Chance grew up in central Illinois and attended Illinois State University. He began studying Political Science after doing two years of Computer Science because of a growing interest and dedication to the principles of the American Founding. Quickly after making the switch, he was reading everything he could find that was written during the American Founding or that played an influential role in the philosophy of the Founders. Prior to coming to Hillsdale, he interned at the James Wilson Institute on Natural Rights and the American Founding, and with the Cato Institute.