Penn State Berks celebrates Martin Luther King Jr.

Penn State Berks celebrates Martin Luther King Jr.
Students remove invasive plants, and faculty, staff and students recognized at dinner
 
WYOMISSING, Pa. — Penn State Berks honored the life and legacy of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. with events and activities held on Jan. 20 and 21.

The Penn State Berks Sustainability Council hosted the MLK Day of Service project, which focused on the removal of invasive plant removal around campus on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Jayne Park-Martinez, assistant teaching professor of science and coordinator of research, planning and assessment led the event by discussing local invasive species, ways to remove them and plants to replace them. Then the group spent several hours removing invasive species found on campus. Participants also learned about the connection between Martin Luther King Jr. Day and service while enjoying pizza and hot beverages.

On Jan. 21, Penn State Berks hosted a celebration of the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. The event featured a keynote address, student performances, awards recognition, and dinner. The keynote was titled "We Cannot Walk Alone: Bridging Divides, Building Community" by Darryl Mace, who currently serves as the vice president for mission, diversity and inclusion at Alvernia University and is the co-founder of Unstuck Insights LLC, a company focused on executive coaching, strategic planning and organizational culture.

Following the keynote, an awards reception recognized campus and local community individuals who embody Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy through community service, leadership, and commitment to social justice and positive change. 

Rani Bhogal, administrative support assistant in residence life, received the staff service award. She is the first face that many students living in the residence halls see at the front desk and is an advocate for students.

According to one nomination, “Due to the rapport Rani has been able to develop with her colleagues and students, she is able to help educate and support students from varying backgrounds. While these conversations could be superficial, Rani is willing to be vulnerable and creates moments that end up being significant and beautiful experiences allowing students to feel heard and seen as the unique and wonderful humans they are. She helps to challenge students to view the world beyond the one they grew up in and is able to use personal stories to garner empathy and understanding alike.”

Ryan Hassler, teaching professor of mathematics, received the faculty award. His nomination stated, “While there are many efforts we could highlight, there are three in particular that especially speak to how Dr. Hassler embodies the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. These are in his role as the co-adviser of Berks Benefitting THON (BBT), coordinator of Engineering Ahead and the Lion STEM Scholars, and former chairman of the board for Helping Harvest Fresh Food Bank. His role as co-adviser for BBT speaks volumes about his commitment to changing lives and fostering empathy. As coordinator of Engineering Ahead and Lion STEM Scholars, he is committed to empowering and supporting diverse students in their pursuit of STEM majors and careers. In his leadership role with Helping Harvest, he has worked diligently on raising awareness of and support for the food bank.” 

Student award winners included Anne Setenet, Angeline Gongar and Sydney Bankert.

Setenet is the co-founder of the college’s African Student Organization (ASO) and served as the vice president for two years. One nominator wrote, “Anne helped create an extremely welcoming and diverse space for students of African descent to come together and learn from each other, and also to teach others about African culture.” She coordinated the ASO fashion show fall 2023 and fall 2024, during ‘A Night in Afrique,’ an event that celebrated African culture. She also coordinated the international student week multicultural fashion show during fall 2021. Her reach on campus was extended in her role as a resident assistant for two years.

Beyond the Berks campus, Setenet participated in the Alternative Spring Break trip in spring 2024, where she volunteered with the Sioux tribe on their reservation in South Dakota.”

Gongar is also a co-founder of the African Student Organization (ASO). One nominator wrote, “She demonstrated visionary leadership by identifying the need for representation and community among African students and turning that vision into a thriving student organization.” In addition, Gongar has served as an assistant color captain for Welcome Weekend, where she helped ensure that new students felt supported and valued from their first day. She currently serves as a peer mentor for the Aspiring Scholars Program, which offers support to first-year students by providing access to services and programs that prepare them for a successful transition into the college environment. In addition, she is an intern at Connections Work, a community-based organization that provides “direct services, through professional staff and trained volunteers, to individuals with justice involvement and individuals with similar barriers and to their families.”
Bankert began her community service at Penn State Berks by joining the Berks Benefitting THON (BBT) student organization, where she supported their mission to raise money and awareness for the fight against childhood cancer. Within BBT, she assumed several leadership roles including fundraising executive and special events executive. Bankert organized BBT fundraisers, including Pie in the Face, Cuts for Kids and the annual benefit dinner. She also represented Berks as a THON dancer at the 46-hour dance marathon in February of 2024. In addition, Bankert joined the Welcome Weekend leadership team. She served as a peer mentor in several of her classes and as a Lion Ambassador student tour guide. Additionally, Bankert completed several research projects and used her experience to assist other students in starting and conducting their own research.

The celebration of the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.  event was made possible by the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee and the Student Initiated Fee.