Fairfield University’s annual commemoration of the life of Martin Luther King Jr. will feature a series of campus-wide events designed to inspire all to continue on with the important work reflected in the words, writings, and actions of Dr. King.

On February 7 at 5 p.m. in the Downtown Bookstore Event Hall, the University will host the Vision Award Reception. The Vision Award recipients — individuals who demonstrate a commitment to the ideals and values of Dr. King — will be honored, as will the winners of the annual essay contest for middle school students.

This year’s Vision Awards are being presented to Rose Rodrigues, PhD, assistant professor of sociology and anthropology, Rony Delva, LMSW, director of Upward Bound, Habibul Huq ’24, and Vanessa Monique Liles, PhD, co-project director, PT Partners. The event will feature hors d'oeuvres and refreshments.

The Convocation, an integral part of the celebration, will be held on Tuesday, February 6 at 5:30 p.m. at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. New York Times best-selling author Bettina L. Love, PhD, will be the keynote speaker at this event, which is free and open to the public. 

In addition to the Convocation, the committee has planned a series of events to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy including a teach-in, a campus visit from the Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Academy, workshops, and a celebration of activism on campus.

For more information about this year’s MLK Jr. celebration, please visit fairfield.edu/mlk.