Joe Biden came back to speak at UD

Because there’s no place quite like home

I stood in the center of the second row of the student section listening to Joe Biden speak, and it really hit me- the former Vice President of the United States and a proud UD alum is right in front of me.  Not only that, but he wants to continue making a difference in the world by creating The Biden Institute right on this very campus. It was one of those surreal moments that don’t you have very often, but when you do, you never forget it.

#BidenIsBack

Across campus and in UD emails for the past few weeks, Blue Hens have known that Joe Biden was coming back to campus to speak on the green in front of Memorial Hall.  The unforgettable event ‘Biden is Back’ took place Friday, April 7th, as the distinguished Alumnus and 47th Vice President of the United States returned to the University of Delaware, where he graduated in 1965 with a Bachelors in History and Political Science. Blue Hen Ambassadors were handing out free blue “Biden is Back” t-shirts, and the marching band performed along with the mascot, spirit, and cheer teams.

In the chilly and dreary weather, Biden walked out of Memorial Hall to the podium, looking into the crowd of thousands of Blue Hens. He put his navy blue Delaware baseball cap on his head and said, “It’s good to be home”. He spoke about his time at UD in the 1960s, how he was put on probation for spraying an RA with a fire extinguisher, and mentioned professors that further his interest in politics. Biden then continued to how we as millennials have tremendous potential to influence the world, encouraging us with, “If you don’t like the way things are, get off your rear end and change it.”

The Biden Institute

After the conclusion of his 47th Vice Presidency, Biden is launching The Biden Institute, where he is the founding chair. This domestic policy institute will be a policy and research center focused on developing solutions to present day issues such as environmental sustainability, woman’s rights, economic issues, criminal justice, and more.

Biden’s past experience as a Senator, Vice President, and servant to the public for over four decades will enhance education and research initiatives at the University of Delaware. The institute as a whole will be a part of the School of Public Policy and Administration, and will create bold future leaders in society. New faculty, more enrollment, and more focus on energy, the environment, social justice, disaster relief, and smart cities will be present as well.

As an Energy and Environmental Policy Major with a love for service, it is incredibly exciting to see where this institute will go in the future. More than anything over my past three years at UD, I’ve realized that learning should be hands on and applied to your day-to-day life, to not only make you a better person, but to make a difference in the lives of others and in society too. The Biden Institute seems to be doing just that for a better tomorrow. I can’t wait to see what specific research topics and issues will start to be tackled here, and the lasting changes they will make.

Jill Biden, another UD alum!

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