I have been a professor of economics at Loyola since 2001. During that time, I have had numerous excellent students, who were interested in my research projects: Austrian economics and libertarian theory. I have been lucky that many of these students, while still in high school, read my publications and listened to my speeches, some in person — for example at the Mises Institute — and others on the web. As a result, they enrolled at Loyola in order to study with me and my half-dozen fellow free-enterprise professors. This might not sound like all that much, given that we have some 200 professors, but, believe me, Loyola New Orleans is a beacon of light as far as Rothbardianism and Misesianism are concerned. Next door at Tulane University, with a faculty almost five times our size, there are only two professors who fit this bill. And at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, more than five times our faculty size, there is not a single solitary professor who espouses such a political economic philosophy. Yes, we have numerous social justice warriors, Marxists, feminists, professors, as do virtually all universities. But, at least at Loyola, a student will be introduced to both sides of debatable issues, unlike at most universities. As well, with so many professors who appreciate economic freedom, there are many students who also do. According to research I have seen, one of the best predictors of student satisfaction is finding friends among the student body. You will, here at Loyola.

So, if you are a student at a junior or two-year university, which has no libertarian professors, and no students of this persuasion either, think of transferring to Loyola. If you are a high school student, getting ready to apply to university, consider us. If you are a parent or grandparent of a college-age person, do consider suggesting that they apply for admission to Loyola, in order to study with me and my free-enterprise fellow colleagues.

Just recently, a former student of mine has set up a Walter E. Block Scholarship. It is worth $25,000, for the next four years, for a total of $100,000. I am now able to disburse these funds to Loyola students who demonstrate an interest in private property, free markets and limited government. Make no mistake about this, Loyola’s tuition is very high. However, my school does give generous scholarships, based on financial need, and also for other reasons. My scholarship money will be in addition to those funds, not a replacement for them. So, apply to Loyola, even if you thought our price tag was too high. With this scholarship money at my disposal, we can be financially competitive even with public universities.

This Walter Block award is only for students who are supporters of the economics of free enterprise and libertarianism. Please provide me with evidence of your support for the free market philosophy: Books you have read on this subject? Book reports on them? Term papers on this subject? Leaders of this philosophy of private property rights and limited government by whom you have been influenced? Letters of reference attesting to such support. As an application, please write me a letter along these lines. You can reach me at [email protected].