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Inside The Inauguration
 Four political science majors-two Democrats and two Republicans-witnessed a bit of history and learned some important lessons about transitional politics and the media during a two-week internship with the Washington Center for the Inaugural Process.
Kara Lee, Kristy Smeltzer, Penny Tilghman and Rob Willoughby-all of whom had played active roles in the presidential campaign at the grassroots level-took part in a program that drew to the nation's capital more than 450 college students from around the country. Mornings were devoted to lectures by media personalities and political figures such as Sam Donaldson, Anne Compton, Geraldine Ferraro, Tom Downey and Ron Nessen. In the afternoons, students were free to explore the city.
"I learned more on the site visits," said Lee, who as a senior political science major and president of the College Democrats was running the Gore/Lieberman campaign office in Kent County, MD. "Doing stuff is so much more interesting than sitting in a room and having someone talk to you. I saw William Cohen, the Secretary of Defense, give his final press conference-that was neat. We found Hillary [Clinton]'s office in the basement of the Senate building. But the best was going to the Supreme Court, sitting in the gallery, and looking around a room that is full of symbolism. That was so cool."
Rob Willoughby, president of the College Republicans and Republican Youth Director for Kent County, and Penny Tilghman, the events coordinator for the Bush/Cheney campaign on the Eastern Shore, were more appreciative of the celebratory atmosphere in Washington in the days before the inauguration.
"This is an important crossroads in the history of our country," Tilghman noted, "and it's important to respect the institution of the president. I'm proud to be a part of it. There are thousands of young people who have gotten involved, who care about what direction our nation is taking."
"This crisis over the close election proved how strong our country is," Willoughby added. "The inauguration is symbolic-a peaceful changing of the guard where protesters and celebrants alike can co-exist. The fact that this can even happen demonstrates that the United States is like no other country in the world."
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