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Operation Spelman Blue Brings First Lady to Spelman After tireless months of strategically campaigning for First Lady Michelle Obama to become the Class of 2011 commencement speaker, the senior class’“Campaign Blue” received word that their efforts paid off. In April, Spelman College officially announced that Mrs. Obama was going to be the scheduled speaker. It was not long before word got out about the First Lady’s upcoming appearance at Spelman spread around the campus and the Atlanta University Center. Senior class president Samantha Tulin was speechless when she found out that the campaign team secured the First Lady. “I just couldn’t believe that all of our hard work paid off! This was definitely a group effort, and I can’t believe that our commencement speaker will be none other than Michelle Obama,” said Tulin. A collaborative creation of the senior class council and various faculty-led campaigns on campus, Campaign Blue was a strategic initiative to secure Mrs. Obama as the commencement speaker. For several years, Spelman’s senior classes have attempted to secure Airs. Obama as the speaker to no avail. However, the dedication of the Campaign Blue team finally melted the wall of reach so that Mrs. Obama would agree to serve as the speaker. Although she is an international icon for her impressive background and down to earth charm, Mrs. Obama was so sought after because of how much of a role model she is for Spelman students. “The First Lady is the perfect choice for our commencement speaker because she embodies all of the qualities that we would like to be: successful in our careers and personal lives while still giving back to the community,” shared Tulin. The First Lady’s top aide, Kristen Jarvis, is also a Spelman graduate from the class of 2003, and many students believe that she also played a role in encouraging the Mrs. Obama to agree to speak at the graduation. However, as Tulin shares, much of the efforts came in collaboration of numerous Spelman-supporting groups. Since previous efforts to secure the First Lady had failed in the past, this time the senior class devised the Campaign Blue team to ensure that Mrs. Obama would be able to see how deeply the Spelman community desired her presence at the 2011 commencement. The senior class created a video that included personal messages to Airs. Obama in addition to a group shot at the end telling her how much they loved her and that they hoped that she would be their commencement speaker. Also, they generated numerous letters and petitions and the class council created one unified cover letter that highlighted all of the reasons why Airs. Obama should finally come to Spelman. Dr. Beverly D. Tatum, president of Spelman College, coincidentally was going to a conference in Washington, D.C. and was well-connected enough to get the cover letter, petitions and video delivered directly into the First Lady’s hands. After watching and reading the heartfelt student responses and taking into consideration the faculty initiatives over the past several years, Airs. Obama officially stated that she would accept Spelman’s offer to speak at the 2011 Commencement on Sun., May 15, 2011. spelmanspoTUGHT 113