Tickets Are Available For The Luncheon Featuring The Keynote Speaker
EVANSVILLE The University of Evansville (UE) will host a Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Monday, January 16. There will be several activities throughout the day, but the main event is a luncheon featuring a keynote speaker. The public is invited to participate along with the campus community. The title sponsor is Alcoa, and the theme is “Daring to Dream: The Radical Imagination of a Liberated Other America.”
The schedule of events is available below. To purchase luncheon tickets or for full details, please visit evansville.edu/MLK.
9:00 a.m. – Faith-Based Service
The Day of Service will begin in Neu Chapel with a religious service by Rev. J.C. Campbell, PhD. Campbell is the senior pastor at Greater Hope Church and vice president and chief diversity officer at Oakland City University.
10:30 a.m. – Rally
The rally will be held in Meeks Family Fieldhouse, located inside Carson Center off Walnut Street. The rally will recap the significance of a day on, not off, and include remarks from Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz, president of UE; and Rob Shelby, PhD, vice president for talent & community and chief inclusion & equity officer.
11:15 a.m. – Symbolic March
After the rally, UE invites everyone to complete the 54th Mile to Social Change together. The march will begin at Meeks Family Fieldhouse and along nearby streets before returning to campus at Ridgway University Center.
12:00 p.m. – Luncheon and Keynote Speaker
Held in Eykamp Hall on the second floor of Ridgway University Center, the MLK Day of Service Luncheon will include student speakers, award presentations, a performance by Boom Squad Inc., and the William G. and Rose M. Mays Martin Luther King Lectureship featuring keynote speaker Chris Emdin, PhD.
Chris Emdin is the Robert A. Naslund Endowed Chair in Curriculum Theory and Professor of Education at the University of Southern California. He also serves as Director of Youth Engagement and Community Partnerships at the USC Race and Equity Center. Emdin is the creator of the #HipHopEd social media movement, and he is the author of numerous award-winning works. He was recently named one of the 27 people bridging divides in the United States by TIME, and he has been named to The Root‘s list of 100 most influential African Americans.
Tickets and table sponsorships can be purchased by Sunday, January 8, at evansville.edu/MLK. A select amount of tickets will be available for purchase at the door.
2:00 p.m. – Community Service Projects
Four community service projects will run concurrently in Carson Center. Participants will have the ability to participate in a project of their choosing upon arrival. All service projects will go towards benefiting the following local organizations: Community Action Program of Evansville, House of Bread and Peace, United Caring Shelter, and Youth First.
3:30 p.m. – Local Leaders Panel Discussion
Held in Shanklin Theatre, this panel will bring together dynamic individuals from across Evansville to discuss their roles as changemakers and how we as a community can support the next generation in the continued pursuit of ‘a Liberated Other America.’ Moderated by Rev. Campbell, the panel includes the following:
- Alex Burton
- Courtney Johnson
- Melissa Morehead-Moore
- Arlinda Payne
- DeAndre Wilson
4:30 p.m. – Lead Forward Lecture and Reception
The 2023 MLK Day of Service will culminate in a final Lead Forward Lecture by David Ragland, Head Men’s Basketball Coach. This final discussion will amplify the messages of King and encourage all community members to ‘lead forward’ with what was learned throughout the day. Afterwards, a reception with light refreshments will be held outisde Shanklin Theatre in the Toyota Lounge of Hyde Hall.
