Constitution Day

Constitution Week 2025

September 15–19  Theme: We the People: The Place of the U.S. Constitution in Students’ Everyday Space

This year, the American Democracy Project at MTSU invites students, faculty, and the campus community to explore the everyday relevance of the U.S. Constitution—how its principles shape our personal freedoms, classroom conversations, civic duties, and digital lives. Constitution week 2025 will feature timely programs, thought-provoking discussions, and a celebration of civic engagement

This year’s theme invites reflection on how constitutional values intersect with student voices, identities, and experiences. Whether you’re attending classes, joining student government, expressing yourself online, or advocating for change, the Constitution is always present.

Let’s gather to recognize its influence—and challenge ourselves to protect its promise.

Constitution Day Highlights

Wednesday, September 17

This year’s theme invites reflection on how constitutional values intersect with student voices, identities, and experiences. Whether you’re attending classes, joining student government, expressing yourself online, or advocating for change, the Constitution is always present.

Let’s gather to recognize its influence—and challenge ourselves to protect its promise.

1:00 p.m. | Constitution Reading with David Brooks

Location: Peck Hall, hosted by the College of Liberal Arts.

Begin the day with a ceremonial reading of the U.S. Constitution led by esteemed journalist and author David Brooks. This gathering offers a quiet moment of reflection on the enduring text that continues to shape the nation—and our lives.

3:00 p.m. | Keynote Address: David Brooks

Location: Tucker Theatre  

Broadcast: Live on True Blue TV Brooks will explore the dynamic role the Constitution plays in shaping student life—from campus governance and free speech to equity and leadership.

Join us for this special address followed by a Q&A session, where attendees can engage with his insights. Reception to follow in the Tucker Theatre main lobby.  Note: There will be no book signing.

About David Brooks

David Brooks is a celebrated journalist, cultural commentator, and bestselling author whose work explores the moral, political, and social currents shaping American life. As an Opinion columnist for The New York Times, Brooks has become known for his thoughtful analysis of the clash of ideas and the complexities of moral formation in modern society.

His career spans decades and includes roles at The Wall Street Journal, The Weekly Standard, Newsweek, and National Review. He’s also a regular contributor to PBS NewsHour and NPR, bringing insight and balance to public discourse.

Brooks is the author of several influential books, including:

• Bobos in Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There
• The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement
• The Road to Character
• The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life
• How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen

A graduate of the University of Chicago with a degree in history, Brooks has taught at Yale, Duke, and his alma mater. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and his work is grounded in a philosophical tradition shaped by thinkers like David Hume, Edmund Burke, and Alexander Hamilton—a tradition that balances humility with audacity, and fair-mindedness with compassion.

Brooks brings to MTSU a voice of reason and reflection, inviting students to consider how constitutional values shape their everyday lives.

Why Do We Celebrate Constitution Day at MTSU?

Each year on September 17, MTSU honors Constitution Day—a federally mandated observance that calls on all educational institutions receiving federal funding to offer programming focused on the U.S. Constitution. More than a legal requirement, Constitution Day is an opportunity to engage our campus in meaningful reflection on the rights and responsibilities that define American citizenship.

It encourages civic understanding, highlights the Constitution’s influence on government and society, and sparks dialogue about its everyday relevance—from protecting individual liberties to shaping democratic structures. Also recognized as Citizenship Day, this celebration affirms the importance of being informed, engaged, and empowered in our constitutional democracy.

To revisit past events, visit the Constitution Day archive.