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UNK
president: Clinton
'genuinely nice guy'
By VICKI
RICE
Hub Staff Writer
KEARNEY — Meeting President Bill
Clinton is something University of Nebraska at Kearney Student Body
President/Student Regent Ryan Samuelson of Gibbon said he never will
forget.
He and NU Regent Kent Schroeder of
Kearney had the chance to meet the president before Friday's
convocation at the UNK Health and Sports Center. They were seated on
stage with other student regents from University of Nebraska schools
and with members of the NU Board of Regents.
"It was neat to meet him," Samuelson
said. "It was a good experience." He found the president to be
"genuinely a nice guy."
Samuelson is glad UNK students had
the chance to hear a sitting president speak about foreign policy
and about how other countries look up to the United States. "It was
a great experience for the whole campus and for Kearney."
He said the local, state, national
and international media attention will be good for UNK. "We couldn't
beg for this kind of publicity."
Schroeder said the one thing that
stood out for him about Clinton's speech was a statement that there
are many more things that unite us than divide us. He described
Clinton as "extremely observant."
He said there seemed to be an aura
about Clinton. "One thing I was able to observe is how easy it is
for him to speak and his command of the English
language."
In meeting Clinton, Schroeder said
the president was friendly and congenial, seemed to be interested in
every person he met and took the time to talk to them.
Clinton's visit is one Schroeder said
will not soon be forgotten. "This will truly be an event enshrined
in the history of the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Kearney and
the state of Nebraska," he said.
Joan Blauwkamp, assistant professor
of political science at UNK, thought Clinton eloquently made his
points about celebrating and valuing diversity. "It was a wonderful
speech. I appreciate what he said about tolerance."
She was proud of political science
student Casey Mendez, who introduced the president.
As a political science instructor,
she was gratified that so many students were involved. "A lot of
students were excited," Blauwkamp said. "I will always be able to
reference and reinforce what he said in class."
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