VINCENNES, Ind. - Vincennes University’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Banquet and Celebration will be held Jan. 16, 7 p.m. (EST), at Green Activities Center. The public is invited to attend and tickets are required. Tickets cost $5 and are available at the VU Bookstore. VU students and employees may receive free tickets with a valid VU ID.

Sponsored by the VU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, the evening will feature performances by the Ron Jones Quartet and Dr. Kandace Hinton, and a presentation by keynote speaker Jim Sims, president of the Monroe County NAACP.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Jim believes that as early as age 16, when he earned the highest achievement ranking of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America organization, his leadership potential and interactive engagements formulated the foundation for a life of leadership responsibilities which has evolved into working toward improving the lives of all people, but specifically those in minority and other under-represented groups.

Jim earned his bachelor’s degree from the School of Continuing Studies at Indiana University Bloomington and has served in supervisory leadership positions his entire work career in restaurant management and employment within Indiana University.

He has served in multiple fulfilling roles in Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Bloomington city and Monroe County government, in the Monroe County and Indiana State Democratic Party, within Indiana University (IUB Black Faculty and Staff Caucus, IU Professional Staff Council and Residential Programs and Services Diversity Committee), in the Second Baptist Church Bloomington, and the Monroe County Branch of NAACP. Jim has also served in a myriad of other organizations over the last 25 years, including as a founding member of the Students Support Services Alumni Association.

Jim is currently employed at Indiana University Bloomington as Area Manager for Facilities in Residential Programs and Services Division, is president of the Monroe County NAACP, chair of Second Baptist Church Trustee Board, and he recently joined the local political arena being elected by Democratic Caucus vote to serve on Bloomington’s City Common Council.

Overall, Jim’s leadership style is to create partnerships and collaborations with other like-minded organizations/individuals to build a sustained consensus toward social equality, and his leadership goals are to continue to promote social consciousness to the majority population, to promote social justice and equity and eliminating all forms of racial discrimination specifically for African Americans, people of color and other socially marginalized groups.

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