Founder of Mungano and retired professor Jesse Milan promoted student unity and diversity appreciation Sunday at Mungano’s 32nd annual candlelight vigil.
The ceremony is held each year in Osborne Memorial Chapel to honor individuals who fought for justice and equal rights during the civil rights era.
“I want the candlelight vigil to be a learning experience. The whole point of the vigil is to pay attention to how individuals felt during the civil rights movement,” Silas Dulan, director of multicultural affairs, said. “Hopefully students and faculty can take back some pearls of wisdom or some history facts they didn’t know about from the civil rights movement.”
The featured guest speaker, Joyce Moore-Stovall, spoke on the topic of civil rights and the struggles she has been through as an African-American.
The ceremony also included a brief presentation of the history of the organization by sophomore Eldina Kunic, the presentation of the Milan-Harris Award to junior Rachel Lusk, saying farewell to old officers and the induction of new Mungano officers for the 2012-2013 school year.
“Every year (at this ceremony,) there is something special, and I am just glad the university recognizes the importance of this event,” Dulan said.
The biggest part of the ceremony was a candlelight march around campus while singing gospels.
The day ended with a reception following the ceremony, where guests mingled and spoke about the ceremony.