Four Niagara University students were recognized Monday evening in the Gallagher Center for their efforts to creatively highlight and celebrate the accomplishments and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Brendan Didio and Rochelle Thomas received $350 apiece, and the team of Clarissa Maloy and Matthew Myers split the monetary award for effectively demonstrating an intellectual and emotional element of Dr. King that directly connects to the mission of Niagara University.
Didio, a theatre performance major from Oneida, N.Y., offered a speech on courage, while Thomas, a Buffalo native studying criminology and criminal justice, painted puzzle pieces on the back of a female, calling her work “Black Strength.”
Maloy (Kenmore, theatre/English) and Myers (Orchard Park, theatre) produced a dance video titled “To This Day.”
The competition was co-sponsored by Niagara University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs and diversity committee.
NU is offering numerous events this week in observance of the federal holiday that marks the birthday of Dr. King. To view the full schedule, please visit www.niagara.edu/mlk.
Photos by Andrew Emmons, a Niagara University sophomore studying communications and criminal justice administration.