Fairmont State and Tygart Valley United Way honor the values of Martin Luther King Jr. with annual Day of Service

Fairmont State University and Tygart Valley United Way will honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with several volunteer projects during the annual Day of Service. This year’s event will be held on Thursday, January 25.

“Martin Luther King Jr. was a strong advocate for the betterment of society and humanity as a whole,” said director of career services and civic engagement Susan Rodriguez. “By giving back to those in need we are honoring the values he instilled in our nation and improving lives within our community.”

Students, faculty, staff and alumni are all encouraged to participate in the Day of Service projects. This year’s projects will be at Morris Park, assisting with disassembling the Celebration of Lights displays and helping with various tasks at the Marion County Historical Society and the Marion County Humane Society.

“I always emphasize that Fairmont State is a public university and thus should be heavily involved with our community,” said Fairmont State president Dr. Mike Davis. “I hope to see many Fairmont State faces participate in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, and I am excited to build upon the legacy Dr. King has left behind.”

Check-in for Day of Service begins at 11:30 a.m. in Colebank Hall. At noon participants will enjoy lunch and hear from keynote speaker Marvin Stewart. After the keynote address, a group photo will be taken to commemorate the occasion and at around 12:35 p.m., volunteers will board shuttle busses between Hardway and Jaynes Hall to travel to their respective projects. Volunteering will wrap up and participants will be bussed back to campus at around 3 p.m. Free boxed lunches will be provided for attendees.

“We are fortunate to have the Fairmont State and our community’s support for MLK Day of Service,” said Tygart Valley United Way. community impact director Casey Gilbert. “We hope the service projects provide volunteers with a deeper understanding and love for their ‘home away from home’ while assisting some of our most dedicated organizations in Marion County. We’re looking forward to a day well spent!”

Keynote speaker for the MLK Day of Service, Marvin Stewart, is a proud West Virginian. He grew up in Grant Town and is one of seven children born to Charles and Edna Stewart. He graduated from Fairview High School and was the first in his family to graduate college. He completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management from Fairmont State University in 1975. Marvin continued his education at West Virginia University where he earned his Master of Science in Business and Economics.

In 2012, Marvin served as commencement speaker for Fairmont State University’s Commencement ceremony and recalls it being one of his most memorable moments.

Marvin has dedicated 38 years of service to the United Parcel Service as Human Resource and Employee Relations Manager. Presently, he is President and CEO of Lewis & Louis Professional Cleaning Service which he established in 2021.  

The MLK Day of Service registration is currently open and can be accessed here