Students of all ages, races and majors gathered with faculty in the Sam Rayburn Student Center on Tuesday to watch the inauguration of President Barack Obama.
The watch party was held in The Club and sponsored by the Student Government Association. Popcorn and soft drinks were served as refreshments and several tables were set up in the middle of the room in addition to the couches, which line the walls of the club.
Throughout Obama’s inaugural speech, members of the audience broke out in fits of applause coinciding with those watching the event live.
Senior computer science major John Cummichel said the event was presented well.
“I just liked the amount of TVs in the room,” he said. ” You could see what was going from anywhere.”
Senior political science major Elisha Hollis agreed with Cummichel and said he enjoyed watching the inauguration.
“This is history right here,” he said
Freshman radio, television and film major David Bush said the set up was great. He said he had been to a couple of events at the old Memorial Student Center, but this was his first at the new building.
Freshman human resources major Antoin Samuels said it was presented well, but the historic significance of the event is what touched him.
“This is one of those things that in 10 years people will look back and say where were you,” he said.
Samuels said the presentation was done well and he looks forward to attending other events at the MSC.
In addition to enjoying the school’s presentation of the speech, Bush said he liked what Obama had to say.
“I’m a staunch conservative, but I am for America,” he said. “I will become an Obama fan if I like the work he is doing,
Bush said he also enjoyed Obama’s thanks to President Bush.
Samuels said he loved the coverage provided by the media.
“There was already something about the inauguration on at 6 a.m. when I woke up,” Samuels said.
Michelle Tolbert, vice president of student affairs, said she was happy with the turn out.
“I’m just happy to be here with my student body to watch history being made,” she said.
Tolbert said it was good to see a diverse crowd and similar reactions among all those watching when the president spoke.
“Whenever Obama was on the screen the whole room fell silent,” she said.
Bush said the only thing that could have been done differently was to make the TVs a little more clearly defined.
But that small issue did not stop Bush from enjoying the inauguation and event.