Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebrations
Thank you to all who attended our annual community conversation programming and participated in the day of service! We look forward to seeing you at next year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations.
2025 Hammond Campus Celebrations
Thank you for joining us for the Hammond Campus MLK CommUNITY Day with our very own Hammond Councilman, Barry Tyler!
2025 Westville Campus Celebrations
Thank you to all who joined us for the Westville Campus MLK CommUNITY Day with Michigan City Chief of Police, Marty Corley.
To request a disability-related accommodation, please contact the Office of Institutional Equity at oie@pnw.edu or (219) 989-2163 five days prior to the event.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Community sponsors are welcome for Purdue University Northwest’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebrations. If you’re interested in sponsorship opportunities, please contact Natalie Connors, Executive Director of Corporate Relations and Development Operations, at nconnors@pnw.edu.
Sponsorship Levels
Dreamer – $7,500
Justice-Seeker Benefits plus:
- Make remarks prior to the speaker’s presentation
- Receive logo recognition on the screen
- Have an exclusive event table
“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed…”
– I Have a Dream, 1963
Justice-Seeker – $2,500
Silence-Breaker Benefits plus:
- Make remarks prior to the community conversation
- Receive logo recognition on the screen
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
– Letter from a Birmingham Jail, 1963
Silence-Breaker – $1,500
Marcher Benefits plus:
- Receive logo and name recognition on screen and on banners at the reception
- Acknowledgment on social media as Silence-Breaker Sponsor
“…I have moved to break the betrayal of my own silences and to speak from the burnings of my own heart…”
– Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break the Silence, 1967
Marcher – $1,000
Benefits:
- Receive logo and name recognition on table tents at the reception
- Verbal recognition at the event
“Like an idea whose time has come, not even the marching of mighty armies can halt us.”
– Our God is Marching On, 1965
History of the MLK Community Celebrations at PNW
For decades now, the Purdue University Northwest campuses have partnered with the community to celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.
In 1992, PNW’s Hammond campus held its first MLK celebration, “The Dream: Diversity and Pluralism in Higher Education.” Professor Marcellus Barksdale, professor of history at Morehouse College, was the keynote speaker. The Brunswick Elementary School Choir (Gary) was the special guest.
In 1996, the MLK celebration started on PNW’s Westville campus when 12-year-old Michigan City resident Sarah asked her mother, Felicia Thomas, on several occasions why Michigan City did not have events to acknowledge and remember Dr. King’s Life. As a result, Felicia and Samara McNeal established a vision of a city-wide celebration of the life of Martin Luther King. They invited others to join in the vision, and annual community events and festivals have occurred ever since in collaboration with numerous community partners and organizations.
Combining the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of our two campuses, Purdue University Northwest will celebrate the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in a multi-day event. Please support our continued efforts and quest to remember Dr. King’s dream and legacy of equity, inclusion and justice.
Purdue Northwest celebrates MLK Day
Purdue University Northwest (PNW) hosted its annual MLK Day recognition through community conversations on social justice topics and volunteer service opportunities.