T-birds in DC join inauguration festivities

Thunderbird students participating in a two-week seminar in Washington extended their trip this month to join the packed crowds that gathered Jan. 20 between the U.S. Capitol and Lincoln Memorial to witness the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States.

Jad Alameddine, a recent Thunderbird graduate from Lebanon, described the scene in Washington as euphoric and surreal. “I have been to many U.S. cities, and you can’t get more global than D.C.,” he said. “There are people from all corners of the world.”

Between each trimester, Thunderbird offers a selection of two-week seminars in places such as Washington, New York, China, Jordan, Brazil and Costa Rica. Students who participate in the “Winterims” and “Summerims” get out of the classroom to experience real-world business models and meet global leaders in the private and public sectors.

“These kinds of courses out of Glendale are really helpful to enhance our experience and perspective,” said Taewan Kim, a Thunderbird student from Seoul, South Korea, who joined the seminar in Washington.

Thunderbird student Jerome Okolo from Enugu, Nigeria, agreed. “Surprisingly, I expected it to be purely academic,” he said. “But it has been beneficial for my career. It has opened my eyes to the possibilities that D.C. presents.”

Tight schedules in Washington kept Thunderbird students traveling from government agencies to private businesses run by alumni for two straight weeks, and the thick anticipation leading up to the of inauguration only heightened the experience.

“There was a sense of conviviality and a sense of purpose that we were there for something more than just a ceremony,” said Thunderbird student Katelyn Vay from California.

Neha Surie, another student from Canada, described the atmosphere during the inauguration as “optimistic” and “hopeful” with “a renewed sense of individual responsibility.”

It was a test of stamina against dropping temperatures and congested traffic to reach the festivities, but the emotions that permeated the crowds spurred the students forward.

“During the inauguration, I was standing on the mall in a massive crowd of people,” said Thunderbird student Adam Sobieski. “Only when I saw the aerial view of the crowd and the ocean of red, white and blue flags waving back and forth did I truly appreciate the majestic scene that had been created.”

He said the images will stay with him for a long time. “Many years from now I won’t remember the weather and cramped conditions,” he said. “I’ll remember the sea of flags stretching from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial.”

-- Reported by Thunderbird student Darien Carroll

T-birds in DC join inauguration festivities

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