Podcast Summary: Going Big! with Kevin Gentry

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

Original Air Date: November 24, 2025
Host: Kevin Gentry
Guest: Dr. William A. Keys, Founder of the Institute for Responsible Citizenship

Overview

This episode of Going Big! features Dr. William Keyes, founder of the Institute for Responsible Citizenship (IRC), an organization that has quietly become one of the most powerful and impactful leadership pipelines for African American men in the U.S. Dr. Keyes discusses his personal journey from hitchhiking to Washington, D.C. with five dollars in his pocket, to serving as Senior Policy Advisor to the President, and ultimately founding the IRC. The episode centers on themes of vision, mission clarity, mentorship, high expectations, and the cultivation of character and service as the pillars of lasting leadership and impact. Through storytelling and candid reflection, Dr. Keyes reveals how adversity shaped his trajectory, the “secret sauce” of the Institute’s success, and the crucial importance of purpose-driven leadership.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Dr. Keyes’ Journey: From Homeless Dreamer to Senior Policy Advisor

• Early Struggles & Hustle

  • Arrived in D.C. in 1978 via hitchhiking with less than five dollars and no college degree.
  • Juggled working in the House Post Office overnight, volunteering at congressional offices during the day, and reading in the Library of Congress at night ([04:19]-[08:01]).
  • Quote:

    “For that first month I was in Washington, I slept two hours a night and I ate one meal a day at those receptions. And it was an amazing experience.” — Dr. Keyes [06:49]

• Turning Disadvantage into Advantage

  • Lacking money and connections forced him to focus on learning and self-education.
  • Four years after the post office, became Senior Policy Advisor to the President.
  • Reference to Malcolm Gladwell’s “David and Goliath”: Sometimes disadvantages are the foundation for outsized success ([08:19]).
  • Quote:

    “Sometimes the things that we view as our greatest disadvantages turn out to be our greatest advantages.” — Dr. Keyes [08:22]

The Birth and Vision of the Institute for Responsible Citizenship

• Motivation

  • Noted abysmal success rates for Black men on college campuses and the lack of critical thinking skills in society ([10:03]).
  • Designed the IRC to provide high-achieving African American men with a fully funded, intensive leadership program — not just academic but holistic.

• Two Core Challenges Addressed

  1. Support for High-Achieving Black Men: Recruit, nurture, and launch them into impactful careers.
  2. Growing Critical Thinkers: Not simply teaching skills, but creating environments where tough, probing questions are normalized ([10:03]-[12:57]).

The Institute’s Structure & Secret to Success

• Program Structure ([12:57]-[14:47])

  • Highly selective: ~12 students/year, African American men from any college, any major.
  • Two-summer intensive program in D.C.:
    • High-level internships (Capitol Hill, law firms, hospitals, churches, etc.)
    • Evening seminars in economics, constitutional principles, and ethics
    • Meetings with top leaders (Supreme Court justices, CEOs, military generals)
    • Life skills workshops (public speaking, etiquette)
    • Most vitally: building a lifelong support network, or “brotherhood”

• Extraordinary Results & Impact

  • 250 alumni since 2002;
  • 7 Rhodes Scholars, 7 Truman Scholars, 2 Fulbright Scholars, 16 Harvard Law graduates, and a remarkable “pipeline” into fields from law and medicine to public service and ministry ([14:47]-[17:09]).
  • Quote:

    “We’re not focused so much on what they do, as much as who they are...and then it turns out we get a bunch of Rhodes Scholars.” — Dr. Keyes [17:09]

• Selection Process — The “Most Important Job” ([19:01]-[21:39])

  • Hundreds of applications for 12 slots; arduous screening including written submissions, interviews, and “random” calls to assess character and readiness.
  • Even inappropriate voicemail greetings are grounds for rejection — attention to detail, conduct, and communication are paramount.

The Power of Mentorship, Expectations, and Brotherhood

• Pipeline of Impact: Three Alumni Spotlights ([24:40]-[29:07])

  1. Elijah: Graduate of Hampton University and Yale Divinity School; later built the International African American Museum in Charleston and now leads a family office.
  2. Lawrence Brown: From Stockton, CA, now a surgeon at Johns Hopkins and Ph.D. holder from Bloomberg School of Public Health.
  3. Jordan Thomas: From Newark, NJ; Princeton undergrad; Rhodes Scholar at Oxford; joint Yale Law & Harvard Business degrees; potential Supreme Court justice.

