The crowd watching a big screen in Strosacker auditorium was mostly young, white, idealistic and completely behind Illinois Senator Barack Obama, the first African American to be nominated for president by a major political party.
The group cheered throughout Obama's remarks. Some of them are first-time voters... fired up about their candidate's performance.
Only 18-year-old Emily Sparks voiced a small reservation.
SPARKS: "I really respected Obama for the way he respected McCain's character and patriotism although I did think he spent sort of a lot of time bashing Mccain. But he's a fantastic speaker and really good at reaching people's emotions."
Nineteen year-old Max Silverstine compared Obama to Dr. Martin Luther King.
SILVERSTINE: "This is not a salesman, this is not a politician, this is the real deal."
Twenty-year-old Megan Carl said she thinks Obama will make lives better for the middle class.
CARL: " I truly think Obama can bring change just as Kennedy did. I'm from a middle class family and we're pretty well off. But we've had some hard times over the last 8 years. Frankly, I'm sick of it. "
The students know they could be a decisive factor for Obama in battlefield states like Ohio. Traditionally, younger voters are less likely to vote than others, but these students are betting that will be different in November.
Kymberli Hagelberg, 90.3