EMU Today

YPSILANTI –Snow and cold temperatures didn’t stop Eastern Michigan University students from serving the local community in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.

EMU VISION Volunteer Center hosted the MLK Day of Service on Friday, Jan. 12, during which volunteers randomly drew names of local non-profit organizations and then each group was transported to the location by their site leader.

Partnering organizations included Recycle Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels, Natural Area Preservation and other local organizations.

Volunteers gathered in the EMU Honors College at 9 a.m., worked until noon, and then returned to the EMU Student Center.

Students participated in a wide range of activities, such as cutting down invasive trees, organizing greenhouse tools and supplies and decorating bags of food sent home with kids in after school programs.

Desmine Robinson, a junior at EMU, helped clear invasive trees at Mary Beth Doyle Park. He enjoyed the opportunity to volunteer, saying, “The spirit of MLK inspired me to give back. I wanted to help people in a way that I have never before and I didn’t want to get anything in return.”

The MLK Day of Service is part of Eastern’s lineup of events that encourage students to celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

Miles Payne, a site leader and EMU Student Body President, said, “One of the little known facts about Martin Luther King Jr. is that he not only focused on race, but he also worked with class, workers’ rights and various other issues, and I think MLK Day of Service reflects these later years of his life.”

Ethan Antonishak, a junior at EMU, said, “When I look and think about MLK day, I look at people coming together, especially EMU’s diverse community. It makes us stronger because we all see different perspectives within the community.”

About Eastern Michigan University

Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest university in Michigan. It currently serves 22,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Health and Human Services; Technology, and its graduate school. EMU is regularly recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website.