SYRA was founded in January 2003, as a result of students coming together in response to one-sided attacks on America in a post 9/11, pre-Iraq War world. Our mission is to promote conservative ideas on campus as well as encourage debate.

Since then, SYRA has become active within the Saratoga Springs community as well. We proudly volunteer our efforts and work hard for various local candidates election season in Saratoga.

In the spring of 2005 we sponsored our school’s first-ever Conservative Challenge Week, which consisted of numerous events and lectures, with a keynote speech by David Horowitz, with the intent to demonstrate the predominant liberal bias within academia. As a result, SYRA was featured on the front page of the Sunday edition of the Times Union (the leading newspaper of New York’s Capital Region), as well as on multiple conservative websites including SeanHannity.com and TheFire.org. Currently we are running our third annual Week with a lecture by John Ashcroft. For more information check the events page.

In the past we have hosted speakers such as David Horowitz, Dr. Harvey Mansfield, Dinesh D’Souza, Peter Schwizer, Dan Flynn, and Robert Spencer.

Our club currently boasts a membership of over 50 students, with co-Presidents Tom Qualtere ’08 and Skyler Parkhurst’09; Vice President Evan Bjorklund ‘08; Treasurer Aaron Moberger ‘09; and Secretary Charlotte Underwood ’08.

If you would like to join our mailing list contact Skyler Parkhurst ’09.