 Colorado U.S. Senator-elect Ken Salazar |
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Ten Alumni Elected; Salazar Now U.S. Senatorby
Anne Christensen
Mark
Norris ’77 For
Mark
Norris ’77,
holding
public office
is a matter
of integrity.
Norris says, “I
see public
service
as a public
trust — not
to be squandered
but to
be cherished
as a way
to contribute
to our
community.
Professors
Sondermann
and Finley
encouraged
me to serve
the CCCA,
which in
turn shaped
my interest
in obtaining
a law degree
and in
volunteer
work, which
led me
to run for
county board
of commissioners
and then
the state
senate.
I see my
role of
citizen
legislator
as an extension
of my oath
as an attorney
to serve
the public.” Ken
Salazar ’77 “I
owe all the
opportunities
I’ve
had to education,” says
Ken
Salazar ’77,
who has served
as Colorado’s
attorney general
since 1998 and
a CC trustee
since 1999. “CC
gave me confidence
and opened my
eyes to the
world in invaluable
ways. I learned
the keystone
skills of thinking
and writing,
and I learned
about people
from all over
the world. CC
gave me the
tools to excel
at everything
I’ve
done since college,
as a lawyer,
as attorney
general, and
now looking
ahead to serving
as the United
States senator
for Colorado.” D-Colo. , U.S. House of Representatives, fourth term Diana
DeGette ’79 represents
urban Denver,
the most
diverse
congressional
district
in Colorado.
In Congress,
she is
minority
whip and
served on
the house
committee
on energy
and commerce,
where she
advocated
for corporate
accountability
and health
care, including
stem cell
research. “CC
taught
me to think
critically
and to
stand up
for my
beliefs,” says
DeGette. “It
was a
good place
to get
exposed
to new
ideas,
especially
my years
on the
debate
team.
That experience
really
taught
me to
look at
all sides
of an
issue
and thoroughly
prepare
my arguments
before
I debated,
a lesson
that has
had a
great
impact
in preparation
for my
career
in politics.” John
Schiffer ’67 “Politics
in Wyoming
is rough and
tough,” says
John Schiffer ’67. “But
anyone can
stand up and
make a difference
by testifying
in front of
a legislative
committee — or
running for
office. CC
taught me to
think and question,
and that’s
what legislators
do.” Schiffer
credits a 1966
sociology of
politics class
for helping
make him a
collaborative
politician: “It
focused on
the International
Typesetters
Union: how
people built
coalitions
and made compromises.
At CC, I got
a willingness
to visit with
people, and
experience
with seeing
different sides
of every problem,
whether I’m
working on
vegetation
standards for
coal mines
or tort reform
or prison construction.” Randall
Edwards ’83 "I'm
honored to
run the state’s
largest financial
institution," says
Oregon State
Treasurer Randall
Edwards ’83. "I
manage a $57
billion portfolio
of investments,
sell all of
the bonds for
Oregon, and
bank $120 billion
each year. My
job is the perfect
marriage of
public policy
and finance.
I've worked
to invest in
Oregon to create
jobs, protect
public schools
during the economic
downturn, and
reform the mutual
fund industry.
One of my proudest
accomplishments
is creating
and managing
the Oregon's
College Savings
Program to help
families put
money aside
for college.
Public service
is a great privilege,
and I'm thankful
to have been
re-elected." A
sampling
of
the
many
more
CC
alumni
in
elected
office:
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