Barack Obama

Obama tells MVCC students to 'set the bar high' in speech

Saturday, February 19, 2005

Daily Southtown
By Jim Hook

U.S. Sen. Barack Obama challenged a group of about 500 people at Moraine Valley Community College to strive for excellence.

"We need to steer clear of this poverty of ambition, where people want to drive fancy cars and wear nice clothes and live in nice apartments but don't want to work hard to accomplish these things. Everyone should try to realize their full potential," Obama told the crowd of mostly college students.

"We need to internalize this idea of excellence. Not many folks spend a lot of time trying to be excellent."

Obama implored the students to "set the bar high."

"Some people have low expectations," he said. "That's not good enough.

"Someone getting B's in school should shoot for A's. Don't ever be satisfied. There is always room for improvement."

Wearing a crisp blue suit and matching tie, the freshman Democrat from Illinois helped celebrate Black History Month by urging students to "set goals and work hard to achieve them."

He attended the event with Illinois Senate President Emil Jones Jr.

Obama, a former constitutional law professor at the University of Chicago, said the only way for the country to make progress is to "recognize ourselves in each other."

"We need to value everyone's history," he said. "Not just black history. We need to understand each other and stand in each other's shoes."

He said Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech was for everyone.

"Dr. King's speech wasn't a black thing," he said. "It was a human thing."

Obama said community colleges will continue to play an important role in educating and training the work force.

"With the changing economy, no one has lifetime employment," he said. "But community colleges provide lifetime employability.

"Community colleges play an important role in helping people transition between careers by providing the retooling they need to take on a new career."

Danielle Riggins, a nursing student from Calumet Park, said she's taking Obama's advice to heart.

"I like what he said about internalizing the idea of excellence," Riggins said. "I realize I'm going into a very competitive field, and it's not enough to simply pass my classes.

"I want to be the best student in the class and be the best intern I can be when I graduate."

Obama's speech struck a cord with Matthew Walls of Justice.

"You have to set goals and then work hard to achieve them," Walls said. "People need to understand that. I'm setting the bar high for myself, and I won't settle for anything less."

Jim Hook may be reached at jhook@dailysouthtown.com or (708) 633-5961.