This past weekend at the 2018 FIRE Student Network Summer Conference, three new members were inducted into the Prometheus Society. Membership in the Prometheus Society — the highest award FIRE gives to students in recognition of their activism on campus — is a way for FIRE to recognize exceptional students who have demonstrated remarkable dedication advocating for FIRE’s mission. The Prometheus Society takes its name from the Titan of Greek mythology who stole fire from the gods and gifted it to humankind. In keeping with the moral courage of its namesake, the Prometheus Society includes some of the most dynamic student free speech advocates in the nation.

Past inductees earned their spots by working with their peers, administrators, professors, and FIRE staff to promote free expression on campus. By developing strategies to reform speech codes, working toward the passage of the Chicago Statement at their schools, executing hard-hitting free speech campaigns, and writing and publishing trenchant pieces in defense of free expression, all Prometheus Society members have worked tirelessly to preserve freedom of speech for the current generation and pass the torch of liberty to the next.

This year’s inductees are Sam Foer from the University of Rhode Island, Kelsey Carroll from Purdue University-Fort Wayne, and Doug Reynolds from the University of Missouri.

Sam Foer, University of Rhode Island

Sam’s ongoing work to bring URI’s speech policies in line with the First Amendment helped him to earn first place in FIRE’s Speak Truth To Power contest. As founder and president of BridgeUSA at URI, Sam works daily to inspire civic participation, free thought, open mindedness, and respect toward differing viewpoints. Additionally, as founder and president of the URI ACLU chapter, Sam works to monitor faculty and student rights and to fight for those rights when they are infringed. Upon receiving the Prometheus award Sam expressed “a profound joy that I get to share my passion and ideas with the society that raised me, and I help to raise as well.”

Kelsey Carroll, Purdue University-Fort Wayne

As a Media Ambassador with Young Americans for Liberty, Kelsey has used her skills to expose unconstitutional policies at campuses across the country and has helped other writers do the same. Through her work editing and writing for the Campus Speech Code Crisis series in the Washington Examiner, she has helped bring the fight for free speech on campus to a national audience. She currently has a management role in the series and works with other writers to develop their pieces, reach out to universities for comments, and incorporate FIRE’s ratings.

Doug Reynolds, University of Missouri

As founder and president of the Mizzou Student Defenders, Doug has recruited and trained a dedicated staff to educate students about their rights, explain the conduct process to them, and assist them through the often-confusing system. As a member of the MSA Senate, Doug continues to work toward the implementation of FIRE’s recommended revisions to Mizzou’s speech codes by speaking with other student senators and spreading awareness to other campus organizations. Doug said he is tremendously thankful for being chosen to join the Prometheus Society and that he looks forward “to using this honor to further advance free speech at the University of Missouri.”

Students selected to join the Prometheus Society receive various perks and honors throughout the year in recognition of their hard work defending student rights. In addition to an all-expenses-paid trip to Philadelphia to meet with FIRE staff for the annual FSN Summer Conference, they will also be invited to travel to other exclusive FIRE events.

Please join FIRE in congratulating the newest members of FIRE’s Prometheus Society. If you know someone who deserves consideration for FIRE’s Prometheus Society, let us know!