College of Education and Human Services

College of Education and Human ServicesAn amazing day—down to the ‘Corps’
Inauguration provides look forward—and back—for sibling alumni

By Teresa Koltzenburg ‘92

For Scott Lawson ‘01 MS ‘08 and his sister Amy Killey ‘07, a trip to President Barack Obama’s inauguration ceremony on Jan. 20 encompassed a mixture of feelings— of looking forward to the future and a wistful gaze back to their experiences in the Dubuque (IA)-based Colts Drum & Bugle Corps.

Macomb natives Lawson and Killey marched with the Colts over the summers during and just after their high school years. In January, the Colts marched and played in the inaugural parade for the 44th U.S. President, and as former members of the nationally recognized drum and bugle corps, the sibling Western alumni were able to travel with the Colts to Washington,Siblings Scott Lawson '01 MS '08 and Amy Killey '07 watched history in the making on Jan. 20. D.C.

“Riding from Dubuque to Washington on a bus with a bunch of people—some of whom I had marched with, some of whom I hadn’t—was a great experience,” said Lawson of the bus trip to D.C. “Originally Amy and I thought we would get to march, as some of the Colts alumni were able to. But in the original application to the parade committee, the Colts indicated there would be 120 members marching. There were more than 250 current and former member applications to the corps for the chance to march, so the committee narrowed it down to 160, and both Amy and I made it. But because of the extraordinarily high security level, only the 120 originally requested were allowed to march.”

Despite the fact Lawson and Killey weren’t in the parade, they both enjoyed the experience of participating in the historic event—the inauguration of the first African American President—with their Colts Drum & Bugle Corps comrades.

“When you ‘age out’ of drum corps (when you’re 22), you think you can’t go back,” Lawson explained. “It’s an emotional time for nearly everyone, especially someone like me, who marched seven summers. Knowing you’ll never get to put on that uniform or march with those people again, it can be difficult— but that’s just the way it works. So getting a chance to participate in that experience again was something I couldn’t pass up, and we were able to be involved with the other things that those who marched were involved in—like sleeping on a gym floor, standing in the food line and riding the bus. It was a chance to go back and be a part of something I thought I’d never be a part of again.”

One for the grandkids
Killey, who earned her bachelor’s degree in recreation, park and tourism administration (RPTA) and works as the gymnastics team coach and lead teacher for the Fox Valley Family YMCA in Plano (IL), noted that while the masses of people in the capital city on inauguration day were definitely something to contend with—she and Lawson were not able to watch the Colts march for fear of foregoing a good spot on the mall for the inaugural ceremony—she nonetheless would not have traded the experience.

“From the U.S. Capitol, we were about three-quarters of the way back, closer to the Washington Monument. We were only able to see the ceremony from the Jumbotrons, but even then it was hard for me to see because I am only just over five feet tall. But when I stood on my tippy toes, I could see most of the time,” explained Killey. “While President Obama was taking the oath, except for the camera clicks, the crowd was almost silent. It was not until he said the last line that the crowd erupted into a huge cheer for several minutes.”

Lawson, who earned his master’s degree in instructional design and technology (IDT) and works in Macomb as the webmaster for WIU’s administrative services division, noted that the overall mood of the immense crowd was genial and that he also was thrilled to be there.

“Just being able to be a part of history and being able share it with people I know and love, especially my sister, was an amazing experience,” he said. “This event was something that really only comes along once in a generation, one where millions of people came together—with hundreds of millions more watching on television or listening on the radio all around the world—and celebrated a turning point in the history of our country. To be one of the relatively few who were physically present for this event is something I’ll never forget. One day, I will be able to tell my children and grandchildren about it.”
 
Photo: Siblings Scott Lawson '01 MS '08 and Amy Killey '07 watched history in the making on Jan. 20.

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