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For over 400 students from 45 universities across the country and world, being in Washington, D.C. for the 57th Presidential Inauguration was a historic and exciting opportunity. These students, who arrived early to D.C., participated in a 10-day academic seminar running from January 12-22nd. Students kicked off the program with a tour of the city, where they had the opportunity to see monuments, museums and learn about the city’s rich history. Starting off the week with a historic tour allowed students to get acquainted with the nation's capital.

Stops included:

• United States Marine Corps (Iwo Jima) Memorial
• Korean War Veterans Memorial
• Abraham Lincoln Memorial
• Vietnam Veterans Memorial
• World War II Memorial
• Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial
• Thomas Jefferson Memorial
• Drive by West Front of The United States Capitol

During the first week of the morning program, participants heard from and asked questions to a number of renowned political analysts, journalists and decision makers. From Brian Lamb and Ken Walsh, to Grover Norquist and Dr. Cornel West, students were treated to an insider’s view of hot topics surrounding inauguration.

Speaker sessions featured:

• Steve Scully, Senior Executive Producer/Political Editor/Host, C-SPAN
• Ben LaBolt, Senior Advisor, Presidential Inaugural Committee
• David Welna, Congressional Correspondent, National Public Radio
• Ken Walsh, Chief White House Correspondent, U.S. News & World Report
• Eugene Kang, Special Projects Coordinator/Confidential Assistant to The President
• Bill Dauster, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, Office of Senate Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid (D-NV)
• Frank Fahrenkopf Jr., Co-Chair, Commission on Presidential Debates
• Michael McCurry, Co-Chair, Commission on Presidential Debates
• Susan Page, Washington Bureau Chief, USA Today
• Scott Horsley, White House Correspondent, National Public Radio
• Janet Hook, Political Reporter, The Wall Street Journal
• Brian Lamb, Executive Chairman and Founder of C-SPAN
• Rodell Mollineau, President, American Bridge 21st Century
• Grover Norquist, President, Americans for Tax Reform
• James A. Thurber, Founder and Director, Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies, American University
• Tavis Smiley, Host, The Tavis Smiley Show, PBS
• Dr. Cornel West, Professor Emeritus, Princeton University
• Don Ritchie, United States Senate Historian

Each afternoon, students were divided into smaller groups and sent on site visits to a variety of organizations within the city. Embassies, think-tanks, media organizations and Capitol Hill hosted TWC's 400 academic seminar attendees, providing tours of the facilities and lining up a variety of speakers to give students the opportunity to understand how these organizations operate.

On Thursday, January 17th, students were invited to the renowned National Press Club for an evening reception highlighted by a keynote speech from Owen Ullman, Managing Editor of News at USA today. Mr. Ullman spoke about the transition of media and the news and the future of the industry. With a brief wrap-up on Friday morning, students were set free to explore the city, including the option of attending the Newseum.

On Monday, January 21st, Many of the students ventured to the National Mall early in hopes of landing a great “seat” for the inauguration ceremonies and parade. These experiences will truly last them a lifetime and TWC was proud to be a part of it.

Check out albums from the Inauguration Academic Seminar on our Flickr channel:

1. Inauguration Seminar: Day 1

2. Inauguration Seminar: Day 1 | Bus Tour

3. Inauguration Seminar: Day 2

4. Inauguration Seminar: Day 3

5. Inauguration Seminar: Day 4

6. Inauguration Seminar: Day 5

7. Inauguration Seminar: National Press Club

8. Inauguration Seminar: Day 6

9. Inauguration Seminar: Day of Service

10. Inauguration Seminar Site Visits