News briefs: Mar. 14

Dr. Martin Luther King, Dr. Laythe award recipients honored at ceremony 

On March 1, at Edinboro University’s 23rd annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award Luncheon, two individuals were recognized for their “commitment to social justice and leadership.”

Sean Gibson, 1995 graduate of EU and executive director of the Josh Gibson Foundation, was given the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. award for his “service to the community and to Pittsburgh youth.” 

Meanwhile, Erika DePalma earned the third annual Dr. Joseph Laythe Award “for her student leadership and commitment to fostering a respectful campus environment.” She is a sophomore speech-language pathology major and the manager of the Edinboro University Phonathon Team. 

At the luncheon, Edinboro University Interim President Michael Hannan presented the humanitarian awards and spoke about Edinboro’s “commitment to diversity and inclusion,” according to a press release.

“At this luncheon, we pause to remind ourselves of our common humanity and the timeless importance of Dr. King’s message of respect, justice and service to other,” he said. “We come together to motivate and remind ourselves to convert his message into action.”

Spring commencement guest speaker announced 

On Sunday, May 4, LaToya Ruby Frazier, visual artist and social justice advocate, will deliver the commencement address at the Edinboro University undergraduate ceremony. 

At the ceremony, Frazier, who earned a bachelor’s of fine arts in applied media arts from Edinboro in 2004, will also receive the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. 

After graduating from Edinboro, Frazier received a Master of Fine Arts for art photography from the College of Visual and Performing Arts at Syracuse University. After receiving her master’s degree, she went on to study in the Whitney Museum of American Art Independent Study Program and was the Guna S. Mundheim Fellow for visual arts at the American Academy in Berlin.

Currently, Frazier is an associate professor of photography at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She previously held positions at Yale University School of Art, Rutgers University and Syracuse University.

Lucas Hershelman | edinboro.spectator@gmail.com

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