On Tuesday, the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) MLK Day of Service committee announced the schedule for this year's events, which spans three days in January and culminates with a speech by Rev. Jesse Jackson on Jan. 18. And for the first time ever, classes will be canceled at Penn State to observe Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

As a student body we've asked the administration for the day off and having received it, the ball is in our court. Rather than taking the three-day weekend many expect us to take, we can show our potential and set a high standard for future MLK Days of Service by participating in scheduled events and working to promote positive change throughout the Penn State community.

Previously, MLK day may have been thought of as a once-a-year occasion instead of a set of ideals and a call to awareness, which should last the entire year. If successful, MLK Day has the potential to create a mind-set in which students are interested in similar events throughout the year.

The commemoration of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life and legacy should not stop at one day. Offering these additional events on Tuesday and Wednesday after MLK day is good because students will have more of an opportunity to participate, even if they are out of town during the weekend.

It will be an excellent opportunity for students to show support for the ideals expounded upon by King, through a practical application of volunteer work, without being hindered by class schedules. Previously, students who wanted to participate in these volunteer activities may not have been able to because classes prevented them from participating.

In past years, the argument had been made that canceling classes would allow more students to participate in the day's events.

It would also be encouraging to see service activities extended past MLK Day to help emphasize that such activities are possible year-round. In the years to come, scheduling a similar series of events that span more than one day will help to keep the importance of the day in the collective consciousness of the student body.

Hopefully, Jackson's appearance will continue to increase student interest in the Day of Service, peace service and other activities honoring King.

Guest speakers in the future could serve to continue the trend of keynote speakers, as Jackson will be doing this year. Hopefully next year, the committee won't run into difficulty filling Jackson's shoes, as he is perhaps the most prominent civil rights advocate and has the potential to set a high standard for future speakers.