Harvard Freshman Sits Alongside First Lady During State of the Union Address

While other Harvard students watched last night’s State of the Union address on TVs across campus, Janell J. Holloway ’13 had a much closer seat—in First Lady Michelle Obama’s personal box.

Holloway, a D.C. native, was offered the opportunity after her involvement in the D.C. Scholars Program, a program President Barack Obama and the First Lady started last year to award White House internships to D.C. public school students.

Holloway said that a representative from the White House called her last Tuesday to offer her the opportunity to attend the State of the Union as a special guest of Michelle Obama.

“At first I think I thought it was a joke,” Holloway said. “Then as she started telling me more details, I was really excited. My heart started pounding. It was a really amazing feeling.”

As part of the first class of D.C. Scholars, Holloway spent last summer researching local issues, particularly child abuse, with the White House Domestic Policy Council. Holloway joined one of her eight D.C. Scholars classmates, Clayton Armstrong of the University of Arizona, at the Capitol last night.

Although Holloway had met the Obamas during her internship, she said she was overwhelmed by the invitation.

“I don’t know if I said anything at first—I kind of lost my words,” she said. “I’m not really able yet to appreciate how important this will be for history. Right now I’m just in the moment.”

Holloway’s parents echoed their daughter’s sentiments.

“Considering the historic nature of the address, we’re just very excited and honored to be a part of history,” her father, James R. Holloway, said.

While Holloway said that the White House did not give specific reasons as to why they selected her from among the other D.C. Scholars, she thought that her commitment to community service played a role in the decision.

Holloway, who was home in D.C. from Tuesday night until this morning, was told to keep the opportunity a secret until the White House released the information yesterday.

“She was, like, ‘I’m going home for a couple of days,’” her roommate, Cameron E. Niven ’13, said. “When I asked her, she just said it was for an event.”

Holloway was part of a delegation of 15 guests of Michelle Obama.

—Staff writer Stephanie B. Garlock can be reached at sgarlock@college.harvard.edu.