Iona excitedly rang in the presidential election with Results Viewing Party in an End Zone decorated red, white and blue from floor to ceiling. Over 100 students participated in the celebration that included a piñata, a photo booth, the candidates themselves and a special cameo from Big Bird.

Sponsored by a variety of campus organizations and the Department of Political Science and International Studies, the party made an effort to support political engagement through voting rather than a particular party.

Many of the students that attended the event felt comfortable sharing for whom they voted. Due to the several swing states in the election, many students were on the edge of their seats throughout the viewing. With each projection by CNN, the crowd hushed to learn which candidate a state had selected.

“It was thrilling waiting to see how Florida and Ohio voted,” junior Chelsea Carson said.

At approximately 11:30 p.m., CNN projected that Barack Obama would be reelected as President after enough votes had been counted in a majority of states.

Several students at the party were disappointed as they hoped that Romney would win.

“I am truly surprised at the outcome of the election, said junior Alexa Serrechia. “I hope the President proves me wrong over the next four years, but I believe America just made a big mistake.”

Still, other students were excited about Obama’s reelection.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what President Obama will do in his next four years as president,” senior Kate Roberts said.

Roberts hopes that Obama will work with Republicans to provide compromises everyone will appreciate. Carson was nervous as results first came in as Romney won the electoral votes of many states, but was happy with the end result.

Sophomore John Bertino had a more nuanced perspective.

Bertino explained that he is registered as a Democrat because he tends to agree more with their policies. While he doesn’t agree with everything Obama has done over the past four years, he acknowledged that he wouldn’t agree with everything Romney would do as president, either.

“I lean towards the candidate who best supports what I think is right, not for what other people tell me what they think is right,” he said. “You have to build your own platform in recognizing what candidate bests supports your interests and values,” he said.

At the party, Bertino appreciated the sheer number of students that were present and the opportunity to discuss the issues with and gain perspective from his peers. Bertino did notice that the party seemed more inviting to Democrats than Republicans due to some decorative elements.

“A balance between both parties would have been less intimidating for a conservative,” he said.

Overall, the party offered an opportunity for political engagement and a forum for conversation. Students found the chance to gather and watch the election results thrilling and enjoyed the creative elements that went into the party’s planning.