SPECIAL TO THE LOG CABIN

Fifteen students from the University of Central Arkansas will be at the Presidential Inauguration in Washington D.C. on Monday, Jan. 21, according to a news release from the university.

The students will be among about 330 people traveling from Arkansas to the District with the Arkansas Martin Luther King, Jr., Commission. UCA is sponsoring the students’ trip, which includes two graduate assistants who will travel with the students. The group leaves on Saturday, Jan. 19 and returns Tuesday, Jan. 22.

“A trip to Washington, D.C., and a chance to see and visit the seat of our nation’s government is a unique experience,” UCA President Tom Courtway said in the release. “This is especially true given the fact that it will give our students the opportunity to attend the inauguration of President Obama. They will ask questions, get to see things first hand, take a tour of important buildings and monuments and see the inauguration.”

Courtway said he believes the trip will add to students’ full educational experience at UCA.

“Reading and studying about our government and constitution is one thing, but seeing it work and how it operates makes the educational experience much more meaningful,” Courtway said.

DuShun Scarbrough, commission executive director, said two four-year schools and a high school have confirmed they plan to send student delegations. He said students from Harding University in Searcy, Philander Smith College in Little Rock, and eSTEM High School will also travel to the Inauguration.

The UCA students were selected from a pool of 138 applicants who were asked about their on-campus leadership roles, grade point average and why they wanted to attend inauguration. A committee of six staff members contacted selected students in December.

Portia Crawford, a senior biology major, said she was excited to be going to the swearing-in ceremony of the President. Going to D.C. gives her a chance to be part of history, she said.

“I’m very appreciative of this opportunity,” Crawford said.