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UMPI celebrates Constitution Day with Decision 2020 forum

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The University of Maine at Presque Isle will celebrate the 232nd birthday of the signing of the U.S. Constitution with a new event this year. UMPI’s Student Activities Office will present an interactive forum, Decision 2020 featuring MTV’s Nick Brown, on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at Noon in Campus Center. This event is free and open to the public.

According to Violet Washburn, UMPI Coordinator of Campus Engagement, this interactive forum will allow participants to discuss “hot campaign issues and how they relate to you” while encouraging students to get out and vote.

Nick Brown is known for his stints on MTV’s The Real World Hollywood, The Challenge (Real World/Road Rules), and the host of MTV Spring Break: Las Vegas. He is a show host, entrepreneur, and BMI songwriter. He wrote the hit single Leave With You for R&B singer and fan favorite Bryan Bautista of NBC’s hit show The Voice.

Brown immigrated from Jamaica and talks to crowds across the country about his family’s pursuit of the American dream and the hustle it takes to make it happen. He graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems. He travels across the country to visit colleges and promote topics such as voter awareness, personal development, and leadership.

According to his website, Brown’s unique way of connecting with students allows them to dig into conversations about getting involved in campus, whether through excelling in academics or becoming a student leader, and the benefits it will bring now and in the future. His discussions open students’ minds about their personal beliefs and helps them to get answers to questions they’ve always wanted to ask, all while aligning them to the importance of being themselves.

Brown’s interactive forum will allow students to talk freely on issues that matter to them and how their actions determine their future.

Congress designated September 17 as Constitution Day – a national celebration of our country’s founding document – to commemorate the Sept. 17, 1787, signing of the Constitution. In 2004, Congress passed a spending bill that included a provision requiring every school and college that receives federal money to teach about the Constitution on Sept. 17, with a grace period should that day fall on a weekend or conflict with established schedules.

To learn more about Brown, visit www.nickbrownonline.com. Constitution Day activities are free and the public is invited to attend. For more information, call 768-9582 or email violet.washburn@maine.edu.

Photo of Nick Brown