There were no classes on Monday, Jan. 18, but students still gathered on campus to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. and the legacy he left. Students, faculty and community members gathered in the Payne/Halverson lobby to begin their march in honor of Dr. King.

Rachel McCaffrey has attended the event in the past and said it has had consistently high turnout, this year being no exception.

“There were a lot of people there. There was a lot of positive energy and laughing,” McCaffrey said. “Everyone was very friendly—and this may sound corny—but it felt like everyone was very unified.”

The march was followed by student speakers in the Peter White Lounge and then by a series of service events to commemorate Dr. King.

Knitting and crocheting for Room at the Inn’s warming center, making blankets for the Women’s Center and orienting students to volunteer for Room at the Inn were some of the volunteer activities.

Part of Dr. King’s message was to create unity within a community. By spending the day volunteering, the students were able to accomplish Dr. King’s dream of a community coming together to aid others.

TJ Aiyash, who works in the Multicultural Education and Resource Center as the Jump Start graduate assistant, was involved in the organization of the event. Aiyash said though he wasn’t able to attend the event, the MERC office was very happy with the way the event turned out. “It was awesome,” Aiyash said.

The event was put on by the Center for Student Enrichment, the MERC and the President’s Committee on Diversity.