MLK Celebration Program Planning Guide

This short guide will provide some ideas, questions, and things to consider when planning an event for the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Events Calendar.

Program Goals

One of the first things to consider is what are the goals you’d like your program to accomplish?

• What information do we hope participants would learn?
• What skills would we want participants to build?
• What takeaways do we want participants to have?
  

Passive vs. Active Program

After you know what your goals are, you can start thinking about what avenue would work best.

Passive programs are great for groups that have limited staff or time. These programs allow participants to engage with little direction and more on their own time. Some examples of passive programs are:

• Creating bulletin board or book displays
• Distributing to-go craft kits
• Passing out food with information attached
• Constructing a blackout poetry station
• Developing a scavenger hunt

Active programs are what people typically think of when they think of programming. These programs allow participants to interact with staff and other participants in more dynamic ways. They often require more structure and hands-on time than passive programs. Some examples are:

• Watching a movie followed by discussion
• Coordinating a volunteer opportunity
• Hosting a paint and learn event
• Organizing a trivia night
• Bringing in a speaker or organization to talk about a specific topic
  

Logistics

There are some questions to ask as you move past idea generation and into finalizing details.

• Should this be virtual or in-person?
  • If in-person, what spaces do we have access to?
  • If virtual, what platform should we use?
  • How can we ensure whatever we use is accessible?
• What budget do we have?
  • Will we be providing food?
  • Are we able to accommodate a variety of dietary needs?
  • What supplies do we need?
• Are there other groups that we can partner with?
• How will we market the program?
• Who will take lead in the variety of tasks and needs for the program?
  

Once your program is confirmed, please submit it to the University Events Calendar. Be sure to select signature program and MLK.