The 2026 University of Redlands Constitution Day took place at noon on Sept. 17 in front of the Armacost Library, in a collaborative effort between the Redlands Student Government (RSG) and Student Affairs.
This event invites students to publicly read portions of the Constitution. It is a place for those interested in understanding their rights or the importance of civic duties.
“How can you defend what you don’t know about? The Constitution belongs to every one of us. I hope every person who reads or hears the words spoken aloud will take them to heart and learn more, deliberate more, and question more,” political science professor Renee Van Vechten said.
“It’s a fun event encouraging civic engagement across campus,” RSG president Adelaide Hubble ‘27 said. “And this year, we’re also competing in the ballot vote, so we’re encouraging students to register to vote and fill out their plans to vote.”
Part of the push is tied to the Engage the Vote competition that the University of Redlands won this past spring, which encourages interest among college students for the upcoming election. It is run by the California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber’s office. The competition ran for 10 weeks and is part of the Student Vote Project.
The University of Redlands is currently participating in the second round of the Student Vote Project competitions with both the California University and College Ballot Bowl.
“Make your vote count by just doing it. Make it a habit that sends the message that voting matters to you and your voice is equally valid as every other voter’s,” Van Vechten told students. “…And beat Stanford in the Ballot Bowl by registering, and get your friends, roommates, teammates, and family to register, and then vote, too!”
The Constitution Day event was originally created by professor Art Svenson, who was joined by Van Vechten more than a decade ago in running the event. The current iteration of the event involves participation from the university administration, along with Van Vechten’s American Politics class.
Kae Yeoh is a senior majoring in music performance and minoring in history. She has been a reporter with the newspaper since her first year at Redlands and enjoys watching documentaries, drinking tea, and listening to pop-punk and Asian rock.
