ASG Hosts Annual Vigil to Remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The Associated Student Government of the University of Arkansas invites the campus and community to remember the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at its annual vigil at noon on Monday, Jan. 18, in the Verizon Ballroom within the Arkansas Union. The vigil will occur at the end of the annual march from the Walton Arts Center and is part of a full day's events in Northwest Arkansas. A full schedule is found at http://www.nwamlk.org/news-events/. 

This year's vigil will include a performance by the Inspirational Chorale; a poem by University of Arkansas senior Kristen Smith; a "Dream Keepers" speech from Trey Smith, a senior University of Arkansas student who is president of Dream Keepers; and keynote address from Joseph Daniels III.

Daniels is actively involved in the Northwest Arkansas and University of Arkansas communities, leading and serving in various professional and civil rights organizations. He is on the administrative board for the Northwest Arkansas Professionals chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers as well as the Black Graduate Student Association. He serves on the communications committee for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Daniels has a history of strong leadership and community involvement with his affiliations in NSBE, the American Society of Civil Engineers, College of Engineering Ambassadors, the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, Wabash Provost Scholars, and a host of national and international honor societies at North Carolina A&T State University.

Daniels has a passion for motivating, encouraging, and mentoring adolescent African-American males. Understanding the influence athletics, music, and entertainment have on today's youth, his mission is to stress the significance of education through motivational speaking, mentoring, and active community involvement.

Daniels is a graduate of North Carolina A&T State University, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. He was awarded the 2013 Namaskar Award for Engineering Excellence. During his undergraduate career, Joseph earned several summer internships, conducted undergraduate research, and held leadership positions in various organizations such as chapter president for the National Society of Black Engineers. Daniels is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in civil engineering at the University of Arkansas. Daniels is a native of Silver Spring, Maryland, and currently resides in Northwest Arkansas.