JANUARY 6, 2009 – To celebrate and commemorate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his notable legacy of service and civic action, Pfeiffer University will sponsor a day of service on Jan. 21, followed by its 12th annual Servant Leadership Week held Jan. 25-31. This year, a series of guest speakers, workshops and community service opportunities will be held on the university’s Misenheimer campus and throughout neighboring communities.

“In 1994, Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act, designating the holiday as a national day of service. This series of events celebrates Dr. King’s life and is designed to be an extension of the classroom experience for our students,” said Sudie Nallo, director of service scholar programs at Pfeiffer. “There is no better way to honor the extraordinary legacy of Dr. King. These are opportunities to invite others onto our campus as well as to continue to immerse ourselves in service to our community.”

The Day of Service, also known as the MLK Challenge, will be held from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 21. Participants are asked to attend one of two pre-service orientations and commit no less than two hours to several scheduled service sites, including Rowan Helping Ministries, Habitat for Humanity, Albemarle High School and Nazareth’s Children’s Home in Rockwell. A 10 a.m. service to highlight the importance of the church in social justice will be held in the Henry Pfeiffer Chapel. The evening will culminate with a closing ceremony and service highlights held in the Community Room of the Stokes Student Center.

Sponsored by the Francis Center for Servant Leadership at Pfeiffer, the 2009 Servant Leadership Week will offer presentations daily followed by a service opportunity. The events are designed to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. while furthering the Francis Center’s mission to provide the Pfeiffer community with opportunities for service, learning and leadership.

Click here for a complete list of events. Most activities are open to the public. For more information, please contact Sudie Nallo, director of service scholar programs at Pfeiffer, at (704) 463-3440 or sudie.nallo@pfeiffer.edu.

Established in 1885, Pfeiffer University is a comprehensive United Methodist-related university, with multiple campuses, including Misenheimer, Charlotte and the Triangle, committed to educational excellence, service and scholarship. Visit Pfeiffer online at www.pfeiffer.edu. To view this news release online, click here.