Butler University students spending a semester in Washington, D.C., had the opportunity to attend Barack Obama’s inauguration for his second term as president.
Described as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the students said it was amazing to witness such a largely-attended event.
Some of the students were able to obtain tickets that allowed them to sit closer to the president.
Junior Jimmy Schwabe said in an email students arrived nearly five hours before the event as part of the largest amount of people he has ever seen.
“The opportunity to witness the president of our country address the nation in person was an amazing experience,” Schwabe said. “The emotion and the energy in the air was indescribable.”
Schwabe said he had no idea what to expect when we woke up that morning, but once it started, he realized it was a day he would remember for the rest of his life.
“People from different parties, races and genders were united together under the belief that America is coming back,” Schwabe said.
Junior Leslie Cyranowski said she was glad she had the opportunity to be within 150 seats of the Capitol.
“I probably won’t have the chance to attend the inauguration again,” Cyranowski said, “especially being so close.”
Schwabe said, for him, Obama’s most memorable line was when he said, “For history tells us that, while these truths may be self-evident, they have never been self-executing.”
“Although we have political divide at times in our country,” Schwabe said, “we can band together under the beliefs, principles and goals put forth by our leader.”