LOCK HAVEN, Pa. -

Lock Haven University has been awarded a $350 minigrant for the MLK Day of Challenge. LHU is one of ten campuses to receive one of these awards, which are funded through the Pennsylvania Campus Compact.

The minigrant will fund an essay contest project coordinated jointly by the MountainServe Center for Global Citizenship and LHU’s Office of Human and Multicultural Diversity. The essay project is entitled “Making My Dream a Reality.” The theme for the essay is meant to mesh with the life, dreams and goals of Martin Luther King, Jr. himself.

The essay contest is an outreach to area youth. LHU is partnering with Clinton County Big Brother Big Sister, the John Yost Center and the Independent Living Program on this initiative. An AmeriCorps student member and students from LHU’s Office of Human and Multicultural Diversity will assist in recruiting volunteers for the project and LHU student volunteers will work as one-on-one writing mentors with each participating youth. The program will launch in October 2009 and the essay will be due in early December. The awards ceremony will be held in January. Lock Haven University faculty will evaluate the essays for awards.

According to Anne-Marie Turnage, MountainServe director, “We are very excited about the opportunity assist youth in goal setting as well as writing skills.” Her sentiments were echoed by Kenny Hall, director of human and cultural diversity, who said, “Dr. King's work epitomized the importance of relationships, and it is my hope that this project will help deepen the relationship between Lock Haven University and the Lock Haven community.” Turnage and Hall wrote the minigrant proposal.

The Pennsylvania Campus Compact (PACC) is a membership of 74 college presidents from across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. PACC’s mission is to strengthen communities through campus-community partnerships and promote education or civic engagement.