Mount Union honors community members for commitment to social justice at annual MLK Awards

Paige Bennett, The Repository
·2 min read
Recognized at the University of Mount Union’s 2022 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Keynote and Awards on Thursday were (l-r): Brandon R. Scarborough, keynote speaker; Stacie Weimer, executive director of the Alliance YWCA and Community Award recipient; Jordan Edith, a Mount Union senior from Cleveland and recipient of the Student Award and MLK Book Award; Melissa Gardner, vice president for marketing at Mount Union and recipient of the Faculty/Staff Award; Maurice Hatcher, musician and song leader; and Mount Union President Tom Botzman.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

ALLIANCE – Mount Union recognized several members of the university and Alliance communities Thursday for their dedication to diversity and social justice during the 30th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Keynote and Awards.

Every year, Mount Union honors students, faculty, staff and community members who embody the values of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. These values include: promoting racial harmony; advocating for social justice; collaborating with groups, offices, churches or organizations; demonstrating a sustained commitment to diversity; and fostering inclusiveness and an appreciation of differences.

Executive Director of the Alliance YWCA Stacie Weimer received this year's community award.

More: Mount Union discusses diversity, inclusion during MLK Week

The Alliance YWCA coordinated a unity walk in the city last summer to demonstrate its mission of eliminating racism and empowering women after hate messages and anti-semitic symbols were spray-painted on several buildings and structures downtown.

Weimer is also a member of Alliance City Council's recently revived Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Advisory Commission. The group will be working to provide recommendations to City Council for how the bridge can be improved and repaired.

Jordan Edith, a Mount Union senior from Cleveland, received the student award. Edith has served as president of Sister Circle, a student organization dedicated to empowering women of color on campus and in the Alliance community.

She also received the Alpha Phi Alpha Book Prize, a $500 scholarship to help cover the cost of textbooks.

Melissa Gardner, vice president for marketing at Mount Union, was honored with the faculty and staff award.

The event also featured a keynote speech from Brandon Scarborough, a 2002 Mount Union graduate.

Scarborough is the founder and executive director of Dreams Academy, an Akron-based leadership organization for boys. He previously served as an adjunct professor at the College of Wooster and was the first African-American man to teach gospel choir at Archbishop Hoban High School.

The keynote speech and awards ceremony was part of Mount Union's annual MLK Week. The university hosted discussions and events throughout the week to honor King's legacy.

Students and faculty will be participating in volunteer projects around the city on Saturday as part of the annual MLK Day of Service. The event was postponed following the heavy snowfall that occurred earlier this week.

Reach Paige at 330-580-8577 or pmbennett@gannett.com, or on Twitter at @paigembenn.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: University of Mount Union hands out annual MLK Awards