Janice Lozano
Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, graduated from Columbia University in 1983 with a B.A. in political science. Numerous rumours have circulated over the years claiming that Obama attended Columbia as a foreign student under the name Barry Soetoro, the surname of his Indonesian stepfather. However, these rumours are unfounded, as evidence suggests that the Columbia University student ID card identifying Obama as a foreign student is a forgery.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Did Barack Obama attend Columbia University as a foreign student? | No, this is a rumor. |
| Evidence | A Columbia University student ID card from 1981 identifies Barack Obama as a foreign student named Barry Soetoro. However, this ID card is not real and is an altered version of a Columbia University ID card issued to another student in 1998. |
| Did Barack Obama attend Columbia University? | Yes, he transferred to Columbia University from Occidental College in 1981 and graduated in 1983 with a B.A. in political science. |
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What You'll Learn
Obama's major and specialisation at Columbia University
There have been numerous rumours and claims over the years that Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, attended Columbia University as a foreign student under the name Barry Soetoro, his Indonesian stepfather's surname. However, these claims are false. The purported 1981 Columbia University student ID card identifying Barack Obama as a foreign student is simply an altered version of an ID card issued to another student in 1998. The pictured ID card is not consistent with the ID card format used by Columbia University in 1981 and features a photograph of Obama taken several years later during his time at Harvard Law School.
Barack Obama graduated from Columbia University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 1983. After graduating from Columbia, Obama pursued further education at Harvard Law School, where he graduated before moving to Chicago and beginning his career in community organizing.
Obama's time at Columbia University left a lasting impact on him, and he has credited his experience there as crucial to shaping his path to the White House. The Obama Foundation, named after the former president, now offers a full-time scholarship program at Columbia University for individuals committed to making significant contributions to their communities and the world. The Obama Foundation Scholars Program offers a unique opportunity for engagement and exposure to different perspectives by actively engaging with the Columbia University community.
The program includes weekly seminars exploring global trends and pressing issues such as inequality, technological developments, population movements, and climate change. In addition to the seminars, scholars participate in personal and professional development workshops led by institutes and faculty across Columbia, covering topics such as conflict management, design thinking, public speaking, and data analysis. The program also includes an experiential learning component that engages scholars in the work of Columbia World Projects, allowing them to apply their knowledge and skills in a practical setting.
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Obama's student ID card controversy
Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, graduated from Columbia University in 1983 with a B.A. in political science. Numerous rumours have circulated over the years, claiming that Obama attended Columbia University as a foreign student under the name Barry Soetoro (the surname of his Indonesian stepfather). Evidence of this, allegedly, was a 1981 Columbia University student ID card that identified Obama as a foreign student.
However, this claim is false. Firstly, the ID card in question was issued to another student, Thomas Lugert, in 1998. Secondly, the digital ID card format displayed in the image was not introduced at Columbia until 1996. Finally, the photograph on the ID card is not a picture of a 20-year-old Obama from 1981; it was taken several years later, during or shortly after his time at Harvard Law School (1988-1991).
Obama's time at Columbia is well-documented. He transferred to Columbia from Occidental College in the fall of 1981. He lived off-campus with fellow Occidental College transfer Phil Boerner. Obama has also claimed to have participated in anti-apartheid activities with the Black Students Organization. He worked selling subscriptions to The New York Times to pay Columbia's tuition costs. He also reportedly browsed bookstores like the Strand and a Barnes & Noble near Columbia. He also went to museums, such as the Met and the Guggenheim.
Obama's professors and classmates confirm that he was a brilliant, standout student and an active participant in seminars. Despite this, Obama has continually declined requests to release his Columbia transcript.
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Obama's transfer from Occidental College
Barack Obama enrolled at Occidental College in Los Angeles in 1979. Obama was an 18-year-old freshman from Honolulu, and his time at Occidental College lasted two years. During his time at Occidental, Obama was part of the activist network and participated in a vigil protesting against the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela. This led him to give his first public political speech on 18 February 1981.
Obama's classmates considered him a "floater", moving from culture to culture and from political group to political group. This reflected a deeper and longer-lasting trend in his life, both in and out of politics: his need and ability to avoid traps. The less entrenched he was, the easier it was for him to move on.
In late March 1981, Obama applied to transfer to Columbia University in New York, and he graduated from Columbia in 1983 with a B.A. in political science.
There have been numerous rumours over the years claiming that Obama attended Columbia University as a foreign student under the name Barry Soetoro. However, these rumours are unfounded. An image of a purported 1981 Columbia University student ID card identifying Obama as a "foreign student" named "Barry Soetoro" is a forgery. The pictured ID card is an altered version of a Columbia University ID card issued to another student in 1998, and the photograph on the card was taken several years later during or shortly after Obama's time at Harvard Law School.
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Obama's social life at Columbia University
Barack Obama's time at Columbia University remains a relatively unknown period of his life. Obama has not revealed much about his time at the university in his public writings and statements, and he has declined to provide school records or the names of any former classmates or friends. This has led to various rumours about his time at Columbia, including the claim that he never attended the university at all.
