{"id":154858,"date":"2026-01-13T11:25:57","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T17:25:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/?p=154858"},"modified":"2026-01-13T11:26:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T17:26:00","slug":"ole-miss-honors-mlk-day-through-service-celebration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/ole-miss-honors-mlk-day-through-service-celebration\/","title":{"rendered":"Ole Miss Honors MLK Day Through Service, Celebration"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Mississippian and beloved community builder the Rev. Neddie Winters to deliver keynote address<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many Mississippians may enjoy a family gathering, trip to the National Civil Rights Museum or, possibly, sleeping-in on January 19. But this Martin Luther King Jr. Day<\/strong>, more than 150 University of Mississippi<\/strong> community members have scheduled different plans: serving their community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hosted by the\u00a0Division of Student Affairs<\/strong><\/a>, the university’s annual MLK Day of Service<\/strong> and\u00a0dinner celebration<\/a>\u00a0both aim to honor the civil rights leader’s legacy of improving and empowering communities. Registration remains open for both events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The\u00a0MLK Day of Service<\/a>\u00a0is one of the ways we can live out Dr. King’s call to action,” said Castel Sweet<\/strong>, director of\u00a0community engagement<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It’s not just a day of volunteering; it’s an opportunity for students, faculty, staff and community members to come together, address real community needs and recommit to serving and caring for one another”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check in begins at noon at the Jackson Avenue Center<\/strong> along with a catered lunch and kickoff event. Then volunteers will be dispatched to various sites around the city and Lafayette County<\/strong> to participate in service projects until 5 p.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This years’ service projects include working with the local Salvation Army, Oxford Animal Resource Center, Faith Planter and North Mississippi Exchange Family Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interested volunteers must register by Wednesday (Jan. 14) at https:\/\/givepul.se\/jft2ou<\/a>. Free gifts are available for the first 150 registrants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Each year, we hear from community partners how meaningful it is to have the university show up in this way, and from volunteers who leave with a deeper sense of connection and responsibility to the place they call home, even if it’s just for a few years,” Sweet said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Members of the community and university are also invited to join a memorial dinner celebrating King and the continued work of fostering unity nationwide on Friday (Jan. 16) at the Gertrude C. Ford Ole Miss Student Union Ballroom<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Rev. Neddie Winters<\/strong>, a community advocate and executive leader, will deliver the keynote address. The director of development for Mission Mississippi<\/strong>, Winters has spent more than 30 years working in communities across the state, said Cade Smith<\/strong>, assistant vice chancellor for access and community engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Rev. Neddie Winters has dedicated himself to advancing reconciliation, strengthening rural communities and supporting civic and nonprofit leadership across the state,” Smith said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“His work reflects a deep commitment to nurturing the spiritual, intellectual, economic and civic growth of others. That focus resonates strongly at Ole Miss, where our mission likewise centers on developing people \u2013 students, families and communities \u2013 so they can flourish and contribute meaningfully to society.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than 20 groups supported this year’s event, including the university’s Office of the Chancellor, Office of the Provost, Division of Administration and Finance, Department of Public Health<\/strong>, and Center for Community Engagement<\/strong>. The evening includes music provided by the popular Oxford band The Soul Tones<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shawnboda Mead<\/strong>, vice chancellor of student affairs, will deliver the closing reflection and charge. University leaders planned the evening to offer a welcoming and motivating atmosphere to all guests because meaningful change begins with how people show up for others, Smith said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The MLK Dinner brings people together at a shared table to reflect, reconnect and consider how each of us can strengthen our communities,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“My hope is that when people hear Rev. Winters speak, they experience the warmth of genuine neighborly love and, at the same time, feel gently challenged to reflect on how they might strengthen their own lives, support their families and neighbors and contribute to the health of our broader community.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To register for the MLK Dinner and Celebration, visit https:\/\/olemiss.givepulse.com\/event\/716252-MLK-Dinner-and-Celebration-2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Marvis Herring<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Ole Miss students, faculty and staff, and families work alongside fellow volunteers during the university\u2019s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. The initiative continues to make a lasting impact by supporting local organizations and neighborhoods across Lafayette County in various ways. Photo by Srijita Chattopadhyay\/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
A University of Mississippi volunteer prepares materials during a previous Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, an annual campuswide effort that brings students, faculty, staff and community members together to honor King\u2019s legacy through hands-on service across Oxford and Lafayette County. Photo by Srijita Chattopadhyay\/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
The Rev. Neddie Winters, a community advocate and director of development for Mission Mississippi, will deliver the keynote address during the University of Mississippi\u2019s 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. Day Dinner and Celebration. Submitted photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
A University of Mississippi volunteer prepares materials during a previous Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, an annual campuswide effort that brings students, faculty, staff and community members together to honor King\u2019s legacy through hands-on service across Oxford and Lafayette County. Photo by Srijita Chattopadhyay\/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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