TAMPA, Fla. – Nearly 2,000 University of South Florida students are expected to volunteer at more than 60 sites throughout Hillsborough County on the morning of Saturday, Jan. 13, as participants in Stampede of Service, USF’s largest annual community service program.
Coordinated by USF’s Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement, the event is part of the university’s Jan. 12 – 19 Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Week celebration, bringing the USF community together through events and programs to honor King’s dream and vision. Stampede of Service reflects the core values in MLK’s teachings: justice for all, strengthening communities, empowering individuals and living your purpose. The program engages students with current social issues as they experience the benefits of giving back to the community by sharing their time, skills and compassion at service sites throughout the county.
USF System President Judy Genshaft will start the day at 8:30 a.m. with the opening ceremony at Corbett Soccer Stadium before student volunteers board buses to their sites.Teams will be assigned to activities such as gardening, cleaning, painting and environmental cleanup that benefit many area organizations and facilities.
MLK Week also includes a lecture from singer, actor and activist Harry Belafonte at 8 p.m. (doors open at 7:30 p.m.) on Tuesday, Jan. 16 in the Marshall Student Center Ballroom.
A personal friend of King, Belafonte is expected to engage the audience by sharing his perspective on social issues, including the Black Lives Matter movement, equal rights struggles, U.S. foreign policy and humanitarianism in Africa. The lecture is free and open to the public on a limited first-come, first-served basis following priority seating for USF students.
Other campus events open to the public during MLK Week include:
- MLK Unity Concert, Sunday, Jan. 14, 4 - 6 p.m., USF School of Music Concert Hall. Join the USF Choral Department to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through choral music. Tickets are $5/$10/$20.
- MLK Dedication Luncheon, Friday, Jan. 19, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m., Marshall Student Center Ballroom. Seating is limited for the luncheon reflecting on the legacy of MLK. Guests are encouraged to RSVP here.
The full schedule of events is available here.
