When students come back from school, they will return to a celebration of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., celebrated Jan. 15, 2018.
The event will start by remembering the life of Dr. King Jr. with a day of service, planned by
Kelley Hardie and Adrienne Tharp.
It will be followed by a chapel gathering with special guest speaker, Marilyn House West, who is the first female and minority chair of the Board of Trustees at Waynesburg University. West, a Waynesburg graduate of 1967, now runs Management and Education Consultants out of Richmond, Virginia.
West, who was announced in May as the new chair of board of trustees, was chosen by the President of the university, and even Provost Dana Baer has high hopes for West and is excited to take part in the university events.
“She is an all-around great person, who models Dr. King Jr.’s legacy through her business, her professional life and her service to the community,” said Baer. “She is looking forward to honoring Dr. King Jr. through this event, and she is also interested in sharing and engaging with Waynesburg University students during her visit to campus.”
On Wednesday will be an event hosted by the Society of Professional Journalists. Thursday, there will be a “Getting to Know WU” in the GPAC, and then a “Student Speak,” hosted by the Multi-Cultural Club, will occur on Friday. The events will finish off with a Service Saturday.
Provost Dr. Dana Baer said the event gives students an opportunity to fulfill the university’s mission
statement.
“We decided to seize the opportunity to host several events throughout the week to honor Dr. King Jr.,” said Baer. “Participating in the National Day of Service is a great way for us to do that, because it recognizes Dr. King Jr.’s legacy and is a great fit with our institutional mission.”
In previous years, the dedication to Dr. King Jr. was only a day, and this year, it has become a week to honor a man who challenged the normal way of thinking.
According to Baer, the extension of the week will help to further “honor a man who was a champion of justice and equality.”
With the now week-long dedication to Dr. King Jr., the student body has been given the opportunity to honor a man who had a strong faith, constantly looked to educate himself and served for those in need.
“Martin Luther King Jr. Day [and the week following] reflect the mission of Waynesburg University with a focus on faith, learning and serving,” said Baer. “I hope our students see the connection and take time to learn about Dr. King Jr. and the difference he made through incorporating his values into his work.”
For the students, Baer thinks the events provide a great opportunity.
“Any chance to educate students is an opportunity to open minds to new ideas,” said Baer. “We have a passionate, caring community at Waynesburg University and our community values many of the same principles Dr. King Jr. did throughout his life.”