Award given for campus commitment to MLK's values
Bree Tracey
Issue date: 1/22/08 Section: News
|
According to President Dale T. Knobel, the State of Ohio Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Commission oversees the state's recognition of this event each year and gives out 6 to 9 awards in different categories ranging from humanities to community building.
The Ohio Senate Minority Leader Ray Miller (D-Columbus) addressed the crowd on behalf of Ohio Governor Ted Strickland and said that the award winners are "living examples of Dr. King's legacy."
Even Knobel mentioned that Denison was recognized for "trying to bring life to Dr. King's dream."
"I couldn't be prouder for our community," Knobel said. "We made the situation unusual by coming together."
The incidents of racial and cultural insensitivity and intolerance that caused controversy and tension around Denison's campus lead to a response in which the community came together in a series of campus wide events to discuss and condemn acts of intolerance. On Nov. 7, over 2,000 students and employees gathered in the Mitchell Athletic Recreation Center to review the community's values. A protest at the flagpole in front of Slayter Union occurred the day after, on Nov. 8.
Students Romero Huffstead, a senior from Skokie, Ill., and Daniel Murphy, a sophomore from Buffalo Grove, Ill., were asked to accept the award.
"I thought it was amazing," said Huffstead. "It's a huge accomplishment."
Huffstead, who was heavily involved with the events of last semester, is now glad that the more positive aspects of the events are being highlighted. "It's not very often you see an entire university come together like that."
Knobel, along with Lisa Scott, who is director of institutional equity and diversity, were recognized for their efforts.
Be the first to comment on this story