Dr. King Legacy Awards Presented at King Day Dinner

"I Have a Dream Award" recipients were: Nathaniel Williams (center left) Dominic Dorsey (center right) and Jocellyn Ford (not pictured)


"The Advocate of the Dream Award" recipient, Nicole Oglesby (center)

INDIANAPOLIS - The leaders of a student initiative to improve diversity efforts on campus are among this year's recipients of IUPUI awards honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The honorees, selected by the Black Student Union and the Black Faculty Staff Council at IUPUI, were recognized during the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dinner held January 14 in downtown Indianapolis.

The Black Faculty Staff Council awarded its "I Have a Dream Award" to IUPUI students Dominic Dorsey, Jocellyn Ford, and Nathaniel Williams. The "I Have a Dream" Award recognizes an IUPUI student who within his or her daily living exemplifies Dr. Martin Luther King's values, which include, among others, brotherhood, love for all mankind, uplifting community, peace and non-violence. Dorsey, Ford and Williams received the award based on their collective involvement in campus activities, and their leadership of the Black Student Initiative which called for a number of campus diversity reforms.

The IUPUI Black Student Union presented "The Advocate of the Dream Award" to Nicole Oglesby, director of Campus Community Programs at IUPUI. The "Advocate of the Dream" award recognizes an outstanding faculty or staff member who exemplifies the values of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his or her daily living. The award acknowledges Oglesby's constant involvement and promotion of the work of various student organizations, including the BSU and the Student African American Sisterhood.

The BSU also awarded "The Drum Major Instinct Award" to Dr. Terry Ogle. The "Drum Major" award salutes an individual from the greater Indianapolis community who has provided support to the Black Student Union and its work. In addition, this award recognizes the significant contributions this individual has made to the local African American community.

The Black Faculty Staff Council also presented the Joseph Taylor Academic Achievement Award to IUPUI student Leon Nowlin. Nowlin has the highest GPA among IUPUI African American students and is very involved in student life.

The "Academic Achievement" award is given to a full-time IUPUI undergraduate student who has demonstrated academic excellence by maintaining a semester and cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher and completing more than 80 credit hours. This award is presented in honor of Joseph T. Taylor, the first African American dean and Professor Emeritus for School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI.