Purdue University Northwest
(PNW) invites the public to join its annual celebration of the life and legacy
of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. through free programming on Jan. 16 and Jan.
20, 2025.
PNW will offer two
opportunities for community members to join its MLK Day celebrations. Both of
these community events will feature engaging keynote addresses from local civic
leaders, as well as breakout community conversations focusing on issues of systemic
racism and social justice. All event information can be found at pnw.edu/mlk-celebration.
Jan. 16 MLK Day
Community Event Information
PNW’s Jan. 16 MLK Day
celebration will be hosted from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Alumni Hall on the
Hammond campus, 2200 169th Street, Hammond, Ind.
Barry Tyler Jr., Councilman
for the City of Hammond’s 3rd District, will deliver the keynote address. Tyler
Jr. is currently serving in his second term with the City of Hammond’s Common
Council. His top priorities include economic development, youth services, and
public health and safety. He also volunteers for several nonprofit
organizations and is an active member of the Gary Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha
Psi Fraternity, Inc. Tyler Jr. has been recognized for his efforts towards
improving the quality of life for residents, including being named as a Times
‘20 Under 40’ professional in 2014 and receiving the Community Center
Development Corporation Clarence Collins “Keeper of the Dream Award” in 2023.
Jan. 20 MLK Day
Community Event Information
PNW’s Jan. 20 MLK Day
celebration, which takes place on the federal holiday, begins at 7:45 a.m. and
goes through 11 a.m. on the Westville branch campus, 1401 S. U.S. 421,
Westville, Ind. The event will take place in the Great Hall Events and
Conference Center inside the James B. Dworkin Student Services and Activities
Complex.
Marty Corley, Chief of Police
for the Michigan City Police Department (MCPD), will serve as keynote speaker
for PNW’s Jan. 20 event. Corley was appointed Chief of Police in January 2024
and has served with the department since October 2000. While at MCPD, Corley
has worked in various capacities with two and a half years as Chief of
Operations, 12 years in the investigative division, 17 years
on the MCPD Special Weapons and Tactics Team (S.W.A.T.), over 10 years as a
Drug Recognition Expert and Indiana Law Enforcement Certified Instructor,
director of the MCPD Youth Leadership Academy, and Lead Instructor for the MCPD
Police Explorers Post #75. Corley’s passion is to serve the community, and he
is actively involved with several commissions and boards that include Michigan
City Human Rights Commission; Salvation Army of Michigan City; Boys and Girls
Club of Michigan City; PACT, Inc.; Habitat for Humanity of La Porte County; and
elected official to the Michigan City Area Schools Board of Trustees, since
2013.
The Jan. 20 MLK Day
celebration at PNW will also include a buffet breakfast.
Since 1992, PNW has partnered
with the Northwest Indiana community to reflect on the Rev. Martin Luther King
Jr.’s dream and legacy of inclusion and justice.
For more information on PNW’s
MLK Day celebrations, including sponsorship opportunities, visit pnw.edu/mlk-celebration.
