They say journalism is dead … but Jack Nicastro is proof: It’s not going anywhere. (It just needed a fresh coat of paint.) Jack took over as House Coordinator for House Hazlitt in the summer of 2023; it’s Students For Liberty’s professional development track for Journalism and Content Creation. Jack’s mission was to show that the pen is still mightier than the sword. But he wasn’t sure how.

So, he went back to his roots as a classical liberal … to his heroes: John Locke and Adam Smith. Above all, he tapped into what compelled him to join Students For Liberty at Dartmouth University in 2021: lockdowns — of people, and of ideas. Mandates — of masks and of obedience. “It was, ultimately, free speech that was under attack,” he said. “And I’m someone who likes to speak. You can’t take that away from me without a fight.”

Inspired by Ethan Yang, whose Freedom of Information request led to a Supreme Court case — Murthy v. Missouri — that challenged the government’s suppression of speech, Jack’s fight began in earnest. “Ethan showed so much courage that I had to make him proud. While he was fighting in the courts, I wanted to fight on the battlefield field of ideas,” Jack said.

As the 2023 school year began, that fight began to take shape. In his role with House Hazlitt, he embarked on an ambitious project: to create an impactful classical liberal magazine. To do so, Jack knew it had to reflect the broad spectrum of libertarian thought and spark discussion by exploring controversial topics. Enter: LockeSmith.

With his background as scriptwriter at FEE, Jack took on the role of Editor-in-Chief and started recruiting writers from SFL’s broad network of students and thought leaders. He inspired Amjad Aun to explore the struggles of classical liberals in Syria; Padraig Quinn to examine the complexities of commerce and taxation; and Juan Estevez to advocate for more private cities.

All the while, Jack was securing sponsorships. He raised almost $5,000 from Reason, Mercatus, and FEE, among other prestigious organizations, for the first edition. So LockeSmith had financial independence; a dynamic editorial vision; and a talented staff of writers. All that was left … was to launch. 1,500 copies were printed for circulation at LibertyCon International in February 2024. By the end of the conference, every copy had been distributed.

But that’s not all Jack did in 2024. He also raised $22,500 for a regional conference he co-organized, and was one of the motive forces behind the Free Speech Summit at Dartmouth, nominated for SFL’s Event of the Year. At the Summit, Jack was not only on stage all day as moderator, but tended to the little things, too, like the deliveries of breakfast and lunch.

His passion for liberty has never wavered, and thanks to his involvement with SFL, today Jack’s resume includes the Cato Institute, the National Review, and he made his debut recently in Reason Magazine.

SFL’s theory of social change posits that educating, developing, and empowering students today will lead to strong, effective leaders tomorrow. Few students demonstrate the validity of this theory better than Jack Nicastro. That’s why he was named Student of the Year at LibertyCon International in February of 2025.