University in California Dresses Up for First Lady - “It’s going to be huge"

[jefferson_dem]

University in California Dresses Up for First Lady
By JESSE McKINLEY

MERCED, Calif. — There are, to be sure, other things happening here this year. But in terms of sheer excitement — and frantic primping — there has been no bigger event in recent memory than Saturday’s visit by Michelle Obama, who will deliver the commencement address to the first full graduating class of the University of California at Merced, the newest, smallest and most anonymous of 10 campuses in the state university system.

“It’s going to be huge,” said Zain Memon, a 22-year-old senior. “This puts us on the map.”

Of course, such reputation-making is not cheap. Officials at the university were scrambling on Tuesday to finalize the financing for the event, which is expected to draw more than 10,000 visitors and cost some $700,000, or roughly $600,000 more than had been budgeted before Mrs. Obama committed to speak.

The cost includes a raft of technological upgrades, including an audio-video feed, a Spanish simulcast over cellphone and a concert-size stage set up on the Bowl, the sodded campus lawn where the first lady will speak. Extra security added nearly $100,000 to the cost, including metal detectors on the campus, which sits in a former cattle field surrounded by hay-laden farmland and cows of unknown political leanings.

None of which, university officials said, will be a problem.

“We are going to the office of the president, to the university’s discretionary fund, we’ll borrow if we have to,” said Mary Miller, the vice chancellor for administration. “This is an investment in our future. It is an investment in our community.”

Sure enough, even as students crammed for finals, workers were swarming all over the campus on Tuesday, doing last-minute landscaping, installing flags in front of the library and unloading thousands of shipped-in chairs. One of those hard at work was Joe Hobbs, 24, from nearby Atwater, who said Mrs. Obama’s visit had already become its own stimulus package.

<SNIP>

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/us/13merced.html

[msongs]

1. while the state goes broke, bread n circuses for the political celebrity class nt

[Tarheel_Dem]

5. Another one liner from you. I'm shocked.....NOT! This is all you have to offer?

Perhaps the Obamas should run their schedules by you from now on? I'm sure that you, in your infinite wisdom, are best qualified to tell them where they should and shouldn't go. :eyes:

“It gave me a job,” said Mr. Hobbs, who was working on the set-up crew and said he has a 1982 Camaro longing for a new motor. “It gave all these people out here jobs.”

For residents in this recession-battered city of 76,000 people in the heart of the Central Valley in California, Saturday is also being treated as a local holiday, with a daylong, downtown block party featuring its own Jumbotron for viewing Mrs. Obama’s speech and activities ranging from “human bowling” to sumo wrestling.

“It’s great for the city,” said R. C. Essig, a co-owner of the Partisan, a Main Street bar that is bringing in a disc jockey from Los Angeles. “I mean any community event here is a big event, but this is even bigger.”

[AspenRose]

8. Right. To hell with the graduates on their special day.

:eyes:

[Cha]

11. Sour

puss.

[TwilightGardener]

2. I think it's nice that her visit is so meaningful to the school and community.

[goclark]

3. I think it is nice and it's nice to know that Merced

values our new administration and is excited about the visit.

[ClarkUSA]

4. “It gave me a job... It gave all these people out here jobs.”

[firedupdem]

6. That's great that they are excited about the visit. n/t

[ensho]

7. kick

nt

[islandgirl808]

9. shoot, how can they focus on their finals

when the FLOTUS is coming?! lol seriously, i'd be too distracted to the point where i might not graduate :P.

i luv the idea of her visiting a relatively small school, esp. when there's so many big name unis in cali.

[Bluenorthwest]

10. Merced is a town I know well

And I was delighted that Michell picked UCM to visit. That town is foreclosure central, the Uni is a huge ray of hope around there. Most of CA does not even know that campus exists yet.
I was there a few months ago and it was very depressing. Anything that lifts the place is good.

[Cha]

12. I'm so excited for

them. How invigorating to have the inspiring First Lady as your Commencement Speaker at your first full graduating class.