John Schiffer ’67

R-Dist. 22, Wyoming State Senate, fourth term

“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.”

Mark Norris ’77

R-Dist. 32, Tennessee State Senate, second term

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

D-Colo., U.S. Senate, first term

“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.”

Diana DeGette ’79

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 had a great impact in preparation for my career in politics.”

Randall Edwards ’83

D, Oregon state treasurer, second term

“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 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:

Peter Hershberger '71, Arizona House of Representatives
Marcia Johnson ’63, Denver city councilwoman
Sandra Frum ’72, Northbrook, Ill., village trustee
Joe Simitian ’74, D-21, California Assembly, California Senate
Richard Skorman ’75, Colorado Springs vice mayor
Katie Sieben ’99, D-57A, Minnesota House of Representatives