GSC cheers President Obama

OAKWOOD - Students and faculty at Gainesville State College greeted the new President Tuesday with cheers as they watched in the Student Center.

The TV viewing room soon filled to capacity as youthful eyes witnessed history, as they watched Barrack Obama take his oath and become the 44th President of the United States.
Nineteen-year-old Rachel Ballard, a GSC freshman, said her first time vote was for Obama.

"It's very satisfying, I helped put him there," she said. "I went out and voted early."

Ballard said her sister was at the inauguration; "She had standing room tickets, she works for a senator," Ballard added.

"It's just amazing," said freshman Nancy Saenz, who said she did not register to vote in time for last fall's election, but supported Obama. "It's epic, I never thought I would live to see the first African American President."

English Literature Professor Shannon Gilstrap was watching in a media room in the library and said GSC had a delegation of students at the inauguration.

"It's fascinating when you consider at one time African American men weren't even considered fully citizens," Gilstrap said. "It's very touching to see an African American man sworn as the president of the United States."