From the national networks beginning their broadcasts at daybreak to the post-debate Spin Alley frenzy, Oct. 9, 2016, was a historic day at WashU. Our video team captured many of the moments.

About 2,000 journalists — including dozens from other countries — converged at Washington University in recent days to cover the presidential debate Oct. 9. When it was over, they swarmed into Spin Alley to gather analysis from candidates’ surrogates and political experts to wrap up their stories by deadline.

As student presidents of SU and GPC, Kenneth Sng and Haley Dolosic enjoyed a few perks. But mostly the two worked tirelessly to help make the debate experience special for everyone.

The excitement surrounding the Oct. 9 debate at WashU was shared with the world via social media, resulting in an unprecedented level of audience engagement for the university. Twitter and Instagram users made full use of the #WashUdebate2016 hashtag.

Along with photo booths, celebrity sightings and live media broadcasts, a 90-minute detailed examination of economic policies proved to be a hot-ticket event before Sunday’s presidential debate.

From Hillman Hall to Holmes Lounge, from the Danforth University Center to the 560 Music Center, from Edison Theatre to Mudd Field to even the Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine campus, thousands of students, faculty, staff and alumni shared in the debate experience through watch parties.

More than 300 people peacefully gathered at the Public Expression Zone at the corner of Forsyth and Big Bend to express opinions and political dissent.

Student programming culminated in a Debate Fair Sunday, Oct. 9. In addition to having fun, the focus was to engage students with issues surrounding the election and encourage them to vote.

As the eyes of the world were focused on Washington University, here’s what one set of eyes inside the debate hall observed.

On Sunday, the university was given 352 tickets by the Commission on Presidential Debates, and it distributed all of them to lucky students, who were selected via a lottery system.