Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Awards

Vice President for Student Life and Enrollment at UConn Nathan Fuerst gives Alexis Monteiro, a residence hall director at UConn, the 2025 MLK Legacy Award for staff during the Dr. Martin Luther King Living Legacy Convocation at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (Sydney Herdle/UConn Photo)

Nomination Form for the 2026 MLK Legacy Awards

Award Description

The University of Connecticut MLK Legacy Awards committee would like to recognize and honor members of the community who have demonstrated a commitment to raising awareness, fighting injustices, assisting their communities, and embodying Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s philosophy of nonviolence. We aim to affirm and honor their work and continued dedication to making their community more just, equitable, and fair for all people.

Important dates:

  • September 18 - Nomination form opens
  • November 7 - Nomination form closes at 11:59 p.m. ET
  • November 21 - Nomination acceptance deadline
  • January 30 - MLK Convocation and Award Ceremony at the Jorgensen Center

    Nomination Prompt

    These awards honor those who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, justice, nonviolence, and social change. Please describe the nominee’s contributions, achievements, and impact related to the principles and values of Martin Luther King Jr. in each of the following areas:

    • Leadership - The ability to inspire, guide, and mobilize others toward justice, equity, and collective progress.
    • Advocacy - The act of speaking up, taking action, and working to change unjust systems in pursuit of fairness and inclusion.
    • Social Justice - The commitment to dismantling inequities and creating a society where everyone is treated with dignity and equity.
    • Community Service - Meaningful contributions made to support and uplift communities through acts of care, volunteerism, and civic engagement.
    • Education - The sharing and pursuit of knowledge that empowers individuals, challenges injustice, and fosters social change.

    Well-rounded nominations address each of the five areas listed above within the 300 word limit. For self-nominations, we highly encourage including at least one letter of support that addresses as many of the five areas as applicable.

    Note: There are two types of nominations, a self-nomination and a nomination for someone else. Nominations can be started and saved until ready to submit. Only complete nominations that are submitted by the deadline will be considered. Draft or incomplete applications will not be considered. Please email diversity@uconn.edu with questions.

    Recipient Categories

    • Undergraduate Student
    • Graduate Student
    • Faculty
    • Staff
    • Community Member
    • Alum
    • Team or Organization (teams can be a mix of categories and organization can be student-led or community-led)