Introducing the Southmayd Center for American Ideals

Introducing the Southmayd Center for American Ideals
Alumnus Jeff Southmayd provides insight into his new organization.

(The shield-shaped logo for the Southmayd Center for American Ideals. Source: Jeff Southmayd)

W&L alumnus Jeffrey Duke Southmayd recently founded a non-profit organization, the Southmayd Center for American Ideals. Since 2020, Southmayd has worked with members of The Generals Redoubt to bring speakers such as Heather MacDonald, Larry Elder, Matt Walsh, Mike Pence, and Mike Pompeo to campus.

According to Southmayd, “It occurred to me that bringing conservative speakers to W&L was a good idea in light of its rapid political movement to the left and because there were students who supported such events. So, I set up a fund within The Generals Redoubt called the Center for American Ideals with the specific intent of funding educational programs, speakers, debates, forums, etc. for groups interested in such endeavors, but who lacked the funds and know who to undertake such things,” Southmayd said.

While the Center was initially part of the Redoubt, Southmayd told The Spectator that he “decided earlier this year to form a separate non-profit 501(c)(3) called the Southmayd Center for American Ideals to pursue my objectives.” Despite forming his own organization, Southmayd affirmed that “I continue to support The Generals Redoubt and its goals and efforts.”

The Center has already worked with the school’s Generals Activity Board (GAB) to put on the Lex Fest music festival at the Lime Kiln theater earlier this month. Because of the Center’s support, the event was free to W&L students and alumni, as well as invited members of the Lexington community. Southmayd hopes to host a similar event in the future.

(Lex Fest at Lime Kiln Theater on Friday, May 3, 2024 Source: The W&L Spectator)

Southmayd is already in contact with several student and national organizations for events in the next academic year, but is open to and excited about working with new groups.

“I believe in a set of American ideals including representative democracy, rights, liberty, and equality, in which freedom is interpreted as the opportunity for individual prosperity and success,” Southmayd said. 

He further emphasized “the chance for upward social mobility for each according to ability and achievement through hard work in a society with many challenges but now few if any formal barriers.”

“On campus, I would hope programs and speakers I would underwrite would help promote free speech, civil dialogue, and intellectual diversity throughout Washington & Lee University.  I envision W&L as the most exciting university in the country to learn, teach and grow — a place where ideas collide, and diverse viewpoints contend,” he said.

Anyone wishing to contact Southmayd or support the Center for American Ideals should visit jdscai.org, which he says will be further updated in the coming months.