Jesse Horn ’07- Alumni Association Board President

It is with great excitement that I introduce myself as your next president of the CC Alumni Association and let me be the latest to welcome the Class of 2017 to the fold! Ten years ago (!) I read the Bulletin for the first time and wondered where the past four years had gone. As I write to you today, I still wonder the same thing. But I am honored and humbled to begin the next chapter as your AAB president while the Class of 2017 begins its tour as the newest CC alumni.

A bit about me: I graduated from CC in 2007 with a major in political science, and as president of the “Class of No Bad Days” (a term I coined for the Commencement speech I gave). I received a J.D. from Cornell Law School in 2010 and an LL.M. from Temple University Beasley School of Law in 2011. After graduation, I served on the Cornell Law School Alumni Association Executive Board. In 2013, I joined the CC Alumni Association Board. I live and work in Washington, D.C., as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice.

The experience that we have all shared at CC is unique. The staff, the students, the administration, even people who have come for just several hours felt the bond that brought us to CC and which will always keep us close. This is special. This is what makes CC more than an institution. What I have realized in my interactions with alumni young and old is that what we left with was a diploma that not only shows off our academic prowess, but also our social and emotional commitment to each other and to CC. As I embark on the next term as your AAB president, I reemphasize our commitment to making every day matter.

When I attended my first capstone address at CC, the speaker, Coretta Scott King, told us, “The torch of leadership is being passed to your generation — rise up and take a stand against poverty, war, and racism. If we can’t expect leadership from you, where will we get it?”

CC taught us why we have an obligation to accept this responsibility. As alumni, we have the capacity to affect the world whether we continue our education or pursue careers full of worth and achievement. It is our obligation to lead. If we don’t provide leadership, where will it come from?

When I auspicated the 2007 Colorado College graduating class as the “Class of No Bad Days,” I asked them to “Imagine!” Just thinking about “No Bad Days” makes life go smoother and makes me happier. It doesn’t mean that there won’t be rough spots or hard times. Instead, if you hit those rough spots or hard times, remember your experiences at CC and move on with a smile for Colorado College and the people with whom you shared a truly unique experience.

I look forward to hearing from you and working for you over the next two years. If you have an interest in joining me as a volunteer, including possibly serving on the Alumni Board, please reach out. And, as always, remember that Colorado College is your home, so go back soon, go back often, and remember to give back to our school that has given us so much!

See www.coloradocollege.edu/us/alumni/volunteer for a complete list of opportunities.