O'Connor

When Barack Obama becomes the 44th U.S. president, ILR School student Alyssa O'Connor '12 will be there in the not-too-distant crowd.

While an expected million-plus people gather on the National Mall and many more watch worldwide via television, O'Connor will see the swearing-in ceremony from a comparatively close spot in the "ticketed" area.

That area is adjacent to the best seats in the house -- the 1,600 spots on the inaugural platform outside of the U.S. Capitol.

As one of about 1,000 university students nationwide participating in a five-day program sponsored by the University Presidential Inaugural Conference, O'Connor also has tickets to an inaugural ball and seminars with such speakers as Al Gore, Colin Powell, James Carville and Mary Matalin.

An assistant chair of Cornell's Model United Nations Conference and member of the Cornell International Affairs Review, O'Connor is particularly interested in law and international relations courses.

As a volunteer, she tutored Boynton Middle School students this fall through Cornell's REACH program. She is also a student admissions ambassador and participates in panels and discussions for prospective students.

Before driving to Washington, D.C., from her home in Rochester, O'Connor talked about her Inauguration Day preparations.

What are you looking forward to the most about this experience?

"The inauguration itself -- just to be there and hear President Obama speak, to witness history and feel the energy of the crowd. It's amazing that so many Americans are so excited and passionate about our country's future, despite the difficulties we face at the moment."

What do you expect to learn?

"Hearing from the public figures at the seminars, I hope to take in some of their knowledge. Also, with hundreds of other university students present with me, I'm excited to hear the opinions of other students on what direction our country should take in the next four years. It will be interesting to learn from those who have totally different outlooks than me."

Tickets to balls and the swearing-in ceremony are in short supply, as are hotel reservations in Washington. How did you become one of the lucky few?

"The University Presidential Inaugural Conference made the arrangements a year ago. I was nominated to participate as an alumna of the National Young Leaders Conference."

Will you be texting your family and friends as events unfold?

"We've been told wifi access will probably be very limited. I'll probably give my family a call at night from the hotel at some point."

Jan. 20 will be a long day with hours of walking and standing. Are you footwear-ready?

"Not yet. Finding a comfortable pair of fancy boots is my task for the week; I'm expecting it to be a difficult one! My heels are definitely not going to work."

In addition to watching the inaugural parade, attending a ball and other events, what other stops are on your personal must-do list?

"I plan to visit the Smithsonian's American History Museum and the National Portrait Museum -- I've always wanted to see the first ladies' dresses at the American History Museum."

Mary Catt is a staff writer for the ILR School.