The Hope College Office of Multicultural Life has scheduled activities from Sunday, Jan. 14, through Saturday, Jan. 20, as part of a Civil Rights Celebration Week, in conjunction with the national commemoration of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The events will begin with the "Taste of Hope" Student of Color visitation, followed by the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Luncheon and keynote address and the Diversity in the Workplace Career Panel and Networking Reception, and will end with the Gospel Fest concert.

The public is invited and admission is free for all events.

The "Taste of Hope" Student of Color visitation will be a student showcase featuring Hope's Gospel Choir and other student groups providing a variety of music, dance and entertainment, and will be held on Sunday, Jan. 14, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in the DeWitt Center Kletz. The event, co-sponsored by the college's offices of Admissions and Multicultural Life, is geared toward prospective students who are considering Hope, but all are welcome to attend.

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Luncheon will take place on Monday, Jan. 15, from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. in the main ballroom of the Haworth Inn and Conference Center. Featured will be keynote speaker Abraham L. Washington, who is pastor of Rock of Our Salvation Church in Chicago, Ill. Since its inception in 1983, Rock Church has blazed a trail in the area of racial reconciliation. Abraham L. Washington leads Rock Church with a special focus on revitalizing families in their community. Rock Church and its partner, Circle Urban Ministries, are committed to faith-based transformation of the Chicago inner-city community, meeting people's physical and spiritual needs.

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Luncheon is co-sponsored and underwritten by Herman Miller Inc. Advance registration is required and space is limited. Additional information about attending may be obtained by calling the college's Office of Multicultural Life at (616) 395-7867.

The Diversity in the Workplace Career Panel and Networking Reception will take place on Thursday, Jan. 18. The Career Panel, featuring selected alumni and other distinguished professionals of color, will take place from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Maas Center auditorium. Following the panel discussion, a Career Networking Reception will be held in the Maas Center conference room until 6:30 p.m. This event, co-sponsored by the offices of Career Services and Multicultural Life at Hope, is designed to provide students with a greater understanding of diversity in the workplace and its impact on the professional world.

The week's activities will close with a Gospel Fest concert on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 2 p.m. in Dimnent Memorial Chapel. The concert, sponsored by Hope's Office of Campus Ministries, will feature the Hope College Gospel Choir, Grand Valley State University Gospel Choir, Calvin College Gospel Choir, Christ Memorial Church Gospel Choir, Providence St. Mel High School Choir (Chicago), and Grand Rapids New Hope Baptist Church VIP group.

The Haworth Inn and Conference Center is located facing College Avenue between Ninth and 10th streets. The DeWitt Center is located on Columbia Avenue at 12th Street. Dimnent Memorial Chapel is located on College Avenue at 12th Street. The Martha Miller Center for Global Communication, housing the Office of Multicultural Life, is located on Columbia Avenue at 10th Street.