The Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate (EMK Institute) is set to officially open to the public on March 31, 2015. The grand opening will be preceded by a gala and dedication ceremony on March 29 and 30, which will be attended by high-ranking political figures including, but not limited to, former and current U.S. senators.
The EMK Institute will be dedicated to educating the public about U.S. government, stimulating public discourse, encouraging participatory democracy, and inspiring the next generation of citizens and leaders.
It is built in honor of former Massachusetts Senator Edward Moore Kennedy, who served in the senate for almost a half-century from 1962-2009; he was the fourth-longest-serving senator in United States history.
Sen. Kennedy, affectionately known as Ted Kennedy, was notorious for his charisma, his sense of conviction, and his passion for social and economic justice. “Politics and public service were in my blood,” he wrote in his historic memoir True Compass.
Kennedy played a major role in passing many laws, including laws addressing immigration, cancer research, health insurance, disability discrimination, mental health benefits, children’s health insurance, and civil rights.
“Civil Rights [was] one of the defining causes of my career,” Kennedy wrote. “And, of course, my work to improve health care, the great cause of my life, [continued] to my last day.”
The EMK Institute will house a full-scale replica of the Senate chamber and will seek to educate the public about the law-making procedure. Up to 100 people at a time can play at being senators, debating, negotiating, and voting on legislation.
According to the institute’s website, EMK intends to be one of the leading organizations working to turn the tide on civic education, providing a portal into the legislative process and a training ground for active, responsible participation in democracy, community, and country.
The opening will be preceded by a gala and dedication ceremony on March 29 and 30, which might be attended by some of the highest-ranking political figures in the country.
As a part of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute’s opening events, there will be a formal dedication of the institute Senate chamber—a full-scale representation of the Senate chamber on Capitol Hill. The institute will hold a special ceremony that will bring together former U.S. senators, current U.S. senators, and students from across the country.
Each student volunteer will be paired with a U.S. senator from his or her home state as a collective commitment is made to continued service and leadership in the name of our country, as described on the institute’s website. 
The EMK Institute is currently looking for University of Massachusetts Boston student to volunteer for its opening ceremony on Monday, March 30. Students who are interested are encouraged to fill out an online form.
The institute’s Columbia Point facility is a 68,000-square-foot building located in close proximity to UMass Boston’s campus and adjacent to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library.