B-CU Presents Five Blessings at Mary McLeod Bethune Festival

Bethune-Cookman University will participate in the Mary McLeod Bethune Cultural Heritage Arts Festival to be held April 6 to 13 in Daytona Beach.

B-CU will participate in the festival with activities focused on the Five Blessings: education, civic engagement, business, health and wellness, and faith, said Evelyn Bethune, granddaughter of Mary McLeod Bethune. In addition, the weeklong event will also include an awards gala, an R&B and jazz concert, authors’ forum, book sales, a black film festival and a gospel concert, among many other events throughout the city.

“We see this growing into one of the biggest festivals in the southeast region,” Evelyn Bethune said. “We are glad to have the participation of the Mary McLeod Bethune Legacy Preservation Institute Inc., to make this a testament to my grandmother’s legacy.”

The Five Blessings events, free and open to the public, are:

• Monday, April 7: 10 a.m., President’s Roundtable on Education. “The Impact of Dr. Bethune’s Vision on the Education of African-Americans in the 21^st Century.” Graduate Seminar Room of the Michael and Libby Johnson Center for Civic Engagement. Participants include Associate Provost Dr. Adrienne Cooper; Curator of the Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Dr. Ashley Robertson; and UNCF Area Development Director Sherry Paramore.
• Tuesday, April 8: Mini educational conference presented by the School of Education. A presentation of posters, papers and a plenary discussion at 9 a.m. entitled, “Bridging the Education Divide: Dr. Bethune to the 21^st Century.” Students will bring great African-Americans to life in “Living Biographies, Outstanding Blacks in History.” Kottle Building.
• Wednesday, April 9: 9:30 a.m. to noon, Entrepreneurial workshop presented by the School of Business.  Topics include: How to bring your dreams to reality (How to start up your own business) and resources available for minority business owners/start-up(s). Assistance provided by U.S. Small Business Administration (USSBA) and B-CU School of Business Wendell P. Holmes Jr. Business Building.
• Thursday, April 10: 10 to 11:30 p.m. the College of Liberal Arts presents, “New Voting Laws Proposed.” Featured speaker is Dr. Terri Fine, associate director of the Florida Center for Citizenship.  1 to 2:30 p.m.,  “Stand Your Ground Laws.” President’s Banquet Room, the Mary McLeod Bethune Performing Arts Center. Presenters are Octavius Holliday Jr., attorney at law; R.J. Larizza, state attorney for the Seventh Judicial Court; and a representative from the Daytona Beach Police Department.
• Friday, April 11:
  • 10 a.m., School of Education presents “The Pros and Cons of Desegregation,” in the Graduate Seminar Room of the Michael and Libby Johnson Center for Civic Engagement. Speakers include three persons who integrated schools in their counties.
  • 2 p.m. The Chaplaincy presents a roundtable discussion on “How our Faith Transcends Culture and Fosters Unity.” Participants include representatives from the various religious beliefs. Gretrude Heyn Chapel.

Visit http://www.bethunefestdaytona.org/ for more information and for a complete listing of events.

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Bethune-Cookman University was founded in 1904 and serves the community via three campuses. For more information, visit www.cookman.edu.