Southeastern to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Day of Service
Press Release Date: 01-11-2010
DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern Oklahoma State University will host the 13th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Monday, Jan. 18.
The day begins with registration from 9-9:30 a.m. in the Southeastern Ballroom. Southeastern interim president Larry Minks will present the opening remarks.
The campus program is scheduled for 9:30-10:30 with keynote speaker Mayor Joe Chow of Addison, Texas.
Mayor Chow moved from Taiwan to the United States in 1979 and completed his Master of Administrative Studies degree at Southeastern in 1980. He opened his restaurant, May Dragon, in 1986, holds a real estate license and is Agency Owner for AllState Insurance.
Chow is involved in numerous civic activities, including The Dallas Assembly and The Addison Business Association. He serves on the boards of the North Texas Commission, World Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce, Metrocrest Chamber of Commerce, Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce of North America and its Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter, and Greater Asian Chamber of Commerce.
Students will travel to work sites from 10:30-11 a.m. Volunteer service will be from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. with lunch and Southeastern Dean of Students Camille Phelps offering closing remarks from 12:30-1 p.m. Student service will include reading to students in the Durant Independent School District.
A Facebook Social Networking Letter Exchange will start Jan. 14 to facilitate conversations between Southeastern students and students from Gabon, West Africa. Other participants will be local charities and the Southeastern Talent Search, one of the TRiO programs, which will work with students on a special service project.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Life's most urgent and persistent question is: What are you doing for others?" He devoted his life to advancing equality, social justice, and opportunity for all and taught us that everyone has a role to play in making America what it ought to be.
The Day of Service provides an ideal opportunity to answer King's challenge by making it "a day on, not a day off," and using the holiday as a springboard for service throughout the year.