For Constitution Day today (Sept. 17), the college's Civic Engagement Coalition at SUNY Oswego will host a panel discussion via Zoom from 6 to 7 p.m.

The panel's theme focuses on understanding the Constitution and how to use those rights to support activism.

Featured panelists are:

  • Charles Goruchowitz, a 2011 Oswego graduate and founder of CHB Consulting LLC 
  • Tiphanie Gonzalez, a 2005 graduate, an assistant professor of counseling and psychological services, School of Education diversity coordinator
  • Ritu Radhakrishnan,  associate professor of curriculum and instruction
  • Brian Moritz, associate professor of communication studies

The event's purpose is to start a dialogue among students and faculty about their Constitutional rights.

The first 30 minutes will feature the panel discussion, with the concluding 30 minutes for the audience to interact with the panelists and ask questions. 

Kerisha Lewis -- a 2018 alumna, the college's assistant director of student-alumni engagement and a member of the Civic Engagement Coalition-- says Constitution Day underscores concepts that are crucial to everybody.

“Constitution Day is a day to recognize the creation of the U.S. Constitution and how it has helped evolve the world around us," Lewis said. "It is something that should be significant to students and staff because this helps us understand our rights and how these rights can help us make a change or voice our opinions and views on things we feel passionate about.”  

Constitution Day commemorates the Sept. 17, 1787, development and signing of the U.S. Constitution, the foundation of all rights under law.

-- Rasheed Shabazz, Class of 2020 (December), contributed to this story