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When college bigwigs first announced that Harman, 21, would speak at graduation, campus activists threatened pickets and boycotts, arguing that a PSU speech-communications major who put her academic career on hold for the beauty pageant was hardly an inspiration. Last weekend, however, when the bubbly Portland native finally addressed PSU's 2,000-plus grads, there was little sign of defiance. In fact, the event was rather underwhelming. Anxious to shun controversy, the desultory debutante trod the tried and true: She celebrated diversity, deplored breast cancer, praised her father and closed with a quote from the diary of Anne Frank. While her speech may not have been electrifying, Harman's push-button delivery was clear and confident, at least--more than can be said for the brief but muffled remarks of PSU President Daniel Bernstein, whose address touched on the tragedy of Sept.11.
