On Sunday, the Black Student Union (BSU) at IUPUI hosted the 54th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Dinner at the Indiana Roof Ballroom, to celebrate the life of the civil rights leader and inspire students to carry on his legacy. The night opened with the Black National Anthem sung by Kennedy Halliburton. An opening and closing benediction and prayer was offered by Rev. Philip Person Sr, and the keynote address was delivered by NAACP president Derrick Johnson. The mistresses of ceremony were Sydney Hilton and Jasmine Beamon, and the MLK chair and co-chair were Demondrick Velez and Mi'Chal Patterson. There was also a spoken word performance by Mariah Ivey.
The first Martin Luther King Jr. dinner was hosted by the BSU a year after his passing and two years prior to the formation of IUPUI in 1971. The organization has played a prominent role on campus since its inception, lobbying the administration to take action to support students of color and the surrounding community. The first president of the Black Student Union at IUPUI was Anthony Tate, and Chelsea Fitzpatrick is the current president.
On September 9th, IUPUI hosted the inaugural Jaguar 5K and Mental Health Mile to raise awareness for mental health. Additionally, the event raised $3,000 for recovery scholarships. The 5K began on the Carroll Stadium track, went over the Canal, down the Fall Creek trail and back to Carroll Stadium.
IUPUI hosted the Hampton Inn Invitational Aug. 31 - Sep. 2 at the Jungle. The Jags volleyball team secured two victories over UC Riverside and Oral Roberts but fell to Eastern Illinois in four sets.
Solutions by The State News
