The NC Institute of Political Leadership was founded in 1974 by Dr. Walter de Vries in Wilmington, NC. It re-emerged in 1988 after the deliberations of several leading North Carolinians who had concerns regarding the lack of integrity found in the current political system. 
Walt de Vries passed away in November of 2019 at the age of 90. Through his work with IOPL, Walt impacted hundreds of lives – Fellows, faculty, public officials, and staff. The Walt de Vries Fund provides an opportunity to grow Walt’s legacy by bringing this training to a new generation of leaders.
IOPL’s Board of Directors established this fund in 2017 to honor his vision and leadership throughout the years. It will be used to offset expenses for the support and promotion of the Fellows Program. Every fellow is essentially on scholarship as the organization must raise over 75% of the cost to educate each fellow. This fund will allow NCIOPL to continue to provide exceptional training for all qualified fellow candidates as Walt intended.