Alma College celebrates MLK week

NAYONIKAA SINGHAAL
PHOTOGRAPHER
STAFF WRITER

1/26/2026

“Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words set the tone for Martin Luther King Jr. Week at Alma College, where students and faculty came together to honour his legacy through service, dialogue, and reflection. 

MLK Week began on Monday, January 19 with programming cantered around the idea that the holiday is not simply a break from classes, but a call to action. Students including Yaw Poku (’26), Reagan Gleason (’27) and Natalia Rodriguez (‘26), President Joe Odenwald and keynote speaker Stan Shingles addressed the campus.  

The speakers connected students’ personal dreams to the responsibility of being kind, loving human beings, and encouraging attendees to choose love over hate, particularly in a divided world.  

“MLK Day is not a day off, but a day on. A day to serve our communities and one another,” said Poku in his speech at the Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration. 

Service was a central theme throughout the day, beginning with the Community Cabinet meal box initiative, where students and faculty worked together to pack meal kits for families in Gratiot County experiencing food insecurity.  

The festivities followed by a career-focused talk with Dr. Tosha Brown where she talked about mentorship and professional exploration. Dr. Brown highlighted the importance of internships and experiential learning. She noted that understanding what does not fit can be just as valuable as finding the right path and how mentorship plays a critical role in helping students navigate long-term growth. 

Another event took place through the Read United initiative, where students recorded readings of different children’s books that emphasize imagination as a source of resilience especially for young children of color.The recordings were later shared with local elementary schools, extending MLK Week’s impact. 

The African American Student Athlete Panel, led by Dr. John Glenn, Director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, provided a space for open discussion about identity, stereotypes, and belonging. Panellists spoke about the pressure created by assumptions that Black athletes are ‘naturally gifted.’ 

“These expectations can create pressure to be great and not struggle,” said Hannah Whitley (‘26), a student athlete at Alma College. The panellists noted that even seemingly positive stereotypes can carry negative emotional and academic consequences. 

Throughout the week, students could also visit the Hall of Fame display in the TVD Rotunda, which featured photographs and QR codes linking to some of Dr. King’s most significant speeches, including his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech and Why I Am Opposed to the War in Vietnam.  

MLK Week continued with a Poetry Night on January 21, offering creative reflection on themes of identity and unity. The week concluded on January 23 with the Unity Ball, which brought together members of the Alma and Donner communities for an evening of live entertainment, celebration and connection.  

Reflecting on the growth of MLK programming at Alma College, the week’s events were organized with the support of Dr. Glenn, and Damon Brown, Vice President of Student Affairs, whose leadership helped make the programming possible.  

“Attending the events during MLK Week really opened my eyes to how much everyday actions matter. It reminded me that honouring Dr. King is about showing kindness and supporting others in meaningful ways,” said Nayeli Santana-Venegas (‘27).