U.S. General Services Administration
Building Management Specialist Monita McCowan participates in Constitution Day celebration at Wichita Courthouse
On September 15, Building Management Specialist Monita McCowan stepped up to the podium on the east entrance of the Wichita U.S. Courthouse to an audience of judges, local attorneys, members of the public, and school children.
McCowan was taking part in a public reading of the United States Constitution for a Constitution Day celebration. The Federal Bar Association Chapter for the Districts of Kansas and Western Missouri hosted the event in partnership with the United States District Court for the District of Kansas in Wichita, Kansas.
The celebration was open to the public with particular outreach to K-12 students to “commemorate the document that formed the bedrock of our beloved country,” according to the event organizers.
As part of the celebration, the Constitution was read in 110 segments that take one minute or less to read for the average reader.
McCowan read the Sixth Amendment, “The Rights of the Defendant”.
“Amendment Six is important because it establishes important rights for the accused such as the right to an attorney, to a speedy trial, to an impartial jury to be informed of charges, and to confront witnesses,” McCowan wrote.
Surrounded by schoolchildren and the community as she read, McCowan wrote, “I thoroughly enjoyed the experience…it was an honor and a privilege to represent GSA and the Wichita Federal Courthouse.”
McCowan served 30 years on active duty in the Air Force and has been with GSA since May 2022. She observed the event last year and saw it “as an opportunity to support the courthouse tenants and be a contributing team member” this year.
“We are so proud of our team in Kansas,” Kansas Field Office Director Brian Wohletz wrote. “This is a great example of the close relationships we promote between our GSA staff, building tenants, leaders and members of the communities we serve.”
“Monita is an amazing associate and she has gone above and beyond with our tenants,” Building Manager Melanie Brace wrote. “ She made time to participate in the Constitution Reading in between project meetings with our regional team and attending to contractors requesting assistance on construction work underway. She handles a heavy workload with a smile and a great attitude, and she knows how to prioritize urgent building matters amidst daily duties efficiently.”