SGA Co-President Sasjha Mayfield ‘21

“This inauguration is historic for many reasons. The most powerful to me being that President Biden and Vice President Harris have assembled the most diverse Cabinet in our nation’s history. I’m excited to experience an administration that mirrors the people they govern. I feel an immense amount of hope for the future of our country today.” 

SGA Co-President Andrew Chirieleison ‘21

“Yesterday, when President Biden took the presidential oath, it was a proud day for many Americans and a testament to the fortitude of our democracy. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Biden Administration as they are now tasked with leading our country through a time of great peril and unrest. I am optimistic for our country’s future and hope that President Biden’s message of unity remains a focal point for his administration and the rest of our country as we continue to endure these challenging times.”

Edward Deng ‘21

“This means we will have another four years of a president pretending that they’re going to ‘fix’ America but will end up throwing obscene amounts of money at surface level issues. Ultimately doing nothing to address the real underlying issues, except pushing them onto the next generations.”

President of the Young Democrats Club Will Dollhopf ‘21

“If you’re looking for something sappy I’m not your guy. We need to put all the pressure we did on Biden winning the election into him accomplishing what he promised. It’s not enough for him to just be ‘not Trump.'” 

Michael Soland ‘21

“We’re going to see some meaningful change, however in general it will be a return to normal.”

Lauren Yingling ‘21

“This inauguration for me means the start of rebuilding and healing that has been put off much too long. I think as a student, hearing Biden’s speech where he says political discussions don’t need to be the start of a war was very eye-opening, and I think members of both parties will be able to practice fostering healthy conversations about politics.”

Co-President of Young Democratic Socialists Club Gavin Guerrette ‘21 

“Democracy prevailed the day President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were inaugurated. Despite this victory, our duty as voters and citizens is just beginning. We must hold the next administration accountable and ensure that they keep the bold promises that got them elected. On issues of accessibility to healthcare and education, environmental policy, and social justice especially, the Biden-Harris administration should be under heavy scrutiny from the American public. The YDSA looks forward to 4 years of unity and change and hopes for a shift towards progressive politics in the United States.” 

Alie Mullins ‘22

“Besides Lady Gaga’s heart-stopping performance of the national anthem, President Joe Biden’s Inaugural Address truly caught my eye. Instead of focusing solely on hopes for ending the coronavirus and passing executive orders, President Biden’s Inaugural Address was centered around unity, which I believe is what the country needs right now. No matter the party, it is clear that Americans are struggling to unite because of political beliefs, which was demonstrated most evidently during the domestic terrorist attack at the capitol on January 6th. President Biden claimed that instead of being just the democratic party’s president, he would be the people’s president, which I thought was a great touch to his speech and clearly demonstrated that he cares most about unity.”

Mackenzie Shultz ‘22

“I think yesterday was a very special and important day to a lot of people, including myself. As a young woman, it was really monumental for me to see our country’s first woman Vice President being sworn into office. It was a landmark moment that was so powerful to watch. The poem from Amanda Gorman, was also very special. Her words really resonated with me, including her last line, ‘if only we were brave enough to be it.’ It makes you reflect on the importance of your actions and words.” 

Callie Connelly ‘22

“Personally, the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris is a relief more than anything. I know that Biden wasn’t the first choice of many left-leaning individuals (myself included), but having a competent, empathetic, and proactive individual in charge of this country is a big win. I’m hoping that Biden’s mature and experienced presence will be able to heal the division left from Trump’s era of extremism.”

Carver Fulmer ‘23

“Biden, at his inauguration, promised unity and healing, though what we unify around was not made clear. Unity must be built on middle ground with political sacrifices from both parties. While I hope Biden will unify America it appears to me, he wants unity without political sacrifice from the left.”

Co-President of Young Democratic Socialists Club Nimalashree Sivakumar ‘23

“These past four years have been overwhelming, to say the least. However, we have achieved a small victory; the first female/South Asian/Black vice president. Though it’s important to acknowledge the face that we’re living through history, we have a lot to do. I genuinely believe the only way we will know sexism or racism has ended is if we can elect two females or two Black people to the president/vice president office and not think any lesser of them or think that’s an odd circumstance. We also have to remember to hold our politicians accountable for how they appeal towards corporations and those with financial power for the next four years.”