Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Presidential Commission

The SUNY Fredonia Presidential Commission for the Commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will come together to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King during the week of January 22, 2024. The community service sub-committee will host 'Days of Service' to unite SUNY Fredonia with our local non-profit organizations to facilitate volunteerism. 

This is an opportunity for campus to come together to give back to the campus and local community. We hope this will be a start of a forever friendship with local non-profit organizations who registered to host students to volunteer at their sites are listed below. Students and clubs can sign up to volunteer here!

• Prevention Works, Inc.:
  • Community Service Activity - Prepping for our Annual Poster Contest Ceremony and 50th Anniversary Gold Gala. 
• Junior Achievement of WNY: 
  • Community Service Activity - Classroom volunteers for a Junior Achievement in a Day at one of the Dunkirk Elementary schools.
• Lakeshore Humane Society:
  • Community Service Activity -  Socialize with cats and dogs under supervision of dog and cat committee members. LHS would also love to have a "deep clean" of their community areas.
• The Boys & Girls Club of Northern Chautauqua County:
  • Community Service Activity - Cleaning and organizing spaces; Doing activities with children
• Audubon Community Nature Center:
  • Community Service Activity - Assistance with general grounds maintenance tasks, and some indoor cleaning/building projects.
• Chautauqua County Rural Ministry, Inc.:
  • Community Service Activity - Assistance with the garment gallery and food pantry.

Monday, January 22, 2024 | Williams Center | Time: 7:00pm

Movie Night:

Selma

Sangai Keita , a student leader on campus, will be facilitating a discussion after Selma. Sangai serves as a Resident Assistant, chair of the Black Student Union’s fashion show, and has previously served as Speaker of the Student Association Assembly and Vice President of Sister Circle. In addition, Sangai was inducted in the Alma Mater Society and is currently an intern in the Office of Campus Life.

Teach-in: Departments | Units | Clubs |Organizations

Rolling Deadline: First submission due by: May 31, 2024. 

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: The form will be reviewed the last Friday of each month during the 2024 academic year for new submissions.  New submissions will be uploaded to the Dr. MLK, Jr. Website

Curriculum is the central guide for all educators as to what is essential for teaching and learning, so that every participant has access to rigorous educational experiences. The structure, organization, and considerations in a curriculum are created in order to enhance participant’s learning and facilitate instruction. SUNY Fredonia’s faculty/departments/units/clubs/organizations are encouraged to develop/update their curriculum/events to set high expectations, promote individual and national wellbeing, tackle ignorance and misinformation, and encourage critical and civic engagement.

The plan is to invite all SUNY Fredonia faculty, departments, units, clubs, and organizations to register Dr. MLK, Jr. Teach-ins with updated/new curriculum/events focused on the life and legacy of Dr. King with an option to open their class/event to invite on/off campus community members to attend to learn for the day throughout the 2024 academic school year with many classes/events being featured the week of January 21, 2025

• Academic curriculum/events focused on the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through multiple platforms should be considered (e.g., art, education, economic, emotional, social, spiritual. mental health and wellbeing etc.)
• Faculty/Staff/Students are encouraged to develop new curricula/events or improve existing curriculum/events related to the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Tuesday, January 23, 2024 | Williams Center Blue Lounge | 5pm - 6pm

Dr. MLK, Jr. Presidential Commission in collaboration with SUNY Fredonia’s Interfaith Coalition

Speaker: Bishop Leecroft Clarke

Bishop Leecroft Clarke is originally from Jamaica and relocated to the United States at 18 years old. He is an ordained bishop with the Church of God of Cleveland, TN, and the lead pastor of Healing Word Ministries Church of God in Jamestown, NY. He is also the Project Director of the Chautauqua County Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Coalition.

Upon moving to the Jamestown area 23 years ago, he worked for MRC/SKF as a Business Development Manager and later for TitanX Engine Cooling as their Sr. Account Manager and Aftermarket Sales Manager for almost ten years. In addition, he worked in various engineering and project leadership positions for The Torrington Company (located in Connecticut) for more than 12 years. 

Bishop Clarke has a Bachelor of Engineering and a Master of Business Administration and is currently completing a Doctor of Ministry degree at Northeastern Seminary. His extensive community service includes his roles as the chairperson of the Addiction Response Ministry of Chautauqua County, co-chairperson of the Racial Reconciliation Taskforce of Chautauqua County, and past board member for the HOPE Chautauqua Coalition, and a past member of the ESPRI Taskforce. 

Bishop Clarke is a gifted and anointed man of God who lovingly and passionately encourages people to reach their full potential in Christ through his teaching and ministry. His journey in ministry has allowed him to work with and minister to an array of individuals within our County and internationally. Throughout his ministry, he has published a workbook titled Breaking Harmful Behavior Patterns, which he uses to teach individuals not only to be free but also how to stay free from harmful patterns of destructive lifestyles. He desires to see people healed and made whole through the transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and as such, the word of God and prayer drive every aspect of his life and ministry. 

