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26 Austin College Magazine March 2009

y Dara McCoy 

Every presidential 

inauguration is 

historic, but the 

inauguration of 

Barack Obama as the 

44th president of the 

United States was an 

event of worldwide 

interest, extensive 

media coverage, and 

impressive citizen 

participation. 

The combination of the significance of the nation’s 

first black president’s official step into office; the 

convergence of more than a million flag-waving 

spectators upon the Washington National Mall; 

performances by some of the world’s most 

acclaimed musicians; and optimistic anticipation 

of Obama’s promise of change resulted in a celebration of 

enormous proportion. 

There amidst the millions of onlookers were a number of 

Austin College students staking their claim on the historic 

moment and the opportunity to stand as witness to the moment 

of change. Of course, millions of people did not vote for Obama 

and perhaps felt defeat at his election. But the inauguration 

celebration seemed to transcend partisan politics. “All around me 

I could feel the energy circulating through the streets as we 

prepared for our next president to take office,” said Rachel Mims ’11, an international 

relations major at Austin College, who had volunteered for the Obama campaign. “It no 

longer mattered if you supported McCain or Obama, everyone was excited to have Obama 

take his place and begin the process of the much-needed change for this nation.” 

For the 2009 JanTerm, 29 Austin College students who traveled to Washington, D.C., 

for the “Leadership in a New Era” course at the Osgood Center for International Studies 

were able to witness the inauguration firsthand. The course was taught by Shelton 

Williams, Austin College professor emeritus of political science and president of the 

Osgood Center. 

March 2009 Austin College Magazine 27

COURTESY PHOTOS 

Alissa Luthe 

LIVE FROM D.C. 

“The atmosphere at the inauguration was unlike anything I had ever experienced,” said Mims. 

“Even though we had stood in 20 degree weather since 5 a.m., everyone was still so excited 

and happy to be there that nothing else mattered. A local told me that people in Washington, 

D.C., never smile at complete strangers, but on January 20, everyone was eager to talk to the 

people to their left and right to learn how far they had traveled and how excited they were 

for the celebration to begin.” 

Alissa Luthe ’09, a communication studies major, was in Washington, D.C., 

interning with Congressman Ralph Hall in a Career Study Off-Campus for 

JanTerm. Luthe volunteered with the Young Republican’s Club of Grayson 

County during the 2008 election. “From a humanitarian aspect, witnessing the 

first black president be sworn into office was a great experience,” Luthe said. “It 

was wonderful to feel the sea of optimism and joy among the millions attending 

the inaugural ceremonies. It reinvigorated the Martin Luther King, Jr., ‘I Have a 

Dream’ speech and made many believe that barriers can be overcome and dreams 

can be achieved.” 

Jeff Ridenour ’11, a double major in political science and communication 

studies, was in D.C. with the Congressional Youth Leadership Council for the 

University Presidential Inaugural Conference. The council brought 15,000 

middle school, high school, and college students into the city, creating the 

largest youth group in attendance at the inauguration, Ridenour said. 

“The inauguration was an indescribable and wonderful experience,” Ridenour said. “I felt, 

as I think all of the two million people there did, like I was part of history. I was there because 

my voice was heard, and I was part of a remarkable change and revolution of our nation,” 

Ridenour added. “I have never seen so many people, from all different paths and backgrounds 

of life, come together to share the joy and success of our nation and a time of great change, 

diversity, and progression.” 

“Being at the inauguration was 

an incredible experience,” said 

Stefanie Faith ’11. “Afterward, 

everyone asked me to tell them 

everything about it, and I tried 

my best, but you can’t explain 

the moment standing with two 

million people all there for one 

purpose, to witness history.” 

LEADERSHIP IN A NEW ERA 

While the January 20 inauguration and ensuing celebration were certainly highlights of the 

2009 JanTerm for most Austin College students in D.C., the term offered a very educational 

experience for the participants in the “Leadership in a New Era” course. Students heard from 

Congressional liaisons, legislative directors, CEOs, and other experts concerning political 

leadership transition for the new administration. 

Students attended seminars concerning foreign policy, energy, healthcare, the 

administration’s relationship with Congress, and other challenges facing the incoming 

administration. Williams said he tried very hard to give students a balanced view of all the 

issues by inviting speakers who represented Republican and Democrat points of view. 

The JanTerm allowed students to take advantage of their visit in 

one of the country’s most historic cities by touring sites such as the 

White House, Newseum, Capitol Hill, the Holocaust Museum, and 

the International Spy Museum. Students also received exclusive tours 

of the Israeli and Chinese embassies. “The advantage we have at the 

Osgood Center is that we’re physically located right in the middle of 

the think tank government operations of the city,” Williams said. 


YOUTH MOVEMENT 

Surreal, unimaginable, wonderful, electric, and yes, even spiritual were words used by Austin 

College students attempting to capture the experience of attending the inauguration. The 

vast majority of students, no matter their political leanings, took an impressive sense of 

ownership in the 2008 election. They were first-time voters and very aware of the fact that 

the winner would be leading the country when they graduate. 

“Like many students, this was the first presidential election that really impacted me,” said 

Merritt O’Boyle ’11, an English and psychology double major. “The issues on the table are 

so much more real to me now. In two short years, I may be out of school for good and issues 

like health insurance strike close to home. The president will be my president in a way 

different from ever before, now that I’m a legal adult.” 

Despite voting in Texas, a state that Republican John McCain carried, O’Boyle didn’t feel 

her vote for Obama was marginalized in any way. “I had been able to vote for two years and 

had exercised this right in the gubernatorial race and others, but something about deciding 

who to place in charge of your country is just empowering,” she said. “It wasn’t necessarily 

that my vote would be the deciding factor; it meant a lot to me personally to be able to say 

that I voted for him.” 

