David Rivelli, MSJ08

Apr 29, 2008 (reprinted with permission from Medill Reports)

You Know You're Tall When...

WASHINGTON -- I don’t think there is a day that goes by when people don’t ask how tall I am. I suppose it’s human nature to simply get something out in the open when you feel awkward around someone of large stature. Being six foot seven, I am asked about five to seven times a day about my height, so often in fact I just consider it a part of my life.

However on Saturday it really took center stage. Literally.
I was awarded the Deborah Orin Scholarship for work I’ve done in my journalism program. I can think of a dozen people in my program that were more deserving of the scholarship than I, but despite that I felt honored and blessed to receive the award.

I was told that I would receive the award at the White House Correspondents' dinner. I was flabbergasted to think not only I would be invited to the dinner, but that the President of the United States would greet me on the stage to commemorate the award.

With that being said the weekend looked like it would be a memorable one. My Dad (he is six foot two before you ask) said that he was coming to the dinner to see me receive the award. I was told to get a tux and I was also told that I would meet the President and others in a private meeting room.

Before the dinner  I was able to meet and greet  the president, the first lady, Vice President Cheney, Mrs. Cheney and Condoleezza Rice. To be honest I thought that would be the high point, but I was wrong.

The time came to greet the president on stage.

My name was called and I walked up to the commander-in-chief and shook his hand. Then the moment that I will remember for the rest of my life…..happened. He looked at how tall I was, stepped forward, grabbed a chair, stepped on it and made me famous.

Well, at least famous with my family and friends. I mean it’s not every day you meet the leader of the free world and he stands on a chair when he sees how tall you are. I have to say I am glad he didn’t fall and I am glad I didn’t fall over when he did it.

It was unexpected to say the least. Many have said it’s my fifteen minutes of fame or that it will be a defining moment of my life. I don’t agree with that; however I do agree that it will be one of the most memorable moments of my life.
There is not much more I can say  other than I had a great time at the dinner and when I meet people who are a lot shorter than me I will be able to break the tension with this icebreaker.

Or at least tell them how tall I am.

Note:

Melissa Schmitt, MSJ08 also was awarded a Deborah Orin Scholarship. At the White House dinner, which both Rivelli and Schmitt attended, the organization also announced its plans to annually award $38,000 in tuition to a Medill graduate student in the government and public affairs reporting track as well as annually fund the Orin Scholarships for $5,000.