On February 20, 1962, Charles Payne sat in the physics classroom of his all-black school and watched history being made.
He and his classmates watched as John Glenn became the first American to orbit the earth. Across the room, one student said something that Payne will never forget.
"It doesn't matter how much physics we know," the student said. "We're never going to get to do that."
More than 40 years later, Payne, a professor of secondary education and coordinator of diversity at Ball State University, sat at the L.A. Pittenger Student Center and was once again mesmerized by the events unfolding in front of him. The inaugural watch party was hosted by more than a dozen student organizations as part of Unity Week, a week worth of events across c ampus supporting the unification of students from different backgrounds.
As Barack Obama took the oath of office, Payne said he realized that anything is possible.
"The only thing that stands between you and where you want to go is yourself." Payne said. "I hope that [Obama] can become the new African-American. By that, I mean his intellect, his commitment to family and commitment to unity."
About 50 students attended the event hosted by several student groups at the student center.
Sophomore journalism major Tashae Hedgespeth was at the event and said she was speechless as she watched Obama inaugurated.
"Not only is it a historical moment for African-Americans but for everyone," Hedgespeth said. "It is history being made. I'm 20 and I get to see the first African-American President being sworn in. It's just an overwhelming feeling."
Hannah Jung, a senior double-majoring in physical education and health education, also attended the event. She said there is more to the election than Obama being African-American.
"The fact that he is the first African-American President should be marked," Jung said. "It marks how far we've come but that shouldn't take away from the task at hand. I want to believe that all [his promises] are going to get done and I hope it is not too big of an obstacle."
Various Ball State professors were also dispersed among the students in the crowd.
Michael Doyle, associate professor of history, said racism and inequality should have ended with the Civil War. He said the United States has had several opportunities to make up for what was done in the 1860s, but this is the first time racism was not a hindrance.
"America has a troubled racial past that was unpardonable in slavery," Doyle said. "Obama is reckoning with this past, but I feel that he is saying it is time to mend and move on. The fact that he is a black President echoes more sentiments than it would from a white President."
Michael Hicks, director of center for business and economic research, said he has absolutely no doubt that Obama can tackle the problems at hand.
However, Hicks said he is facing some major problems. The only thing Obama can do for the economy is craft policies that will help the economy out of the recession and reassure worried citizens that the United States' economy will be resurrected, he said.
"The unfortunate problem about being a president is that your control in the economy is rather minimal," Hicks said. "No one person has control. It's a market economy. Don't get me wrong. You can mess it up, but we haven't had that problem in 30-40 years."
Summing up Obama's inaugural speech, Doyle said Obama will be more skilled in the age of terror despite his inexperience, because sometimes experience is not enough. Because of Obama's inexperience, he will be able to see different ideas and angles not seen before. He also will be able to do things people criticized former President George W. Bush for not doing.
"I think that there will be come countries that will join in our alliance that wouldn't have under Bush," Doyle said, "simply because Obama looks at this as a united world front, not the United States against the world."