Emory & Henry University celebrates the life and accomplishments of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with a focus on this year’s theme, common ground. Throughout the day, the E&H community will attend presentations, breakout sessions and community programs.
Morning Program
Location: Kennedy∼Reedy Theatre, McGlothlin Center for the Arts
9:30 a.m. — Doors Open Guests are welcome to enter the theatre and take their seats.
9:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | Opening Program (Lyceum Credit)
Original Dance Performance Gabrielle Iadevaio & Shamiyeh Noel
Welcome Frederick George, Assistant Vice President for Access, Impact, & Student Engagement
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — “I Have a Dream” Speech
Physical Graffiti Leah Wilson, Associate Director, Appalachian Center for Civic Life and Director, Bonner Scholars Program
Lunch Break
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Afternoon Plenary Session
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. | Panel Discussion Common Ground: Stories of Connection Across Differences Kennedy∼Reedy Theatre (Lyceum Credit)
Led by the Assistant Vice President for Access, Impact, & Student Engagement
Prompt: Panelists will share moments when they found—or struggled to find—common ground with individuals different from themselves.
Afternoon Engagement Sessions (Concurrent)
2:15 p.m. – 3:25 p.m. (Lyceum credit available for each session)
CHATS — Leah Wilson & Trevor (Co-Leads) Location: Board of Visitors Lounge A facilitated discussion focused on building the tools and skills needed to break down social barriers and find common ground with others.
Environmental Racism: What Is It and How Can We Address It? — Dr. Ed Davis & Ava Thomas (Co-Leads) Location: McGlothlin Street Hall, Room 239 An exploration of how environmental injustice affects communities, including disparities in air quality, water safety, and living conditions.
Conversation on Implicit Bias — Amy Meister, Amanda Blevins, Jacob Dick, Cam Hutton, Mackenzy Pastor Location: Carriger Lobby A session highlighting empathy, understanding, and equity in therapeutic and interpersonal relationships.
The Danger of a Single Story: Finding Common Ground Through Narrative — Dr. Lobertini Location: Wiley Hall, Room 240 This session explores how storytelling and narrative can build empathy and shared understanding across differences.
How the Socratic Method Is Vital to a Thriving University — Bethany Beecher Location: Kelly Library A workshop examining how dialogue, questioning, and thoughtful discourse help create common ground within academic communities.
More Than Meets the Eye — Vice President Travis Proffitt Location: Wiley Hall, Room 201 An interactive workshop using the “identity iceberg” activity to explore visible and invisible aspects of identity in diverse communities.
In this panel discussion, let by Assistant Vice President for Access, Impact, and Student Engagement Fred George, panelists will share moments when they found - or struggled to find - common ground with individuals different from themselves.
Led by Amy Meister, Amanda Blevins, Jacob Dick, Cam Hutton, and Mackenzy Pastor, this session highlights empathy, understanding, and equity in therapeutic and interpersonal relationships.
Led by Bethany Beecher, this workshop examines how dialogue, questioning, and thoughtful discourse help create common ground within academic communities.
Led by Dr. Ed Davis and Ava Thomas, this session is an exploration of how environmental injustice affects communities, including disparities in air quality, water safety, and living conditions.
