UCSD erupted in applause, screams and tears Tuesday morning as a fresh generation of political participants gathered with faculty and staff to observe the nation’s 44th presidential inauguration.
Screening events at the Loft, International House and the Sixth College Commuter Lounge offered coffee, pancakes and hors d’oeuvres to hundreds of viewers eager to watch President Barack H. Obama’s resounding call for a new approach to American politics.
By 8:30 a.m., a crowd of over 200 ‘mdash; including reporters from San Diego’s Channel 6 and Channel 8 news networks ‘mdash; had pushed the Loft well above capacity to witness the swearing-in ceremony and presidential speech.
Eleanor Roosevelt College senior Kari McNickle, who helped organize the Loft’s event, said she was impressed by the amount of excitement, attentiveness and unity.
‘Everyone was really unified in that moment,’ she said. ‘No matter who you voted for, it seems like everyone is coming together now.’
She said she has confidence in Obama’s ability to redefine the United States’ reputation abroad and inspire greater solidarity among citizens at home.
‘For most of my politically aware life, Bush has been president,’ she said. ‘[Tuesday], you could really feel proud to be an American, and it’s been hard to feel that way for a long time.’
Revelle College sophomore Wafa Ben Hassine, who celebrated the inauguration at International House’s Great Hall, emphasized the day’s historical significance for black citizens.
‘What affected me the most wasn’t only how inspirational Obama is as a person, but a realization that we have an African-American family in the White House,’ she said. ‘In my mind, this is the prevailing of good over evil. Our country suffered with slavery for a long time, and this is a sign of deliverance.’
While fellow UCSD students crowded around monitors campuswide, Sixth College junior Angela Buck attended the ceremony in Washington, D.C., as part of the national University Presidential Inauguration Conference. She said this year’s presidential campaign marks the first time in her life that she has been excited about politics.
‘When [Obama] was speaking, I felt like he was speaking to me as a student and as a citizen,’ Buck said. ‘I came out of the experience feeling hopeful and inspired to do what I can in my own way, which is what struck me the most about the campaign in general ‘mdash; the motto of enacting change through not only what [Obama] can do, but what we all can do in our own way.’
Despite their overwhelmingly optimistic attitudes about the next presidential term, students acknowledged the sobering list of challenges that the country’s new leader will face. The current economic recession has led to the highest national unemployment rate in 16 years, and prospects for post-graduate jobs are limited.’
John Muir College senior Amanda Ripley, who plans to pursue a career in writing after graduation, said she hopes Obama will immediately begin to address the nation’s ailing economy and mend its broken health-care system.
‘Health care makes all the difference,’ she said. ‘It’s such a basic human need, and having it solves so many other problems.’
A.S. All-Campus Senator Garron Engstrom added that the economy in particular cannot be revived overnight. However, he said he remains in awe of the American democratic process. ‘We peacefully turned everything around,’ he said. ‘We were discussing how cool it is that we can do that in the U.S.’
Additional reporting by Yelena Akopian, Associate News Editor.
Readers can contact Jesse Alm at [email protected].