NORWICH – Students and faculty of the Morrisville State College Norwich campus celebrated the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and, more importantly, how his teachings are applicable today during a forum held in the college’s community room on Monday.
The hour-long seminar featured a lecture from Jason Zbock, Executive Director of the SUNY Morrisville Norwich Campus, as well as a roundtable discussion of those who attended that addressed ways in which students and the community can coordinate learning opportunities through the lens of civic engagement.
“The purpose of this event is to engage in conversation about some of these topics that revolve around the meaning of the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and his contributions,” said Zbock. “We are trying to have more of these types of discussions that focus on social justice and related matters that cover a broad spectrum of topics that we talk about in our classrooms.”
During the event, attendees watched the 17-minute “I Have a Dream” speech delivered by Dr. King on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963. “One of our purposes is to talk about how that speech can be put into today’s context,” said Zbock. “How can we take that speech and those teachings and apply them to students and the community through service learning?”
The ultimate goal is not just to commemorate Dr. King, but to brainstorm opportunities for the Norwich campus to contribute to his dream through services that extend beyond the college and into the general public, Zbock added. In order to do so, he said students need guidance to reflect on the aspects of social justice to gain the most from service learning.
“When we think about service learning, there are some key components to keep in mind for students: preparation, action and reflection,” explained Margaret Hoose, Assistant Professor in Morrisville’s early childhood program. Hoose said that small programs like Monday’s lecture are excellent first steps to introduce civic issues to students to form a more cohesive understanding of how complicated social issues can be addressed.
“We are in a unique situation as a college because there could be courses in social injustice or social problems in the 21st century,” said Betty Moubray, an English adjunct for the college. “My own viewpoint is that's where conversations can begin.”
According to Moubray, students would benefit from coursework and research centered on social conflicts – like race and gender discrimination, poverty, education inequality, and sexual orientation. “We could have the beginnings of discussions through courses where students can learn about these topics, define their terms, and look at agents of change that can influence how they are addressed right here in our community,” she said.
Monday’s lecture was one of many similar events Zbock said he hopes to host at the Morrisville Norwich campus in the future.
“This is a good start,” Zbock said. “I think events like this will really help the college to become more involved in the community.”