He and his wife Rosemarie, and daughter Elyse reside in Jamestown, NY.

Alumni Spotlights: Fireside Chat with Students | Williams Center Blue Lounge| 12 noon - 1pm 

This Alumni Spotlight will feature SUNY Fredonia Alumni in a Fireside Chat with 
students during the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Presidential Commission week-long programmatic initiatives Monday, January 22nd - Friday, January 26th. Invited alumni will reflect on their SUNY Fredonia experiences and how the life and legacy of Dr. King impacted them in their personal life and throughout their careers. There will be a current SUNY Fredonia student facilitating the Q&A section of the program to engage with the Alumni speaker.

Monday, January 22, 2024:

Speaker: Professor Sharon J. Lawrence, LCSW-C, Selah Wellness & Therapeutic Services, LLC | SJL Professional Services, Inc, Licensed Clinical Social Worker | Mental Health Therapist. Student Moderator: Brian S. Lyght, Jr.

Tuesday, January 23, 2024:

Speaker: Dr. Diedre DeBose, Hilbert College, Vice President for Mission and Equity. Student Moderator: Abby Taartaro

Thursday, January 25, 2024:

Speaker: Dr. Anika Simone Johnson, University of Rochester, Assistant Dean of Equity and Inclusion. Student Moderator: Shannon Keane

Friday, January 26, 2024:

Speaker: Shiloh Cahuatijo, Communication Graphic Designer, Northern Chautauqua Latino Community Engagement Liaison Rep, Board Member Prevention Works & Care Coordinator at The Chautauqua Center. Student Moderator: Stephen Wright

Student moderators for these events:

• Shannon Keane, '24 Social Work
• Abby Tartaro, '24 Psychology
• Brian Lyght Jr, '25 Music Education
• Stephen Wright, '24 English 
• Sangai Keita, '24 Public Relations & Political Science 
• Tnyas Catalan, '24 Business Administration / Marketing

Dr. Shaun Nelms, University of Rochester, Vice President Community Partnership 

Friday, January 26, 2024 | 5pm to 6:30pm | Rosch Recital Hall

 Dr. Shaun Nelms is a distinguished author and a prominent figure in education and leadership development. He is Currently serving as the Vice President for Community Partnerships at the University of Rochester.  In this new role, Dr. Nelms will be responsible for developing an actionable plan for cultivating and stewarding productive collaborations in support of the University’s new strategic plan.  Dr. Nelms is known for his groundbreaking contributions to education transformation. Notably, he led the transformation of the lowest-performing school in New York State's most challenged school, East Upper and Lower Schools, as its superintendent. Under Dr. Nelms' visionary leadership, the graduation rate soared from 29% to an impressive 85% in just eight years, a testament to his innovative school transformation model. This dramatic increase in graduation rates was a testament to Dr. Nelms' groundbreaking research, which served as the cornerstone for reshaping the leadership structure and dynamics of the East Schools, propelling them to newfound heights of success and achievement.

This achievement earned him the prestigious role of the inaugural William and Sheila Konar Director for the Center for Urban Education Success (CUES) at the University of Rochester's Warner School of Education and Human Development, where he continues to lead efforts to improve educational systems nationally.

Dr. Nelms is also the CEO of the Nelms Consulting Group. He provides expert guidance on administrative leadership structures and systems, reinforcing his reputation as a sought-after authority in leadership development.

Dr. Shaun Nelms is a dedicated education visionary known for his transformative contributions and unwavering commitment to reshaping educational institutions and leadership practices. His pioneering work has had a lasting impact on education and promises to shape the future of educational transformation and leadership development for years to come.

Student Facilitator: Rosemarie Rapisarda

• Co-Chair Dr. Vicki T. Sapp, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Affirmative Action, ADA Compliance and Title IX Coordinator
• Co-Chair Dr. Tracy L. Stenger, Interim Vice President for Student Affairs
• Ivory Brooks, Mental Health Counselor, Counseling Center
• Dr. Wentao Cao, Assistant Professor, Department of Geology and Environmental Sciences
• Jiyong Mai, Assistant Professor, Department of Music
• Mark Suida, Director Campus Life, Student Affairs
• Christian Taber, Student Representative, Sound Recording Technology major

Many thanks for the generous support of the following sponsors!

• Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation - Founded in 1986, the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to the long-term betterment of the northern Chautauqua region and everyone who calls it home. NCCF fulfills this mission by focusing on community leadership, developing and supporting partnerships, local philanthropy, and strategic grant-making
• Collingwood Endowment Funds

• In Kind Donations|Campus Life Office, Division of Student Affairs, Education Opportunity Program, Fredonia State Athletics, Interfaith Coalition, Intercultural Center, Marketing and Communications, Office of Alumni Affairs, Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Office of the President, Office of Residence Life, Student Association, and School of Music.