First Year Book Events


Coming soon


    • 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.

      Register

    • screenshot of series and book coverFreedom is a Constant Struggle: The Fight for Equal Protection under the 14th Amendment
      Oct. 29 and Nov. 19 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. Through this exploration, participants will examine how the Amendment’s promise of “equal protection under the law” has shaped the ongoing fight for civil rights and inclusion in the United States.
      Register

    • 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
      Free ticket link coming soon!
      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.

      More information


  • 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 or
    Register for zoom


    • 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



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

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.