The Margaret Bundy Scott Field House at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York was filled to the rafters on Thursday, April 3, as students and faculty of the college gathered for this year’s installment of the Sacerdote Great Names Series. The guest of honor this evening was the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama. Obama was the third former-President to speak as part of the series, joining past guests Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter.
Obama, who served in office from 2009-2017, has long been a staunch supporter of the music and arts. His on going commitment and support allowed him to surge in popularity with young voters. His annual “Favorites” lists highlight the President’s favorite music, books, and movies of the year and their release is anticipated by many.
Approximately 5400 tickets were made available to students and faculty and they sold out almost instantly. A palpable buzz could be felt across the upstate New York campus hours before Obama would take the stage, as lines for entry stretched from the doors of the gymnasium, to the quad and disappeared off in to the distance.
At 7:15, Student Body President Anna Gnapp took to the stage and offered a warm introduction for the former president, recounting many of Obama’s achievements. With that, Obama sprinted on stage and was met with thunderous applause and a standing ovation. “I’m fired up!,” Obama proclaimed, as he took his seat. College President Steven Tepper joined Obama on stage to facilitate the conversation.
After some comedic opening banter, which saw Tepper encourage the former President not to be nervous, the two settled in for deeper discussion. Tepper asked Obama how he came to be such an effective speaker. Obama stressed the importance of speaking with conviction, and not striving to get one-liners, as well as the importance of listening and finding a connection with your audience.
In contrast, you’ll see a lot of people who will try to sound a certain way or they’re worrying about trying to get the zinger one liner or the pithy quote. I was never particularly good at that, but I was pretty good about trying to figure out what I believed in and then try to say it as best I could. That’s probably the most important piece of advice.
Barack Obama, Hamilton College
Through out the course of the 75 minute conversation, Obama did what he is known to do best. He offered thoughtful and direct responses to the questions posed to him, while sprinkling in his own stories and humor along the way. Obama did not shy away from discussing his feelings on the current state of the country and offering his insight in to how the country should move forward, urging a reflection of our own values and what we wish to stand for, understanding that fighting for those values may require sacrifices along the way.
As the evening came to a close, Obama stressed the importance of resilience and the positive impact that it has.
“If you do the right thing, it’s not always going to be rewarded. You’re going to be disappointed. People are imperfect, but it’s worth trying. And if you try, not only do you usually end up getting better outcomes, but you’re going to live a better life”.
Barack Obama, Hamilton College
Obama would exit the stage to another standing ovation from the audience, leaving those in attendance feeling encouraged and inspired.
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