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Event:
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2025 MLK Convocation
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Date:
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Monday, January 27th, 2025
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Time:
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7:00 PM
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Location:
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Bohm Theatre
201 S. Superior Street
Albion, Michigan
Phone: 517-343-2116
bohmtheatre.org
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Cost:
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free
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Contact:
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mark lowery
Phone: 2162720188
Click Here to Email
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Description:
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‘One of Albion’s own,’ Dr.
Ketwana Schoos
returns to
deliver 2025 MLK Convocation
keynote
Albion College is proud to
announce that Dr. Ketwana
Schoos, a
native of Albion, will
deliver the keynote address
at
the 2025 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr.
Convocation. The event
will take place on
Monday, Jan.
27, at 7:00 p.m., at the
historic Bohm Theatre in
downtown Albion.
This year's theme, “We are only
as strong
as our roots,”
reflects the enduring influence
of Dr. King’s legacy and calls
on us to
recognize the power of
our histories,
communities, and
collective strength in striving
for equity and justice.
"We are thrilled to
welcome Dr.
Schoos back home to Albion for
this important celebration of
the life and
legacy of Rev. Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.," said
Eddie Visco, executive director
of the
Gerald R. Ford Institute
for Leadership in Public
Policy
and Service and one of the lead
organizers of Albion’s MLK
Convocation.
"Her love of her
hometown and her experience
in
promoting diversity, equity, and
inclusion
align perfectly with
this year’s theme and our
commitment to empowering our
community."
Dr. Schoos is a higher
education
professional with over 20 years
of progressive experience as an
administrator and faculty member
promoting diversity, equity, and
inclusion in
a variety of
college and university settings.
Her work has largely focused on
creating a
welcoming academic
and campus environment
that
promotes student success through
diversity and inclusion
educational
programming,
leadership development
opportunities, cross-cultural
engagement,
and policy
oversight.
“I am both overjoyed
and humbled
to return to my hometown, and
especially at the invitation of
Albion College
– an institution
that served as an educational
oasis and safe haven for me
during my
formative years,”
Schoos said. “For me to return
in observance of the legacy of
Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. to
discuss his vision of a
“Beloved
Community” makes my return even
more emotional. This community
and the
college filled gaps in
my foundation to help
provide
resources and support that
extended beyond what my family
could
provide. We have always
been a small, but
mighty,
community – I am blessed and
proud to be one of Albion’s
own.”
Dr.
Schoos currently serves as
the vice president &
chief
diversity, equity and inclusion
officer
for the Community
College of Allegheny County
(CCAC). In this role, she is
responsible for
college-wide
diversity, equity and inclusion
initiatives and civil
rights/Title IX
compliance. She
also teaches courses in subject
areas including sociology,
diversity and
social justice,
African American history, and
leadership.
Dr. Schoos has previously
worked
in diversity and multicultural
affairs
at several institutions,
including The Ohio State
University at Mansfield, Ball
State
University, Indiana
University Purdue University
Indianapolis, and most recently
as assistant
dean of students
for inclusive campus
engagement
at Washington & Jefferson
College.
Born and raised in Albion, Dr.
Schoos earned a bachelor’s
degree in
Spanish from Central
Michigan University, two
master’s degrees in African
American and
African diaspora
studies and higher education
and
student affairs from Indiana
University,
and a doctorate in
administrative and policy
studies (Higher Education
Management
concentration) from
the University of Pittsburgh.
The event will open with an
invocation
delivered by Rev.
Gabriel Avery of Lewis Chapel
AME Church in Albion. Lewis
Chapel AME, a
cornerstone of the
Albion community, has a rich
history of faith, service, and
community
outreach. Rev. Avery
was ordained as the new
pastor
of Lewis Chapel AME Church in
August 2023.
“Each year, our MLK
Convocation
provides a meaningful
opportunity to examine how we
may strive
to follow Dr. King’s
moral, spiritual, and
intellectual example in our
daily lives,” said
Dr. Taran
McZee, Albion College vice
president for belonging and
culture. “As our
theme this year
states, ‘We are Only as Strong
as our Roots,’ and our root this
year is
Albion’s own Dr. Ketwana
Schoos. We
encourage the broad
Albion community to join
us at
the Bohm Theatre for a wonderful
evening of reflection and
celebration.”
Honoring Dr. King’s legacy
The annual MLK
Convocation is a
time-honored tradition at
Albion
College, bringing together
students,
faculty, staff,
alumni, and members of the
Albion community to celebrate
the life and
work of Dr. King.
Through thought-provoking
conversations and inspiring
calls to action,
the event
serves as a reminder of our
shared responsibility to uphold
Dr. King’s
vision of justice,
equality, and peace.
Previous MLK Convocation
speakers have
included:
2024: Linda Johnson Rice
2023:
Michigan Speaker of the
House Joe
Tate
2022: Reflections from community
members
2021: Dr. Oveta Fuller
2020:
Judge Dannia Edwards, '83
2019: Rochelle
Riley
2018: Michael Williams, '78
2017:
Eugene Robinson
2016: Diane Nash
2015:
Ruth Holland Scott
2014: Julian Bond
2013:
Dr. Cleveland Sellers
This event is free and open
to
the public. Albion College
invites
everyone to join in
honoring Dr. King’s legacy
and
participating in a meaningful
evening of
reflection, unity,
and action.
For more
information about the
event, please visit
albion.edu/mlk.
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Categories:
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Events, Celebrations
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(50)
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