One of the really great things about college is that there are literally hundreds of events each year held on campus that are open for you (and often, faculty and staff) to attend. You’ll find concerts, discussions, movies, dances, festivals, lectures, networking, leadership seminars, and even the occasional political event. One such event happened a few weeks ago at WPI.
You are probably familiar with the recent especial US Senate election in Massachusetts. This election on January 19, 2010 was surely one of the most if not the most publicized and contested in my time living in Massachusetts. Even with the hype surrounding the election, I was very surprised when I learned that the Democratic candidate, Martha Coakley, selected WPI as the location she wanted to hold a rally just days before the polling. Normally I’d have thought that having such an event on campus would simply add a little buzz on a Friday evening, but this event was to include former President Bill Clinton!
The inclusion of Bill Clinton was really something special—a former president coming to WPI and speaking in a building I can see from my office! Politics aside, I had to go to this event! The Great Hall of Alden Memorial was nearly at capacity on Friday evening, January 15, and I went armed with a camera. You can see some of the photos I took below including some very close-up shots to President Clinton. Unfortunately I was just a few feet too far back in the crowd when he was shaking hands at the conclusion of the event.
Seeing (just some) of the logistics of this event was my favorite part. Security was, of course, especially tight. WPI, Worcester, and State Police were visible all afternoon in addition to Secret Service. What is usually a building that’s free to roam through, Alden Memorial was on lock down. In my opinion, a minor inconvenience for such a rare event!
I know that there were many students in attendance at the event, and since it was open to the public, some of them were right up front and had the chance to meet the former president. When you get to college, make sure you study and keep up with academics. But don’t fall victim of not taking advantage of all of the wonderful opportunities outside of your classes—you never know what type of event will be happening or who will speak on your doorstep!
Please note that WPI did not endorse a candidate in the election, and Martha Coakley’s campaign independently reserved the space on campus and paid for all associated costs. I am writing about it as an example of an intriguing event on campus that WPI students, faculty, and staff had the opportunity to attend.
