Students travel to D.C. to witness presidential inauguration

Three buses full of 165 students ventured to Washington D.C. Sunday evening to see U.S. President Barack Obama be sworn in for his second term.

The trip, organized by the Student Program Board and Student Activities Funding Board, cost $75 per student. The fee included transportation, snacks and an all-day Metro pass.

Once there, students were allowed to do whatever they wanted, so long as they made it back to the buses for the 9 p.m. departure time.

“I was very impressed with all of the students making it back in time to the Metro Station,” said Owen O’Conner, one of the students arranging the trip. “Everyone was very responsible and aware of the time to get back even with the hundreds of thousands of people in the subways.”

While most students went to the National Mall, others used the opportunity to tour the city and opted out of viewing the inauguration activities.

Ten students were also selected via a raffle to win VIP passes, which granted them standing room tickets closer to the Capitol building.

Kaitlin Carnaghi, a senior studying medical laboratory studies, was one of the students selected. Though she said some people were able to go up further than she was permitted, her overall experience was enhanced by being closer to the Capitol and away from the general public.

“We were in a gated-off section, standing in a bigger crowd that was away from the general public,” she said. “It was really neat because we had been in the general public beforehand and the view was so much better. I’ve never been to D.C. before, so that’s why I chose to go on the trip … it was a great experience and I’m really glad I got to go.”

The day’s activities included Obama’s inauguration, a the inaugural parade and concluded with the inaugural ball.