First Lady, Chinese premier and TV host highlight year's addresses

Although Penn's Irvine Auditorium is closed for repairs, guests spoke to smaller, sell-out crowds. Freehold Township High School '97 Marlboro, N.J. What do the First Lady, a popular late-night talk show host, the voice of Darth Vader and the leader of the world's most populous country have in common? Connaissance, part of the student-run Social Planning and Events Committee, brought Jones and television personality Conan O'Brien to campus as the group's fall and spring speakers, respectively. Connaissance and the Trustees Council of Penn Women sponsored Hillary Rodham Clinton's address in October, while Chinese President Jiang Zemin spoke at an invitation-only venue later that month while on an official visit to the United States. Jones kicked the year off by speaking to a packed house at the Annenberg Center's 900-seat Zellerbach Auditorium October 8. The actor, known for his work in such films as Field of Dreams and The Exorcist, entered to the tune of Star Wars' "Imperial March" before moving on to praising education as a "force" for the future. Jones also entertained the crowd with his trademark baritone voice -- famous from the "This is CNN" cable-television slogan -- and responded to requests that he reprise his infamous Star Wars role. "The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force," he bellowed, eliciting cheers from the audience. Two weeks later, a lucky few hundred students heard an equally large public figure -- personality-wise, that is -- when Hillary Clinton came to Zellerbach in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Trustees Council. Because of the number of alumni, reporters and selected student leaders in the crowd, only 320 tickets were available to the general student body. Connaissance organized the random lottery, choosing from 1,200 requests. Clinton, clad in a pale blue suit, extolled the accomplishments of women in America, from Carrie Bernham Gilmour -- the first female graduate of the Penn Law School -- to University President Judith Rodin, who she met while both were at Yale. Attendees hardly minded the Secret Service presence thanks to Clinton's knowledge of Penn history. "Wow, she really did her homework," said Trustees Council member Mary Hadar, a 1965 College of Women graduate and assistant managing editor at The Washington Post. Still in October, Jiang stopped at Penn during his highly controversial visit to the U.S., which also included lengthier stops in Washington, D.C. and Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. In awkward Chinese, Rodin introduced Jiang with a greeting of Huanying nin -- or "Welcome." "We welcome you for this historic occasion," she continued. Jiang spoke to an invitation-only gathering of University officials and Asian student leaders on his country's "extensive" record of cooperation with the University. Earlier that week, the Wharton School and the Graduate School of Education finalized plans to initiate an executive-education program for officials who run state-owned businesses in mainland China. On his brief visit to Philadelphia, Jiang was met by a handful of protesters at his Drexel University, Penn and Independence Hall speaking venues. He faced more than 4,000 pro-democracy demonstrators at his Harvard engagement two days later. By contrast, Conan O'Brien -- host of NBC's popular Late Night television program -- left his audience laughing, not chanting, during his April visit to Penn. The Harvard-educated entertainer gave a video-clip-enhanced tour of his life and career to a packed house in Zellerbach Auditorium. Beginning with his Ivy League education, O'Brien took the enthralled and amused audience through the ups and downs of his early days in show business -- which included stints with Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons -- before commenting on his current success. "I always got in over my head and put myself in positions that were really scary," he said. "Let me tell you, that works." In a lengthy question-and-answer period, O'Brien took inquiries on topics such as marijuana use, social responsibility and how to get a summer internship at NBC. He also granted then-College sophomore Risa Sang-Urai's request for a hug. O'Brien's speech was one of the most successful events in recent SPEC history. According to organizers, the 900 general admission tickets for the event sold out in only an hour's time over two days.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.