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TSU Hosts Kick-Off for Annual Day of Service Honoring Dr. King

January 20, 2019 Lucas Johnson

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) –Hundreds of students eager to volunteer gathered in Kean Hall at Tennessee State University on Saturday for the kick-off of the annual Joint Day of Service in remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Students from various universities throughout Nashville listen to inspiring messages at kick-off for Day of Service honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

A panel of university leaders from various institutions addressed the crowd which included students from TSU, Meharry Medical College, Fisk University, Lipscomb University, Vanderbilt University, Belmont University Trevecca Nazarene University and Nashville State Community College.

Charlene Oliver, president of Equity Alliance

“At the essence of service is doing selflessly with little recognition or monetary gain,” said Charlene Oliver, guest speaker for the kick-off and president of Equity Alliance. “Dr. King told us that ‘we need leaders not in love with money, but in love with justice. Not in love with publicity, but in love with humanity.’”

Shirley Nix-Davis, director of outreach for TSU’s Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement, said bringing the students together for this service activity gives students an opportunity to consider the importance of service and how they can help others.

TSU President Glenda Glover(center) with Charlene Oliver(left), president of Equity Alliance and Shirley Nix-Davis(right), director of outreach for TSU’s Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement.

“The goal is not only to engage in acts of service, but for each individual to think about how well they complete the service – to do it to the best of their ability and be proud of what they have done,” Nix-Davis said.

After the program, organizers bused students to various locations where they participated in volunteer service projects.

Sparrow Haynes, a junior human performance sports science major with a concentration in exercise science at TSU, volunteered with a group of students who assisted staff at Hadley Park Regional Center by sanitizing various areas of the facility and setting-up for a father-daughter banquet scheduled for Saturday evening.

Sparrow Haynes, a junior Nashville-native, volunteers at Hadley Park Regional Center as part of Joint Day of Service honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“For me, being part of the African community, I feel like it is important for us to keep Dr. King’s legacy going,” said Haynes, a Nashville-native. “I feel like we should give back just like he did for us.”

Alonzo N. Rhodes Sr., program coordinator of Community Recreation at Hadley Park Regional Center, said he hopes the day will inspire students to continue volunteering throughout the year.

Alonzo N. Rhodes Sr., program coordinator of Community Recreation at Hadley Park Regional Center, gives volunteers instructions during Joint Day of Service honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Those students who are dealing with wanting to get out and knowing they need to do services in the community can come to places like this and do those services for their classes and for their internships,” he said. “The small gestures you do really have a great impact. Just coming in and helping us means I’m able to keep my staff at home one time and have the community come out and do it.”

Rhodes, who graduated from TSU in 2001 with a major in human performance and sports science with a minor in criminal justice, said he believes community service helps students get rid of biases and walk in love and understanding.

“When you have a multicultural group it brings a different type of energy. Everybody is involved and engaged in doing something to uplift every community. Everybody is geared towards making Nashville a better community and an inclusive community.”

Darian McGhee, a senior electrical engineering major from Memphis, Tennessee who serves as Mr. TSU, echoed Rhodes sentiment.

“I just think it’s an amazing opportunity anytime you can get a lot of college students together around a united goal, and today that just so happens to be for the MLK Day of Service here at Tennessee State University,” he said.

Nix-Davis said the students volunteered at over 20 sites including the Second Harvest Food Bank, Feed the Children, Grace Eaton Early Learning Center, the Preston Taylor Boys and Girls Club, Trevecca Towers for Seniors, Room In The Inn and The Nashville Food Project.

For more information about TSU’s Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/servicelearning/

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 7,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

EVENTS, NEWS

TSU, Sister Institutions to Hold Joint MLK Day of Service Jan. 17

January 8, 2015 Emmanuel Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – More than 300 student volunteers from area colleges and universities will join forces at Tennessee State University Saturday, Jan. 17 for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.

Students from TSU, Belmont, Fisk, Trevecca Nazarene and Vanderbilt Universities will honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by helping to alleviate hunger in Middle Tennessee, around the nation and throughout the world through sorting food at Second Harvest Food Bank and Feed the Children, sorting medical supplies at Project C.U.R.E., and sorting recycled building materials at Habitat ReStore.

Dr. Linda Guthrie, director of the Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement, said the goal of the day of service is to make sure that students are able to connect with their community by challenging them to think critically about issues going on around them.

“Tennessee State University has a long history of service to others, which is central to the institution’s mission and academic curriculum,” said Guthrie. “Our students come to TSU with the expectation to serve. They often find opportunities to do that through day-of-service events, community organizations or in the classroom. Through events such as this, our students have the opportunity to not only serve, but to create and lead projects that both change their lives and the lives of others.”

According to planners, the day’s activities begin at 11 a.m. with sign-in, registration and kick-off rally at Kean Hall. Guest speaker Andrew Maraniss, author of Strong Inside: Perry Wallace and the Collision of Race and Sports in the South, will address the volunteers at noon.

Following lunch, students will fan out across Nashville starting at 1 p.m. to not only help at local food banks around the city, but also partner with Soles4Souls to sort shoes at their warehouse, and have the opportunity to prepare and distribute disaster preparedness kits to senior citizens at the Hadley Park Towers and I.W. Gernert apartment complexes. Volunteers will return to the TSU campus at 3 p.m. for reflection and celebration.

For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/MLKJointDayofService2015 or call 615.963.5383.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 42 undergraduate, 24 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

EVENTS, NEWS

TSU, Sister Institutions to Hold Joint MLK Day of Service

January 15, 2014 Emmanuel Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – More than 350 student volunteers from area colleges and universities will join forces at Tennessee State University Saturday, Jan. 18 for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.

Students from TSU, Belmont, Fisk, Trevecca Nazarene and Vanderbilt Universities will demonstrate their commitment of giving back to the community during the National Day of Service by engaging in various projects around Nashville.

Dr. Linda Guthrie, director of the Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement, said this is an opportunity for students to give back and to engage with the local community.

“At Tennessee State University, service to our local community is both a central part of the University’s mission and academic curriculum,” said Guthrie. “In my short time here leading the Center, it’s been incredible to help develop a service-learning program that’s focused on making a positive difference for our local community. Our students truly have the opportunity to not only serve, but to create and lead projects that both change their lives and the lives of others in remarkable ways.”

According to planners, the day’s activities begin at 11 a.m. with sign-in, registration and kick-off rally at Kean Hall. Activities begin with greetings from Dr. Mark Hardy, vice president of Academic Affairs at TSU, along with U.S. Congressman Jim Cooper.

Following lunch, students will fan out across Nashville to help paint McKissack Middle School, paint a mural at Hadley Park Community Center and assist in the library, and help alleviate hunger in Middle Tennessee by sorting food at the Second Harvest Food Bank. Volunteers will return to the TSU campus at 4 p.m. for reflection and celebration.

“In the spirit of collaboration with our sister institutions, we want our volunteers to finish their day of service with a sense of awareness that transforms the way they see the world and together create change,” added Guthrie. “It is our goal to ensure that the volunteers and the people we serve on this Day of Service grow as one and learn from each other through the formation of friendships and understanding.”

For more information, visit http://www.belmont.edu/sl/mlk-day/index.html or call 615.963.5383.

Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.