The Hon. Rosendo Peña, Jr., California Fifth District Court of Appeal justice, will lead a line-up of legal experts, elected officials and community representatives at Fresno State’s observance of Constitution Day from 9:30 a.m.-noon Thursday, Sept. 17, in the Satellite Student Union.

Designed to educate Americans about democracy on the anniversary of the signing of the United States Constitution — Sept. 17, 1787 — the free, public annual event features a panel discussion that will be facilitated by John Minkler, civic educator, and Deborah Nankivell, director of the Fresno Business Council.

Other speakers joining Pena, a Fresno State alumnus, are Juan Arambula, former California assemblyman, attorney and school board member; Esmeralda Z. Soria, Fresno city councilmember; Lorenzo Rios, CEO of the Clovis Veterans Memorial District; and Ismail Ali, a Fresno State alum and University of California, Berkeley, law student.

The speakers will be followed by a community dialogue based on these questions:

  • What is working now with K-12 civic education and engagement?
  • What improvements would revitalize civic education?

Peña, 60, who was appointed by California Gov. Jerry Brown to the appellate court, began his term Dec. 12, 2012. Previously, he was appointed Superior Court judge by Gov. Gray Davis in 2002.

Peña is a Parlier native who served as student body president of Parlier High in 1973 before graduating from Fresno State in 1977 with a bachelor’s in political science. He earned a juris doctorate from UCLA School of Law in 1980.

Peña has also worked for the State Public Defender’s Office and the State Attorney General’s Office. His areas of expertise during his 22-year legal career were criminal and civil appellate law.

Fresno State has commemorated Constitution Day since 2004 with panel presentations featuring politicians, local leaders, professors and community members that illustrate the workings of the U.S. government and the significance of the Constitution, said Dr. Jeff Cummings, political science professor and event organizer.

The event is sponsored by the Ethics Center at Fresno State with support from the Leon S. Peters Foundation, Fresno State’s Political Science Department and Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, the Fresno County Office of Education and the Civic Learning Partnership of Fresno County.

For more information or for a code for free event parking, contact Dr. Andrew Fiala, Philosophy Department chair and director of the Ethics Center at afiala@csufresno.edu or visit www.csufresno.edu/ethicscenter.

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