Students For Liberty

Name: Alexander McCobin

Position: Executive Director

School: University of Pennsylvania & Georgetown University

Email: amccobin@studentsforliberty.org

Bio: Alexander McCobin recognized the formal principles of his beliefs after reading Atlas Shrugged, a birthday present from his father in 9^th grade. Throughout high school, Alexander participated in Lincoln-Douglas debate, which allowed him to study philosophy and particularly those who advocated the philosophical principles of liberty. During college at the University of Pennsylvania, Alexander began the University of Pennsylvania Libertarian Association to promote discussion and education of libertarian ideas on campus.  He was an intern at the Reason Foundation, doing work on privatization efforts around the U.S.  He also started a nonprofit organization to promote youth debate education to underserved students in the greater Philadelphia and mid-Atlantic region. In May, 2008, Alexander graduated from Penn with a B.A. in philosophy and economics and a M.A. in philosophy.  He spent the following year working as a Koch Associate at the Cato Institute focused on marketing and development.

Alexander will be starting as a Ph.D. student in Georgetown University’s philosophy program this fall.

Favorite Figures in Liberty: Ayn Rand and Robert Nozick

On Students For Liberty: “After my first two years of college, I nearly gave up on my libertarian principles because I thought I was alone. It wasn’t until by luck I discovered others who believed in the same principles as myself that my passion to advocate for liberty was reignited. Students For Liberty exists to prevent other students who believe in liberty from feeling alone and empower them to pursue liberty whenever possible. Seeing Students For Liberty grow from a flicker of an idea into an incredible organization has only reaffirmed my passion for liberty and my belief that by bringing students together in a common effort for liberty, we can change the world.”