A crowd of more than 50 students gathered in the student center at Palatine's Harper College to watch the inauguration of President Obama.

Some stood; some sat on the floor. A few snapped pictures of the television coverage with their cell phones. When Obama completed the oath of office, they all applauded.

"I think this is a memorable moment for everyone," said Elk Grove Village resident Muxiang Liu, a recent immigrant from China studying graphic design at Harper. "The future of this country is very important to me, and I was inspired by (Obama's) talk of peace and strength."

Mike Russo of Barrington voted for Obama in November. It was the first presidential election he was old enough to vote in.

"I'm a believer in green technology, and the promises he made about exploring alternative energy sources felt like promises he was making specifically to me," Russo said. "It would be wrong not to be here when he took office."