UCM Alumnus, MCC Inclusion Officer Presents MLK Freedom Scholarship Dinner Address

By Jeff Murphy, December 10, 2018

WARRENSBURG, MO – University of Central Missouri alumnus Robert N. Page, Jr., executive director for equity and inclusion at Metropolitan Community College (MCC) in Kansas City, will be the keynote speaker for the 2019 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom Scholarship Dinner. This special event takes place at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22 in the ballroom of UCM’s Elliott Student Union, and tickets are now available.

The dinner is part of an annual celebration conducted by the university in cooperation with Warrensburg community members in January, and is an opportunity to pause and reflect on the work and impact of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The theme for this year’s MLK activities is “One Dream, One Nation: Moving Forward Together.” Since its inception, proceeds from the dinner have made possible nearly 200 scholarships through the UCM Alumni Foundation.

In his work at MCC, Page is a regional leader for inclusivity initiatives. He is the former Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs at the University of Kansas (KU), and has worked in postsecondary education for more than 30 years specializing in retention and recruitment programs, diversity training and awareness, conference coordination, budgeting and strategic planning.

During his career in higher education, Page has led efforts to create many national programs and endeavors. He attributes his success to people he has worked with through experiences in many different areas. This includes serving as the Director of Residential Life and Learning at Arizona State University, Director of Recruitment at the University of Kansas, and Chief Diversity Office at KU.

Page has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in counseling from UCM, and is currently working on his terminal degree in higher education at KU.

Tickets for the ML King Freedom Scholarship Dinner can be obtained as follows: $100 Gold Level, $75 Silver level, and $50 Bronze Level. Checks should be made payable to the UCM Alumni Foundation, and will help fund scholarships in the amounts of $1,000 and $2,000. Individuals who would like to purchase tickets can do so through the UCM Student Experience and Engagement Office in Administration Building Room 214 or through the Greater Warrensburg Area Chamber of Commerce, 100 S. Holden St.
 
Other special MLK Celebration events include:

• Let’s Talk: Issues Forum “What’s Your Life Blueprint?” from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15 in Café Rouge, Elliott Student Union
• MLK Community Service Awards Luncheon presented by the Warrensburg Chamber of Commerce, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 16, at Fitt-Kickers, 121 E. Pine St., Warrensburg
• MLK Advocacy Photo Booth, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• MLK Day of Service, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 21
• Community Praise and Worship Service, 6:30 p.m. at UCM Alumni Memorial Chapel
• Volunteer Fair, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 23, in the Elliott Student Union Atrium
• Blood Drive, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 30-31, in the ballroom of the Elliott Student Union.

All MLK activities are open to the public, and are free to those attending, with the exception of the Awards Luncheon on Jan. 16 and the Freedom Scholarship Dinner on Jan. 22.

For more information about the MLK Celebration, contact Ed Wirthwein, Student Experience and Engagement, at 660-543- 4962 or wirthwein@ucmo.edu, or visit the MLK website.