Villanova University Set to Celebrate the Life and Legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
VILLANOVA, Pa. (January 10, 2024) – This month, Villanova University will commemorate the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a variety of activities and programs that reflect his message of peace, justice and hope.
On Monday, January 15, the University will celebrate its 17th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. This yearly event honors Dr. King’s vision by bringing together people of all ages and backgrounds to improve lives, bridge social barriers and move our nation closer to the “Beloved Community” of which the civil rights pioneer dreamt.
More than 300 faculty, staff and students are set to participate. Making an impact on campus and at sites across the greater Philadelphia area, volunteers will engage in acts of service that range from cleaning community buildings to preparing care packages for those in need.
Afterward, on Wednesday, January 24, the Center for Peace and Justice Education will host its 2024 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Keynote Lecture. This year’s speaker is Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, a third-generation North Philadelphia native, thought leader and legislator currently serving in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. The 2023 chair the Presidential Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence and Economic Opportunity for Black Americans, Rep. Kenyatta will discuss “Bending the Arc,” a concept advanced by Dr. King, who contended “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
Finally, the St. Thomas of Villanova Center for the Common Good has organized a toiletry and non-perishable food donation drive to benefit Caring for Friends and the Bethesda Project. Contributions can be deposited in collection bins at St. Rita’s Hall, the Talley Center in Jake Nevin Field House, the Connelly Center and Scarpa Hall through Thursday, January 11. Additionally, donations will also be accepted at the men’s basketball game on Friday, January 12, and at the women’s basketball game on Wednesday, January 17. For more information, please email the Center for the Common Good at commongood@villanova.edu.
About Villanova University: Since 1842, Villanova University’s Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six colleges—the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nation’s top universities, Villanova supports its students’ intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu.