First Year Book Events

Do you have a programming idea? We'd love to hear from you! Please email Leeanne Dunsmore.


Coming soon


    • poster thumbnail of eventAn Exploration of Modern American Suffrage Movements
      April 9 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
      Prince George's Room | Stamp Student Union

      This BSOS Community Forum event will feature researchers and activists working to understand movements to expand voting rights to residents of the United States who are under 18, lack citizenship status, or have had voting stripped because of felony status. Maryland has become a key state for organizing and innovation in these movements because the Maryland state constitution grants cities and towns extraordinary control over both voter eligibility and election administration for municipal elections. Our program will feature research from BSOS Scholars Jared McDonald, Janelle Wong, and Rob Stewart who are at the forefront of efforts to understand these movements. It also will feature perspectives from activists affiliated with Vote16USA, Vote16Maryland, CASA de Maryland, and the Sentencing Project.

      A brief reception will follow the forum. This event is organized by the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement, Maryland Democracy Initiative, and First Year Book Initiative.
      RSVP



    • poster thumbnail of who has the power eventWho has the Power? The Constitution and Our Role in Securing Democracy
      April 27 at 4:15 p.m.
      Prince George's Room, Stamp Student Union

      Checks and balances. Popular sovereignty. Rule of law.

      From a young age, we are taught these constitutional principles in school. As students and educators, many of us are expected to teach or talk about them. But how do we do that in today's political environment?

      A UMD First Year Book Event, co-sponsored by the Maryland Democracy Initiative and the College of Education, this event is open to UMD students, faculty, and staff. You'll have a chance to explore sections of the Constitution and hear from experts about the powers of and major controversies involving branches of the federal government. We'll engage in small and large group discussions about what "We the People" can do to support democratic principles and use our power in the current political moment.
      Register

    • screenshot of series and book coverFreedom is a Constant Struggle: The Fight for Equal Protection under the 14th Amendment
      Tuesday, April 14 at 5 p.m.
      Anne Arundel Hall basement

      The University of Maryland Honors College presents a six-part series exploring one of the most powerful and contested clauses of the U.S. Constitution: the 14th Amendment. Each session features a screening of the acclaimed Netflix docu-series Amend: The Fight for America (2021), followed by a guided discussion led by a UMD faculty facilitator.
      Register





Past Events

We the Terps: A Day with the U.S. Constitution

Thank you for joining our civic engagement celebration on 9/17 with voter registration, book giveaways, student organizations, and a four-part, faculty-led presentation series on the Constitution!

This program was co-sponsored by: The Department of History, Division of Student Affairs, Adele H. Stamp Student Union — Center for Campus Life, TerpsVote, Leadership & Community Service-Learning Office, College Park Scholars, UMD Libraries, and the First Year Book Program

Presentations included:
• The Body of the Constitution, an introduction to the structure of the Constitution and how its design has shaped historical crises and debates across time, presented by Dr. Michael Ross
• The Bill of Rights, a look at why it was created and what it tells us about liberty and power, presented by Dr. Holly Brewer
• The 14th Amendment, a deep dive into equal protection, birthright citizenship, and the expansion of rights in the states, by Dr. Michael Ross
• The Constitution in Modern America, a panel discussion with Michael Spivey, Robert Koulish, and Patrick Wohlfarth

Thank you for joining us on Family Weekend for a Constitution Talk!
We enjoyed the conversation about the role of the Constitution in shaping civic life and public communication led by Professor Shawn Parry-Giles, Chair in the Department of Communication, and Dr. Leeanne Dunsmore, Director of Strategic Initiatives in the Office of Undergraduate Studies. We look forward to continuing the discussion about student rights and responsibilities in Artificial Intelligence (AI) use in education, which intersect with a number of rights outlined in the Constitution.

  • event poster with photo of Corie MattieA Conversation with the LA Hope Dealer
    March 31 | 4 p.m.
    Tawes Hall

    Muralist Corie Mattie will taklk about art and democracy, staying true to our humanity, and making a living with your creativity!

