“The Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts is a central player in Georgia Tech’s commitment to freedom and social justice, as demonstrated by our co-sponsorship of the Martin L. King Jr. Annual Celebration,” Dean Jacqueline Royster said.

She added, “In addition to there being a holiday, January, in fact, as the new year begins, is perfect timing for all of us to reflect on where we are as a nation, to recommitment personally and institutionally to the bedrock values on which the nation was founded, and to honor — in keeping with the legacy of two of Atlanta’s native sons (Martin L. King Jr. and Ivan Allen Jr.) — exemplars who have blazed trails for what it means to live lives of principle and courage.” 

Royster noted that this year’s celebration continues an important tradition at Georgia Tech, and she hopes that the college’s participation in these activities is more vibrant than ever. 

“All of the events offer some pretty amazing opportunities for engagement — from the MLK lecture to the day of service to a student panel on courage to a special artistic performance to our infamous ‘Sunday’ dinner on Thursday, and more,” she said. “The important thing is that we take the time to think about how concepts such as freedom, justice, courage, leadership, and action should be made manifest in our own lives.”