The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) is coordinating a trip to the Inauguration in Washington, D.C. for students, staff and faculty of Bellarmine University. Thirty students and ten administrators are scheduled to leave Bellarmine University on Monday, January 19th and return on Wednesday evening, January 20th. Below are several pictures from the pre-departure meetings, excerpts from student essays describing the reasons why they wanted to attend this historic event and personal reflections from campus administrators who are serving as chaperones. Please continue to check the website for additional commentary from the participants.
Commentary from participants:
For me, the personal significance of this upcoming inauguration is tied into similar childhood experiences between myself and President-Elect Barack Obama. Our next president’s humble beginnings are well-known, and I am not ashamed to say that my own childhood was comparably humble. My parents divorced when I was six years old and I was raised in a single-parent household by my mother. She had eight other children besides me and it was often a challenge for us to get clothing and enough food on the table for all of us to eat. Because of my childhood experiences growing up, it is beyond the capacity of words to describe how inspirational it is to me to see someone rise up out of poverty to become the leader of the free world. I can only hope that I possess a fraction of the dedication and determination that has carried our soon to be 44th president so far. -Student
As an immigrant to this country this past November was a reminder of why my mom and I came to this country. The election of Barack Obama to the presidency of the United States once more confirms the fact that this country is truly the land of opportunity. My experience in this nation has always been bittersweet. It has been here, in this country that I have come to question my identity, to confront ignorance of my culture and to sometimes struggle with the various barriers that immigrants face in today’s society At the same time, I am now uplifted and inspired. In spite of all its struggles this country continues to reshape itself and to mature in a way that many 40 years ago would have thought impossible. Today the future of the US lies in the hands of a generation that is less preoccupied with race than by the tangible and urgent needs of its citizens and of the world. As a minority in this country this brings me hope. Hope that I can be seen for more than the color of my skin or my accent. It also gives me a great sense of responsibility. I have no excuses to stop short of my dreams. Barack Obama as well other figures before him have the paved the way for people like me and I don’t intend to forget this. As an immigrant, as woman and more importantly as a human being I have been given a great source of inspiration and an affirmation that you can truly achieve your goals in this changing society. - Student
I am truly excited about this trip to be an actual part of history is astounding to me. I will have stories for the rest of my life to tell my grandchildren. I pray that no one gets in harm’s way that day. The significance of the Inauguration is literally, breathtaking for me. To grow up in an era of forced bussing was hard enough for a teenager to fathom but to be shoved to the back of the bus because of your skin color is idiotic. It bothers me when anyone calls Barack Obama black or African American he is mixed, his mother was white. We all bleed the same color. I lost my Grandmother in a crucial time her real name was Louise but I came up with “Geessee” being the first born. I cherished her for 46 years my Grandmother was there for me as a baby as well as an adult. Not to mention raising my daughter who is 12 now. Right around this same time Barack lost his Grandmother “Toot”. I felt an immediate sense of his loss which brought tears. Barack and I are one year apart so we were extremely fortunate to have our grandparents for this long. I consider Barack as a brother because he was born on my brother’s birthday, but two years apart. We are both parentless now but we know they will be with us on this special day in history. God Bless us all on this most extraordinary day. -Staff
I would just like to say one of the reasons I am so excited about going on the trip to Washington is to experience this through the “eyes” of the students. They would excite me by just coming in and picking up an application. For most of them this was their first Presidential election and they were so passionate about everything. And to be able to experience the whole process from placing their first vote to actually being with them at this historical event is very exciting to me. Of course I too am excited to be able to be a part of history and being with so many people from so many different walks of life. -Staff
The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) is coordinating a trip to the Inauguration in Washington, D.C. for students, staff and faculty of Bellarmine University. Thirty students and ten administrators are scheduled to leave Bellarmine University on Monday, January 19th and return on Wednesday evening, January 20th. Below are several pictures from the pre-departure meetings, excerpts from student essays describing the reasons why they wanted to attend this historic event and personal reflections from campus administrators who are serving as chaperones. Please continue to check the website for additional commentary from the participants. 
For me, the personal significance of this upcoming inauguration is tied into similar childhood experiences between myself and President-Elect Barack Obama. Our next president’s humble beginnings are well-known, and I am not ashamed to say that my own childhood was comparably humble. My parents divorced when I was six years old and I was raised in a single-parent household by my mother. She had eight other children besides me and it was often a challenge for us to get clothing and enough food on the table for all of us to eat. Because of my childhood experiences growing up, it is beyond the capacity of words to describe how inspirational it is to me to see someone rise up out of poverty to become the leader of the free world. I can only hope that I possess a fraction of the dedication and determination that has carried our soon to be 44th president so far. -Student 
I am truly excited about this trip to be an actual part of history is astounding to me. I will have stories for the rest of my life to tell my grandchildren. I pray that no one gets in harm’s way that day. The significance of the Inauguration is literally, breathtaking for me. To grow up in an era of forced bussing was hard enough for a teenager to fathom but to be shoved to the back of the bus because of your skin color is idiotic. It bothers me when anyone calls Barack Obama black or African American he is mixed, his mother was white. We all bleed the same color. I lost my Grandmother in a crucial time her real name was Louise but I came up with “Geessee” being the first born. I cherished her for 46 years my Grandmother was there for me as a baby as well as an adult. Not to mention raising my daughter who is 12 now. Right around this same time Barack lost his Grandmother “Toot”. I felt an immediate sense of his loss which brought tears. Barack and I are one year apart so we were extremely fortunate to have our grandparents for this long. I consider Barack as a brother because he was born on my brother’s birthday, but two years apart. We are both parentless now but we know they will be with us on this special day in history. God Bless us all on this most extraordinary day. -Staff