Nearly nine years ago a statue of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was erected on the university's East Mall and the feelings the statue creates for many remain strong today, especially as the Jan. 21 holiday nears honoring his life and legacy.
"When I look at the Martin Luther King Jr. statue, I feel a sense of pride," says Audra Sneed, president of the Black Faculty and Staff Association. "It is an amazing feeling to know that he cared about his community so much that he took the necessary steps to ensure that his future legacy would be protected and he died fighting for his cause. How can you not get emotional about that?"
The statue, driven by a student-led initiative that started in 1987, was created by husband-and-wife team, Jeffrey Hanson Varilla and Anna Koh-Varilla. It was dedicated in 1999.
The artists are creating a similar statue in Roanoke, Va., preparing it for a February unveiling. The statues will be slightly different. King wears a business suit in the Roanoke version, but the meaning will be equally significant.
Vice President for Diversity and Community Engagement Gregory Vincent says the King statue is a powerful symbol at the university.
"I believe it embodies the principles Dr. King stood for and has had a positive impact on our campus," he says. "It sends a message that we are aware of the past and are committed to equality and inclusion for all."
Sneed says the King statue "symbolizes the university's commitment to foster diversity and community relations on campus."
Diversity efforts at the university have increased steadily over the years and Vincent has led many initiatives to create a more diverse and inclusive environment for students, staff and faculty of all cultures.
"We work to build stable partnerships internally and externally," Vincent says. "We work with the provost, schools and colleges to increase the diversity of faculty, staff and student body."
Some of these efforts include working with colleges and schools to create themed initiatives to recruit a more diverse faculty. For example, the School of Architecture has a Latin American urbanism program and the Department of Art and Art History have created an African American art program.
