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Taking place on the third Monday in January each year since 1994, MLK Day is the only federal holiday that also is designated by Congress as a national day of service — a “day on, not a day off.”
Nationally, AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, was tasked with leading the effort. Participation in service activities have grown each year, providing meaningful change in communities as a nod to King’s inspiring legacy of service and leadership to gain equality for all Americans.
“Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve,” King famously said in a sermon in 1968.
Locally, Dean of Students Jon Bartlow was inspired by conversations with Pitt State President Dan Shipp to take up the charge for the betterment of the Pittsburg community.
“We both wanted to see more opportunities for students to get involved in our community, to have a greater understanding of the people who live here and the place they’re calling home for several years,” Bartlow said. “MLK Day seemed like the best place to start: his life embodied service.”
Brainstorming with representatives from Campus Activities and the Office of Inclusion and Belonging resulted in a strategy for Jan. 15.
The inaugural event will begin at 11 a.m. in the Overman Student Center with remarks by Assistant Head Football Coach Tyrell Everett, a saxophone solo by Pitt State graduate Anthony Simpson (Psychology ‘97), and breakfast followed by a moment of silence for Martin Luther King Jr.
“The connection between the community and the campus is an ingrained part of the culture at Pitt State,” said Deatrea Rose, associate vice president of Inclusion & Belonging. “We wanted to showcase that and provide an opportunity for people to renew that connection with the start of the new year.”
The response was overwhelming.
“We started out thinking “small” and offering a limited number of opportunities, but due to growing demand we have had to increase the number of spots available and are happy to say that we are almost at capacity again,” said Assistant Director of Campus Activities Bailey Miller.
Work will get underway at 1 p.m. and continue until 7 p.m., with nearly 100 volunteers spending blocks of time at Family Resource Center, SEK Recycling, Wesley House, Salvation Army, Lords Diner, Pittsburg High School, Colgan, Pittsburg Community Learning Center, and the Coat & Career Closet on campus, on tasks such as cleaning, organizing, sorting, and assembling.
Shipp plans to make stops at several of the sites.
"I'm proud of our students, faculty, and staff for continuing to advance Dr. King's Dream through our commitment to the community on this important day of reflection and service,” he said. “I think it's obvious to Gorillas everywhere that Dr. King lives in our mission as we continue to make life better through education at Pitt State."
Such involvement will give participants insight into the generosity and good the organizations do, and the needs of others.
“Hopefully it will help us all to stop and think about why we have Monday off, and to learn a little more about how Martin Luther King tried to change the world through love and helping others,” said Bartlow, who would like to see the initiative grow in future years. “I have faith it will become part of who we are at Pitt State.”
