This content was published: January 20, 2009. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
Our team takes time out to celebrate this shard of history
Photos and story by Dana Haynes
They brought in extra chairs, despite the fact that my cubbyhole office is tight and stuffy. Jeanie, Nancy and Jen couldn’t fit into the office and huddled in my doorway. Rick, Mary, Kim and Kristin sat, silent, and listened as the 44th president was sworn in and gave his inaugural speech.
Our boss, Dr. Pulliams, was there, somewhere in that chilly D.C. crowd. We were kind of hoping the wandering cameras would catch sight of him, but oh well.
We all have work to do. Everyone’s plate is full in College Advancement. But this was a bright and distinct shard of history and none of us was willing to miss it.
This president’s lifetime has been a straight line from the “bitter swill” of segregation to an African-American president. Not a half-bad vertical leap, that.
Not bad at all.
Barack Obama is the president of the United States of America. And our team watched it happen together.
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About Dana Haynes
Dana Haynes, joined PCC in 2007 as the manager of the Office of Public Affairs, directing the college's media and government relations. Haynes spent the previous 20 years as a reporter, columnist and editor for Oregon newspapers, including ... more »