The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Presidential Commission has been charged with developing and implementing one-week of programmatic initiatives that honor the life and legacy of Dr. King. The 2024 inaugural calendar of events was a tremendous success! The Commission is excited to bring forth a powerful and meaningful week of events: January 27 - February 1, 2025.
- SUNY Fredonia would like to encourage volunteerism and celebrate giving back to the campus and local community.
- The programmatic initiatives include fireside chats with alumni and culminates with the commission bringing a prominent speaker to campus for a campus-wide and local community event.
- The SUNY Fredonia’s President appointed members to serve on the commission.
- “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
See below for details on the aforementioned events.
SUNY Fredonia Hosts 2025 “Days of Education” Creativity Contest in Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Theme: “Freedom of Education” Invites High School Students to Reflect on Education as a Path to Empowerment
SUNY Fredonia proudly announces the 2025 “Days of Education” Creativity Contest in commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The contest invites Chautauqua County students in grades 9-12 to creatively explore the theme of “Freedom of Education.” This theme reflects Dr. King’s enduring vision for an inclusive and equitable society where education serves as a powerful tool for empowerment, equality, and community growth.
Contest Overview
Students are encouraged to share their perspectives on how accessible education can foster freedom, bridge societal divides, and uplift individuals and communities. Creative entries may include essays, poems, paintings, sculptures, photography, digital art, music, dance, or other artistic forms.
Key Details
- Eligibility: Chautauqua County student residents currently in grades 9-12 (individual submissions only).
- Prizes:
- 1st Place: $150
- 2nd Place: $100
- 3rd Place: $75
Submission Process
- Submit pictures/videos of your work using this Google Form by Monday, January 20, 2025.
- Finalists will be contacted to arrange delivery of their physical artwork if necessary.
- Winners will be notified by Wednesday, January 22, 2025.
Awards and Keynote Event
The community is warmly invited to the Keynote Address and Awards Ceremony to celebrate the contest winners and their meaningful contributions:
- Date: Friday, January 31, 2025
- Time: 4:30 PM
- Location: Rosch Recital Hall, SUNY Fredonia (Reception to follow)
- Cost: FREE and OPEN to the public
Submission Requirements
- All entries must include a title and a brief description (150 words or less).
- Accepted creative forms include, but are not limited to:
- Essay
- Poem
- Painting/Drawing: No larger than 24in x 36in (HxW)
- Sculpture/Ceramics: No larger than 12in x 24in x 12in (HxWxD)
- Photography
- Digital Art
- Music/Dance Performance: Submit a video (5 minutes max) along with a written description.
- Composition: Submit a video (5 minutes max) showcasing the performance with a written description.
Judging Criteria
Entries will be evaluated on the following:
- Creativity and Originality
- Composition
- Interpretation of the Theme
- Presentation
- Quality and Artistic Skill
Contact Information
For questions or additional details, please contact kim@fredonia.edu.
Join us as we honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy by celebrating the creativity and voices of our youth. Together, we can inspire conversations about education, freedom, and the path to a more equitable society.
Alumni Spotlights: Fireside Chat with Students | Williams Center Blue Lounge
This Alumni Spotlight will feature SUNY Fredonia Alumni in a Fireside Chat with
students during the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Presidential Commission week-long programmatic initiatives Monday, January 27th - Friday, January 31st. Invited alumni will reflect on their SUNY Fredonia experiences and how the life and legacy of Dr. King impacted them in their personal life and throughout their careers. There will be a current SUNY Fredonia student facilitating the Q&A section of the program to engage with the Alumni speaker.
Monday, January 27, 2025 | 12 noon - 1:30pm:
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Speaker: Michael Tuccio, Social Studies Teacher, Jamestown Public School District. Student Moderator: TBA
Michael Tuccio is a 2000 (Bachelor's) and 2005 (Master's) graduate of SUNY Fredonia and has been teaching for the Jamestown Public School District since 2000. He has taught Middle and High School Social Studies, and is currently at the Jamestown Tech Academy, an alternative education program. He lives in Fredonia with his family, and enjoys reading and writing.
Tuesday, January 28, 2025 | 12:30pm - 2pm:
Speaker: Jillian Hainsworth, Spoken Word Artist, Poet Laureate Emeritus of Buffalo, NY and Community Activist. Student Moderator: TBA
Jillian Hanesworth is a spoken word artist, the Poet Laureate Emeritus of Buffalo, New York, a community activist and the recent recipient of a national sports Emmy award in Dick Schaap Outstanding writing category. Jillian was born and raised on the east side of Buffalo where she developed a vision to use art and advocacy to help her community reimagine justice and work together to create a system where all people can thrive.
