Several Penn State campuses will hold events marking Constitution Day this September. All institutions of higher education that accept federal funding are required by law to recognize Constitution Day each year in some form.
Constitution Day falls on Saturday, Sept. 17, this year, and Penn State events are slated throughout the weeks of Sept. 12 and 19.
Penn State University Park
At the University Park campus, the Constitution Day celebration will focus on the role of “the People” in sustaining democracy. Students from the Foundations of Civic and Community course will create educational posters focused on this central question and be online during an event from 2-4 p.m. Sept. 20 to answer questions and address comments about their posters.
Below is a full slate of Constitution Day observance events from Penn State’s Commonwealth Campuses.
Penn State Abington
Sept. 15
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Voter Registration Drive
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Mini Constitution Distribution
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Speaker: Moriah Hathaway, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Commission for Women
Penn State Altoona
Sept. 20
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Constitution documentary shared from Kanopy
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Banner displayed at campus pond of the Preamble
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Constitution Day facts displayed on digital screens around campus
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Pocket Constitutions given out
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Recite Preamble from memory for chance to win custom Yeti tumbler (all students who are correct will be entered into a drawing)
Penn State Beaver
Sept. 16
Penn State Beaver’s Student Government Association is holding a Constitution Day awareness table with staffing, information and mini Constitutions provided.
Penn State Berks
Sept. 19
“Freedom of Speech and Constitutional Law,” a conversation with Michele Ramsey, associate professor of Communication Arts & Sciences and associate professor of women’s, gender and sexuality studies; noon, Monday, Sept. 19, Perkins, MPR. Ramsey will discuss free speech from the perspective of constitutional law, helping students to understand what we, as a University, are able to legally do when hate groups visit campus and exercise their rights to free speech. During that time, students will also have the opportunity to paint activism magnets to take with them and create signage that the campus can use in counter-protest, as a legal way of responding.
Month-long
Voter registration drive sponsored by Berks’ Student Government Association, Sept. 1-30 (Monday-Friday) Perkins Lobby (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.), Tully’s (5 p.m. to 7 p.m.)
Penn State Brandywine
Sept. 16
A voter registration and education drive is scheduled for noon-1:30 p.m. at the Vairo Library.
Brandywine students, staff and faculty members are invited to learn how to register and participate in the upcoming Pennsylvania midterm elections on Nov. 8, 2022. Plus, Vairo Library’s staff will offer a special display of books on the Constitution.
Sept. 17
Brandywine students, staff and faculty are invited to spend Constitution Day on a day trip to Philadelphia. They’ll pay a visit to the National Constitution Center as a group and then have time to explore the city on their own before returning to campus at 5 p.m.
Transportation to and from Philadelphia as well as admission to the National Constitution Center will be provided. Attendees must gather at 9 a.m. sharp in the main campus parking lot for departure. Pre-registration for the Constitution Day trip is required. Co-sponsored by Multilingual & International Student Programs.
Sept. 19
Learn the history of the Constitution with a focus on the First Amendment and Free Speech from Joshua Phillips, associate teaching professor of Communication Arts and Sciences at Penn State Brandywine, from 12:15-1:15 p.m. in the Tomezsko Lounge. Lunch will be provided.
Penn State DuBois
Sept. 19-20
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Penn State DuBois will be sharing out a trivia form for students to fill out to learn more about Constitution Day, its meaning and its history. This form will be due Tuesday, Sept. 20, and names will be drawn for Constitution Day themed prizes that are focused around mini Constitutions.
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A brand-new Community Conversation Series was designed for students to learn leadership techniques that help them to create a culture of engagement with the community as partners. In collaboration with Leadership Centre County, there will be four sessions that include a theme of servant leadership, tips, ideas for breaking down engagement barriers, a series assessment tool and an action-planning guide and local resource suggestions. The first focus for this series will be themed around and in celebration of Constitution Day Tuesday, Sept. 20, 12:15-1:15 p.m., in 209 DEF building. Students will learn about the Constitution, techniques for civil discourse, as well as news in relation to social media.
Penn State Erie, The Behrend College
Sept. 17
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The Behrend Lion Entertainment Board in collaboration with the Student Government Association will be hosting a table noon to 2 p.m. Students will be able to “sign” a giant Constitution. SGA will also hand out small American flags and USA pens.
