Students celebrate Obama
By Winston Yu
On a historic day, Santa Clara celebrated the inauguration of Barack Obama with events that focused on emotions from hopeful expectations for the future to a sobering look at the challenges in days ahead.
This was "a day where we can look back and see where we were, who we were with and what we were doing," said senior Lindsey Dunn.
Almost every public venue was showing the inauguration on television, highlighting the hundreds of politicians, dignitaries, entertainers and other notable individuals who packed the stage behind President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.
Even more impressive were the massive crowds that stretched from the Capitol all the way to the Washington Monument, individuals who had turned out in record numbers to see the swearing-in of the 44th president.
The huge turnout at the inauguration was not very surprising, said political science professor Jim Cottrill.
"There's an obviously historic aspect in this inauguration, but the big thing is that both sides of the political spectrum are witnessing change, a change in philosophy," he said. "I've talked with several students, and this is the first president that they can remember who isn't a Bush or a Clinton. That's what is so exciting," he said.
The library staff made a point of highlighting the inauguration, inviting any and all individuals to drop in Tuesday morning to witness history.
The morning turnout was fairly low a half hour prior to the swearing-in ceremony. At one point, professor Mick McCarthy, S.J., was the only person in the room watching the dignitaries enter on the projection screen. As the time approached the formal inauguration, more and more people filled the room, almost to the point of standing room only.
The early hour of the ceremonies undoubtedly caused some students to be unable to view them.
Many professors cancelled class so their students could watch the inauguration, and for many students, even if their classes were not cancelled, they still found time to view the ceremonies.
At night, other organizations on campus highlighted the historic day.
In the Santa Clara Community Action Program office, the organization combined their open house with an inauguration party, inviting anyone to visit their office and celebrate.
There was also a reflection of SCCAP's mission of service and social justice in Obama's inaugural speech.
"The character and culture of America is not found in its leaders, but its citizens and the citizens that Santa Clara students will become," said Dunn, the director of SCCAP. "SCCAP wants to uphold the Jesuit notion of being men and women for others, and I think that's what Obama was hinting at."
In Swig Hall however, the tone of the night was more muted, in contrast to the general merriment of the day. In an event hosted by the Cyphi Residential Learning Community, several professors spoke in a forum regarding the foreign policy challenges that Obama will face.
Junior Gary Hoem, a community facilitator in Swig, said the forum was extremely important because it highlighted what they felt would be one of the biggest challenges that this president will have to face.
"People are so focused on the economy and other domestic problems right now. But eventually Obama will need to focus on rebuilding America's image in a post-Bush world," said Hoem.
Cottrill reflected Hoem's views, noting that the heightened expectations on Obama may lead to widespread disappointment and criticism.
"The people who are the most excited about Obama will get impatient if there's not change quickly," he said. "But I think that he's going to move very cautiously."
Cottrill said people may be disappointed in the type of change Obama brings.
"If people understand that the change Obama is talking about is a change in politics, a change in the way Washington politics are run, they may be less disappointed," he said. "If they focus on specific issues, they're much more likely to be disappointed."
Contact Winston Yu at (408) 554-4546 or wyu1@scu.edu.