Temple students, faculty and staff gathered in Mitten Hall's Great Court to watch the historic inauguration of President Barack Obama.

While the spring semester officially began on Tuesday, another beginning was on the minds of many in the Temple community: the inauguration of the 44th president of the United States, President Barack Obama.

As inaugural events began in Washington, D.C., hundreds of students, faculty and staff gathered at a variety of locations across Temple's campuses to watch as history unfolded before them. Others opted to see the event firsthand, and traveled to the capital.

This page includes Temple community members' reactions and reflections on the inauguration of President Obama.

Shannon McDonald, managing editor of The Temple News and a senior journalism major at the School of Communications and Theater, was one of the millions who attended Tuesday’s inauguration of President Barack Obama. She faced a number of stumbling blocks on her way to the capital, but she found a way — and a story. Read her story.

Karen Winters
Human Resources
"I have never witnessed, nor will I ever in my lifetime again, the genuine movement of love, hope, and spirit I saw today. We were truly one nation under God, and I am changed forever by my presence at the National Mall today."

Gloria Gainey
Human Resources
"I was amazed and privileged to have witnessed and been a part of the sea of people that gathered on January 20, 2009. All ethnicities, races, ages and religions were standing shoulder to shoulder, all of one accord, to see a man named Barack Obama, whose father was an African, accept the challenge of running the highest office in the United States of America."

Renee Green
Human Resources
"I will always remember the overwhelming feeling I experienced while listening to President Obama's speech. President Obama really seems to understand the majority of our problem issues pertaining to family housing, financial, medical and elementary through higher education issues.

I looked around and saw such hope from so many faces, standing shoulder to shoulder as far as my eyes could see. Standing together in the cold, we listened to each word offering the warmth of hope and peace of mind from our new President Obama. President Obama seemed to capture the eyes, ears and hearts of such a large multitude of people from so many different ethnic groups."

Related Stories
Prior to Inauguration Day, a number of faculty experts offered their thoughts and predictions on the inauguration and the Obama presidency.

• Obama’s inauguration may be most spirited since Jackson’s
• A post-racial era? Think again, Temple experts say
• Security for Obama’s inauguration to mimic a military offensive (With audio)