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NOVEMBER(7,(2012

By#Sarah#Galer#and#Rhianna#Wisniewski

Photos#by#Jason#Smith

As(Americans(waited(to(learn(the(outcome(of(the(2012(presidential(election,(more(than(700(University(of(Chicago(students(of(all

political(stripes(gathered(on(Nov.(6(to(watch(election(night(results(trickle(in.

Some(were(international(students(observing(the(American(political(process(with(fresh(fascination.(Others(were(conservative(and

liberal(students(who(turned(out(in(large(numbers(to(the(main(events(at(the(Reynolds(Club(and(the(School(of(Social(Service

Administration.(Both(events(were(designed(to(welcome(a(variety(of(perspectives,(which(for(many(students(was(the(whole(point(of(the

evening.

I(dont(have(a(strong(political(background,(so(I(wanted(to(get(other(peoples(input,(explained(Sonja(Khan,(AB12,(about(why(she

decided(to(attend(the(Reynolds(Club(event.

College(students(spread(word(quickly(about(the(event,(sponsored(by(the(Universitys(nonpartisan(Institute(of(Politics,(the(Office(of

the(Reynolds(Club(and(Student(Activities,(UChicago(Dining,(University(Communications,(and(Campus(and(Student(Life.(For(the

Institute(of(Politics,(the(night(continued(a(successful(season(of(engaging(students(in(political(dialogue,(beginning(with(programming

linked(to(the(first(http://news.uchicago.edu/article/2012/10/12/firstinstitutepoliticseventyeardebutspackedhouse)((and(third

http://csl.uchicago.edu/feature/debatewatch2012)((presidential(debates.

"As(was(the(case(with(the(presidential(debates,(we(see(political(events(as(prime(learning(opportunities(for(UChicago(students,

especially(if(the(students(are(able(to(gather(and(interact,(said(Darren(Reisberg,(executive(director(of(the(Institute(of(Politics.(We(at

the(Institute(of(Politics(are(thrilled(to(be(able(to(facilitate(those(types(of(interactive(experiences.(

Students(at(the(Reynolds(Club(said(they(came(for(many(reasons((to(be(part(of(an(energizing(event,(join(friends,(have(discussions,take(a(study(break(and,(of(course,(to(eat.(

Im(here(for(the(atmosphere(and(to(celebrate(politically,(said(Rachel(Corrigan,(a(secondyear(political(science(student.(Im(here(for

the(views,(free(food(and(the(really(exciting(atmosphere.

The(Reynolds(Club(event(featured(three(viewing(rooms:(a(large(nonpartisan(viewing(area(in(Hutchinson(Commons(and(additional

gathering(spaces(for(viewers(supporting(specific(parties.(A(TV(in(the(corridor(between(rooms(displayed(students(Twitter(posts(on(the

election(in(real(time.(Party(decorations(and(streamers(filled(the(rooms,(with(the(rightleaning(McCormick(Tribune(Lounge(notably

featuring(lifesized(cutouts(of(Republican(candidates(Mitt(Romney(and(Paul(Ryan.(Students(in(Reynolds(Club(were(decked(out(in

candidate(Tshirts,(pins(and(stickers,(while(others(opted(for(more(generally(patriotic(gear.(

Today,(of(all(days,(this(is(where(you(want(to(be,(even(during(midterms,(said(secondyear(political(science(student(Tanvi(Mango.(I

enjoyed(the(partisan(viewing.(It(was(more(intense.(This(is(a(nice(forum(for(political(discussions.

As(the(night(progressed(and(more(results(came(flooding(in,(cheers(were(heard(from(the(two(partisan(rooms(as(states(were(called(for

their(candidates.(But(students(also(came(together,(visiting(partisan(rooms(for(food(and(conversation.(

This(event(promoted(healthy(discourse,(said(Adiba(Matin,(a(secondyear(in(the(College.(It(feels(incredible(to(know(that(I(played(a

part(in(it.

Students(praised(the(Institute(of(Politics,(launched(in(January(2012,(for(the(numerous(events(they(have(held(on(campus(around(the

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election(process.

The(campus(was(somewhat(lacking(a(forum(through(which(students(could(engage(with(politics,(said(Jen(Berger,(a(fourthyear(public

policy(student(in(the(College.(The(Institute(of(Politics(fills(that(void.

The(inaugural(director(of(the(nonpartisan(Institute(will(be( David(Axelrod,(AB76 (http://www.uchicago.edu/features/20120119_axelrod/)(,

who(was(a(strategist(for(President(Obamas(successful(reelection(campaign.(With(the(election(over,(Axelrod(plans(to(formally(join(the

Institute(in(January.

Fanele(Chester,(a(fourthyear(from(Swaziland(who(is(studying(romance(languages(and(literature,(said(the(evening(embodied(much(of

what(drew(her(to(the(United(States(and(the(University(of(Chicago.(While(she(conceded(that(the(American(political(model(is(not

perfect,(she(praised(the(free(and(open(debate(evident(at(events(like(the(election(night(gathering.(

You(say(whatever(you(want(here,(Chester(said.(There(is(no(mystery(around(power(in(the(U.S.(Although(political(debates(can(be

rancorous,(she(said,(that(honesty(is(preferable(to(the(fear(that(pervades(politics(in(many(countries.(

Im(at(the(University(of(Chicago,(where(the(president(was(in(his(neighborhood(tonight,(Chester(said.(This(is(the(best(place(to(be(at

this(time(in(American(history(as(a(student.

(

The$University$of$Chicago

2012

The(University(of(Chicago

5801(South(Ellis(Avenue

Chicago,(Illinois(60637

773.702.1234

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