Jeff Hamsher and Marcus King, president and vice president of Allan Hancock College’s Associated Student Body Government, respectively, were getting ready to walk in the Santa Maria Parade of Lights when an e-mail came through announcing unbelievably good news: They had tickets to the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama.
In an interview with the Sun, Hamsher said he was checking his e-mail on his phone when the confirmation letter from U.S. Rep. Lois Capps’ (D-Santa Barbara) office came through. He showed the message to King, who soon found he had a similar message in his inbox.
“I started jumping up and down and screaming,” King said, adding that he always dreamed of going, but didn’t think the hope would become a reality.
Tickets for Obama’s swearing-in ceremony weren’t given directly to the public, but to members of the 111th Congress. The representatives received 198 tickets each to distribute to constituents through individual online lotteries.
“It’s really an honor and a privilege to represent the school at the inauguration,” Hamsher said. “It’s so historic. I don’t think there are words to describe how excited we are to be a part of this.”
King agreed, adding that the experience would “really be the fruits of our labor.”
Together with a group of their student body peers, Hamsher and King hosted on-campus debate parties where they managed to register 175 voters for the 2008 election. The college’s student body government also worked with the Santa Maria Valley League of Women Voters to register more voters.
“We had such a big say in how this election went,” Hamsher said of the student body government’s efforts.
Since receiving the inaugural tickets, King jokingly said the reaction from his peers has been a mix of “envy … and excitement.”
“Everyone is really proud of us around campus for the things we’ve done [for the school],” King said.
King is beginning his second semester as ASBG vice president. The psychology major is a founding member of Hancock’s Black Student Union and Poetry Club. He also serves on the Student Senate for California Community Colleges. As a Student Senate representative, King has a direct impact on policies affecting the college. Recently, he’s been very outspoken about the state budget and lack of educational funding.
“We need to be the last thing cut, not the first,” King said.
Speech and communication major Hamsher is serving his fourth semester as ASBG president. He’s a member of the college’s Textbook Affordability Task Force, and recently advocated to get a crosswalk built on campus to improve student safety.
Hamsher and King might have tickets to the inauguration, but they’re still working on the other travel details. They were both lucky enough to find plane tickets to Washington, D.C. And King, who used to live in Alexandria, Va., said they’ll be staying “in true college style” with some of his friends and family. They’re currently raising money to pay for the shuttle ride to LAX, as well as the cost of food during their 11-day trip.
To help the students get to Washington, Anderson Men’s Wear owner Ray Anderson has opened an account at Los Padres Bank in Santa Maria. Tax-deductible donations can be made to the Rise and Achieve account c/o Jeff Hamsher and Marcus King.
Staff Writer Amy Asman compiled this week’s Community Corner. Contact her at aasman@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jan 1-8, 2009.