Ivy League Educational Foundation and Alpha Kappa Alpha to host 43rd MLK scholarship breakfast
The Ivy League Educational Foundation, Inc., in collaboration with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., will be hosting the 43rd Annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Scholarship Breakfast on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024.
More than 400 people are expected to attend, including many officeholders in the city, county, state, and federal governments, as well as other civic and religious leaders.
The breakfast will be held at 9 a.m. at the Hyatt Regency Princeton at 102 Carnegie Center, (off Route #1 north) Princeton, New Jersey. Doors open at 8:00 a.m. Tickets are $65 and will be available until Jan. 12.
The Reverend Danté R. Quick, Ph.D., senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens (FBCLG), will give the keynote speech. He was elected to serve as the fourth senior pastor of the church in Somerset, New Jersey, on May 22, 2021. The Rev. Dr. Quick previously served as pastor of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Vallejo, California, for more than 10 years. He is a graduate of Morehouse College, Princeton Theological Seminary, and the Graduate Theological Union, University of California at Berkeley.
All proceeds support The Ivy League Educational Foundation, Inc., an I.R.C. Section 501(c)(3) charitable organization, to provide scholarships and book awards for area high school students who are pursuing higher education.
Alpha Kappa Alpha, an international service organization, was founded at Howard University on January 15, 1908, as the first Greek-letter sorority established by Black college women.
The Ivy League Educational Foundation, Inc. is an I.R.C. § 501(c) (3) non-profit entity. Since its inception in 2002, it has awarded more than $200,000 in college scholarships to students from the Greater Trenton area.
The members of the Foundation, in collaboration with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Epsilon Upsilon Omega Chapter, also engaged in community service projects such as: mentoring two youth groups; Youth Leadership Institute (YLI) and The Ivy League (IL); A Cultural Experience at Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie Mansion: An African American Authors Book Signing; Brunch with Santa and an Easter Egg Hunt in partnership with Trenton African American Firefighters Association; adopting The Village Charter School; presenting workshops on financial education and scholastic achievements; feeding the less fortunate; and donating brown-bag lunches for children in need.
The theme for the 2024 celebration is “Shine a Light on Him- Make Room and Let’s Work.”
Kelli S. Wiggins, president of the Ivy League Foundation, said, “We gather on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day not only to raise scholarship funds for deserving students, but to shine a light on those whose life and work inspires student achievement and parallels our cause. We observe this day ‘as a day on, not a day off,’ as well as a day of service.”
The breakfast has been the premiere event for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day for the Trenton-area community for more than four decades. This event allows the foundation to raise money for scholarships for outstanding local high school graduates, honor nonprofit organizations doing important work, and showcase the talent of people in our community as we reflect on Dr. King’s legacy in the quest for justice and equality.
At the breakfast, the foundation will present awards to two community organizations:
Trenton Museum Society and the Mitchell A Davis American Legion Post 182.
Founded in 1973, the Trenton Museum Society oversees the only museum devoted to New Jersey’s capital city. The Museum Society is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation that supports and showcases the work of contemporary visual artists and musicians from the greater Trenton area. It uses its collections and resources to foster an understanding of Trenton’s history and instill a growing interest in the creative arts among Trenton’s students.
The Mitchell A. Davis American Legion Post 182. is an organization for veterans of the U.S. armed forces. The association organizes events and commemorative celebrations. The organization is also lobbying for the welfare and interest of the veterans, including pensions and health programs.
Entertainment at the breakfast will be provided by the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Epsilon Upsilon Omega Chapter’s Pearl Ensemble and the Higher Ground Interdenominational Church (HGIC) Praise Dancers.
To promote small local businesses, the breakfast organizers also provide space near the ballroom for vendors during and after the breakfast. Eight entrepreneurs will participate, marketing goods ranging from jewelry and hats to boutique fashions, as well as items with the insignia of Greek-letter organizations. Sorority members who have businesses will also share an information table.
