This summer, Chicago was once again the meeting ground for an extraordinary gathering of young minds. Reliance College hosted our 16th annual Great Connections Seminar, themed “Reason and Free Will.” Students traveled from across the globe—from as far away as Australia and Mexico, to as close as Chicago’s own Gage Park neighborhood—to take part in a week that many described as life-changing.
From the very first session, the tone was set by Badger Clark’s moving poem The Westerner. Its refrain—“The world began when I was born and the world is mine to win”—echoed in discussions throughout the week, challenging participants to reflect deeply on personal responsibility, choice, and freedom.
Wrestling With the Great Ideas
The seminar’s curriculum took students on a whirlwind tour of human thought. They tackled Aristotle’s Metaphysics, explored Schiller’s On the Use of the Chorus in Tragedy, and debated Menger’s Principles of Economics. They traced the intellectual roots of liberty through Montesquieu’s Spirit of the Laws and its implementation in Madison’s Federalist 51. uncovering how ideas centuries old still shape the institutions of today.
But it wasn’t just about absorbing wisdom from the past—it was about wrestling with it.
Students asked: What is poetry? What is the nature of the human mind? How do we truly learn about ourselves? They examined logical fallacies pulled straight from modern headlines, sparking laughter, debate, and sharp insights about how we are misled in daily life.
Every discussion was a collaborative inquiry—civil, rigorous, and full of “aha” moments. In a time when most young people feel stifled in what they can say, the Great Connections Seminar provided something rare: a space where speech was free, ideas were welcome, and differences were embraced as opportunities to grow.
An International Perspective: Kimira’s Story
For Kimira Naidoo, an environmental science student from Perth, Australia, the journey to the Great Connections Seminar was more than an academic exercise—it was a turning point. After beginning her U.S. trip studying classical liberalism in Virginia, she arrived in Chicago ready for something different.
“The Great Connections Seminar helped me turn those lessons inward. It was not a lecture but a chance to learn to think for myself. Each day began with introspection, guided by Marsha Familaro Enright’s idea that true freedom starts within. We were encouraged to question not just our beliefs but the reasons behind them.”
In one session, Kimira reflected on John Locke’s view of property—that ownership arises from mixing labor with the natural world, but that world must not be wasted. As a student of environmental science, she immediately connected this principle to modern questions about climate change and sustainability in Western Australia. She contrasted Locke’s ideas with Indigenous views of stewardship, realizing how different traditions can each illuminate the responsibility that comes with rights.
But the intellectual discoveries were only half the story.
“The most memorable part of Chicago wasn’t just the city; it was the people. I formed great connections both intellectually and personally. The city itself became a classroom, whether we were walking along the lakefront, navigating the subway, or sharing meals with friends. I will always remember those final nights in the dorms, cooking together, playing music, and talking late into the night.”
Kimira’s experience highlights something essential: the Great Connections Seminar is not only about reading and debate. It is about forming friendships, cultivating independence, and discovering how timeless ideas apply to the challenges of today—and tomorrow.
Encounters With Innovators
Part of the Great Connections Seminar experience is meeting people who have forged unique paths in life. This year, students heard from Bill Bergman, former Federal Reserve economist and research director at Truth-in-Accounting, who shared his mission to bring honesty and clarity to public finances.
They also met Grant Crowley, founder of a massive yacht yard on Chicago’s South Side, who described how he transformed a stretch of Lake Michigan waterfront into a world-class facility housing everything from 19th-century schooners to futuristic trimarans.
These encounters reminded students that intellectual independence and entrepreneurial vision are not abstract ideals, but living forces shaping the world.
Play, Camaraderie, and Connection
The Great Connections Seminar isn’t all books and lectures. Improv comedy sessions helped students break the ice and, more importantly, reinforced one of the seminar’s guiding principles: listen carefully, build on what others say, and discover truth together.
Meals turned into debates, train rides became brainstorming sessions, and late nights often stretched into the early morning with conversations about freedom, art, and the future.
This atmosphere of curiosity and connection was what students cherished most. As one participant put it:
- “It was so amazing how people can read the same thing and come to such vastly different conclusions—and everyone remained civil. It was never personal and always came from a place of wanting to understand.” — Corbin Chamberlin, Bethesda, Maryland
Others echoed the same theme: they had finally found a place where they could speak freely, think boldly, and be truly heard.
- “Having a safe space to share ideas and learn the stories of people from all over the world was very valuable to me. This seminar brought like-minded people from different walks of life together to find where our differences in thought were and put them on the table.” — Avery McClymonds, Twin Falls, Idaho
- “I felt really supported to share my opinions every time, even when I disagreed with others. The respectful way everyone interacted made it easy to engage without fear.” — Alex Iturralde, Baja California, Mexico
- “The maturity, open- and like-mindedness of other scholars, and structure of discussions surprised me.”—Atilla Ozer, Wembley, Western Australia
- “What surprised me the most about the program was the engagement of the group and how easy it felt to speak when I felt the need to.” –Evelyn Rubio, Chicago, Illinois
Why It Matters
In an age of polarization, cancellations, and fear of speaking up, spaces like the Great Connections Seminar are more than educational—they are essential. Here, students rediscover what genuine dialogue looks like: respectful, passionate, truth-seeking, and free.
By the end of the week, students leave not only with new friends and powerful ideas, but also with a sense of empowerment. They return home ready to live lives of independence and purpose—equipped to challenge collectivism, defend freedom, and build a culture of reason and respect.
The 2025 seminar was a triumph, and it’s only the beginning. Over the next few months, we’ll be sharing more photos, videos, and interviews from the program on our website and across our social media platforms.
Stay tuned—and if you know a young person ready to challenge themselves and grow in ways they never imagined, let them know: the Great Connections Seminar could change their life.
Opportunities like this only exist because of generous supporters who believe in preparing the next generation for lives of reason, independence, and freedom.
If you’d like to help more students experience the transformative power of the Great Connections Seminar, please consider making a gift today. Your donation directly supports scholarships, programming, and the resources that make this seminar possible.
