Students, faculty, staff and alumni in formal attire filled the dance floor at GW’s eighth inaugural ball on Sunday night, hours before President Donald Trump’s swearing-in ceremony. 

Students dressed in suits and gowns boarded shuttles outside the University Student Center on Sunday night and made their way to the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Woodley Park for an evening of festivities. GW music groups like The Troubadours, The Sons of Pitches and GW Jazz Orchestra performed while students, faculty, staff and alumni danced to live music, enjoyed dumplings and pasta, posed in a slow-motion video booth and celebrated the inauguration of a new president.

Student attendees described the night as an “only at GW moment,” offering them a chance to capitalize on their location in the heart of D.C. and celebrate the peaceful transfer of power, regardless of their support for the incoming Trump administration.

First-year Emma Agne, who attended the event with friends, said she was looking forward to meeting new people at the ball, adding that the event “isn’t something you’d get” at another university. Ange said she bought her ticket as soon as they went on sale, with prices set at $125 for students and $150 for alumni, staff, and family members.

“I got the notification for it when it was first on sale on Election Day, and I was like, that’s super cool,” Ange said. “It’s, like, a very ‘only at GW’ thing.”

Sophomore Samuel Beltran said he purchased his ticket early, anticipating a sellout, and viewed the ball as a unique opportunity for GW students.

“This is completely a GW thing so I’m super excited to be here and to be a part of this,” Beltran said. 

Ethan Fitzgerald, a junior and the president of the Student Government Association, said he enjoyed getting to spend time with his friends and hearing performances by GW a cappella groups. 

“It’s really cool seeing different singing groups, dancing groups, I’m glad that they had the opportunity to perform at this,” Fitzgerald said. “I’m really enjoying that.”

Fitzgerald said he thought the price for a ticket to the ball was “a little high.” He said although the price may be doable for some students, the University should consider the needs of all students when planning events that a broad range of students would be interested in attending. 

“I’ve definitely heard from students and friends who I was speaking to that the cost was prohibitive,” Fitzgerald said.  “So I’m really grateful to be here, I think it’s a cool tradition, but in the future I would definitely like to see the cost get a little cheaper.” 

Several officials attended the ball, including University President Ellen Granberg, Dean of Students Colette Coleman and Provost Chris Bracey. 

Kreda Boci, an alum and the director of operations at the Milken Institute of Public Health, said she attended the event to see her daughter, a GW student, perform with GW Ballroom. Boci said she was willing to pay the price to support her daughter, adding that “if you come to GW” the ticket price is affordable. 

“Most people who can afford the school, can certainly afford to come to this event,” Boci said.  “And if you want to support your kid, you might as well pay the price.” 

Junior Dan Saleem said he was “pleasantly surprised” by the inaugural ball, noting the good food and GW Jazz band. He admitted that when he first heard about the event, he expected something similar to a high school “prom,” but said it ultimately exceeded his expectations.

“I thought it was gonna be like prom when I first heard about it and saw pictures, but it’s really elevated from prom,” Saleem said. “It’s more of a community event where people can dress up and practice that really good professionalism that we all want to do eventually someday in our careers.” 

Saleem said he considered selling his ticket to the ball after the election results came in, but decided otherwise because he felt it was a unique opportunity to celebrate the peaceful transfer of power as a GW student. 

Ahead of Trump’s first inauguration in 2017, many students sold their tickets — which went for $135 and later for $150 — in protest of Trump’s win. Students had said they did not want to celebrate someone who represented “fear” and thought attending the event would normalize Trump’s “bigotry.”

“I realized that despite a lot of disappointment with the election results of the national election, this would be my only time of living in GW, potentially while an inauguration celebration and festivities were going on,” Saleem said. “So I thought, attend to see what GW has to offer in terms of celebration.”

Students said their opinions about the outcomes of the presidential election didn’t affect their decision to attend the ball, though some said the results made them less eager to celebrate.

Sophomore Deniz Yildarmaz said he understands that although some may not be happy about the new presidency, the peaceful transfer of power is something to celebrate. 

“I think that the idea of inauguration and the whole entire idea of this night is not to represent, ‘Oh, a Democrat won or a Republican won,’ I think it’s about the peaceful transfer of power that power that differs this country from so many other across the world, and that’s contributed to the country’s success,” Yildarmaz said. 

Galit Lopatin Bordereau, the mother of a senior at GW, said she attended the event to celebrate the peaceful transfer of power that makes our country “so wonderful.” She said the event was not “partisan” and that even though she felt “iffy” about the celebration, she was still glad to attend the ball. 

“This is more about the process. It’s not a partisan thing,” Lopatin Bordereau said. “No one is here, hopefully, to mourn or gloat. They are here to acknowledge and celebrate the process.” 

Delaney Belcher, a member of The Troubadours, said she thought it was “cute” that GW hosted the inaugural ball, but she was not feeling “festive” about the new president. 

“It still feels like a celebration, and personally speaking, I’m not celebrating,” Belcher said.