While Americans gathered around TVs Tuesday to watch Barack Obama take the presidential oath, hospitality business freshman Haejung Jun also watched with a critical eye.

“I might become someone who will affect the world like him,” said Jun, who is from South Korea. “It seems like a turning point in history.”

International relations freshman On Su Song, of South Korea, watched the event to see history in the making when Obama became president when many didn’t think he would not so long ago.

“Everyone else was watching it, and it seemed interesting because he’s the first black president,” Song said.

The change promised in Obama’s campaign is something Jun said she is most interested seeing in action.

“I’m kind of looking forward to the changes, which will apply to not only the United States, but all the world,” Jun said.

According to whitehouse.gov, Obama has vowed to withdraw troops from Iraq and finish fighting against the Taliban and al-Qaida. Obama has said he will take measures to secure nuclear weapons and materials by strengthening the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which will deny terrorists access to loosely accounted for nuclear materials.

The Obama administration also plans to cut world hunger and poverty in half by 2015 and make progress in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Music therapy senior Aki Takai, of Japan, had only a little interest in the presidential race and the inauguration events, but still found it valuable to pay attention to because of its global effect.

“I don’t have citizenship here, but it’s interesting for me because Japanese politics are different,” Takai said.

And although South Korean and U.S. policies differ, Seoyoung Lee paid attention to the presidential inauguration because she knows the changes in leadership will affect her home country.

“It is related to our country like whoever is made president here,” said Lee, an advertising senior. “Our country is really kind of a little bit different with our policy.”

With many nations in a financial limbo and given the financial crisis of the United States the past few months, Takai said she believes Obama will be good for the United States.

“I think he’s going to be a very tough and hard president,” Takai said. “It’s good because not just the U.S., but the large economy is not so good these days.”