NSU honors legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. with Day of Service

(Tahlequah, Oklahoma) -- Northeastern State University will honor Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with a week of activities Jan. 16-20.

The week will kick off with the annual Day of Service in the Tahlequah community organized by the RiverHawks Initiating Service and Engagement Scholarship Program.

Kaylee Switzer, a senior health and human performance major from Keys, Oklahoma, is the director of this years Day of Service. She said the focus will be on serving Tahlequah area elementary schools, but students will also be working on projects with Help In Crisis, the Tahlequah Chamber of Commerce, the Tahlequah Armory, the historic Thompson House and the downtown area.

Switzer said shes giving back because King valued service and leadership, even when it was not required of him.

By giving back to the community on this commemorative day away from classes, we as a university embody Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s vision of a selfless, serving, beloved community, she said.

In addition to the Day of Service, the NSU Office of Community Engagement has partnered with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion to plan other activities throughout the week. Events include a free screening of the film Selma at 2 p.m. Jan. 16 in the Webb Auditorium and a Oklahoma Blood Institute drive 10 a.m. 5 p.m. Jan. 17 and 18 in the University Center Ballroom. Students will also be collecting hygiene items for RiverHawk Food Pantry on Jan. 19 and gently-used clothing for Tahlequah-area resources on Jan. 20.

For more information, please contact Kaylee Switzer at switzer@nsuok.edu.