(Muncie, IN) – Ball State University is set to begin Unity Week 2026 on Monday, Jan. 19, a week-long series of educational and cultural events honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and celebrating community, service, and cultural understanding.
The week opens with the university’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast, scheduled for 9 to 11 a.m. at Cardinal Halls. Ball State officials say the breakfast is hosted by Ball State and community partners as part of an MLK Day celebration.
Unity Week will also include a Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service hosted through Student Voluntary Services, with volunteer opportunities organized in partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank.
Ball State’s featured Unity Week keynote speaker will be Steven Williams III, a 2016 Ball State graduate and Microsoft strategist who is also a published children’s book author and community advocate. University materials describe Williams as a leader focused on expanding access and opportunity through education and economic development.
Other major Unity Week events include Latinxpalooza, a talent showcase hosted by the Latinx Student Union, and the Black Student Association’s 57th annual Unity Pageant, which Ball State describes as its premiere co-ed pageant and a scholarship opportunity for participating students. The Unity Pageant is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 25, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. at Pruis Hall.
For more information and a full schedule of events, Ball State directs the public to its Multicultural Center website at bsu.edu/multicultural.
