“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”

On January 21, a day after President Donald Trump’s second inauguration—and on what would have marked Martin Luther King Jr.’s 96th birthday—American University president Jon Alger recited those 13 words delivered by the civil rights leader in a 1957 sermon.

The quote—inscribed on the back of t-shirts worn by Eagles who volunteered during AU’s MLK Day of Service a day earlier—was the inspiration for the third in a series of AU Unity Meals around public service, which kicked off in the fall.

“When I look out at everybody here today taking time out of your busy days to share this moment together. . . I really do see the beginnings of what Dr. King called the ‘beloved community,’” Alger said. “The beloved community was a place, as he described it, where love and trust ultimately triumph over fear and hatred and where conflict is resolved through resolution and reconciliation.

“To be clear, [King’s] vision of the beloved community was not a place that was devoid of conflict,” Alger continued. “He understood that was part of the human condition. Instead, he said this is a place where conflict can be overcome with cooperation and reconciliation in the spirit of friendship and goodwill. That is the spirit in which we come together today.”

Alger’s remarks opened a brief program featuring reflections on service from campus speakers. In order of their remarks, they included:

• Rev. Eric Doolittle, university chaplain and director of the Kay Spiritual Life Center, talked about AU’s Methodist roots, which emphasize education and service, and shared an anecdote about meeting an alumna named Amy, who had been part of Kay’s Community Action and Social Justice Office in the 1990s. Amy returned to campus in the fall in search of a hammer signed by late President Jimmy Carter, which had been given to AU in recognition of student service to  Habitat for Humanity. “The hammer was gone. I don’t know where it ended up . . . but hopefully it’s going to show up,” Doolittle said. “If not, Amy has her memories of a lifetime dedicated to service, and we all have a little reminder about the intersection of beliefs, values, faith, and service, and how they come together in special ways to motivate people like Amy, Jimmy Carter, John Wesley, and thousands of others who are part of AU’s story.
• Melanie Bullock, director of the Center for Leadership and Community Engagement, detailed how she and the center can support AU students with an urge to serve. “My challenge to you is to step into these opportunities, whether it’s mentoring, tutoring, or working on a social justice project,” Bullock said. “All you need is a heart that is willing to serve [to] create change.”
• WCL professor Binny Miller, associate dean for experiential education and codirector of the Criminal Justice Clinic, shared lessons in service from WCL’s Clinical Program, which includes about 200 students. “In these times, we must seek productive ways to engage with the current climate, chase resilience, find joy, and above all, embrace community. Community engagement and commitment to service has always been at the heart of what WCL stands for. We need community and each other now more than ever.”
• SIS diplomat in residence Caroline Croft told the crowd that true happiness can only be found through service. She cited AU’s longstanding relationship with the Peace Corps, student and faculty efforts to clean up the Anacostia River, and DC Reads as impactful examples. “Students, trustees, and faculty—seek out these opportunities,” she said. “Our city is a laboratory of service. May you all experience that joy in service.”