NEWS
The Tower
Friday, January 23, 2009
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Students Help Makeover Area High School MLK Day of Service Inspires More than 100 Students to Serve Local Community BY HELEN MARIE BERG Tower Staff
More than 100 University students and nine staff leaders cleaned, sanded and painted walls at Anacostia High School during the nationwide day of service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Campus Ministry coordinated the event on January 19 with the non-profit organization Service for Peace and encouraged students that a day with no classes was “a day on, not a day off”. “I was happy to help out a community that truly needs the help,” said freshman Andrea Kulish who helped prepare a classroom to be painted. The University Office of Facilities Maintenance and Operations donated the supplies for the project and funding from the Student Fee Allocation Board was used for transportation and lunch for the volunteers. This service project was one of 12,100 nationwide, the greatest amount since the day was established in 1994 and more than double the projects completed last year. “I think the national aspect of this day of service is also very important,” said Kulish. “It lets you know that you are a part of something bigger.”
RYAN J. REILLY / TOWER STAFF
Members of the University’s football team clean up the front of Anacostia High School.
“Any single person can make a difference but with everyone working together, there is potential for an even greater impact,” Kulish said. Then President-elect Barack Obama called upon the nation to participate this year although Catholic has taken part for the last four years. This year, however, had a record number of volunteers. “I think the tradition of Martin Luther King Day as a day of service has began to lay some roots here at Catholic,” said Emmjolee Mendoza Waters, Associate Campus Minister for Community Service. “We only had 30 volunteers our first year and it has grown steadily since then.” In the past, University students have split into smaller groups and worked at different sites usually focused on the beautification of schools. This year, because Anacostia High School was large enough to accommodate all the volunteers, it was the only site the students traveled to. Junior Kara Fitzgerald has participated in the Day of Service for the past three years and helped organize the event this year. “I think it was great for the CUA community,” said Fitzgerald. “It wasn’t only the people who usually do service projects out there on Monday. There were many students and faculty who were there to remember King’s legacy.”
Students Volunteer at Obama Inauguration BY FRANCISCO BUSTAMANTE Tower Staff
CUA TOWER ARCHIVES
Richard M. Nixon takes the Oath of Office before assuming the office of President of the United States in 1969, as seen in The Tower.
Inauguration Events a Tradition for Residents BY LIZ GRDEN Tower Staff
President Barack Obama was sworn into office as the 44th President of the United States during the 56th Inauguration, a tradition dating back to George Washington. Since the University‘s establishment in 1887, students have been participating in and volunteering at events to welcome the new President of the United States. Andrew Jackson introduced the current tradition of holding the inauguration outdoors in 1829, and the event has grown every four years since, with millions attending this year‘s ceremonies. Although temperatures reached lows in the 20s Tuesday, it was nowhere near the freezing temperatures that drove students away and caused the inauguration to be held inside the U.S. Capitol Rotunda in 1985. The beginning of Ronald Reagan‘s second term was marked with the cancellation of the parade and other outdoors events. The nearly two million people crowding the National Mall this year, enthusiastically clapping for the new President has not always been a given. In 1973, as Richard Nixon, mired in the Vietnam War and Watergate, was inaugurated for the second time, over 100,000 protesters gathered to express their anger. In 2001, as George W. Bush took office, many young protestors stood for hours in the rain, believing that their voting rights had been denied.
Youth and other Inaugural balls are a tradition in which University students regularly participated. In 1973, Youth Ball tickets were just $15. Nixon and his wife made an appearance around midnight. Years later, students merely put on their Mistletoe Ball dresses and walked into a Gala for free. With security at its tightest ever this year, students who wanted to attend formal dances paid up to $200 per ticket. Students at the Music School had the privilege to sing a cappella at a concert in 1981 during the Inauguration of Reagan. In 1997, 45 freshmen were part of a 200 person choir at an Inaugural Gala to honor Bill Clinton. Students at the University have also had opportunities to get involved and volunteer during Inauguration events. In 1993, more than 120 students donated their time to the ceremony-directing visitors, working at hotels and cleaning up afterward. The concert on January 18 this year, featuring Beyoncé, U2 and Bruce Springsteen, drew more than 800,000 people. The official marking of the beginning of the Inauguration events started in 1981 with a concert featuring then-big name starts like the Beach Boys, in addition to a fireworks and laser show. Through the years, the crowds have grown and traditions have evolved, but one sentiment seems to echo through each Inauguration. As then College Republican Ryan McAllister explained to the Tower as President Clinton began his second term, “It’s obviously not about Republicans or Democrats...its about Americans.”
CUA TOWER ARCHIVES
A collection of photos taken from the Inauguration of Jimmy Carter in 1977.
Several University students not only braced the cold and crowds to witness Barack Obama take the oath of office, but also helped as official volunteers for the largest presidential inauguration in American history. Students applied to volunteer at the 56 presidential inauguration through the Presidential Inaugural Committee; the organization responsible for the raising and distribution of funds for all the inaugural events. The PIC accepted approximately 18,000 volunteers. Volunteers were assigned to various tasks, including ushering people to the National Mall, helping distribute items to the crowds and smiling and waving to the guests. All of the volunteers were
asked to report to their stations at 5:00 a.m. “I was so excited to be picked to volunteer at Obama’s inauguration,” said Yvonne Ruiz, a junior Biology major who tried to secure an official ticket from her senators. “I figured not only is it cool to attend any inauguration, but it was Barack Obama. It is obviously more special,” she said. Like Ruiz, junior Politics major Aurora Vasil was especially excited to be part of the inauguration. “I wanted to volunteer because I wanted to be a part of that historic moment any way I could,” said Vasil. Vasil, was an avid Obama supporter during the primary and general election campaign season, and was a frequent volunteer for the Obama campaign. “I just wanted to be there.” Collin Kelley, an officer on the University’s
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