Despite the mystery, some details about Obama's social life at Columbia have emerged. Obama is known to have had a friend and roommate named Sohale Siddiqi, whom he lived with in a New York City apartment. In an interview with the Columbia College Today alumni publication and the New York Times in early 2009, Siddiqi confirmed that he had daily personal experience with Obama during his time at Columbia. Another individual who recalled interacting with Obama at Columbia was Michael L. Baron, who taught a year-long honours seminar in American Foreign Policy that Obama took during his senior year. Baron remembered Obama "acing" the class and receiving an A for his senior paper on nuclear negotiations with the Soviet Union.
In addition to these personal accounts, there is some documentary evidence related to Obama's time at Columbia. An image of a purported 1981 Columbia University student ID card identifies Obama as a foreign student named Barry Soetoro, reflecting the surname of his Indonesian stepfather. However, this ID card has been proven to be a forgery, as the digital ID card format it uses was not introduced at Columbia until 1996, and the photograph on the card is from several years later, during or shortly after Obama's time at Harvard Law School (1988-1991).
While some may question the details of Obama's time at Columbia, the university proudly claims him as an alumnus. Obama graduated from Columbia University in 1983 with a B.A. in political science, becoming the first college alumnus to win the presidency.
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Obama's refusal to release his Columbia University transcript
Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, graduated from Columbia University in 1983 with a B.A. in political science. Obama's refusal to release his Columbia University transcript has sparked curiosity and speculation among the public. While some have attributed this refusal to potential embarrassing academic performance, others have suggested it could be due to sensitive personal information or even questionable academic credentials. Here are some insights into Obama's decision to withhold his academic records:
Academic Performance and Achievements
Obama's professors and classmates at Columbia University, including former international politics professor Michael Baron and current MTV president Michael Wolf, described him as a brilliant and standout student. Professor Baron went so far as to say that Obama was one of the top one or two students in his class. This positive assessment stands in contrast to rumours that Obama may be reluctant to release his transcript due to poor academic performance or embarrassing grades.
Sensitive Personal Information
It is possible that Obama's transcript contains sensitive personal information that he prefers to keep private. The transcript may include details such as his Social Security number, date of birth, or other personal identifiers that could potentially be misused if made public. Protecting his privacy and security could be a valid reason for withholding the document from public scrutiny.
Questionable Academic Credentials
There have been speculations and rumours surrounding Obama's citizenship and eligibility to hold the office of President of the United States. A forged 1981 Columbia University student ID card circulated, identifying Obama as a foreign student named Barry Soetoro, the surname of his Indonesian stepfather. This sparked claims that Obama attended Columbia University as a foreign student, which, if true, could have raised questions about his eligibility for the presidency. However, this ID card has been proven to be a fake, created by altering a legitimate ID card issued to another student in 1998.
Respect for Privacy
Obama's refusal to release his transcript aligns with his general approach to privacy. He has shown a consistent respect for personal privacy throughout his political career, preferring to keep certain aspects of his life confidential. This stance is not uncommon among public figures who wish to maintain a level of privacy separate from their public roles.
Political Strategies
Withholding the transcript may also be a strategic political decision. Releasing the transcript could potentially provide ammunition for critics and political opponents, allowing them to scrutinize and potentially distort information for their gain. By keeping the document private, Obama maintains control over the narrative surrounding his academic career and avoids providing unnecessary fodder for opposition.
In conclusion, while there are various speculations surrounding Obama's refusal to release his Columbia University transcript, the exact reasons remain unknown. The decision to withhold his academic records may be a combination of privacy concerns, strategic political manoeuvring, and a desire to control the public narrative.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Barack Obama did not attend Columbia University as a foreign student. Obama transferred to Columbia University from Occidental College in 1981 and graduated in 1983 with a B.A. in political science. Numerous rumours have circulated that he attended as a foreign student, but these are unfounded.
An image of a Columbia University student ID card from 1981 identifies Barack Obama as a foreign student named Barry Soetoro (the surname of his Indonesian stepfather). This ID card is a forgery as it uses a digital format that Columbia University did not introduce until 1996. The photograph on the card is also not a picture of a 20-year-old Barack Obama from 1981 but was taken several years later.
Obama's professors and classmates describe him as brilliant and active in seminars, with former international politics professor Michael Baron saying he was one of the top one or two students in his class. Obama has repeatedly declined requests to release his Columbia transcript, and he did not write an official thesis. Obama also participated in anti-apartheid activities with the Black Students Organisation and worked selling subscriptions to The New York Times to pay his tuition costs.
After graduating from Columbia University, Barack Obama attended Harvard Law School. He then moved to Chicago, where he began community organising on the city's South Side, helping to rebuild communities affected by the closure of local steel plants. This experience shaped his identity and path to the White House. Obama was elected to the Illinois State Senate in 1996 and was sworn in as President of the United States on 20 January 2009.
If Barack Obama had attended Columbia University as a foreign student, it would demonstrate that he was not a US citizen and would therefore be ineligible to hold the office of President of the United States.
