TAMIU Commemorates Constitution Day, Citizenship Day Sept. 17

The U.S. Constitution will be the focus of a presentation at Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) commemorating Constitution Day and Citizenship Day Wednesday, Sept. 17.

The presentation, organized by TAMIU’s Phi Kappa Phi Chapter, will take place from 5:30-6:45 p.m. in the Senator Judith Zaffirini Student Success Center, room 101. The presentation is free and open to the public.

Lisa Paul, TAMIU associate vice president for Compliance, and Douglas Ferrier, TAMIU Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library director, will make presentations and lead discussions about the U.S. Constitution.

Constitution Day commemorates the formation and signing of the U.S. Constitution by 39 brave men on Sept. 17, 1787 in Philadelphia, recognizing all who are born in the United States or by naturalization, have become U.S. citizens.

The law establishing the present holiday was created in 2004 with the passage of an amendment by U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd to the Omnibus Spending Bill of 2004. Before this law was enacted, the holiday was known as “Citizenship Day.” The commemoration originated in 1940, with designation for this day as “I am an American Day.”

In addition to renaming the holiday “Constitution Day and Citizenship Day,” the Act mandates that all publicly funded educational institutions and all federal agencies provide educational programming on the history of the U.S. Constitution on that day.

Founded in 1897 at the University of Maine, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Its chapters are on more than 300 campuses in the United States and the Philippines. Each year, approximately 30,000 members are initiated. It is a global network comprised of the best and brightest from all academic disciplines – a community of scholars and professionals building an enduring legacy for future generations.

For more information, please contact Dr. Peter Haruna, TAMIU associate professor of Public Administration, at 326.2613, e-mail pharuna@tamiu.edu or visit offices located in the Dr. F.M. Canseco Hall, room 313J.

University office hours are 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at prmis@tamiu.edu