The National Meeting is one of the most exciting highlights of the year. This year, we welcomed more than 400 MBA students, alumni, and special guests to convene for a weekend of thought-provoking panels, lively discussions, and unique networking opportunities.

This year, we presented Clifford Asness with the 2018 Principled Leadership Award — which honors thoughtful business leaders who understand the centrality of the free market in both our economic system and our civic life. 

Additional Speakers 

Featuring:

• Keynote address and interactions with Cliff Asness — our Principled Leadership Award recipient
• Luncheon keynote with Dambisa Moyo on her new book, Edge of Chaos: Why Democracy Is Failing to Deliver Economic Growth—and How to Fix It
• A discussion on free trade featuring Douglas Irwin, Dartmouth professor and author of Clashing Over Commerce: A History of U.S. Trade Policy, and Wall Street Journal columnist and editorial board member, Mary Anastasia O'Grady
• Co-sponsored Intelligence Squared US debate on the future of bitcoin; featuring Patrick Byrne (Overstock.com CEO), Eric Posner (University of Chicago Law School), Tim Draper (venture capital investor), and Gillian Tett (U.S. Managing Editor, Financial Times), hosted by John Donvan
• An address by Michael Anton, National Security Council 
• Exclusive awards ceremony for Smith Soc standouts:

- Principled Leadership Award (Cliff Asness)

- Milstein Fellowship

- Chapter of the Year Award

- Best New Chapter Award 

- Featured Member of the Year Award

• Unique opportunity to connect with other like-minded members from all over the country and abroad
• Small group and one-on-one meetings for select members
• Invite-only private VIP cocktail reception for chapter leaders, paid members at the executive-level or above, and special honorees

Intelligence Squared US is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that seeks to restore critical thinking, facts, reason, and civility to American public discourse.

At the 2018 National Meeting, Patrick Byrne and Tim Draper (for) debated Gillian Tett and Eric Posner (against) on the motion: "bitcoin is more than a bubble and here to stay."

The debate was hosted by John Donvan and presented in partnership with Intelligence Squared U.S.