MLK Day 2026: Honoring Dr. King Through Action

Dear Students and Colleagues,

As Martin Luther King Jr. Day approaches, we reflect on the enduring impact of one of the world’s most courageous leaders — whose peaceful actions and powerful words championed equality and dignity for all people. Each January, the Drexel community proudly celebrates his legacy, renewing our shared commitment to building a more just and inclusive society.

On Monday, Jan. 19, hundreds of Drexel student-athletes and members of undergraduate student government will participate in service projects at 23 sites throughout West Philadelphia. This annual collaboration is organized by Drexel’s Department of Athletics, the Office of University and Community Partnerships and West Philadelphia neighbors and organizations.

The Office of University and Community Partnerships is also hosting a large student event at the Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships to prepare thousands of support packages for local schoolteachers and local non-profit organizations. Interested Drexel students should sign up by Friday, Jan. 16, to participate. The Lindy Center for Civic Engagement will continue to honor Dr. King’s legacy with programs for additional learning and reflection throughout the week.

We encourage all who want to get involved to visit the special MLK Week 2026 page on the Drexel Galaxy website, which also serves as a portal for student volunteer opportunities year-round. For those away from campus on Monday, you can support the regional community by participating in volunteer opportunities hosted by outside community organizations. Off-campus listings can be found and accessed on the Global Citizen volunteer portal.

Civic engagement has long been a core priority for Drexel, and we are exceptionally proud to share that this week the prestigious Carnegie Classifications for higher education has renewed our University’s status as a Community Engaged institution, which we first attained in 2008. This makes Drexel one of only a handful of private universities holding both Research-1 (R1) and Community Engagement classifications, placing us in highly select company. Also this week, Drexel has received a 2026 Civic Engagement and Community Service Award from higher education magazine Insight Into Academia. Thank you to our dedicated Drexel community for making this our institution’s reality.

Together, through acts of service, we keep Dr. King’s dream alive. His memory fuels us to move forward. Let this moment spark another year of continued action and meaningful impact.

Sincerely,

Antonio Merlo, PhD
President