STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State is honoring the legacy of the late Martin Luther King Jr. with a Unity Dinner, sponsored by the Division of Access, Opportunity and Success. This formal event for invited guests Friday [Jan. 16] at The Mill Conference Center features live performances and opportunities for Starkville residents and MSU leaders to come together.
“The MLK Unity Dinner is a reminder that unity is not a moment—it is a commitment we renew together as a university and as a community. This will be a great way for us to remember history and also build connections,” said MSU Vice President for Access, Opportunity and Success Ra’Sheda Forbes.
A chapel service takes place at 5 p.m., Monday [Jan. 19] in the Chapel of Memories and is sponsored by the Center for Student Activities and Student Leadership and Community Engagement within the university’s Division of Student Affairs. The event features a performance by Black Voices, with a reception following in the YMCA Building lobby.
MLK Days of Service will be held Tuesday and Wednesday [Jan. 20-21] in the Colvard Student Union Ballroom. Students will make emergency winter kits for the homeless.
Vice President for Student Affairs Regina Hyatt said MSU students are honoring King’s legacy not just through reflection, but through meaningful action.
“Whether they are leading conversations, lifting their voices through performance or assembling winter kits for neighbors in need, these experiences allow students to put values like service, dignity and compassion for others into practice,” Hyatt said.