With numb fingers and warm hearts, thousands packed the chilly steps of Low Library on January 20 to watch the inauguration of President Barack Obama '83, the first College graduate to lead the United States.

Standing shoulder to shoulder in front of a JumboTron screen, students, faculty, staff and neighbors watched in awe as Obama took the oath to become the 44^th president. Oblivious to the sub-freezing temperatures and snow blowing off Low's roof, the crowd had only smiles and tears of joy.

"It seemed inevitable, but to actually have it happen is amazing," said Gabriel Moyer-Perez '11, a history major. "He closely mirrors what we hold as our values. It's really refreshing to see someone in charge who cares about science and knowledge, the things we care about."

University President Lee C. Bollinger's office provided hot chocolate and cider to the 7,500 people who spent most of their morning on campus, and Bollinger greeted the crowd shortly before the precession of dignitaries began in Washington, D.C.

"It feels as if history has all come together for this one brilliant moment, everything resolved in the best possible way and offering us the potential for a much better world," he said. "And, so, we might say, Stand Columbia and let the world share with us our pride in being part of this defining moment in history, unembarrassed about our high hopes for the future, and glad to be part of an institution with a commitment to learn actively and to act wisely."

The pomp of the transition of leadership did not disappoint. Students from the School at Columbia cheered and waved blue and white pompoms. The crowd clapped for Aretha Franklin and roared as Obama was sworn in.

"It's really an amazing experience," said Gaia Goffe '11. "This is a historic moment, and we're glad we have that connection with Obama."

To read more about the celebration at Low and watch a video of President Bollinger's speech, visit http://www.columbia.edu/cu/news/09/01/inauguration.html.

Ethan Rouen '04J

Samuel Fury Childs Daly '09, a Milwaukee, Wis., native who has traveled extensively through Europe and Africa, won the prestigious Marshall Scholarship, which he will use to earn two master's, one in history and one in African studies, from Oxford.

"Sam is somebody who has tremendous intellectual curiosity and wants to use his knowledge to improve the world that we all live in," says Michael Pippenger, associate dean of fellowship programs and study abroad. "He has traveled all over Africa and has a real sense of wanderlust that his study abroad experience certainly helped with."

Daly stumbled into becoming an African studies major during a first-year language fair where, on a whim, he registered for Swahili. He now speaks Swahili, Yoruba, French and Spanish.

During his junior year, Daly spent a semester at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London and another semester at the University of Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania. He now works on campus for the Law School's Center for Social Justice and in the Oral History Project office.

The Marshall Scholarship will cover all expenses for two years of study. Daly said he was in a subway station, returning from tutoring a high school student, when he got the call that he won.

"I couldn't understand half of what they were saying, but I heard, 'Congratulations,' and the rest didn't really matter," he says.

Working with the Fellowships Office at Columbia, Daly went through dozens of drafts of his application and countless practice interviews.

"It is one of the best environments I've come across in my time here," he said of working with the office.

The Fellowships Office has helped students win three Rhodes Scholarships, three Marshall Scholarships and 18 Fulbright Scholarships in the last three years.

To read about Jisung Park '09, this year's Rhodes winner, go to www.college.columbia.edu/cct/jan_feb09/around_the_quads1.

To read about other recent scholarship winners, visit www.college.columbia.edu/cct_archive/jan_feb08/quads4.php and www.college.columbia.edu/cct/may_jun08/around_the_quads5.

By Ethan Rouen '04J

The United States Senate voted to confirm Eric Holder '73, '76L as attorney general. Holder was nominated by President Barack Obama '83 in December.

Holder, who served as deputy attorney general in the Clinton administration and most recently was an attorney at the Washington, D.C., firm Covington and Burling, was a prominent adviser during Obama's Presidential campaign, vetting his selection for Vice President.

Holder, 57, is the first black attorney general in U.S. history. He is the second consecutive College alumnus to serve in the position, replacing Michael Mukasey '63.

Since graduating from Columbia, Holder has made repeated trips to campus and devoted time to the University, serving on the Board of Visitors, participating in the Alumni Partner Program and helping to support Columbia's first chaired faculty position to focus on African-American studies.

Ethan Rouen '04J

We are pleased to announce that Jisung Park, an Economics-Political Science major from Shelton, CT has been awarded a Rhodes Scholarship for 2009.

Jisung has conducted innovative research on tropical rainforests in Queensland, Australia – inspiring his senior thesis: Carbon Credits for Reduced Deforestation – A Dynamic Model of Costs and Benefits. He serves on the editorial board of Consilience, a journal of sustainable development and has been a research assistant for Professors Jagdish Bhagwati and David Lee. He is a bass singer in an a capella group on campus and also plays on the male practice squad of our women’s basketball team. An energetic and engaging cultural ambassador, Jisung spent his junior year studying at Oxford and has taught English in Korea. He will return to Oxford to pursue an M.Sc. in Nature, Society, and Environmental Policy – allowing him to pursue his passion for sustainable development.

Jisung is a wonderful representative for Columbia and we are so very proud of his many accomplishments.

Jisung Park '09 has won a Rhodes Scholarship to pursue a M.Sc. in nature, society and environmental policy at Oxford University in England.

Park, who is from Shelton, Conn., and is majoring in economics and political science, has traveled the world studying sustainable development and the constantly shifting line where environmentalism and economics merge.

"Jisung is an outstanding student," said Michael Pippenger, associate dean of fellowship programs and study abroad. "He has really worked hard to create a curriculum for himself dealing with economics and sustainable development. A lot of the activities he has done have allowed him to test his theories."

While at the College, Park has traveled to the rainforests of Australia and spent his junior year studying at Oxford. On campus, he is on the editorial board of Consilience, a journal of sustainable development. He also sings in the a cappella Uptown Vocal Group and is on the male practice squad of the women's basketball team.

The Fellowships Office at Columbia has helped students and alumni win three Rhodes Scholarships, a Marshall Scholarship and 18 Fulbright Scholarships in the last three years.

To read about more recent Columbia scholarship winners, visit: http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct_archive/jan_feb08/quads4.php and http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/may_jun08/around_the_quads5.

Ethan Rouen '04J