Submitted/Drew Rosdahl
Drew Rosdahl, information specialist at the Bureau for Child Research, was among several KU faculty and staff attending Barack Obama's inauguration. Above, he is pictured at the Capitol a few days before thousands of revelers overtook the city.
Faculty, staff take in historic Obama inauguration
Freezing cold and a mass of humanity may not sound appealing, but they weren’t about to keep a handful of Jayhawks from attending the inauguration of President Barack Obama. For the dozen or so KU faculty, staff and students in attendance it was all part of the experience of the historic day.
Among those from KU known to attend were:
- Barbara Ballard, associate director of the Dole Institute of Politics and a Democratic state representative from Lawrence’s 44th district
- Maryemma Graham, professor of English
- Jonathan Earle, associate director of the Dole Institute of Politics and an associate professor of history
- Teresa Leslie-Canty, lecturer in African and African-American studies
- Andrew Torrance, associate professor of law
- Bud Stallworth, business manager for Design and Construction Management and KU alumnus
- Frances Gorman, communications coordinator for the School of Business and KU alumna
- Leslie Tuttle, assistant professor of history
- Drew Rosdahl, information specialist, Bureau for Child Research
Torrance had a relatively close spot to watch the new president take the oath of office.
“It was wonderful,” he said of the experience. “I had a really nice ticket relatively close to the proceedings. I could see the president and those around him. The atmosphere was truly amazing. There were a lot of tears of joy when he took the oath.”
Submitted/Drew Rosdahl
Drew Rosdahl was surrounded by a cast of thousands of jubilant inauguration attendees. This photo shows his view toward the Washington Monument.
Torrance was invited to attend the inauguration after serving on an advisory committee during the president’s campaign. The committee advised then-candidate Obama on issues regarding technology, the media and telecommunications. Torrance was invited to advise on intellectual property law.
Torrance said he wasn’t about to miss his first chance to see a president take office. He was left with a strong impression of a president with a chance to accomplish great things.
Submitted/Marianne Berry
Marianne Berry, professor of social welfare and president of University Senate, left, had a chance meeting with former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown at Barack Obama's inauguration. She's pictured above with Brown and her sister, Amanda Berry.
“I think this marks a sea change in who Americans believe they can choose to lead them,” Torrance said. “This election shows there’s a thirst in the U.S. for change, and not just cosmetic change, but real change in the way Americans choose their leaders.”
Torrance added that he’s encouraged by early actions of President Obama. In his inaugural address, Obama emphasized “restoring science and technology to their rightful place.” He has mentioned the need to address climate change and has indicated he will address innovation, the patent system, food and drug regulations and technology policy, all topics Torrance says he will continue to cover in his classes and scholarship.
Marianne Berry got her ticket through good old-fashioned lobbying. Berry, president of University Senate, learned that Student Senate President Adam McGonigle and his fellow senators were contacting Kansas’ congressional delegation to find any available tickets. Berry tried the tactic as well, e-mailing representatives from across the state. She felt good enough about Obama’s odds to win that she booked a flight to Washington in October.
While none of the representatives was able to help her, she got a last minute e-mail that ensured she didn’t pay the airfare in vain. McGonigle secured an extra ticket from one of the representatives he had contacted.
Submitted/Andrew Torrance
Andrew Torrance, associate professor of law, was invited to the Obama inauguration after serving on an advisory committee during the president's candidacy. This photo shows his relatively close view of the historic event.
After spending the day on the National Mall soaking up the history and socializing with people from across the country the day prior, Berry made the trek from her sister’s D.C. home to her ticketed area nearly four blocks from the Capitol. She may not have been close, but she was happy.
“I actually had breathing room around me,” she said. “I had my binoculars and we had a JumboTron in our area, so I could go back and forth between the two.”
She settled in with a church group that had driven all night from North Carolina to attend the ceremonies. Berry said she was struck by the joy the group, and everyone else around her, displayed.
“This was the inaugural ball for so many,” Berry said. “Just to be there with the people was amazing, I don’t even have words for it.”
The inauguration was not just a memorable experience, but one the professor of social welfare can use in the classroom as well. The election of the nation’s first African-American president is an example of her area of expertise looming large.
“Social welfare is all about giving the underrepresented and underserved a voice,” Berry said. “I’ll be bringing every minute of my week in D.C. back to the classroom in a variety of ways. Obama’s speech and the entire event are completely pertinent to social work and social justice.”
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