Benedictine College Announces the Center for Constitutional Liberty

Atchison, Kan. (Sept. 17, 2019) – As the nation celebrates its heritage on Constitution Day, Benedictine College is pleased to announce its Center for Constitutional Liberty, an ambitious new project to promote the virtues of democratic citizenship. Paid for with a generous contribution from an anonymous donor, the mission of the new center is to renew and advance the understanding of the founding principles of the United States of America, form students in the principles of democratic citizenship, and launch a new generation of leaders in public service.

“The mission of the Center is to promote and deepen the understanding of the founding principles of America – constitutionalism, self-government, individual liberty and civic virtue,” said Benedictine College President Stephen D. Minnis.

After a decade of looking inward and making improvements that are now being recognized on a national scale by publications like The Wall Street Journal (best private college in Kansas) and U.S. News & World Report (best college in Kansas and Top 10 in the Midwest), Minnis said the Benedictine College board of directors decided it was time to look outward. The next strategic plan will focus on transforming culture in America, and one step toward that will be this Center and a renewed appreciation of the wisdom of the Founding Fathers as seen within America’s founding documents. This will be accomplished through a fellowship program for students, sponsored speakers, public outreach, co-curricular activities, internship placement and leadership development.

Arman Partamian has been named the director of the new Center. Partamian received his M.A. from the University of Chicago and his J.D. from American University. He has worked as a legislative aide in the U.S. Senate, as a practicing attorney, and for the Central Intelligence Agency. He has previously taught for several years as an adjunct at Benedictine College in both the Department of Philosophy and the Department of Sociology and Criminology. His areas of emphasis include constitutional law, philosophy of law/jurisprudence, political philosophy, and national security/intelligence. His wife, Catherine, is a clinical psychologist and the couple lives in St. Joseph, Missouri, with their five children.

Later in the month, the Center for Constitutional Liberty will present its inaugural speaker David French, attorney, author, veteran, senior fellow at the National Review Institute, and host of the popular Ordered Liberty podcast. He will give a presentation on Friday, Sept. 27, at 7:00 p.m. in the McAllister Boardroom on the fourth floor of the Ferrell Academic Center.