Wednesday, January 29, 2025 | 12 noon - 1:30pm:
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Speaker: Jennie Billera, Music Educator, Buffalo Public Schools. Student Moderator: TBA
Jennie Billera is a current music educator in Buffalo Public Schools, and she is a strong advocate for inclusion and the education of all students. As a current EdD doctoral candidate, her research focuses on culturally responsive and transformative social emotional learning and its implementation in high school urban education classrooms to support students of marginalized communities. Jennie has contributed to the professional learning community by discussing topics relating to social emotional learning, urban education, and culturally responsive pedagogies, and she has had the unique opportunity of teaching and mentoring teachers in international learning communities as well.
Thursday, January 30, 2025 | 12:30pm - 2pm:
Speaker: Nikki Herman, Director of DEIJ Education, University of Rochester. Student Moderator: TBA
Hi, I'm Nikkie Herman (she/her), and I’m proud to lead our team focused on advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ). As Director, I also teach the ACUE course on Fostering a Culture of Belonging and co-facilitate our White Affinity Group, which fosters dialogue on race and identity.
With over 20 years in student affairs, including roles as Chief Diversity Officer and Title IX Coordinator, I transitioned to wellness through yoga and Ayurveda after experiencing burnout. I completed a 650-hour Ayurvedic Health Counselor program in May 2022, which shapes my leadership approach.
Student moderators for these events:
Dr. Tonja Williams Knight, Buffalo Public Schools Superintendent
Friday, January 31, 2025 | 4:30pm to 6pm | Rosch Recital Hall
Dr. Tonja M. Williams Knight, a leading voice on education, has been the superintendent of the Buffalo Public Schools, the second-largest school district in New York State, since July 14, 2022, when the Buffalo Board of Education unanimously appointed her as superintendent.
As a lifelong learner, Dr. Williams Knight has earned degrees in both executive leadership and business administration, as well as professional and administrative certifications. Her doctoral dissertation work on African American students and the college application process was chosen as the "Most Scholarly Dissertation" by her graduating doctoral cohort. Dr. Williams Knight also earned a Harvard University "School Leader Turnaround Certificate."
Her work has also included administrative positions at Alfred University and Johnson C. Smith University, a historically black college or university in Charlotte, North Carolina. At Canisius College, Bryant & Stratton Business Institute, she served as an adjunct professor. Dr. Williams Knight attributes much of her success to her parents, Mr. Anthony Benson, Jr., and Ms. Elizabeth Benson, who instilled in both her and her sister, Michelle, the qualities of persistence, hard work, and honesty.
Student Facilitator: TBA
The SUNY Fredonia Presidential Commission for the Commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will come together to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King on Saturday, February 1st. The community service sub-committee will host this 'Saturday of Service' to unite SUNY Fredonia with our local non-profit organizations to facilitate volunteerism.
This is an opportunity for campus to come together to give back to the campus and local community. We hope this will be a start of a forever friendship with local non-profit organizations who registered to host students to volunteer at their sites are listed below. Students and clubs can sign up to volunteer here!
- Chautauqua County Rural Ministry, Inc.:
- Community Service Activity - Assistance with Food Pantry and Garment Gallery.
- Habitat For Humanity:
- Community Service Activity - Home Construction Project.
- Lakeshore Humane Society:
- Community Service Activity - Assistance with Walking Dogs and Bathing Dogs.
- The Salvation Army:
- Community Service Activity - Painting.
- Prevention Works:
- Community Service Activity - General Office Tasks.
- Co-Chair Dr. Vicki T. Sapp, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Affirmative Action, ADA Compliance and Title IX Coordinator
- Co-Chair Dr. Tracy L. Stenger, Vice President for Student Affairs
- Ivory Brooks, Mental Health Counselor, Counseling Center (on leave 2024-2025)
- Dr. Wentao Cao, Assistant Professor, Department of Geology and Environmental Sciences (on leave fall 2024)
- Jiyong Mai, Assistant Professor, Department of Music
- Mark Suida, Director Campus Life, Student Affairs
- Christian Taber, Student Representative, Sound Recording Technology major
Many thanks for the generous support of the following sponsors!
- Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation - Founded in 1986, the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to the long-term betterment of the northern Chautauqua region and everyone who calls it home. NCCF fulfills this mission by focusing on community leadership, developing and supporting partnerships, local philanthropy, and strategic grant-making
- Collingwood Endowment Funds
- Carnahan-Jackson Humanities Fund - Fredonia College Foundation
- In Kind Donations| Division of Student Affairs, Faculty Student Association, Fredonia State Athletics, Interfaith Coalition, Intercultural Center, Office of Alumni Affairs, Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Office of the President, Office of Residence Life, Student Association, School of Music