MARQUETTE, MI— Northern Michigan University will hold a Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Monday, Jan. 15.
The event will include a noon program featuring NMU President Brock Tessman and 2014 alumna Taylor Johnson, lunch and four service project options from 1-3 p.m. All will take place in The Woods Lodge.
The service projects are: fleece blanket-making for the warming center and women's shelter; dog toy making for UPAWS; bracelet-making; and card-making for Norlite Nursing Center.
Johnson is a Detroit native and serves as a realtor associate in Novi. She is also a certified housing counselor who teaches people about home buying and how to qualify for a loan, and leads official home buyer education classes where, upon completion, attendees can have access to down payment assistance and other benefits.
While at NMU, Johnson participated in a five-week study abroad program to Thailand and a year-long student exchange program in Germany. She was a McNair Scholar, co-president and secretary of Black Student Union, and received both Spirit of Diversity and Program of the Year awards in 2013.
“I wanted my college experience to give me a change of pace,” said Johnson, in reflecting on her decision to attend Northern. “I didn't want to get lost in the numbers and wanted to choose a university where my presence would be felt. NMU was exactly what I needed at that time in my life and allowed me the perfect opportunity to take chances and get involved.
“I found a lot of comfort in the simplicity of life in Marquette and wanted to immerse myself into the community around me as much as possible. I was active in the student body and put an emphasis on community building as co-president of the Black Student Union and a member of the Student Leader Fellowship Program (SLFP). I was also able to study abroad twice during my undergraduate program, which was extremely unique. All these experiences taught me to take charge and be a leader in my community. My college experience would not have shaped me in this way if I had chosen any other school.”
