Centenary to Mark Constitution Day with Local Legal Leaders
Centenary College will mark Constitution Day on Thursday, Sept. 17, with a campus conversation featuring Judge Brittany Arvie, Judge Emily Merckle, and U.S. Marshal Brian Barber. The event will be held from 11:10 a.m. to noon in the Whited Room. The event is free and open to everyone.
Constitution Day is observed annually on Sept. 17, commemorating the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787 and encouraging reflection on the principles of constitutional government and citizenship.
The program will give students an opportunity to hear from local legal professionals about the Constitution through the lens of their experiences in the legal system, connecting principles studied in the classroom with the practice of law and the responsibilities of citizenship.
“Constitution Day is an opportunity to remind us that the Constitution is a document that continues to shape the law, our government, and our daily lives,” said Dr. Adam Golob, Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science. Goleb organized the event with Dr. Amanda Donahoe, Associate Professor of Political Science and Chair of Centenary’s History and Political Science Department.
The idea for the conversation grew in part from an experience Golob’s Introduction to Law students had last semester. Arvie, Merckle, and Barber hosted the class at Shreveport City Court, where students observed small claims, criminal, and civil court proceedings, asked questions and received a behind-the-scenes look at the legal system.
Donahoe said opportunities to interact directly with legal professionals can help students understand how the Constitution and judicial system affect their own lives.
“Government is complicated, but it can affect our lives when we least expect it,” Donahoe said. “We offer many classes that explore the judicial system, but there’s no better way to learn about the courtroom than from the people holding the gavel.”
Rather than addressing a predetermined constitutional issue, Arvie, Merckle, and Barber will draw on their professional experiences to connect the theory of law with its role in the lives of citizens and communities. Golob will introduce the guests and moderate the conversation, and attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions.
Donahoe hopes the discussion will also change the way students think about the people working within the judicial system.
“I hope that this event gives students the opportunity to encounter judges not as distant authorities, but as members of the community who carry out the everyday work of constitutional government,” Donahoe said.
The three guests bring different perspectives from their work in the local and federal legal systems. Arvie serves as Judge of Division C of Shreveport City Court, Merckle serves as Chief Judge of Division A, and Barber serves as U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Louisiana.
The event marks the first time Centenary has held a Constitution Day program featuring local legal professionals in this setting, although local judges have previously visited campus for other programs.