On Monday, January 16th, Chowan University Campus Ministry organized a Day of Service event in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy and life serving others.  Over 200 faculty, staff, and students joined together to complete over 400 service hours. 

The event began with the volunteers meeting in Chowan’s Thomas Dining Hall for lunch and a short program. Dr. Streeter, Vice President for Student Affairs, started the program, thanking the volunteers for participating in the day of service honoring Dr. King’s servant leadership. Berna Stephens, Murfreesboro Town Council member, Associate Pastor at Jordan Grove Missionary Baptist Church, and Chowan University Ministerial Board member, was the guest speaker for the event. She shared that she was in high school when the civil rights movement took place and vividly remembers being in the dining hall of her university, NC A&T, when she received the news that Kings had been shot. She encouraged the volunteers to remember to continue to advocate for justice and peace and live a life of service while remembering that God called us to a life of ambassadorship. 

Following the program, Calvin Carter, Minister of Engagement, dispersed the volunteers throughout campus and the local community along with shirts as a token of gratitude and honoring Dr. King with his notable quote, “everybody can be great because everybody can serve… you only need a heart full of grace and a soul full of love.” Gathered in the Chowan University Hawks Nest, small groups assembled goody bags and made Valentine’s Day cards for the Hertford County Office of Aging. Throughout campus, volunteers worked alongside the university grounds crews to beautify the campus. Dr. Pamela Woodard, Chair for the Department of Criminal Justice, led a group to the Elizabeth Sewell Parker Library in Murfreesboro to beautify their garden. Meredith Long, Deputy Athletic Director, coordinated service at Murfreesboro United Methodist Church in various tasks, such as organizing donations to filling potholes on their grounds. 

The day of service was an opportunity to continue strengthening the service values of our campus and community while creating impactful contributions to both. Carter reflecting on the event, shared, “I pray that in the years to come, this Day of Service will become a  tradition. I hope Chowan’s desire to serve becomes so contagious that the local community joins us in the effort to make a positive impact.”