    Co-sponsored by the Honors Humanities, College of Arts & Humanities, Department of Art, Office of Undergraduate Studies, Honors College, First Year Book

    View Photos

  • poster of words free speechh held at protestDefending the First Amendment: Journalism on the Front Lines on Campus and Beyond
    February 12
    Session 1: 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m | Session 2: 2 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
    Knight Hall
    Featuring: USA TODAY First Amendment Reporter BrieAnna J. Frank
    Freedom Forum Vice President and First Amendment Expert Kevin Goldberg
    UMD Student journalists Sam Gauntt and Lizzy Alspach

    Hosted by Professor and Media Law Expert Lucy Dalglish. Co-sponsored by the Maryland Democracy Initiative and the Philip Merrill College of Journalism

  • poster of words free speechh held at protestFireside Chat with Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown
    March 26
    McKeldin Library
    The Department of Government and Politics (GVPT), in partnership with the Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement (CDCE) and First Year Book, hosted a Fireside Chat with Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, who reflected upon public service, leadership, and careers in law. Students learned about the role of AGs in promoting/protecting the U.S. Constitution and discussed Maryland-centric priorities.


  • movie illustration

    Dying to Vote: Film Screening and Discussion
    Oct. 21 at 6 p.m.
    Hoff Theater | STAMP
    Join us for a screening of Dying to Vote, a powerful documentary about the challenges and barriers to voting in the U.S., followed by a discussion on civic engagement and ways to make your voice heard.

  • The 14th Amendment and the Crises in American Democracy with Sherrilyn Ifill
    Nov. 3 | 5 to 6:30 p.m.
    The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, Gildenhorn Recital Hall

    Sherrilyn Ifill, professor of law and founding director of the 14th Amendment Center for Law and Democracy at Howard University, will deliver a Douglass Center for Leadership Through the Humanities public lecture on the 14th Amendment and the Crises in American Democracy.


  • event poster with speaker headshots illustration

    Birthright Citizenship: Who Benefits?
    Nov. 6 | 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
    Marie Mount Hall, Room 0100 (The Maryland Room) + Zoom
    In conjunction with UMD's First Year Book selection, The Constitution of the United States: Smithsonian Edition, the Center for Global Migration Studies and The Nathan and Jeanette Miller Center for Historical Studies are pleased to host a panel discussion centered around the 14th Amendment.

    This important and timely discussion about immigrant civil rights will feature three scholars, who will cover the following topics:
    Heather R. Lee (UNC Chapel Hill): “Wong Kim Ark and the SCOTUS Precedent”
    Maureen Sweeney (UMD Carey Law): "Current Challenges to Birthright Citizenship”
    Marla Ramirez (UW Madison): "The Limits of Birthright Citizenship and Constructions of Mexican Illegality"

    RSVP to globalmigration@umd.edu


    • event details with tv and Dean Lushniak holding micGlobal Health and the Legacy of Ebola: A Call for Action
      Nov. 12 | 7 to 8:30 p.m.
      Iribe Center, Michael Antonov Auditorium

      The 2025 School of Public Health Convocation will explore public health at the crossroads of history, exploring the Constitution, U.S. Public Health Service, and lessons from the Ebola Crisis a decade later. This evening begins with a screening of “Invisible Corps.” This powerful 30-minute documentary – which aired first on PBS – uncovers the story behind the U.S. Public Health Service. The film will be followed by a discussion moderated by SPH Dean Boris Lushniak – himself a former Acting Surgeon General and retired Rear Admiral of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps – and leading voices in the field.

      This event is made possible through the following collaboration and sponsorship: College Park Scholars’ Global Public Health program, Public Health Beyond Borders, Phi Alpha Epsilon, UMD First Year Book, Commissioned Officers Association of the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS), Commissioned Officers Foundation

      More information

    ARHU Dean's Lecture Series with Peter Sagal 
    Humor, Hope, and the Humanities: Why Creativity Matters Sept. 26

    How do Americans view the Constitution? Peter Sagal of NPR joined Dean Shonekan earlier this fall for a wide-ranging conversation including the meaning of the U.S. Constitution, UMD’s First Year Book. Sagal shared what he learned while creating a documentary about the Constitution and why it matters now more than ever. #WeTheTerps