Fall 2021 Civic Engagement Events at UIC

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,

With the fall semester now in full swing, I write to reaffirm UIC’s commitment to advancing civic and democratic engagement despite unprecedented public health challenges. There are many ways for you to get involved in that process in the months ahead, including:

2021 Constitution Day Lecture at UIC, Friday, Sept. 17, at noon

Join me in greeting Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, who will deliver the Constitution Day Lecture via Zoom. A UIC graduate, Sen. Moseley Braun is a former member of the Illinois House of Representatives, a former U.S. Senator from Illinois, and a former U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa. Her lecture will trace the racial elements in the U.S. Constitution and its amendments, the Civil Rights Movement, and the effects of the Constitution on race today. We are delighted to welcome this distinguished UIC alumna and trailblazer in U.S. politics.

National Voter Registration Day at UIC, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Student Leadership and Civic Engagement will host activities on the Quad that connect students with information regarding upcoming elections. A non-partisan event, National Voter Registration Day is celebrated by thousands of individuals and groups across the nation and is intended to register voters, mobilize volunteers, educate constituents and encourage civic participation. Earlier this year, UIC was once again named a Voter Friendly Campus by NASPA, the national organization of student affairs administrators in higher education, and the Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project. Stop by the Quad on Sept. 28 and help us keep the momentum going.

National Student Issues Convention, Friday, Oct. 22, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

More than 200 UIC students will participate in this virtual event, which allows students to interact with political candidates and office holders and encourages them to share their thoughts on the pressing issues of our time. Past topics of discussion have included the state budget, jobs, affordable health care, immigration policy and more. Please consider attending if your schedule permits. A Zoom link will be emailed upon registration. Further details on the program will be available online closer to the event date.

Lastly, many colleges and departments across the university will be hosting their own civic engagement activities throughout the semester. I encourage students to speak with their professors and departmental administrators about these events and explore engagement opportunities available on the UIC Service Portal or on the websites of the Institute for Policy and Civic Engagement and Student Leadership and Civic Engagement.

For questions, kindly contact the UIC Office of Government Relations and Advocacy at govt@uic.edu.

Get involved – and go Flames!

Sincerely,

Michael D. Amiridis
Chancellor

For more information, please contact:
Michael Crumbock
crumbock@uic.edu