It may have just turned 221 years old, but the foundation of the American government is still as strong as ever.
This past Wednesday in the Student Union, the Center for Student Leadership & Community Engagement (CSLCE) held a party to commemorate the birth of the U.S. Constitution, adopted in Philadelphia on Sept. 17, 1787.
Students showed off their American pride by participating in trivia contests, raffles, and indulging in red, white and blue cupcakes. The CSLCE gave away free T-shirts to students, providing they could get a perfect score on the Constitution trivia exam.
American-themed music from "Living in America" by James Brown to "American Boy" by Estelle and Kanye West blared throughout the Student Union to help students enjoy a general appreciation of a document that has withstood the test of time.
The Constitution, together with its amendments, provides the basic framework for the U.S. government as well as the rights of its citizens.
Terri Frysh, community engagement coordinator for the CSLCE, believes it is important to set aside an entire day to reflect on the Constitution.
"This country was founded on the principles written in the Constitution," Frysh said. "It's important for people, and especially young people, to know what those principles are."
Kathleen Byrnes, a sophomore English major, agreed that all U.S. citizens should be familiar with the Constitution.
"If you don't know about the Constitution, you don't know what your rights are," Byrnes said.
Fortunately, a substantial amount of the students that participated in the trivia contest appeared to be familiar with the Constitution.
"The Constitution represents freedom and democracy and the rules the people in our country have lived by for years," said Jordan Stewart, a sophomore communication major.
The event is much more than just cupcakes and T-shirts, as the Constitution is often cited and analyzed in important political debates and legislation. Dave Lefkowitz, a junior political science major, believes the Constitution is essential in keeping the U.S. afloat.
"It unifies our government and our states and is something to refer back to when we sometimes lose our way," Lefkowitz said.
CSLCE also attempted to highlight other relevant issues related to the Constitution. Although the right to vote is one of the most fundamental rights in the U.S., every four years college-aged citizens have the lowest turnout rates of all Americans, according to the CSLCE.
In an attempt to put a dent in this statistic, the CSLCE provided voter registration forms for students who want to vote this November. According to Frysh, students who are not from the area can fill out absentee ballot request forms and the CSLCE will mail them out.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
