KNOXVILLE –- UT students will commemorate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. this month with a day of community service and hearing from a leading health expert. On Saturday, Jan. 13, students will participate in a day of service sponsored by TeamVOLS, a student service organization, from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. About 300 students are expected to volunteer this year, said Dave Kennedy, a graduate advisor for TeamVols.
Students will volunteer at various local organizations including Goodwill Industries and Ronald McDonald House and they will take part in both campus and city beautification projects.
The students will return to campus by noon for lunch and a speaker to talk about the legacy of King. “We like to think that Dr. King would want people to go out and help their communities on a day dedicated to his memory instead of just taking the day off,” said Kennedy.
On Jan. 15, Dr. Ian Smith, a medical expert for VH1’s “Celebrity Fit Club” and contributor to ABC’s “The View,” will speak at 3 p.m. in the Carolyn P. Brown University Center Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.
Smith will talk about realizing personal dreams and health issues, particularly those facing the African American community. He also will address how maintaining a healthy lifestyle can contribute to a full and happy life, said Denelle Brown, director of UT’s minority student affairs office.
Smith has written for numerous magazines including Time and Newsweek and has been featured in People, Ebony and Cosmopolitan. He also is the author of several fiction and non-fiction books including “The Take-Control Diet,” “The Blackbird Papers” and “The Fat Smash Diet.”
Following the lecture, the Love United Gospel Choir, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and the Kuumba Ytoto African dancers will perform. Afterward, the Black Cultural Programming Committee will host a reception and book signing.
For more information regarding the student Day of Service contact the TeamVOLS office at (865) 974-8481.
For more information regarding Smith’s lecture contact the Black Cultural Center at (865) 974-6861.