Fifteen Quinnipiac students are taking part in a special seminar on the inauguration in Washington, D.C. Back row: Mark Henning; front row, from left: Steve Bell, former ABC news anchorman, Emily Fallon, Bob Scheiffer of CBS News, Anne Poulsen and Jamie Hill.

Fifteen students are taking part in a special seminar on the presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C., Jan. 10-20.

The seminar, "Campaign 2008: The Presidential Inauguration," examines the new presidential administration and the impact of the media on American politics. Political science professor Scott McLean is leading the trip, which includes a visit to Capitol Hill, lectures and other special events related to the inauguration.

"For over a decade now I have been leading students to Washington for academic seminars and leadership development opportunities. Time and again, I see students who participate in these off-campus seminars deepen their learning and expanded the horizon of their own leadership potential," says McLean.

"By experiencing how Washington works from the inside, the students will learn more about the processes of government, media and politics by being in Washington. But more importantly they will also gain more appreciation for why it matters," McLean says.

"They gain confidence when they see that Washington is a place where young people just like themselves have tremendous opportunities for leadership and involvement in issues that they care about."

The program format includes presentations by major speakers in the morning and faculty-led small-group discussions and site visits to organizations and embassies in the afternoon. In addition to the seminar program, students are also hoping to secure tickets to the inaugural parade on Jan. 20. Students will receive three credits for the program, and must complete assigned readings, keep a daily journal and submit a final paper.

Junior journalism major Victoria Reitano, who belongs to the QU Democrats and voted for Obama in the election, was among the students selected for the program. "I think it will be really cool to actually be there," she said, for such a big moment in history. Reitano also chose to buy a ticket to the "All-American Ball," and hopes Obama will make an appearance.

Anne Poulsen, an international student from Denmark, says she is thrilled to be in the U.S. at such a historic time and thinks the seminar is a great opportunity. "It will allow me to meet brilliant speakers and great journalists and political commentators," says Poulsen, a sophomore majoring in political science with a minor in journalism. "I would like to get a job as a political analyst at CNN once I am done with college, so I thought it would be very interesting to go get a chance to meet and listen to these people."

Poulsen says she's also excited to see how Obama will change American society with his politics. "Many Americans have called Obama a socialist, which I think is very funny since I am come from a rather socialist country and society. Obama's policies does not even come near socialism, but I guess to Americans his views on for instance health care is different from what they are used to. I am excited to see if his health care plans are going to work in the U.S. It works in almost all other western countries, but Americans have a different mentality and it will be exciting to see if they are ready for it."

Classmate Ed VanValen says he is especially looking forward to hearing from lawmakers at Capitol Hill and foreign dignitaries at the embassies. He's interested to know what they're expecting from the new administration. As a senior sociology major, VanValen has spent a lot of time studying issues related to race. "There was nothing pointing to a black or woman president and then both were on the Democratic ticket," he says. VanValen says it was great to see his peers so involved in the 2008 election process. "It was a big election this year--more geared toward youth."

McLean says he's not surprised that students were so eager to take part in the seminar over their winter break. "This year I saw so many more of our students energized and hopeful about public life and the future of the country. Regardless of who they supported in the election, I was impressed by how so many of them broke through the barriers of apathy and disillusionment."

"They told me how they stood at a turning point in history, and that they wanted to be a part of making that history."

From left: Political science professor Scott McLean, T.J. Fitzpatrick, Marissa Kameno, Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, Mark Bouchard, Kerry Dolan, Sean Geary, Louis Venturelli and Paden Livingston.	From left: Political science professor Scott McLean, Louis Venturelli, Marissa Kameno, Sean Geary, Bob Schieffer of CBS News, Paden Livingston, Victoria Reitano and T.J. Fitzpatrick.