Witnessing History

Holy Cross students may have awoken Tuesday morning to find something different in the air. No, it wasn’t more of the icy winds that have clutched Mount St. James for the past several days. Nor was it snowflakes falling upon an already winter-white campus. In fact, it seems that this new feeling might just have been … change.

If the red, white and blue balloons that decked out Hogan Campus Center were any indication, change did indeed come to Holy Cross yesterday — in the form of a united celebration over the inauguration of President Barack Obama. Like the rest of the country (and world), Holy Cross students, faculty and staff gathered to watch the inauguration of the nation’s 44th president.

The division of Student Affairs, the Office of Multicultural Education, the Office of Orientation, Transition & Leadership, the College Democrats, Audio Visual Services and Conference Services sponsored showings of the event at Hogan’s Crossroads, and newly-renovated Seelos Theater. By noon, hundreds of people were gathered at each location, watching the proceedings intently.

“I couldn’t believe how many students and faculty came together to watch,” said Jen Fraser ’09, who viewed the ceremony from Crossroads. “There was so much excitement in the air!”

It was clear that this day was not your average school day at Holy Cross. Some professors suspended class to allow students to watch the event, or took class time to view the inauguration online.

“I was impressed with the way the campus came together to witness something that was less about politics and more about history,” said Adam LaPierre ’09. “Being let out by professors early to see the swearing-in and seeing other professors joining with their students in front of the big screen really brought home the theme of unity espoused so often by Obama himself.”

Many students responded positively to the inaugural address.

“I really liked the theme of the President’s speech, calling Americans to help themselves and help others. The call to service is a theme I hope will continue throughout his Presidency,” said Chris Szkutak ’10.

The day held deep meaning for many students.

“The most striking thing about today’s ceremony was that we as Americans were experiencing a convergence of the past, present, and future in one single moment,” said Liz Wambui ’09. “We were connected to the past, watching the older Americans cry as they witnessed a moment they never thought they would. We watched history being made in the present. And in Obama’s words, we began to get a glimpse of the future — a future in which we all have a stake.”

By Kaitlin Juleus ’09

Pictured: Alicia Molt ’09, Liz Wambui ’09 and Shea Sennett ’10, clad in Obama T-shirts, were among the hundreds who gathered in Crossroads and Seelos Theater to watch the Presidential Inauguration.