Impact

Unity Week brings together New Kensington campus and local community

Local churches and businesses partner with campus for dinner, entertainment, forum, nonprofit fair

Penn State New Kensington student Yasmin Ray, standing left, Administration of Justice program coordinator LaVarr McBride, standing right, and Arnold police Sgt. Shannon Santucci-Davis, sitting center, participated in the Law Enforcement Forum.  Credit: Bill Woodard / Penn StateCreative Commons

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- The monthlong celebration of the life and works of Martin Luther King Jr. was memorialized Jan. 26 with Unity Day, a celebration by students, faculty and staff with Hightower Scholars Inc. and the community, local businesses and neighborhood churches. The focus of the commemoration was volunteerism and learning.

“We are promoting unity and peaceful solutions to difficult societal issues through community service, community activism, advocacy for human rights and individuals standing up to eliminate bias and hate in our communities,” said Theresa Bonk, director of student affairs at the campus.

A part of Unity Week, the celebration featured a forum on law enforcement and the community, a musical performance and a pot luck dinner. The forum, “A Conversation with Law Enforcement,” was moderated by LaVarr McBride, instructor and coordinator of the administration of justice program at the campus.

Group sessions were headed by local law enforcement representatives -- Wesley Sheets, public safety manager of the campus, Sgt. Shannon Santucci-Davis and Officer Josh Stanga of the Arnold Police Department -- and New Kensington students who discussed building trust and strong relationships between community and police.

Senior Yasmin Ray, an adult student in the psychology program, participated in the forum. According to Ray, the event helped build “respectful relationships with police.”

A lifelong resident of the city of New Kensington, Ray will graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. A member of the Dean’s List with a 3.75 grade-point average, Ray juggles her responsibilities as a mother of two children, and a volunteer for activities on campus and in the community. She is an active member in the Multi-Cultural Club, serves as the student representative on the campus diversity team committee, and works as the student marketing manager for the athletic department. Off-campus, she serves as a mentor to two students in the Pittsburgh Job Corps.

Ray is the recipient of a Dr. N.A. Kopelman and Freda D. Kopelman Trustee Scholarship at the campus. Created by Jim and Eileen Kopelman in 2009, the scholarship is awarded to students who have achieved superior academic record. She also was awarded a K. Leroy Irvis Undergraduate Scholarship by the Pennsylvania Black Conference on Higher Education in 2015.

Unity DinnerAt the Unity Dinner, Kareem Washington performed gospel musical selections, including “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which is also known as the Black National Anthem or Negro National Anthem. Washington was a member of the Voices of Joy choir at Indiana University. Voices of Joy performs inspirational music and encourages musical expression.

The highlight of the evening was the lighting of a unity candle by members of the campus, community, local businesses and neighborhood churches. Led by Kevin Snider, chancellor of the New Kensington campus, the lighting committee included Marissa Russo, president of the campus Student Government Association, Jesse Coleman, King Lion of New Kensington Lion's Club, Jevon Hankins, president of the campus Multi-cultural Club, Rev. Antoinette Perkins, assistant pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church, Sarah Shelleby, student representative of campus diversity team, and Washington.

“This day provides us an opportunity to celebrate what King was all about, what he strove for and what he accomplished,” Snider said. “It is also a chance for our students to meet members of the community they may not have otherwise. It's a chance to develop an understanding and a relationship between the school and the community.”

Diane Hightower, executive director of Hightower Scholars, a nonprofit organization, and Bonk developed the multimedia program for the 87th anniversary of King's birth.

Unity WeekA five-day series of activities commemorated King and his dream of equality among the races. Spoken-word artist Odd?Rod opened the festivities on Monday. The poet honed his “picture-painting” poetry and storytelling style while an undergraduate at University of North Florida, where he started an open mic show. His rhythmic cadence and uplifting message piqued the interest of his audiences. Odd?Rod is a fixture on the college circuit and was named Association Of Promotional Campus Activities 2014 Spoken Word Artist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year in 2014.

The Volunteer and Human Rights Advocacy Fair on Wednesday featured charitable groups providing information about the community service opportunities available at the organizations. Nonprofits at the fair were: Allegheny-Kiski Valley NAACP; Alle-Kiski Area HOPE Center; Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Greensburg; Community Health Clinic; New Kensington Family Services of Western PA; Habitat for Humanity; Allegheny Valley HAVIN; Homeless Children's Education Fund; Mental Health America of Westmoreland County; Ronald McDonald House Charities of Pittsburgh; United Way of Westmoreland County; Welcome Home, Greensburg; Westmoreland Community Action; and YWCA of Westmoreland County.

Human-rights dominated the festivities on Thursday with two special screenings of “Selma.” The movie tells the story of King’s journey to secure voting rights for all people.

The commemoration concluded with an open mic lunch hour. Students, faculty and staff shared their thoughts and experiences regarding the slain civil rights leader.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day was first observed in 1986. In 1994, Congress designated the holiday as a national day of service, charging the Corporation for National and Community Service with leading this effort. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the only national holiday designated as a national day of service.

For photos of MLK week, visit http://psnk.smugmug.com/.

Allegheny-Kiski Valley NAACP was one of 14 nonprofit organizations that set up booths at Penn State New Kensington's Volunteer and Human Rights Advocacy Fair Jan. 27 during MLK Unity Week.  Credit: Bill Woodard / Penn StateCreative Commons

Last Updated February 4, 2016

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