Office of the Registrar

From: Office of the Interim Vice President 

Dear OSU-Cascades Campus Community Members,

On Monday, we will honor the work, leadership and sacrifice of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., an extraordinary American whose legacy as a civil rights leader, social activist and Nobel Peace Prize recipient serves as an inspiration for us all. 

Dr. King dreamed of a nation in which every person would be equal and devoted his life to advancing equality, social justice and economic opportunity for all. Throughout Oregon State University and at OSU-Cascades, students, faculty and staff will commemorate and recommit to Dr. King’s dream and respond to his question of us: “What are you doing for others?”

His question is as urgent today as it was more than 60 years ago. The work of Dr. King, and of so many who have dedicated their lives to advancing and achieving social justice and equity, is not yet complete.

I encourage us each to take time on Monday, and every day, to refocus our life’s purpose, as well as our words and actions, so that they contribute to creating a better community and a better world. 

Please join fellow students and colleagues in these activities:

7th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service - Jan. 16
Organized by the Student Life Events Council, the Day of Service is held in partnership with Connect Central Oregon and United Way of Central Oregon. It provides participants with opportunities to volunteer and serve in the community. Learn more at OSUcascades/mlkday.

2023 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration Keynote Address by Jelani Cobb - Feb. 1

Jelani Cobb is a staff writer at The New Yorker, writing on race, history, justice, politics, and democracy, as well as Columbia University’s Ira A. Lipman Professor of Journalism and next dean of Columbia Journalism School. He recently co-edited The Matter of Black Lives, a collection of The New Yorker’s most ground-breaking writing on Black history and culture in America. Learn more at beav.es/5zS.

While our campus will be closed on Monday, our hearts and minds will be open to pursuing the dream that Dr. King fought fearlessly for: That “this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

With thanks for all you each do to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Be well. Andrew Ketsdever