In the coming days we will honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

As we reflect on the contributions Dr. King made to our nation, we reaffirm our commitment to our university’s shared values — collaboration, diversity and opportunity, integrity, learning and academic excellence, and service and social responsibility — as outlined in our Strategic Plan.

Monday is the official holiday in honor of Dr. King and our campus celebrations will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 29 and Wednesday, Jan. 30 with a number of exciting events.

We will begin our celebrations with what I hope will be an empowering event titled, “Exploring the Letter from Birmingham in Today’s World.”

Participants will listen to members of the Warhawk community read Dr. King’s letter written while he was held in the Birmingham, Ala. jail. This event is scheduled from 9 to 11 a.m. in room 259 of the University Center and will involve small and large group conversations.

At 5 p.m. Tuesday in the University Center Summers Auditorium, Assistant Professor of Political Science Eric Loepp and members of the Chancellor’s Inclusive Excellence Committee will host a discussion focusing on civil rights.

Both Dr. Loepp and the panel will dissect the nuances surrounding the time in which Dr. King was fighting for civil rights of African-Americans and juxtapose it to today’s struggle for equality for all people.

This discussion will be framed by the video production of excerpts from the Birmingham letter as well as the historical significance of the march in Selma, Alabama.  This will set the stage and context for a free 7 p.m. showing of the powerful movie “Selma,” which depicts the historic 1965 voter rights marches from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.

We are pleased to have Dr. Terrance L. Green, of the University of Texas at Austin, joining us for our keynote address on Wednesday, Jan. 30. The evening will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a reception and the address beginning at 6 p.m. Please see UW-Whitewater This Week for additional details.

I hope you will join me and our campus colleagues by attending these events as your schedule allows.