More than 200 MTSU students and faculty gathered to celebrate the late Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday night in the Keathley University Center Theatre before holding a candlelight vigil in the yard outside the KUC.
Vice President of Intercultural and Diversity Affairs Jonell Hinsey led the celebration in the KUC Theatre. Hinsey welcomed the student vocal group House of Praise to the stage for a brief performance before introducing the night’s guest speaker, Pastor James Scales of the Believers Faith Fellowship Church in Christiana, Tennessee.
“The generation before us, they were driven by a cause,” Scales began. “Our generation is in severe need of a change. We need to be driven by a cause.”
Pastor Scales challenged everyone “regardless of gender and skin color” to find their cause and their dream.
“Your dream can and should outlive you,” Scales said. “If your dream stops with you, it’s too small.”
After Pastor Scales’ speech, junior Tyler Price took the stage and shared his own dream of seeing a more unified student body at MTSU.
“There are some 200 students in this room here,” Price said. “That’s a big change. That’s a big change that can start with you.”
Following the speakers, members of the fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha passed out candles and led the group outside for a vigil to remember and honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
For more campus news and updates follow us at www.mtsusidelines.com, on Facebook at MTSU Sidelines, and on Twitter at @Sidelines_News
To contact news editors Meagan White and Garrett Walker, email [email protected]