NEW ORLEANS (Feb.21, 2013)- A DU public health senior with nearly 2,000 hours of community service was among four students at local universities honored for their commitment in celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Ekebnta Okorn of New Orleans earned the 2013 MLK Week of Peace Community Service Award for her diligence in working as an active member of the Student Government Association, Commuter Club, the Fresh Campus Tobacco-Free Living Initiative, among other activities.
Other recipients included:
- Vanencia Lynch of Xavier University.
- Sean Rose of Loyola University
- Jolia Raymond of Tulane University
Okorn said, “This award is such a humbling tool for me. I am beyond grateful for the honor, but most importantly, I’m glad I got the opportunity to share my experience with everyone.”
Okorn called herself a “servant leader – servant being the operative word.”
Jada Rouse, a sophomore who attended the ceremony, called Okorn’s accomplishment inspirational.
“When I heard that Ekeb had done nearly 2,000 hours of community service, it had inspired me to do more in the community. She is really a beautiful person inside and out and a blessing to others, and I hope one day I can be a blessing to others, also,” Rouse said.
Okorn said, “To us, exceeding 2,000 hours of undergraduate community service hours seems like a lot, but for the life I have ahead of me, this is only the beginning.”
(DeLesia Daniels contributed to this report.)