On a day when the world's attention was focused on Washington, D.C., members of the Penn community who were unable to make the trip could still get into the spirit on Penn's campus.
The University's official Presidential Inauguration Celebration Program began at 10 a.m. in Houston Hall, and eight other venues on campus also streamed live footage of the historic occasion.
Although some of the biggest crowds - and screens - were found in Houston Hall's Hall of Flags, it was more than the promise of large numbers and screens that decided where Penn students took in the festivities.
"I chose Houston Hall because I watched [Obama's] election night acceptance speech here," said College senior Ashley Barriere. "I wanted to come back here to watch things come full circle."
She added that the "electricity and emotion" generated by viewers in Houston Hall made it a day to remember.
A more studious atmosphere prevailed at the Van Pelt Library's Class of '55 Conference Room, where students were able to fit watching the inauguration around their study schedule.
"I watched the swearing-in at Houston Hall where some people were really emotional," said College sophomore Tobi Bosede. "But I needed to study this afternoon so I relocated to [Van Pelt]."
A more intimate viewing experience was found at the Penn Women's Center, where a crowd of about 30 gathered to consider the event from a female perspective.
Overall, the verdict there seemed to be overwhelming approval for America's 44th President.
"Obama's platform is very pro-women," said Litty Paxton, director of PWC. "He also has a smart, fiery, powerful wife who is a great example to women."
PWC Program Coordinator Jennifer Jackson agreed that for many, the event was not solely about the President himself.
"We are all huge Michelle fans!" she said.
In addition, Hillel, the LGBT Center and the Greenfield Intercultural Center offered views of the inauguration from their own unique perspectives.
The Graduate Student Center, Fisher Hassenfeld College House and the Zellerbach Theater at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts also opened their doors for inauguration viewing.
Bosede summed up many students' reaction to the day, explaining how privileged she felt to be living through history.
On a more lighthearted note, she joked that one of the most memorable moments for her was Chief Justice John Roberts' slight slip-up in reciting the Inaugural Oath.
"You could tell Obama knew he'd got it wrong," she said, "he always memorizes everything."
