Naperville Resident Attends Presidential Inauguration in DC

Living in Washington D.C. definitely has its perks, especially when you happen to live there during a presidential inauguration. 

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That was the case on Monday for Naperville resident and George Washington University student Ashley McKibbin who was among the nearly 1 million in attendance for President Barack Obama's Inauguration.

Not only does McKibbin get to see U.S. monuments on a daily basis, but she also has been in attendance for other historical moments such as being at the White House the night Osama bin Laden was pronounced dead.

In an email, McKibbin said she teared up while witnessing the swearing-in ceremony on Monday.

"It was really emotional being there," McKibbin said in an email. "I study Russia and Eastern Europe and while watching the ceremony I was just struck by the fact that some of the countries in that area don't have truly have free and fair elections."

For McKibbin, the moment was a time to put political differences aside and celebrate part of the democratic process. 

"Despite the deadlock we've seen between the parties recently, I felt the ceremony really highlighted the best [of] America because of all the rights we have and the good that we try and do with those gifts," she added.