Jason Poblete, Board Member of the Florida International University (FIU) Washington DC Alumni Association, co-hosted an event for fellow alums in town for the 54th Presidential Inauguration. The guest of honor was FIU Alum Richard Blanco, the inauguration poet.

“It was a pleasure to co-host this event with fellow FIU DC Alumni board members,” Jason Poblete said. “For a political town, inagurations are one of a few exceptions to political banter, a time of renewal and reflection. Even when your from the other political party, you celebrate our country and its institutions. A few days from now, the political discourse will commence anew and both parties will need to deal with many important issues. We hope, in a bipartisan and focused manner,” added Poblete.

FIU alumni from around the country gathered Saturday in Washington, D.C., as part of an historic weekend in the nation’s capital. The guest of honor at the special event organized by the board members of the FIU In D.C. Alumni Chapter and the Office of Governmental Relations. The honored guest was alumnus Richard Blanco ’91, MFA ’97, the inaugural poet for President Barack Obama’s swearing-in ceremony.

There are over 1,000 FIU alumni living and working the Greater Washington area (including Northern VA., South MD., and Baltimore), and more moving here each year. The FIUinDC Alumni Chapter serves as a gathering place for old and new alumni to get together, share FIU memories, and together begin to build new ones.

You can read more about the FIUinDC inaugural event and view pictures here.  You can also view Blanco delivering his poem at the inauguration ceremony here.