Penn State will celebrate Constitution Day Tuesday, September 17, with student presentations and a faculty-led panel.

The Constitution Day celebration, which will honor the 232nd birthday of America’s bedrock document, will be hosted by the Department of Communication Arts and Sciences (CAS) and the Intercollege Minor in Civic and Community Engagement (CIVCM). The event will take place on September 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. in Heritage Hall in the HUB.

Although the celebration is technically mandatory — federally funded organizations must recognize Constitution Day — Penn State brings a unique perspective by encouraging students to analyze specific parts of the document.

“We want students to interrogate the Constitution’s history, its virtues, and its flaws, and to learn together why knowing what’s in the Constitution — and what isn’t — is important day in and day out,” Rosa Eberly, associate professor of communication arts and sciences and CIVCM director, said in a release.

Presentations from students enrolled in CAS 222 and CIVCM 211 will begin at 1 p.m. and focus on how the Constitution can be applied to contemporary issues.

Starting at 2 p.m., a panel of CAS professors will tackle issues spanning from the executive powers clause to the meaning of free speech on college campuses. Professors on the panel include Stephen Browne, Abraham Khan, Denise Solomon, and Bradford Vivian.

The Constitution Day celebration is free and open to students, faculty, and members of the community. All attendees will receive a pocket-sized Constitution and refreshments provided by Webster’s Bookstore Cafe.