On Sept. 17, the Institute for Governance and Civics (IGC) at Florida State University (FSU), in partnership with Young America’s Foundation, hosted a Constitution Day event with guest speaker Rich Lowry, the editor-in-chief of National Review. Lowry spoke on the history of the Constitution, what it means today and how Americans can engage with the text in today’s political climate.
“We selected Rich because he has a long history of reflecting on American politics, policy and the Constitution,” IGC Director Ryan Owens said to the FSView prior to the event. “Now more than ever, we need to embrace the Constitution and our founding principles of liberty and respect for individual rights.”
Throughout the evening, the assassination of Charlie Kirk was discussed, emphasizing the right to free speech guaranteed by the Constitution’s First Amendment. Both Owens and Lowry began their speeches by honoring Kirk, signifying what his death means in relation to the Constitution.
“We are here to celebrate Constitution Day today, but we also mourn the political assassination that occurred just one week ago,” Owens said during the event’s opening remarks. “Charlie Kirk was a hero to some; he was an opponent to others, but he was also a human being and he was an American.”
Lowry continued the discussion on Kirk by stating what it means to be a conservative speaker on college campuses, as Kirk was.
“It was really extraordinary how [Kirk] overcame all these obstacles that were put in the way of conservative voices on campus,” Lowry said in his speech.
Lowry went on to discuss the Constitution of the United States of America and the “power of the text.” He highlighted the Constitution’s cultural roots, what he deemed as the currently neglected elements and how politics work with the Constitution today. Comparing the U.S. Constitution to the governing documents of other nations, Lowry emphasized how America’s Constitution is a living document that is engaged with every day.
Throughout his remarks, Lowry emphasized the work of the Constitution in politics and how it is needed to ensure political processes and debates continue. He explained how Americans must continue to live by the Constitution so the nation may thrive despite political divisions and tensions.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we submit to, especially in light of current events, that we must resolve to live,” Lowry said at the conclusion of his speech.
Following his remarks, the audience had the opportunity to ask questions. Many asked about the Constitution, current political issues and the National Review’s coverage.
“Congress won’t stand up for itself and it’s very simple, it just needs to develop institutional self-respect again,” Lowry said when asked about National Review’s criticism of Congress in their “The Editors” podcast. “But I’m not sure when that’s going to happen.”
Lowry also gave credit to the Constitution’s writers during questions, praising them for the work they did and how it operates today.
“The Constitution is a framework for how you work it out [resolve political debate],” Lowry said when asked about how the two-party system affected the creation of America.
The event’s audience consisted primarily of non-students and people of all ages were in attendance. The event also had strict security protocols, with armed officers, security screenings and a bomb dog inspecting guests at the door. Lowry was escorted in and out of the on-campus building by security.
“I heard about this event through an email and it sounded really interesting to me,” FSU economics major Tripp Russell said to the FSView after the event. “Being able to hear the editor-in-chief of the National Review talk about the Constitution sounded fantastic to me, so I signed up.”
FSU sent an announcement email about the event to students on Sept. 12, while the IGC and other on-campus services had been advertising it before. All those in attendance were required to RSVP through Opening Nights at FSU.
“I love history, so I was drawn to this discussion,” freshman Sofia Alexander told the FSView at the event. “I didn’t realize it was leaning more conservative, but I did really appreciate [Lowry’s] ability to, although he seemed to lean on the conservative side, he still appreciated a lot of the liberal values that founded the country, but there is a need for both as we move forward, which was shown historically. I appreciated that he didn’t discount one or the other.”
Since its founding in 2023 by the Florida Legislature, the IGC has featured a predominantly conservative speaker series. In Spring 2025, the institute welcomed Yeonmi Park, a North Korean defector, author and American conservative activist. Conservative American economist and academic Glenn Loury also had a planned event on April 7, although it was cancelled.
Michaela Galligan is the News Editor for the FSView & Florida Flambeau, the student-run, independent online news service for the FSU community. Email our staff at contact@fsview.com.
This article originally appeared on FSU News: FSU’s IGC hosts Constitution Day event featuring Rich Lowry, editor of the National Review
Reporting by Michaela Galligan, News Editor / FSU News
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