Inspire, Spring 2005

people in their 20s who worked hard for Bush, and he and others recommended me.” A Springfield native, Heidi was the youngest of the six Clark County residents who watched the Inauguration in the restaurant and gave feedback to CNN’s Carlos Watson. Topics included their perception of the speech, social security, health care reform, homeschooling, and how social values affected their views. “It was an amazing experience,” concluded Heidi, “and I’m very grateful I had the opportunity to do it. I would definitely do it again. I had to articulate what I believed and why and argue it against people who disagreed with me, so it was a very valuable experience.” 10 Spring 2005 With their invitations in hand, a group of Cedarville University College Republicans poses at the Inauguration of President George W. Bush in Washington, D.C. Cedarville Takes Part in Presidential Inauguration As President George W. Bush took the oath of office on January 20, Cedarville University students were watching — and being watched. Twenty Cedarville University College Republicans (CUCR) stood in the brisk Washington, D.C., air to see the Inauguration ceremony, while back in Ohio another CU student was on national television to give her Inauguration perspective. For the CUCR students, tickets to Inauguration were a thank- you for their tireless support of the Bush-Cheney campaign. Junior Matt Shiraki, president of CUCR, explained, “We registered more than 200 voters, made more than 3,000 phone calls, passed out 10,000 pieces of literature for the Bush and Ohio Republican campaigns, and sent a total of 300 volunteers to assist at the President’s Ohio rallies.” The 20 students were just a handful of the hundreds of Cedarville students who donated more than 1,250 hours to election weekend activities. Matt noted, “Going to the Inauguration was a great way to cap off all the work we’ve been doing. … Just to see it with my own eyes, to hear the President swear to uphold the Constitution … that was the most rewarding thing. It’s pretty historic.” From the president’s swearing-in to the parade that followed and an inaugural ball, the students who attended agreed it was a memorable and exciting time. Meanwhile, back in Ohio, CNN set up shop in Young’s Golden Jersey Inn to find out what area voters thought of the Inauguration. They selected Cedarville junior Heidi Abraham to be a part of their live panel discussion. “I worked on the Bush campaign starting in May,” Heidi explained. “CNN called our local GOP chairman, asking for As the alumni relations staff fields phone calls and e-mails, we find that these three questions are the most frequently asked. In order to answer these questions to the best of our ability, we need your help. How important is this to us? So important that we’re willing to give away a FREE CRUISE to someone who provides us with this data! We just need to know your contact information, the church you attend, and your employment information. If you complete the attached card and drop it in the mail so we receive it by June 1, 2005, you will be entered in a drawing to join Dr. and Mrs. Brown on the Caribbean Princess on January 28-February 4, 2006. It’s that simple! (The prize is the cruise only, valued at $699.) Help us turn the three most frequently asked questions into the three most frequently answered questions! Three Most Frequently Asked Questions … 1. How can I contact my CU friend? 2. What churches do CU alums attend in my area? 3. Do you know of any alums who work in this career field? Send your complete profile to win! Photo credit: Hannah Hermiz