Alumni Corner in the Oval Office
Obama during his years at Columbia
A Columbia College alum has just been elected President of the United States.
It's an historic moment for America and our school.
Barack Obama '83 becomes the first Ivy undergrad not from Harvard, Yale or Princeton to become president, (although he did graduate from Harvard Law). Teddy and Franklin Roosevelt were Columbia Law students, although I believe TR never graduated.
Most importantly, this could help sports recruiting.
Okay, I'm not that shallow. To prove it, I will admit here that I did not support Mr. Obama's campaign nor vote for him.
But on the bright side, does a President Obama give our recruiters a little gravitas?
I think it actually does, despite Obama's apparent lukewarm feelings about CU.
It's a calling card, and in the more rural areas of this country where football still is a religion, just having more coaches and parents who know the name of your college helps.
On the other hand, how would you like to be one of the folks at Occidental College? What's their new advertising slogan?
"Come to Occidental! The Best Place to Start Before You Get Serious Somewhere Else!"
Not very catchy.
posted by Jake @ 8:27:00 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Perhaps the administrators can appeal to Obama get him to endorse Columbia athletics' participation in the $700 billion finl rescue plan to fund the Athletic endowment drive.
I prefer we do without politics here, Jake (and I voted like you).
Obama not only doesn't talk about Columbia but he parachuted in to get an Ivy undergraduate degree after two years at Occidental.
However, since he has mountains of things to prove as President, I would welcome his adding Columbia football to his multitasking list
and finding us a top-rank running back.
However described, "politics" impact the future of Columbia athletics much more than the other Ivy League institutions in more bucolic places like Ithaca and Hanover, because without the continuing strong support of those politicians the University will not be able to execute its visionary plan to expand in Manhattanville. In the long run, the Manhattanville expansion will allow the construction of obviously much needed additional athletic/recreational facilitiies on the Morningside Heights Campus. Without significantly improved indoor facilities on or near campus, Columbia athletics will always be challenged to compete with their better endowed opponents in the Ivy League and elsewhere. I happened to have voted the same way as Jake, for probably the same reasons, but do agree with him as to the immense p.r. value to Columbia Athletics of being able to tell recruits that President Obama graduated from Columbia. I doubt that President Obama will ever be involved in Columbia athletics (Oregon State basketball is likely to be his passion), but it's nice to know that a Columbia College grad made history yesterday and will be in the White House. Anyway, in the very real world of Columbia Football, I still would very much like to see Shane and M.A. on the field together in at least a few plays this weekend. If that happens, I might even credit Obama's victory.
TR. via Wiki: entered Columbia Law School. When offered a chance to run for New York Assemblyman in 1881, he dropped out of law school to pursue his new goal of entering public life.[
I have heard Barack say that this ocuntry gave him the chance to graduate from two of the finest universities in hte country. I don't think it is fair to say that he parachuted into Columbia to burnish his resume. Like any transfer he wanted more from his education. But let's not lose sight of the fact that he arrived with few financial resources and no housing, and that he was living off campus in marginal surroundings. That alone would probaly result in any one of us having a less affectionate relationship with our alma mater. But let's make the most of this, and promote our pride in having one of our own in the White House.
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