On Sept. 17, student leaders will discuss the 50th anniversary of the 26th Amendment, which gave 18-year-olds the right to vote.
Five California University of Pennsylvania students will share their experiences as campus and community leaders at noon Sept. 17 in Duda Hall 210 as the university marks Constitution Day.
For a livestream of the event, visit https://calu.zoom.us/j/91523915951.
Sponsored by the American Democracy Project at Cal U, the event will mark the 50th anniversary of the 26th Amendment to the Constitution, which lowered the voting age to 18. A voter registration drive also will be held.
Here are the panelists:
- Savannah L. Dorsey, a senior criminal justice major and women’s studies minor, who is involved as Black Student Union president, Student Government Association senator, a peer mentor, and Alpha Kappa Alpha chapter president.
- Maria Dovshek, a senior communication studies major and event planning minor, who is the student member of Cal U’s Council of Trustees, public relations coordinator for Gamma Sigma Sigma, and vice president of Relay for Life.
- Anthony Lee, a junior psychology major, who is vice president of the Black Student Union and former treasurer of Cal U Men United.
- Idelia Robinson-Confer, a senior psychology major with a minor in leadership studies, who is a vice president of programming and ritual for Alpha Sigma Alpha and president of a youth advisory board for Advocates4Change.
- Caitlyn Urban, a senior secondary education major, who is president of Cal U Student Government, a member of the Student Association Inc. board of directors, a campus ambassador and tour guide, a committee chair for the University Honors Program, and chair of the Board of Student Government Leaders for Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education.
Dr. Laura Tuennerman, director of the American Democracy Project at Cal U, said each student is an example of the legacy of the activist movement 50 years ago.
“In 1971, in response to student activism over the Vietnam War, the 26th Amendment was passed giving 18- to 21-year-olds the right to vote,” she said. “Fifty years later, both activism and voting are as important as ever! I am excited to learn more about what our student leaders are doing on and off campus, and I think our audience will be, too.