arris is breaking barriers as the ifrst woman, the ifrst Black American, and the ifrst South Asian American Hto be elected vice president. At the same time, her husband has become a national role model for male spouses of powerful women. Videos of Emhoff, such as one where he is blowing kisses to Harris before President Joe Biden’s ifrst address to Congress, have gone viral. “He has been surprised, I think we all have,” says Mason, “at what seems perfectly nor- mal, supporting one’s spouse, getting so much attention.” Emhoff, Mason, and team hit the ground running in the initial months of the Biden-Harris administration, supporting pandemic response and economic recovery efforts. “The focus has been on making sure we can get Americans healthy, building conifdence in vaccines, and sharing news about the president’s initiatives to help families get back on their feet and build back the economy,” Mason says. Emhoff’s Twitter feed (@secondgentleman) offers a glimpse of his cross-country travels, including vis- its to small businesses and to vaccination sites at community centers and mobile clinics and on tribal lands. Emhoff, who has led an accomplished career as an entertainment lawyer, cares deeply about access to justice, notes Mason. “As a lawyer, he is passionate about advocating for justice and fairness, which aligns well with the president’s commitment to equity.” you call when you want something to Mason, M.D., ’60, and uncle, Robert Amid the whirlwind of second- get done,” says Regan, the assistant vice Mason, M.D., ’62, are alumni. gentleman duties, Emhoff says, “As a chancellor for research and innovation at “I think there’s a lot to be said for a ‘newbie’ to D.C. and politics, I’m lucky to the University of Colorado Boulder. “Julie school like Trinity,” says Mason. “A small have Julie at the helm of my White House has always been driven toward public school that builds a true community is team. She not only knows the nuances of service. She likes to think about and solve more valuable now than ever. During the this administration but also how to get bigger problems.” pandemic, we all felt a bit disconnected. things done—and she does it with a steady Recalling the ifrst time she visited Having a place like Trinity, where people leadership style, positive outlook, and Trinity’s campus as a high school stu - really gather and get to know each other, great sense of humor.” dent, Mason says, “I remember feeling the makes a real difference. By the time I grad - Mason’s close friend Karen Regan ’93, energy on campus and loving that it felt uated, it felt like home, and my classmates her roommate for three years at Trinity as like a community within a city.” Growing felt like my extended family. They still do.” well as atfer college in Washington, D.C., up, there were pictures of Trinity in her Upon graduating from Trinity with a concurs with Emhoff. “Julie is someone house since both her father, John Whittier degree in Latin American studies, Mason 18 THE TRINITY REPORTER