out and better the world. It was energizing to meet many people on the same bandwidth. I hope to return to a convention–I’ll probably grab a few more business cards next time!”
While the convention was over, the state board still had work to do. At the Young Conservatives of Texas Association state board meeting in the morning on April 11, Trinity alumna Julia Crusius was elected unanimously as the 27th State Chair of the Young Conservatives of Texas Association. Crusius has worked as a Legislative Fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, where she focused on education and healthcare policy. She also has worked for Congressman Chip Roy and State Representative Mayes Middleton and served as chair of the Trinity YCT chapter during the 2019-2020 school year.
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