Jonathan Ulicny, Class of ’27, won Susquehanna University’s annual Gene R. Urey Memorial Scholarship competition, which awards students who demonstrate superior critical thinking and analysis in the study of constitutional law.

At this year’s competition, the judges determined that Ulicny presented the winning argument in the U.S. Supreme Court case Mahmoud v. Taylor, which asks whether public schools burden parents’ religious exercise when they compel elementary school children to participate in instruction on gender and sexuality against their parents’ religious convictions and without notice or opportunity to opt out.

Ulicny argued the respondent’s side, or the Montgomery County School District, which states that including reading materials reflective of LGBTQ ideas did not violate the petitioner’s constitutional rights under the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment.

“The overall thesis of my argument was that, because of the precedent presented in numerous other cases, the failure of the case to meet the requirements of direct or indirect coercion, and the positive influence that inclusive lessons provide to classrooms, these stories and the removal of an opt-out policy from them did not violate the parents’ First Amendment rights,” Ulicny said.

Ulicny, who is from Tamaqua, is a legal studies major with a minor in management.

He is also a member of the pre-law and honors programs, as well as the Student Government Association, Pre-Law Society and Theta Chi fraternity. Ulicny works in Susquehanna’s Leadership & Engagement Office and Department of Political Science, as well as the Union County Public Defender’s Office. After his undergraduate studies, Ulicny plans to attend law school before becoming a practicing attorney.

“I took away a wealth of new skills from this experience,” Ulicny said. “There are very few other experiences at Susquehanna like the Urey competition, and competing in the event allowed me to present arguments succinctly in a courtroom-like setting.

“It also taught me lessons in listening to others and creating compelling arguments.”

Judges for the event were Susquehanna alumni Amanda DiPolvere, ’96, associate dean for enrollment, career development, planning and transition, Penn State Law; James Kleman Jr., ’98, senior deputy counsel of the Judicial Conduct Board of Pennsylvania; and District Judge Rachel Wiest-Benner, ’97. Judge Michael Piecuch of the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas for the 17th Judicial District also served as a judge.