St. Mary’s College To Host 21st Annual MLK Jr. Prayer Celebration Jan. 19

ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. — St. Mary’s College of Maryland will host its 21st annual Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Celebration on Monday, Jan. 19, inviting students, faculty and community members to gather for a morning of reflection honoring the civil rights leader’s legacy.

The event, themed “Lighting the Way: Faith, Hope & Action,” is scheduled from 8 to 10 a.m. in the Campus Center Great Room. A breakfast buffet will be available beginning at 6:30 a.m. for a fee, while the main program is free and open to the public.

Tanya Hughes, an Olympian and St. Mary’s County native, is slated to deliver the keynote address. Organizers say the program will focus on Dr. King’s enduring message of service, unity and collective responsibility.

As part of the celebration, organizers are also encouraging community support through “Project Community Care: From the Cradle • To the Campus • To the Community.” Requested donations include diapers for the Maryland Diaper Bank, nonperishable food items for student pantries at St. Mary’s College of Maryland and the College of Southern Maryland, and new hats and gloves for residents served by the Robert J. Fuller House, which supports individuals experiencing homelessness.

The prayer celebration is sponsored by a coalition of local organizations, including St. Mary’s College of Maryland, the St. Mary’s County Branch NAACP The 7025, the St. Mary’s County Human Relations Commission, St. Mary’s County Public Schools, the College of Southern Maryland, Ivy & Pearls of Southern Maryland Community Charities, and the Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions.

The annual event is part of broader Martin Luther King Jr. Day observances in St. Mary’s County, which also include a Day of Service later in the week aimed at translating reflection into action through volunteerism and community engagement.

For details on the event, please visit smcm.edu.

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