Don C. Sawyer III, Ph.D. Presents MLK Day Speech 2/6
Seton Hill University’s Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Task Force will hold its annual educational program in commemoration of Dr. King’s birthday featuring Don C. Sawyer III, Ph.D., the inaugural Vice President for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at Fairfield University, where he is also a tenured associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.
The event will be held on Thursday, February 6 at 7:30 p.m. in Cecilian Hall on the second floor of the University’s Administration Building. While in-person attendance is limited to members of the Seton Hill community, a livestream of the program will be available via YouTube.
In addition to the education program, the Seton Hill community will participate in a Day of Service in honor of Dr. King on Saturday, Feb. 15.
As Seton Hill’s Spring 2025 Semester did not begin until after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, events honoring Dr. King are held in February.
About the Speaker
A Harlem native and first-generation college graduate, Don C. Sawyer III embodies his parents’ belief in education as a catalyst for generational change. He holds a B.A. in Psychology from Hartwick College, an M.S. in Cultural Foundations of Education, and a Ph.D. in Sociology from Syracuse University.
Dr. Sawyer is the inaugural Vice President for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at Fairfield University, where he is also a tenured associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. In this role, he has begun laying a foundation for fostering inclusive excellence and has made strides in aligning the university’s diversity and inclusion efforts with its Jesuit mission.
Outside of the university, Dr. Sawyer teaches sociology in Connecticut state prisons. By bringing education into carceral spaces, he reinforces his belief in the transformative power of knowledge and the importance of creating opportunities for all.
Dr. Sawyer is also engaged in work that supports individuals transitioning from incarceration. He serves as chair of the board for a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping formerly incarcerated individuals reintegrate into society. These efforts are rooted in his philosophy of blending radical love and applied sociology.
In addition to his academic and administrative work, Dr. Sawyer has a long history of using hip-hop culture as a tool for education and healing. Through the #HipHopHeals Project and a community center he co-founded in the Dominican Republic, he has empowered Haitian and Dominican youth to bridge divides and build brighter futures through education, entrepreneurship, and the arts.
Dr. Sawyer’s forthcoming book, I Got Nothing but Love: Narratives of Hope, Healing, and Transformation, highlights his experiences working with marginalized communities and offers a vision for creating reciprocal partnerships that will lead to research-driven social change.
Dr. Sawyer’s life and career reflect his dedication to the idea that even small actions can make a lasting difference when guided by a belief in the inherent value of our shared humanity.
The event will be held on Thursday, February 6 at 7:30 p.m. in Cecilian Hall on the second floor of the University’s Administration Building. While in-person attendance is limited to members of the Seton Hill community, a livestream of the program will be available via YouTube.
In addition to the education program, the Seton Hill community will participate in a Day of Service in honor of Dr. King on Saturday, Feb. 15.
As Seton Hill’s Spring 2025 Semester did not begin until after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, events honoring Dr. King are held in February.
About the Speaker
A Harlem native and first-generation college graduate, Don C. Sawyer III embodies his parents’ belief in education as a catalyst for generational change. He holds a B.A. in Psychology from Hartwick College, an M.S. in Cultural Foundations of Education, and a Ph.D. in Sociology from Syracuse University.
Dr. Sawyer is the inaugural Vice President for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at Fairfield University, where he is also a tenured associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. In this role, he has begun laying a foundation for fostering inclusive excellence and has made strides in aligning the university’s diversity and inclusion efforts with its Jesuit mission.
Outside of the university, Dr. Sawyer teaches sociology in Connecticut state prisons. By bringing education into carceral spaces, he reinforces his belief in the transformative power of knowledge and the importance of creating opportunities for all.
Dr. Sawyer is also engaged in work that supports individuals transitioning from incarceration. He serves as chair of the board for a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping formerly incarcerated individuals reintegrate into society. These efforts are rooted in his philosophy of blending radical love and applied sociology.
In addition to his academic and administrative work, Dr. Sawyer has a long history of using hip-hop culture as a tool for education and healing. Through the #HipHopHeals Project and a community center he co-founded in the Dominican Republic, he has empowered Haitian and Dominican youth to bridge divides and build brighter futures through education, entrepreneurship, and the arts.
Dr. Sawyer’s forthcoming book, I Got Nothing but Love: Narratives of Hope, Healing, and Transformation, highlights his experiences working with marginalized communities and offers a vision for creating reciprocal partnerships that will lead to research-driven social change.
Dr. Sawyer’s life and career reflect his dedication to the idea that even small actions can make a lasting difference when guided by a belief in the inherent value of our shared humanity.