Luther alumna Maxie (Jones) Rockymore ’82 to present the annual Don Kemp Memorial Lecture

As part of Luther College’s Black Student Union Reunion Weekend, Luther alumna Maxie (Jones) Rockymore ’82, is serving as the keynote speaker for the annual Don Kemp Memorial Lecture at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 25, in the Shirley Baker Commons on Luther’s campus.

The lecture, held in memoriam of Luther’s former social work program director Don Kemp, is open to the public with no charge for admission.

Rockymore works as a manager in the state of Minnesota for foster care and Title IV-E of the Social Security Act. Title IV-E funds provide stability for children in foster care by financing maintenance, administrative costs, training, parental recruitment and adoption assistance.

In addition to her commitment to social work, Rockymore is an active playwright and poet. Her poetry inspired Obsidian Arts’ 2012 production of “The Love Project,” interpreting her works into theatrical, visual and musical mediums. Rockymore served as a playwright for the 2015 New Griot Festival, an event celebrating and nurturing the talents of black artists in the Minneapolis and St. Paul areas.

Luther’s social work program strives to develop practical skills and critical thinking in order to promote justice for individuals of all backgrounds. Luther social work students apply their learning on local, national and international scales through study-away programs and internships.

The Luther College Black Student Union is an organization that was established in the fall of 1968 by a group of students looking for a space to celebrate their culture, accomplishments and share in their struggles. The yearlong celebration of the BSU 50th anniversary formally commenced during homecoming 2018 and continued with a calendar of lectures, speakers, film screenings, performance and more.

A national liberal arts college with an enrollment of 2,005, Luther offers an academic curriculum that leads to the Bachelor of Arts degree in more than 60 majors and pre-professional programs. For more information about Luther visit the college’s website: http://www.luther.edu.