The sense of hope, inclusion, and empowerment in the political process felt 

by the next generation just might be the most impressive change of all of the 

2008 election. “This is the first election I can cite that the candidate whom the 

vast majority of young people supported actually won,” said Abbas Ravjani 

’04, who was a Texas delegate for Obama at the Democratic National 

Convention and is in his final year of law school at Yale University. “President 

Obama was a candidate that related to our generation — from staying up-todate 

on his Blackberry to taking time out to shoot hoops, he connected with a 

wide range of new voters in an unprecedented fashion. How President Obama 

harnesses this hunger from young people will be one of his defining legacies.” 


Reaching a New Generation 

It was hard to miss students’ excitement on campus in the days leading up to and following 

Obama’s inauguration. Whether it was his own youth — at 47, Obama became the fifth youngest 

president ever elected — a fist-bumping image, or savvy use of new media, Obama connected with 

the nation’s young people, perhaps more effectively than any presidential candidate. 

The Obama team created a modern, technology “machine” that gave Obama a presence on 

myriad social networks; sent — and responded to — innumerable email and text messages (with a 

reported email database of 10 million); filmed videos, offered ringtones; posted thousands of hours 

of content on YouTube; and built BarackObama.com, with its MyBarackObama social network, 

which according to the Washington Post, signed on more than a million participants. This machine 

mobilized volunteers, solicited funds, and inspired millions. Content could be loaded onto cell 

phones, accessed online, and transmitted instantly. 

“For me in my busy day, the Internet was the fastest and most accessible way to stay posted on 

the candidates, the election process, and polls,” said Jeff Ridenour ’11. “I believe this campaign’s 

use of the Internet played a significant role in updating and keeping the youth of our nation 

involved and interested.” 

Rachel Mims ’11 noticed campaigning done through Facebook and MySpace — popular online 

social networking Web sites that she said most young people log into at least once a day. “The use 

of the Internet in the 2008 election was one of the best moves made in campaigning,” she said. “I’m 

one of those million young adults that found out more about the candidates through groups located 

on Facebook. This new use of the Internet has changed the way campaigning will be done forever.” 

Merritt O’Boyle ’11 said she used the Internet to share her views and debate with others on 

political issues and candidates during the campaign. “The Internet is an incredibly effective way to 

reach out, especially to young adults,” she said. “I 

definitely used the Internet to get involved and let 

my voice be heard. The Internet played a big part, 

and I’m not sure Obama could’ve raised the 

volunteer power or funds he did without it.” 

More people gave to the Obama campaign than 

any campaign in history, according to ABC News 

reports. Team Obama estimated its total number of 

donors to be just shy of four million. According to 

the Center for Responsive Politics, the Obama 

campaign raised more than $650 million in 

individual donations (88 percent of his total 

campaign funds). Part of Obama’s success in 

reaching not only the individual vote, but also the 

individual pocketbook stems from his campaign’s 

ability to take the grassroots movement online. 

Editor’s Note: This article is not intended to make any political 

statement or endorsement, but to share students’ experiences as 

they participated in the historic culmination of the first 

presidential election in which most had participated. 


Obama Mania! 

O 

bama’s rise was meteoric and has made him a presidential celebrity perhaps not seen since 

John F. Kennedy. In the days before the inauguration, D.C. memorabilia shops were cashing 

in on the euphoria, selling record numbers of Obama bobbleheads, calendars, belt buckles, 

t-shirts, and other merchandise. 

In January, media outlets reported that bids 

opened at $100,000 on eBay for a 2005 Chrysler 

300C formerly owned by Obama, though the car’s 

actual value is closer to $15,000. 

Even sports teams have jumped on the Obama 

bandwagon. The Brooklyn Cyclones, a minor 

league baseball team, announced it will change its 

name to the “Baracklyn” Cyclones in a June ticket 

sales promotion. 

“Being in the city before the inauguration was 

amazing,” said Stefanie Faith ’11, a history major 

who participated in the JanTerm course in D.C. 

“You could feel the energy and excitement every 

time you stepped outside. Obama mania hit the 

streets, and I was a part of it.” 

PHOTO BY KATIE McCOY 

Austin College students celebrated at the campus 

Presidential Inauguration Ball in January. 

Mr. Kirk Goes to Washington 

Austin College alumnus and senior trustee Ron Kirk ‘76 has been selected by President Barack Obama to 

serve as the United States Trade Representative. This Cabinet-level appointment is the first to be held by 

a graduate of Austin College. 

“Austin College is proud of Ron’s success in Texas, and I am sure he will be equally successful as he works 

with world leaders,” said Oscar C. Page, president of Austin College. “Ron’s leadership at the state and 

local level is impressive, and these experiences have prepared him well to serve as the U.S. Trade 

Representative for the new administration.” 

Kirk’s appointment was announced by Obama on December 19 at a press 

conference in Chicago. “As mayor of Dallas, Ron helped steer one of the world’s largest 

economies,” Obama said. “During his tenure as mayor, Ron brought different groups 

together to create jobs, invest in the community, and spur economic growth.” In 

accepting his nomination, Kirk said that “trade can help us create jobs at home and 

encourage development abroad.” 

A native of Austin, Texas, Kirk came to Austin College in 1972, graduating in 1976 

with a degree in political science and sociology. Kirk then attended law school at the 

University of Texas, where he earned his J.D. degree in 1979. Soon after, he began 

working for U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen in Washington, D.C., which was followed by 

political positions as Dallas assistant city attorney, Texas secretary of state, and Dallas 

mayor. At the time of the announcement, he was a partner at the Dallas offices of the 

Houston-based law firm of Vinson & Elkins. 

Ron Kirk 

COURTESY PHOTO

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