MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — For Middle Tennessee State University freshman Noah Milner, celebrating the U.S. Constitution is deeply personal. 

“Constitution Day is a big deal for me,” said the 27-year-old freshman from Quitman, Texas, who’s majoring in business administration.

“Since I am a veteran, it is good to come out here and make sure that everybody here knows that they have a right to go and vote, and that’s what this whole country’s always been about from the day that our Constitution was written.”

Milner was among scores of Blue Raider students who turned out to the College of Education Building on Monday, Sept. 16, to help MTSU celebrate Constitution Day with two days of live readings by students, faculty and staff at various campus locations and coordinated by the academic colleges.

The MTSU chapter of the American Democracy Project annually recognizes the signing of the document — which took place Sept. 17, 1787 — with volunteers from the campus community reading the Constitution in its entirety.

“Defining Democracy” is the theme for this year’s event, coinciding with the university wide exploration of the topic as part of the university’s Honors Lecture Series. Departments and programs across campus will emphasize research into the meaning of democracy throughout the fall semester as the November election approaches, which in turn, civically educates students.

As part of the Sept. 16-17 campus readings, participants stepped up to the microphone to read a portion of one of the country’s foundational documents and reflect on the core rights that allows them to participate in our democracy.

“Attending Constitution Day was really important to me because with the upcoming election, I think it’s really important to get your voice heard and get the people who you want elected in office,” said 19-year-old Chantz Clayborn, sophomore biology major from Memphis, Tenn.

Aundria Green, lecturer for University Studies, said she brings her students to the live readings every year because she wants them to understand the political process since many students haven’t read the Constitution before, she said. 

“I want them to be civically minded and civically engaged,” Green said. 

“A lot of times we don’t attend things like this because we don’t know that it’s important and that it’s helpful and that it’s useful,” Green continued. “And who knows what this will spark? Maybe they’ll want to be in politics one day, or maybe they will see that I can speak in public, and it’s not that bad.”

MTSU’s American Democracy Project chapter set up voter registration tables near the reading locations to encourage students to take the next step and get registered.

“They’re in the spirit already, so they’re much more willing to come over and get registered and then actually go and vote,” said Nancy Prescott, Public History graduate student and graduate research assistant for the American Democracy Project.

In addition to the College of Education location, readings were also held outside the Academic Classroom Building, the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building, the Peck Hall courtyard, Business and Aerospace Building courtyard, and the Bragg Mass Communication Building.

Meanwhile, a capacity crowd turned out for a conversation about democracy featuring Mike Pence, 48^th vice president of the United States, that took place in Tucker Theatre Tuesday, Sept. 17, and was moderated by MTSU history professor Mary Evins.

And to recognize National Voter Registration Day on Tuesday, Sept. 17, representatives of the American Democracy Project and the League of Women Voters of Murfreesboro/Rutherford County helped register voters on the front lawn of Tucker Theatre.

To register to vote in Tennessee, you:

• Must be a citizen of the United States who will be 18 years old or older before the date of the next election.
• Must be a resident of Tennessee.
• Cannot have been convicted of a felony (or if you have, your voting rights have been restored by a court order or pardon).
• Must be properly registered no later than 30 days before the election.

The American Democracy Project at MTSU website also has information specifically for student voter registration, including residency requirements.  Visit amerdem.mtsu.edu/vote. If you live here to attend school, you may register to vote in Rutherford County, Tennessee.

— Maddy Williams (Maddy.Williams@mtsu.edu)