Going Big with Dr. William Keyes: Mission, Mentorship, and a Pipeline of High Expectations

Host Kevin Gentry sits down with Dr. William Keyes, founder of the Institute for Responsible Citizenship, for a masterclass in thinking big while staying focused. From hitchhiking to Washington with five dollars to advising President Ronald Reagan, Keyes shares how discipline, clarity of mission, and faith shaped a two-summer program that forges high character leaders through elite internships, intimate seminars in economics and the Constitution, and deep mentorship. The results speak for themselves, including multiple Rhodes, Truman, and Fulbright scholars and an alumni network defined by service, integrity, and high expectations.

This conversation digs into how to resist mission creep, why small cohorts can create outsized impact, and how leaders can set standards that young men will rise to meet. Keyes explains the power of taking time to think, building a culture that prizes critical thinking and responsibility, and measuring success by lives changed. If you want a playbook for going big with purpose and staying true to what matters most, this episode is it.