• High Expectations

  • Story of visiting a university with poor outcomes for Black men:

    “These young men are living up to your low expectations.” — Dr. Keyes [41:12]

  • Powerful comparison: Athletes are expected to excel physically, but not intellectually, by faculty. Dr. Keyes dismantles this double standard ([41:27]).

• The Centrality of Purpose

  • The “special sauce” isn’t program features — it’s the deep, value-rich conversations around the dinner table.
  • Foundation:

    “God has blessed you with something special, and he expects you to work hard, to develop it, and use it for his glory, and to be a blessing to other people.” — Dr. Keyes [44:16]

Leadership Lessons: Starting and Sustaining an Impactful Organization

• Mission Discipline and “Anti-Mission Creep”

  • Importance of spending substantial time defining mission and objectives — not rushing to incorporate without clarity ([32:09]).

  • Quote:

    “That’s important to us because people will come along and say, well, Bill, why don't you do this instead? Or why don't you add that? And it's important for me to be able to say, because that doesn't help us meet our objectives and staying clear about exactly what this is about.” — Dr. Keyes [33:30]

• Why Stay Small?

  • Small cohorts enable deep intimacy, lifelong networks, and special opportunities (e.g., a four-hour private meeting with Rep. John Lewis) ([37:48]-[39:36]).

Faith, Giftedness, and Living a Life of Purpose

• Redefining Success & The Role of Faith

  • Focus is on “being a blessing” and using talents for a higher purpose, not just personal gain or status.

• Dr. Keyes’ Own Ph.D. Journey

  • Earned his doctorate at UNC in 2018 after years of professional success to set an example for his students: “What’s your excuse?” ([29:50]).

Advice and Memorable Quotes

• No Regrets, No Wasted Steps

  • All seemingly “random” jobs and experiences added up to the perfect training and perspective for his current work ([46:46]-[49:16]).
  • Quote:

    “In me is the unique combination of experiences, relationships, passions, failures, and successes...that makes me the right person to do this.” — Dr. Keyes [47:07]

• Guidance For Listeners on “Going Big” ([50:17])

  • Think deeply about what’s truly important.
  • Focus on giving and service: “God provides everything I need and even everything I want because my focus is on giving to others.”
  • When mentoring, maintain authenticity and share real, intimate lessons in settings that foster trust.

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “Sometimes the things that we view as our greatest disadvantages turn out to be our greatest advantages.” — Dr. Keyes [08:22]
• “We’re not focused so much on what they do, as much as who they are...and then it turns out we get a bunch of Rhodes Scholars.” — Dr. Keyes [17:09]
• “These young men are living up to your low expectations.” — Dr. Keyes [41:12]
• “God has blessed you with something special, and he expects you to work hard, to develop it, and use it for his glory, and to be a blessing to other people.” — Dr. Keyes [44:16]
• “In me is the unique combination of experiences, relationships, passions, failures, and successes...that makes me the right person to do this.” — Dr. Keyes [47:07]
• “If you pour your heart into whatever you’re doing, you don’t know how the Lord's going to be able to use that experience down the road when you do meet, get to the destination that you really want to get to.”— Dr. Keyes [49:11]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Dr. Keyes’ early journey and struggles: [04:19]–[08:19]
• Turning disadvantage into advantage: [08:19]–[09:25]
• Founding vision for the institute: [10:03]–[12:57]
• Institute structure and ‘pipeline’ impact: [12:57]–[17:09]
• Alumni spotlights: [24:40]–[29:07]
• High expectations/debunking low standards: [40:27]–[43:24]
• Critical role of mission/avoiding mission creep: [32:09]–[34:57]
• Personal lessons and advice for aspiring leaders: [46:31]–[51:09]
• Final advice: living generously and with purpose: [50:17]–[51:53]

Tone and Style

Dr. Keyes’ language is direct, warm, and deeply earnest, imbued with faith and a sense of higher calling. The conversation is rich with storytelling, humor, and sharp insights on leadership, mentorship, and personal growth. Gentry’s tone is admiring, probing, and conversational, drawing out actionable lessons for listeners.

Resources

• Institute for Responsible Citizenship: theinstitute.net
• Dr. Keyes’ book: “The Stories They Hear” (highlighted in the episode)

Conclusion

This episode is a masterclass in mission-driven leadership, mentorship, and creating lasting impact by developing people’s character as well as their intellect. Dr. Keyes demonstrates how clarity of purpose, high expectations, and a true commitment to service can change lives far beyond the reach of large, impersonal programs — and how “going big” is often about going deep with a few, rather than trying to impress the many.