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Civic and Community Engagement will be hosting a table alongside LEB and SGA discussing the importance of the upcoming midterm election and encouraging and assisting students in registering to vote.
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The Behrend Lion Entertainment Board will be hosting constitution and U.S. related trivia game show through Neon Entertainment from 8-9 p.m.
Penn State Fayette, The Eberly College
Sept. 12-17
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Students will receive a link to an online trivia contest via Qualtrics with 20 questions about the U.S. Constitution. Those who submit correct answers will be entered in a drawing for a $50 bookstore gift card.
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Students will have the opportunity to receive a pocket-sized Constitution compliments of the Office of Student Affairs.
Penn State Greater Allegheny
Sept. 16
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Students will have the opportunity to receive a pocket-sized Constitution compliments of the Office of Student Affairs.
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Voter registration drive and bipartisan info tables sponsored by the Greater Allegheny Student Government Association and campus library, featuring Head Librarian Andrew Marshall.
Penn State Great Valley
Week of Sept. 19
Penn State Great Valley will distribute purchased pocket-sized copies of the Constitution to students to pick up before class during the week of Sept. 19.
Penn State Harrisburg
Sept. 16
The Student Government Association will hand out pocket Constitutions and cupcakes in the lobby of Olmsted, from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. This event is supported by the School of Humanities and School of Public Affairs.
Penn State Hazleton
Sept. 11-17
A poster display of Constitutional facts will be held in the Upper Butler Lobby.
Sept. 14
A pocket Constitution giveaway will be held in the Upper Butler Lobby from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and in the cafeteria 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Sept. 17
A trip to the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia will be arranged for Sept. 17. Students can sign up in Student Engagement, Butler, Suite 105.
Month-long
A Voter Registration Drive, sponsored by Penn State Hazleton Student Government Association, will be held in the Upper Butler Lobby 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and in the cafeteria 5 to 7 p.m.
Penn State Lehigh Valley
Sept. 19
Penn State Lehigh Valley will distribute pocket Constitutions and host a voter registration table. Students can also memorize select lines of the Constitution and repeat them back to win a prize.
Penn State Mont Alto
Sept. 12-16
The Mont Alto Student Government Association will distribute pocket Constitutions during the lunch hour.
Sept. 13
Penn State Mont Alto will host Constitution Day Bingo at 8 p.m.
Sept. 19
A campus symposium on Constitution Day topics will begin at 12:20 p.m.
Penn State New Kensington
Sept. 19
Penn State New Kensington will host a Constitution table featuring pocket Constitutions and trivia contests.
Penn State Schuylkill
Sept. 19
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The movie “In Search of Liberty (Education Edition)” will play from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. in the Hidden Stream Café located in the Student Community Center. This movie focuses on the Constitution, including how and why it was created, what rights are included and how its principles can be maintained.
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Constitution will be displayed in the Student Community Center.
Sept. 20
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Voter registration drive from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. in the Student Community Center
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Constitution displayed in the Student Community Center
Penn State Scranton
Sept. 19 and 20
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The Constitution will be on display in the View Café
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Pocket Constitutions will be distributed
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Promotion of the new Pennsylvania Voter Information website
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Social media interactive “quiz” will be offered
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Constitution facts will be posted around campus
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Constitution trivia game show will be offered through Kahoot
Penn State Shenango
Sept. 17
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An electronic Constitution Day quiz will be sent out to the campus. Students who get a perfect score on the quiz will win prizes from Student Affairs.
Sept. 19
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Students can find Constitution trivia questions hidden around campus that they can take to Student Affairs to answer and win prizes.
Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Sept. 19-23
Pocket Constitutions will be distributed in Student Commons and Nesbitt Library.
Sept. 19
"Parady In Blue: Political Cabaret Show" will be held in Academic Commons starting at 7 p.m.
Sept. 21
The Wilkes-Barre Student Government Association will sponsor a voter registration drive.
Penn State York
Sept. 19-22
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Academic Affairs will distribute pocket-size copies of the Constitution (in English and in Spanish).
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The library staff will run “Constitution Day Trivia” in conjunction with the York Student Government Association (SGA).
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Police & Public Safety will hand out snacks with a play on words relating to the Constitution.
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Student Affairs and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) will co-sponsor a two-hour training on “Making Your Vote Count.”